Local Opinion: On World Water Day, let's recognize value in sustainability

The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

World Water Day was inaugurated in 1993 by the United Nations as an annual observation of the importance of fresh water to the people and environments of the world.

When one considers that only 3% of the water of the Earth is fresh water and that it is unevenly distributed you get the picture of how important this resource is to the global population of 7.8 billion people and the ecosystems who depend upon it.

This year, the theme of World Water Day is the “value” of water. Historically, value was realized in putting water to work. This included moving water to cities, to develop industry and economies, hydropower, irrigation, transport of commodities and in many cases as conduits to move waste away from cities, industries and feedlots.

In the United States, the “value” of water gained a new perspective in 1969, as television brought into our homes the burning Cuyahoga River in Ohio. That event catalyzed the passage of multiple pieces of environmental legislation that today protect the water quality and quantity of the nation’s rivers.

Today, the country and the global community value water in an expanded way.

The definition of “value” of water now includes the environment, meeting the needs of disenfranchised and economically depressed communities, providing Indian tribes with the ability to support health and develop sustainable opportunities.

The definition also includes protecting the water quantity and quality of lakes and streams for recreation and species, and increasingly to allow for our rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands to exist as part of the landscape. Collectively all these uses increase the “value” of water.

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Here in Arizona we need to “value” our water even more. After the dry summer of 2020 and the ongoing 21-year megadrought in the West, we notice the immediate effect of not getting our seasonal rains.

Trees, cactus, wildflowers and native wildlife all suffered from the lack of water. Wildfires increase in numbers and intensity. Climate scientists and the data they collect and analyze tell us that water stress will continue for the West. Climate change has barged through the front door of America and is here to stay.

The seven Colorado River Basin states and the federal government are initiating a five-year negotiation process to identify and develop options for the management of the Colorado River in lower water conditions.

The Colorado River is already over-allocated, meaning that there is not enough existing water in the system to meet all the current demands. The traditional approach which excluded many basin stakeholders, including the tribes, is no longer appropriate. With science as the base we need to transition to a process that embraces inclusion and transparency.

The diminishing water conditions in the Southwest require a change in how we “value” water. There can be water for all if we embrace a strategic approach to addressing the challenges. Balancing the needs of the public, the economy, tribal sovereignty and the environment takes work.

It is an opportunity to develop a future that recognizes there are many stakeholders, acknowledges the need to use the science to educate ourselves, and ultimately develop an approach to managing our water that adequately values all our needs.

Let’s make World Water Day 2021 the point where we collectively recognize our unique relationship with water and work toward solutions for sustainability.