The original Clean Water Act arose in response to inconsistent and ineffective state management of water resources. Clean Water Action, a non-profit dedicated to protection of the environment and community quality of life, noted that prior to the Clean Water Act of 1972, extreme pollution in lakes and rivers and uncertainty in the safety of drinking water were common. There is concern that passage of HR 2018 could herald a return to those dark times.

Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, issued a lengthy statement condemning the bill, calling it an “unprecedented attack on clean water” and emphasizing the many detrimental effects of ratifying HR 2018.

Indeed, as it stands the bill undermines many longstanding safety precautions. It severely limits the power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by preventing the EPA from vetoing projects that threaten waterways, fisheries or wildlife and removing. While this veto has rarely been used, it is an important roadblock against dangerous and destructive practices such as mountaintop removal mining. The bill would also prevent the EPA from setting and improving water quality standards without prior consent from the state.

Having passed through the House of Representatives, HR 2018 heads to the Senate next where it is not expected to go through. However, should it pass, the Obama administration has indicated its opposition and intent to veto the bill in its current form.

In developed countries we take our fresh, clean water for granted. We always expect the water to flow when we turn on the tap. We spend little time considering how important our rivers are to our existence. And this lack of consideration has led to the neglect and destruction of our waterways, the impact of which is much more far reaching than most of us can imagine.

American Rivers recently released their annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers Report of 2011 and as the title suggests, the news is not good. The report notes that 65 per cent of drinking water in the U.S. comes from rivers and streams, but that many are too polluted to use for this purpose. The ten most endangered rivers include Susquehanna River, Bristol Bay Rivers, Roanoke River, Chicago River, Yuba River, Green River, Hoback River, Black Warrior River, St. Croix River, and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The Mississippi River received Special Mention. These rivers criss-cross the country from Washington State to Maryland, and from Wisconsin to Alabama. Six of the rivers are threatened by mining activities or natural gas extraction and clean water along with returning salmon runs and healthy wildlife are what’s in jeopardy.

Things are just as bad in Canada. The Outdoor Recreation Council of BC also released their Most Endangered Rivers List for 2011, and they list 12 endangered rivers in BC alone. The most common threats to BC rivers are development and hydro electricity dams.

The messages to be taken from both these reports are that first we must recognize the importance of our rivers and streams, and then we must do more to protect them for future generations. If more is not done sooner rather than later, water could very well start playing the same role in the headlines that oil does now.

Among the tips is The Numbers Game for Watering Plants (April 7th on the calendar). That is, water small plants to a depth of 1 foot, larger shrubs to 2 feet, and trees to 3 feet. Use a soil probe or very long screwdriver to test how deep the water has sunk in.

April 10th’s Rule The Yard Auto-Magically includes tips such as add a rain sensor so plants aren’t watered when it’s raining.

Pain in the Drain on April 20th is about disposing of medicines and household chemicals properly, so they don’t end up in the drinking water supply.

April 26th’s Sit on This is about keeping your toilet healthy and leak free. Ideas such as putting coloring into your tank to see if it seeps into your toilet are so simple and easy to do.

The last day of April, the 30th, is reserved for Saving the Desert Pupfish, an Arizona fish. It’s all about getting outside to the wetlands, streams, lakes, and springs to see the important habitat of Arizona’s riparian areas. Riparian? That’s the interface between land and a river or stream.

Overall, there’s lots of useful tips about water and household activities, all presented in the creative calendar. It’s worth spending some time visiting the website.

In Eastern Canada the emerald ash border beetle, native to Asia, has been wreaking havoc on ash trees and the economy since the 1990’s. The beetle feeds on tree tissue and according to PR USA Canadian and American scientists alike declare that the ash border beetle cannot be eradicated.

This declaration has not stopped the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), however. The agency recently responded to new detections of beetle damage by invoking a ministerial order that will empower it to be in control of ash tree and firewood movement across the provinces. As the beetle is spread by movement of wood materials, concrete regulation (which spans Ontario & Quebec) is vital.

Meanwhile in North Texas, the zebra mussel is taking its toll on Lake Texoma. The mussel which attaches itself to water facilities and pipes is responsible for huge maintenance and operating costs in the state, according to NBC/DFW News. Currently, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) has laid out water conservation plans to fight the invasive species. These plans involve the cessation of pumping raw water supplies from Lake Texoma, which makes up 22.5% of the water supply in the district.

Invasive species have immediate negative effects on ecosystems and our quality of life. Taking action and respecting regulations is an immediate step all responsible citizens should take.

Tip Tank is a fun concentration game that lets you match photographs of water saving devices with each other. I played it over my morning (fair trade and sustainable) coffee and found it about the right level of challenge.

The Water Wisdom and Games pdf is a 2 page layout. It starts with a water usage quiz about how much water you’d save if you use the items in the Tip Tank game. Then you have a word search and a coloring page.

Under the Games & Links heading, the H2OUSE game offers a virtual ton of information about saving water at home. As well, there are 4 other games to explore.

Enjoy!

Two thirds of surveyed voters in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming stated that these natural resources are fragile and must be cared for and protected. Two thirds (perhaps the same people) of voters believe current laws protecting air, land and water should be strengthened or better enforced.

Overall, the survey indicates most voters consider environmental protection and a strong economy to be compatible goals. The survey reports that a majority of the people voted for clean energy over coal, and suggested they wouldn’t mind spending $10 more a month to get clean energy. Further, the New America Media reports that over two-thirds of voters said they believe renewable energy will create, not cost jobs.

This is good news that the government should use to guide its decisions and actions.

For conservation reasons, they recommend a 5 minute shower. For drinking, keep a pitcher of water in your fridge – it makes it easy to get cool water without running the tap. A friend of mine has a filter pitcher which removes the impurities from the tap water, then keeps the clean water cool in the fridge.

If you want to play a game, Savewater.com.au has a free online game that is possibly the most creative game out there. Called the Mission H20 Game, the fun begins with an introduction of the main characters in a great short film. Then you access a house and garden and do various activities, such as plugging holes in a garden hose or answering questions about water use.

It’s a fun game and if you happen to be an Australian resident, you may also be interested in learning that the water conservation game has a contest that lets you enter a draw for one of five iPod Shuffles. Even if you’re elsewhere in the world and thus not eligible to enter the contest, it’s still a fun game.

Part of an effort by the humanitarian group Engineers Without Borders, the students experienced an eye opening time that likely taught them as much as they were teaching. The article starts with a student wondering “What did I get myself into?” as they bounced along a dirt road under the hot African sun.

One of the students’ achievements was building a water pump so the local farmers could access clean water for their crops. Before the pump was built, the farmers had to spend up to half a day getting water. Now they have the chance to spend more time farming and even making a little more money.

Making bricks and designing an optimal stove proved to be more difficult than the students originally thought. The village’s current abilities and technology affected the results, and some things will take multiple visits to accomplish.

I keep hearing from travelers to poor countries that the people there seem to be happy. This article again confirms it. During the student’s stay, the villagers partied, showing themselves to be very community-driven. It’s something that too many people in North America have lost during their struggle to improve their economic well being. It’s a feature that makes humanitarian work magnetic.

What a great experience for the students, and program for the Mali villagers.

Conservation agriculture has been practiced for decades in nations from Canada to India and is now being adapted to meet the needs of small-scale impoverished farmers in Asia, Africa and South America. While conventional farming practices rely on technology and pesticides, the CA method is based on the principles of minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and regular crop rotations to achieve sustainable, profitable harvests. In many developing nations machinery is scarce and farmers find it difficult to plant/harvest in an unstable political climate plagued by malnourishment and poverty. Conservation Agriculture forgoes ploughing in favour of more traditional planting mechanisms such as rippers and basins while relying on residue from previous crops to fertilize the soil. CA also protects against the harsh effects of climate change (drought, flooding) by improving water infiltration into soil which leads to healthier, stronger crops.

On average, according to The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), CA yields are 80% higher than those reaped by traditional methods in developing nations. Each of the participating villages in the Zimbabwe study produced an average yield surplus of approximately 78 MT (metric tons) which shows that poor farmers can increase and stabilise crops in marginal lands under this system.

Challenges to adopting CA methods include reluctance to doing away with the perceived ease of plough technology, weed control, and competition for crop residues. However, dire economic and environmental situation in the world requires that struggling farmers be assisted in finding real sustainable solutions for agriculture issues. I believe that Conservation Agriculture is the first step in a long journey towards success.

Tucson’s water conservation efforts began in 1977 when customers were asked to refrain from using water at certain times of day during hot summer months. These efforts resulted in the creation of the ‘Beat the Peak’ conservation program. Later, due to certain areas suffering from overuse of regional aquifers, the 1980 Groundwater Management Act set new water conservation guidelines for all groundwater use. Officials in Tucson are continuing to plan for future demands by managing water supplies.

Water is the most precious resource on this planet, without which no living organism can survive. That is why it is essential to conserve as much water as we can. One way that homeowners can help is by controlling the amount of water that they use in their gardens. Currently, landscaping uses 2.9% of the overall national U.S. water consumption, which gardenarborandtrellis.com suggests can be lowered. For example, gardeners can help by ensuring proper garden planning and by correcting faulty irrigation systems.

To ensure that your plants are taking in all the water you’re giving them, set your automatic sprinklers to work during hours of lower temperature so that water does not evaporate. More importantly, gardeners should know that water is not the only factor that keeps their gardens healthy. Control of garden pests is important. Since pesticides put into gardens washes out into our oceans, gardeners should use natural methods to help maintain a healthy yard. Gardeners can encourage pest eating bugs, such as ladybugs, to live in their yard, gardenarborandtrellis.com recommends.

Also, gardeners should alternate planting different species of plants to ensure that you’re not supplying a regular food source for pests or allowing pest populations to explode by grouping together pest friendly plants.

So as you plant bulbs for spring flowers, consider water usage. If we all work together, we will have enough fresh water for generations into the future.