Thanks for this, Melanie. My life at the moment revolves around groundwater issues here in Washington state, particularly PFAS ("forever chemical") contamination.
While PFAS were first discovered elsewhere, my home state became the pervasive source of their myriad applications in our world. As a result, we are now dealing with their impact on groundwater as a challenging issue especially in the areas where the manufacturing occurred.
There was so much to like about this post Melanie. For example, your self-credited photo is fantastic! One part of your writing is while many topics like water have elements of universality, I get a perspective of a place quite different than where I live. I live in a place blessed with so much water, it would be easy to take it for granted. I have important family connections who have spent a lot of time living in the island perspective you experience. Finally, what is most interesting about your post is you raise the issues around water that are of highest importance in your area. Here on the other side of the world, in the American Midwest, the issues and challenges around water are different. While the problems are different, at root they are the same. The human tendency to reshape nature with the bias that the resources are unlimited or at least someone else's problem if they are degraded.
Thanks so much Mark. You're quite right, the attitude that resources are unlimited or someone else's problem is definitely at the root of this. I think every place has different water challenges and I find it really interesting to understand the differences and similarities.
You touch on sedimentation Melanie. After the devastating flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle, one has to ask if pine forestry has actually increased the sediment load in our rivers. In Wairoa, which was flooded, build-up of sedimentation in what was once a navigable river has been accelerating over the last two decades or so. This coincides with forestry taking over land which was once farmed, and the harvesting of those forests in this period. Is the bare land after harvesting the cause of major sedimentation? Do you know of any scientific papers which investigate this issue?
Hi Chris, I haven't looked at the issue in detail yet, but there is a definite problem with erosion and sedimentation when pine forest is harvested. Over a 25-30 year cycle, I'm not sure whether farmland or forestry is worse. I'm actually speaking to a scientist who studies erosion tomorrow and will be looking more at the issue, because it needs more attention.
Thanks for this, Melanie. My life at the moment revolves around groundwater issues here in Washington state, particularly PFAS ("forever chemical") contamination.
Cows are a big problem here too. I wrote about it here: https://johnlovie.substack.com/p/surf-or-turf
While PFAS were first discovered elsewhere, my home state became the pervasive source of their myriad applications in our world. As a result, we are now dealing with their impact on groundwater as a challenging issue especially in the areas where the manufacturing occurred.
Thanks John. I think it's easy for most people to forget about groundwater, but it's so important to us and so easily affected by what we do on land.
There was so much to like about this post Melanie. For example, your self-credited photo is fantastic! One part of your writing is while many topics like water have elements of universality, I get a perspective of a place quite different than where I live. I live in a place blessed with so much water, it would be easy to take it for granted. I have important family connections who have spent a lot of time living in the island perspective you experience. Finally, what is most interesting about your post is you raise the issues around water that are of highest importance in your area. Here on the other side of the world, in the American Midwest, the issues and challenges around water are different. While the problems are different, at root they are the same. The human tendency to reshape nature with the bias that the resources are unlimited or at least someone else's problem if they are degraded.
Thanks so much Mark. You're quite right, the attitude that resources are unlimited or someone else's problem is definitely at the root of this. I think every place has different water challenges and I find it really interesting to understand the differences and similarities.
You touch on sedimentation Melanie. After the devastating flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle, one has to ask if pine forestry has actually increased the sediment load in our rivers. In Wairoa, which was flooded, build-up of sedimentation in what was once a navigable river has been accelerating over the last two decades or so. This coincides with forestry taking over land which was once farmed, and the harvesting of those forests in this period. Is the bare land after harvesting the cause of major sedimentation? Do you know of any scientific papers which investigate this issue?
Hi Chris, I haven't looked at the issue in detail yet, but there is a definite problem with erosion and sedimentation when pine forest is harvested. Over a 25-30 year cycle, I'm not sure whether farmland or forestry is worse. I'm actually speaking to a scientist who studies erosion tomorrow and will be looking more at the issue, because it needs more attention.
Interesting read Melanie, especially with corporations buying up water rights, we certainly take this resource for granted.
Thanks, yes, and that's something that's been hard here too, individual vs collective rights to water and its state.