https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj WSHD 310 Assignment: Summary of Sandra Postels Presentation at Calvin University en-us 2021-09-05 18:54:34 UTC 2023-07-16 18:28:55 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f30a.png dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717708642 Director and Founder of Global Water Policy Project, National Geographic Freshwater Fellow, and an author of many water resource novels.]]> 2021-09-05 19:14:18 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717708642 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717711596 This a summary of the problems and solutions that Sandra Postel presents in her book "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity" at Calvin University in January of 2020]]> 2021-09-05 19:19:22 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717711596 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717714109 After the Apollo 8 Mission, we began to realize the finiteness of water on our planet. Our planet has a finite water supply, but our water demands are not. From this moment, we began to evaluate our personal and societal water footprints as well as looking to restore our watersheds by returning water to them. ]]> 2021-09-05 19:24:15 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717714109 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717726162 Globally, soils can hold 8x more water than all river combined. Heavy farm equipment and large livestock compact our soils, leaving less room to hold water. A result of all this heavy usage is depletion in ground and surface water. This also points as to why 70% of irrigated agriculture experience periodic water shortages. ]]> 2021-09-05 19:45:49 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717726162 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717728935 To limit compaction and increase saturation of soils, farmers will aerate their soils by tilling as well as planting cover crops which will hold more water and prevent nutrient loss through leaching and runoff. However, only 6% of farmlands use cover crops. ]]> 2021-09-05 19:50:17 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717728935 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717737106 More work is being done to change, but NOT limit, the amounts of water being given to agricultural landowners. Along the Verde River in Arizona, a hired hydrologist collaborated with local irrigators to install a head gate that would supply them with the right amount of water they need. Prior to the head gate installation, there was no way of measuring the amount of water supplied to irrigators.]]> 2021-09-05 20:04:42 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717737106 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717739234 When approached with a collaboration mindset, irrigators can make changes with the right information and support from hydrologists and/or ecological scientists. Like switching from flood irrigation to drip irrigation, or growing a water-thrifty crops. ]]> 2021-09-05 20:08:37 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717739234 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717800325 Nearly half of large cities experience periodic water shortage. In highly urbanized areas, precipitation has nowhere to go except run off the grey and black infrastructure. Falling water will run off of roofs, pavements, down buildings, or into limited drainage systems that may flood streets. When there:s no where for water to stay, there is no way for water to be stored. This is where large cities face detrimental extremes of flooding AND droughts. ]]> 2021-09-05 22:02:54 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717800325 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717803068 When faced with extremities of droughts and flooding, city water management may turn to building green infrastructure. This includes adding rain gardens, vegetated swales, green roofs, and permeable pavement. This infrastructure absorbs water, stores it, and gradually releases it. In China, they've developed "Sponge Cities" which include green roofs.]]> 2021-09-05 22:08:34 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717803068 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717805466 To avoid the costs of installing a treatment plants, some cities have been investing in protecting and tending to the ecosystems surrounding a reservoir. This benefits everyone as well as the ecosystems. In households, standards have been created for the amount of water used in toilets, shower head, sink faucets, etc. Between 2000 and 2015, the US domestic water use per person has decreased by 18% due to these standards that didn't really make any differences for people. ]]> 2021-09-05 22:13:47 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717805466 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717818541 Freshwater is depleting, and so are our rivers. Many have dry seasons for miles, or others, like the Colorado, can't even run its natural course anymore. There are ~60,000 large dams worldwide that impede the natural flow of rivers. The Hoover Dam on the Colorado contributes to why the river no longer reaches the ocean. ]]> 2021-09-05 22:38:00 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717818541 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717820744 If we were to apply ecological sciences in engineering, the balance between receiving services and maintaining healthy ecosystems would be more attainable. For example, the currently build levees along some rivers will cause water levels to rise, which will increase the river's current. Due to the increased speed, it puts those down river at a greater risk of floods.]]> 2021-09-05 22:42:24 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717820744 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717826506 Since 1970, average abundance of freshwater vertebrate populations has declined 83%. Many of which found homes in wetlands. Not only do they provide fish and wildlife habitat, but wetlands provide many services to our planet. They remove nitrogen and phosphorous, regulate floods, sequestrate carbon, mitigate droughts, and so much more. Yet, we still have lost 50% of our wetlands. ]]> 2021-09-05 22:53:04 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717826506 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717830586 Stationarity is dead. We are now living outside of the natural variability of our planet's water cycle. Probabilities of increasingly devastating natural disasters are increasing due to climate change. Even though we are making changes, our water demands are still infinite and our planet's water resources is still finite]]> 2021-09-05 22:59:31 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717830586 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717831940 The most important part of Sandra Postel's presentation is that even with all of these increasingly worse conditions, changes are being made in our relationship with water. Lines are being drawn, ecological science is being applied, and people are doing together to help create a healthier planet!]]> 2021-09-05 23:01:50 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717831940 dcm16 https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717832968 Please make sure to watch Sandra Postel's video! As inclusive as this Padlet may be, there is still more one can take away from watching her lecture. Thank you for reading!]]> 2021-09-05 23:03:42 UTC https://padlet.com/dcm16/ofmy0sje78w0foxj/wish/1717832968