Innovative Slovakian hydrologist Michal Kravčík gives an introduction to his New Water Paradigm and the critical importance of regional or “small” rainwater cycles. The result is a set of empowering ecological concepts that enable people everywhere to secure clean and adequate water, prevent floods and drought and moderate local climate, simply by harvesting rainfall. Since the 1990s he has demonstrated these concepts in his native Slovakia.
Presented at the Restoring Water Cycles to Reverse Global Warming conference October 16th-18th, 2015 at Tufts University.
1. WATER FORWATER FOR THETHE
RECOVERYRECOVERY
OF THE CLIMATEOF THE CLIMATE
–– A NEW WATERA NEW WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
Michal Krav íkč
NGO „People and Water“ Slovakia
14. • humanity accelerateshumanity accelerates
the runoff from landthe runoff from land
• more solar energy ismore solar energy is
transformed intotransformed into
sensible heatsensible heat
• draining of land can bedraining of land can be
reversed throughreversed through
comprehensivecomprehensive
conservation ofconservation of
rainwaterrainwater
• renewal of small waterrenewal of small water
cycles over land cancycles over land can
temper extremetemper extreme
weather events andweather events and
ensure a growth inensure a growth in
water reservewater reserve
•
15. OLD WATEROLD WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
protects surfaceprotects surface
water as thewater as the
main sourcemain source
and reserve ofand reserve of
waterwater
NEW WATERNEW WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
protectsprotects
rainwaterrainwater inin
ecosystem isecosystem is
the mainthe main
reservereserve ofof
waterwater
www.waterparadigm.orgwww.waterparadigm.org
16. OLD WATEROLD WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
soil sealing hassoil sealing has
minimalminimal
influence oninfluence on
climate changeclimate change
NEW WATERNEW WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
soil sealingsoil sealing hashas
importantimportant
influence oninfluence on
climate changeclimate change
www.waterparadigm.orgwww.waterparadigm.org
17. OLD WATEROLD WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
Water expertsWater experts
areare
rresponesponsible forsible for
catchmentcatchment
managementmanagement
NEW WATERNEW WATER
PARADIGMPARADIGM
CommunitiesCommunities
areare
responsible forresponsible for
catchmentcatchment
managementmanagement
18. m o r e c l o u d sm o r e c l o u d s
mmoreore groundwatergroundwater rechargerechargemmoreore groundwatergroundwater rechargerecharge
m o r e a i r h u m i d i t ym o r e a i r h u m i d i t y
m o r e s o f t r a i nm o r e s o f t r a i n
m o r em o r e ee vv aa pp oo rr aa tt ii oo nn ff rr oo mm ll aa nn
dd
more vegetation and biodiversitymore vegetation and biodiversity
NEWNEW WWATER DEALATER DEAL
The first of these is the principle of solidarity (the principle of water tolerance), which means that along with the design and implementation of measures which have an impact on the runoff conditions from a territory, it is necessary to take into account the Tolerance, partnership, subsidiarity
whole watershed area. Measures implemented in one territory cannot worsen the situation downstream or upstream in the watershed region.
The principle of partnership means that an analysis of the situation in the area of runoff levels from a territory (community, town, region, watershed and the like) and important decisions related to proposed measures for increasing the water-conservation ability of a catchment area and decreasing the process of erosion, only take place after discussions and mutual agreement of all deciding partners in the basin—administrators of water flows, agriculturalists, forest rangers, representatives of communities and town, landowners and experts. Anti-erosion projects and technological measures for increasing the water conservation capability of a water catchment area should be prepared and carried out in a partnership.
The principle of subsidiarity as defined in the Middle Ages and applied in the EU, in this case means that with practical administration and protection of water resources in a territory and in a watershed, that what can be done better by a lower level of public administration should be left to be handled on this level. This principle points to the need for effective decentralization of activities which can be better, faster and more cheaply handled by local or regional self-government.
autoregulation of natural processes, which means that the effect of an initial and one-time investment into the implementation of measures aimed at improving the water balance in an area should gradually each year show an improved quality of the natural environment and should raise the effectiveness of other local measures implemented in the territory.
The principle of a sustainable solution is bound together with this principle. Carrying out these mentioned measures helps eliminate some of the reasons for unwanted climate changes caused by human activities. Thus, better living conditions and a better environment for future generations will be created, the natural potential of the territory will remain the same and the protective and autoregulating functions of ecosystems will be preserved.