END WATER POVERTY

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• END WATER POVERTY
• 2008 is the International Year for
  Sanitation.Tell the G8 leaders to urgently
  address the crisis in sanitation and water at
  their next summit in Japan.

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A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself
Franklin D. Roosevelt
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What is Soil?

• Made up of many different things
• Formed from rocks and decaying plants and animals
• Contains a mixture of 45 minerals, 25 water,
  25 air and 5 organic matter

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Why is Soil Important?

• - Vital part of life
• - Provides a habitat for a wide range of
  organisms
• - Stores water and provides nutrients needed for
  plant growth

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Soil Erosion

• "Soil erosion is second only to population growth
  as the biggest environmental problem the world
  faces. Yet the problem, which is growing ever
  more critical, is being ignored because who gets
  excited about dirt?
• David Pimentel
• Professor of ecology at Cornell

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Did You Know?

• In the U.S., approximately 40 of all chemical
  fertilizers applied to fields eventually changes
  into ammonia and is released into the atmosphere.
• Since wind erosion releases fine dust particles
  into the air, it poses a potential threat to
  human health
• Wind erosion can transport soil particles
  thousands of miles soil particles from Africa
  have been found as far as Brazil and Florida

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Animation of soil crossing the atlantichttp//ser
c.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collect
ions/soil_erosion.html
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Soil Erosion

• Movement of soil by wind, water and gravity
• Soil erosion is a natural process
• BUT because soil formation takes an extremely
  long time, the rate at which humans are
  accelerating the soil erosion is extremely
  alarming.

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(No Transcript)
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• The Issue
• Humans are causing extensive damage to the soil,
  which is increasing the rate at which erosion
  occurs
• Caused by
• Agriculture practices
• Over-plowing
• Tilling
• Nutrient depletion
• Over-fertilization
• Damage may be irreparable

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Effects of Soil Erosion

• On-Site Effects
• Removal of valuable topsoil
• Loss of natural nutrients
• Disturbance/removal of seeds and plants
• Organic matter and pesticides are transported
• Soil quality, structure, stability and texture
  can be changed

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Effects of Soil Erosion

• Off-Site Effects
• Inhibit/delay seed emergence
• Sediment deposits can damage roadways
• Sediment deposits can reach streams or waterways
  and cause damage
• Pesticides transported along with the soil can
  pollute downstream water sources

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Economic Effects

• 37.6 billion per year in productivity losses in
  the United States
• 400 billion per year in productivity losses
  worldwide
• 30 of the world's arable land has become
  unproductive

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Desertification

• Land degradation in drylands resulting from
  various factors, including climatic variations
  and human activities.
• Occurs when soil erosion is extreme
• Reduces the ability of land to support life,
  which affects wild species, domestic animals,
  agriculture crops and people

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How to Control Soil Erosion

• Change of Agriculture practices
• Contour ploughing
• Wind breaks
• Strip plowing
• Ensure there are always plants growing in soil
• Avoid overgrazing
• Allow indigenous plants to grow along the
  riverbanks
• Encourage biological diversity
• Provide waterways to prevent rills

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What You Can Do

• As individuals
• Plant your own garden
• Make your own organic fertilizer
• Chose, low-phosphorous fertilizers, if you must
  use them at all
• Purchase certified organic products
• Apply mulch to your garden
• Live a greener lifestyle
• Use of retaining walls
• Lobby to your MP about local agriculture practice

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What You Can Do

• Community Solutions
• Proper water drainage techniques
• Encourage farms to participate in
  environmentally friendly agriculture practices
• Encourage individuals to live greener lifestyles
• Discourage the use of pesticides
• City of Ottawa Initiative

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Sustainable lifestyle

• Protecting the soil from erosion is the first
  step toward a sustainable agriculture
• Effectively protecting our soils includes
  political, economic and technical changes.
• Multi-sector approaches using strategic alliances
  which combine traditional knowledge, financial
  and technical support, and governments long term
  commitment are the most effective way to combat
  this problem.

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Soil Degradation is an International Problem!

• Decreasing soil erosion/desertification will play
  a significant role accomplishing change in key
  areas such as poverty eradication, food security,
  economic development and socio-economic stability
  in affected countries and regions and it
  contributes to global eco-safety.

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EDWARD BURTYNSKYMANUFACTUREDLANDSCAPESA FILM
BY JENNIFER BAICHWAL
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Quick Facts

• 17 year project to be completed next year
• Largest dam in world!
• 3 main functions
• Avoid floods
• Generate electricity
• Improve transportation along the dam (navigation)
• Full length of dam 2309 m
• Relocation of 1 million
• Cost 28 billion (US)

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Physical Changes

• Free flowing river ? Slower moving or still water
  system
• Migration of fish will be blocked by the dam
• Water velocity decreases ? Sediment increases

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Slower Moving Water

• Sediment settles
• Sewage, chemicals, and other contaminants collect
• Chongquin waste water

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Increasing Water Levels

• Submergence of Industries
• Water evaporation increases
• Water temperature increases
• Shoreline erodes

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Biological Affects

• Stratification
• Migration of fish
• Damming the Three Gorges (David L. Wegner, M.Sc.)

A biologically productive reservoir depends
primarily on the presence of a thriving
population of various aquatic organisms such as
plankton, zooplankton, and macro invertebrates,
upon which fish populations depend
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Aquatic Species

• Reservoir fills
• ?
• Nutrients and vegetative debris released
• ?
• Plankton, zooplankton, macro-invertebrates will
  multiply
• ?
• Short term increase in ecosystem productivity
• ?
• Plankton population will either increase or
  decrease