America s Great Watershed

Transcription

1 Charting a Course for Sustainability in America s Great Watershed Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration July 31, 2014 Michael A. Reuter Director, Freshwater The Nature Conservancy, North America mreuter@tnc.org michaelareuter@twitter

2 Icon Mule Orphan

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4 What system? What result?

5 SITUATION High Complexity and Uncertainty Many Competing Uses, No Shared Vision Entrenched, Fragmented Institutions

6 How Did We Get Here? Ideas, Choices, Commitments 1927 Flood MR&T Project Inland Waterway System Agricultural and Rural Development Programs Environmental Protection

7 The Imperatives of Our Time Systemic and cross-sector Demand driving water scarcity in >50% of states Floods impacting national economy, communities Aging infrastructure affecting water supply, sanitation, transportation +200% demand for commodities driving risks to water quality, quantity Loss of coastal wetlands exacerbated by climate change

8 CONFLICTS Drivers Aging Infrastructure, Food Security, Hypoxia, Floods, Drought and Water Scarcity, Invasive Species, Energy Security Crises OPPORTUNITIES

9 Survey: Mississippi River Basin Stakeholders Need shared vision for the Mississippi River Basin that encompasses the whole system in an integrated way, includes ecological, social, and economic factors, and leads to commonly accepted priorities Need more effective institutional structure(s) and arrangements to coordinate management of the river, break down the many unresponsive, unconnected silos, and turn the vision into reality

10 There are not many rivers, one for each of us, but only this one river, and if we all want to stay here, in some kind of relation to the river, then we have to learn, somehow, to live together. From Daniel Kemmis. Community and the Politics of Place. Univ. of Oklahoma Press. Norman, 1990 What system? What result?

11 Stronger with Diversity Dru Buntin Upper Mississippi River Basin Association Stephen Gambrell Mississippi River Commission & USACE Teri Goodmann City of Dubuque, IA Jordy Jordahl America s Watershed Initiative Director Steve Mathies Lower Mississippi River River Basin Sean Duffy, Sr Big River Coalition Sue Lowry State of Wyoming Upper MO River Basin Dan Mecklenborg Ingram Barge Company Rob Rash Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association Michael Reuter North America Freshwater Program, TNC Rainy Shorey Caterpillar Inc. Charles Somerville Marshall University & Ohio River Basin Alliance Roger Wolf Iowa Soybean Association

12 In Search of a More Integrated Approach IRBM can be conceptualized as a spiral, which permits immediate action to create linkages, build understanding, coordinate top-down and bottom-up approaches, engage stakeholders, and develop local capacity. Adapted for America s Watershed Initiative by D. Galat, TNC, from WWF Elements of good practice in Integrated River Basin Management: A practical resource for implementing the EU Water Framework Directive, Brussels ( and IWRM Guidelines at River Basin Level. Part 1 Principles. UNESCO ( )

13 Our History 2009 Focus Study Groups 2010 America s Inner Coast Summit, St. Louis 2011 Consultation meeting, Kansas City 2012 America s Watershed Initiative Summit, St. Louis 2012 Summit, St. Louis

14 Crisis OPPORTUNITY Aging Infrastructure, Food Security, Hypoxia, Floods, Drought and Water Scarcity, Invasive Species, Energy Security RESPONSE Message A vibrant network that will Support local, state and national economies Supply abundant, clean water to our farms, communities and businesses Nurture healthy, productive ecosystems Serve as the nation s most valuable river transportation corridor Provide reliable flood control and flood risk management Create world class recreational opportunities VALUES Strategy Unite the Watershed Measure Results Improve Policy and Governance

15 Key outcomes Unite the watershed... the America s Watershed Initiative Summit was the best, most thoughtprovoking conference I have ever been to. An enormous amount of high quality information. -- MG John W. Peabody

16 Key outcomes Unite the watershed Measure results

17 Key outcomes Unite the watershed Measure results Improve policy & governance

18 A report card supports integrated management in the Mississippi River Basin Water Supply Flood Control and Risk Reduction Economy Environment Recreation Transportation

19 University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science developed 5-step process for report card assessments

20 Workshops seek regional information Specific input on: Conceptualization Indicators for each goal Data and thresholds Scoring methods Communication

21 Workshop engagement Over 200 direct participants in workshops Representing diverse organizations Napoleon s March Graphic of participation Completed meetings in each basin and in Washington, DC

22 Workshop engagement

23 Workshop reports produced Core indicators identified

24 Making progress toward completion Completing data analysis Summit September 30 in Louisville, KY

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26 2014 Summit Why should you attend? Connect with key leaders, peers and experts throughout the entire Mississippi watershed Share water resources infrastructure lessons learned and emerging trends Leverage your local and regional initiatives into a larger whole systems and operation scale Shape and develop a common vision for improving the management of the watershed Influence how state and federal governments will structure natural and manmade infrastructure Registration Now Open Louisville, KY September 30-October 2,

27 Michael Reuter Director, Freshwater