Know Your H2O – The Big Picture
Why Is Surfrider Involved in Freshwater Management?
Mismanagement of freshwater indirectly undermines many of our campaigns and programs – such as
pollution prevention, habitat restoration, response to climate change, and even protection of waves – because
the way we currently manage freshwater promotes one-time use of water, diversion of polluted water to our
ocean, and energy intensive water supply projects.
Where Did THIS Come From?
Ironically, Know Your H2O (KYH2O) evolved from a typical opposition campaign. We were opposing a
large ocean desalination facility in Huntington Beach. We were losing the campaign because of a public
perception that Surfrider was opposing a CRITICAL solution to water supply shortages. We had to offer
alternatives!!
It turns out the alternatives were offered in issues we were already working on—such as Ocean Friendly
Gardens and wastewater reuse—we had just never framed them as “water supply options”.
vs.
“Cycle of Insanity”
Know Your H2O Vision
What Is KYH2O?
It is a vision of the world we would like to see. Instead of continuing to use the current model for managing
our water resources, which we have dubbed “The Cycle of Insanity”, we are advocating that water resource
managers and community members pursue the vision of holistic management we have outlined in the
KYH2O initiative and illustrated in our movie “The Cycle of Insanity: the Real Story of Water.” KYH2O
reframes the seemingly unrelated issues of water pollution, habitat restoration, climate change, and water
supply to create a holistic vision of managing water resources in a way that conserves water and energy
while also reducing pollution of our waterways.
Problems & Solutions – Some Examples
Examples
Problem: Climate change and the impacts of sea-level rise, ocean acidification, etc.
Solution: Capture “embedded energy” through conservation and wastewater recycling
Problem: Obstruction of watersheds by dams (including habitats and beach replenishment)
Solution: Remove and prevent dams
Problem: Water pollution and unhealthy watersheds
Solution: Eliminate wastewater discharges through advanced treatment and reuse; Eliminate non-point
pollution through urban watershed restoration (eg. Ocean Friendly Gardens, “green streets”,
LID, etc); Create habitat and healthy robust ecosystems (e.g, via wetlands restoration/creation,
flood control reform, prohibiting open ocean intakes, etc)
**Learn more and see the movie at http://www.knowyourh2o.org *
Know Your H2O – The Local Picture
In the context of chapters’ efforts, this vision and initiative encourages chapters to understand the
linkages between their existing campaigns and programs that focus on water issues (such as
desal, wastewater treatment, and Ocean Friendly Gardens) and leverage them to advocate for
holistic reform. It is an attempt to “put together the pieces of a puzzle” – and the resulting picture
is the world we leave for future generations.
How to Implement KYH2O
No chapter can take on all the reforms illustrated in the vision – at least not overnight. And
chapters in different climates and political environments face different challenges. This requires
the KYH2O initiative to be flexible to allow different chapters and members to plug-in. There
are components of KYH2O that any chapter can start to implement. Every component is scalable
to the chapter’s resources (e.g. money and volunteers).
One Bite at a Time
1. Ocean Friendly Gardens: Landscaping techniques that promote Conservation,
Permeability & Retention (CPR) to eliminate chemical use & water waste, recharge
groundwater, create micro-habitats, and reduce polluted wet weather runoff ;
2. Green Streets, Low-Impact Development (capturing rainwater in the urban watershed):
Development techniques that promote groundwater recharge, and reduce polluted runoff
from large impervious surfaces (streets, parking lots, etc)
3. Wastewater recycling: Treating our wastewater and building reuse infrastructure
4. Treatment wetland networks: Passive water treatment systems that recharge watersheds
and support wetland habitats and species threatened by extinction
5. Desalination: Calling for appropriate methods to minimize impacts to our coasts
Incorporating the Components in Other Programs
1. BWTF/Teach & Test
2. Coastal Zone Management
3. Education
Wherever possible, incorporate the KYH2O vision and components into local outreach/education
– including chapter programs and campaigns.
Launching the Whole Enchilada
1. Presentations to public agencies and seeking out opportunities for cooperation
2. Coordinate with other local enviros to divide up the workload
3. Engage in Urban Water Management Planning (local, regional, statewide)
4. Relate to Climate Change Adaptation (water management equals nearly 20% of
California’s energy demand – reform is aligned with meeting California’s climate change
adaptation and reduction goals
WORKING TOGETHER STATEWIDE
As chapters begin to implement changes in their local communities, we want to capture the
experiences and lessons learned to share with others. What tools work best for you (blogs,
conference calls, etc)?
Your field staff is here to help both the collective effort and the individual chapters:
Joe Geever, CA Policy Coordinator, (949) 636-8426, jgeever@surfrider.org
Sarah Damron, Central California Regional Manager, (831) 239-1520, sdamron@surfrider.org
Nancy Hastings, South Coast Coordinator, (310) 995-7873, nhastings@surfrider.org