watersheds, global warming and water conservation

Watersheds, Climate and Water Conservation

Weaverville Climate Variability

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Weaver Creek Rainfall Totals: 1976 & 1977- 39.4” vs. 2012 & 2013-61.9”

2010

From: Climate Change and the EPA National Water Program By Karen Metchis, EPA

Effects of Climate Variability

December, 2011

March, 2012

May, 2012

Effects of Climate Variability

REPAIR REDUCE RECLAIM RETHINK RESTORE

RETHINK WATER WITHDRAWALS

0.5 Gallon/Minute= 720 Gallons Per Day (Average daily water consumption is <500 gallons/day). Pumps can draw from 3-300 gallons/minute and more than one pump on at the same time in a stream can result in fish kills.

Little Browns Creek, 2010

Pumps draining water tanks do not rapidly draw down a creek and do not require coordination

with other water diversions in the stream.

16.8

15.7

21.713.75.3

26.7

How does your household use water?Shower

Faucet

Clothes Washing

Leaks

Other

ToiletSource: Amercian Water Works

Gallons Lost To Leaks Over a

Person’s Lifetime (75 years) =

258,370

REPAIR

RECLAIM USED WATER

“It's easy to follow the guidelines required for a no-permit system from the new California plumbing code. The system needs to have a way to switch back to the sewer/septic, not have any pooling of greywater, be discharged under 2 inches of mulch, and a few more basic guidelines.” http://greywateraction.org/projects/greywater-recycling

RECLAIM USED WATER

http://milkwood.net/2010/05/11/how_to_make_a_wicking_bed/

REDUCE WATER DEMAND

http://milkwood.net/2010/05/11/how to make a wicking bed/

REDUCE WATER DEMAND

Landscape: Plant Drought Tolerant Species

Kill The Lawn Entirely Skip the Annuals In the Garden This Year

Switch From Sprinkler To Drip Irrigation

REDUCE WATER DEMAND

REDUCE WATER DEMAND

REDUCE LAWNS AND ANNUAL PLANTINGS

Sept-13 1.43 0.69 Oct-13 0.01 2.39 Nov-13 1.42 5.19 Dec-13 0.00 6.78 Jan-14* 0.64 7.10

3.50* 22.22

Weaverville Rainfall Average

If the winter rainfall is well below average reduce crop size, install rainwater catchments, use conservation techniques. Don’t truck water in to supplement. You are just robbing “Peter to pay Paul” * As of January 20th

RETHINK WATER DEMAND

Time stream pumping to match natural diurnal flow patterns. A single mature Douglas-fir tree can transpire (pump) up to 100 gallons of water from the soil per day. Most of this pumping occurs during the afternoon hours An acre of mature conifer forest can transpire up to a million gallons per growing season. Mountain streams flow goes down in response to soil water pumping actions (at the same time that temperatures go up).

http://kula.geol.wwu.edu/rjmitch/L10_evapotranspiration.pdf

RETHINK WATER WITHDRAWALS

RETHINK WATER DEMAND

Living With Climate Change: Forest Thinning

Living With Climate Change: Fire Restoration

Living With Climate Change: Road Decommissioning

watersheds, global warming and water conservation

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