Monthly Archive for September, 2011

Egypt’s New Democrats Ready to Defend Nile

Published on 09/30/2011 in agriculture, dams, displacement of people and rivers. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Retrieved from: Voanews

“In the beginning, Egypt was the Nile. That could now change, as Egypt, Sudan and the countries that supply the Nile’s waters face new politics, economic development, skyrocketing demographics and climate change.  Egypt confronts at least a half a dozen other African countries that have for generations delivered their waters to Egypt’s Nile. What historically appeared to be Egypt’s birthright has now become a privilege they must negotiate with their upstream neighbors. It is a major issue in Egypt’s upcoming elections.

“Some of the political parties are talking about the Nile agreement,” said Dr. Mahmoud Abo-Zein  “but all of them are talking about water security, which means no disturbance of the historic rights and that countries should not implement projects which would affect our uses of the Nile in Egypt.” And that is what is at stake for Egypt as a newly elected government in Cairo will define its role in a new regional initiative that will decide the future of the Nile and its beneficiaries.

“The Nile Basin Intiative was begun in 1999. Dr. Abu-Zeid spent a good part of his 12 years as Egypt’s minister of water resources and irrigation trying to save those historic water rights in negotiated agreements with Ethiopia and at least five other African countries. A few months ago, it became clear that upstream neighbors could replace Egypt’s old river-related traditions, with or without Egypt and Sudan. Then, Ethiopia announced construction of a new dam that made Cairo nervous.They call it the Renissance Dam

“We saw that the new dam Ethiopia has started to build might affect the historic rights of Egypt,” said Abu-Zeid. Construction of Ethiopia’s $5-million hydro-electric dam on a principal source of Egypt’s Nile began several months ago.

Ethiopia recently agreed to host officials from Egypt and Sudan to prove that the dam, now called the Renaissance Dam, will not be used to irrigate any of the large corporate farms the Ethiopian government has leased to foreign investors in recent years. Though Ethiopia’s funding of the dam’s construction is uncertain, Egypt remains concerned and suspicious.

Read more: Voa news

sammykayed

River Eden study aims to reduce farm pollution

Published on 09/28/2011 in agriculture, contaminated water, riparian zone and solutions and outreach. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

River Eden

Retrieved from: BBC

“Water quality monitoring stations have been set up along the River Eden in bid to reduce agricultural pollution.

“Experts from Newcastle, Durham, and Lancaster universities want to find ways to prevent farm waste affecting water quality.

“Water samples from the 10 stations will be regularly analysed and results posted online.

“The project is being funded by Defra, which hopes farmers will use the information to reduce pollution.

“A spokesman for Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) said: “The live, real-time data, made available via the web, can be used by councils, rivers trusts and the public to help in understanding how to improve river water quality where they live.

“Water pollution from agriculture can arise from artificial fertilisers, livestock manures or soil erosion and is strongly affected by the way the soil is managed.”

Read more: BBC

sammykayed

Don’t be political on water, TRC told

Published on 09/28/2011 in contaminated water and management. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Retrieved from: TRC

“Taranaki’s environmental watchdog risks being accused of political interference because elected councillors are making decisions about who is prosecuted for water pollution, the auditor-general has advised Parliament.

“But the Taranaki Regional Council said yesterday it was the lawyers who made the final decision on who was taken to court.

“The auditor-general’s review of the way Taranaki, Waikato, Whanganui and Southland’s regional councils are dealing with water quality issues – including dirty dairy farming – was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.

“In both Taranaki and Waikato the auditor-general found councillors were deciding whether or not to prosecute those who breached the Resource Management Act, the report noted.

“Enforcement decisions should be made by council staff rather than elected representatives – as happens in central government – to ensure they were independent of political influence, the report said.

“In our view, councillors should not be involved in investigating breaches, or deciding whether to prosecute.”

Read more: Stuff

sammykayed

Major Rivers Have Enough Water to Meet Food Needs, Study Shows

Published on 09/26/2011 in agriculture, rivers and water shortage. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Retrieved from: solstation

“Major river systems in the developing world have enough water to meet food production needs this century, according to a report by researchers from 30 countries published in the International Water Journal.

“A study of 10 river basins in Asia, Latin America and Africa released today from Recife, Brazil, found there’s “clearly enough” water, and the issue is one of inefficient use and unfair distribution rather than scarcity, the Challenge Program on Water and Food, or CPWF, said in a statement.

“The river basins studied are home to about 1.5 billion people, according to the research group. World food output will have to climb 70 percent by 2050 as the world’s population rises to 9.2 billion from an estimated 6.9 billion in 2010, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

“Water scarcity is not affecting our ability to grow enough food,” Alain Vidal, director of the CPWF who is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, said in the statement. “There is scarcity in certain areas, but our findings show that the problem overall is a failure to make efficient use of the water available in these river basins.”

Read more: Bloomberg

sammykayed

Water lease test aims to end ‘buy and dry’ trend

Published on 09/25/2011 in agriculture, management, policy, water diversions and water rights. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

AP Associated Press

Retrieved from: ap.org

“ROCKY FORD, Colo. (AP) — A pilot project in Colorado’s Arkansas Valley seeks to break a “buy and dry” trend in which thirsty cities buy water rights from farmers desperate for cash in times of severe drought, only to permanently parch cropland, shutter farms and hurt the tax bases of agricultural towns.

“The three-year project would pay farmers to dry up some of their land on a rotating basis and let cities temporarily lease the unused water.

“Water is the most valuable thing we have. It’s what I have to have to make a living,” said Lamar-area corn and hay producer Dale Mauch, vice president of the Lower Arkansas Valley Super Ditch Co., which is working on the project.

“It’s just like selling another crop. We’re adding a crop to our rotation, and we still own the water. Now I have alfalfa, corn and water to sell,” said John Schweizer, who produces wheat and has about 200 cows in Rocky Ford.

“Kuntz stopped by Hanagan’s produce farm last week to look at its water supply. Hanagan mused aloud about what land he could fallow logistically and economically. He said he would jump at the chance to keep water in the valley instead of having it go permanently to cities.

“It’s a no-brainer to me,” Hanagan said.

Read more: Houston Chronicle (AP)

chrismorrow

Flushing Your Toilet Will Someday Power Your Home

Published on 09/24/2011 in graywater, products, wastewater and water technology. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Retrieved from: engr.psu.edu

“Many sewage treatment plants currently use bacteria to treat wastewater. Essentially, the bacteria help clean the water by eating the organic material.

“But researchers at Penn State have found an even more productive use for the bacteria.

“Led by environmental engineer, Bruce Logan, they’ve designed special microbial fuel cells that use “bacteria to turn any organic matter directly into electricity.”

“Considering that in the United States, we use 5% of our electricity to run our water infrastructure, the breakthrough represents a chance for us to cut costs, while also curbing our reliance on fossil fuels.

“And while this is exciting news for U.S. consumers, the technology has the potential to have an even greater impact on developing parts of the world.”

Read more: Wall St Daily

 

 

chrismorrow

Desalination: Little Oversight of California Water Boards

Published on 09/23/2011 in desalination, groundwater, management, oceans, policy, privatization and water filtering. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Indide Doheny Beach pilot desal plant. Retrieved from: DC Bureau

“Dana Point, California –When it comes to pushing for energy-intensive ocean desalination projects along the coast of California, the motivation of some water board members is being questioned.

“The wife of the pro-desalination chairman of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a consultant to the Orange County water district, and she helped permit the Doheny Beach pilot desalination plant. She is also vocal in encouraging CalDesal, a nonprofit pro-desalination lobbying group supported by public water agencies.

“I think there’s a problem there,” says Debbie Cook, a former Huntington Beach City Council member who has been looking for conflicts of interest among the region’s often overlooked water boards.

“Kevin Hunt, district manager, says the fact Foley’s wife, Mary Jane, is paid by the district does not violate any law or regulation because Foley is not a board member, but rather an appointed representative to the regional water board.

“Reached during a tour of the Doheny Beach desalination pilot project, Foley denies that his wife’s involvement with desalination poses any conflict. “She believes in desal,” Foley, a retired Army colonel, says. “That’s the fundamental problem.”

“Asked about his own position on desalination, Foley says he is in complete support.

“But we have a difficult time with a lot of opposition that’s not really sustainable,” Foley says. “It will fade as we develop more need. Unfortunately, we have an abundance of water right now. In the long run we’re going to need desalination. We’ve probably pushed conservation as far as we can, quite frankly. Any more money poured into it is not going to return that much.”

Read more: DC Bureau

chrismorrow

Water officials make desal pitch to leaders at private meeting

Published on 09/22/2011 in desalination, management and policy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

retrieved from: Desal Response Group

“The leaders of two area water agencies pitched a proposed desalination plant to an invitation-only crowd of about 50 dignitaries, business leaders and public officials Monday, saying supply shortages and other environmental threats require an aggressive plan to boost production.

“Bill Kocher, director of the Santa Cruz Water Department, and Laura Brown, director of the Soquel Creek Water District, said their 135,000 customers from the North Coast to La Selva Beach will face significant cutbacks during severe drought years without a new water supply to supplement surface sources, the groundwater basin and wells. The city also faces a demand by federal fisheries officials to reduce its draw on the San Lorenzo River and North Coast streams, while the Soquel Creek district anticipates saltwater intrusion in its underground aquifers.

“We’re asking you to get engaged and stay informed in this project,” Brown said. “It is our community’s water supply future. We need to know what the community wants us to do.”

“Monday’s meeting at the Museum of Art and History, called by the Sustainable Water Coalition founded by former Santa Cruz mayors Cynthia Mathews and Mike Rotkin, stoked the ire of desalination opponents, who made their own pitch to attendees as they entered the museum.

“The organizers rejected calls by Santa Cruz Desal Alternatives to open the meeting to the public because two top water officials were participating. Mathews said the meeting was a private group, the kind Kocher and Brown address often on request.”

read more: Santa Cruz Sentinel

chrismorrow

Learning from Elwha: Mistakes of the Past are Lessons for the Future

Published on 09/21/2011 in aquatic ecosystems, dam removal, dams, hydrology and hydropower. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

“This weekend was a big milestone for the environment. The Department of the Interior officially began the nation’s largest river restoration project on the Elwha River in Washington’s Olympic National Park with the removal of the Glines Canyon and Elwha dams. When the dams on the Elwha River were created 100 years ago, its builders cut corners by neither building fish passages nor securing the dams to bedrock, which caused significant long term damage to the surrounding ecosystems, from the river to the estuary to the coast.

“The Elwha River Restoration Project is of great interest to active members of the conservation and fishery communities and local residents who have been advocating for the dam’s removal for many years. Not only will the dam removal provide substantial economic benefit, the environmental impact of removing it is profound. Sediment will be redistributed, waterways will be restored, and five salmon species are expected to return to their natural migration route that has been dormant since the dams were erected in 1911. The project also provides a tremendous educational opportunity for the next generation to learn from the past by providing a clear picture of how our actions impact the environment.”

Read more: Huffington Post

jenna cavelle

Water proposal could devastate Texas rice industry

Published on 09/21/2011 in agriculture and drought. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Retrieved from: SF Gate

“Barbara Corporon and her husband Victor depend on water from the Colorado River to grow rice, a staple of their farm near the Texas coast.

“But as the Lower Colorado River Authority contemplates cutting off that water because of one of the worst droughts the state has ever seen, the Corporons and hundreds of other South Texas farmers are trying to figure out how they’ll keep their operations going.

“With the amount of money that it takes for us to farm, one bad year is all you can stand and then you’re bankrupt,” said Barbara Corporon, 46. “We’re too old for anybody to hire us. This is what we’ve done all our life … He’s too young to retire, but he’s too old for anything else. We’re in a pickle.”

“While most of Texas and the Southwest are under moderate to extreme drought conditions, agricultural water rationing and curtailment proposals are becoming more widespread, even affecting parts of the Deep South.

“The scope of the situation is huge,” said Matt Herrick, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“In Texas, the board of directors for the LCRA, which manages the southern part of the massive river, is considering a proposal that could cut off water next year to about 250 farmers in the state’s three biggest rice-producing counties — Matagorda, Wharton and Colorado. Texas produces about 170,000 acres of rice each year, around 5 percent of the nation’s total.”

Read more: SF Gate

sammykayed