Regeneration in ACTION

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intricacy

On May 28, 2025, the Lambda Alpha International (LAI) Global Water-Land Series Group (Group) hosted the Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intricacy global webinar. Earth Impact (Ei) Advisor, Durga Poudel, Ph.D., then Professor and Coordinator of the Environmental Science Program and Director of Ag. Auxiliary Units, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, was the lead speaker in the prominent webinar.

In layman's terms, the webinar explains how chemical-based agricultural practices in the Midwest are responsible for the hypoxia scenario in the Gulf of Mexico, commonly known as the Dead Zone.

Global Water-Land Series Group
Co-chaired by Jim Musbach and Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore, the Group meets alternating months and hosts global webinars within the following categories:

Quality/Quantity - May 28, Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intricacy
Control/Ownership/Accessibility - Fall, The Colorado River Water Challenges and/or Status of Great Lakes Water Agreement/Compact between the United States and Canada
Global Flooding & Sea Level Rise - September 4, Resiliency around the Globe: Local Responses to Hurricanes, Sea Rise, and Sudden Flooding.

At Holly's invitation, Ei Advisors Brad Bass, Ph.D., Michael Barbour, Ph.D., Tim Rumage, Marina Olmos, and Durga Poudel, Ph.D. joined the Group to share their expertise.

The Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine article, Water Security: from a pending to a realized crises, introduces the Group and provides in-depth discussion and examples related to each of the previously mentioned categories.

About LAI

LAI is the honorary global network for thought leaders

in all fields related to the preservation and sustainable development of land.

LAI is a growing network of chapters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Each chapter offers a wide variety of programs with industry leaders, discussion forums, community service projects and networking events.

Membership is highly selective through a nomination process initiated by a LAI member. Nominees for LAI membership must demonstrate ten or more years of experience in their fields, professional distinction, and outstanding contributions to the community in their field of endeavor.

LAI is committed to excellence and high professional standards to make a difference. A value to members is knowing you are someone who helped make that difference.

Ei Era of Regeneration
In June 2017, Ei declared the Era of Recycling Refinement Mission Accomplished and embarked upon the Era of Regeneration. The 2017 RiA article, Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative Solutions, set the stage for the new era with the opening paragraphs:

Over the past decade, sustainability moved from a buzz word to a movement to a culture within leading communities, universities, and businesses. Significant strides were made in zero waste practices, renewable energy technology, and reduced carbon / water footprints. Yet the glaciers continue to melt, global temperatures are rising, the ocean acidification levels are increasing, and desertification is escalating.

... Is sustainability enough to stave off the building crisis of the diminishing food and oxygen supply?

Cover crops on a profitable organic farm
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Ei embraced regenerative agriculture before understanding the full implications of chemical-based agriculture's replacement of biology-based farming. It was important to first determine that regenerative or biology-based farming made good solid business sense for the farmer. Once determined, Ei delved into the far-reaching impacts of using GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds, petroleum-based fertilizers, and the "cides"*

The 2021 RiA article, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity, educates on the daunting health implications to humans, wildlife, and water/soil ecosystems from the use of glyphosate and GMO seeds. The article explains how organic-certified farming eliminates, or at least drastically reduces, the use of toxic chemicals within food production. Regenerative agriculture goes beyond organic farming to embracing soil stewardship.

A subsequent 2024 article, What We Eat Matters, emphasizes how the food that we choose to eat drives markets and farming decisions on toxic chemical use; the article explains how the farming practices in the Midwest cause hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the "Dead Zone."

* "cides" are defined as herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides.

Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intricacy

Pursuant to Durga's webinar document:

Description:

This webinar aims to explore the intricate relationships between agriculture, water quality, and land economics, with a focus on the Mississippi River Basin of the United States of America. It will provide a comprehensive overview of how agriculture contributes to non-point source (NPS) pollution and the Gulf of Mexico’s hypoxia problem. Furthermore, it will examine the economic implications of water pollution on land values, especially in regions like Louisiana, where agriculture and waterways are vital to the economy and ecosystem.

Purpose:

Provide insights into the land economics as influenced by agriculture, water quality, and environmental degradation.
Educate stakeholders on implementing agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and enhancing environmental quality and land values.
Foster discussions among policymakers, academics, industry professionals, and farmers to develop holistic solutions to pressing challenges of agricultural production, surface-water quality, and land values.

Key Topics to Be Covered:

Impact of Agriculture on Water Quality and Land Value
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia and Land Economics
Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs), Runoff and Land Value

Target Audience:

This webinar is ideal for policymakers, environmental professionals, economists, academics, farmers, and anyone interested in the intersections of agriculture, water quality, and land economics.

Speakers:

Durga D. Poudel, Ph.D., University of Louisiana - Impacts of Agriculture on Water Quality and Land Value
Doug Daigle, Louisiana Hypoxia Working Group - Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia and Land Economics
David Isermann, fifth-generation Illinois farmer - Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs), Runoff, and Land Value

Impacts of Agriculture on Water Quality and Land Value
In his presentation on the Impacts of Agriculture on Water Quality and Land Value, Durga used a Case From Southwestern Louisiana to substantiate his scientific findings and conclusions. Durga's presentation covered five topics:

Surface-water pollution in Louisiana
Water-quality monitoring at the field, microwatershed, watershed, and basin scales
Biological integrity of surface-water bodies
Invasive aquatic vegetation
Conclusions

Field Testing
Photo courtesy of University of Louisiana

With different beginning and ending dates, surface-water quality sampling and field and laboratory determination of water quality at the field, microwatershed, watershed, and basin scale projects began in September 2000 and continued through March 2015.

Average concentrations for total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total solids (TS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), nitrate/nitrite-nitrogen (NO3/NO2-N), and soluble reactive phosphate (SRP) for surface runoff from sugarcane fields, pasturelands, and residential areas, as well as from a microwatershed and three different watersheds, were determined via laboratory testing. The field measurement of surface-water quality included the determination of dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, conductivity, pH, and surface water temperature. One of the projects also conducted benthic invertebrate and fish sampling. *

Pollutant concentrations aligned with agriculture practices of phosphorus and other applications. Research showed that the three main pollutants included sediment, phosphorous, and nitrogen, in descending order of their importance.

A byproduct of the water-quality research showcased the local aquifer draining. According to Coastal Desk, March 9, 2021 Louisiana's Biggest Source Of Groundwater Is Losing Water Fast, WWNO - NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC RADIO | Tegan Wendland:

“A centuries-old law gives Louisiana landowners “ultimate dominion” over the groundwater beneath their property. That means farmers, manufacturers and homeowners can take as much as they want, when they want it — no fees required.

But this hands-off approach to groundwater management is creating big problems in southwestern Louisiana, where the state’s largest and most important aquifer is losing water fast. More than 661 million gallons of water are being pumped every day from the Chicot Aquifer System, while only about 313 million gallons are being returned through rain or natural drainage.

The aquifer is being overdrawn by 348 million gallons each day — well beyond a sustainable measure.”

Through Durga's surface-water-quality monitoring and modeling effort, clear spatial patterns of the pollutant load of the surface-water bodies were observed, as more concentrated and higher pollutant loads in water bodies were associated with and were closer to the intensive agricultural lands.

Pond covered with an invasive species
Photo courtesy of University of Louisiana

A byproduct of the contaminated waters from agriculture is invasive aquatic vegetation in LA water bodies. Native to Brazil, Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) is a small free-floating aquatic plant and is found in LA waterways. Due to its nature, Giant salvinia can easily cover water and extend a couple of inches inside and outside the surface water. Once established, the invasive aquatic vegetation negatively impacts the local ecosystem and surrounding land value.

Conclusions:

Agricultural systems have huge reservoirs of NPS pollutants, and these systems release NPS pollutants to surface-water bodies continuously during an extended rain event. Residential areas also contribute to NPS pollution.
Surface-water pollution in an agricultural watershed directly relates to the agricultural activities in the watershed. Often, there are excessive concentrations of fecal coliforms in surface-water bodies in agricultural watersheds.
Sediments and nutrients constitute the major NPS pollutants in agricultural watersheds. The Soil Water Assessment Tool model is useful in identifying critical areas for NPS pollution in an agricultural watershed.
The implementation of the BMPs improves surface-water quality; surface-water quality is poor in areas where agricultural activities are intense. Benthic invertebrate diversity negatively relates to Total Suspended Solids and 5-Day Biological Oxygen Demand.
Invasive aquatic vegetation degrades the biological integrity of a surface-water body, clogs navigation canals, destroys winter habitat for migratory birds, and lowers the land values.
The impact of agriculture on water quality and quantity and land value occurs in many different ways, including surface-water pollution, erosion and sedimentation, ecological degradation, and land degradation.
These complex processes require an in-depth understanding and careful planning and implementation of BMPs in agriculture for surface-water-quality improvement, soil and water conservation, and ecological preservation in the region. This will increase land productivity and land value.

Durga's PPT presentation is available for download at this LINK.

* the scientific copy provided by Durga after reviewing the article.

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia and Land Economics

In his opening remarks, Doug explained that he is the coordinator for the Louisiana Hypoxia Working Group (LHWG) that was formed in 2003 to support the Gulf Hypoxia Plan. The entire Mississippi River Basin, including the Ohio and Missouri River Basins along with other tributaries, is addressed; the Ohio River Basin contributes most of the water including nutrient loads while the Missouri River Basi contains most of the sediment.

Mississippi River Basin
Image courtesy of the LA Hypoxia Working Group

It is common knowledge that the main nutrients - nitrogen and phosphorous - in the Mississippi River come from row-crop agriculture in the Midwest. Corn and soybean crops account for 52% of the nitrogen load; for phosphorous, the sources are more evenly distributed between pasture and range (37%,) corn and soybean crops (25%,) and other crops (18%.) Per Doug, these exact percentages are outdated and my not be accurate. Yet, importantly, the proportions remain consistent.

Doug was clear that any increases or decreases in nutrient-load contributions have a direct impact on the flow into the Gulf.

Once deposited into the Gulf, the nutrients feed large algae blooms, the zooplankton feeds on the algae and release fecal pellets that float to the bottom, bacteria consumes the fecal pellets and dead algae, and the bacterial decomposition depletes the water-oxygen levels. The hypoxia scenario, or diminished oxygen, generally resides in the bottom shelf where the decomposition occurs. Yet, hypoxia can occur in other parts of the water column. Due to the lack of oxygen, marine life either flees or dies.

As benthic organisms, ocean-floor life, either die or move to a more oxygen-rich environment, the entire ocean ecosystem is out of balance and subject to collapse into a Dead Zone; the recreational and commercial fishing industry is severely impacted causing economic strife. According to Doug, the Gulf of Mexico fishery is the last productive wild fishery in the continental U.S. outside of Alaska.

2024 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
Image courtesy of LA State University

As ocean currents flow in a westerly direction, the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone extends westward from the Mississippi River delta along the coast to Texas. Since 1985, a Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium mapping boat annually cruises the Dead Zone area for a week measuring the hypoxia levels; the mapping cruise measurements provide the key metric as well as trends for the Dead Zone. In general, fluctuations in the annual hypoxia metrics coincide with the river-flow variations.

In the past, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was the primary funder and will hopefully continue funding in the future.

The Gulf Hypoxia Plan 2008 for Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and Improving Water Quality in the Mississippi River Basin includes representatives from 12 states within the Mississippi River Basin, five federal agencies, and the National Tribal Water Council. Though not legally binding, the national policy vehicle is a voluntary cooperative of participants that provides recommended guidelines.

In 2015 the Gulf Hypoxia Plan updated their Action Plan Goals as follows:

We strive to reduce the five-year running average areal extent of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone to less than 5,000-square kilometers/1950-square miles by the year 2035.
An Interim Target of a 20% reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus loading [to the Gulf from the MARB] by 2025 is a milestone for immediate planning and implementation actions…

Progress is underway with reducing the nutrient loads yet funding deficiency prevents achievement of the goals. With the current political scenario, future funding sources remain uncertain.

Doug's PPT presentation is available for download at this LINK.

Agricultural Best Management Practices, Runoff, and Land Value
Isermann Farms (IF), located about 90-miles southwest of Chicago in LaSalle County, is a fifth-generation, family-owned farm operated by David and his son Jim. At IF sustainable conservation practices are standard-operating practices, and IF is the recipient of numerous awards over the years.

David & Jim Isermann
Photo courtesy of Isermann Farms

David is active with the Illinois Farm Bureau and President of the LaSalle County Farm Bureau. Active in the local and state agricultural community, David shares his farming wisdom with innate generosity,

IF commits to building a more resilient farm that weathers climate events and increases their profitability by adoption of sustainable farming BMPs. The empowering added value is the current generation leaves a healthier world for future generations.

With an understanding that their farming practices directly impact the conditions of waterways and soils downstream, IF BMPs intend to:

Stop Erosion
Stop Nitrogen and Phosphorous loss
Increase soil health
Increase “sustainability”

Financial stability
Environmental footprint
Climate resiliency

Add livestock to the mix

Current crops include corn and soybeans augmented by a cow-calf herd.

High-tech equipment and participating in local and national government programs are integral to IF's success. Nitrogen and other nutrient applications are closely monitored via timing, quantity, and depth of application; the depth prevents the nutrient runoff that costs the farm dollars and harms ecosystems down river.

IF participated in a DIFM (Data-Intensive Farm Management) program, a collaborative agronomic research initiative that utilizes precision technology to design and execute randomized field trials on commercial farm fields. The DIFM report validated that IF's nitrogen-reduction plan was effective. From the DIFM report:

In short, the data and analysis provided strong evidence that the farmer's status quo management plant was quite efficient, and DIFM recommends no manor changes to the current N management strategy.

Cover crops are integral to farm operations and serve four main purposes: 1> covers the soil in between crops, 2> prevents soil erosion, 3> provides weed control, and 4>serves as a food source for the 60 head of cattle. Radish and cereal rye cover crops are aerial seeded into standing corn.

With cattle grazing in the field, manure and urine are stomped into the soil, providing additional nutrients. Manure is consistently tested to understand the nutrients distributed upon the field; manure is also an excellent indicator of the herd's health.

IF minimizes tilling via planting corn and other crops in thinner strips.

IF is an active participant in the following NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service) USDA programs:

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP)
Prescribed Grazing Plan with Livestock Watering System
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan for Beef Operation
USDA Conservation Program Participation

Planting equipment with a GPS system
Photo courtesy of Isermann Farms

Via an EQUIP Prescribed Grazing Plan with Livestock Watering plan, the IF cattle paddock and water systems were overhauled. The previous nine paddocks were increased to 20 paddocks with temporary fencing. By adding 6200 feet of underground waterline from the well, the solo watering station was replaced with seven automatic waterers. The new system reduces wasted water and eliminates the muddy area filled with manure and urine around the prior solo water station.

Due to renewed efficiencies via the EQUIP plan, IF may increase their 60-cattle herd to 120 cattle using the same resources and land footprint.

GPS monitoring systems installed in the planting equipment track the exact location and timing of seeding the fields; the information is used at harvest time to track field productivity and profitability.

David emphasizes that the sustainable conservation practices in place at IF increase the farm's profitability and improve the bottom line.

David's PPT presentation is available for download at this LINK.

The recorded 90-minute Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intricacy webinar is available for viewing HERE.

Agriculture, Water, and Land Nexus
Durga prepared the below graphic to illustrate how common agriculture practices' impact on surface water, soil, and groundwater result in decreased land value and economic strife.

The impressive webinar showcased the far-reaching detrimental impacts of toxic chemical-based agriculture practices. Farming practices nearly 1,000 miles north result in the collapse of coastal fishing industries and cause tremendous economic cost to downstream communities.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists June 2020 article, Nitrogen Washing Off Midwest Farms Cause Billions in Annual Damage to Gulf of Mexico Fisheries and Marine Habitat, New Study Finds Dead Zone Compounds Crushing Pandemic Impact on Gulf Fishing Economy:

... a new study shows that one of the dead zone’s biggest causes—nitrogen that flows downriver from Midwest farms—has been responsible for up to $2.4 billion in damages to Gulf fish stocks and their habitat every year for more than 30 years. The amount of nitrogen coming off Midwest corn and soybean farms, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) study, equates to enough fertilizer to fill 3,000 standard size shipping containers every year since 1980 on average.

Yet, David illustrated how responsible farming practices designed to prevent nutrient and sediment release into waterways improves his farm's bottom line. Thus, the responsible-farming templates are crafted by innovative farmers who are willing to share their lessons learned and successes with fellow farmers.

The time is NOW for citizens to use their power of consumer demand to persuade farmers to implement sustainable farming BMPs. If they experience increased revenue from empowered consumers coupled with lower costs from reduced inputs and other savings, farmers are incentivized to use practices that improve their bottom line and lessen detrimental environmental conditions. Let's use our "business" vs "environmental" voice to convince farmers to reduce the toxins used in their food production.

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Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work.

DONATE HERE

About Earth Impact:

Earth Impact (formerly Elemental Impact) (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration (June 2017 - June 2024). Focus areas included Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area. What We Eat Matters is an emerging platform that intertwines within the three focus areas.

As Ei enters the Era of Impact (June 2024 – present,) gears shift to a new business model, Ei Educates. Though education was always integral to Ei’s important work, the primary focus was on projects, pilots, and initiatives supported by Ei Partners. The Regeneration Era focus areas carry over into the Era of Impact.

With the publishing of the March 2025 RiA Magazine article, Water Security: a pending to realized crisis, the Water Use | Toxicity platform evolved into the Water Security platform.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot. The Ei Pilots serve as an educational program.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@earth-impact.org.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Water Security: a pending to realized crisis

Healthy, balanced water and soil microbial communities are the foundation of and essential to life as we know it on the Earth. As featured in her May 2020 Bigger than Us podcast interview, Earth Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore is known for the following quote:

Promo graphic for the podcast
In order for life as we know it to survive and thrive on planet Earth, we must - absolutely must - get our soil and water microbial communities back to a healthy, balanced state.

As established in the 2022 Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine article, Soil & Water: the foundation of life, soil and water are in a sacred marriage and support life on Earth; soil and water must be addressed in unison. Healthy well-structured soil is a living, breathing ecosystem and retains significantly more water than depleted soil. Additionally, healthy soil absorbs, filters, and removes contaminates from water as it flows to aquifers. In return, water keeps a healthy soil ecosystem hydrated.

Though its topic is water security, this article inherently addresses soil within the water discussion.

Water Security
Though water is abundant on our blue planet, less than one percent is fresh water necessary to support land-based plants, wildlife, and humans. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA:)

Blue Planet image courtesy of
Science Learning Hub
The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet.
It's hard to imagine, but about 97 percent of the Earth's water can be found in our ocean. Of the tiny percentage that's not in the ocean, about two percent is frozen up in glaciers and ice caps. Less than one percent of all the water on Earth is fresh. A tiny fraction of water exists as water vapor in our atmosphere.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen, “Our planet is facing a triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. These crises are taking a heavy toll on oceans, rivers, seas and lakes,”

Water security is a crisis, pending in some regions and realized in others, that is wreaking havoc on the survival of civilizations and overall life as we know it on the Earth.

From an overview perspective, water security is broken down into three broad categories:

Quality/Quantity
Control/Ownership/Accessibility
Global Flooding & Sea Level Rise

LAI Global Water-Land Series Group

In January 2024, Holly accepted the invitation to serve as the Lambda Alpha International (LAI) Global Water-Land Series Group (Group) Co-Chair along with founding Co-Chair Jim Musbach. At Holly's invitation, Ei Advisors Brad Bass, Ph.D., Michael Barbour, Ph.D., Tim Rumage, Marina Olmos, and Durga Poudel, Ph.D. joined the Group to share their expertise.

For 2025, the Group intends to host a global webinar within each of the water-security categories:

Quality/Quantity - May 28, Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intricacy
Control/Ownership/Accessibility - Fall, The Colorado River Water Challenges.
Global Flooding & Sea Level Rise - Summer, Increased Global Flooding & Sea Level Rise

The Group is in the initial stages of exploring a webinar on Water Rights / Laws: differences and commonality across the nation.

In December, Holly celebrated her ten-year anniversary of LAI membership. From 2018 - 2023, Holly served on the LAI Global Executive Committee and while living in Atlanta served on the LAI Atlanta Chapter Board.

About LAI

LAI is the honorary global network for thought leaders

in all fields related to the preservation and sustainable development of land.

LAI is committed to excellence and high professional standards to make a difference. A value to members is knowing you are someone who helped make that difference.

Water Quality/Quantity*
Depleted available water supplies, whether from usage or contamination, are a growing crisis across the globe. Agriculture, rising global temperatures, and pollution are three of the many human-caused scenarios resulting in depletion of available fresh, clean water.

Chemical Farming

As water and soil are in a sacred marriage, conventional farming practices equally pollute soil, aquifers, and waterways.

In addition to causing nutrient-deficient food, the "cides"** and manmade fertilizers rich in nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, used in conventional farming seep into the soil. Eventually the toxins and excessive nutrients flow into the aquifers and/or waterways. Heavy rainfall and melting snow wash the "cides" and nutrients from the farmlands into streams, rivers, and other waterways.

In the U.S., the Mississippi River transports the "cides" and nutrients from the Midwest- and Southern-farming belts into the Gulf of Mexico. The excessive nutrients cause massive algae blooms that deplete the shoreline water of oxygen necessary to support marine life.

Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
Photo courtesy of Ocean Today

According to the 2021 NOAA article, Happening Now: Dead Zone in the Gulf 2021, Larger-than-average Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ measured, River discharge and nutrient loads contribute to size:

The Mississippi River is like a drainage system for your street, but it connects 31 U.S. states and even parts of Canada. These nutrients are ultimately funneled into the Gulf of Mexico, sometimes traveling more than a 1,000 miles downstream to start a chain of events in the Gulf that turns deadly.

The nutrients fuel large algal blooms that then sink, decompose, and deplete the water of oxygen. This is hypoxia, when oxygen in the water is so low it can no longer sustain marine life in bottom or near bottom waters—literally, a dead zone. And it happens every summer.

When the water reaches this hypoxic state, fish and shrimp leave the area and anything that can't escape like crabs, worms, and clams die. If the amount of pollution entering the Gulf isn't reduced, the dead zone will continue to wreak havoc on the ecosystem and threaten some of the most productive fisheries in the world.

On May 28, 2025, the LAI Group hosts the Agriculture, Water, Land Nexus: Unlocking the Intracity global webinar. Attendance is free yet registration is required. Ei Advisor Durga Poudel, Ph.D. is the lead speaker and Holly is the webinar moderator

Per Durga:

This webinar aims to explore the intricate relationships between agriculture, water quality, and land economics, with a focus on the Mississippi River Basin of the United States of America. It will provide a comprehensive overview of how agriculture contributes to non-point source pollution and the Gulf of Mexico’s hypoxia problem. Furthermore, it will examine the economic implications of water pollution on land values, especially in regions like Louisiana, where agriculture and waterways are vital to the economy and ecosystem.

In layman's terms, the webinar explains how chemical-based agricultural practices in the Midwest are responsible for the hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, commonly known as the Dead Zone.

Time-Released Fertilizers and Pesticides
With the common use of time-released fertilizers and pesticides in conventional farming came an unintended consequence: the flooding of micro and nanoplastics into the soils from the plastic-coated capsules. ... and what goes into the soils eventually ends up in the aquifers and waterways.

In May 2022, the Center for International Environmental Law published a report on the plastics in the soils, Sowing a Plastic Planet: How Microplastics in Agrochemicals Are Affecting Our Soils, Our Food, and Our Future. From the astonishing report:

Plastics are everywhere in agriculture, from greenhouse films and landscaping fabrics to crop coverings and product packaging. Many of these uses provide pathways for plastic contamination. But the application of plastic-coated agrochemicals to soils and crops directly introduces microplastic into the environment and potentially into the food supply. It also compounds the health and environmental hazards posed by agrochemicals themselves.
One of the least known and most concerning sources of microplastic pollution is their deliberate addition to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides used in industrial agriculture.

Microplastics disintegrate into nanoplastics that are capable of segueing through cell walls. Thus, plants may join the animal-protein food contaminated with plastics. The micro and nanoplastics will run-off the fields or filter through the soil causing plastic contamination in our above and underground waterways.

As they use compost and other natural substances for crop nutrition and generally abstain from agrochemicals, organic and regenerative farms do not contribute to the tremendous plastics in the soils from plastic-coated capsules.

Water-Intensive Food
According to the New York Times (NYT) December 2023 article, How America’s Diet is Feeding the Groundwater Crisis, depletion of once abundant aquifers is due to America's increased consumer demand for cheese and chicken, mainly pizza and chicken wings.

Young dairy cows

In addition to an increase in exported chicken and dairy products, Americans ate an average of 100 pounds of chicken in 2022, doubling the annual consumption from 40 years ago. Beyond the water necessary for livestock-farming practices, water-intensive animal-feed crops, mainly soybean and alfalfa, are grown on the most arid lands in the American Midwest. Thus, once bountiful aquifers are nearly depleted.

With water-scarcity challenges in California, many dairy farmers moved their California operations to high-dessert states like Idaho where regulations were less stringent on water usage. Before the dairy-farm migration in the 1990's, Idaho enjoyed a bountiful aquifer that supported life in the arid climate. Yet, over the past decades, the dairy farms along with animal-feed crops severely depleted the aquifer to a dangerous, cautionary state.

According to the NYT article, "Idaho recently joined Wisconsin and California in an elite club: States that produce at least 1 billion pounds of cheese annually; each pound of cheese produced requires, on average, 10 pounds of milk. And the cows producing that milk need to eat high-protein foods, including water-intensive alfalfa."

While Idaho's water woes are caused by dairy ranching, in Arkansas, America's chicken headquarters, once bountiful aquifers are stressed by the expanding chicken farms and the related row crops to feed the fowl. Over the past decade, the value of the state's largest agriculture commodity doubled to an estimated $6.3 billion.

Additionally, the vast amount of chicken waste often pollutes local water.

* The majority of the Water Quality/Quantity section is an excerpt from the January 2024 RiA Magazine article, What We Eat Matters.

** "cides" are defined as herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides

Control/Ownership/Accessibility
Even if there is ample water available, other human-caused hindrances may prohibit accessibility to the water. Control of the water through land ownership, public policy, agreements/contracts, and laws may limit access to water otherwise available for use.

Property-Owner Water Rights
Water rights may be as simple as a property owner has the right to access ground water beneath their land. Yet, in areas where water is scarce and/or in a crisis, there are often strict laws and policies governing the access and removal of ground water, no matter the land ownership. Water rights do not equate to ownership; they are similar to a permit for legal use water for a specified purpose in predetermined amounts.

In addition to ground water, water rights also apply to surface water in streams, rivers, and lakes.

The Landgate FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Water Rights article discusses the differences in water rights across the United States as follows:

Water rights vary significantly across the United States due to the country's diverse climate and geographic conditions. The legal frameworks governing water rights have evolved to address these regional differences, leading to a variety of systems and laws.
In the Eastern U.S., water is generally more abundant. Therefore, the riparian doctrine is commonly used, which allows landowners whose property adjoins a water source to use that water, as long as it doesn't harm other users. This system is based on shared access and reasonable use.
Conversely, the Western U.S. experiences more arid conditions, making water a scarcer commodity. Here, the doctrine of prior appropriation is more prevalent. This system grants water rights based on a "first in time, first in right" principle, meaning those who first divert water for beneficial use have priority in times of scarcity.
These differences are rooted in the varying needs and challenges posed by the local environments. Therefore, understanding the regional nuances of water rights is crucial for landowners across the country.

When water flows across state lines, state laws are no longer applicable; in these cases, water rights are governed by interstate compacts, court decrees, or congressional acts that dictate how the water use is allocated among the impacted states. With the depletion of accessible water in many regions, "water wars" among states are common.

Colorado River Basin
Originating along the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park, the Colorado River flows approximately 1450 miles to its destination in the Gulf of California in Mexico. According to the Bureau of Reclamation:

Colorado River, a river in crisis
Photo: The Nature Conservancy
The Colorado River is a critical resource in the West, because seven basin states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) depend on it for water supply, hydropower production, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and other benefits. Although agricultural uses depend on 70 percent of Colorado River water, between 35 and 40 million people rely on the same water for some, if not all, of their municipal needs. Moreover, the United States also has a delivery obligation to Mexico for some of the Colorado River waters pursuant to a 1944 Treaty with Mexico.

The University of Southern California February 2023 article, The water wars of the future are here today: Seven thirsty states, including California, are fighting over the dwindling waters of the Colorado River. USC experts look at how we got here — and why this was inevitable opens with the statement: Once hailed as the “American Nile,” the Colorado River spans 1,450 miles and supplies nearly 40 million people across seven states plus northern Mexico with drinking water, irrigation for farmland and hydroelectric power. But after decades of drought and overuse, major reservoirs along the river are drying up.

Once abundant, the Colorado River is in severe crisis and no longer able to nurture the seven states and northern Mexico with adequate water for agriculture, hydropower, recreation, and drinking water.

The LAI Group intends to host a global webinar in late 2025 on the land economics challenges associated with the dwindling Colorado River flow. Group Co-Chair Jim Musbach is the webinar lead; the webinar will address ownership, public policy, and executed agreements that impact the Colorado River Basin water crisis.

Tri-State Water Wars
The disputes over control of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin-water flow culminated in a 2021Supreme Court ruling that favored Georgia where the headwaters originate. Known as the Tri-State Water Wars, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida vie over rights of the ACF river basin waters. Additionally, Georgia and Alabama dispute water rights within the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa Basin.

Chattahoochee River Walk in Atlanta
photo courtesy of Explore Georgia

In the north, the Chattahoochee River uses are heavily urban- and recreation-oriented; after originating in the North Georgia Mountains, the Chattahoochee River flows through the metro-Atlanta region. In 1956, the Army Corps of Engineers completed Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River north of Atlanta to create Lake Lanier, a reservoir used for recreation and drinking water. Buford Dam marks the beginning of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area with the Bowmans Island Unit.

Fun fact: the Flint River originates literally under Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, once the busiest airport in the world. The RiA Magazine article, The Flint River: a river ready to regenerate, gives an overview of the river's origins and current challenges. Flowing unimpeded for nearly 220 miles, the Flint River is one of forty rivers in the nation that flows unimpeded for more than 200 miles. In the 1970's, the Georgia Natural Areas Council named the Upper Flint River Georgia’s “Most Scenic River.” Beyond recreational purposes, the Flint River is known for its vast biodiversity.

The Flint River joins the Chattahoochee River at the Georgia-Florida border to form the Apalachicola River, which flows on to the Gulf of Mexico.

South of Atlanta and into Florida, the water-use issues mainly relate to environmental concerns. According to Dan Tonsmeire, Apalachicola Riverkeeper:

"The Apalachicola River, floodplain and bay comprise one of the most biodiverse and productive riverine and estuarine systems in the northern hemisphere. The historic natural function and cultural heritage of the surrounding communities remain intact much of the way it has been for generations of commercial fishermen on one of Florida's last working waterfronts. This ecosystem and its people are truly an American treasure."

Reduced water flow in the Apalachicola River is the result of up-river water management, drought, and channel revisions. Lower water levels severely impact the local ecosystem and the oyster fishery.

As the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Georgia in the long-standing water dispute with Florida, the reduced water flow into the Apalachicola River continues to wreak environmental and ecosystem havoc.

Global Flooding & Sea Level Rise

Atmospheric River
photo courtesy: Scientific American

Warming global temperatures are the culprit underlying increased global flooding and sea level-rise challenges. Warm air holds more moisture than cooler air and contributes to extreme rain events including atmospheric rivers and hurricanes. In early 2023, multiple atmospheric rivers caused major flooding in Southern California, the California Central Coast, Northern California and Nevada.

Glacial and ice sheet melts result in sea level rise and coastal flooding.

From the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) article Why are floods hitting more places and people?:

According to research from NASA, the proportion of people across the globe living in flood-prone areas has risen by 20% to 24% since 2000 — 10 times greater than the number previous models had predicted, as climate change drives extreme rainfall, rising sea levels and more intense hurricanes.

Often heatwaves and droughts precede heavy rains creating dehydrated soils; dry soils do not absorb water well, often erode into waterways during rain events, and increase the chances of flooding.

The EDF article shared some startling facts:

$4.7B - average cost per U.S. flood event, river basin or urban, from excessive rainfall — aside from damage caused by tropical storms, 1980-2021.

25% - share of critical infrastructure in the U.S., such as police stations, airports and hospitals, at risk of becoming inoperable due to flooding.

21.8M - number of U.S. homes and businesses in harm’s way — 67% more than the number on federal flood-risk maps

River Flooding
Interior land flooding is generally caused by extreme rainfall, glacial melts, earlier and faster snow melts, dam failures, and manmade infrastructure. Deforestation, wetland destruction, and urban areas filled with impermeable surfaces prevent the land from absorbing excess river or lake waters; the result is increased flood levels.

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene moved north through the Gulf around 100 miles off the Florida Central Gulf Coast. Helene made landfall as a massive Category 4 Hurricane in Florida's Big Bend Region. After making landfall, Helene traveled north causing catastrophic damage in the North Carolina western mountains and other areas; the destruction path was 500-miles long.

Located in Western North Carolina, Asheville and nearby communities were devastated by Hurricane Helene. According to the Global Water Forum article, Examining the historic flooding in Western North Carolina:

Western North Carolina is no stranger to heavy rainfall, but its mountainous terrain and river valleys make it particularly susceptible to flooding. The topography funnels water into rivers and streams, which can swell rapidly during intense rain. Hurricane Helene’s rain fell on already saturated ground, and the runoff quickly turned into flash floods that tore through the region.

Overall, property damage costs from the flood are estimated to be up to US$47.5 billion, affecting thousands of homes and businesses in Asheville alone.

The flooding also wreaked havoc on Western North Carolina’s ecosystems. The Great Smoky Mountains and the surrounding national parks experienced significant landslides that disrupted habitats and threatened local wildlife.

As floodwaters rushed through forests and river valleys, they carried away soil and uprooted trees, leaving behind a scarred landscape. In addition, the sediment-laden floodwaters flowed into streams and rivers, clouding water and affecting aquatic habitats.

Blue Ridge Parkway hurricane damage
photo: Asheville Citizen Times

The Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-miles scenic highway connecting the Shenandoah National Park (near Waynesboro, VA) to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (near Cherokee, NC), was completely closed due to fallen trees, landslides, and infrastructure damage.

On October 29, 2024, a DANA weather event near Valencia, Spain, the third largest Spanish city, caused the Turia River to release up to 300,000,000 cubic metres (390,000,000 cu yd) of water into the city. A total of 224 individuals died in the region; according to the Bank of Spain, the 2024 flooding cost Spain's financial sector over $20 billion.

Per the Royal Meteorological Society's article, Cut-off lows, cold drops and DANA:

In Spain, the DANA storm system forms when warm moisture-laden winds off the Mediterranean Sea get dragged under the stagnant pool of cold air sitting in the cut-off low higher up in the atmosphere. That creates an unstable environment, allowing huge storm clouds to quickly form, made even bigger by the mountainous topography. The warmer the waters, the bigger the storms and the heavier the rainfall. Which, thanks to the near-stationary nature of the DANA, is released over the same area.

A warming climate exasperates naturally occurring weather systems into catastrophic events causing monumental urban, environment, and economic destruction. The above examples occurred across the globe in varying topography and via different weather events.

Sea Level Rise
Warming global temperatures, melting glaciers and ice sheets along with thermal expansion are the primary drivers for sea level rise. When ocean waters warm, water and other molecules move at a higher velocity causing them to take up more space. According to NASA's Understanding Sea Level article, thermal expansion accounts for approximately one third of sea level rise.

As stated in the NOAA article, Is sea level rising? Yes, sea level is rising at an increasing rate:

Global sea level has been rising over the past century, and the rate has increased in recent decades. In 2014, global sea level was 2.6 inches 67 mm above the 1993 average—the highest annual average in the satellite record (1993-present). Sea level continues to rise at a rate of about one-eighth of an inch 3.2 mm per year.

Sea level rise has severe implications for coastal communities including flooding, shoreline erosion, loss of wetlands and marshes, and displacement of urban development. Salination of surface waters, aquifers, and coastal soils is another grave concern.

Once it enters coastal aquifers, sea water contaminates the fresh water for many of the human uses including drinking water, agriculture irrigation, and hydration for livestock. A contaminated aquifer, whether from sea water, micro and nanoplastics, or toxic substances, is difficult to nearly impossible to cleanse. Thus, a portion of the less than 1% of fresh water on our blue planet is declining.

From the June 2024 LAI Introduction to Water & Land Economics Global Webinar moderated by Holly, LAI Sacramento Chapter member Jay Lund, Ph.D., Vice Director, Center for Watershed Sciences & UC Davis Distinguished Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, provides insights related to coastal community survival within the sea level-rise scenario:

"We have a saying in ecosystems for aquatic ecosystems, at least in estuaries. that elevation is destiny; I think that is going to be true. The urban coasts will probably harden like the Dutch have done over 1,000 years or so. Some coasts are too expensive to harden, and we will simply let them go.
Sea-level rise is a particular challenge for barrier islands and places subject to hurricanes, like the entire Florida coast.
The big coastal cities that have ample resources, are very well organized, and have access to tremendous expertise will still face sea-level rise challenges. It' will be fairly expensive for them to raise their waste facilities, their drainage systems, and their wastewater-discharge systems. Additionally, the cities must protect their land from flooding."

From the same webinar then Ei Advisor and LAI FL Suncoast Chapter member Steve Suau, P.E., Consultant at Carbon Life, stated:

"Many coastal communities have what we refer to as "sunny-day flooding" during a King Tide, an exceptionally high tide during a full moon. Based on the orientation of the moon to the earth, King Tides will be more frequent starting around 2030.
Most homes and buildings on the barrier islands are elevated due to hurricanes and are expected to fare well with sea-level rise. Planning for the infrastructure including roads, utilities, water & sewer lines, and lift stations is underway. Yet, roads can only be elevated so much. Sea-level rise is an exceptional challenge for the barrier islands.
... and sea-level rise will have a huge impact real estate values."

Over the past century, sea levels in downtown Annapolis, Maryland rose over one foot, more than twice the global average. Nuance flooding, or sunny-day flooding as Steve refers to it, is commonplace with sections of the Annapolis City Dock now flooding approximately100 days annually.

Annapolis flooding
photo: Patch

In 2019, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley formed a City Dock Committee consisting of nearly 100 residents, experts, and stakeholders. After numerous meetings, the Committee issued a report recommending that the Hillman Garage is rebuilt in conjunction with redevelopment of the City Dock via a public-private partnership.

As stated in the Access Annapolis About The Project page:

On the City Dock side, this $71* million infrastructure project, funded through federal and state grants and the Public Private Partnership (P3) concession payment from the rebuild of Hillman Garage, will help protect the historic downtown from the impacts of flooding for the next century. On the Compromise Street side, a $16* million pumping project will be installed to push the water away from roads and buildings.
*Estimated figures – subject to change due to factors including labor and materials.

Upon completion, a combination of a berm, walls, and gates will provide eight feet of flood protection. In addition, the nearby Naval Academy recently completed $37MM of flood walls, and a future section will tie-in with the City’s project.

According to LAI Eastern Region VP Nathan Betnum, a financial consultant on the Annapolis City Dock project with a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Planning, "The City of Annapolis is among the national leaders in dealing with flooding in an historic community."

Glacial Melt
According to the World Wildlife Fund article, Why are glaciers and sea ice melting?, 10% of land area on the Earth is covered with glacial ice. Rapid glacial melt in Antarctica and Greenland influences ocean currents; massive amounts of very cold glacial-melt water enters warmer ocean waters and slows ocean currents. As ice on land melts, sea levels continue to rise.

Melting glacier
Photo: Geology page

The Greenland ice sheet is disappearing four times faster than in 2003 and already contributes to 20% of current sea level rise. Alarmingly, if 100% of Greenland's ice melted, global sea levels would rise by 20 feet.

In addition to sea level rise, glacial melt and warmer water shift ocean currents, impact weather events, dilute the ocean's salinity levels, and disrupt fresh water supplies as well as wildlife habitat and feeding abilities.

Mountains, often referred to as Water Towers, are critical to the Earth's fresh water supply with sources stating that 60% of the accessible fresh water is attributed to mountains, mainly via snow and ice melts. Though snow melts are seasonable and in theory replenishable, when glacial ice melts the fresh water supply released is gone with no replenishment.

Though Antarctica and Greenland glaciers are often a primary focus, there are over 200,000 mountain glaciers spread across the globe. Mountain glaciers play a critical role in global weather patterns and support more than 2 billion people with fresh water, food security, livelihoods, and cultural traditions.

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) caused by rapidly melting glaciers devastate mountain villages as well as communities and agriculture compounds located near the mountain base.

Emphasizing the significant role glaciers play on many fronts, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation to raise awareness on the vital role glaciers, snow, and ice play in the climate system and water cycle, as well as the far-reaching impacts of rapid glacial melt. UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are the lead agencies overseeing the UN's efforts.

In the Himalayas, a mountain range that separates the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau and contains some of the highest peaks on the Earth, glacial melt is further compounded by black clouds or "atmospheric brown clouds" over the mountains. The toxic clouds are caused by black carbon aerosols from biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion that disperse into the atmosphere; the clouds further warm the Himalaya mountain peaks, increase glacial melt, and deposit toxins into the ground snow.

Within the water security categories, examples were provided that showcase the pending or realized crisis for fresh water on our blue planet. Though the scenario seems dire, solutions emerge within holistic global approaches and invoking collective consciousness. The RiA Magazine article, Collective Consciousness: a movement, a solution, introduces collection consciousness and gives examples of how it is incorporated within Ei's empowering work.

Yet, collective consciousness begins with individual and group consciousness. Ei Advisor Michael Barbour, Ph.D.., a renowned aquatic ecologist, reminds us "The world that our children's children inherit depends on the decisions we make today!"

Collective Consciousness: a movement, a solution
As humanity toils with significant survival challenges – rising sea levels, extreme weather, diminished fresh, clean water, excessive toxins and pollution, and more – ancient wisdom emerges from within the chaos with a message: collective consciousness is a solution. Working together in a holographic manner where ALL benefit is a must to ensure survival.

ALL is defined as the entire spectrum of living species and ecosystems as well as inanimate earth resources. Within humanity, ALL refers to the various societal structures and ensuring that the worker population is treated with dignity, respect, and cared for with the necessities of food, shelter, and clothing.

Though the current environmental and water crisis may seem overwhelming, there are ample actions whose impact is negligible on an individual basis yet tremendous from a cumulative perspective. Individuals are consumers whose dollars vote for their choice in products, manufacturing standards and practices, and treatment of the labor force. To maintain profitability, companies and organizations must provide products and services that the consumer is willing to purchase.

When consciousness shifts, structural paradigms rearrange and solutions not previously available reveal themselves. With open hearts, individuals may collectively shift possibilities and probabilities and invoke a world where the pending to realized water-security crisis segues into water abundance.