WaterWired

Tara Davis Presentation: 'The Oregon Watershed Council Model'

On 28 28 April 2015 Tara Davis, Executive Director of the Calapooia Watershed Council, gave a webinar on behalf of AWRA. She described the pride of Oregon - the watershed council system. 

Watershed councils may be unfamiliar to many of WaterWired's readers. We have 74 of them in Oregon. Read more here and here. 

Watershed councils are recognized by the state of Oregon and local governments as well. They are not regulatory agencies or arms of government, but organizations that undertake restoration and related work in their watersheds. The watershed council story is an important one - that of local people, mostly volunteers, working on water and environmental issues without any fiats from up above. As Tara said, their best promoters are those who have had restoration work done on their land, then talk it up among their neighbors (see video below . When I see this kind of work, my optimism soars. 

Here is a PDF of her presentation: 

Download AWRA_WatershedCouncil_4_28_15_Final

I do not have the audio. A complete recording of the webinar will be archived on the AWRA site (free to all AWRA members and webinar paid participants or behind a paywall for others).

Here is the video embedded in case it doesn't play from the PDF:

Calapooia Watershed Portrait: Finding Natives from Freshwaters Illustrated on Vimeo.

Tara is a fourth-generation Oregonian who grew up playing on the banks of the Rogue River in southern Oregon. She was a Master's student of mine in the University of New Mexico's Water Resources Program and came back to Oregon just about
the same time I arrived here in 2006. She has done an amazing job at the Calapooia Watershed Council and it does me proud to be associated with her. What she's done could have been done without me, but it's nice to see her succeed in the way she has. We could use a lot more like her.

Enjoy!

"Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer."~Unknown

Joshua Newton's Water Jobs + Megan Kogut's Washington Jobs (Vol. 44, Issue 5) & More - 29 April 2015

More from Josh. News: he's departing Asia after 5.5 months and returning to Europe. 

Josh's job notices are archived here. All the jobs I post are archived at Twitter (click on 'All' at the top of the page); the hashtag is #JobWaWi.

Dates shown are closing dates.

I am starting something new this week. Megan Kogut sends me jobs from Washington State each Wednesday so I am including them here. I have included her listings with Josh's in the past but did not title the post to reflect that. When the job notices occur on the same day, I will combine them as I have done today.

I will archive Megan's jobs at #JobWaWi (Twitter) and on my blog here as well. Her job postings start at (25).

Enjoy!

1) Spanish speakers: Oficial técnico de Gobernanza - IUCN (Costa Rica): 3 May

2) Project Concept Development Officer (Lake Tanganyika) - UNOPS (Home-based): 4 May

3) Canada Research Chair in Sustainability and Policy for Resources and Development - University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada): None (Search using "water" as keyword)

4) Consultancy: Climate Change Adaptation - UNDP (Home-based with travel to Africa): 5 May

5) Program Analyst (Climate Change Adaptation Specialist) - Foreign Agricultural Service/US Department of Agriculture (Washington DC): 8 May

6) "Human Dimensions of Water" Tenure-track professorship - West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV, USA): None

7) Manager (Infrastructure and Climate Change) - Adam Smith International (Abuja, Nigeria): None

8) Technical Advisor (Water and Energy) - Crown Agents USA (Gaborone, Botswana): None

9) Consultancy: Final Evaluation for WASH in School and Kindergartens Project - UNICEF (Mongolia): 8 May

10) Consultancy: Communications (WASH) - UNICEF (?): 1 May

11) Program Management Officer (WASH) - World Vision (Tracking code 472) (Washington DC): None

12) Consultancy: International Project Terminal Evaluator - UNDP (Phnom Penh, Cambodia): 30 April

13) Consultancy: International Technical Advisor on Legal Issues - UNDP (Home-based): 30 April

14) Technical Assistant (Monitoring and Evaluation) - AfDB (Addis Ababa): 6 May

15) Advocacy Assistant - WaterAid (London): 10 May

16) UK Advocacy Manager - WaterAid (London): 10 May

17) Consultancy: Evaluation of staff inclusion and Gender Equity Outcomes within IWMI - IWMI (Colombo, Sri Lanka): 30 April

18) Senior Manager (Global Learning) - water.org (Kansas City, MO or San Fransisco, CA, USA): None

19) Development Coordinator - Water for People (Denver, CO, USA): 8 May

20) Freshwater Solutions Associate - The Freshwater Trust (Portland, OR, USA): 22 May

21) Dutch speakers: Sr. Adviseur Footprint & Innovatie - WWF-NL (The Netherlands): 11 May

22) Senior Research Associate (Water Programme) - CSE (New Delhi): 5 May

23) Water for Wildlife Officer - Kent Wildlife Trust (Maidstone, UK): 18 May

24) Postdoctoral Position - U. of New Brunswick (Canada)/Germany: 20 June 2015
Download Postdoc_UNB

Megan Kogut's Washington Jobs & More

25) Drainage & Wastewater Planner, Seattle Public Utilities (Seattle, WA). Job # 2015-00401. Closes: 12 May. 

26)Field Technician, University of Washington (Seattle, WA and around WA and OR). Closes: 15 May.  Download Field Technician Advert_OldenLab

27) Environmental Scientist II, King County Department of Transportation (Renton, WA). Opened: 24 April; Closes: 8 May

28) Client Service Leader – Water, CDM Smith (Seattle, WA or Portland, OR)

29) Environmental Engineer I, CDM Smith (Bellevue, WA)

30) Surface Water Quality Principal Scientist/Engineer, Exponent (Bellevue, WA)

31) Sediment Transport Principal Scientist/Engineer, Exponent (Bellevue, WA)

32) Multiple jobs including Environmental Engineer, SoundEarth Strategies (Seattle, WA)

33) Water Specialist I or II, City of Oak Harbor (Oak Harbor, WA)

34) Fish Biologist, USGS (Clarkston, WA). Closes: 1 May

35) ArcGIS Intern, Tacoma Public Utilities (Tacoma, WA). Closes: 12 May

36) Project Manager 2, David Evans and Associates (Vancouver, WA)

37) Technical Writer, US Army Corps of Engineers (Walla Walla, WA). Closes: 11 May

PhD Assistantship

38) University of Lausanne - The Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics (Lausanne, Switzerland) - PhD Assistantship in biogeosciences. Closes: 1 June 2015. 
Download Ad anglais PhD Lausanne BGS v2 EV

Consultancy

39) UNICEF (Accra, Ghana) - WASH Assessment - Flood-Prone Areas. Start Date: 15 May 2015   Contact: [email protected]
Download TOR - International Consultant - Assessment of Flood Prone Areas April 2015

“The extent of our knowledge will always be… the measure of the extent of our ignorance.” - Wendell Berry

Crap Detecting 101-3: Beam Me Up, Scotty! 'Shatner Trek' Coming Soon to Seattle... and British Columbia?

Much has been made of Canadian actor William Shatner's scheme to pipe freshwater from Seattle down to California for $30B.

I am no pipeline expert, but I doubt that $30B would get the pipeline paralleling Interstate 5  to the Oregon border (c. 165 miles from downtown Seattle), much less to California's Lake Shasta, perhaps another 450 miles. 

And where will the water come from to fill the pipeline, Bill? About half of Washington is now drought-stricken, although the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett area is not yet part of the drought-stricken region. But it could be by early May.

Since Shatner is a Canadian, perhaps he could cajole his countrymen to let us extend the pipeline into British Columbia. Now we're talking serious water, right? Long live NAWAPA! Maybe the LaRouche folks can help. 

Then again, Shatner is from Montreal, and that would likely not endear him to western Canadians.

And speaking of Canadians and NAWAPA, here is a piece by columnist Stephen Hume in The Vancouver Sun.

Methinks Capt. Kirk is seeking some PR with all this. 

Jack Ohman's cartoon from the Sacramento Bee says it all....

 Note: A colleague told me that the Sacramento Suburban Water District Asset Management plan estimates the cost of a new 78" main (the largest they price out) at $6.4 million per mile. My gut feeling tells me that is far too low for the 'Shatner Plan'.

 "If you make a fool of yourself, you can do it with dignity, without taking your pants down. And if you do take your pants down, you can still do it with dignity." - William Shatner 

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geosciences; 2) Enviro-Sciences - 27 April 2015

Elaine reports a snowstorm last Saturday in Reno - ah, yes, springtime!

Lots of seismicity items this week. 

Please think of the Nepalese and give to the charity of your choice.  Here are some suggestions from Charity Navigator. I am donating to MercyCorps.

Do you know of a colleague and/or student who would be interested in receiving these Bulletin Boards? Please forward it to them.  A quick email to [email protected] with the word “subscribe” in the subject line and the email address will be added to the listing.

Elaine's previous Bulletin Boards are archived here and at #EJHBB on Twitter.

Note: all the links should be hot; if not, paste the URL into your browser. The PDF and Word lists below contain the URLs. 

Here are the lists as a PDF:  Download Bulletin_board_listings_27April2015

And as a Word document:  Download Bulletin_board_listings_27April2015  

Geosciences Bulletin Board – 27 April 2015. Compiled by Elaine J. Hanford. Compilation of selected current news articles pertinent to the discipline. 

Deadly M7.8 EQ in Nepal – timeline, video, pictures, links

• Before the EQ:  http://www.news24.com/World/News/Experts-gathered-in-Nepal-a-week-ago-to-ready-for-disaster-20150425
• USGS:  http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20002926#general_summary
• http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/apr/25/nepal-earthquake-nation-worst-tremor-80-years-kathmandu-live-updates
• http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/25/402160910/7-8-quake-hits-nepal-toppling-buildings-killing-at-least-138
• Avalanche:  http://news.yahoo.com/avalanche-sweeps-everest-nepal-30-injured-101133601.html
• Aftershocks:  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/26/aftershocks-hinder-rescue-efforts-as-nepal-quake-death-toll-passes-2000

Calbuco volcano in Chile erupts, emergency declared & evacuations ordered

• http://news.yahoo.com/chile-declares-alert-calbuco-volcano-erupts-214429439.html
• Time-lapse video:  http://news.yahoo.com/chile-volcano-erupts-first-time-decades-024831100.html
• Photos:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/23/calbuco-eruption-photos_n_7127108.html 

Magma intrusion in Chiles and Cerro Negro de Mayasquer volcanoes causes seismic activity

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-magma-intrusion-source-columbia-ecuador-border.html

Seismic tomography reveals deep magma chamber beneath Yellowstone

• http://news.yahoo.com/hot-times-yellowstone-huge-magma-chamber-found-deeply-195312513.html

Kronosaurus queenslandicus fossil found by farmer in Queensland, of course!

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/25/kronosaurus-found-in-australia_n_7128394.html

“Super Cycle” of strain and EQ activity identified for the Garlock Fault in California

• http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Earthquake_super_cycle_patterns_on_the_Garlock_fault_999.html

50 states….50 natural wonders

• https://www.yahoo.com/travel/50-natural-wonders-in-the-united-states-117043272382.html

Los Angeles is unlikely to fall into the ocean, but Santa Catalina Island appears to be sinking

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-catalina-island-sinkand-potential-tsunami.html

Improved understanding and model of the behavior of mantle plumes

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150424085005.htm

USGS domain map of the geologic basement of the US

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150424105400.htm
• USGS Report:  http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/0898/

Exploring a submarine Havre volcano in the Kermadec Arc (video)

• http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/innovation/submarine-volcanoes-expedition-sheds-light-on-eruptions-20150414-1mkaz8.html

Severe storm causes 45-foot waves and erodes beaches in New South Wales, Australia

• http://www.canberratimes.com.au/environment/weather/sydney-weather-waves-break-records-as-erosion-sees-narrabeen-retreat-25-metres-during-storm-20150422-1mqqjc.html
• Sea foam (video):  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nsw/families-encounter-foamy-phenomenon-at-avoca-beach-homes-during-storm-20150422-1mr47w.html

Report confirms what most suspected:  Oklahoma EQs caused by injection of O&G wastewater

• http://news.yahoo.com/seismic-shift--oklahoma-s-earthquakes-triggered-by-wastewater-disposal-wells-191559607.html
• Related in TX:  http://peoplesworld.org/study-links-texas-quakes-to-fracking/

USGS models to predict ground shaking induced by human activities

• http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4202#.VTpuHCFViko

Plate differences on stegosaurs may be sexual dimorphism…male & female, not two different species

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-stegosaurus-plates-differed-male-female.html

Dozens of dinosaur eggs discovered in China (video)

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/21/dinosaur-eggs-china_n_7109420.html

Forensic geology – applying a knowledge of soils to sleuthing and criminal investigations

• http://www.nature.com/news/forensic-science-the-soil-sleuth-1.17373

Plastic bags are smothering marine life in coastal marshes

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-discarded-plastic-bags-smothering-marine.html

80,000 acres of Pacific Northwest to be opened to geothermal exploration & possible development

• http://www.npr.org/2015/04/20/401039759/in-northwest-a-push-to-protect-forest-as-geothermal-projects-near

143 million Americans at risk from damaging earthquakes

• http://news.discovery.com/earth/143-million-americans-at-risk-from-damaging-quakes-150422.htm 

“Aseismic” regions not as lacking in earthquake potential as previously thought

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-earthquake-potential-history.html
  
  

Enviro-Sciences Bulletin Board – 27 April 2015. Compiled by Elaine J. Hanford. Compilation of selected current news articles pertinent to the discipline.

High pathogenic bird flu continues to spread in the US, but officials say risk to humans is “low”

• http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Bird_flu_spreads_in_US_but_risk_to_people_low_999.html
• http://news.yahoo.com/avian-flu-viruses-send-u-scientists-scrambling-230603954.html

14-year drought will put Lake Mead at lowest historic level, but remember it has only existed since Hoover Dam was constructed in the early 1930s

• http://news.yahoo.com/nevadas-lake-mead-track-reach-record-low-water-212101707.html

Woolly mammoth gene sequencing essentially complete…now, should they be resurrected? (video)

• http://www.cnet.com/news/we-might-get-to-see-a-living-woolly-mammoth-before-too-long/#ftag=YHF65cbda0

Predicting famine before it happens using satellite data

• http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/predict-famine-before-strikes-180954945/

Pros & cons of desalination as a “solution” to the drought in California

• http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-20150426-column.html#page=1

50 states….50 natural wonders…most preserved as state & national parks and preserves

• https://www.yahoo.com/travel/50-natural-wonders-in-the-united-states-117043272382.html

WWF puts $24 trillion value on resources in the ocean, but the value is underestimated and in increasing danger due to human activities

• http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Oceans_worth_24_trillion_but_sea_change_needed_to_save_them_says_WWF_999.html
• WWF Report:  https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/reviving-the-oceans-economy-the-case-for-action-2015

Cause of pertussis (whooping cough) outbreaks?  It may be changes in the vaccine

• http://news.yahoo.com/whooping-cough-outbreaks-traced-change-vaccine-084516522.html

Increasing body of evidence that neonicotinoid pesticides are harming pollinators

• http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i17/Evidence-Against-Neonicotinoids-Mounts.html

Carnegie Airborne Observatory-3 (CAO-3) will provide sophisticated monitoring of the ecosystem

• http://www.technology.org/2015/04/24/carnegie-launches-next-generation-airborne-laboratory-for-earth/

Wide area study of the environmental impacts of oil & gas industry in the US

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-wide-area-environmental-impact-oil.html

New study suggests how pathogens may spread between species and the need for biodiversity

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-disease-neighbors-relatives.html

Biodiversity promotes multi-functionality and improved health of the ecosystem

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-biodiversity-multitasking-ecosystems.html

Bi-partisan bill would increase regulation of chemicals in the cosmetics industry

• http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/business/bill-would-give-fda-more-muscle-on-cosmetics.html

Over-hunting and in-breeding may have combined to drive mammoths to extinction

• http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/23/8482075/mammoth-genome-genetic-diversity-deextinction 

Corruption charges, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka sued for misappropriation of tsunami funds

• http://www.colombopage.com/archive_15A/Apr24_1429883356CH.php

There is much room for improvement in agriculture to reduce negative environmental impacts

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-considerable-scope-agricultural-pollution.html

Western Australia takes holistic approach to improving soil productivity

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-holistic-soil-boost-productivity.html

Improved understanding of the movement of water through soil

• http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/asoa-gwt042315.php

Marking a dubious anniversary:   A century of chemical weapons

• http://www.nature.com/news/a-century-of-chemical-warfare-nations-reflect-on-grim-anniversary-1.17381

Perspective:  The price of infrastructure and needing to properly value water

• http://uimonline.com/index/webapp-stories-action/id.1419/title.the-infrastructure-crisis-is-a-pricing-crisis

4 approaches to maintaining “status quo” when Nature is defined by change

• http://www.ibtimes.com/bp-oil-spill-anniversary-four-innovative-projects-restore-louisianas-sinking-1888654

Only 3 wolves remain on Isle Royale, but the need to study the ecology continues

• http://www.nature.com/news/wolf-decline-threatens-iconic-island-study-1.17263

Technical Paper:  PACEM model aggregates person exposure to Personal Care Product chemicals

• http://www.nature.com/jes/journal/v25/n3/full/jes201468a.html?WT.ec_id=JES-201505

High levels of lead contamination found in Tasmanian drinking water

• http://phys.org/news/2015-04-high-contamination-northeast-tasmanian.html

EPA plans to release draft report on fracking and potential for ground water pollution (video)

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/21/epa-fracking-mccarthy_n_7103078.html

How can anything that large & that high tech possibly by considered “green building in the world”?

• http://fortune.com/2015/04/21/apple-greenest-offices/

Birds are surprisingly resilient when faced with natural stresses

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150422152202.htm

High-risk foreign agricultural foods & good intercepted by Customs Officials in Ohio

• http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/04/18/special-operation-intercepts-high-risk-ag-products/25980937/

Studying the relationship of bees to pesticides and the impact of toxins on the hives

• http://www.nature.com/news/bee-studies-stir-up-pesticide-debate-1.17366

Tampa, Florida, wants to reclaim water instead of daily dumping millions of gallons of sewage effluent into the bay

• http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/tampa-looking-at-long-range-project-to-turn-reclaimed-water-into-drinking/2226174

Can the countries of Africa cooperate and develop a continental center for disease control?

• http://www.nature.com/news/highway-to-health-1.17362

”Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.” - Leonardo da Vinci (thanks to Faruck Morcos)

Report: 'Handbook for Management & Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems in River & Lake Basins'

Hot off the press! This report was just published by the Global Water Partnership, the International Network of Basin Organizations, ONEMA, and the International Office for Water: The Handbook for Management and Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems in River and Lake Basins.

Download Handbook_Aquatic_Ecosystems_No3_2015

From the website:

The handbook provides an insight into the key issues linked to managing and restoring aquatic ecosystems. The information draws from real-life experiences, practical examples and expertise acquired in national and transboundary basins throughout the world involving people from public authorities and water practitioners right down to community levels. It is the knowledge source that not only explains clear benefits aquatic ecosystems provide, but also provides practical application through the IWRM approach in order to tackle economic challenges without jeopardizing the aquatic ecosystems.

And the foreword:

Foreword

Freshwater resources are increasingly used, wasted and polluted, with the result that aquatic ecosystems are threatened and sometimes destroyed.

Aquatic ecosystems provide several services for producing, regulating and structuring. Wetlands improve water quality by trapping sediments, filtering pollutants and absorbing nutrients. They play also a key role in the control of floods and prevention of droughts. However, human action and activities often disturb the structure of the biotope, cause organic pollution and many of the world’s rivers have become fragmented.

Many countries have introduced an integrated approach to water resources management (IWRM) into their policies. Hydrological, social, economic and environmental interdependences occur in the catchment areas of rivers, lakes and aquifers. This is therefore where integrated development and management of water resources and territories is likely to be the most successful.

The joint study of “green” and “grey” infrastructure constitutes a new paradigm, and Natural Water Retention Measures provide a wide range of benefits for flood control and ecosystem services. Combining the conservation of aquatic ecosystem services with IWRM is a very effective strategy for achieving water security and adapting to the effects of climate change.

To support this process, the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), the Global Water Partnership (GWP), ONEMA and the International Office for Water (IOWater) have worked together to publish this Handbook. This collective work provides relevant and practical information that can assist the improved management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems.

This Handbook addresses a large number of stakeholders involved both in restoration of ecosystems and integrated management of water resources, including practitioners and, more broadly, representatives of public authorities, water users, non-governmental stakeholders and anyone with an interest in these subjects. They all are invited to work together to meet the many current and future challenges.

This new work supplements the Handbook for Integrated Water Resources Management in Basins, published in March 2009 at the Fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul, and the Handbook for Integrated Water Resources Management in Transboundary Basins of Rivers, Lakes and Aquifers, published in March 2012 at the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille. Another handbook is being published simultaneously, in partnership with UNECE, on “Water and climate change adaptation in transboundary basins: Lessons learned and good practices”.

We welcome your comments and contributions to this new handbook, which we consider to be a platform for sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions. 

Here are the other handbooks in this series:

A Handbook for Integrated Water Resources Management in Transboundary Basins of Rivers, Lakes and Aquifers (No.2, 2012)

A Handbook for Integrated Water Resources Management in Basins (No.1, 2009)

Enjoy!

"They say a rising tide lifts all boats, but so does a tsunami." - Ian Shoales