Like a beacon, Mt Rainier stands out in Washington State as the life's blood of so many things. Her snow melt provides water for a good portion of the regions people, fish and wildlife. When we came to WA, almost thirty five years ago now, I assumed the area was sustained by rainfall in one way or another. Not sure how far along I actually got in my thinking about sources during those early years. Water was simply an expectation. Clearly my thinking was simple as well. And actually on the Peninsula where I live, we are rain dependent.
These days our regional resource situation has changed and my understanding of it has grown far beyond my comfort zone. Some days, what I've come to know about regional and world water resources frightens me into near paralysis. To write about it runs the risk of touching on topics more serious than what you may be coming to this blog to read. Knowing that, I'll let my thoughts on the topic slip out in small, more easily digestible doses over time.
For now, suffice it to say, we in WA appear to be lucky this year with a healthy snow melt. The Mt gods are smiling on us. If temps rise this summer, as in the past few years, that comfort zone may not feel quite as comfy, as waters evaporate at faster rates and our ground waters are extracted in like speed. South of here, in States where folks I love live, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and so many other southern states, "no rain yet" is the cry. Where once our conversations began with hellos, weather has become our opener.
Rather than drone on I would make one suggestion. If you find yourself with about 80 extra minutes, rent the movie FLOW. It received praises at the Sundance Film Festival. It provides background about specific water situations around the world that are important to be familiar with at this time. With that I'll leave you with Mt Rainier. She's a beauty isn't she? Mother Nature at her finest, right there for everyone's gawking pleasure each time the clouds part. A gift.
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