Nicholas Cuglietta– Undergraduate– Geography
Water Management of Lake Baikal and its Impact on Buryat People
Lake Baikal, located in the Siberian region of the Russian Federation, is the largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of volume, holding 23,600 km2 of water, which is estimated to be about 20% of the world’s surface freshwater. While on a map, the Lake is firmly in the boundaries of the Russian Federation the reality of the situation could not be more different. The Russian Federation is not a unitary state and grants considerable autonomy to certain internal republics that have their own constitution, language, and legislature, despite being represented by a federal government in international affairs. One such republic is Buryatia, which borders Lake Baikal to its west. Buryatia is made up of the Buryat people which are first inhabitants of the area and see Lake Baikal as a holy site. This paper examines the history of water management of Lake Baikal during the Soviet era and today and considers the conflicting goals of the federal government and the Buryat people as this influences the politics and hydrosocial territories of the world's largest lake.
Alejandra Griswold - Undergraduate- Forest Ecology and Management
Examining the Hydrosocial Nature of Japanese Onsen (Hot Springs)
The rugged terrain of the Japanese islands creates the ideal circumstances for hot springs. These upwellings of thermal water are featured in Japanese bath houses (onsen); however, they are more than just vacation destinations. This paper employs Linton and Budd’s (2014) proposed hydrosocial cycle - a water framework that incorporates and accounts for human society activities and experiences into the hydrological cycle, and centers itself around the idea that water and society make and remake each other over space and time – to explore the ways that people connect to water past its material components, all with a focus on onsen. From the debates on whether or not to build geothermal energy plants at onsen, to the political rituals of those who uphold shrine festivals in onsen towns, to the consideration of economic and ideological heritage at an onsen resort, to the psychology behind Japanese people seeking out onsen during COVID-19, this examination of onsen experiences looks at the ways that Japanese people have cultural, philosophical, economical, and political connections to, through, and with onsen that reach past its material components, all within the context of the hydrosocial cycle.
Betta Manalo - Graduate Student - Geography
Geohumanities for ‘(re)thinking relationships through water’: On fog collectors in the Atacama Desert
Using the Atacama Desert as a case study, this paper considers geohumanities approaches for creating publicly accessible, geographic knowledge about water shortages in the arid Chilean desert region by exploring the complex relationship between environment and society. This paper explores the role art can play in challenging people to (re)think relationships through water through public exposure to artistic renditions of water infrastructures. Art may be well situated for driving the public towards ‘thinking relationships through water’ by exploiting peoples’ visual and sensory experiences. For instance, the lack of rain experienced in the Atacama Desert did not limit locals utilizing the moisture in the air from fog for agricultural purposes. However, using their creative processes, artists not only build exposure to water-centric engineering, but also promote healthy dialogs regarding water shortages and environmental impacts which demand innovation. “Water by Design” is an exhibition of water-based works at the Nevada Museum of Art featuring “Fog Catcher Model #3” (2011) by Pilar Cereceda is a visual model made from wood, wire, and paper. Visitors can explore this miniature fog collector while considering the harsh climate where villagers and farmers depend on the moisture from fog for daily activities. This sculpture invites experience which challenges observers to think through water as a material imaginary—something that can be invisible to the naked eye, yet maintain its existence in the hydrosocial cycle while visualizing, or imagining, the creative innovation spurred by complex social-environment relationships.
Jesse Jo Rego - Graduate Student - Hydrology
Assessing Stakeholder Perceptions of Water Sharing Arrangements in the South Platte River Basin
In snow-dependent river basins in the arid western US, irrigated agriculture accounts for most freshwater withdrawals, though rapid population growth is increasing urban water demand. In response to this trend, water markets have emerged to transfer water from agricultural to municipal use, though farms and rural areas may face adverse economic and social repercussions from such transfers. While most historical transfers have been permanent, some areas are developing Alternative Transfer Methods (ATMs), which allow agricultural water users to transfer water intermittently or temporarily from agricultural to non-agricultural uses while maintaining their water rights. This study uses semi-structured interviews with stakeholders representing competing water uses in the South Platte Basin in Colorado to assess if and how ATMs can contribute to meeting both agricultural and urban water needs and where improvements can be made. Preliminary results suggest that, regardless of water use sector, stakeholders agree that ATMs can enhance opportunities to retain lands for agricultural production while supporting urban development. Further, stakeholders recommend that ATMs be structured to share the costs of infrastructure needed to store and/or move water from rural to urban areas; offer flexible, short-term leases attractive to agricultural producers; compensate producers above the value of lost revenue due to smaller yields from reduced irrigation; and increase water pricing transparency and information access to encourage ATM participation. ATMs with these design features may improve overall water use efficiency while avoiding net economic losses, preventing the kinds of negative cultural and ecological impacts that typify buy-and-dry scenarios.
