Water Resources Water Resources Challenges in IllinoisChallenges in Illinois

On Children Your children are not your children.They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.They come through you but not from you,And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts.You may house their bodies but not their souls,For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your childrenas living arrows are sent forth.

Kahlil Gibran

The world depends

on water . . .

If all the earth’s water were fit into a gallon jug, the available fresh water would be equal to just over a tablespoon, less than 0.5% of the total

Source: National Geographic Special Edition: Water: The Power, Promise, and Turmoil of North America's Fresh Water (Volume 184, Number 5A)

Future challenges

Goldewijk (2008)(http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/food-crisis/)

Jenkins and Ferrier, 2009(http://images.pennnet.com/articles/wwi/cap/cap_water%20climate%2001.gif

)

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Climate change

Source: Davis (2010), Science

Source: IPCC (2007)

Source: http://www.whrc.org/resources/primer_fundamentals.html

Potential Impacts of Climate Change

Source: Stern Review, 2008 (http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/projected-impacts-of-climate-change)

Sea Level Rise and water resourceso Global average sea level will rise

between 0.3 and 2.9 feet (0.09 to 0.88 meters) in the next century.

o Increasing temperatures are likely to lead to changes in precipitation.

Extreme Stormso Climate change has the potential to

alter the prevalence and severity of extremes such as heat waves, cold waves, storms, floods and droughts.

(Source: IPCC, 2001)

Potential Impacts of Climate Change

Ecosystems and Biodiversityo Climate change has the

potential to alter ecosystems and the many resources and services they provide to each other and to society.

Health o Extreme temperatures (hot or

cold) can directly lead to loss of life, while climate-related disturbances in ecological systems, such as changes in the range of disease-carrying insects, can impact the incidence of infectious diseases.

Potential Impacts of Climate Change

Agriculture and Food Supplyo Agriculture is

highly sensitive to climate variability and weather extremes.

Global Economic Activityo The economic effects of

climate change could be as high as 20% of global GDP each year. (Stern, 2007)

Potential Impacts of Climate Change

Vulnerabilities of water resources

Observational records and climate projections provide abundant evidence that freshwater resources are vulnerable and have the potential to be strongly impacted by climate change, with wide-ranging consequences for human societies and ecosystems. (IPCC, 2008)

Water QualityWater Quality

HYPOXIA

HYPOXIAhttp://the-mound-of-sound.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-agri-business-is-poisoning-our.html

Extent of Gulf Hypoxia, 2010

N. Rabalais, LUMCON

AREA, GULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIC ZONE

Long term Average

Action Plan Goal

Nutrient contributions to the Gulf, by State

1849-1850, 1855 Congress passes Swamp

Land Acts

Illinois 1,460,164 acres

A swamp at the mountain's base,

Pollutes all that has yet been gained;

To drain this pestiferous place,

Is still the goal to be attained.

Estimates of prairie acreage, 1820 and 1976, for counties in east-central Illinois

Source: Changing Illinois Environment: Critical Trends, 1994.

1820 1976

Ford 297,100 6.4

McLean 669,800 5.0

Piatt 254,000 0.0

Champaign 592,300 1.0

Vermillion 449,500 4.1

Edgar 257,600 0.0

Douglas 223,100 1.0

1820 1976

Ford 297,100 6.4

McLean 669,800 5.0

Piatt 254,000 0.0

Champaign 592,300 1.0

Vermillion 449,500 4.1

Edgar 257,600 0.0

Douglas 223,100 1.0

Wetland Values and Functions

Flood Flow Storage and Attenuation Recreation

Fish and Shellfish Habitat Uniqueness/Heritage

Groundwater Recharge/Discharge Wildlife Habitat

Production Export (Nutrient) Visual Quality/Aesthetics

Nutrient Removal/Transformation Educational/Scientific Value

Threatened or Endangered Species Habitat

Sediment/Toxicant/Pathogen Retention

Sediment/Shoreline Stabilization

http://www.utahwatersheds.com/resources/PPT/Wetland_Deliniation.pptx

1985, 1990 Congress Passes Food Security

Act and Amendments with “Swampbuster” Provisions

Swampbuster Provisions

http://www.utahwatersheds.com/resources/PPT/Wetland_Deliniation.pptx

The Wetland Conservation provision (Swampbuster) of the 1985 and 1990 farm bills requires all agricultural producers to protect the wetlands on the farms they own or operate if they want to be eligible for USDA farm program benefits. Producers will not be eligible if they plant an agricultural commodity on a converted wetland that was converted by drainage, leveling, or any other means after December 23, 1985, or convert a wetland for the purpose of or to make agricultural commodity production possible after November 28, 1990.

Restoration of Flood Restoration of Flood Plains and WetlandsPlains and Wetlands

Wetlands can be used for recreation and wildlife habitat

W/W Ratio (%)

0.57 2.16 2.25

Nitrate Removal

(%)28 68 78

Crumpton, Kovacic, Hey, Kostel

Potential of Restored and Constructed Wetlands to Reduce Nutrient Exportfrom Agricultural Watersheds in the Corn Belt

Self-sustaining Self-sustaining DitchesDitches

Compound Channels

Natural channels often have a main channel and an overbank section.

Main Channel

Overbank Section

Ward

Uniform Open Channel Flow

Hansen, Wilson, Magner, NieberGeomorphic Characteristics of Drainage Ditches in Southern

Minnesota, and the concept of a Two-Stage Ditch Design

Hansen, Wilson, Magner, NieberGeomorphic Characteristics of Drainage Ditches in Southern

Minnesota, and the concept of a Two-Stage Ditch Design

Drainage System Drainage System LayoutLayout

System System Layout Layout

90.0 ft

91.5 ft

93.0 ft

94.5 ft

96.0 ft.

90.0 ft

91.5 ft

93.0 ft

94.5 ft

96.0 ft.

Optimized for Drainage Water ManagementOptimized for Cost of Installation

90.0 ft

91.5 ft

93.0 ft

94.5 ft

96.0 ft.

90.0 ft

91.5 ft

93.0 ft

94.5 ft

96.0 ft.

Optimized for Drainage Water ManagementOptimized for Cost of Installation

System LayoutSystem Layout

Cost Differential: $50/acreCost Differential: $50/acre

Invasive SpeciesInvasive Species

5 invasive species 5 invasive species (3 animals, 2 plants)(3 animals, 2 plants)