Understanding ecohydrological processes for sustainable floodplain management - Term Paper Example

Eco Hydrology Introduction In the backdrop of economic development all over the world, the important worry isabout the water scarcity in the atmosphere of ever growing population. The fundamental aspect is water is necessary for every vital biological activity and food production also gets affected in the context of water scarcity. According to Tolba, Mostafa (2004) mankind needs three times the present amount of water used for irrigation, to produce the food necessary for feeding additional population in the next 50 years. Hence, in the first step to get additional water for food production for the future, the additional water resources should be explored. In the next step, the additional water resources explored should be protected by allowing certain ecological processes that maintain water content on the planet. The fundamental aspect in the above suggestion is about the protection of ecohydrology that needs global dialogue on water for food and environment. To make ecohydrological processes sustain in future, the protection of ecological systems, hydrology and water management should be done on global scale, so that every country in different geographical area can share the endeavors of ecological protection. As water is blood stream of biosphere and global industrial development is destroying that blood steam, the protection of ecohydrology without disturbing the industrial development should be discussed. In the context of point of no return, the concept of sacrificing the industrial development for the sake of ecohydrological systems can be explored. However, as the industrial development is also crucial for economic development of mankind the utilization of comforts and the affect of that on the ecological systems can be explored for finalizing the steps need to be taken for the protection of environment. 1 Objectives The objective of this paper is to explore the concepts and aspects that help in preserving the bio diversity thus resulting in restoration of water resources. The extent of presence of greenery indicates the assimilation of CO2. Hence, the presence of vegetation decides the content of CO2 present in atmosphere that helps in global warming resulting in decrease of water resources. So, the main objective is to plan forestation in different parts of the world that can neutralize the global warming to protect or restore water resources. In addition to that the thermodynamic relationship maintenance should be an important objective to neutralize effect of industrialization on water resources. The water resources can be replenished or restored when the liquid and vapor phases reach saturation conditions at regular intervals and sustain up to substantial periods. The change of atmospheric state at the saturated surface should occur periodically every year and those regular intervals is necessary for protecting water resources required for mankind as well as industrial development. However, to attain the above point of saturation at maximum number of places on the plane, the extent of usage of water and natural resources at each geographical point in the planet is necessary to restore the necessary vegetation that results in vapor liquid saturation that helps in maintaining and protecting water resources. Another important aspect in restoring water resources used up due to industrial development is protecting and increasing under ground water resources that grow due to percolation of water into the soil. The percolation component decides the capillary rise or fall in water table at a particular point. Hence, the surfaces that allow percolation of water into the soil should not be decreased thus maintaining the capillary rise in water table a constant process. 2 Another objective in this paper is to explore the methods and knowledge of preserving food plains by preserving wetlands. Alan B. Dixon (2005) discusses about the importance of wetlands as headwater areas, which help in preserving food plains. As the protection of wetlands may also result in socio-economic benefits, Dixon opines that water security is necessary to manage wetlands and pressures due to land shortages, population increases and government policies in developing world should be tackled. The indigenous methods and knowledge that have central role to play in protecting environment is necessary and the development of them should be done on the basis of further research to fill the gap between the required knowledge and acquired methods. As there is no formulation of indigenous knowledge, organizing it and then developing can help in preserving wetlands thus making the food plain preservation a possibility. The discussion about the methods and projects that are necessary in development of wetland management communities is a necessity in this paper. In an attempt to encourage the activities of protection of wetlands, the economic benefits of protecting wetlands thus resulting in protection of food plain sustenance is necessary. In addition to that the discussion about laws and legislations that enable the passage of a part of economic benefits to the people involved in protection of wetlands will be an additional objective of this paper. The analysis of improvement in community involvement by the legislations that enable the passage of economic benefits to the communities that protected the wetlands results is necessary as it results in increase of involvement and concepts as well as theories that encourage the involvement. The discussion about the extent of increase of food availability due to protection of wetlands in this paper may help in further research about protection of food plains and their management. As the indigenous methods result in least disturbance in environment thus resulting in long life for wetlands, the methods that avoid exploitation of wetlands without long term benefits should be discussed to enrich the methods that protect the wetlands. 3 In addition to that the head water regions that provide source for water resources and the margins of drainage basins are important as the zero-order basins surround every catchment. The definition of self sustainable management strategies and structures is necessary for meeting the needs of the head water habitat that include the human habitants and the habitants down stream. The habitats from up to down depending on the streams should be equally responsible for the maintenance of the resources. The methods that involve different habitats in maintaining the resources are necessary for sustaining the resources. However, the next chapter starts with the global economic development that affects the water resources, which results in their depletion. 4 Methodology The important aspect in the methodology of this paper is to review and discuss the effects of Global Economic Development and its effects on environment and water resources. The reasons for the negative effect on environment, the decisions and situations that lead to the industrial development, which is crucial in having a crucial effect on natural resources is analyzed according to the authenticate literature available in the form of books, reports and journals. After the chapter of methodology, the effects of Global Economic Development on environment are discussed and analyzed followed by results and conclusion. Global Economic Development and its Effects The depletion of water resources is a result of embedded relation between all parts or organisms to the bio sphere and the interactions within due to industrial development that results in economic development. In the context of continued disruptions of the complex web of interactions between these parts by human economic activity are capable of threatening the survival of mankind and sustainable development. The power and prestige of the economies to minimize the employment resulted in more exploitation of nature through industrialization. In the global era, the global market system shaped by economists resulted in competition for dominance that resulted in perpetual increase of market size and profits. In the course of increasing market size and profits, the economists and leaders of different nations pretended a vision of an unstoppable economic process that is capable of leading a dramatic result that can give material comfort and prosperity to the majority of mankind. However, they did not take into account the difficulty to sustain the growing number of species in planet. The important aspect in protecting the water resources is to contain environment pollution due to industry. As the increasing population result in increase of industries, the diffusion of population explosion is necessary and inevitable as a first step in protection of water resources as increase of population can result in increasing demand for water. The diffusion of population of explosion should be done on global basis as the countries with negative population rate may demand for increase of population growth. Instead of increasing the population in that country, the global initiative can make other people migrate to areas of lesser population and laws and legislation should be made on international basis to curb population growth. After the diffusion of population explosion the important aspect about protection of water resources is tackling the problems of deforestation, climate change, and loss of species diversity and thinning of ozone layer. The creation of United Nations Environment Program resulted in the view that international cooperation is capable of protecting environment as well as water resources. The first step in that direction the developed countries decreased the production of CFCs that damage the ozone layer and decelerated the speed of growth of earth's temperature thus protecting the water resources to some extent. As the decrease of CFCs resulted in increase of the species that are on the brink of extension and forests and wet lands are preserved despite the increase of industrial production. However, that increase is not sufficient for the increasing number of species in the form of humans on earth and more care is necessary for preserving of water resources making rivers disappear. The elimination of leaded gasoline and improvising municipal sewage plants can lead to small successes that result in preserving of water resources. To have a continuous process of preserving water resources, the waste water from industries and sewage plants should be purified or should lead to fill up the ground water resources. However, when the economists attempted to chart the future they are aware of the damage being done to the environment due to industrial and economic activities. As natural resources have no monetary value, there is no recognition for them to preserve. Hence, all countries should plan an international process that neutralizes every act of pollution caused by industries and the industrial establishments should be granted permission after the establishment of the facilities and projects that can neutralize the pollution done by the industry. As the economic gains of the industrial domain result in material reality and as environmental loss is not apparent as the economic gains, the loss of water resources is not visible and as a result, the preserving processes are not taken up on time. The present globalization, which resulted in utilization of water resources more than their capacity was a result of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference after the World War II. As the leadership expected in the world with peace and prosperity as the outcome, the fact is that the utilization of water resources by ever growing population and its needs resulted in a threat for future generations. Hence to relieve the future generations out of the threat to water resources, the administrations should work for decrease of increase in the rate of population on the global scale with simultaneous processes that help in protecting environment. The creation of worldwide financial institutions resulted in rigorous industrialization that resulted in usage of lot of water resources in a short period of time by ignoring the future existence of them. As the globalization resulted in recognition of potentiality of each nation, but it resulted in potentiality of each nation in heating the earth and depleting the water resources as industrialization resulted in reducing the places that replenish the water resources. Hence, in the course of industrialization, the administrations should take care that the industry should be given permission when it ensures that the actions that affect the water resources negatively are neutralized and if it is not possible by the industry, the government should take care about it by levying environment tax on industry. The actions taken by the government should be in connection with the actions taken on global scale and all the governments should take enough actions depending on the extent their industries pollute the atmosphere. Though the prosperity has no limits according to Bretton Woods system, the natural and water resources have limits and the unlimited expansion of industry is only possible when the energy (power or electricity) necessary for the industrial production comes with minimum effect on environment, which can be neutralized with natural activities in the nature. As the theories of economic expansion are not included in accounting practices, the negative effects of economic development on environment are not widely recognized till they have shown considerable effect on temperature and water resources on the planet. 5 As a result, in the discussion about the preserving of water resources and sustainable management of them, the economic development that uses up the water resources comes to the fore. Just focusing on minor changes to the existing system that result in careful consumption is not enough to preserve the resources for future generations. The cycle that generates water should be preserved so that the water production happens perpetually as long as mankind exists. As the old processes or processes till now result in depletion of water resources, the new processes of development which reflect a common future for society are necessary for sustainable maintenance of water resources. Moreover, the present capitalism remains in the framework that needs actions for sustainable development of water resources as none of the processes result in maintenance of the water resources. 6 The concept of maintenance of water resources can be made understood to the communities and the administrations when the fact that the economic growth increases nation's total wealth as by consuming the natural resources mainly water that is necessary for sustenance of future generations. When the economic growth happens at the cost of natural resources or if the natural resources on which the economic growth relies are being dwindled, the services provided by nature like pollution absorption and resource regeneration processes should be preserved to sustain the economic development. Suobbotina Tatyana (2004) quotes the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 to state that the development is sustainable if it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations. The above aspect is termed as intergenerational equity as the global economic development is resulting in emissions of greenhouse gases, generated mainly by highly industrialized countries leading to global warming and flooding of low lying islands. Hence, the result of economic development in some areas is not only jeopardizing the future generation's ability but also the development of low lying areas. To mitigate the above context of environment pollution resulting in disturbing the water resources, the economic, social and environmental areas should be interrelated. As there is no strict scientific method to estimate environment pollution, the planning for balancing activities that restore eco systems is difficult for any country as the uncertain methods may restrict the economic growth. The present situation arose due to the ignorance in the era of industrialization and post industrialization. As the industrialization changed the structure of the society, the preserving tactics and knowledge were ignored and growing economy changed the proportions and interrelations among the basic sectors. To develop the methods that sustain the water resources and eco systems it is important to note down the common patterns of growing and developed economies as well as contrasts. Normally, agriculture is affected due to industrialization, which is developing economy's important sector. The shift to services sector from agriculture while in the course of rise of industry is known as post industrialization and the above aspect results in ignorance of preserving techniques that help in restoring eco systems as the consumption increases. As the industrialization results in lessening the share of GDP of agriculture in GDP of a country, the takers for agriculture will be less or may ignorant people who are not aware of the need of preserving the eco system. The first stage of post industrialization is the increase of demand for industrial goods from the people and the next stage results in demand for health, education, information and entertainment as well as tourism services. The above demands result in less demand for agriculture and those results in fewer funds from the agriculture sector to preserve the eco systems. As the industry can spend more funds for preserving the eco systems, naturally they demand more share and that again results in depleting of water resources as industry do not replenish the water resources as some processes in agriculture does. In addition to that the agriculture processes are cheap when compared to industry and that results in expensive services. As the employment grows with industrialization and services, the administrations do not dare to restrict the industrial and servicing processes. As there is less employment and that too of lower income in agriculture, naturally it needs support from administrations. In developing countries, the services sector leads the industrial sector as it provides more employment with less investment compared to industry and gives more income compared to agriculture. However, the industrial growth should be the criteria for increasing in services sector. Hence industry and services are dependent on each other up to some extent and this makes agriculture isolated. Soubbotina Tatyana P (2004) states that the services sector's share of GDP increased from one third to half of the world's GDP from early 1980s to 2004. In all the above description, the systems and methods as well as communities that maintain the restoration of water resources and eco systems are absent. Hence there is every chance for the dwindling of natural resources, mostly water resources. As the failure of eco systems result in floods and famines in different parts of the world, the markets for industry slowly disappear and may result in recession in the long run or it may push the future generations into dark ages. 7 Lifecycle Costing and Assessment of Water Resources and Eco Systems As per the discussion in the above chapters, the assessment of state of the water resources is necessary for plans and methods that help in preserving and replenishing the water resources as well as eco system. The introduction of life cycle assessment and life cycle costing for the usage of natural resources by industry can be helpful in preserving them. Keeping the focus on energy balances, the mass balances and material as well as waste streams are estimated. In the next step environment assessments are made using the above mentioned estimates. The software, harmonization and databases of that can make work easier and faster are necessary. The software and the methods should carry out the tests that detect the hot material in the atmosphere and the methods and substances in industry that avoid releasing of the substances that heat up the atmosphere can be listed. The information gathered in the above process can be used for certification of the industries at the national level in different countries. According to a Green Paper published by EU commission in 2001, a method of assessing the environment pollution and the processes that neutralizing it can be used a decision support method for investments. There are methods to assess the cost of loss of natural resources that are associated with the life cycle of a product till its disposal, but no concrete decisions and methods implemented to neutralize it. Though there are methods to collect money from polluter in the form of 'polluter pays principle', the methods that can assess the neutralization of pollution are not up to the mark and in addition to that the economic development due to utilization of natural resources resulted in dragging back the administrations to implement natural resources replenishing methods. 8 As the sustainability of development results in increase of industries, the concentration should be on life cycles instead of production processes. Hence, Life Cycle Assessment is one of the environmental assessment techniques in the industrial era that can quantify the environmental impact of goods and services during their entire life cycle. The incorporation of life cycle cost assessment technique will result in assessment of environmental and economic aspects so that the increase of cost of the making the product can be examined while taking steps to preserve environment and natural resources. Thus it can result in creation of cost effective model for predicted environmental impact. While considering the water resources, the environmental impact as well as waste management techniques should be taken into consideration as the waste management and recycling techniques can minimize the use of natural resources. 9 In addition to the minimization of negative effect on environment, the optimization of every step of products life cycle is necessary along with the efforts of administrations in neutralizing the polluting effects of industries. As the necessity of raw materials and water resources is a perpetual one, the recycling of the waste products that gives again the raw materials and water resources is important in maintaining the water resources for the future generations. In addition to that the maintenance of climatic conditions all over the world that maintain life cycle of water is important to sustainability of water resources and economic development. The life cycle assessment, life cycle cost analysis, environmental risk assessment, environmental performance indicators and environmental product declarations are important in maintaining and devising the processes of sustainable development along with water resources. 10 Results The results of this paper reveal that the present pressure on environment and water resources as well as natural resources is due to the industrialization on global scale and the necessities of increasing population. The decrease in the rate of increase of population as well as the processes and methods that neutralize the environmental pollution is necessary and a part of the profits of the industries and economic development need a diversion for environment protection. In addition to that the LCA, LCC, ERA and EPI are the methods and indicators that give clear picture about the extent of the action needed for the protection of environment by the administrations in different forms and governments of all the countries on global scale. As the environmental protection methods are not being taken on a large scale and particularly on global level, the negative effects of global economic development cannot be balance unless the environment protection actions are also taken by the organizations, which play a role in boosting the global economic development through industry. Hence, the environment activists and scientists came to a conclusion that the environmental protection activities need diffusion of population explosion along with the control environmental pollution. Conclusion and Recommendations As per the analysis and discussion in this paper, the environmental protection needs a global action and effort to curb the pollution and to avoid the depletion of water resources as well as natural resources. The first and important method in controlling the pollution is to reduce the necessity and that is possible with the decrease of growth rate of population. The next step is to use and find the technologies that result in decrease of global warming and avoid the thinning of ozone layer. The third step in maintaining the balance between utility and environment protection is to recycle the waste products and to purify every drop of industrial waste water. In addition to recycling of the waste products, the recycling technologies should have minimum effect on environment. The governments of all countries should adopt a uniform technology that minimizes the environment pollution for production as well as recycling. In addition to that the environmental protection actions should be taken on global scale as the industrial development is being encouraged by international organizations like IMF and World Bank. Hence, an organization that works in tandem with above two organizations and with their cooperation is necessary to take necessary actions in different geographical locations to preserve water resources as well as to replenish ground water. Hence, the preservation of water resources, maintenance of natural life cycle of water and increasing ground water resources is necessary for passing on the water resources for future generations. Works Cited Alan B. Dixon, The sustainable management of headwater wetlands: The role of indigenous knowledge in south-west Ethiopia, Sustainable Management of Headwater Resources : Research from Africa and India, Jansky, Libor, Tokyo, , JPN: United Nations University Press, 2005. Anastassia Manuilova et al, DANTES: project a demonstration for sustainable development, Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal Vol. 16 No. 2, 2005 pp. 143-152. Bengt Steen, Environmental costs and benefits in life cycle costing, Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 16 No. 2, 2005 pp. 107-118 Eagleson, Peter S. Ecohydrology: Darwinian Expression of Vegetation Form and Function. West Nyack, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Elliott, Jennifer A. Introduction to Sustainable Development. Florence, KY, USA: Routledge, 1999. Martin J. Haigh, Libor Jansky and Haushila Prasad, Sustainable management of headwater resources, Sustainable Management of Headwater Resources : Research from Africa and India, Jansky, Libor, Tokyo, , JPN: United Nations University Press, 2005. Magorzata Go ralczyk and Joanna Kulczycka, LCC Application in Polish Mining Industry, Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal Vol. 16 No. 2, 2005 pp. 119-129 Nadeau, Robert. Wealth of Nature: How Mainstream Economics Has Failed the Environment. New York, NY, USA: Columbia University Press, 2003. Soubbotina, Tatyana P. Beyond Economic Growth : An Introduction to Sustainable Development (2nd Edition). Washington, DC, USA: World Bank Publications, 2004. Tolba, Mostafa K.(FR). Balancing Water for Humans and Nature : The New Approach in Ecohydrology. London, GBR: Earthscan Publications, Limited, 2004. Read More