Listen up if you care about WATER!
These loose rock piles, also known as “check dams,” when placed strategically within a watershed, can have powerfully transformative effects, helping increase water flow, reduce drought, and moderate flooding. π
All this extra water held in the soils and landscape also grows more vegetation, which in turn, pulls a shocking amount of carbon out of the air, sequestering it in the landscape. π³ π² πΏ π±
This strategy helps to both MITIGATE and ADAPT to climate change.
If we had wise leadership, there would be a massive public works program to hire citizens (at a living wage) to install thousands of these checks dams in arid regions! π
(Looking at you, states draining the Colorado River for water; Nevada, Arizona, California, etc)
THIS is the type of INFRASTRUCTURE we need to be investing in.
This transformation at Turkey Creek, in Chiricauhua Mountains, SE Arizona, was innovated by Ranchers simply observing and experimenting with their land. The USGS is just playing catch up with their research. So it’s also a powerful example of the power of CITIZEN SCIENCE. You have more agency that you know! πͺ
Let’s all innovate more nature-based solutions! ππ½
If you want to learn more, ask me in the comments and I’ll DM you links for more info. π¬
#climatechange #watershed #water #ecosystemrestoration #climatesolutions #chiricahuamountains #arizona #coloradoriver #carbonsequestration #checkdam #rocks #naturalsolutions #infrastructure #citizenscience #permaculture #regenerativeagriculture #carbonfarming #publicworks #ccc