Rob Harmon: How the market can keep streams flowing

Summary

This transcript explores the complex issue of dewatered streams in the U.S., focusing on Montana's Prickly Pear Creek as an archetype. It delves into the origins of water conflicts, highlighting the impact of senior water rights and the disincentive to conserve. The narrative then shifts to how businesses, particularly brewers, are addressing their water footprint. A creative, market-based solution is introduced where brewers and other companies buy water certificates, incentivizing farmers to leave water in streams. This approach has successfully restored billions of gallons of water, providing a sustainable solution while fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

Takeaways

• 😀 Water conflicts are widespread in the U.S., with tens of thousands of miles of dewatered streams, especially in the West.
• 😀 Senior water rights, established in Montana in the late 1800s, create a disincentive to conserve water, as unused water rights can be lost.
• 😀 Prickly Pear Creek in Montana serves as a key example of a dewatered stream, symbolizing larger water conflict issues.
• 😀 There is a direct link between water use in industries like brewing and the health of ecosystems, particularly in Montana.
• 😀 Brewing beer requires a significant amount of water, and brewers are increasingly concerned about their water footprint.
• 😀 Montana brewers have already reduced water consumption, but the issue of their remaining water footprint still affects ecosystems.
• 😀 Companies like brewers are looking for innovative ways to reduce their water impact, including supporting the restoration of streams.
• 😀 By leaving water in the streams, senior water-rights holders can help restore ecosystems while maintaining their legal rights to the water.
• 😀 A market-based solution was created, where brewers and companies buy water restoration certificates to fund the return of water to degraded ecosystems.
• 😀 This solution creates partnerships between unlikely allies (e.g., farmers, brewers, and tech companies), fosters economic support for rural communities, and works without the need for litigation.
• 😀 Over 4 billion gallons of water have been returned to ecosystems through this solution, highlighting its effectiveness in addressing water depletion issues.

Q & A

What is the central issue discussed in the presentation?

The central issue is the water conflict in the United States, particularly in the West, where overuse and mismanagement of water resources have led to dewatered streams, damaging ecosystems and creating tensions between agricultural and environmental communities.

What is the significance of senior water rights in Montana?

Senior water rights, established in Montana in 1865, grant the first water rights to early settlers or users. These rights have become problematic as they often allow people to claim more water than is available in the stream, discouraging conservation efforts.

How does the current water rights system create a disincentive for conservation?

The system creates a disincentive because if water-right holders do not use their full allocation, they risk losing their water rights. This system incentivizes people to use more water than necessary, rather than conserving it.

What is the relationship between breweries and water use in Montana?

Breweries in Montana use large amounts of water in their production processes, with some estimates suggesting it takes over 100 pints of water to produce a single pint of beer. This has led them to become concerned about their water footprint and seek ways to reduce it.

What is the solution presented to address the water crisis?

The solution is to connect businesses with large water footprints, such as breweries, to farmers with senior water rights. By paying farmers to leave water in streams instead of diverting it for agricultural use, businesses can offset their water usage and help restore degraded ecosystems.

How does the process of paying farmers to leave water in streams work?

Farmers with senior water rights can choose to leave water in streams to benefit ecosystems, without losing their legal rights to that water. They are compensated for doing so, and the water is measured and divided into increments that are certified and sold to businesses like breweries to offset their water footprint.

What are the benefits of this water restoration program?

The program offers a market-based solution to water conservation that benefits both farmers and businesses. It helps restore ecosystems, supports rural economies, reduces conflict over water, and provides a viable alternative to litigation or regulation.

What kinds of businesses participate in the water restoration program?

Businesses such as Montana breweries, hotels, tea companies in Oregon, and high-tech companies in the Southwest participate by purchasing water restoration certificates to offset their water usage.

What success has the program seen so far?

The program has successfully restored over four billion gallons of water to degraded ecosystems, fostering cooperation between various stakeholders and creating a practical solution to a longstanding environmental issue.

How does the water restoration program foster collaboration instead of division?

The program creates allies by connecting farmers, businesses, and environmental groups, providing a mutual benefit through collaboration rather than conflict. By offering farmers a financial incentive and helping businesses reduce their environmental impact, it promotes cooperative solutions to the water crisis.