Sunday, June 15, 2014

MOVING MOUNTAINS FOR WATER

According to to a recent report, withdrawal of large volumes of groundwater in California's Central Valley is causing nearby mountain ranges to rise and may also be triggering small earthquakes.*

Over the past 150 years, the aquifer in this area has been depleted by about 160 cubic kilometers of groundwater. A concern beyond the loss of such water is that the resulting mountain movement could stress the San Andreas Fault.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that from 1900 to 2008, U.S. aquifers were depleted by more than twice the volume of water contained in Lake Erie and explains more than 2% of the observed global sea level increase during that period. In the period 2000-2008, the depletion rate averaged 25 cubic kilometers per year. Municipalities in the Gulf Coastal Plain, High Plains, Pacific Northwest and Desert Southwest have experienced declines of groundwater levels up to hundreds of feet. As an example, pumping from the large and important Ogallala aquifer since the 1940s has resulted in a lowering of the water table of up to 160 feet.

According to USGS, use of groundwater in the highly populated Milwaukee-Chicago corridor has reduced groundwater levels by as much as 900 feet. In the last half of the 20th century, Chicago suburbs experienced accelerated growth, with their water systems almost exclusively relying on groundwater. As pumping increased, wells were drilled deeper , not only to get more water but water of higher quality. As growth continued, however, wells became less reliable-- particularly deep wells such at the 1500 foot level or more, which began to mine salt water. Fortunately, for most of these communities eventually Lake Michigan water became available, enabling wells to be retired. Of course, cities away from Lake Michigan do not have Lake water as an option.

Draining of fresh water aquifers is not limited to the United States. It is a global issue. So, what is the point? It should be obvious. If this trend continues unabated by common sense conservation and development of alternative sources of supply, withdrawal of groundwater may not just move mountains--but people everywhere may have to move mountains to find water.
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*Science News, June 14, 2014, p.9

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT--BIG TIME


When it comes to governmental regulation, it seems that the focus on water conservation primarily is on ultimate users--particularly homeowners. Thus, in the United States, much regulatory attention has been given to water appliances such as low flow toilets, shower heads and faucets. Water utilities have experienced the effects of such efforts through reduced revenue and the need to increase rates to recover revenue shortfalls--which by itself can be a conservation measure.

However, perhaps water conservation also should be practiced on a broader scale, particularly by governmental entities. For example, drought conditions in California have been well publicized. Notwithstanding, it has been reported that the federal Bureau of Reclamation recently drained reservoirs into two California rivers to help baby salmon more quickly swim to the Pacific ocean. It has been asserted that the some 23 billion gallons water diverted for the benefit of fish would have been sufficient for the annual requirements of a city of 500,000.*

Recently, officials in Portland, Oregon drained a finished water reservoir of 38 million gallons of treated water after it was discovered that a man allegedly urinated into the reservoir. Subsequent test results should no health risk from the water.**

In the latter 19th Century, the Chicago River, which flowed into Lake Michigan, was reversed by diverting Lake water into the river. As the Lake was the water source for the residents of Chicago, it was found that they were coming down with cholera due to sewage that was being discharged into the river and entering the Lake. Today, more than 100 years later, Lake water still is being diverted to keep the river flowing backward, despite chlorination and other water treatment requirements and modern wastewater treatment.

On a smaller scale perhaps, water utilities also can participate in unnecessary loss of water. For example, one continues to see large quantities of water drained during hydrant flushing. And, many utilities continue to experience substantial leakage from their distribution mains.

If clean water is the limited resource that is claimed, then it may be incumbent that every one, including governmental entities and utilities, share in the responsibility to protect it for the benefit of humankind that really needs it.

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* "California Drains Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought", Wall Street Journal,May 24-25, 2014, p. A11

** "Portland Criticized For Flushing Reservoir After Man Urinated In It, Water Online, May 16, 2014