Will water become more valuable than oil?

Yes

10 of 13

by Dereck Albrecht

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History Does Not Repeat Itself

This letter is designed to promote water conservation, the protection of natural habitats, and individual action in response to the state's current water plan. Events, cycles of evolution, and catastrophes occur with extreme similarities to historical occurrences. The smartest people on this planet are those who not only learn from mistakes, but employ measures to ensure similar mistakes are further prevented. Part of this involves informing all neighbors, not just the ones who live directly next to you, of possible dangers and the preventative measures that can be taken. Texas' natural water supply is being severely threatened. Together we can protect the water supply and ecological stability of our state. Only those who do not drink or use water need not attend water meetings.

Possible Dangers
Become more aware of our drinking waters: they are being put in grave danger. We are building a ship that would make the Titanic look like a toothpick in San Antonio. Expanding above the Edwards Aquifer and having a railroad that goes clear across the aquifer is very dangerous. Highly toxic chemicals leftover from the Vietnam era and other poisons have seeped into the Edwards Aquifer. Underground water greatly affects the flow of the rivers above, however it is being pumped out of the ground at a much greater rate than it is being replenished by rainfall. We have already lost about 65 percent of the natural free flowing springs in Texas, such as Comanche Spring in Fort Stockton.
Reduced water pressure underground and in aquifers will cause the possibility of sinkholes to increase. With the ground and wall penetrating surveillance blimps our government installed, it should be remarkably easy to locate dangerous sinkhole locations. Nonetheless, notes should be taken and maps drawn of any areas that appear to be sinking or of any fault lines wider than two inches. This information along with previously reported faults and sinkholes can give us a broader view of our land, and help pinpoint dangerous areas. The foundations of many homes and buildings are cracking, and, unfortunately, this is just a prequel to more destruction. By researching the past of the Edwards Aquifer, we can learn what possibly lies ahead. I challenge you to find out what the lowest water level in the aquifer has been and if it has ever gone bone dry. Also find out locations of any and all gas/chemical spills in the 13 counties with land over the aquifer.
With the rapidly increasing Texas population, the demand for water has spurred many water engineering projects which deplete natural water supplies and destroy countless acres of wildlife habitat and choice farmland. The current Texas Water Development Board's plan for future water needs is to build more damns and reservoirs, basically ignoring crucial natural habitats. Even if the human need for water will be satisfied for a few generations, many rivers, streams, and springs will go dry. Commercial fishing industries in the gulf depend greatly on the freshwater flows from rivers affecting a multi-billion dollar part of the state's economy. Proper drought management needs to be put into effect.
Some Immediate references include Medina Lake, which is about 30 feet low, Dallas' highest per person daily water consumption, and of course San Antonio's overwhelming growth. Parts of the Nueces River by Chalk Bluff have ceased to run above ground. When water is stagnant, it becomes a haven for algae and bacteria to grow, thereby increasing the risk of infections and sickness. Several areas of Mexico City are without water, forcing people to ration water and carry it by means of mules. The threat is real, and it is near. Globally, over 1.19 billion people are without portable water.

History and the Triangle of Life
The triangle of life is simply life's dependence on water, land, and air here on Earth. If any of these elements are threatened, so are all life forms in the area.
The ruins in Machupicchu, the Yucatan peninsula, Belize, Guatemala, Mesa Verde, as well as many others, teach us that severe droughts have occurred and will occur in the future. I mentioned earlier that the San Antonio expansion is like building the Titanic in the desert. We are not taking care of our problems, and by window dressing we only exacerbate them. Our authorities are not just imposing taxes and acting like we are doing something, they are endangering the future of a great city. Truly take care of San Antonio, or it will become a huge desert. People will leave San Antonio because there will be no water to drink. Shipments of water could be brought in via railroad, but how long will that last? These droughts are not new. They have been with us for thousands of years as a cleansing system for Mother Nature. When animals such as humans abuse nature, she must protect herself. By giving nothing, they will have to leave the land. History repeats itself similarly, but as long as it is possible to learn from mistakes and work together, we can make a difference.

Conservation
The wasting of water can be prevented very easily. To use water more efficiently, start by putting outlets where the water from washing machines, showers, and dishwashers is distributed to the surrounding soils. This will allow you to recycle the unused water to trees, plants, grass, or whatever you have on your residence. In fact, you could also put in a reserve system with a small pump, and use that to water your land. We can install low flow shower heads and use high efficiency irrigation equipment. Self sufficient, low-maintenance landscaping should be installed. I believe mandatory cistern systems should be implemented in all new residential and commercial building projects in Texas. These systems, like that of the rest area on the way to Hondo, can also be incorporated with tall buildings as well as parking lots.
The immense importance of preserving and protecting our water supply should be understood by all citizens. To ensure a good quality of life for future generations, we must act now. We can start by contacting our state legislators and telling them they will not be reelected if they do not alter current water development plans. Attending local water meetings is also very important. Become an involved citizen and stress aggressive water conservation, water for the environment, and sustainable ground water use. We must change the state's current water plan or Texas will lose vital natural habitats and recreational areas that keep our natural heritage alive. We will suffer economically, and become ecologically unstable, thus not only threatening wildlife, but ourselves as well.

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