There is a new way to look at long-term water use: PEAK WATER
PEAK WATER: New Paper Identifies Limits to Global and Regional Freshwater Availability for Human Use
…in some regions we are well past the point of peak ecological water – where the environmental damage of human use of water exceeds the benefits of that water use.
- Peak renewable water: where flow constraints limit total water availability over time.
- Peak nonrenewable water: where production rates substantially exceed natural recharge rates or where overpumping or contamination leads to a peak production followed by a decline (similar to peak oil curves)
- Peak ecological water: the point beyond which the total costs of ecological disruptions and damages exceed the total value provided by human use of that water.
There is no question that the water used for hydraulic fracturing is not sustainable. That water is permanently removed from our active hydrological cycle and no longer available for human, animal or agricultural use. It’s just plain reckless.
I have already been contacted by one Eagle Ford Shale resident who has flammable water. While Eagle Ford Shale residents have not yet see the health impacts from gas extraction–they will–some people in the Eagle Ford Shale area are already seeing their water tables drop and even industry admits that it will get much worse.
Sinking feelings
Gas fracking may already be lowering water tables in South Texas“They already know they’re gonna run this area out of water; there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” said Braudaway, whose livelihood still depends on oilfield services.
It’s hard to counter the hype in the Eagle Ford right now because there is some Big Money floating around. But soon when the children start getting sick and the air and water goes bad, that money won’t mean much and the people there will learn the worth of water. It won’t be long until the complaints of water contamination from Eagle Ford Shale residents start rolling in. When they have garden hoses that shoot fire like flamethrowers, then they will learn the worth of water.
When the well is dry we learn the worth of water.
~Benjamin Franklin
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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This is the shale where China has purchased 1/3 of Chesapeke's interest in natural gas deposits.
The Rio Grande valley in Texas is getting it from both sides of the border, the drug cartels to the south and the gas production cartels from the north.
The last time I was in South Texas the drought was taking a devastating toll on the land. I suspect in the future what I saw then will be a Garden of Eden compared with what is to come.
Having spent my childhood summers in the Valley this make me sad beyond words. Death Valley will be a more appropriate term for South Texas in the future.
This is a stunning, groundbreaking and unsurprising report. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I expect to see it on the front page of the Star Telegram tomorrow morning.
This is a stunning, groundbreaking and unsurprising report. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I expect to see it on the front page of the Star Telegram tomorrow morning.
Anyone who has even the mildest of concerns about the danger of fracking to water and air quality in the Eagle Ford shale should rent the movie "Gaslands" from Netflix. It will open eyes.
We have had two water wells go dry as the fresh water table has dropped from 50′ to 90′ and our water sand is at 90′. In other words we have had a 40′ drop in our water table which can only be from the fresh water withdrawals by the Eagle Ford drillers. We are down-dip from the drilling and are still experiencing water table drops.
That’s so scary! I am sorry this has happened to you.