Sign at Little Seneca Lake - back up drinking water supply for 4.3 Million. Even our backup supplies may not be enough to meet coming demand in times of drought.
Noted water research scientist, Dr. Ahmed Kettab declared in April of this year that “Water for everyone is everyone’s business.” He and other world scientist were responding to dire climate change forecasts that predict that by 2030 water scarcity will affect 40% of the world’s populace. Currently 25% of global population is in severe water stress. By 2050 demand for water will increase by 40%.
Even though we know intuitively that the worlds water endlessly cycles and does not know boundaries of any sort - one could ask - what does all this dire news mean to us?
Closer to home, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, ICPRB, released its report: Demand and Resource Availability for the Year 2050. It is a sobering read that details the potential impact of climate change and increased water demand on the Washington Metropolitan Area water supply. It was conducted on behalf of the Fairfax County Water Authority, WSSC and the US Army Corps of Engineers, Water Aqueduct Division.
The ICPRB has known for some time that our region’s water supply will be faced with significant challenges in meeting demand during projected periods of drought. They are diligently working to address this. The system of existing reservoirs will be called to use more frequently and will not provide enough water in times of stress and so 4 new proposed reservoirs are in the works:
Travilah Quarry in Potomac and Luck Stone Quarry B in Loudon County and the Vulcan and Milston Quarries.
The ICPRB reports warns that even with the addition of these new quarries which will add 13 billion gallons of water storage capacity, coupled with water restrictions and demand management we may not be able to meet our water needs during the predicted future periods of extreme drought. The report also warns that without the addition of the 7.8 million gallon Travilah Quarry the WMA may experience periodic failures by 2040.
The ICPRB has known for some time that our region’s water supply will be faced with significant challenges in meeting demand during projected periods of drought. They are diligently working to address this. The system of existing reservoirs will be called to use more frequently and will not provide enough water in times of stress and so 4 new proposed reservoirs are in the works:
Travilah Quarry in Potomac and Luck Stone Quarry B in Loudon County and the Vulcan and Milston Quarries.
The ICPRB reports warns that even with the addition of these new quarries which will add 13 billion gallons of water storage capacity, coupled with water restrictions and demand management we may not be able to meet our water needs during the predicted future periods of extreme drought. The report also warns that without the addition of the 7.8 million gallon Travilah Quarry the WMA may experience periodic failures by 2040.
And yet, despite this dire forecast for our region, we continue to practice business as usual, no where more so than in the siting of development which has an impact on both the speed aquifers are recharged and the quality of the water in our streams. The Friends of Ten Mile Creek are leading the charge to enforce impervious caps in the fragile Ten Mile Creek watershed where the build out of Clarksburg is continuing without regard for the master plan. The Thrive 2050 plan that will chart the County's land use for the coming generation also needs to be taking this water- strapped reality into account. For our part at MCA we, are reforesting stream buffers to clean water before it reached the reservoir through our Re-Leaf the Reserve program.
Learn More:
-The case of the communicating wells - a Poolesville Story
- All about the federally designated sole source aquifer that much of the Reserve relies upon for well water.
-Journal of Nature Communications - Impacts of Climate Change on Groundwater
-USGS - Impacts of Climate Variation on Groundwater
-Journal of Hydrology - Groundwater Impacts and Adaptation
-The case of the communicating wells - a Poolesville Story
- All about the federally designated sole source aquifer that much of the Reserve relies upon for well water.
-Journal of Nature Communications - Impacts of Climate Change on Groundwater
-USGS - Impacts of Climate Variation on Groundwater
-Journal of Hydrology - Groundwater Impacts and Adaptation
Protecting farmland and water quality in an uncertain future are imperatives. Since 2001, Montgomery Countryside Alliance has been the boots on the ground with a hyper-local focus on Montgomery County's farmland, open space and water quality. We have once again been named "One of the Best" small nonprofits in the DC Region by the Catalogue for Philanthropy and would be honored by your tax-deductible support.
