Joshua Archer – Undergraduate - World History, Secondary Education, Geography
The Past, Present, And Hopeful Future Of Ice Stupas
As climate change continues to intensify water shortages, accessing clean water is becoming increasingly difficult. Ice stupas offer an innovative solution to help communities secure a sustainable water supply. These man-made glaciers store water from melting snow, providing a reliable resource for agriculture during critical growing seasons. By harnessing the steady flow of fresh water from these artificial glaciers, we can support farming in areas where natural glacial runoff is limited or absent. The purpose of this project is to raise awareness about the current technology of ice stupas and propose ways in which it could be improved in the future. To achieve this, the project will examine rural population centers' relationships with water, particularly in areas that face challenges with water access. Additionally, we will address obstacles such as government regulations, public perceptions of the technology, and the practical challenges of building and maintaining ice stupas. By combining insights from water science, energy policy, and social studies, this project aims to provide a comprehensive plan for utilizing and supporting this innovative water management strategy. Ice stupas have the potential to become a symbol of modernity if they are given more attention. These artificial constructs should be embraced to ensure water security, support agriculture, and transform rural communities as we confront the impacts of climate change.
Ivan Banuelos Ibarra – Undergraduate - Environmental Science
The Dying Goddess: The Yamuna River
In Central India, the Yamuna River is one of the largest and most important rivers and has become one of the most polluted rivers in the world. For decades the Yamuna River has been filled with pollution ranging from trash, toxic chemicals from factories, sewage, metals, and other forms of waste. The Yamuna River’s water-human relationship makes it a highly important river in India with millions of people relying on it in Delhi and the surrounding communities. The Yamuna River is called “a dying river” with its health and ecological stability in severe disarray. It has reached uninhabitable levels being of difficult use for water consumption. This paper seeks to understand the different forms of pollution affecting the river and its communities, including heavy metals and waste, trace the sources of the pollution, and understand what can be done to improve the river's health. In India’s cultural and religious history, the Yamuna River is one of the most sacred rivers in Hinduism having status and symbolism as a goddess. The importance of the river in human relationships and social beliefs is key to community effort and involvement as it can improve the river's health. With investment into cleaning up the river and providing stable infrastructure the Yamuna’s damage can be reversed.
Ian Butler – Undergraduate - International Affairs
Hindu-Kush Himalayan Glacier Melt in Pakistan
The glaciers of the Himalayas and the Hindu-Kush Mountain ranges play a critical role in providing sufficient and balanced stream flow to several major rivers that run through Pakistan and parts of India. These glacier melts provide agrarian farmers flow through the Indus River Valley, but lately beginning in the early 2000’s, the area is experiencing extremes of both drought and flooding due to climate change and water mismanagement. This paper investigates the causes of melting glaciers in the Himalayas and Hindu-Kush Mountain ranges and the consequences it has for those living in the affected regions. It will also offer a view into the geopolitical issues between India and Pakistan with complications of the Indus Water Treaty. Glacier ice melt not only produces vast quantities of water, but it also carries with it various silts and other debris not found in other areas. These additional factors create various ecological, geopolitical, and hydrosocial issues as the farmers experience less water with increased salinity downstream due to excess silt introduced. It explores the potential solutions for managing droughts and flooding such as wells and groundwater usage for people up and down stream. Understanding these glacier melts is critical for determining other effects in different parts of the world that also rely on glacier melt to supply rivers in addition to the complications of excess silt runoff. Learning about additional factors attributed to glacier melt will have benefits for managing water and runoff in different areas effectively in the future.
Joshua Harris – Undergraduate - Geography
Access to Clean Groundwater in Oil-Polluted Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is one of the largest producers of oil in the world, being ranked 12th largest as of December 2023. As a result, oil is a central part of the Kazakh economy, however, it has had a detrimental effect on the environment, particularly its groundwater. Being in a dry climate, the country struggles to bring freshwater to its citizens, especially ones that live in rural areas. This has led to many having to utilize water unsafe for drinking. Many of the aquifers in the country have been polluted, namely resulting from oil drilling, oil sludge, and wastewater. Only a small percentage of freshwater is properly treated, and Kazakhstan has a significantly higher rate of deaths attributed to poor water quality compared to developed countries. The country does have water management systems. Groundwater resources specifically are managed by the Committee for Water Resources of the Ministry of Agriculture. However, unclear water law has led to weak institutional networks and a decentralized management system. Based on the state of Kazakhstan’s environment, better water infrastructure, eliminating historical pollution, and amending water law to be clearer are critical components that have been recommended in the past by previous studies and stakeholder interviews as solutions to mitigate the impact of petrochemicals on the environment. As it stands, Kazakhstan is struggling significantly with water quality and providing clean drinking water.