WATER: THE ESSENCE OF LIFE…
Water—we take it for granted! We use it every day for cooking, drinking, bathing, swimming, and fishing; we
use it for our pets, our livestock, and our backyard birds. Although water covers almost 70% of the earth's
surface, it is not limitless. Every drop of water that exists on the planet today was here in one form or another
the day our planet came into being!
Water comes in many forms. The saltwater oceans are more than 97% of all the water on earth. Our
oceans provide a necessary service by diluting and degrading pollutants, such as chemicals, oil, organic
matter or garbage, that may flow into them. Polar ice caps and ice floes are the next largest component of
the earth's surface water (2.7%), providing essential habitat to many unique creatures from algae to polar
bears to penguins to seals. Being frozen however, makes this freshwater resource virtually unavailable for
human use.
The rest of the freshwater on earth (0.3%) is what we see every day. Rivers, streams, and creeks are
conduits for run-off, flowing from snowmelt, storms or floods. The edges of waterways, called riparian areas
are vital to keeping the water itself healthy and clean. The soils along the banks of these rivers and streams
provide stability for trees to grow and the soils and trees in turn furnish shelter, feeding, nesting and resting
areas for insects, frogs, lizards, birds, beaver, elk and other animals, large and small. The more stable the
soil, trees, and shrubs along the banks, the more likely these areas are to be sources of renewal for water
sources found underground (groundwater). Groundwaters feed our wells and service public utilities so
freshwater is delivered to our homes and businesses. Wetlands, swamps, marshes, freshwater springs,
and seeps are lush, cool areas often near rivers, where wildlife and plantlife are abundant. The services that
wetlands provide are of exceptional value, from cleansing the water we drink (removing sediments and
contaminants), to long-term storage for slow uptake of groundwater (recharge), to protecting us from floods
and droughts.
Plants and animals have adapted to flood and drought cycles, where nutrients and organic matter are
provided in pulses. Fish use floodplains for spawning and nurseries for raising their young. Plants germinate
and seed, depending on the amount of water and nutrients that are available. Animals come to the water to
drink, and graze on plants, thereby eating and dispersing seeds. Productive and diverse communities thrive
and intertwine near freshwater. These freshwater ecosystems are critical links between us, our lands and
our oceans. Freshwater ecosystems have been likened to the planet's circulatory system, liquid connecting
corridors for fish and wildlife to move along, and areas of recreation (swimming, fishing, rafting, picnicking),
and aesthetic tranquility and beauty for us, our families, and future generations to enjoy.
WHAT WE ALL CAN DO
In the United States, we are blessed with water. Water provides life, independence and interdependence for
all living things. To insure we do not take this blessing for granted, we all can- Stay Aware: Recognize that both the quantity and quality of water around us is dependent on us, how
we live, and how we use water and energy.
 Be Riparian Stewards: Remember to keep water quality and quantity healthy. By keeping riparian and
wetland areas healthy, these systems will continue to provide necessary "services".
 Keep Water Clean: Water is a sink—everything flows to it—in our every action—on our lands, from our
air, in our yards, in our homes, on our ranches and in our industries—remember that everything flows to
or seeps into our water sources.
 Work at Conserving Water: Every time you use water at home or at work, thing of creative ways you
can save this most precious resource.
 Make Contact: Call your local water department; many cities now provide water conservation audits and
kits for their citizens.
Created by Leslie Dierauf, V.M.D. 2/99; Alliance of Veterinarians for the Environment, http://www.aveweb.org
Recipe for Creating a Water Model of a Freshwater Ecosystem
This exercise should help you understand and appreciate some of the services that freshwater ecosystems provide us.
“Ingredients” you will need:
1 gallon plastic milk jug
dirty water
a measuring cup
2-4 cups of dirt and sand mixed together in a 3:1 ratio
deep glass baking dish that you can see through
a colander or strainer, that can stand upright in the baking dish without falling over
two moistened soft sponges like you would use to wash your car
scissors to cut the sponges with
 Fill plastic milk jug with dirty water, from a pond or a mud puddle.
 To simulate water passing through soil, put a 1" deep dirt/sand layer in the bottom of the
colander.
 Place the colander in the baking pan and place the baking dish on top of a white surface.
 To simulate the effects of an ordinary rain, very slowly pour a cup of water into the colander.
What color water comes out in the pan?
 To simulate the effects of a storm or flood, rapidly pour a cup of water into the colander.
What happens to the water this time?
 Take two big moist sponges and cut them each into the shape of a kidney.
 To simulate the filtering effects of wetlands and riparian areas, place all the sponge pieces into
the colander on top of the soil (Be sure there is still 1” of soil in the colander).
 Pour a cup of water in slowly and record what happens to the water passing through.
 Pour a cup of water in rapidly.
What happens to the water this time? How does it compare to the water with no sponges?
Water Conservation
Kitchen
Reduce
Don’t run water
to get it hot/cold;
Use a bowl or
dishpan to wash
vegetables;
Laundry
Run the washing
machine only with
full loads;
Keep handwashing
of clothes to a
minimum;
Bathroom
Yard/Outdoors
Wet toothbrush or razor, Use drip irrigation on
then turn off the water; automatic timer to water yard;
Flush toilet only when
absolutely necessary;
Place a brick or 2 liter
bottle in toilet tank;
Amend garden soils and
add mulch to prevent
water evaporation;
Buy water-efficient
Buy water-efficient
dishwashers and run front-loading washers Take short showers
only with a full load. if possible.
and shallow baths.
Use native plants, trees
and shrubs that can
tolerate droughts and little
watering.
Repair
Repair leaky faucets, Repair leaky hoses
pipes and spray
and pipes.
nozzles.
Repair leaky faucets,
showerheads, pipes,
fixtures and toilets.
Make sure hoses, fixtures,
spray nozzles and faucets
are leak-free.
Reuse
Store a gallon of
water in the
refrigerator to drink;
Fill the sink for washing Collect rainwater in tubs
hands or face, and then or cisterns for watering;
moisten towel/sponge to
clean floor or tub.
Wash cars and windows
with sponge and bucket
of water, or during rainstorms.
Recycle
Collect running water Collect the
for watering plants, graywater from the
filling petbowls etc. rinse cycle and use
to water the yard.
If washing by hand,
wash multiple items
in a dishpan and
save the water for
plants, carwashing
or other uses.
Collect buckets of clean
water in corner of
shower for cleaning,
petbowls, etc.
Collect buckets of water
at opportune locations
inside and outside the
house and handcarry to plants/trees.