This Water is Not Ours

Water channelization is unnatural and can have serious consequences.

[negativechannelization-blog]

Cultural Differences

When comparing Native America Water use and the current water trends in the United States, it is obvious to see that water isn’t as highly regarded by Americans as it is Native Americans. Native Americans would not manipulate water for their own personal gain, rather, they would live with respect and honor for nature.

The United States doesn’t regard water in this way. Water is seen more as a malleable commodity rather than sacred. That should not be the case. Water should be left to nature, but it should be protected.

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The Dakota Access pipeline threatened to pollute Native American lands, especially their water. This was being done without very much consideration into how it would affect the water that so many Native Americans use. 

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According to the Bismarck Tribune, the tribe, located in North Dakota, fears the project “will disturb sacred sites and impact drinking water for thousands of tribal members on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and millions further downstream.”- Heavy 

DAPL protesters gather near the White House September 13, 2016. [Image by Jacquelyn Martin/AP Images]

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End.

As citizens of the earth, it is our responsibility to treat nature with respect. When we channelize water, we are only doing it to benefit ourselves. If we don’t treat water with respect, we may end up ruining the environments that we are familiar with. Right now, benefits are only one sided, and nature is the one losing. 

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References:

Heavy: Dakota Access Pipeline Protests

http://heavy.com/news/2016/09/dakota-access-pipeline-protests-video-photos-dogs-map-dapl-routes-north-oil-mace-standing-rock-sioux-native-american-indian-energy-transfer-kelcy-warren-bakken-lawsuit/

Protestor Photo

http://www.inquisitr.com/3512238/dapl-protest-gains-allies-despite-censorship/

[negativechannelization-blog]

Native Americans and Water

Intro

Native American revere water in the highest regard. Water is seen as a cultural symbol, and a part of nature- something that is sacred. 

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The river, or "Long Man," was always believed to be sacred, and the practice of going to water for purification and other ceremonies was at one time very common. Today the river or any other body of moving water, such as a creek, is considered a sacred site and going to water is still a respected practice by some Cherokees. - The Cherokee Nation

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River Crossing Limited Edition Fine Art Print Native American Indian Winter by Patrick Rahming

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“Waterways have been important to the Dakota as a means of travel, sustenance, fishing, and swimming; people have always gathered near water.”

“Different bodies of water have served multiple purposes, including the marshes, ponds, creeks, and lakes that are a source of wild rice. Year-round, springs provide access to water, and oftentimes are locations of winter camps.”

“... the Dakotas’ existence was based upon the gifts the waters had to offer, and the water names identified then continue to be used today.”

- HOW THE DAKOTA HAVE SHAPED THE STATE

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References:

The Cherokee Nation

http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/Culture/General/TheTraditionalBeliefSystem.aspx

The Land, Water, and Language of Minnesota’s First People

http://www.mnopedia.org/land-water-and-language-minnesota-s-first-people

[negativechannelization-blog]

Channelization

What is water Channelization?

“Channelization is the practice of dredging and straightening stream channels to increase flow rates and carrying capacities. Channelization acts to force as much water as possible away from an area in a short period of time.”- Metropolitan Sewer Division of Louisville

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Water channelization is largely done for human convenience rather than as a way of helping the environment. While the idea of channelization is positive, its real-world outcomes say otherwise.

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The Negatives of Channelization

“As channelization increases streambank erosion, more sediment enters and clogs the stream, while the accelerated velocity of water increases flooding downstream. In addition, channelization reduces the amount of vegetation along the streambank, which means less food and cover for wildlife.

… The best course of action is to let the stream follow its normal path. Streambank erosion is an inevitable process, but by letting the stream meander naturally, at least the process will be a slow one. With channelization, it can take only 10 years for streambank erosion to do the amount of damage it might have taken 100 years to do naturally.” 1

-University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences

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River: Clear Creek, Iowa, USA

This river was channelized in the 1930′s, and the video shows the effects that the channelization had on the environment. 

There were plans to restore a section of clear creek [that had been channelized] and the project would have restored the native infiltration that was originally naturally found in the creek and aided in water flow, and aided in the natural hydrology of the area. The project was terminated in 2015. 

http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/projects/pubFactsheet/ClearCreekandIowaRiverSection206ProjectJohnsonCountyIowa.pdf

References:

Metropolitan Sewer District of Louisville

http://www.msdlouky.org/index.html

University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences

http://www.thisland.illinois.edu/60ways/60ways_25.html

[negativechannelization-blog]

Boneyard Creek

The Bardeen Quadrangle at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign contains a section of a waterway that is known as Boneyard Creek. Over the years, the waterway has undergone a series of channelizations that were meant to beautify the area, as well as create a more efficient water way. 

Photos of Boneyard Creek within Bardeen Quad. [Photo Credit: Ethan Smith]

A view of a bridge over the creek. Notice the buildup of sediment on the side. 

As you can see, the waterway has been beautified. 

A view of the creek as it sits in Bardeen Quad. 

A view of a building in Bardeen Quad.

Views of the creek. 

A bench sits alongside a rock wall.