Pacific Standard July-August 2013 Cover

Texas’ Thirst for Dams Bucks National Trend

August 4, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Texas Bucks National Trend in Push for Dams

When Richard Donovan saw the Lufkin Daily News on Dec. 14, 1998, a front-page story took him completely by surprise. It showed three proposed dams slicing across his beloved Neches River, a 416-mile, sediment-rich waterway in East Texas, where he grew up catching catfish on trotlines. The newspaper depicted Fastrill Dam across the upper Neches, Rockland Dam in the middle and Town Bluff Dam — which already existed but would be raised — on the lower river. That can't be, Donovan thought. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had listed the upper Neches as a "priority one" conservation area ... Read More

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Water Shortages Threaten the American West Lifestyle

May 13, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment

The next time you fly into a parched, western sprawl such as Phoenix, glance down at the amorphous blots of green and the splattering of aqua blue rectangles. Squint into the blinding sun and behold the glories of irrigation. But along with the golf courses and swimming pools made possible by a seemingly endless flow of H2O came people — and lots of them. Between 1920 and 2000, the seven states that share the Colorado River grew from 5.7 million to almost 50 million people. Peter Gleick, co-founder and president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and ... Read More

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The Balance of Evil-Doing: Kiri’s Impacts

August 30, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment

Let an admission of hypocrisy herald the end of my three-month voyage from California to southern Mexico: I used a lot of petroleum. The V8 Ford van that I drove, also known as El Hippo (why the name? see side note), had a hunger that was hard to contain. It got a pathetic 12 miles per gallon. Here I am, exploring the effects of climate, advocating solutions to improve the resilience of coastal communities, yet I'm also part of the problem. Nevertheless, as economics teaches us, the true cost depends on the alternatives. So, as an aspiring do-gooder, I'd like to know, "What is the balance ... Read More

More like this: Environment, Voyage of Kiri
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Sustainable or Sick: the Growth of Loreto

July 2, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
The mural on the waterfront colors the open air structure for the sewage-pumping system. (Kristian Beadle)

Location: Hotel San Carlos in Loreto, southern Baja, two blocks from the waterfront. Conditions: Outside, the sun is shining, but I'm lying in my room feeling nauseous, suffering through my first stomach bug this trip. Discussion: Imagine saying, "Honey, the water truck is coming!" Then your husband puts down the breakfast cereal and bolts out the door to catch the truck, waving money to indicate he is worth the driver's time. Pamela Bolles, a Loreto resident for 11 years, explained: "The truck used to come three times a week, now it's every 10 days, if we're lucky. We need to be on our ... Read More

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The Great Floods of Mulegé

June 22, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
The damaged bridge after Hurricane Jimena unleashed floodwaters. This bridge was completely engulfed. (Kristian Beadle)

Voyage of Kiri blogger Kristian Beadle sees firshand the effects of water from the sky impacting water on the ground. Location: At the river mouth in Mulegé, a town on the fourth largest oasis in Baja. The green river winds past palm trees before opening into the Sea of Cortéz. Conditions: Humid with the buzz of crickets and mosquitoes. Bougainvilleas and trees filter the morning light. Discussion: "The water was up to here," said Saul Davis, pointing above his head at a mark on the wall. "There was mud everywhere." Davis is the charismatic owner of a small market in Mulegé, a town ... Read More

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The Wealth and Decline of Mangroves

June 18, 2010 • By • 2 Comments
This is Campo Renée, next to the mangrove forests. Alyssum can be seen kayaking in the background. (Kristian Beadle)

Voyage of Kiri blogger Kristian Beadle discovers the beauty of mangroves and recognizes the ecological peril climate change puts them in. Location: An estuary near Punta Abreojos, on the Pacific coast of Baja. Conditions: A full moon is rising to the east. Discussion: The wind and dust were unrelenting. It had become an impish presence, prodding your ribs, harassing your scalp, speckling dirt in your cup of tea when you looked away. By the 10th day of the atmospheric assault, we retreated to an estuary-side campground with nice palapas at Estero el Coyote, 15 miles from Punta Abreojos ... Read More

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Cataviña and the Water-Collecting Cacti

June 4, 2010 • By • 3 Comments
A cardon cactus can reach heights of 40 feet witha root system that can span 50 feet. (Kristian Beadle)

Voyage of Kiri writer Kristian Beadle is amazed by the lushness of a Mexico desert and learns the real value of water management. Location: Near the town of Cataviña, central Baja, in one of the most ecologically diverse deserts in the whole world, the Valle de los Cirios. Conditions: Dark silhouettes of 40-foot-tall cardon cacti lay in front of the bright setting sun. The blooming desert was buzzing with bees and hummingbirds, but they are now asleep. Discussion: Our jaws dropped in amazement as the landscape changed from barren coastal bluffs to a desert with lush flora. Although ... Read More

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The Frontier and the Two Countries

May 3, 2010 • By • 1 Comment
The binational meeting to establish a network from both sides of the border to protect the watershed. (Kristian Beadle)

The Voyage of the Kiri is moving along and has reached the Tijuana River watershed before even leaving the U.S. city of San Diego. Location: at the reserve for the Tijuana River Estuary on the U.S. side of the border. Conditions: Windy and cool, 6 p.m. Representatives of different nonprofit organizations from both U.S. and Mexico are meeting to establish a binational network to protect the Tijuana River watershed and estuary. Discussion: I never thought about it, but Mexico actually starts in San Diego County. Not because a big Mexican flag can be seen flying on clear days in ... Read More

More like this: Environment, Science & Environment, Voyage of Kiri
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Greywater Dominoes

October 13, 2009 • By • 2 Comments

In the mountains above Santa Barbara, Calif., streams run nearly dry for much of the year. The one running through an area known as the San Marcos Trout Club, however, is a bit different. Even in the dry heat of summer, deep pools of cool water swirl in their sandstone basins as it wends through the little nook on its way to the ocean. For Art Ludwig, founder of Oasis Design — a family-run ecological design company covering everything from water delivery and disposal to permaculture — the spot is more than just a peaceful getaway and outdoor office near his home; it provides inspiration ... Read More

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Faux Better or Worse

August 27, 2009 • By • Leave a Comment

It's the largest irrigated crop in the United States, with more than 32 million acres in production, according to a 2005 study from the journal Environmental Management. But this crop isn't eaten by people or, usually, animals. It's the front lawn, and cities across America are trying to save water by encouraging homeowners — through rebates and tax benefits — to get rid of it. People, though, are stubborn things, and they still want their lawns. "I think it's safe to say that by far the lion's share of new homes have lawns," said Walter Molony, a senior public affairs specialist at ... Read More

More like this: Environment, News and Options, Science & Environment, September-October 2009
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