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
The Colorado River is managed under the “Law of the River,” a complex series of agreements, laws, legal decisions, and regulations that originated with the 1922 Colorado River Compact. There are important lessons and successes from the past 100 years to remember as the basin faces urgent water challenges driven…
Oysters are an iconic and important part of Louisiana’s coastal ecosystem, culture, and economy. But in addition to harvest pressure, the oysters are under stress from increased freshwater, either from heavy rainfall fueled by climate change or diversions of water from the Mississippi River. In this episode Morgan Kelly, an…
Historically bulkheads, seawalls, and other hardened structures were used along the Carolina coast to protect from the forces of erosion, waves, and storms. But there is a rise in the use of living shorelines, a stabilization technique that uses natural materials like rocks, oyster reefs, and plants. Living shorelines are…
A common market-based approach to environmental conservation is stream mitigation banking, which allows an entity to degrade or destroy a stream while developing property in exchange for restoration of a stream someplace else. A new book Streams of Revenue explores the history of this practice and is authored by Martin…
The higher temperatures and reduced precipitation in the Colorado River Basin are no longer viewed as a short-term drought, but as a longer-term aridification caused by climate change. The alarming strain on the region’s water resources is being met with a more holistic approach to management, a deeper sense of…
As the drinking water crisis unfolded in Flint, it became clear that removing all of the lead pipes to people’s homes would be a daunting challenge. Among the reasons - a lack of records on locations, competing approaches for the order, and a community that was distrustful and in many…
waterloop host Travis Loop reviews the Flume smart device he uses to monitor water at at his house. Flume tracks water use in real-time, displays the data on an app, and sends alerts about excessive use or leaks. A plumber is not needed for installation and Flume is made in…
Conversation and collaboration are key ingredients in accelerating change in water management across Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania, where aging infrastructure, mining and fracking, and emerging pollutants like PFAS are part of the water challenges. In this episode Alison De Luise, Senior Advisor at the Water Center at Penn, and Karl…
The spectacular California coast is incredibly diverse, from the mega-urban areas of Southern California and the Bay Area to the rugged rural areas of the Central Coast and Northern California. The water challenges are equally diverse, with climate change, stormwater, agriculture, the energy industry, and more as problems. In this…