More than 1,300 students entered this year’s Water Resources Art
and Poetry Contest, sponsored by New York City’s water utility,
known as the Department of Environmental Protection. Some 60
winners were named as “Water Champions” by a panel of judges.
Art by Lily H., grades 6–7.
Photo: New York City DEQ Art and Poetry
Contest
“For more than three decades, DEP’s annual Art and Poetry
Contest has given young New Yorkers a wonderful opportunity to use
their artistic abilities to learn about and express the importance
of protecting our environment and water resources,” DEP
Commissioner Vincent Sapienza said in a
press release announcing the contest winners. “Nearly half the
State of New York relies on the city’s water supply system, so this
is a terrific way for students in both New York City and beyond to
celebrate our shared natural resources.”
Five major Puget Sound projects have been given the provisional
go-ahead by Congress in a massive public works bill signed
yesterday by President Obama.
It seems like the needed federal authorization for a $20-million
restoration effort in the Skokomish River watershed has been a long
time coming. This project follows an extensive, many-years study of
the watershed by the Army Corps of Engineers, which winnowed down a
long list of possible projects to five. See
Water Ways, April 28, 2016, for details.
In contrast, while the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem
Restoration Project (PSNRP) also involved an extensive and lengthy
study, the final selection and submission to Congress of three
nearshore projects came rather quickly. In fact, the Puget Sound
package was a last-minute addition to the Water Resources
Development Act, thanks to the efforts of U.S. Reps. Rick Larson,
D-Lake Stevens, and Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, along with Sens.
Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
Overall, the Kitsap Peninsula is expected to have enough water
for people and fish for many years into the future, as long as the
water is managed well, according to a groundwater model developed
by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The model offers reassuring findings for residents of the Kitsap
Peninsula. It is also encouraging to see local water, sewer and
public works officials working together to plan for infiltrating
stormwater along with recycling wastewater for irrigation. Those
efforts will not only protect the peninsula’s water resources but
will save money for water customers.
Drilling for water on the
Kitsap Peninsula
Kitsap Sun file photo
Lonna Frans of the U.S. Geological Survey met this week with
members of WaterPAK — the Water Purveyors of Association of Kitsap
— to discuss the conclusions of a five-year, $1.4 million study of
water resources across the Kitsap Peninsula. Lonna said a final
written report should be available in about a month. (See website
Kitsap GW
model.)
The most impressive part of the groundwater model is the mapping
of geology across the entire peninsula, based on more than 2,100
well-driller logs that describe the type of soil at various depths.
Putting that information together provides a three-dimensional
picture of the underground structure, including sand and gravel
deposits, which contain water, along with layers of clay and
compressed soils, which slow down the water movement.
By monitoring water levels in 66 wells over time and accounting
for rainfall and groundwater withdrawals, the computer model
provides a dynamic picture of what happens under various
conditions. The model can be used to predict what will happen to
Kitsap’s aquifers under various rainfall scenarios, including long
periods of drought.
The model also can predict what will happen to streamflows under
various rainfall scenarios. The Kitsap Peninsula has no mountain
snowpack to supply the streams with water during dry summer months,
so the water must come from slow-moving underground supplies.
Now that the model is complete, it can be run for almost any
pattern of rainfall or drought that one wishes to dream up. For
example, running the model with average rainfall and no pumping at
all (close to a predevelopment condition) would bring the average
groundwater level up about 25 feet — although groundwater levels in
some places would be raised more than in other places.
Streamsflows under the no-pumping scenario would be an average
of about 2 percent higher — although this would be difficult to
measure with current instruments. Nobody would really notice the
difference.
If pumping across the peninsula were increased by 15 percent,
there would not be much difference in aquifers near the surface and
only a two- or three-foot drop in aquifers around sea level.
Streamflows would go down by a fraction of a percent but not enough
to notice.
Decreasing groundwater recharge by 15 percent, such as paving
over the landscape with new roads, houses and parking lots, would
have a greater effect on streamflows.
Again, not all areas on the peninsula will see the same effects.
The model can be used to zero in on specific streams and their
watersheds — although the smaller the area of study, the less
accurate the prediction is likely to be.
Bob Hunter, manager of Kitsap Public Utility District, said the
model can be used to predict the effects that new wells would have
on streamflows as the population grows. The model could advise
managers whether it would be advisable to pump certain wells at
certain times of the year and hold back at other times.
Kathleen Cahall, water resources manager for the city of
Bremerton, said the model can also be used to make sure
aquifer-recharge areas are protected and that industrial facilities
that store large quantities of chemicals are not located where a
spill could contaminate a major underground water supply.
Morgan Johnson, general manager of Silverdale Water District,
said he would like to use the model to predict what will happen
when highly treated effluent from the Central Kitsap Wastewater
Treatment Plant is used to irrigate ball fields and other areas in
Central Kitsap. Efforts between the water districts and Kitsap
County might lead to greater infiltration of water and greater
groundwater supplies to be pumped from existing wells throughout
Central Kitsap.
The USGS provided half the costs for the study. The other half
was shared among Kitsap PUD; Silverdale Water District; West Sound
Utility District; North Perry Water District; Manchester Water
District; the cities of Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Gig
Harbor; Washington Water, a private utility; and the Suquamish and
Port Gamble S’Klallam tribes.
UPDATE, Friday, 4-3-2013, 12:55 p.m.
It appears that Bremerton was the only Washington city to make it
into the top 10 in any of the population categories, according to
the
final list. (PDF 127 kb).
——
Bremerton residents pushed their city into the top spot among
hundreds of cities competing in the National Mayor’s Challenge for
Water Conservation.
Residents from cities across the country were asked to “take the
pledge” and do things to save water around their house. Bremerton
took first place among cities with populations from 30,000 to
100,000.
I don’t believe any other city in Washington state made it into
the top 10 for their populations, although Seattle came close. We
may know more later today, when the winners are announced on the
website My
Water Pledge.
“Water is Bremerton’s remarkable resource,” said Mayor Patty
Lent in a
news release (PDF 53 kb). “I appreciate the support of our
residents during this contest and encourage everyone to learn more
about their water and energy use at home. This contest was a fun
opportunity to learn about water-wise habits and create a more
sustainable environment.”
By being from one of the five winning cities, Bremerton
residents will be eligible for hundreds of prizes to be awarded in
the competition, sponsored by the nonprofit Wyland Foundation.
Prizes include a Toyota Prius, custom-designed lawn sprinkler
systems, low-flow shower heads and Lowe’s gift cards. Anyone who
submitted a pledge will be eligible for a separate drawing for a
$1,000 shopping spree at Lowe’s.
“The Mayor’s Challenge highlights the impact of each person’s
environmental efforts,” said Water Resources Manager Kathleen
Cahall in the news release. “The city’s prize for participating in
this contest is increased awareness about the importance of our
water resources.”
Last year, the first year of competition, Bremerton finished in
the top spot among medium-sized cities in Washington and third
among cities in the West.
In the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation,
Bremerton is leading all U.S. cities with populations between
30,000 and 100,000.
The water challenge, sponsored by the Wyland Foundation, asks
people to take a pledge to work for water conservation. Bremerton
Mayor Patty Lent has embraced the national competition by talking
about it often when she meets with community groups.
To take the pledge and boost your own city’s ranking in the
competition, go to www.mywaterpledge.com and fill
out a brief form.
Last year, Bremerton came in first among medium-sized cities in
Washington state and third among those in the West.
“Water is Bremerton’s remarkable resource,” the mayor said in a
news release. “I encourage all Bremerton residents to pledge to
learn more about their water and energy use at home. This
challenge, which runs through April, is an exciting opportunity to
learn about water wise habits as we engage in a friendly
competition with other cities across the nation to create a more
sustainable environment.”
Kathleen Cahall, Bremerton’s water resources manager, noted that
this year’s competition pits all like-sized cities in the country
against each other. Last year, the first competition was regional.
Now, there are five nationwide population categories instead of
three for each region.
Bremerton has not done as much personal outreach on the project
as last year, Kathleen told me, but the city has placed messages on
city utility bills and in electronic news letters; on BKAT, the
community access television station; and with flyers for students
to take home at schools within Bremerton’s water service area.
“It really takes no effort for us to be involved,” Kathleen
said, “and it is easy for our residents to learn about water-wise
habits and pollution-prevention.”
A federal water-quality permit requires the city to do public
education, and people can learn from the water challenge, she
said.
As an added incentive, the contest awards prizes to random
people who take the pledge.
The only other Washington cities currently in the top 10 are
Seattle, which is eighth among cities with more than 600,000
people, and Sequim, which is tenth among cities with populations
from 5,000 to 30,000.
Port Orchard is 14th among the 5,000-30,000 cities. Poulsbo is
119th and Bainbridge Island is 291st in that same population
category.
Cities in Washington that ranked within the top 100 in their own
population categories include Lacey, 15th; Bellevue, 19th; Tacoma,
42nd; Spokane, 48th; North Bend, 50th; Vancouver, 53rd; and
Bellingham, 62nd.
The “Mayor’s Challenge” is over, and Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent
says she is pleased that Bremerton placed first in Washington state
and third out of more than 100 medium-sized cities in the West.
My original plan was to lead the story with the water resources
program and its 25 percent cutback in staffers who process
water-rights applications. The cutbacks will put the state further
behind in managing our limited water resources.
Because Ecology has taken a precautionary approach, the result
will be less water available to serve growing communities and
businesses. That becomes especially frustrating for developers and
water utilities, but a lack of overall management is not so good
for the environment either.
And we still kind of ignore that fact that people are allowed to
drill wells for their single-family homes without much regard for
the overall amount of water available. That issue will come home to
roost one of these days, because these are the wells most likely to
affect streams and wetlands. Conflicting demands will inevitably
rise to the surface one day.
Anyway, my original plan was to lead this story talking about
water resources, but I chose to focus first on litter. Litter is
easier for people to understand, and I thought more people could
get into the story from that angle. I know my blood boils when I
think of all the trash along the highways. I also discovered some
interesting details for my story.
Statewide, Ecology’s Youth Corps will be cut by half. That means
less litter will be picked up. As some folks pointed out in
comments on the story, we still have work crews from the jails, but
that effort also takes money for supervision, transportation and
disposal — and not all inmates are eligible to work. The state will
still support the inmate crews, though I need to check whether the
county will continue the program at the same level. (I’ll try to
report that here and in a comment on the story.)
Overall, Ecology will be able to make it through the downtown in
the economy without major problems. As with many organizations, the
biggest problem will be losing experienced, knowledgeable employees
and hiring back rookies when money becomes available.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a report about
what climate change could do to the nation’s water resources and
how people should respond.
The report relies on scientific predictions, which suggest that
climate change will bring warmer air and water, a shift in the
location of rain and snow, increased storm intensity in some areas,
a rise in sea level, and changes in the ocean ecosystem.
Some of the predicted effects:
Oxygen: Warmer water will hold less oxygen,
resulting in increased stress on aquatic organisms and an increase
in harmful algal blooms,
Pollution: Heavier precipitation will increase
surface water flows, affecting aquatic health and releasing more
nutrients, pathogens and toxic chemicals into water bodies.
Water supplies: In some areas of the country,
droughts will decrease water supplies for drinking, for industrial
uses and for agriculture. In other areas, sea level rise will lead
to salt water intrusion with similar effects on water
supplies.
Invasive species: As waters become warmer,
aquatic life in many areas will be displaced by plants and animals
better adapted to warmer waters. Because the changes will occur at
an uneven pace, harmful species could become established.
Combined effects: Coastal areas could see a
combination of these various effects — including sea level rise,
increased storm intensity and floods, reduction in drinking water
supplies and greater ocean acidity.
As a result of these effects, the National Water Program is
calling for five goals to respond to ongoing climate change:
Goal 1, mitigation: Reduce greenhouse gas
emissions through existing programs; promote carbon sequestration
with regard to energy production and industrial processes; and
support improved operation of water systems.
Goal 2, adaptation: Be ready with new
strategies to adjust to changes in watersheds, wetlands other
natural systems. Develop tools and science to guide and support
planning and management.
Goal 3, research: Strengthen the link between
EPA water programs and climate change researchers to allow water
managers to anticipate changes.
Goal 4, education: Educate federal, state and
local water program managers to better anticipate and respond to
climate change.
Goal 5, management: The National Water Program
should maintain its Climate Change Workgroup and reach out to other
federal agencies dealing with climate change.
Tasks to be completed to help all regions of the U.S. adjust to
the water-related impacts of climate change:
Data: Agency scientists need to develop
information to understand how the environment is changing.
Extremes: Water managers need to plan and be
prepared for extremes, including heavy storms, excess water and
water shortages.
Resilience: A “watershed approach” based on
science should increase the long-term sustainability of
ecosystems.
Analysis: Water managers need to acquire a
range of analytical tools to help them understand and respond to
climate change.
Partnerships: Sharing information across
geographic areas and among levels of government should help water
managers develop the best strategies in response to climate
change.
