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Water

39 images Created 16 Aug 2009

I've absorbed a few ideas about water thus far in life. I grew up hiking in the coastal reserves on the Atlantic Ocean in Connecticut, the abundant expanse of water overwhelming in its scope. For my Master's dissertation, I analyzed and scrutinized a river with a famous name, the Colorado River [see "The Coveted" gallery]. This river, however, flows from the rolling high plains of western Texas, through the metropolis of Austin and the paddies of rice country, to the estuarine waters of Matagorda Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. Like many rivers we know in the West, this other Colorado River has many straws drawing upon it.

Water is remarkably necessary. But I've learned that there are many definitions of necessary and--most strikingly--what is meant by the term conservation. Here in the West, the value of water is just as often measured in dollars as it is in delight. Here, the word conservation has meant, for many years, the use of water such that nary a drop is "wasted" by flowing by unused.

You may have heard that a fight over water might be coming to a western state near you and, indeed, many parts of the world. If you are interested in learning about the breathtaking tragedy that can strike when communities invest their futures and fortunes on the prospect of rain-fed irrigation channels, look down under. Australians of the Murray-Darling Basin are facing a great tragedy which can be read about in the April 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine.

But then there's the value of water measured by delight. I'd like to focus our attention on the wonders of water. So, while we'll touch upon some of the concerns that face our state, our emphasis will remain on the pleasures of the quiet creeks, the roaring brooks, the cascades and rivers of Colorado that we should all enjoy.
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  • Karin Weidenhammer enjoys the crystal green waters of Barton Springs Pool in Austin, Texas, one of the iconic landmarks in this capital city. The aquifer underlying much of Central Texas, the Edwards Aquifer, feeds this and many other springs, but is threatened by development, increased pumping, pollution, and population growth.
    TX-AguaModerna-BartonSpringsGreen.tif
  • Mad Island Marsh Preserve was once a family-owned rice farm. Before that, it was part of a marsh and prairie ecosystem that stretched along nearly the entire Gulf Coast. The Nature Conservacy now owns the property and is in the process of returning the land to its original form.<br />
<br />
The marsh, part of the Matagorda Bay estuarine habitat, on the Texas Gulf Coast, lies at the terminus of the Central Flyway, one of four principal North American migratory bird routes. Nearly 250 species of birds--including migrating and resident songbirds, shorebirds, colonial nesting birds, and wading birds--use the area for feeding, resting and roosting. Yet, the preserve's upland prairies represent a part of the remaining 2 percent of the original tallgrass coastal prairies once found across Texas.
    TX-AguaModerna-Mad-Island-Wetland.tif
  • At the Austin Water Utility Center for Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend, the duckweed covered ponds are used to reduce the algae levels of the treated wastewater. The water is then returned to outdoor holding ponds that have become famous for attracting migratory birds to the area.
    TX-AguaModerna-Greenhouse.tif
  • A hidden stream falls over rock and moss in this secret waterfall near Paradise Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO_Paradise_Falls_RMNP_horiz.tif
  • The silver sliver of the Colorado River winds through Gore Canyon in Colorado's central mountains.
    CO_ColoRiver_GoreCanyon_silver-ribbo...tif
  • Lac Bleu, near Arolla, Switzerland.
    CH-Lac-Bleu_1.tif
  • Lowell Glacier spills into Lowell Lake and the Alsek River in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Lowell-Glacier2.tif
  • Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. The glacial lake is located in Banff National Park, near the hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway.<br />
<br />
The emerald color of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake. <br />
<br />
Lake Louise is named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883.
    CAN-LakeLouise2.tif
  • An underground forest is revealed by low levels in the Highland Lakes, the system of reservoirs created by six dams operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). The summer of 2006 will be a tough one for the River Authority who will have to balance the needs of irrigation and recreation with the demands of an ever growing population--and then there are the needs of the environment.
    TX-AguaModerna-Deadwood.tif
  • Logs cross and shadows loom in this pond in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
    WY_Yellowstone_Cross.tif
  • The Cache La Poudre River--the only federally designated Wild and Scenic River in Colorado--starts as a trickle amid sweeping grasses near Milner Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO_CacheLaPoudre_Headwaters_FINAL.tif
  • An abstract ice formation bridges above Andrews Creek in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO-RMNP-AndrewsCreekIce.tif
  • Longhorn Dam, at the base of Town Lake, must be opened to accomodate any inflow from Lake Austin, which simultaneously has inflow from Lake Travis. It marks the beginning of the return of the Colorado River, and with it, rapidly fluctuating river levels as water rises and falls upstream in the LCRA system of reservoirs.  As a consequence, some people--or at least their cars--fall victim to muddy riverbeds.
    TX-AguaModerna-Dead-Car.tif
  • Lac des Dix, near Cabane de Prafleuri, Switzerland. Mont Blanc de Cheilon can be seen at the head of the valley.
    CH-Lac-des-Dix_1.tif
  • A detail of Lowell Glacier in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Lowell-Glacier-ponds.tif
  • Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. The glacial lake is located in Banff National Park, near the hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway.<br />
<br />
The emerald color of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake. <br />
<br />
Lake Louise is named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883.
    CAN-LakeLouise.tif
  • Rachel Lawson, three weeks into her job as a lifeguard at Barton Springs Pool, takes up the unenviable task of cleaning the natural bottom of the pool. Cleaned once a week, the pool has in recent years been subject to closures due to increased levels of pesticide and E. coli contamination, among other things. .
    TX-AguaModerna-BartonSpringsSweeping.tif
  • A Colorado creek shows signs of pollution.
    CO-Creek-Suds1.tif
  • Glacial tarns along stage 6 of the Walker's Haute Route, between Cabane du Mont Fort and Cabane du Prafleuri, Switzerland.
    CH-Grand-Desert.tif
  • Water rushes over golden rocks, Colorado.
    CO-Creek-Golden-Rocks.tif
  • A Colorado creek shows signs of pollution.
    CO-Creek-Suds2.tif
  • A detail of Lowell Glacier in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Lowell-Glacier-striations.tif
  • A hidden stream falls over rock and moss in this secret waterfall near Paradise Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO_RMNP_BlackRockFalls.tif
  • A detail of Lowell Glacier in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Lowell-Glacier-striations...tif
  • Lac Bleu, near Arolla, Switzerland.
    CH-Lac-Bleu_2.tif
  • Crystals of ice form a diamond-studded waterfall along Andrews Creek in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO-RMNP-AndrewsCreek-Falls.tif
  • Lowell Glacier spills into Lowell Lake and the Alsek River in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-LowellGlacier.tif
  • A hidden stream falls over rock and moss in this secret waterfall near Paradise Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO_Paradise_Falls_RMNP_vert.tif
  • Chunks of ice float Lowell Lake, at the terminus of Lowell Glacier in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Lowell-Lake-ice.tif
  • The Alsek river flows from Lowell Glacier and Lowell Lake through Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Alsek-River.tif
  • Mansfield Dam--operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)--is one of six dams on the lower Colorado River of Texas. The dam creates Lake Travis, one of the LCRA's storage reservoirs, and one of the most popular resort destinations in Central Texas.
    TX-AguaModerna-Mansfield-Dam.tif
  • Cascading waters bounce over rocks near the Matterhorn, which looms over the Mattertal, Zermatt, Switzerland.
    CH-Matterhorn-Waterfall.tif
  • Lowell Glacier spills into Lowell Lake and the Alsek River in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada.<br />
<br />
Lowell Glacier is approximately 70 km long and averages 5 km wide. The glacier terminates at 600 m elevation in Lowell Lake, about 60 km southwest of Haines Junction, Yukon. The Alsek River flows into Lowell Lake from the north and exits the south end of the lake.
    CAN_Aerial-Lowell-Glacier3.tif
  • Water and ice stand side by side at Alberta Falls, along the Glacier Gorge Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO-RMNP-AlbertaFallsIce2.tif
  • Water and ice stand side by side at Alberta Falls, along the Glacier Gorge Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
    CO-RMNP-AlbertaFallsIce.tif
  • With only one natural lake in the state, that being East Caddo Lake in the far Northeast, many Texans flock to the Highland Lakes, and especially Lake Travis for receation and scenery.
    TX-AguaModerna-LakeTravis.tif
  • The black, grass-strewn waters of an alpine lake reflect the surrounding trees, Eagles Nest Wilderness area, Colorado.
    CO-EaglesNest-WaterGrass.tif
  • With only one natural lake in the state, that being East Caddo Lake in the far Northeast, many Texans flock to the Highland Lakes (all reservoirs), and especially Lake Travis, for receation and scenery.
    TX-AguaModerna-Egret.tif
  • The black waters of an alpine lake reflect the surrounding trees, Eagles Nest Wilderness area, Colorado.
    CO-EaglesNest-WaterGrass2.tif
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