By David Gilmartin (NHC Fellow, 2001–02; 2017–18) The Indus basin was once an arid pastoral watershed, but by the second half of the twentieth century, it had become one of the world’s most heavily irrigated and populated river basins. Launched under British colonial rule in the nineteenth century, this irrigation project spurred political, social, and … Continued
By Harriet Ritvo (Trustee; NHC Fellow, 1989–90; 2002–03) Located in the heart of England’s Lake District, the placid waters of Thirlmere seem to be the embodiment of pastoral beauty. But under their calm surface lurks the legacy of a nineteenth-century conflict that pitted industrial progress against natural conservation—and helped launch the environmental movement as we … Continued
By Nancy Langston (NHC Fellow, 1996–97) Water and land interrelate in surprising and ambiguous ways, and riparian zones, where land and water meet, have effects far outside their boundaries. Using the Malheur Basin in southeastern Oregon as a case study, this intriguing and nuanced book explores the ways people have envisioned boundaries between water and … Continued
In January 2008, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon warned about the consequences of inadequate water resources: “Water scarcity threatens economic and social gains and is a potent fuel for wars and conflict.” Water is essential for life everywhere. Although that seems a simple enough statement, its implications are overwhelming, especially for an arid zone like the … Continued
I remember visiting the Washington House in Barbados this past summer on a Virginia Geographic Alliance travel grant and being marveled at the dripping stones on the residence. The use of the limestone vessels as filters was introduced by the Spanish. In the period when drip stones were in regular use, no supply of chlorinated … Continued