Water... baby, come back!!

 

What will We Do When all the Water is Gone?

                I ran across an editorial written a couple weeks ago in the Wichita Eagle that made some pretty dire predictions about the state of water in the Wichita Area, as early as 2015, if drought conditions continue (as they are expected to.)  I decided to do some of my own research to try to find out what was going on exactly.  Another editorial discusses the city’s plan to reduce water usage, in order to conserve water.  The plan focuses mainly on increasing conservation efforts through community education. I learned in this article that Cheney Reservoir, the source of approximately 60% of the city’s water, could dry up as early as August 2015, with another hot, dry summer like the last two. 

                The news gets worse and worse.  The shortage isn’t expected to improve anytime soon.  There are potential plans which involve getting water from El Dorado Lake, public watering restrictions, possible ad campaigns regarding water conservation.  The bad news is, regardless of efforts, even optimistic estimates give only an extra 21 months before water supply is an absolute public emergency.

                Upon further research, I ran across some information on the Equus bed aquifer.  Apparently this is an aquifer which is expected to be used more and more, according to this release by the city of Wichita, in the upcoming 40+ years to supply Wichita and surrounding areas.  It appears to have been on the decline, due to low water regeneration, and so must be filled via artificial recharge.  This is where the Arkansas River comes in, apparently. 

                OK, so the only thing that worries me personally about this plan is my personal views of the Arkansas River, which have been pretty pitiful lately.  There has been several times we drive past a section or two, over a bridge, and see people walking across the river.  Pretty sad… I remember when I was a kid and the river was pretty high.  I do however, also remember (sometime in the ‘90s) walking across the river myself one summer, which was particularly dry and humid.  The river recovered though!  I don’t have a clue how it happened… was it natural or did man help it along?

 

                Anyway, as you can obviously see… this is a very complex topic… our water supply.  I encourage everyone to do some research on these issues, as this appears to be another of those rabbit-hole issues… the hole gets deeper and deeper… there is literally hours’ worth of digging that could be done!

                P.S. I did find informationabout a meeting coming up at the Central Library, regarding Water Usage and Conservation efforts in the city of Wichita, with a panel of “experts.”  I think it would be interesting to attend and hear what others have to say.  I would also like to know what other locals in Wichita are thinking about this… is this an issue you have heard about, been worried about, heard others talking about?  Anyway, the meeting is at 11:30 on Tuesday, March 26^th.  Unfortunately I have to work at that time so will be unable to attend. 

The good news is, there are a lot of ways to conserve water here and now, in just a few seconds and with only a few small changes.  We can make a huge impact simply by spreading the word and reducing the water supply by possibly millions of gallons!  (Think of the Pay it Forward act, and apply it to telling your friends and family about some of these easy and useful tips.  You can find even more in an article here, and here, and here. J)

For now, here are a few tips to get you started today!!

ü Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.



ü Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.



ü If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model.



ü Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.



ü Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.



ü When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up. You’ll never notice the difference!



ü Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and you can save 140 gallons a week.



ü Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.



ü Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.



ü Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation. This way you have to water less, rake less, and its good for the Earth, your plants, etc. Double bonus... Wonderful!

You can find even more tips about gardening, watering your lawn, pool care, and daily water intake for cooking, bathing, and other household needs if you only look.  Pull up your  favorite search engine, type in "Water conservation, gardening" or whatever your key word is instead of gardening.  Many of the tips only require small tweaks of behavior, and are truly common sense ways to treat the Earth better, conserve water, and maintain the same quality of life.  Sounds like an easy decision to me. 

Until next time,
think green and stay positive!!

Love, Meagan