My main topic is what can be done to lessen the effects of drought. To first understand this you have to ask, well what are the effects of drought? Next you have to ask why in the heck we should care, how does drought affect me? Finally, what steps can we take to reduce the effects of drought? Water matters to everyone throughout history, people have been killed and wars have been fought for this precious resource. We cannot live without water; we need it for drinking, farming, and sanitation. In 2007 Atlanta almost ran out of water, and has been filing lawsuits over water for decades. Fire danger and fire intensity are big reasons drought matters to us here in Colorado as well as other states. Look at the Hayman Fire in 2002, it was the largest and 2nd most expensive fire in Colorado history and for example would not have been as intense if there was not severe drought conditions. Drought also exacerbated the pine beetle problems which are wiping out large stands of Colorado forests, national forests, and international forests through leaving the trees more susceptible to pine beetle infestation.
How should I approach this question? Should my focus be a local (Colorado) approach, or should I consider the region as a whole? What about researching national concerns with drought and its effects? I can just make something up on Wikipedia and call it good right? I figure EBSCO will be essential to my research since it is filled with scholarly journals and articles on my topic. I also plan on looking into the US Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service websites and possibly talking to a park ranger, or reading both agency’s publications to find out information pertaining to my topic.
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ReplyDeleteHi Will,
ReplyDeleteI think you picked an excellent topic to blog about and research. I have always had so many questions about the drought in Colorado. At what point is a state considered to be going through a drought? Who constitutes this? I was a wildland fire fighter from the 2005-2006 season in Fort Collins for the Yellow Jackets. I did learn quite a bit then about the drought but since then it seems it has all changed so much. In the fire training classes they used the Hayman fire as an emergency situation example and still use it to this day.
What kind of laws are out there to enable people to use less water? For example, I live in a complex that has a large park area in front of my condo. Over the summer it seemed like the sprinklers where on from 7am-6pm and wouldn't shut off. This would happen even when it was raining for two days. The other day after the snow storm the sprinklers were on again for 2 hours straight. I've often wondered if I should contact the leasing office and complain about how much water is being wasted. How are these problems being measured? I would certainly like to know!!
Good questions at the end of your post about how you might narrow your search. Colorado and water issues could provide you with plenty to discuss and debate. I know that PBS has been advertising "water in the west" as a topic of focus right now: http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/?entry=1052
ReplyDeleteYou might check out that Rocky Mtn PBS link to see if they have any resources. Of course, EBSCO is great too!
Hi Will
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how much us Americans can become so acustom to a way of life that we just expect it to always be there? Look how many other countries have had minimal water for MANY years. Its scary how ungrateful and unprepared Americans can be because we are so blessed to have the everyday necessities. GREAT TOPIC!
I think the reason why we have a severe drought is because we are looking to keep up with Jones. We are looking to have the prettiest yard with the most glamorous plants in the summer time. At least a good portion of our society. We also, (at least most women) like to take long, hot showers. Maybe the solution to this would be stricter regulations on how much water we are able to utilize without suffering fines. I know that seems harsh, but this is exactly how government prevents deaths and several wrecks each year by placing laws on the road that apply to speeding.
ReplyDeleteI was talking with my grandpa recently about water rights and their value, and he told me an interesting fact. He told me more people were killed in this area over water theft than horse or cattle theft. If you found someone at your ditch head you shot them...WOW. I live in the middle of nowhere. The only neighbors I have are the fields of corn and hay, and I see farmers near me that water the dirt roads as much as they do their fields (it seems like it). Each time the sprinkler head passes over the road it drops enough watet to irrigate three average lawns. multiply this by maybe 50 passes and there is a lot of water being wasted. The farmers always complain how hard hit they are when a drought hits, but they are the most wastful ones when it comes to that good ol' high quality H2O.
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