Water and the Human Spirit - Program One
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
This is the first of two programs on the state of our waters. In it we meet people from all walks of life who demonstrate an unstoppable determination to do something to improve the water situation in their communities. The focus is on change - it is possible, it is happening, and there is a role in this change for each of us.
The programs are designed to create a better understanding of the intricate factors affecting a healthy river system by providing: a learning tool for young people, to ensure ongoing stewardship from one generation to the next; an idea resource for non-professionals to generate community action; and a primer on aquatic resource management for those involved in policy planning and implementation.
'Slick graphics and layman's language help to make this half-hour video public friendly... contains a step by step guide to how the water cycle works.' The Brampton Guardian
'The two producers have concentrated on finding people who've decided to do something about the problem...An inspiration for everyone in the water management field.' The Mississauga News
'Carefully lays out the issue of water management in voice-over and montage. The effect of a growing community on local water supplies is discussed...offer(s) persuasive ecological arguments that are explicit but not too heavy-handed.' Booklist
'A refreshing video...I liked the emphasis on 'building bridges' with governmental agencies, involving the public and the need for planning ingenuity.' William Stapp, Hon. Director, Global Rivers Environmental Education Network
Citation
Main credits
Peace, Robert (film director)
Peace, Robert (photographer)
Peace, Robert (editor of moving image work)
Calderisi, David (film director)
Calderisi, David (screenwriter)
Calderisi, David (narrator)
Other credits
Photography, Robert Peace; editing, Robert Peace, Gyorgy Levai.
Distributor subjects
Canadian Studies; Citizenship; Community; Environment; Environmental Ethics; Land Use; Local Economies; Outdoor Education; Rivers; Sprawl; Urban Studies; Urban and Regional Planning; WaterKeywords
WEBVTT
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It\'s not just a matter of industry is not
00:00:16.080 --> 00:00:19.589
just a matter of politics gets all
of it and then sometimes I think
00:00:19.590 --> 00:00:23.429
we get caught up with the
mechanism of it and realizing
00:00:23.430 --> 00:00:27.449
it is my problem is your problem
that\'s everybody\'s so if we
00:00:27.450 --> 00:00:30.629
wanted to see a change so I think
when all of us get involved and
00:00:30.630 --> 00:00:34.489
realize that it\'s not
them and us If we want
00:00:34.490 --> 00:00:38.884
to keep this river and we need to
do something about it we can\'t
00:00:38.885 --> 00:00:44.074
keep using it at the
rate we are using it and
00:00:44.075 --> 00:00:51.859
keep a sustainable we have to protect it
and this this involves everybody a landed
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on a new place and I don\'t have
00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:59.859
a foggy notion of acquiring a valley bottom
and I never lived along rivers silk.
00:00:59.860 --> 00:01:04.969
Add to spend some time
looking at that and I
00:01:04.970 --> 00:01:10.489
recognize it on my own place
it didn\'t look quite right.
00:01:10.490 --> 00:01:12.929
And then the more she got
into it the more I get into
00:01:12.930 --> 00:01:16.959
the forcing and then the next thing
you know You\'re pointing to people
00:01:16.960 --> 00:01:20.089
who ever lived as though and this
is all really more something
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early orators and just watch it and
00:01:22.580 --> 00:01:25.744
see my guess is that the river
will go where it wants to go.
00:01:25.745 --> 00:01:28.319
Regardless of how many terms
we want to be brought
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around to give it the right structure
were those of the journey I look
00:01:34.070 --> 00:01:40.879
into my crystal ball I think that\'s a direction
for the future is going to be getting
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a very good database together in terms
of what we have in a watershed and
00:01:45.380 --> 00:01:50.539
then looking at a variety of partnerships
in order to get the work accomplished.
00:01:50.540 --> 00:01:53.283
So I don\'t think you\'re
going to see government
00:01:53.284 --> 00:01:55.819
doing everything in the future
I think there\'s gonna be
00:01:55.820 --> 00:01:59.719
a lot more public Which I
think is great I think
00:01:59.720 --> 00:02:03.709
that people want to do
that but it takes it takes
00:02:03.710 --> 00:02:08.929
people to organize to to educate themselves
and takes money sometimes to where we\'re
00:02:08.930 --> 00:02:14.489
going to provide to enrich our lives
like that have to be interested.
00:02:14.490 --> 00:02:16.800
That\'s terribly exciting.
00:02:25.750 --> 00:02:30.124
By the mid 19 nineties people
from all walks of life
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and all regions of the country
were banding together forming
00:02:33.575 --> 00:02:37.234
new kinds of partnerships with
government and with industry
00:02:37.235 --> 00:02:41.943
tackling water management problems
and looking For better solutions.
00:02:41.944 --> 00:02:46.909
Although it\'s true that conservation measures
initiated in the 19 sixties we\'re showing
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some positive results for example
00:02:49.460 --> 00:02:52.654
water quality and the Great Lakes
was better than it had been.
00:02:52.655 --> 00:02:56.149
Still the constantly accelerating pace of
00:02:56.150 --> 00:03:00.139
change was placing ever
greater stress on our water.
00:03:00.140 --> 00:03:04.069
Every human activity has
some impact on water.
00:03:04.070 --> 00:03:07.369
Every planning decision
every industrial enterprise
00:03:07.370 --> 00:03:13.984
every development project affect in some way
both the quality and quantity of our water
00:03:13.985 --> 00:03:18.364
it was becoming clear to many
that existing water management
00:03:18.365 --> 00:03:22.729
attitudes policies practices
and jurisdiction We\'re
00:03:22.730 --> 00:03:26.569
frequently unable to deal
effectively with the twin forces of
00:03:26.570 --> 00:03:31.324
growing populations and constantly
expanding urban development
00:03:31.325 --> 00:03:35.899
one eminent spokesman referred to
the confusion of legislation and
00:03:35.900 --> 00:03:41.329
procedure that affected water
management as jurisdictional gridlock.
00:03:41.330 --> 00:03:45.349
The time was ripe for a
major shift of attitude.
00:03:45.350 --> 00:03:50.389
For a different kind of vision will professionals
from different disciplines to pool
00:03:50.390 --> 00:03:56.389
their knowledge and pursue synergistic
solutions for politicians and bureaucrats.
00:03:56.390 --> 00:04:00.859
To build bridges between their
various ministries and for
00:04:00.860 --> 00:04:05.779
the general public to become involved
as never before And what was
00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:08.569
becoming clearest of all
was that at the end
00:04:08.570 --> 00:04:11.509
of the day what would make the
difference would be not so
00:04:11.510 --> 00:04:18.244
much new and expensive technologies but
rather the ingenuity of the human spirit.
00:04:18.245 --> 00:04:24.649
So what do we have to understand and
act upon to manage our water wisely.
00:04:24.650 --> 00:04:29.269
Three questions are a good place to
start where does our water come from
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what do we do with it and what
happens to it after we\'ve used it.
00:04:34.805 --> 00:04:39.919
Water moves through our world in a
circle It\'s called the hydrologic
00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:45.859
cycle it falls from the sky as precipitation
and begins to travel downhill.
00:04:45.860 --> 00:04:49.459
Some returns to the sky
almost immediately as
00:04:49.460 --> 00:04:54.079
evaporation process which continues
at every stage of its journey.
00:04:54.080 --> 00:04:58.684
Some gets taken up at once by the
roots of plants whose leaves
00:04:58.685 --> 00:05:04.474
eventually breathe it back into the
atmosphere in a process called transpiration.
00:05:04.475 --> 00:05:07.789
Some sinks into the soil
in a process called
00:05:07.790 --> 00:05:12.769
infiltration or recharge what
doesn\'t get absorbed travels
00:05:12.770 --> 00:05:19.279
downhill as surface runoff collecting and
streams ditches rivers ponds lakes and
00:05:19.280 --> 00:05:26.374
reservoirs Each of these resting places is the
endpoint of a drainage basin or watershed.
00:05:26.375 --> 00:05:29.674
Some of the water absorbed
into the ground travels as
00:05:29.675 --> 00:05:32.659
shallow through flow and is discharged into
00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:39.709
streams and rivers adding to their base flow
or into low lying areas called wetlands.
00:05:39.710 --> 00:05:43.099
Some of the recharge
gourd infiltrated water
00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:47.314
descends very deeply into the
earth and becomes groundwater.
00:05:47.315 --> 00:05:51.034
Which is collected in and
travels very slowly through
00:05:51.035 --> 00:05:55.114
porous soils and gravels called aquifers.
00:05:55.115 --> 00:06:00.904
Although hidden below the surface The
importance of groundwater is immense in fact
00:06:00.905 --> 00:06:04.579
more than 90% of all
fresh water on Earth is
00:06:04.580 --> 00:06:10.939
groundwater groundwater is returned to
the surface or discharged as springs.
00:06:10.940 --> 00:06:13.954
Or seeps to the surface in wetlands.
00:06:13.955 --> 00:06:19.279
Sum is forced to the surface naturally
by what are called artesian wells.
00:06:19.280 --> 00:06:24.574
Sum is pumped to the surface mechanically
for municipal or domestic wells.
00:06:24.575 --> 00:06:27.889
Eventually all surface
water on Earth drains into
00:06:27.890 --> 00:06:32.824
the oceans evaporates and begins its
journey through the cycle once more
00:06:32.825 --> 00:06:40.609
on this process all life on the
planet depends It\'s been proved that
00:06:40.610 --> 00:06:43.339
a healthy person can
survive for weeks without
00:06:43.340 --> 00:06:48.799
food but without water that same
person will die in a few days.
00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.219
You\'d think then that wise
planning and management of
00:06:52.220 --> 00:06:57.349
this indispensable resource would
be given priority over just about
00:06:57.350 --> 00:07:03.349
any other consideration but only to
an inability or unwillingness to view
00:07:03.350 --> 00:07:06.469
the big picture this was often not
00:07:06.470 --> 00:07:12.244
the case the traditional way we
plan is flawed in many ways.
00:07:12.245 --> 00:07:18.919
Planning as a process a political process
Planners basically decide what people want.
00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:22.189
Based upon asking people sometimes
or asking the politicians
00:07:22.190 --> 00:07:25.759
that are liked by people tampered by what
00:07:25.760 --> 00:07:29.014
the developing development community
wants and then they decide how
00:07:29.015 --> 00:07:31.189
a community will draw well and what things
00:07:31.190 --> 00:07:33.784
needed are required for
that community grew role.
00:07:33.785 --> 00:07:36.889
One of the problems with that is
that it treats an ecosystem or
00:07:36.890 --> 00:07:39.904
a piece of landscape like
plasticine and of course
00:07:39.905 --> 00:07:42.469
an ecosystem isn\'t Pleistocene it has
00:07:42.470 --> 00:07:46.129
natural limits and boundaries within
which everything is connected to
00:07:46.130 --> 00:07:49.249
everything else by the
mid 990s it was clear to
00:07:49.250 --> 00:07:53.539
most observers that why he\'s planning
could only occur on a watershed basis
00:07:53.540 --> 00:07:56.059
successful watershed planning
both the development of the plan
00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:59.089
itself and the implementation
of the plan Requires
00:07:59.090 --> 00:08:02.719
a genuine partnership between
a number of different groups
00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:07.219
there it has to be active participation
by the municipalities and the watershed.
00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:09.199
By provincial agencies.
00:08:09.200 --> 00:08:11.389
By the Conservation Authority
is the coordinator
00:08:11.390 --> 00:08:15.289
obviously and more importantly by the
public and by the people because
00:08:15.290 --> 00:08:18.859
fundamentally it must be
the communities within
00:08:18.860 --> 00:08:20.809
the watershed that make the decisions on
00:08:20.810 --> 00:08:23.224
what the future of that
ecosystem is going to be.
00:08:23.225 --> 00:08:26.104
Here\'s how a community group
in darkness Nova Scotia
00:08:26.105 --> 00:08:28.939
has been working to determine
the future of their watershed.
00:08:28.940 --> 00:08:30.769
They call themselves the Dartmouth lakes
00:08:30.770 --> 00:08:37.174
advisory board board deals directly with
the developers on most occasions we
00:08:37.175 --> 00:08:41.239
set up Relationship over the
years we will make a report
00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:46.444
back through the engineering department of
the planning department or to city council.
00:08:46.445 --> 00:08:50.179
If we have some recommendations to make
about a particular development but
00:08:50.180 --> 00:08:53.659
we do a lot of one-on-one negotiating with
00:08:53.660 --> 00:08:57.319
the developers directly we
talked to them about soils
00:08:57.320 --> 00:09:01.009
and slopes and conditions on
the site we go out and walk
00:09:01.010 --> 00:09:03.904
around the site so that we
know what we\'re talking about
00:09:03.905 --> 00:09:09.424
and we deal with them very very early in
00:09:09.425 --> 00:09:13.024
the development of their project because
00:09:13.025 --> 00:09:17.569
we very soon realized when we were
dealing with developers that the
00:09:17.570 --> 00:09:20.314
earlier you talked to them
about mitigation measures
00:09:20.315 --> 00:09:23.419
The cheaper it is for them to build
them in and you\'re not having
00:09:23.420 --> 00:09:27.769
to backtrack on the plans redo plans
in order to accommodate what we\'re
00:09:27.770 --> 00:09:32.974
asking for in like protection package
but don\'t think it\'s always been easy.
00:09:32.975 --> 00:09:39.499
I\'d say probably the first five years it
was almost a pitch battle with counsel for
00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:43.429
acceptance and they were so afraid that we
00:09:43.430 --> 00:09:47.494
were looking for power we had
to assure them constantly.
00:09:47.495 --> 00:09:50.539
That we were not looking
for power that we were
00:09:50.540 --> 00:09:56.389
strange bird people who wanted to give
voluntarily of our time to ensure that
00:09:56.390 --> 00:09:59.209
the lakes would be in good condition
for our children or grandchildren and
00:09:59.210 --> 00:10:02.179
great grandchildren to
swim in and canoe on and
00:10:02.180 --> 00:10:08.749
vaccines Landing on a watershed basis was
gaining momentum right across the country at
00:10:08.750 --> 00:10:12.259
the Credit Valley Conservation
Authority we\'ve been fortunate to be
00:10:12.260 --> 00:10:16.219
able to carry out a watershed strategy
and really what that\'s allowed
00:10:16.220 --> 00:10:19.009
us to do is to put the
issues in contexts in
00:10:19.010 --> 00:10:24.304
our watershed and every watersheds has
different issues has different time.
00:10:24.305 --> 00:10:27.559
Physical features and so I think it\'s
00:10:27.560 --> 00:10:30.859
important for people to realize that
can\'t be a solution that covers
00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:33.709
a province country or anything it\'s very
00:10:33.710 --> 00:10:37.999
local in our watershed what we\'ve
identified as development as being
00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:41.149
the number one problem and that\'s not to
00:10:41.150 --> 00:10:44.719
say that we don\'t support
development But it\'s really making
00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:50.748
wise decisions on what the features
of an area are how the processes
00:10:50.749 --> 00:10:53.689
work because we\'ve got understand
what\'s under the ground in terms of
00:10:53.690 --> 00:10:57.754
water how that comes out of the ground
how it gets back in the ground.
00:10:57.755 --> 00:11:02.479
Once we understand those processes then you
just make the right decisions in terms
00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:06.799
of guiding change and there\'s
the key concept learning
00:11:06.800 --> 00:11:10.249
to guide change in Langley British Columbia
00:11:10.250 --> 00:11:13.909
a comprehensive plan of how and where
the municipality will develop over
00:11:13.910 --> 00:11:17.149
the next decades started with
a document called Langley
00:11:17.150 --> 00:11:21.979
tomorrow and it was citizen driven
Although the citizens want.
00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:26.239
Keep taxes down they also are saying we
00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:30.769
must maintain our environment and its
it\'s really a citizen driven thing
00:11:30.770 --> 00:11:34.519
which is then come through our
counsel and come down to us
00:11:34.520 --> 00:11:39.679
bureaucrats to try and work
with the people to and
00:11:39.680 --> 00:11:43.669
I think it\'s got to involve a lot of
people in a lot of consultation to
00:11:43.670 --> 00:11:47.929
make some decisions and
as much as we can we
00:11:47.930 --> 00:11:51.709
can\'t stop growth you can\'t
hold up your your arm and say
00:11:51.710 --> 00:11:57.919
no more growth but we can
control it and make it as as
00:11:57.920 --> 00:12:00.334
compatible with the
environment is as low as
00:12:00.335 --> 00:12:06.729
possible The hydrologic cycle shows us
how our water supply works the way we
00:12:06.730 --> 00:12:09.369
plan determines how and where we interrupt
00:12:09.370 --> 00:12:12.069
that cycle household use is
00:12:12.070 --> 00:12:16.419
a big factor and here are a couple
of interesting figures in Canada.
00:12:16.420 --> 00:12:18.819
Less than 1% of our
municipal water is used for
00:12:18.820 --> 00:12:22.749
drinking more than 40% gets
flushed down the toilet.
00:12:22.750 --> 00:12:27.039
What happens to that water well
if you happen to live in a city
00:12:27.040 --> 00:12:31.749
it ends up in a place like this and
municipal water treatment plant.
00:12:31.750 --> 00:12:36.519
Solid materials are filtered and then
allowed to settle in holding tanks.
00:12:36.520 --> 00:12:39.819
From there the flow proceeds
through a series of clarifying
00:12:39.820 --> 00:12:43.209
chambers where bacteria
literally digest most of
00:12:43.210 --> 00:12:48.009
the smaller waste products Erosion
bonds accelerate the process and
00:12:48.010 --> 00:12:50.349
finally some form of chemical treatment
00:12:50.350 --> 00:12:54.129
usually chlorine removes any
remaining contaminants.
00:12:54.130 --> 00:12:57.129
This state of the art plant
in Calgary is developing
00:12:57.130 --> 00:13:00.699
an interesting alternative to
conventional chlorine finishing
00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:05.379
our expanded plant will feature
a disinfection which is
00:13:05.380 --> 00:13:10.583
new for us here we\'re going to
achieve it not by adding chlorine.
00:13:10.584 --> 00:13:14.949
But by the use of ultraviolet light
in this way we avoid the creation of
00:13:14.950 --> 00:13:20.739
any chlorinated organics which are
again undesirable compounds and
00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:25.089
basically add nothing to the water
that will in any way harm it
00:13:25.090 --> 00:13:29.934
just simply kill the bacteria
If you don\'t live in a city
00:13:29.935 --> 00:13:33.579
and that\'s the case for about 1
third of Canada\'s population then
00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:37.389
chances are you\'re on a
septic system which is simply
00:13:37.390 --> 00:13:40.989
a buried container that allows
solid waste to settle to
00:13:40.990 --> 00:13:45.549
the bottom and drains the fluid
through a series of perforated pipes.
00:13:45.550 --> 00:13:49.959
Into the surrounding soil where
bacteria and other organisms complete
00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:52.929
the filtering process
these systems can be very
00:13:52.930 --> 00:13:57.114
effective but if they\'re not pumped out
regularly and kept in good repair.
00:13:57.115 --> 00:13:59.904
They can be a source of
serious contamination.
00:13:59.905 --> 00:14:03.309
A very interesting innovation in
wastewater treatment which uses
00:14:03.310 --> 00:14:07.884
no chemicals and very little energy has been
developed by John Todd of Massachusetts
00:14:07.885 --> 00:14:12.289
it\'s called Solar aquatics When
architect Doug Paula designed to
00:14:12.290 --> 00:14:14.929
100% energy-efficient teaching complex at
00:14:14.930 --> 00:14:17.884
the boiling river outdoor education
center north of Toronto.
00:14:17.885 --> 00:14:20.689
He incorporated silver or
quantities as the center of these
00:14:20.690 --> 00:14:23.719
it\'s a living machine or it
makes a difference or there\'s
00:14:23.720 --> 00:14:26.914
virtually no machinery involved
in what few pumps there are
00:14:26.915 --> 00:14:32.764
small and they run on demand and
there\'s no chemicals involved
00:14:32.765 --> 00:14:36.049
what\'s involved is to a large extent
00:14:36.050 --> 00:14:40.369
that re-creation of what takes place in
nature and what has taken place in nature
00:14:40.370 --> 00:14:48.370
for forever you know it employs algae protozoa
fish and plants et cetera et cetera In
00:14:48.950 --> 00:14:53.929
the appropriate sequence and the appropriate
balance to take out what to us are
00:14:53.930 --> 00:14:59.494
are toxins from our water what are nutrients
to the plant animal life that\'s involved.
00:14:59.495 --> 00:15:05.194
So it\'s based on lessons found in nature.
Not a machinery.
00:15:05.195 --> 00:15:07.159
Now so far we\'ve been talking about
00:15:07.160 --> 00:15:09.649
sanitary water treatment
water that flows from
00:15:09.650 --> 00:15:12.439
sinks and appliances or
is flushed down toilets
00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:14.329
but what about water that doesn\'t flow to
00:15:14.330 --> 00:15:16.909
a sewage treatment system
storm water as it\'s
00:15:16.910 --> 00:15:20.209
called poly you might wonder
why we\'re interested in in
00:15:20.210 --> 00:15:23.074
stormwater I suppose everyone knows about
00:15:23.075 --> 00:15:26.449
sewage treatment sanitary
sewage and how you
00:15:26.450 --> 00:15:30.019
shouldn\'t drink the
sewage so to speak but in
00:15:30.020 --> 00:15:35.449
point of fact Stormwater which is the water
that the rain becomes as it washes off
00:15:35.450 --> 00:15:41.119
the pavement and a bit of grass is just
as contaminated as sanitary sewage.
00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.279
It\'s just that it\'s contaminated in
00:15:43.280 --> 00:15:48.829
different ways with a team of colleagues and
graduate students Dr. Juan is conducting
00:15:48.830 --> 00:15:53.509
an experimental project on storm water
treatment using a variety of methods ranging
00:15:53.510 --> 00:15:58.984
from traditional stormwater ponds to bio
filtration and artificial wetlands.
00:15:58.985 --> 00:16:06.985
I think an interesting aspect of this
stormwater project or urban hydrology is
00:16:07.130 --> 00:16:10.614
the interdisciplinary nature of
it so the days are gone when
00:16:10.615 --> 00:16:15.219
a civil engineer or a planner Someone
like that could solve the problems.
00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:19.549
Now we have to assemble teams
with people with knowledge of
00:16:19.550 --> 00:16:24.679
civil engineering biology chemistry
and planning and that\'s what
00:16:24.680 --> 00:16:29.809
we\'re trying to put together in this
group I like to think of of water
00:16:29.810 --> 00:16:36.859
and our image of water as being
either a resource or a nuisance.
00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:43.849
And historically engineers of treated
water in that way and so we have
00:16:43.850 --> 00:16:48.259
irrigation projects where people
respect the nature of water as
00:16:48.260 --> 00:16:53.269
a resource and we have flood
control projects and others.
00:16:53.270 --> 00:16:56.884
Whereby people Treat water as a nuisance.
00:16:56.885 --> 00:17:01.744
I think in in urban
drainage urban hydrology.
00:17:01.745 --> 00:17:05.119
People used to regard water as a nuisance.
00:17:05.120 --> 00:17:09.139
And so the idea was to drain
the water away as fast as
00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:15.079
possible without regard for quality
or the resource aspect of it
00:17:15.080 --> 00:17:17.959
nuisance may seem like too small a word to
00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:21.889
describe the havoc that
flooding can commas in 1954
00:17:21.890 --> 00:17:25.219
the infamous Hurricane Hazel
smashed through Southern Ontario
00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:28.954
causing a number of deaths and millions
of dollars in property damage.
00:17:28.955 --> 00:17:32.644
Since then probably hundreds of
millions of dollars have been spent on
00:17:32.645 --> 00:17:36.604
engineering works to prevent flooding
and property loss due to erosion
00:17:36.605 --> 00:17:40.369
How successful have they be
and our watershed we have
00:17:40.370 --> 00:17:45.139
a situation on cookbook Creek that is
somewhat typical perhaps extreme of
00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:49.714
the current problems with the way that
urban water courses have been treated
00:17:49.715 --> 00:17:52.384
Cook So Creek is a small
watershed that under
00:17:52.385 --> 00:17:56.239
heavy urban development
through the 60s 70s and 80s.
00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:01.429
That resulted in many problems
increase flows there was
00:18:01.430 --> 00:18:06.619
no stormwater management the solutions
to the problems that resulted.
00:18:06.620 --> 00:18:10.939
Were to increase the channel
size channelization of
00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:14.989
the Channel hardening of the channel
with concrete and Reprap it\'s
00:18:14.990 --> 00:18:19.639
a very expensive process tens of
millions of dollars were spent Over
00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:26.764
the 19070s implementing these structural
repairs to the urban watercourse.
00:18:26.765 --> 00:18:29.659
What we\'re faced with today
is the deterioration of
00:18:29.660 --> 00:18:34.339
those structural works as the as the
impacts of the increased flows.
00:18:34.340 --> 00:18:36.949
Continue to erode the channel.
00:18:36.950 --> 00:18:40.369
Continue to break down many of
those structural works that were
00:18:40.370 --> 00:18:44.209
put in place some of them
as little as 23 years ago.
00:18:44.210 --> 00:18:47.629
We\'re finding ourselves in the situation
of having to go back in and take
00:18:47.630 --> 00:18:51.409
major repairs to those works
and in many respects it\'s
00:18:51.410 --> 00:18:54.454
a It\'ll be an ongoing problem
00:18:54.455 --> 00:18:59.809
the end product of that is an expensive
situation both in terms of maintenance.
00:18:59.810 --> 00:19:04.669
It\'s a an unattractive situation
in an urban setting and it\'s not
00:19:04.670 --> 00:19:10.039
an environmentally healthy situation by the
mid 990s are different school of thought was
00:19:10.040 --> 00:19:13.159
beginning to emerge which
sought to better understand
00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:16.369
the dynamic nature of river systems
and work with them rather than
00:19:16.370 --> 00:19:19.444
trying to resist them this
is sometimes referred to as
00:19:19.445 --> 00:19:21.739
natural channel design one of
00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:25.579
its most energetic proponents is
David Ross going from Montana Lynn
00:19:25.580 --> 00:19:28.819
hiring there\'s a landscape architect
used Rosalyn\'s concepts and
00:19:28.820 --> 00:19:32.449
techniques to transform what had been
little more than a drainage ditch
00:19:32.450 --> 00:19:35.449
near Cambridge Ontario This works with
00:19:35.450 --> 00:19:38.239
the actual natural channel of
the stream and it\'s patterned
00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:41.869
after a whole bunch of
natural streams that that
00:19:41.870 --> 00:19:44.749
he\'s studied and measured kind of through
00:19:44.750 --> 00:19:48.379
time and if you look just upstream
there you\'ll see the start of
00:19:48.380 --> 00:19:50.929
a different kind of river
that\'s a cease channel
00:19:50.930 --> 00:19:53.869
a normal meandering
channel through there and
00:19:53.870 --> 00:19:59.943
until Dave came up with what is really a very
simple system for a very complex Subject.
00:19:59.944 --> 00:20:02.479
It was very difficult for
us to do anything but just
00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:05.059
kind of try and freeze
the river where it was
00:20:05.060 --> 00:20:09.019
trying to stop erosion where it was once
you understand how the river wants to
00:20:09.020 --> 00:20:13.339
move you can put much more
much less effort into
00:20:13.340 --> 00:20:16.969
into controlling that erosion
and much more effort into just
00:20:16.970 --> 00:20:20.809
allowing the river to move wherever
it wants a lot of people talk
00:20:20.810 --> 00:20:24.529
about this as being riskier than
that it\'s not something that
00:20:24.530 --> 00:20:28.849
has been proven in the in
the last little while and
00:20:28.850 --> 00:20:31.684
therefore we\'re taking a little
bit of a chance when they put in
00:20:31.685 --> 00:20:35.359
these kind of structures the
one thing that we know about
00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:38.419
concrete and that we know about
Gibeon baskets is they are going to
00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:42.904
fail all of them are going to come out
And many are coming out right now.
00:20:42.905 --> 00:20:47.404
So what we\'re doing is we\'re passing
that risk onto our grandchildren.
00:20:47.405 --> 00:20:50.239
Dr. Luna Leopold and early pioneer of
00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:52.369
natural channels systems helps put things
00:20:52.370 --> 00:20:54.499
in perspective the things
that have been done in
00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:58.459
the past have been the result of
the knowledge we had at that time
00:20:58.460 --> 00:21:03.259
I think that rather be better to
emphasize the fact that we know more.
00:21:03.260 --> 00:21:07.414
We have made additional studies
were looking at it in a new way
00:21:07.415 --> 00:21:11.239
we\'re looking at it in the longer
run so rather than criticize
00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:13.639
people of the past and
00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:16.249
the engineering procedures that are used in
00:21:16.250 --> 00:21:20.059
the past rather turn it around and
say you know we\'ve learned a lot.
00:21:20.060 --> 00:21:24.889
About what the river wants
to do We have just found by
00:21:24.890 --> 00:21:30.334
actual experience but now that we know more
about river mechanics at river morphology.
00:21:30.335 --> 00:21:33.979
But we have found that we can do it
00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:37.729
better and we can do it more
cheaply flooding and erosion are
00:21:37.730 --> 00:21:42.469
water quantity problems contamination is
a water quality problem the community of
00:21:42.470 --> 00:21:44.839
first Lake Nova Scotia is
tackling the problem of
00:21:44.840 --> 00:21:47.899
storm water contamination
in a very systematic way.
00:21:47.900 --> 00:21:50.419
So that people in the first
lakewater said made it
00:21:50.420 --> 00:21:52.879
clear to politicians some
years ago but they were
00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:55.189
concerned about their lake they
wanted something done about
00:21:55.190 --> 00:21:57.859
it to protect it So out of that grew.
00:21:57.860 --> 00:22:04.339
Some studies that were done by the county of
Halifax with help from others and today what
00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:06.289
we have in place is is
00:22:06.290 --> 00:22:11.299
an on-the-ground study and it\'s
driven by the residents so residents.
00:22:11.300 --> 00:22:15.154
Involved in this sir changing
their stewardship practices.
00:22:15.155 --> 00:22:21.259
I\'m a local resident myself and I\'m excited
to see that so many people are so interested
00:22:21.260 --> 00:22:27.319
in in changing the things that they do
to affect an improvement in their lakes.
00:22:27.320 --> 00:22:30.859
A key element of the residents
strategy was to engage the services of
00:22:30.860 --> 00:22:33.739
John Edmonds Landscaping Company one of
00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:37.429
the biggest challenges we
had from Edmonds was was
00:22:37.430 --> 00:22:42.829
to deal with the term In a sense
to remove the contaminants
00:22:42.830 --> 00:22:48.649
that are in synthetic fertilizers that we had
to find an organic input node phosphorus.
00:22:48.650 --> 00:22:51.169
That was a challenge. We\'ve had
00:22:51.170 --> 00:22:53.779
great cooperation from the residence
00:22:53.780 --> 00:22:56.059
here but they wanted to
cooperate but they didn\'t want
00:22:56.060 --> 00:22:59.329
their lawns to deteriorate in other
words they wanted them to look as
00:22:59.330 --> 00:23:03.499
good or better under the
chemical regime and they
00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:06.109
didn\'t want the weeds doing
fast so on so forth so we had
00:23:06.110 --> 00:23:10.789
the challenge to change the stewardship
practices and also to change
00:23:10.790 --> 00:23:14.134
the inputs that which which which would not
00:23:14.135 --> 00:23:18.409
impact the lake in the negative sense
that is concerning phosphorus.
00:23:18.410 --> 00:23:22.629
Also changed the stewardship practices
With respect to picking a pet norm
00:23:22.630 --> 00:23:26.779
that\'s tough i mean you
know many of us just
00:23:26.780 --> 00:23:30.019
aren\'t used to doing that also to deal with
00:23:30.020 --> 00:23:33.949
your organic refuse most people don\'t know
that grass clippings and leaves and that
00:23:33.950 --> 00:23:38.149
can do produce phosphorous and they can
negatively effect a leg too so we had
00:23:38.150 --> 00:23:42.544
to change their stewardship practices
but also they wanted their landscapes.
00:23:42.545 --> 00:23:46.759
To look good and of course lawns are
one of the biggest components we
00:23:46.760 --> 00:23:51.259
have of landscapes and
what we\'re doing here
00:23:51.260 --> 00:23:54.679
the ramifications are
widespread it\'s it\'s it\'s
00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:58.969
not only suburban urban and
residential Ramifications
00:23:58.970 --> 00:24:02.284
here can spread to golf courses and
municipal park so on and so forth.
00:24:02.285 --> 00:24:07.129
All of which affect watersheds are
purpose here in water sampling is
00:24:07.130 --> 00:24:13.864
to is to feed back to the residence
whether their efforts housekeeping.
00:24:13.865 --> 00:24:15.859
Are having effect.
00:24:15.860 --> 00:24:19.564
So we take water samples here
at the bottom of crimson drive
00:24:19.565 --> 00:24:23.914
and simultaneously another team
usually of residents themselves.
00:24:23.915 --> 00:24:29.059
Take samples at the bottom and the
first Lake drive at a similar pipe and
00:24:29.060 --> 00:24:34.278
then we analyze these samples for
phosphorus and for fecal coliform bacteria
00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:38.239
and we compare over the over a series of
00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:44.754
about 15 rainstorms And we are actually
finding that the bacteria counts
00:24:44.755 --> 00:24:48.969
are lower on crimson and
where the people have been
00:24:48.970 --> 00:24:53.649
picking up after pet manure and the
phosphorus counts are lower on
00:24:53.650 --> 00:24:55.584
Crimson where people have been using
00:24:55.585 --> 00:24:59.079
non phosphorous fertilizers
and trying to increase
00:24:59.080 --> 00:25:02.379
their infiltration in their lawns so we
00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:06.969
report that back to the residents
and use that information encourages
00:25:06.970 --> 00:25:11.844
them to keep it up we\'re looking at
what people can do as individuals.
00:25:11.845 --> 00:25:15.429
Instead of relying on government
around big business around developers
00:25:15.430 --> 00:25:19.359
to to make the improvements
we\'re looking at
00:25:19.360 --> 00:25:21.969
the community and at the individuals
and what they can do on
00:25:21.970 --> 00:25:25.909
their properties To make a difference lake
water quality and we\'re convinced that
00:25:25.910 --> 00:25:29.089
there can be some things that could be
done and the whole purpose of this study
00:25:29.090 --> 00:25:32.329
is to study those stewardship
practices measure
00:25:32.330 --> 00:25:35.089
the results and from that
get some sense of what can
00:25:35.090 --> 00:25:39.349
be done not only in Halifax County
not only in this watershed.
00:25:39.350 --> 00:25:41.989
For across the province
Omega the whole country.
00:25:41.990 --> 00:25:45.439
Water management as you can
see has many aspects in
00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:49.039
this program we\'ve barely touched
on a few of them in future programs
00:25:49.040 --> 00:25:52.969
we\'ll be looking at agriculture at more
environmentally thoughtful designs
00:25:52.970 --> 00:25:56.929
for urban development at the impact
of recreational activities such as
00:25:56.930 --> 00:26:01.489
golf courses and it projects large and small
that people across Canada have been working
00:26:01.490 --> 00:26:06.829
on to turn things around of course the
problems are many They\'re not insurmountable.
00:26:06.830 --> 00:26:10.834
Most problems resulted from people
simply not thinking things through.
00:26:10.835 --> 00:26:12.664
Once that was recognized.
00:26:12.665 --> 00:26:15.274
Given the astounding
capacities of the human spirit
00:26:15.275 --> 00:26:19.080
the drive to find solutions was inevitable