This is a photo of a simple exercise designed to demonstrate unique properties of water. The attendees of the first Water for Life workshop in Chuuk enjoyed it. I now invite them to comment on the picture here and explain to other visitors of this blog why the balloon does not pop even though it is touching the fire from the lighter. Let’s practice explaining so we can later try sharing this with students in classrooms.
Originally posted on legdesop:
The Yap WFL Team is awaiting the delivery of the first flush diverters for the first two catchment sites for the Gargey Community. The plans are to install these first two diverters on the typhoon shelter water catchment. Gargey is ‘village’ to many Neighboring Island families. Some of these families are permanent residents and others are temporary families who come to the main island for medical, educational, other reasons, who return to their home islands after a brief stay. WFL Team members met with Gargey council representatives. The plan is to install the first two diverters, conduct a training on water quality for selected residents of the community, and train them on how to monitor water quality of the catchment tanks.We anticipate the first two diverters to be installed and training completed by the end of September 2013.
The image above shows uncontrolled and “out of control” dumping of solid waste, right by the roadside in a downtown area of one FSM island. This is unlawful for many reasons and poses great risks to the health of humans and the environment. In this blog, I just want readers to consider what happens here when water passes through this waste. Rain that falls on the waste pile percolates through it and leaches soluble chemicals from the waste and transports them to nearshore waters — either across the land surface or through soil and groundwater. Injection of such compounds into the coastal zone upsets the nutrient balance there, can cause algal blooms, and can directly kill marine life through toxic or other effects. Human beings suffer too — the pollutants make it to us either from groundwater (which we extract for our potable water supply) or through seafood caught along the shore. Micronesian islands are so far from polluting industries of other countries that we should have the best quality environment, water, and food. No one in Micronesia should tolerate this type of environmental and health threat.
This photo is from Gilmaan, the southernmost municipality of Yap Proper. It shows an extensive meadow of seagrass, as visible during low tide. Unlike seaweeds and other algae, seagrasses are real plants, with roots, flowers, and seeds. They are one of the few higher plants adapted for life in salty water. They perform extremely important ecological functions, from providing many species of fish and other sealife with nursery environments where little animals can hide from predators and thrive until they grow up, to trapping mud, sand, and other debris that washes off from land and preventing it all from reaching deeper water areas and smothering corals there. Seagrass meadows are vital to the health of our islands and reefs and should not be damaged, excavated, filled in, or trampled upon.
Core Team members analyzing water samples
Ethan demonstrates surface tension
Members of various Core Teams listen to one of Danko’s compelling presentations
Evelyn and Mathew confer while analyzing water quality
Debbie explores water’s amazing surface tension
Yalap observes the self-cohesion of water. How many drops will stick together on that dime? How does salt in the water impact this self-cohesion?
Grace and Hannah compare notes
This picture was taken on an outer island. It shows the three key components of a rainwater catchment system as used in the FSM. The roof acts as catchment that captures the rainwater, gutters provide the transfer mechanism, and the tank serves as storage. The green plastic tank looks new and very nice, but there are still some potential problems with this system. Do you notice anything that could be improved?
Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Approves $1 Million For RMI Drought
Grant to help government implement drought response plans
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Yokwe, June 21, 2013) – In response to the drought disaster in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, approved a rapid response grant of US$1 million on June 18, 2013. This grant, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will assist the Government in its response efforts as outlined in the Government’s $4.7 million Immediate- and Near-term Drought Response Plan.
Managed by IOM, the grant is to be implemented within six months with a strong focus on logistical support, water, sanitation and hygiene needs in accordance with the RMI Drought Response Plan. Mr. Ostby announced, “In addition to other valuable contributions, the CERF grant will help fund immediate and critical needs outlined by the Government, however, let this drought serve as a reminder to us all that we must continue to work toward more resilient Pacific community in the recovery phase to follow”.
The Response Plan calls for large scale deployment of air and sea assets with immediate relief supplies, such as water and food, to the affected northern atolls in order to meet minimum humanitarian standards. Other activities include increasing rain water catchment capacity, deployment and servicing of desalination units, re-planting crops, improved health surveillance and outreach, and repair of water supply systems.
Following persistently low rainfall during the dry season, the Marshall Islands Government declared a state of emergency for the northern atolls of the Republic on 19 April. On 7 May, the Marshall Islands Government declared an elevated state of drought disaster, as the situation worsened. A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team with members flown in from Fiji, Japan, Sweden, and Thailand was deployed for over three weeks to support the national Emergency Operations Center in Majuro. Early support was provided by USAID and IOM followed by contributions from ADB, AusAID, JICA, NZAID, Red Cross movement, OCHA, UNICEF and WHO.
The humanitarian needs for the 6,384 people living on the affected islands and atolls remain urgent. The most pressing needs are for access to safe water and the growing need for food. The drought conditions have depleted water tanks and made groundwater unsuitable for human consumption due to high salinity. In addition, the drought has damaged or destroyed local food crops, including breadfruit and banana, and populations are relying on fish, crabs, and other coastal food resources.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), dry weather will continue for the next few weeks. A few brief trade-wind showers will develop at times.
Yokwe: http://www.yokwe.net/
Copyright © 2013 Yokwe. All Rights Reserved
Water for Life is now part of the new NSF USAID Global Research Collaborations – see http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=128273&WT.mc_id=USNSF_186&WT.mc_ev=click
Our collaborating project is Unlocking agricultural potential in drylands: enhancing efficient utilization of soil moisture for improved smallholder farm productivity in ASALs of Kenya(Kenya – Project 2-335). PI: Mary Baaru, Kenyatta University
Details can be found at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/peerscience/index.htm
Destin has sent in a report and photos of WfL participation in Palau’s Earth Day activities, co-sponsored with Palau Water and Sewer Co. – see the Palau site page!
Red Cross Launches On-Site Drought Aid In Marshall Islands
About 6,400 people reportedly affected by sever lack of rain
SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, June 14, 2013) – The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) program has launched a significant drought relief effort in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and expects to have officials on site for six months despite the fact that the RMI lacks a national Red Cross Society, according to Australian Red Cross official Peter McArdle. There is a push by a volunteer group locally, led by Dr. Alex Pinano, to establish a Red Cross in the RMI. This group, together with the RMI government, requested Red Cross assistance for the drought, and the IFRC responded quickly. The IFRC, New Zealand Red Cross, Australian Red Cross, and Kiribati Red Cross Society are working together to provide assistance to the Marshalls where about 6,400 people on 15 atolls are suffering as a result of six months with virtually no rain. McArdle said Red Cross is partnering with government to deliver immediate drought assistance to affected northern islands. Once the immediate issue of water and food is resolved, the Red Cross will move into its “recovery and preparedness phase,” he said. He indicated in the long term, low-tech solutions such as solar distillation and improving water-storage capacity are key to surviving future droughts.