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Issue # 021:

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Lorne sitting down on right side (a little tired)

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1. Argentina - Aconcagua Glacier slides down mountain (Lorne Haveruk)

February 13th 2007, I climbed to the summit of Aconcagua at 22,841 ft. It is the highest mountain outside of the Himalaya and one of the 7 Summits. While on the down climb, which took two long and hard days we passed by a very dirty glacier - the head waters for the ever increasingly larger glacial water supply to the small villages and towns downstream from the Andes. Our guide, Allie, and Australian gal who could out climb all the guys, no sweat, mentioned as we approached the edge, two years prior the glacier had released from its precarious perch high upon the south face of the mountain and slide more than 1.5 km down into the valley. Ok, things like this do occur in the mountains from time to time. This however was blamed on the warmest summer ever on record that caused the release of the glacier - global warming in action.

Over the past 30 years, growing up in the mountains, have personally witnessed the decline of our ancient fresh water supply. While in the Canadian Rockies, the scree fields (loose rock) are evident of the retreat of glacial ice. In Lake Louise, Alberta, while crossing the Death Trap Glacier near the Lake Louise Tea House north of Chateau Lake Louise on Moraine Lake, portions of old wooden ladders were found exposed, almost in perfect shape due to the cold temperature. As a mountaineer, believe me when I say global warming or some warming trend is melting our glaciers. Aconcagua and the glacial slide is a big awakening for me to spread the word that there are two stories surfacing - one for and one against a warming trend.Pictures say a thousand words , so I don't need to.

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2. Canada - When it comes to water, we're about as cautious as frenzied slot-machine player David Suzuki

Water, water, everywhere...or is it? Alberta faces growing concerns about water scarcity. In B.C., several communities are up in arms about logging in watersheds--the land areas draining into bodies of water, that are sources of drinking water. And in southern Ontario, industrial development and overpopulation have led to unsafe levels of pollutants in many parts of the Great Lakes. Canada is supposed to be rich in water. What's going on?

We like to think we're responsible stewards of Canada's natural resources.

3. Australia -Water Down Under 2008

This conference, convened by Engineers Australia and the International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (ICE WARM) with the support of the UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme (IHP), will be held from 15 to 18 April 2008 in Adelaide, Australia. The conference incorporates the 31^st Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium and the 4^th International Conference on Water Resources and Environment Research.

A three-day scientific programme, pre-conference workshops and field trip are planned in association with a trade exhibition. The proposed conference themes include:

• climate, rainfall and surface water variability
• hydrological modelling, data and forecasting
• water management and sustainability
• national and international water issues and case studies
• groundwater systems

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4. World - DID YOU KNOW…? FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT POLAR METEOROLOGY

DID YOU KNOW…? FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT POLAR METEOROLOGY

• The Polar Regions are some of the least well observed areas on Earth, as far as in situ Meteorological observations are concerned. For example, across the Antarctic, which is twice as large as the United States, there are only 44 stations making surface meteorological observations and some 14 stations launching radiosondes (instruments carried aloft, chiefly by balloon, to gather and transmit meteorological data).
  
• Polar Regions are of great significance in the global climate system; changes at high latitudes can have an impact on ecosystems and human society through factors such as sea-level rise and variations in atmospheric and oceanic circulations.
  
• Although most parts of the Polar Regions are remote from the major population centres, there is still a need for reliable weather forecasts. In the Arctic, forecasts are needed for the indigenous communities and in support of maritime operations and oil and gas exploration and production. In the Antarctic, reliable forecasts are needed for the complex air and sea logistical operations that support research programmes and for the growing tourism industry. Forecasts are also needed for field parties working in remote locations.
  
• The Polar Regions are keepers of the Earth's climate archives. They also act as a kind of early warning system of what could be expected by the planet as a whole.
  
• When Antarctic glaciers reach the coast of the continent, they begin to float and become ice shelves, from which icebergs are then calved. Since 1974, a total of 13,500 km² of ice shelves have disintegrated in the Antarctic Peninsula, a phenomenon linked to the regional temperature rise of more than 2°C in the past 50 years.
  
• In recent decades, there have been major changes in the polar environments, with rising near-surface air temperatures causing large decreases in perennial sea-ice extent in the Arctic, a reduction in the amount of snow cover, melting of permafrost and decreases in river and lake ice.
• There have been contrasting trends in polar sea ice over the last couple of decades, with a large loss of ice in the Arctic and a slight increase in the Antarctic.
  
• Analyses of surface meteorological observations suggest that the near-surface air temperature of the Earth increased by approximately 0.6°C over the last century. The map of linear trends of annual surface temperature across the Earth over the last 50 years indicates three "hot spots" over Alaska/northern Canada, central Siberia and the Antarctic Peninsula. These areas have all experienced annual mean temperature rises of more than 1.5°C over the past 50 years.
  
• Temperatures on the western side of the Antarctic peninsula have risen by more than anywhere else in the southern hemisphere, with in situ data indicating warmings of 3°C in the annual mean and 5°C in winter temperatures over the last 50 years.
  
• There is evidence from the Antarctic Peninsula that some 87% of the glaciers there have shown signs of retreating over the past 50 years. This pattern seems likely to continue with continued warming.
  
• The west Antarctic ice sheet is losing mass at a rate of -47 gigatonnes (Gt) per year, while the ice sheet in the eastern Antarctic shows a small mass gain of +16 Gt per year. The combined net change has been -31 Gt per year or an increase in sea-level of +0.08 mm per year. This is of particular interest, since much of it is grounded below sea-level. A complete loss of the west Antarctic ice sheet would result in a 5 m sea-level rise so there is obvious concern over the disintegration of even a small section.

Information from the World Meteorological Organization's brochure - Polar Meteorology. Understanding global impacts. [PDF format - 1.46 MB] http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001333/133307e.pdf

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5. Personal - Lorne Haveruk - First Canadian recognized for EPA WaterSense partnership

Lorne Haveruk

DH Water Management Services Inc.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) WaterSense program! By becoming a partner, you are demonstrating environmental leadership. Together we are helping Americans use water resources more efficiently to preserve them for future generations and reduce future water and wastewater infrastructure costs. EPA is pleased to acknowledge your commitment to water efficiency and has attached an electronic version of the partner logo and partner logo guidelines for your use.

As a new WaterSense partner, we encourage you to explore resources on the WaterSense Web site < www.epa.gov/watersense > including fact sheets about water-efficient products and programs, links to state and local resources, and "fun facts" about water efficiency.

Sincerely,

Cynthia A. Simbanin
EPA WaterSense Program Manager

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" Use it where it falls"

Lorne Haveruk (Water Efficiency Consultant)
Consult, Design, Planning, Implementation, Speaker, Author

Editors, H20 News
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You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.

Copyright 2006-2007, DH Water Management Services Inc., All Rights Reserved.