Six Degrees of Groundwater

by Jamie Oltman, The Groundwater Foundation

Are you familiar with the concept of “Six degrees of separation?”

“Six degrees of separation” is the idea that we are, on average, separated by only six other connections. This is a pretty neat concept to think about. For example can I connect myself to President Barack Obama? My cousin and her daughter went to a dinner where they met Hillary Clinton who was appointed as Secretary of State by President Barack Obama. That seemed pretty easy! Can you connect yourself to the Mayor of your hometown, The Governor of your state, or the President? Without getting into the details or theories behind this concept it’s simply a fun and intriguing idea to think about. Some will say, “It’s a small world after all,” and maybe they are right.

Adding a little spin on this concept of “Six degrees of separation” I have a new game for you.  Let’s see if you can connect the four items listed below to groundwater.

A. A hamburger
B. The garbage in your trash can
C. Ski slopes
D. You

Regardless of how you got there or how many steps it took were you able to make the connection?

Let’s see if your connections were the same or different as what is listed below.

A- A hamburger – have you ever thought about how much water it would take to make a hamburger?
1. The hamburger was once a cow
2. The cow was raised on a ranch
3. The feed provided for the cow was grown with water both from groundwater and precipitation
4. The cow also had to drink
5. The water for the cow was pumped from a well into a tank for the cow to access.

I have seen estimates range from 100 gallons to 1,300 gallons of water to make just one hamburger. It’s hard to estimate how much water is involved in the process depending on what you include in the calculation. Was the water the cow drank, the water used in the processing of the meat, and the water used in the cooking process all added? Regardless of exactly how much water, it’s a good reminder that water is an important resource in the production of the food we eat.

B- Garbage – did you know in 2009 the US produced 243 million tons of solid waste?
1. We throw away something we can’t use
2. The trash is picked up from our house
3. Trash is added to the landfill
4. Landfills, if improperly constructed and managed can be a source of groundwater contamination.

Landfills today are highly engineered and managed to ensure the materials in the landfill do not cause environmental harm. Landfills are required to be constructed with a base lining that prevents leachate, being released by the decomposing waste, from entering into the soils and groundwater. In addition, landfills are required to test groundwater wells to double check their site is working properly. Remember too that recycling is a better option than simply throwing waste in the trash. Recycling conserves many natural resources including water!

C- Ski Slopes – Do you ever think about how snow on the top of mountains plays a part in the water cycle?
1. Snow on the mountain will melt in warmer months
2. Snowmelt is a major source of water for rivers and streams
3. Snowmelt may also seep into the ground recharging the groundwater
4. Rivers and streams can provide water to farmers to irrigate crops
5. Irrigation water seepage and from ditches can recharge groundwater
6. Some rivers and streams will lose water to groundwater recharge

Now that we are at groundwater can you connect the groundwater back to the ski slopes? The water cycle has no beginning and no end. Water continues to cycle through the system changing from its liquid form to water vapor, a gas, and at times will be frozen in its solid form as ice. After water enters into groundwater it may eventually make its way to the surface filling a river or lake or even ocean. It may also be pumped up to the surface and fill our empty glasses for a cool drink of water. This water will evaporate and end up in the atmosphere and at some point become precipitation and fall back to the earth… and around and around it goes.

D- You – Do you know if the water you drink is from groundwater or surface water?
1. I drink groundwater! (That was pretty easy!)

If you drink water from a surface water source, river or lake, do you think at some point the water you drink may have once been groundwater or after you use it will it one day become groundwater? Remember the water cycle we mentioned in the ski slope example above. In addition, over 50% of the entire US population relies on groundwater for their drinking water source so if the water from your faucet isn’t groundwater I’m sure you know someone who does rely on groundwater for their drinking water source. Also, think back to the hamburger from the first example, I am pretty sure some of the food you eat was grown with groundwater too.

Play this game with your family and friends, try to think of other items and see if you can stump anyone, or see who can make connections with the least amount of steps or the most detailed. Have fun with this game and remember we are all connected to the amazing resource, groundwater!

A New Year and New Beginnings

It’s a new year-- the perfect time to make our new year’s resolutions and new beginnings in our lives. Of course, there’s the usual ones – lose weight, eat healthier, get more exercise, spend more time with family, etc. In reality, without good, clean groundwater we couldn’t do any of these things. Groundwater accounts for 98% of the available water we use every day. Here are a few ideas to take action and protect groundwater in 2011 and many years to come—


• Shut off the water while brushing my teeth
• Run full loads of dishes and laundry
• Water plants only when necessary
• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the fridge
• Take used motor oil to a recycling center

Grab a glass of water and toast to a year of new beginnings! Cheers!

Geothermal Systems: How do they work?

The other day I received the following e-mail requesting information about geothermal systems and the amount of groundwater they use each day.
“Anecdotally, I understand that geothermal systems extract thousands of gallons of water each and every day. Perhaps 20,000 to 40,000 gallons - solely for the purpose of extracting heat from the water. I'm not sure where the water goes after that: into a septic system? Into an injection well? If so, how deep? And if this much water is being extracted, circulated through household heating systems, and then forced back into the ground, how is the groundwater being affected?”

I was baffled as I thought most, if not all, geothermal systems used a closed loop system thereby not using great amounts of water. However, I have very limited knowledge of this topic and thought maybe some of you could provide more insight and potential answers to these questions.

Anyone?

Minnesota makes strides to help in protection efforts

By Brian Reetz, The Groundwater Foundation

It’s great to see when everyone gets involved in the protection efforts of water, and specifically about groundwater. It seems like the state of Minnesota is making quite an effort!

I came across an article the other day at StarTribune.com about the efforts that are currently taking place in Minnesota. The Minnesota Water Sustainability Framework report is quite an undertaking but it has a great goal. According to the article, it would “start Minnesota down a path that would eventually ensure a stable supply of clean drinking water, restore the state’s legacy of clean lakes and rivers, and provide leadership nationally in identifying and regulating hundreds of new and potentially dangerous contaminants from pharmaceutical and other consumer products.” The report was presented to the state legislature this week.

Follow this link to read the article (the article also provides a link to the full report):

http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/112903904.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:UthPacyPE7iUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUoD3aPc:_27EQU

We currently have three teams in Minnesota as Groundwater Guardians, all of them in the City of Detroit Lakes. We also have two affiliates (LLMP Public Health Services and the Metro Area Groundwater Alliance). Work, such as this 25-year plan, should spur more people to take a proactive approach to protecting groundwater.

Another part of the article that was a highlight for me was this quote from Brad Moore, a government relations expert with Barr Engineering, “Imagine taking money out of a bank account without knowing how much is there.” This was in reference to a part of the plan that would measure the state’s groundwater.

In regards to that, I try to constantly add stories to our Twitter page so there is a source of information flowing. If you don’t currently follow us, do it today at groundwaterfdn.