So far, I have not directly addressed the relationship between energy and water, which is the subject of this blog. This weekend I was reading Energy Demands on Water Resources, Report to Congress on the Interdependency of Energy and Water (US Department of Energy, December 2006).
"Water is an integral element of energy resource development and utilization. It is used in energy-resource extraction, refining and processing, and transportation. Water is also an integral part of electric-power generation. It is used directly in hydroelectric generation and is also used extensively for cooling and emissions scrubbing in thermoelectric generation. For example, in calendar year 2000, thermoelectric power generation accounted for 39 percent of all freshwater withdrawals in the U.S., roughly equivalent to water withdrawals for irrigated agriculture . . . " (p9)
Later, "A 2003 General Accounting Office study showed that most state water managers expect either local or regioal water shortages within the next 10 years under average climate conditions (GAO, 2003). Under drought conditions, even more severe water shortages are expected." (p10) Meanwhile, "The Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects, . . . the U.S. population to grow by about 70 million in the next 25 years and electricity demand to grow by approximately 50 percent (EIA, 2006). . . . Much of this growth is expected to occur in the Southeast, Southwest, and Far West, where water is already in limited supply." (p10)
It is important to note that unlike irrigated agriculture which consumes roughly 50% of the water "withdrawn" for that purpose, thermoelectric power plants often return almost 100% of the "withdrawn" water after it is used. However, the quality of the water and its increased temperature can have negative impacts on the plant and animal life living in the water.
To offset the increased demand on both energy and water resources, managers may be able to take advantage of efficiencies between the two with careful planning. New technologies are being developed that hold promise of at least partially ameliorating the problem.
At present, energy and water resource planning are often done separately. This presents an important systemic problem. If resource managers take into account the interrelated needs for both resources, they will be able to take advantage of efficiencies in developing both. For example, ". . . significant improvements in energy and water conservation can often be realized through implementation of innovative processes or technologies, colocation of energy and water facilities, or improvements to energy and water infrastructures." (p49)
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
of pumps and pressure
Those aquifers that we are so assiduously mining in the West: why weren't they exhausted long ago? After all, surface waters in New Mexico have been fully appropriated since at least 1848.
The answer lies in well technology. With the development of more powerful pumping technology, the deeper waters became accessible. This has led to a temporary, illusory increase in water supply.
It also explains why the water situation in Roswell, New Mexico in the early part of the 20th century was so noteworthy. The deep aquifer there is a special kind, an artesian aquifer. This means that there is so much pressure on the water in the aquifer, that when you drill a well into it, the pressure sends the water shooting skyward. In Roswell a pump wasn't necessary. Mother Nature would pump the water for you.
Unfortunately for the people living along the Pecos River, excessive mining of the shallow and deeper groundwater led to a lowering of the pressure in the aquifer, a lowering of the water table, and along with it, the Pecos River. This reduced the amount of water available to downstream users in Carlsbad and also Texas and created all sorts of water management problems, including a huge lawsuit between Texas and New Mexico.
The answer lies in well technology. With the development of more powerful pumping technology, the deeper waters became accessible. This has led to a temporary, illusory increase in water supply.
It also explains why the water situation in Roswell, New Mexico in the early part of the 20th century was so noteworthy. The deep aquifer there is a special kind, an artesian aquifer. This means that there is so much pressure on the water in the aquifer, that when you drill a well into it, the pressure sends the water shooting skyward. In Roswell a pump wasn't necessary. Mother Nature would pump the water for you.
Unfortunately for the people living along the Pecos River, excessive mining of the shallow and deeper groundwater led to a lowering of the pressure in the aquifer, a lowering of the water table, and along with it, the Pecos River. This reduced the amount of water available to downstream users in Carlsbad and also Texas and created all sorts of water management problems, including a huge lawsuit between Texas and New Mexico.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
blogoworld connections of interest
Here are a couple related blogs that may interest readers of H2OE:
John Fleck of the Albuquerque Journal blogs New Mexico Science: A reporter's notebook about science and technology. http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2429&&Itemid=31
and
Michael Campana, who is now Director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State University blogs WaterWired!
http://aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired/
Enjoy!
John Fleck of the Albuquerque Journal blogs New Mexico Science: A reporter's notebook about science and technology. http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2429&&Itemid=31
and
Michael Campana, who is now Director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State University blogs WaterWired!
http://aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired/
Enjoy!
Monday, February 12, 2007
salinity: irrigation and steaming brine
I've been reading Water, the Fate of Our Most Precious Resource, by Marq de Villiers (c2000, ISBN0-618-03009-3).
In the chapter on irrigation, de Villiers discusses the growing salinity of the soil and indicates that the American Southwest is an area vulnerable to saline degradation. "It is where irrigation is intensive, the soils naturally poor, and the drainage either inadequate or nonexistent that the most serious problems will occur. The American West . . . is the most notorious example." (p143) In the Imperial Valley in California this is beginning to render the farmland unusable.
Then he mentions the geothermal aquifer beneath the Imperial Valley:
"Water temperatures in the huge underground pool rise as high as 280C. Researchers are developing methods to use the steaming brine to generate electrical power. They believe it is feasible that the clean wastewater produced by a power plant could be used to dilute the salty water in the fields." (p140)
The above is an example of how to take advantage of the energy-water nexus.
Later, he talks about methods for preventing saline buildup in the soil:
"But what can be done? More efficient irrigation would help -- the large-scale application of the methods my grandfather had worked out intuitively. The Israelis, always searching for better techniques, have improved efficiencies sixfold by using laser technology to get fields absolutely level, and by reusing surplus water from one crop on other, more salt-resistant crops. Israeli water engineers have taken "water stress management" of crops to a high art, and water only when necessary." (p144)
Perhaps this is incentive for Southwest American farmers to invest in laser-levelling, even though it may reduce the amount of water they put to beneficial use, it can also preserve their soils so they remain productive over a longer time-frame.
In the chapter on irrigation, de Villiers discusses the growing salinity of the soil and indicates that the American Southwest is an area vulnerable to saline degradation. "It is where irrigation is intensive, the soils naturally poor, and the drainage either inadequate or nonexistent that the most serious problems will occur. The American West . . . is the most notorious example." (p143) In the Imperial Valley in California this is beginning to render the farmland unusable.
Then he mentions the geothermal aquifer beneath the Imperial Valley:
"Water temperatures in the huge underground pool rise as high as 280C. Researchers are developing methods to use the steaming brine to generate electrical power. They believe it is feasible that the clean wastewater produced by a power plant could be used to dilute the salty water in the fields." (p140)
The above is an example of how to take advantage of the energy-water nexus.
Later, he talks about methods for preventing saline buildup in the soil:
"But what can be done? More efficient irrigation would help -- the large-scale application of the methods my grandfather had worked out intuitively. The Israelis, always searching for better techniques, have improved efficiencies sixfold by using laser technology to get fields absolutely level, and by reusing surplus water from one crop on other, more salt-resistant crops. Israeli water engineers have taken "water stress management" of crops to a high art, and water only when necessary." (p144)
Perhaps this is incentive for Southwest American farmers to invest in laser-levelling, even though it may reduce the amount of water they put to beneficial use, it can also preserve their soils so they remain productive over a longer time-frame.
Monday, January 29, 2007
ogallala: she poured out her own
Julene Bair visits her family's now defunct farm and sees the blade of the windmill that used to pump their well lying on the ground. She reflects on her family's use of water from the Ogallala aquifer, its declining water levels, and the economy we have built upon the semi-arid land. She notes that Ogallala means something like "She poured out her own," an apt name for an aquifer that is being mined. She writes,
"Without a spiritual tradition that recognizes the balance of nature and holds it sacred, our relationship to the land and its bounty is like a child's in a candy store with no adult present to restrain us from gorging. We don't identify ourselves as natives of ecosystems bounded by natural limits of land and climate but as citizens of countries, states, and counties, and as owners of farms, places demarcated by lines on maps. We conduct ourselves within an economy that depends on the depletion and degradation of the real things--plants, animals, soils, air, water--that sustain us." (p.90)
From "She Poured Out Her Own," Julene Bair, Home Land, Ranching and a West that Works, Laura Pritchett, Richard L. Knight, and Jeff Lee, eds.
"Without a spiritual tradition that recognizes the balance of nature and holds it sacred, our relationship to the land and its bounty is like a child's in a candy store with no adult present to restrain us from gorging. We don't identify ourselves as natives of ecosystems bounded by natural limits of land and climate but as citizens of countries, states, and counties, and as owners of farms, places demarcated by lines on maps. We conduct ourselves within an economy that depends on the depletion and degradation of the real things--plants, animals, soils, air, water--that sustain us." (p.90)
From "She Poured Out Her Own," Julene Bair, Home Land, Ranching and a West that Works, Laura Pritchett, Richard L. Knight, and Jeff Lee, eds.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
acequia riddles
In his article "Water--New Mexico's Delicate Balance" (New Mexico Magazine, May 1983), G. Emlen Hall recounts a riddle that is posed annually in some of the aceuqias in northen New Mexico. (Professor Hall will be teaching my Water Law class at UNM this semester, by the way).
"En que es suspendido este mundo?"
"De voluntad de Dios."
"Y en que es suspendido nuestro pueblo?"
"Del rio."
"What does the world hang from?"
"It hangs (by a string) from the will of God."
"And what does our village hang from?"
"The river."
Would that we all took part in this annual ritual. Perhaps we New Mexicans would thereby cultivate a better appreciation of the importance of water to our existence.
"En que es suspendido este mundo?"
"De voluntad de Dios."
"Y en que es suspendido nuestro pueblo?"
"Del rio."
"What does the world hang from?"
"It hangs (by a string) from the will of God."
"And what does our village hang from?"
"The river."
Would that we all took part in this annual ritual. Perhaps we New Mexicans would thereby cultivate a better appreciation of the importance of water to our existence.
Friday, January 5, 2007
el mar lejano
I promised you not just the dry factual details and the broad stroke visions of the water wonks. I promised you also the perspectives of art, literature, religion. Today, a poem by Juan Ramon Jimenez.
El mar lejano
La fuente aleja su cantata.
Despiertan todos los caminos . . .
!Mar de la aurora, mar de plata;
que limpio estas entre los pinos!
Viento del Sur, ?vienes sonoro
de soles? Ciegan los caminos . . .
!Mar de la siesta, mar de oro;
que alegre estas sobre los pinos!
Dice el yerdon no se que cosa . . .
Mi alma se va por los caminos . . .
!Mar de la tarde, mar de rosa;
que dulce estas entre los pinos!
I apologize for the lack of proper punctuation, and also for the informality of the following spontaneous translation.
The distant sea
The fountain sings distantly.
All the roads awaken . . .
Dawn sea, silver sea;
how clean you are among the pine trees!
South Wind: do you breathe the sound
of the sun? The roads are blinded . . .
Siesta sea, golden sea;
how joyful you are among the pine trees!
The yerdon bird calls . . .
My soul wanders over the highways . . .
Evening sea, pink sea;
how sweet you are among the pine trees!
El mar lejano
La fuente aleja su cantata.
Despiertan todos los caminos . . .
!Mar de la aurora, mar de plata;
que limpio estas entre los pinos!
Viento del Sur, ?vienes sonoro
de soles? Ciegan los caminos . . .
!Mar de la siesta, mar de oro;
que alegre estas sobre los pinos!
Dice el yerdon no se que cosa . . .
Mi alma se va por los caminos . . .
!Mar de la tarde, mar de rosa;
que dulce estas entre los pinos!
I apologize for the lack of proper punctuation, and also for the informality of the following spontaneous translation.
The distant sea
The fountain sings distantly.
All the roads awaken . . .
Dawn sea, silver sea;
how clean you are among the pine trees!
South Wind: do you breathe the sound
of the sun? The roads are blinded . . .
Siesta sea, golden sea;
how joyful you are among the pine trees!
The yerdon bird calls . . .
My soul wanders over the highways . . .
Evening sea, pink sea;
how sweet you are among the pine trees!
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
water wars
Last weekend I read Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly, and the Politics of Thirst (2002, ISBN 1-57322-995-4) by Diane Raines Ward. I thought she did a great job of touching on the major water issues in many parts of the world, including India, Australia, the Euphrates (Turkey-Syria-Iraq), Holland, and the American Southwest.
Two things were of particular interest to me. She devoted a lengthy section to Australia's Murray-Darling Commission and its work providing both water and hydro power on the Snowy River basin. This was a situation where the powers-that-be approached the problems from a whole watershed perspective.
The other thing she talked about was the potential for low-head micro-hydro power, i.e. putting smallish hydrelectric generators on smaller stream and dams as an alternative to massive damming projects. She talked about the importance of evaluating the specific conditions on a case by case basis to determine the most effective overall approach--something that makes a whole lot of sense to me.
Two things were of particular interest to me. She devoted a lengthy section to Australia's Murray-Darling Commission and its work providing both water and hydro power on the Snowy River basin. This was a situation where the powers-that-be approached the problems from a whole watershed perspective.
The other thing she talked about was the potential for low-head micro-hydro power, i.e. putting smallish hydrelectric generators on smaller stream and dams as an alternative to massive damming projects. She talked about the importance of evaluating the specific conditions on a case by case basis to determine the most effective overall approach--something that makes a whole lot of sense to me.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
u.n.'s millennium development goals
Sounds great, right? Ten years for action to solve water problems.
Peter Gleick writes about a related UN proposition in "The Millennium Development Goals for Water: Crucial Objectives, Inadequate Commitments" (The World's Water 2004-2005). After reviewing the goals and the size of the problem, he concludes,
"The failure to meet basic human needs for water is widely acknowledged to be a major development failure of the twentieth century. In recognition of this failure, the United Nations and the world community adopted a set of ambitious development goals to try to address unmet issues of poverty and human development, including two goals to provide safe and reliable access to water and sanitation services. Despite this laudable goal, and fine rhetorical efforts, pratical actions and commitments to provide universal coverage for water and sanitation continue to be inadequate. The price for this will be paid by the poorest populations of the world in sickness, lost eduational and employment opportunities, and for a staggeringly large number of people, early death. Even if the official Millennium Goals set for water are met--which is unlikely given the curret level of commitments by national governments and international aid agencies--as many as 32 million people, and perhaps many more, will die by 2020 from preventable water-related diseases. This is morally unacceptable in a world that values equity and decency. At present, it appears unavoidable."
See also http://www.worldwater.org/
Peter Gleick writes about a related UN proposition in "The Millennium Development Goals for Water: Crucial Objectives, Inadequate Commitments" (The World's Water 2004-2005). After reviewing the goals and the size of the problem, he concludes,
"The failure to meet basic human needs for water is widely acknowledged to be a major development failure of the twentieth century. In recognition of this failure, the United Nations and the world community adopted a set of ambitious development goals to try to address unmet issues of poverty and human development, including two goals to provide safe and reliable access to water and sanitation services. Despite this laudable goal, and fine rhetorical efforts, pratical actions and commitments to provide universal coverage for water and sanitation continue to be inadequate. The price for this will be paid by the poorest populations of the world in sickness, lost eduational and employment opportunities, and for a staggeringly large number of people, early death. Even if the official Millennium Goals set for water are met--which is unlikely given the curret level of commitments by national governments and international aid agencies--as many as 32 million people, and perhaps many more, will die by 2020 from preventable water-related diseases. This is morally unacceptable in a world that values equity and decency. At present, it appears unavoidable."
See also http://www.worldwater.org/
Saturday, December 23, 2006
water for life
The United Nations named 2005-2015 the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'.
Here is an excerpt from the web site:
WATER IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE. Water is crucial for sustainable development, including the preservation of our natural environment and the alleviation of poverty and hunger. Water is indispensable for human health and well-being.
The United Nations General Assembly, in December 2003, proclaimed the years 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'.
A decade of action! The primary goal of the 'Water for Life' Decade is to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015.
These commitments include the Millennium Development Goals to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015 and to stop unsustainable exploitation of water resources. At the World Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, two other goals were adopted: to aim to develop integrated water resource management and water efficiency plans by 2005 and to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation.
A major effort is required in this decade to fulfil these commitments and extend access to these essential services to those who remain unserved, the majority of whom are poor people.
As women play a central role in water provision and management, a special emphasis will be placed on ensuring the participation and involvement of women in these development efforts.
Among the themes that are central for the 'Water for Life' Decade are: scarcity, access to sanitation and health, water and gender, capacity-building, financing, valuation, Integrated Water Resources Management, trans-boundary water issues, environment and biodiversity, disaster prevention, food and agriculture, pollution and energy.
UN-Water is coordinating the 'Water for Life' Decade, 2005-2015. UN-Water is the United Nations inter-agency mechanism of all relevant agencies, departments and programmes involved with water-related issues.
See http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/index.html
Here is an excerpt from the web site:
WATER IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE. Water is crucial for sustainable development, including the preservation of our natural environment and the alleviation of poverty and hunger. Water is indispensable for human health and well-being.
The United Nations General Assembly, in December 2003, proclaimed the years 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'.
A decade of action! The primary goal of the 'Water for Life' Decade is to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015.
These commitments include the Millennium Development Goals to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015 and to stop unsustainable exploitation of water resources. At the World Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, two other goals were adopted: to aim to develop integrated water resource management and water efficiency plans by 2005 and to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation.
A major effort is required in this decade to fulfil these commitments and extend access to these essential services to those who remain unserved, the majority of whom are poor people.
As women play a central role in water provision and management, a special emphasis will be placed on ensuring the participation and involvement of women in these development efforts.
Among the themes that are central for the 'Water for Life' Decade are: scarcity, access to sanitation and health, water and gender, capacity-building, financing, valuation, Integrated Water Resources Management, trans-boundary water issues, environment and biodiversity, disaster prevention, food and agriculture, pollution and energy.
UN-Water is coordinating the 'Water for Life' Decade, 2005-2015. UN-Water is the United Nations inter-agency mechanism of all relevant agencies, departments and programmes involved with water-related issues.
See http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/index.html
Friday, December 22, 2006
getting started
Generally it's only after a certain amount of time has passed that a person is able to point to a particular moment as a turning point in their life.
I ask myself, how did I come to be a water aficionado? Two moments come to mind.
My second day in New Mexico I went for a walk in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. It was August. It was going to get pretty hot. I thought about the desert plants around me and the people who lived in this place. I marveled at how they ran water in the kitchen sink without a thought about being careful of it. I remember being surprised.
Several years later my uncle made a chance remark about growing population in the southwest and the strain it put on water resources. He mentioned a book called Cadillac Desert. His comment set me to wondering about water. More than wondering, it moved me to action. I began to talk to people, to look for things to read, to learn . . .
I ask myself, how did I come to be a water aficionado? Two moments come to mind.
My second day in New Mexico I went for a walk in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. It was August. It was going to get pretty hot. I thought about the desert plants around me and the people who lived in this place. I marveled at how they ran water in the kitchen sink without a thought about being careful of it. I remember being surprised.
Several years later my uncle made a chance remark about growing population in the southwest and the strain it put on water resources. He mentioned a book called Cadillac Desert. His comment set me to wondering about water. More than wondering, it moved me to action. I began to talk to people, to look for things to read, to learn . . .
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