I've got some information about two great meetings, both dealing with different aspects of water use and conservation: rainwater catchment systems and xeriscaping.
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
On 15 April 2007 I posted about rainwater harvesting. I've recently given this rather simple approach to water supply more attention than I did several years ago.
The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) is the cognizant rainwater harvesting association in the USA.
The ARCSA even offers accreditation that requires a written exam as well as an in-field evaluation.
The ARCSA is holding its biennial conference, 14-17 August 2007, at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC), Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i (on the Big Island of Hawai'i). Obtain more conference information here.
It's hard to imagine a more appropriate venue for a rainwater harvesting conference. Click here for more information about the park.
Photo by Kirk Lee Aeder.
Xeriscape Council of New Mexico
Xeriscaping is catching on as a way to conserve water. The 16 July 2007 issue of USA Today contains a great article about xeriscaping (the word "xeriscape" is a trademarked by Denver Water) and Scott Varner of Albuquerque, one of the "movers and shakers" of xeriscaping.
The Xeriscape Council of New Mexico, heaquartered in Albuquerque, NM, is well-known for its excellent conferences, which attracts attendees not just from the Southwest USA but from overseas as well.
The Council will convene the 13th Water Conservation/Xeriscaping Conference in Albuquerque, 21-22 February, 2008 and the 2008 Xeriscape Expo on 23-24 February 2008. The agenda should be published in August. Complete information is available at the Council's WWW site.
Photo by E. Colocho, courtesy USA Today.
And, lest you think xeriscaping means gravel and rocks, take a look at Scott Varner's yard!
Fond Memories of My Semi-Arid Days
Xeriscaping reminds me of an experience I had while a member of the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority's (ABCWUA) Citizens' Advisory Board. We were wrestling with water rates and discussing a scarcity or commodity charge. One day I received an "unpleasant" email from the head of the local tropical plants club, complaining bitterly that the ABCWUA had it "in" for them by charging them so much money to water their tropical plants, blah, blah...Her club used about 15,000 gallons (57 cubic meters) per day for its humid tropical flowering plants. Recall that Albuquerque annually gets about 9 inches (230 mm) of precipitation. I politely tried to explain ABCWUA's rationale, and the necessity of using water wisely in such a dry region. In retrospect, my response to her should've been the following - the erstwhile unofficial slogan of the water conservation folks (thank you, Jean Witherspoon) at the City of Albuquerque:
"It's a desert, stupid!"
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