For the Mississippi Delta to remain a productive agricultural region and economic engine there have to be environmental solutions that are win-win for farmers and conservation, says Jason Milks of The Nature Conservancy. #podcast here: http://bit.ly/ArkansasAg #water #waterloop #mississippiriver #agriculture
Most farmers consider themselves to be stewards of the land and are interested in maintaining soil and water. But they prefer to be part of developing conservation solutions rather than being told what to do, says Jason Milks of The Nature Conservancy. #podcast here: https://bit.ly/ArkansasAg #water #waterloop #mississippiriver #agriculture
More than 700,000 acres have been reforested in the lower Mississippi River Valley through the Wetlands Reserve Program of the USDA NRCS, which pays to farmers to retire cropland so it can become forested wetland, says Jason Milks of The Nature Conservancy. #podcast here: https://bit.ly/ArkansasAg #water #waterloop #mississippiriver #agriculture
The 165,000-acre White River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas provides a foothold for conservation in the region and a protected corridor 100 miles-long just upstream of the Mississippi River, says Jason Milks of The Nature Conservancy. #podcast ➡️ https://bit.ly/ArkansasAg
Over the past 40 years coastal storms caused an estimated trillion dollars in damage in the U.S. Now climate change is causing more intense storms, with increased rainfall and rapid strengthening, says Jeff Peterson, author of A New Coast. #podcast ➡️ http://bit.ly/ANewCoast #water #waterloop #coast #climatechange
The U.S. coast is unprepared for the increasing impacts of storms and sea level rise on communities, infrastructure, the economy, and the environment itself. Comprehensive changes in leadership, policies, programs, and funding could create a more resilience coastline. In this episode Jeff Peterson discusses his book A New Coast, which…
In the Mississippi Delta there is no bigger force on the economy and the environment than agriculture, with its tens of millions of acres of farmland that both feeds a nation and impacts water quality. In Arkansas programs can help both if they arise from collaboration and provide benefits for…
Although New Mexico receives far less attention than many other western states, it is at the precipice of a water crisis, with climate change further straining the arid state and groundwater impacted by the oil and gas industry. The situation is discussed in this episode with Laura Paskus, author of…
When making decisions on groundwater management it's important to have a comprehensive understanding of data gaps and defer to protection of water sources even if there is an absence of information, says Melissa Rohde of The Nature Conservancy. podcast here: https://bit.ly/GroundwaterData #water #waterloop #groundwater
Last century’s approach to water management was based on controlling nature, a fragmented infrastructure system, and general sense there was plenty of water. But the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century have spurred a transition to a water management approach revolving around circularity, scarcity, and nature itself. The past,…
A lack of information on groundwater has historically posed challenges for management. Now emerging tools are expanding and organizing the data available for decision-making, as discussed in this episode with Ben Kerr of Foundry Spatial, Melissa Rohde of The Nature Conservancy, and Tom Gleeson of the University of Victoria. They…
When budgets are low and needs are high, the public sector moves forward with safe solutions, pays for water projects upfront, and hopes for the best. But it's time to fund innovation and outcomes, says Eric Letsinger of Quantified Ventures. Full #podcast here: http://bit.ly/EnviroBonds #water #waterloop #innovativefinance
How to build an environmental impact bond, by Eric Letsinger of Quantified Ventures. -start with a municipal bond -identify metrics for environmental outcomes -layer interest rates on the performance curve -measure results & pay investors accordingly #podcast here: https://bit.ly/EnviroBonds #water #waterloop #innovativefinance
Farmers in Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and several other states are paid to put in conservation measures and the resulting carbon offsets and water quality benefits are sold to companies, cities, states, & USDA, says Eric Letsinger of Quantified Ventures. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/EnviroBonds #water #waterloop #sustainableagriculture
An environmental impact bond was used to finance development of #wetlands along the Louisiana coast. The metric for return on investment is tied to the level of success in slowing down coastal erosion, says Eric Letsinger of Quantified Ventures. Watch the podcast here: https://bit.ly/EnviroBonds #water #waterloop #wetlands
Residents of Toledo, Ohio deal with water challenges ranging from pollution in Lake Erie to lead pipes for drinking water to increasing utility bills. Toledo’s communities of color and low-income have historically lacked information and input in water issues such as these. But now that’s changing through community outreach as…
Budgets are struggling to keep up with the scale and scope of water projects that need funding in communities across the U.S. At the same time, it is extremely difficult for public agencies to take risks on solutions that could address water challenges in more affordable and effective ways. In…
Selective breeding of oysters can create populations that are more resilience to freshwater. This is done by choosing "tough parents" used to surviving in low salinity conditions, says Morgan Kelly of Louisiana State University. Watch the #podcast at https://bit.ly/LouisianaOysters #water #waterloop #oysters #louisiana #marinebiology
It would be better for the health of oysters for diversions of the Mississippi River into estuaries to occur during winter months when oysters can survive longer in freshwater, says Morgan Kelly of Louisiana State University. Watch the #podcast at https://bit.ly/LouisianaOysters #water #waterloop #oysters #louisiana
Freshwater is the biggest threat to Louisiana's oysters. Freshwater is increasing because of heavy rainfall driven by climate change and man-made diversions of the Mississippi River, says Morgan Kelly of Louisiana State University. Watch the #podcast at https://bit.ly/LouisianaOysters #water #waterloop #oysters #louisiana
Property owners need to be convinced that living shorelines are durable before installing them. This example shows that a hurricane destroyed a bulkhead yet the neighbor's living shoreline was fine, says Carter Smith of Duke University Marine Lab. See the #podcast: https://bit.ly/LivingShorelines #water #waterloop #waterpodcast #livingshorelines #dukemarinelab
When wave energy hits bulkheads and seawalls it eventually destroys the nearby habitat. Living shorelines, however, absorb wave energy, maintain marshes, improve water quality, and last longer, says Lexia Weaver of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Watch the #podcast at https://bit.ly/LivingShorelines #water #waterloop #livingshorelines #nccoast
Coastal erosion is a natural process in North Carolina that often threatens property developed close to the water. That led to the hardening of shorelines with bulkheads and seawalls, says Carter Smith of Duke University Marine Lab Watch the #podcast at http://bit.ly/LivingShorelines #water #waterloop #coastalerosion #dukemarinelab
North Carolina made it so property owners can get permits much faster and easier for installing living shorelines, which also put them on equal footing to the permit process for bulkheads, says Daniel Govoni of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/LivingShorelines