Lake McConaughy Drying up

A drive across the great state of Nebraska would not be complete without a stop at Lake McConaughy or Big Mac. I have very fond memories making trips to the lake during the dog days of summer. As a kid I remember trying to look across the lake with no success. It was water as far as the eye could see. Nowadays that is not the case.

The lake today is at 82.4 precent capacity and is falling at a relatively quick rate. The lake inlets are bringing 500 cubic feet per second into the lake, while the lake is releasing 800 cubic feet per second to meet the downstream needs. Needless to say the lake levels will continue to go down. We can only hope for a large snow pack in the rocky mountains to recharge the lake back to its capacity.

The drought has effected all of our everyday lives. I hope that the lake can get back to its massive state of yesteryear!

EHD in Deer

Deer populations in Nebraska experienced a decline this year due to Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease or EHD. EHD is a viral disease that is spread by biting insects called midges. EHD is at its peak in late August and early September. The disease usually does not last past the first freeze. 

Humans have nothing to worry about with EHD. It is completely safe to eat wild deer meat as EHD cannot be spread to humans, much like Chronic Wasting Disease.  Although we cannot be certain how many deer the state lost to EHD, estimates are 2,200 individuals.

What does this mean for hunters? Be mindful of where you hunt and always talk to landowners about deer populations to ensure sustainable population numbers going forward. Happy Hunting! 

UNL to Divest in Big Oil

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of seeing Bill McKibben, a well-known environmental author and activist, speak at an event hosted by Bold Nebraska. "Do the Math" was a ten-day tour by 350.org that urged a grassroots movement to raise awareness of the global issue of climate change. Their main campaign was called Go Fossil Free, which takes aim at the fossil fuel industry by asking universities to divest in big oil.

di·vest  (d-vst, d-)
tr.v. di·vest·ed, di·vest·ing, di·vests

1. To free of; rid

2. To sell off or otherwise dispose of (a subsidiary company or an investment).

Divesting is simply the opposite of investing. Instead of putting money into stocks, bonds, and investment funds, you take your money out of companies such as Exxon and BP to put pressure on their unethical and environmentally dangerous practices.

Divestment campaigns have been successful in numerous areas such as wars in Darfur and against the Tobacco Industry. However, the most successful campaign was the divestment campaign to end Apartheid in South Africa. Divestment was first advocated to end Apartheid in South Africa in the 1960's. By the mid-1980s, 155 campuses—including Columbia University, MSU, and Stanford University—had divested from companies doing business in South Africa. Twenty-six state governments, 22 counties, and 90 cities, including some of the nation’s biggest, took their money from multinationals that did business in the country. The South African divestment campaign was crucial in aiding the end of apartheid in South Africa and forming a new democracy and an age of racial equality.

The Fossil Fuel industry needs to be stopped. It feeds our addiction to oil while creating political, health, and environmental turmoil. 

Currently, there are 182 universities that have joined the Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign. The University of Nebraska will be joining the movement soon! If you would like to get involved please contact Sustain UNL at sustainunl@gmail.com

Innovative Technology for the Protection of Our Oceans

Innovative Technology for the Protection of Our Oceans

By:  Kailee Brown

  

            In September of 2012, Google officially launched its new program, Google Underwater Street View, available at maps.google.com/oceans. With the help of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) among other partners, Google is mapping the floor of the ocean up to 100 feet deep with picturesque 360 degree views.

Ocean coral reef bleaching

            With parts of the Great Barrier Reef, the Philippines and Hawaii already on the underwater map, Google is working hard to collaborate on bigger issues facing the world's oceans. Issues such as ocean acidification, whale protection and coral reef bleaching are among the top concerns for today's oceans. NOAA estimates that roughly 95% of the ocean floor is still unexplored in Google's program but they are working hard to "... bring people on this journey with scientists," said Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, director of the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland.

            One partner, the Catlin Seaview Survey team, is a specialized group of scientists who survey the ocean floor to “analyzing the health of the reef in terms of species distribution, and mapping that against the structure of the reefs to discover what reefs are important."

            On a recent ocean survey, the team found that the Great Barrier Reef is half the reef it once was in 1985. This coral depletion mainly caused by coral bleaching, storm damage and an out of control population of starfish from mainland fertilizer runoff.

Catlin Seaview's survey technology to view the ocean in 3D

            With over 50 partners from around the world, Google has the right idea by involving numerous people in this project to make the largest impact on the protection of Earth's vital natural resources. This new technology opens up doors in understanding how to care for our plant's salt waters that are continuing to be threatened by global warming and the rise in green house gasses.

           

References

http://www.livescience.com/18308-google-earth-update-erases-atlantis.html

http://www.greenerideal.com/science/1022-hd-coral-reefs-tragedy-captured-via-technology/

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/world/google-maps-street-view-underwater-interactive-ocean-panorama-feature-gets-big-buzz

Walking in a Wheat-less Wonderland

Winter wheat, normally a cash crop this time of year, is expected to have low yields. This is due to a very dry year and no measurable snow in the great plains region for 297 days.  

In Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and other states that grow winter wheat in the northern hemisphere, cultivation occurs from September through December. This is to allow just enough time for the crop to "crown", or poke through the soil.

In a normal season snow would be vital for the plants survival as it insulates the ground and provides consistent moisture via constantly melting snow. Without snow, the crowns will not bud, the seedlings will freeze, and the potential for crop production is extremely low.

Michigan's Urban Farming

"Using agriculture as a platform to promote education, community, and sustainability we seek to reduce socioeconomic disparity." - The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI). Detroit, MI

MUFI is a nonprofit organization looking to involve members of the community in sustainable agriculture practices.

Education - This statewide program strives to use farming and gardening as a tool for education. They are looking to solve future agricultural issues like food insecurity and urbanization.

Sustainability - The Initiative wants to shy away from the modern agricultural practices such as application of fertilizers and pesticides, monocultures, and reliance on fossil fuels. Grow and eat local!

Community - Building relationships between families and neighborhoods is vital to a more involved citizenry.

The most recent project for MUFI is the Brush Street Community Resource Center. The property was purchased in the fall of 2011 in Detroit, MI. The area had been in use from 1915 to 2009 as an apartment building, but was condemned. The goal of this project was to restore the existing buildings and renovate open areas. The focus its to create a model for sustainable living in an urban environment for all households present. An image of what it looks like is below.

Divers free tangled Whale Shark

               Not many people can say they swam with whale sharks but even fewer can say they rescued one. On Saturday, November 7^th, a group of divers near Socorro Island, Mexico, spotted a whale shark tangled in rope. When they encountered the distressed animal again later in the day, they made the decision to cut it free and quickly set to work at removing the rope. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea, reaching lengths of 40 feet or more and feed mostly on plankton and small fish. These gentle giants prefer the warm waters that the tropical seas provide and are popular diving attractions because of their docile nature. They are currently listed as a vulnerable species and still hunted in parts of the world. Any kind of protection or aid, such as the help these divers gave the injured whale shark, is greatly appreciated. It also illustrates that good Samaritans can even be found underwater. 

Watch the rescue!