DamNation explores the history of dams in the US and the movement to tear down these “engineering marvels” and rediscover the wild flowing rivers and the ecosystems they nourish.
Tag: water
Fracking California: Oil Boom Bonanza a Dirty Desert Mirage
The latest target of the unconventional oil craze is California hydraulic fracturing (fracking) the Monterey Shale in the central and southern parts of the state. With wildly optimistic predictions of an economic bonanza, the oil is carbon-intensive, requires massive amounts of fresh water, creates industrial pollution and seismic risk, and is impossible to regulate effectively because of significant scientific unknowns.
Fracking and Eco-Poppycock in BlondCounty
The impact of natural gas hydrofracturing, discussed in a diner in BlondCounty, by Jerry Collamer.
Los Angeles River Revitalization: A City Rediscovers its Flow
The LA River, an over-engineered concrete “water-freeway,” is undergoing a long-term greening and revitalization. A 32-mile greenbelt, developed through numerous projects, promises to improve the health of the ecosystem and the value of the river as a regional public amenity, while managing flows and protecting properties.
Extreme Water: Tapping the California Desert to Feed Growth Addiction?
Cadiz Inc.’s potentially lucrative groundwater mining proposal for the Mojave Desert intends to water lawns and pools for suburban Southern California at the expense of taxpayers and ultimately the desert ecosystem. The company could realize $1 billion to $2 billion in revenue over the plan’s 50-year life. Opponents say public resources are being used for private profit.
Warao of Guyana: The Origin of the Pleiades
A myth from the Warao People who inhabit the rainforests of the Orinoco Delta of northeastern Venezuela and western Guyana. The term Warao means “The Boat People,” referring to their intimate connection with water. Here a hunter takes on an ogress in a story of the origin of the Pleiades.