Water
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PART II: The origins of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay's History Like most estuaries, San Francisco Bay is a very young feature, geologically speaking. Twenty thousand years ago there was no bay. At that time the world was in the grip of the last ice age, and much of the planet's water was frozen into glaciers that covered a large part of the northern continents. With less water to fill the oceans, sea level was nearly 150 meters (over 400 feet) lower and the Pacific coastline was 30 km (20 miles) west of where it lies today. Imagine having to travel all the way to the Farallon Islands to go walking on the beach or surfing in the ocean!
From FoundSF Historical Essay by Joel Pomerantz Surrounded by the salty ocean, San Franciscans take as a given the need for fresh water drawn from mountains on the far side of the state. Hetch Hetchy reservoir, located in Yosemite National Park on the Tuolumne River, is our main source. The Tuolumne, combined with creeks in counties nearer San Francisco, supply 95% of the water we use for our residences, industries, and irrigation.
San Francisco's Clean Little Secret - FoundSF
Very briefly, Viktor Schauberger engineered several types of machines that would create an up-current of axially-spinning air so powerful that the up-current's drag force would speed the whole machine higher and higher into the air . Of the many different types of air turbines he made several of them boasted a thrust force of nearly 10,000 bhp - simply by moving air. Some designers have utilized Schauberger's special turbines for flight (see fig. 1) and new research (see below) suggests that there indeed is a strong case for the continuation and re-establishment of Schauberger's research into these hugely beneficial technologies.
viktorschauberger_4
Presenter: Josh Byrne, 27/08/2004 When establishing new gardens during the cooler winter months it is important to prepare for the hot summer ahead so that the most efficient use of water is made for the maximum benefit to the garden. Drip irrigation is a proven method of providing uniform watering at ground level where the plants need it most, and it is extremely easy to install.
Gardening Australia - Fact Sheet: Permaculture #6 - Drip Irrigation
Simple Graywater Systems
For additional information, see our other web page on graywater: - Water Reuse Graywater systems designed for homes with conventional plumbing are well-covered in the references noted at the bottom of this page, so here I'll just describe a couple systems I've designed that aren't featured there. Casa Juliana Kitchen Graywater System Wastewater from the kitchen sink is often problematic to use because it is relatively high in organic solids, oils, grease and soap which over time tend to seal up soil pores, preventing water from infiltrating the soil.- Our Current Composting Toilet This page describes our current "graywater" system. It is a very basic system in which most of our wastewater, except from the shower, is collected in a 5 gallon bucket and is then dumped into mulch basins around trees and shrubs immediately after collection. This is the simplest, most effective way we have found to treat and reuse our wastewater. By emptying wastewater into mulch filled basins where oxygen is plentiful and microbial activity is high, treatment levels for the wastewater are also high. Also, research shows that tree roots are very effective in the uptake of nitrogen, which is a wastewater component and a recognized groundwater contaminant.
Water Reuse
Radical Water Conservation Methods
Water flows from the water source, which in our case is a windmill, into the supply tank. A float valve automatically shuts off the water when the tank is full. A hinged lid prevents dust and light from entering the tank, keeping the water clean and algae free. The lid is counter-balanced so it stays open as we are dipping out water.
Composting toilets are simple, low-tech, waterless toilets. They are designed to provide favorable habitat for biological agents of decomposition such as bacteria, mold and fungi which break down feces and urine into compost. This miraculously transformative process encourages us to move beyond the concept of mere "waste disposal". It opens an opportunity to use our own compost to grow food for ourselves and thus to close the nutrient cycle.
Composting Toilets
Parks make way for portable potties
Doral Chenoweth III Rick Thomas, of Clintonville, walks his children, Katherine, 1, and Nicholas Thomas, 3, past a shuttered bathroom at Clinton-Como Park in Columbus. The city has closed many permanent park bathrooms in favor of portable loos. The well-built stone structure in the Clinton-Como Park playground sure looks like a bathroom.
Humanure Handbook: Contents
A Guide to Composting Human Manure Second Edition Front Cover - Back CoverThis device creates condensation and directs the water to storage below which is then slowly delivered to the roots of the baby tree. After 1 to 2 years the box can be re-used and moved to another location to start another tree! Other advantages are the ability to grow the tree from seed directly on top of the soil or surface you want to plant on, like rocks! This really opens up the possibilities to reforest our deserts, even the areas with eroded topsoil. The trees roots will find their ways through the cracks into the earth and begin the process of building new soil!
Waterboxx
The Fog Shower reduces water consumption immensely by creating a vapor flow with microscopic water droplets. The water is heated and sent under pressure to an ultrasonic vaporizer, and is then forced through perforated metal plates. An intelligent sensor system aims the water vapor in different angles, depending on the movements of the person showering. Schimansky believes that his eco-design manages to provide comfort and convenience while reducing negative impact on the environment.
Fog Shower
Home » There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you. #2 When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing.
100 Ways To Conserve | Water – Use It Wisely
Roofwater Harvesting Work at OAEC | OAEC's WATER Institute
In the North Coast region of California (including all of Sonoma County) the majority of watersheds are listed as “impaired” by the US Environmental Protection Agency, primarily due to sedimentation, temperature and water quantity. Dutch Bill Creek is one of only two creeks in the entire Russian River Basin known to host a wild population of Coho salmon, yet to function as a natural production stream, and to ensure survival of Coho and Steelhead, it must maintain adequate in-stream flows. As is typical in a Mediterranean climate like ours, the rainfall season in the North Coast region is shorter than the dry season, and low stream-flows in the dry months of summer and fall coincide with the months of highest human demand for agricultural, residential and commercial uses.An Improvised PVC Bulkhead Fitting for Liquid Storage Tanks Rugged Compatible with and Inert to Most Chemicals Impervious to Weather Made from Common Hardware Very Inexpensive A "bulkhead fitting" is an unusual item of plumbing designed to pass a connection through the sealed wall of a vessel.