You may not realize it, but we have a water shortage problem in the Seattle area. People often view the Seattle and Pacific Northwest Region as having frequent rainfall and a very wet climate. It is true that the Seattle area gets a lot of rain, but this does not mean we are immune to the effects of climate change and that we do not have our own risk of extreme water shortages.
Climate change and global warming are rapidly reducing the snowpack in the Pacific Northwest. Did you know that the glaciers we see year-round on the Olympic Peninsula are expected to disappear entirely by 2050 due to global warming? Similarly, the amount of snowpack in the Cascade Mountains has been reduced by 30% in the past 75 years. Were you aware that 53 glaciers have disappeared in the Cascades since 1950? The current snowpack in the Cascades is expected to reduce by an additional 25% by the year 2050. This will directly impact the outdoor recreation people have come to enjoy in the Cascade Mountains, but there is an even more critical effect. Melting snowpack provides the Seattle area with the majority of the water supply. Global warming causes less snow and more rain. Unfortunately, getting more rain than snow will cause significant water shortages in the region because there will be much less water provided by melting snow over the spring and summer months. This important source of water is expected to be reduced by 65% by 2050.
As a result, climate change will have a massive effect on the primary uses of water in our region. Not only will our drinking water become more limited, but many recreational activities we enjoy regularly will be impacted. Also, natural aquatic habitats and wetlands will be significantly reduced, hurting countless wildlife species in the area. Agriculture is very important in Eastern Washington, and these activities will also be greatly impacted as water becomes more scarce and food prices are forced to rise. Lastly, most people do not realize that 60% of the hydropower consumed in the US comes from the Pacific Northwest region. With water shortages, this power supply will become more limited, and utility costs will likely increase.
Hopefully, I have gotten your attention and increased your awareness of the threat of a water crisis here in the Seattle area. It is important for all of us to take more responsibility to conserve water. Here are seven easy water conservation tips we can all implement in our everyday lives:
- When you brush your teeth, do not run the water the entire time. Just use quick bursts of water to clean your toothbrush. This reduces the water used for brushing your teeth by 80%.
- Only run full loads in your dishwasher and when doing laundry in your washing machine.
- Water lawns every three to five days in the summer, and do not run any household irrigation systems during the spring, fall, and winter.
- Quickly repair any water leaks that appear in any of your faucets or appliances. A leak can easily consume 10,000 gallons of water in a year.
- Limit your shower to a maximum of four minutes. Reducing your shower by one minute will save 900 gallons of water each year.
- Keep drinking water in a pitcher in the refrigerator rather than running the tap water until it gets cold when you want a drink of water.
- Rinse vegetables in a bowl of clean water rather than run them under water. This will use up to 80% less water.
Conserving water is everyone’s responsibility. Doing these seven simple things in each household would save millions of gallons of water each year. The only way we will avoid a water crisis and preserve our incredible outdoor recreation areas is by having everyone do their part!
Please take responsibility to preserve this important natural resource that we love so much here in the Seattle area! Thank you.