Water Conservation Measures Needed?
I've been thinking so, although I've been wondering just how bad Humboldt's water situation is. Mendocino and Sonoma Counties instituted water conservation measures some time ago.
The Redwood Times reports the Mattole River is having one of its lowest flows ever. It seems the Eel River is low enough the Redway Community Services District has suspended bulk sales of water until the rains come.
While I'm glad to see at least one other person suggests we need to institute some water conservation measures, I don't know that the situation is as serious as that story on the Mattole puts it: Our fish are in crisis --.
I'm sure the fish have had low or no flows long before we were around and still survived. Still, it certainly looks like there should be at least some voluntary, if not mandatory, water conservation measures taking place now. Southern Humboldt should certainly be doing it and it might behoove us up in north county to do the same.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:05 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
The problem with the fish in the river is that in extreme drought parts of the river will dry up and prevent through flow. So spawning fish can become isolated in pools, preventing them from successful breeding.
It happened last year in the Mattole, and if it continues to happen there may cease to be fish with the genetic memory of breeding in the Mattole and Eel Rivers. Therefore no more fish in our rivers.
just my two shekels...
Well, I'm a little skeptical that fish will lose genetic memory, or their instincts. I'm sure that we've had worse droughts over that last few thousand years.
I can't prove it, it just seems to me the odds would dictate some really bad droughts thru the millenia. Yet the fish that survived out in the ocean must have still found their way up the rivers when the water finally came back, and they did it without our help.
I totally understand where you are coming from. Certainly the current concern for fish is on a much shorter time scale. Considering that they only breed once a year in a few spots, there are small things that can be done to have a large impact on the whole population of the fish.
Ultimately, I believe that it's an anthro-centric concern - humans like fish and want to keep them around. So we can use the wise powers of technology and forward-thinking management techniques to keep our natural surroundings the way the humans like it - filled with tasty fish.
Yep. Love those fish.
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