I’m working on a environmental science discussion question and need support to help me learn.

I know what those of you living around Bellevue College are thinking:

“You must be kidding me!”

Each winter, you slog through enough rain each year that you’ve developed webbed feet. You own more rain coats than swimsuits. Moss is growing on your car.

But, things are not what they seem. We don’t drink the rain, we drink snow. The water supply for Seattle, Bellevue and parts of other surrounding cities is managed by the Cascade Water Alliance, which takes water from the Cedar and Tolt River Watershed: the reservoirs in both of these watersheds are fed by annual spring snow melt. That mean, it needs to snow Every Winter for a long enough time for us to have enough water to drink year round. So far, that’s been an ok strategy! But 2 things are happening: Increasing temperatures leading to shorter, warmer winters. That means less snow and less water going into the rivers and reservoirs. The second thing is population growth. For those of us drinking groudwater (some Eastside cities like North Bend), those aquifers are also not dependable long term if the population continues to rise.

For this assignment, you’re going to propose a solution to Seattle’s unsustainable water supply problems.

First, read some background information on Seattle’s water supply here. This should give you some idea about what we’re dealing with: https://www.sightline.org/2018/07/19/climate-change-drinking-water-supply-seattle-cascadia-washington-plans-for-lake-tapps/ (Links to an external site.)

Now: Imagine the region where you live (Bellevue or otherwise) is beginning to show signs of drought. Precipitation has been below normal for several months and crops in the area are looking stressed. What will your community do to ensure that there will be enough water for the most essential purposes?

For your initial post, come up with a list of specific strategies for reducing water use. For each strategy, tell us how that strategy will be enforced. People will not just take shorter showers because you tell them to. Your list should include at least 1 way to increase water supply (find more water) and 1 way to decrease water usage (conservation)