Mission: Magazine, Issue #3 - The Magazine that Addresses Critical Water Issues

WATER
HEROES
A System Out of Balance
Trouble in a Land Down Under
Protecting the Public
Focus on Harmful Algae
Bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef
CAFOs in North Carolina
On the Frontier of Science & Education
ISSUE 3 | Summer 2017
Philippe Cousteau
& EARTHECHO INTERNATIONAL

HEADLINEIN THIS ISSUE
2
HEADLINE
3Who’s Minding the Planet?
MISSION: WATER STAFF
Surface Water
04 Water Blogged: Stories from the Web
06 Let’s Get Social: Comments from the Field
08 Clever Kayak Rig Navigates Tricky Bathymetry Challenge
20 Research & Education on the Mississippi River
26 Drone Data: The Perfect Storm
30 Protecting the Public: CAFOS in North Carolina
Focus on Algae
14 Under the Microscope with Dr. Stephanie A. Smith
18 Infographic – HABs: An Unbalanced Equation
Water Heroes
36 Voice of Water: Interview with Philippe Cousteau
44 EarthEcho International: Nonprofit Programs
46 Infographic – Life Takes Water
Ocean & Coastal Waters
48 Environmental Effects of Shipping in the Baltic Sea
52 Seventh Wonder: The Great Barrier Reef
58 Breaking Ground in the Atchafalaya River Basin
Xylem Spotlight
62 STEM Student Visit and the River Mobile
64 Infographic – Climate Change and Wastewater
66 Technical Tips: Understanding BOD Measurement
Cover Photo: Phillippe Cousteau Jr.
Credit: EarthEcho International
36 14
48
52 30
Share your story in our next edition:
MissionWater@Xyleminc.com
F E A T U R E • S T O R Y
FOCUS
on Algae
GREATBARRIER REEF
THE
Copyright © 2017 Xylem Inc. All rights reserved. The publishers have made every effort
to ensure the accuracy of the information in this magazine.
Timothy A. Grooms
Director of Marketing - Xylem Analytics, NA
In this Issue
I’m excited to report that Mission: Water is emerging as a significant forum for those with a passion for protecting our most
valuable resource–water. And as always, I’d like to thank all of the contributors to this and previous editions who have shared
their stories, science and expertise. Without your involvement, this publication would not be possible.
In our 3rd
edition we highlight the exceptional work of EarthEcho and its founder, Philippe Cousteau. It’s a truly inspirational
story of how a strong will and vision can engage the next generation of environmental stewards. We also continue to cover
stories from across the globe, including grassroots efforts to monitor Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs),
high speed monitoring on the Baltic Sea, and much more!
We hope you enjoy the magazine. Let’s continue to solve the world’s most challenging water issues, “Let’s Solve Water”.
Steve Werblow
Staff Writer
Luke Giroux
Staff Writer
Ben Sutter, YSI
Contributing Writer
Chris Iarossi, SonTek
Contributing Writer
Dr. Anders Tengberg, AADI
Contributing Writer
Vitad Pradith, HYPACK
Contributing Writer
Chris Cushman, YSI
Research Associate
Patrick Higgins, Xylem
Digital Marketing
& Social Manager
Sarah Piwinski
Bryan Hughes, EarthEcho
Guest Writers
Ted Kratschmer
Louise Jett, NGRREC
Guest Writers
Lindsey Muzzio, Waterkeepers
Guest Writer
Brandon Smith
Executive Editor
Brandon.Smith@Xyleminc.com
Patrick Beatty
Creative Director
Patrick.Beatty@Xyleminc.com
Theresa McGeady
Content Director
Theresa.McGeady@Xyleminc.com
Brittany Danek
Associate Editor
Brittany.Danek@Xyleminc.com
Editorial Staff: Magazine Contributors:
Emily Jensen
Associate Editor & Designer
Emily.Jensen@Xyleminc.com
#WaterHeroes

HEADLINE
4
WATER BLOGGED
Patrick Higgins, Digital Marketing & Social Manager
Patrick.Higgins@Xyleminc.com
Water Blogged
How a Bus Ad Was the Start
of a Beautiful Friendship
It sounds like the start of a romantic comedy, the
ultimate “meet cute” setup—a lovely friendship starts
from random glances at a bus stop. But that's exactly
how Justin Stockley, the Southeast Asia Surface Water
Manager for Xylem in Perth, Australia, connected with
nearby Edith Cowan University (ECU).
Driving his daughter to basketball practice, Stockley
noticed a splashy advertisement for ECU’s School of
Engineering plastered across the back of a city bus.
There, larger than life, an eager young student was
pictured beside the university’s flume. Dominating
the frame was a SonTek FlowTracker Acoustic Doppler
Velocimeter (ADV).
Get Ready
Beside the FlowTracker was the headline “Get Ready,”
the driving ethic behind ECU School of Engineering's
practical focus. With 27,000 students—including
4,000 international students representing more than
100 countries—ECU is home to the fastest-growing
engineering school in Western Australia.
Intrigued, Stockley contacted ECU to find out what they
were doing with the FlowTracker...
Comparing the YSI ProDSS vs EXO
Water Quality Meters
(Transcribed from a Facebook Live event)
Patrick: Today, we are joined by two of our most eminent
product managers, in the left corner, Laura St. Pierre, and
in the right corner, Dr. Stephanie Smith. They're going to
help me answer a question today that we get frequently
through our website, "What's the right water quality
monitoring platform for me?” Is it Laura St. Pierre's
ProDSS sampling system, or is it Dr. Stephanie Smith's
EXO platform?
Laura: The ProDSS itself is really compact in size and any
sensor can fit into the ports. You can measure up to 17
parameters and its designed for creeks, rivers, streams,
coastal applications and groundwater. If you need help
monitoring water quality, the ProDSS can help you. It's
compact and can be operated with one hand. So it's
really designed to be portable. The idea is that you go
out and spot sample with this product.
Stephanie: And I have what we consider the Cadillac
product of the EXO line. This is called the EXO2 sonde. As
you can tell immediately, it's a lot larger than the ProDSS,
and that's because it's really made for completely
different applications. First of all, it's really made for
long-term deployment, to be placed in a stream for up
to 90 days, depending on what you're measuring. It has
data logging capabilities internally...
Get the full story: bit.ly/FlowTracker2 Get the full story: bit.ly/ProDSSvsEXO
Excerpts from our most popular posts.
Sharing in the love of water,
join us for more stories at:
YSI.com/blog
Benefits of Using a Bubbler
to Measure Water Level
Whether you’re purchasing a water level measurement
instrument for the first time, or looking to add another
to your collection, it is always beneficial to understand
the different options available. We have received a
few questions about the new YSI Amazon Bubbler and
decided to do a brief overview about bubblers and the
benefits they provide for water level monitoring sites.
First, What is a Bubbler?
Simply put, bubbler systems measure water level
based on the amount of pressure it takes to push an
air bubble out of an orifice line (plastic tubing) and into
the water body. This pressure, often referred to as the
“line pressure”, requires changes with the elevation of
the water. As the water elevation rises and falls, so does
the line pressure needed to discharge bubbles. The line
pressure value, measured in psi, is then converted into
the desired units of measurement to represent water
level from the point of discharge to the water’s surface.
Why Use a Bubbler for
Water Level Measurement?
The benefits of the continuous bubble are response
and accuracy. When stage (water level) increases, the
bubbler senses this change...
Get the full story: bit.ly/AmazonBubbler
For more on the
EXO3 Platform:
YSI.com/EXO3
info@ysi.com
+1 (888) 726-3194
• Best Antifouling
• Best Design
• Best Price
THE RIGHT SONDE
AT THE RIGHT PRICE

START
4:45 PM
8/15/2017START
4:45 PM
8/15/2017
Ausable River Association
HEADLINE
MISSION: WATER6
SOCIAL SHARES HEADLINE
7#WATERHEROES
SOCIAL SHARES
Social
SharesRecycle Bin
@SwirlingSands
Ausable River Association: A little rain doesn't stop us from studying the
watershed. Brendan spent ten hours out in the rain yesterday collecting samples
and data from six lakes. Here he is at the end of the day on Lower Cascade Lake, the
saltiest lake in the Adirondacks.
Diana R. Di Leonardo: Barnacles are my
nemesis. Crunch, scrape, crunch.
#biofouling #science #womeninscience
@TheH20Institute @YSIinc
Diana R. Di Leonardo: Clean and ready
to go again. All hail vinegar!
#science #womeninscience
#Iheartcoppertape
Projects
Contact Us
MissionWater@Xyleminc.com
@USGS_Kansas
@MappingNetwork
@USGS_Nevada
USGS Kansas: Chantelle enjoying sunny #KS
weather while taking a routine measurement
at Big Bull Creek near Edgerton. #FieldFoto
The Mapping Network: #POSTDREDGE
#SURVEY using @HYPACK @TrimbleNews
#R10 and #Odom on a beautiful day!
USGS Nevada: Hydrographer Letalik took
the ADCP for a walk yesterday at
10293500 E #WalkerRiver
facebook.com/myYSI
YSI.com/blog
linkedin.com/company/ysi
youtube.com/ysiinc
twitter.com/YSIinc or @YSIinc

The lake created for the Lake Forest subdivision is
completely surrounded by private property, making
access difficult for surveyors.
Photo: Dr. Bret Webb
Bret Webb of the University of South Alabama is a master at cobbling
together clever solutions in challenging situations. When he realized he
couldn’t launch his instrument-laden JagSki watercraft at Lake Forest,
he rigged a bathymetry-surveying kayak—the JagYak.
MISSION: WATER8
HEADLINESURFACE WATER
9
Who’s Minding the Planet?
It was a small lake, but a big challenge.
Covering about 43 acres (17 ha), the
lake is at the center of the Lake Forest
subdivision in Daphne, Alabama and
is completely surrounded by private
property. Bret Webb, associate professor
of Civil, Coastal and Environmental
Engineering at the University of South
Alabama, was starting a month-long
study of sedimentation in the lake to
help authorities evaluate flood storage
capacity and potential restoration
activities, but he was having trouble
reaching the water. There was no public
boat access, and thick vegetation
prevented surveying elevations above
the water level.
CLEVER KAYAK RIG
NAVIGATES TRICKY
BATHYMETRY CHALLENGE
STEVE WERBLOW
THE JAGYAK

Down to the bottom of his budget, Bret Webb built his
own sediment sampler from PVC plumbing parts.
The PVC sleeve contains a SonTek M9, used to
survey the lake bottom; the orange SonTek CastAway
provided quick conductivity, temperature and depth
data for correcting sound-speed variations.
MISSION: WATER10
11
JagSki Challenge
When his team had completed what it could accomplish on
foot, it was time for Webb to launch his JagSki, a Kawasaki
Ultra LX personal watercraft outfitted with a SonTek
HydroSurveyor/RiverSurveyor-M9 Acoustic Doppler Profiler
(ADP) and YSI Portable SeaKeeper multiparameter sampling
system. With a top speed of 40 knots and the ability to run in
just a few inches of water, Webb figured the maneuverable
JagSki would make quick work of mapping the lake bed.
Getting the JagSki into the lake ended up being a bigger
challenge than expected. Webb attempted backing down a
footpath to the lake, but the path’s angle was too steep, and
Webb ended up cramming the impeller and water intake full
of mud and vegetation, disabling the JagSki. Recovering the
craft from the lake, he also damaged his trailer and hitch.
Webb realized he needed a more nimble approach.
Resourceful
Like the hero of the television series MacGyver, Webb is a
master of cobbling together clever fixes with the tools close
at hand. Instead of working with paper clips and chewing
gum, Webb specializes in PVC and electronics. After all, he
had already built a JagSki. He just needed to find a suitably
lighter platform.
Inspired by literature he had read about kayak-based
surveying, Webb committed part of his grant money to
purchasing a kayak. Then he went to a home improvement
store to stock up on parts to mount the M9 to the hull. He
dubbed his creation the JagYak in honor of University of South
Alabama’s mascot, the Jaguars. The concept was simple, he
says, but confesses that making the first cut was tough.

“You go to the store not anticipating spending $600 on a
kayak, then the first thing you do when you go home is cut a
5-inch hole in the bottom. There’s a little trepidation there,”
Webb laughs.

After cutting a length of 5-inch (12.7-cm) PVC pipe to act as a
sleeve for the M9, Webb fashioned a collar that could fasten
on either side of the kayak’s hull to create a waterproof seal
around the instrument. Originally, he also constructed a
waterproof enclosure for his laptop in hopes that he could
reference the M9’s HydroSurveyor software as he paddled,
but the computer kept overheating during testing.

“It’s probably not smart to take a computer on a kayak
anyhow, so this was likely a blessing in disguise,”
Webb concluded.
Onboard Capabilities
Instead of running the system through his laptop on the
water, Webb utilized the dual-function capability of the M9,
switching from its HydroSurveyor mode—which would have
enabled him to navigate with a display of his line plan on his
laptop screen and view his measurements in real-time—to
its RiverSurveyor function. The switch allowed instrument-
based datalogging of depth and velocity readings that Webb
processed afterwards on his laptop, which was left safely in
his truck during his survey forays to the lake.

Isaac Jones, product manager at SonTek, notes that the
M9 offers users the choice between RiverSurveyor or
HydroSurveyor mode.

“RiverSurveyor and HydroSurveyor modes are different
firmware packages for the M9 hardware, allowing users
to optimize the system for their needs,” Jones explains.
“RiverSurveyor firmware optimizes the M9 to emphasize
velocity measurements and calculate discharge."
HydroSurveyor mode is optimized for depth measurement,
with less emphasis on velocity, and displays real-time and
historical data on a map. That makes HydroSurveyor mode
better suited for bathymetry. Users specify the package they
want when they purchase an M9, and can unlock the other
mode if their needs change—for instance, if they need to
switch from river measurements to lake bathymetry surveys.
Webb’s JagYak offered mobility, shallow-
water access, and a highly maneuverable
platform for his SonTek M9 acoustic Doppler
profiler and home-made sediment sampler.
Photos: Dr. Bret Webb
Counting Strokes
Counting his paddle strokes and navigating by compass
and transect plan printouts, Webb was still able to follow
his survey plan. And because the water level in the lake
was constant, vertical data from absolute RTK (Real Time
Kinematic satellite navigation) were not necessary, he notes.
He just surveyed the water level into NAVD88 and corrected
the measured depths to accurate labeled elevations.

The M9 uses five of its nine acoustic beams at a time—
selecting the optimum frequency for sampling conditions at
the moment—to measure five discrete depths in a 50-degree
swath. The ADP is equipped with an integrated GPS, so each
data point is geolocated.
In all, between wading measurements and data from the
JagYak, Webb’s bathymetric survey included position and
elevation measurements for more than 12,000 discrete
locations.

Webb supported his M9 data with readings from a CastAway-
CTD, a palm-sized instrument from SonTek that provides
vital data for correcting sound-speed variations in depth
and velocity readings—a vital step in ensuring accurate
depth measurements. Lowering the CastAway and reeling it
back up at a steady rate provides geolocated conductivity,
temperature and depth readings for the water column.

“Even though there were no salinity changes in the reservoir,
there were certainly temperature differences, and even some
conductivity differences, that could affect the speed value,”
Webb points out. “There were a couple of deep spots right in
front of the dam where there was a fairly substantial change
in temperature [with depth] in those holes."
“I would never collect data without using a CTD profiler,” he
adds. “And since I was on a kayak, the CastAway CTD was
ideal due to its size and built-in GPS.”
Stretching the Boundaries
Bret Webb built the ideal sampling platform to map shoals
and pools in Daphne, Alabama’s Lake Forest—mounting a
9-beam HydroSurveyor/RiverSurveyor-M9 Acoustic Doppler
Profiler on an ocean kayak. But before his JagYak touched the
water, he had to tackle another challenge with a computer
rather than pipe adhesive.

“We needed to determine the volume of sediment that had
accumulated since the time of construction,” he explains.
“To do that required a comparison of two surveys:
pre-construction and present-day."

“The only pre-construction survey we had was from 1958,
and while of very good quality, it did not have any coordinate
reference or stated vertical datum,” Webb notes.
“Furthermore, the survey contained no recognizable features
or landmarks that could be used for geo-referencing, because
the entire area has changed substantially due to development
since 1958!"

“We had to get very creative,” he says.

Ultimately, Webb and his team found a U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) quadrangle map from about the same year as the
pre-construction survey, and stretched and scaled the 1958
survey over the map until the 20-foot contours of both charts
were in perfect alignment. Webb could then geo-reference
the 1958 survey using known coordinates from the USGS
quadrangle.
In all, Webb and his team manually digitized more than 800
elevations from the 1958 survey. That set the stage for a
12,000-point survey of Lake Forest and a new understanding
of sedimentation in the system.

For historical water quality and
meteorological data from the Lake Mead
monitoring platforms, please visit:
nevada.usgs.gov/lmqw/index.htm
The M9’s HydroSurveyor mode allows users to track their
survey patterns on an onscreen map in real time. Without his
laptop, Webb counted his paddle strokes and navigated by
compass to maintain his pattern.
Data: Dr. Bret Webb
Webb’s creativity extends well beyond clever workshop
projects. To chart changes in lake bottom elevations, he
manipulated a 1958 survey map to exactly fit a 2016 USGS
quadrangle map.
Data: Dr. Bret Webb
MISSION: WATER12
Massive Buildup
Webb’s study of the lake bottom indicated that more
than 313,000 cubic yards of sediment have collected in
Lake Forest since 1958, an accumulation of approximately
16,200 tons per year. Depth has been reduced by 5 to 10
feet in most of the lake, and pool volume has been reduced
by 55 percent since development began—from 356 acre-
feet in 1958 to less than 197 acre-feet in 2016.

The lake has experienced significant sediment buildup
on more than 78 percent of its area; shoals of five feet
or more have built up on more than 19 acres of the lake
bottom. At the same time, significant erosion has occurred
in front of the dam, leaving deep pools that are susceptible
to low dissolved oxygen levels. If that hypoxic water is
drawn to the upper levels of the water column by wind or
surface cooling, it could be released into the spillway and
discharged into Mobile Bay, Webb notes.

Quantifying the massive buildup of sediment in Lake
Forest was an important step in helping decision makers
understand the lakes potential role in capturing floodwater
and its expected reserve of sediment storage. Through
his survey, Webb determined that the lake had enough
capacity to capture sediment for the next 90 years at the
rate it has been flowing since it was built. Quantifying the
amount of sediment already in the lake also helped him
estimate the staggering cost of dredging and sediment
relocation. With Bret Webb’s detailed maps in hand,
decision makers will have a great tool for planning the
future of Lake Forest—made possible by a scientist with a
creative mind and a talent for improvisation.
Attracting Alligator Attention
Mapping Alabama’s Lake Forest in a modified kayak provided
University of South Alabama’s Bret Webb with a detailed
bathymetric survey. It also provided a few thrills.

“I have never before worked in an area with so many active
alligators,” Webb says. “They were very curious the entire
time we were working, especially the little baby alligators. So
every time I attracted the attention of a baby alligator, I was
quickly looking around to find out where big momma was!”
southce.org/bwebb
bwebb@southalabama.edu
@dr_bw
Speak with an applications expert:
+1 (858) 617-0584 • sontek.com
For videos, papers and testimonials:
sontek.com/riversurveyor
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MISSION: WATER14
HEADLINEFOCUS on ALGAE
15
HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES
FOCUS on ALGAE
UNDER the MICROSCOPE
Q&A with Dr. Stephanie A. Smith
Dr. Stephanie A. Smith
YSI Product Manager, holding an EXO3 Sonde
BACKGROUND:
B.S., Biology, Missouri State University, Springfield
M.S., Biology, Missouri State University, Springfield
Ph.D., Microbiology, The Ohio State University
INTRODUCTION:
Dr. Stephanie A. Smith is a Product
Manager at YSI. She works with customers
and a team of engineers to develop water
monitoring technology for the scientific
community. Her diverse experience in
academia, contract research, and as an
entrepreneur are all leveraged to bring the
best new water monitoring technologies
to the marketplace.
EXO Total Algae Smart Sensor,
measures both chlorophyll and the
blue-green algae pigment phycocyanin
Q. What inspired you to work in the water field?
Dr. Smith: Around 10 years ago, I attended a few talks at the
WEFTEC conference in Chicago. One in particular was about
the water-energy nexus and it focused on how water and
energy are inextricable industries and concepts.
Sustainable energy, food shortages and world hunger are all
global issues, but all of these things are tied to one limited
resource, water.
That conference was a turning point for me and I decided that
my career would always be about water. So a company like
Xylem, with the motto "Let's Solve Water," certainly seemed
like a great fit!
Q. Did you know microbiology was your calling
from the beginning or did it find you?
Dr. Smith: It was quite accidental because as an
undergraduate I worked more in wildlife biology and
mammalogy. I continued those studies with my master's
thesis project focusing on armadillos. Armadillos were
beginning to migrate into Missouri, which we know now was
an early sign of climate change.
We were investigating their digestive physiology to better
understand feeding habits and the microbiology of the gut
was a central component to the project. I’d never taken a
microbiology class at that point, so my master's thesis work
really led me there.
I realized I had a knack for microbiology and so did one of my
advisors, who suggested that I go on for a Ph.D. Some of the
best advice I ever got!
Q. Why do algae get a bad rap these days?
Dr. Smith: Because of toxic algae and harmful algal blooms.
Algal blooms such as red tides have always been with us, but
they never occurred with the frequency and intensity we see
today. The frequency and intensity of freshwater harmful algal
blooms has never occurred the way we see it now, either. So,
all algae get a bad rap, but, really, we're to blame for creating
such an imbalance in the environment.
Q. What are some of the negative impacts of
freshwater algal blooms and what impact do they
have on our communities?
Dr. Smith: People always talk about the toxins in freshwater
environments, but modern drinking water treatment largely
limits our exposures to these toxins. Much of the focus is on
the toxins because the word itself inspires fear and helps to
get press and eyes on the issue. However, my opinion is that
other effects of freshwater algal blooms are not adequately
being talked about.
Anoxia is the big one. With rapid blooms, there’s a significant
level of algal growth and then that biomass dies off almost
as fast as it sprung up. When those algae die, heterotrophic
degradation of the dead algae consumes the oxygen that was
dissolved in that water at a rate much faster than oxygen can
dissolve naturally back into the water from the atmosphere.
So, you get an anoxic environment in short order, leading to
fish kill and the noticeable odors that result from dead fish
washing up on the shore.
Homes, hotels and restaurants located by lakes are also
affected by the overwhelming stench of rotting algae (or fish),
hurting the local real estate market, businesses, and tourism.
In addition to these economic impacts,
the environmental impact of anoxia is
significant, as we’ve observed with the
hypoxic zone where the Mississippi River
spills into the Gulf of Mexico. Restoring
balance to these hypoxic or anoxic zones
in our waterways is a great need, but
it’s a hard one to explain to the public.
The economic impacts I described are
easier to communicate, and create
the opportunity for us to address the
environmental impacts at the same time.

MISSION: WATER16
HEADLINEFOCUS on ALGAE
17
HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES
FOCUS on ALGAE
Q. What about the effects on community drinking
water supplies?
Dr. Smith: There are many! However, it's my belief that an
inappropriate level of attention is placed on the impact of
algal toxins on drinking water. In drinking water one impact
that these blooms have, and which doesn't get its fair level
of attention, is taste and odor compounds--like geosmin and
MIB (2-methylisoborneol).
When there’s a large bloom in a drinking water reservoir,
a properly managed, modern facility is going to remove
all of the toxins and all of the algae, but often they get
overwhelmed with those taste and odor compounds, and you
can taste that at the faucet. It's an unpleasant musty taste in
the water.
These compounds are not health hazards, except in
extremely high concentrations, but the water plant now has
to either find an economically viable solution for removing
the compounds, or deal with the onslaught of customer
complaints. People don’t always appreciate that our public
utility managers are really in the business of customer service.
Taste and odor problems drive costs up for them, and prices
for consumers.
Q. How do scientists track algal blooms?
Can we predict them?
Dr. Smith: In the last few years, some technologies have
developed that do allow us to predict them. NOAA has the
best system for doing this right now. They're using satellites to
monitor pigments they can visualize from the water’s surface.
Chlorophyll and phycocyanin are both fluorescent pigments
that are used by algae for photosynthesis and you can see
these pigments with satellite technology. The challenge
with that is it's only what you can see on the surface and
only what's unobstructed by clouds, trees, or structures,
so these data must be ground-truthed by instruments like
multiparameter sondes.
Both sondes and satellite technologies are so sensitive that
they can detect a bloom coming on before we can see it with
the naked eye. Fluctuations in pigment concentrations are an
indicator of fluctuations in the algal populations.

NOAA uses the pigment data with sophisticated computer
models to forecast blooms. These models incorporate a
holistic approach, measuring parameters such as rainfall,
runoff events, and nutrient loads. They can get surrogate
measurements of some of those parameters with sondes
and other in situ measurements.
Q. Adoption of continuous nutrient monitoring
has been slow due to the cost of these instruments.
What can industry do to help?
Dr. Smith: That's a factor of how technology evolves.
Leading-edge innovation comes at a high price.
When I was an undergraduate, you couldn't buy a computer
and put it in your backpack to bring to school. It took many
years before that technology could be miniaturized and put in
a form that was portable and accessible to the wider public.
It's the same with nutrient monitoring technology related to
HABs (Harmful Algae Blooms). Today there are deployable
spectrophotometers and fluorometers that can be used to
look at HAB-stimulating nutrients, but their price puts them
out of reach for most organizations.
It’s inevitable that businesses like YSI will come up with a way
to make these nutrient sensors more accessible to a wider
community of scientists.
Q. Do you foresee the frequency and intensity of
HABs increasing over the next decade in the U.S.?
Dr. Smith: Honestly, it depends on our political will to do
anything about the causes. If we don't get serious about
addressing the issues associated with climate change and
introduction of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen into
our waterways, blooms will continue to get worse. Algal
blooms used to be a rare thing. Now, over 70% of surface
waters in the U.S. have experienced an algae bloom.
Think about that for a moment. They used to be almost
unheard of and now they even occur in moving bodies of
water like rivers and streams.
There is a huge body of scientific evidence and publications
connecting this issue to increasing global temperatures,
changes in the seasonal cycles, and other effects of climate
change. So, if we don't do something to try to stem that tide,
this trend is not going to reverse itself.
Want to hear more
from Dr. Smith?
Reach out to her at:
Stephanie.Smith@Xyleminc.com
Q. How can scientists work with the agricultural
community to help address HABs?
Dr. Smith: I'm a little bit at odds with the scientific
community on this topic. I can't argue against the reality
that agricultural-based runoff of nutrients is clearly an issue
driving algal blooms. But, I also grew up in a rural community,
so I know that farmers, by their nature, are good stewards
of the land. It's their livelihood, so to argue they are just
irresponsibly over-fertilizing is not reasonable. Why would
they waste their money like that, and why would they
willingly hurt the waters that support their livestock
and families?
The productivity that farmers need per acre today is about
20-fold of what it was 100 years ago. How are they going to
keep up? How are they going do that if they can't fertilize?
Soon enough there will be nine billion people on this planet.
How are we going to feed them?
Pointing the finger at the farm community and agriculture is a
very myopic view of the HAB issue. We have an ever-growing
population and fewer and fewer resources to feed that
population. So, it's a much bigger issue than regulating runoff.
I've never met a farmer that wouldn't comply with those
kinds of regulations. They're willing to do it, but we've got to
provide them with sustainable tools for doing that.
They've still got to meet
certain productivity
targets to feed us all.
There is a huge body
of scientific evidence...
connecting this issue
to increasing global
temperatures...and
other effects of climate
change...
This trend is not going
to reverse itself.

i
Paerl & Paul (2012) ii
Backer & Miller (2016) iv
Dodds et al. (2009)
iii
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (https://www.whoi.edu/redtide/regions/us-distribution)
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased in both frequency and intensity in the last
two decades, driven by climate change and activities that introduce growth-stimulating
nutrients into waterways. It’s important to understand the inputs that contribute to these
blooms, and the concerning outputs of HABs.
Yearly economic losses, resulting from
freshwater blooms, of
$2.2 BILLION
in the U.S. alone.iv
Harmful algal blooms were recorded in
ALL 50 U.S. STATES
in the past decade.iii
Between 2007 and 2011, Departments of
Health / Environment from 13 states reported
Of the 67 cases, 63 were possibly associated
with or conﬁrmed to be associated with
exposure to freshwater HABs.
in canines related to HAB toxins.
67 CASES OF POISONINGS
Common HAB
Cyanobacteria Toxins
• Anabaena
• Aphanizomenon
• Cylindrospermopsis
• Dolichospermum
• Microcystis
Microcystins: Liver
Dermatoxins:
Skin & Mucous Membranes
Cylindrospermopsins: Liver
Anatoxins: Nervous System
Saxitoxins: Nervous System
Inputs: Nutrients i
Outputs: Economic Impacts
A SYSTEM
OUT OF BALANCE
Outputs: Toxins and Health
Toxin Impacts on Wildlife ii
Inputs: Meteorological Conditions
Nitrogen and
Phosphorus from
Agricultural Runoff
Sunlight High Temperatures Low Winds Stagnant Waters
Natural Sources of
Nutrients: Atmospheric
and System Bound
Wastewater Discharge,
Septic Leakage and
Animal Manure
38 CASES WERE FATAL
58%
fatality rate
i
Paerl & Paul (2012) ii
Backer & Miller (2016) iv
Dodds et al. (2009)
iii
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (https://www.whoi.edu/redtide/regions/us-distribution)
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased in both frequency and intensity in the last
two decades, driven by climate change and activities that introduce growth-stimulating
nutrients into waterways. It’s important to understand the inputs that contribute to these
blooms, and the concerning outputs of HABs.
Yearly economic losses, resulting from
freshwater blooms, of
$2.2 BILLION
in the U.S. alone.iv
Harmful algal blooms were recorded in
ALL 50 U.S. STATES
in the past decade.iii
Between 2007 and 2011, Departments of
Health / Environment from 13 states reported
Of the 67 cases, 63 were possibly associated
with or conﬁrmed to be associated with
exposure to freshwater HABs.
in canines related to HAB toxins.
67 CASES OF POISONINGS
Common HAB
Cyanobacteria Toxins
• Anabaena
• Aphanizomenon
• Cylindrospermopsis
• Dolichospermum
• Microcystis
Microcystins: Liver
Dermatoxins:
Skin & Mucous Membranes
Cylindrospermopsins: Liver
Anatoxins: Nervous System
Saxitoxins: Nervous System
Inputs: Nutrients i
Outputs: Economic Impacts
A SYSTEM
OUT OF BALANCE
Outputs: Toxins and Health
Toxin Impacts on Wildlife ii
Inputs: Meteorological Conditions
Nitrogen and
Phosphorus from
Agricultural Runoff
Sunlight High Temperatures Low Winds Stagnant Waters
Natural Sources of
Nutrients: Atmospheric
and System Bound
Wastewater Discharge,
Septic Leakage and
Animal Manure
38 CASES WERE FATAL
58%
fatality rate
18
HEADLINE
MISSION: WATER
ALGAE INFOGRAPHIC
19
HEADLINE
ALGAE INFOGRAPHIC

HEADLINE
20 MISSION: WATER
SURFACE WATER HEADLINE
SURFACE WATER
Photos: NGRREC
EDUCATION
TED KRATSCHMER & LOUISE JETT
A YSI PISCES platform basks in the sun outside the "raceways"
which allow investigators to test water in a variety of conditions.
RESEARCH &
EDUCATION
ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
The National Great Rivers Research &
Education Center (NGRRECSM
) studies major river
systems, the watersheds that feed them and the ties to the
communities that use them. Founded in 2002 as a partnership
of Lewis and Clark Community College and The University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the center operates from the Jerry
F. Costello Confluence Field Station in East Alton, Illinois (at
the confluence region of the Mississippi, Missouri and
Illinois Rivers).
NGRREC is strategically located to study large rivers and their
watersheds. The center is located geographically near the
midpoint of the Mississippi River, with rich cultural, industrial
and natural resources, and a history of human habitation
of the floodplain and reliance on the river dating to the
Mesolithic Period.
“The confluence of the Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri
Rivers have provided a natural framing of the settlement of
the Western Hemisphere dating back more than 10,000 years
ago,” said Lewis and Clark Community College President and
NGRREC Board Chair Dale Chapman.
“Complex, urban cities existed more than 1000 years ago at
Cahokia Mounds, which is now a World Heritage Site."
In more modern times:
• The Lewis and Clark Expedition embarked from the
confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers on their
expedition in 1803.
• Rocky Fork is documented as an underground railroad
safe harbor in 1816.
• Elijah P. Lovejoy defends the first amendment and is
martyred in 1837.
• Benjamin Godfrey founds Monticello College as one of
America’s first colleges for women in 1838.
• The Lincoln-Douglas debate takes place in 1858.
• Scott Bibb defends integration of schools in the 1890s.
"These are all ways of defining the impact the confluence
region has had on our deep river history,” Dale concluded.

MISSION: WATER22
Photos: NGRREC
The state-of-the-art Jerry F. Costello Confluence Field Station was awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, officially making it a gold standard of sustainable building.
Over the years, dams and levees have been built to allow for
economic development along the rivers. In doing so, much
of the natural lands have been converted to agriculture
and urban areas and many of the natural processes of the
ecosystem have been damaged. The research and education
NGRREC does adds to the understanding of these processes
to inform decision-makers for policy reform, leading to a more
sustainable river.
Making an Impact
NGRREC is a small organization, with a staff of around 30
people, and uses a model of partnership and collaboration
to extend its reach. The research, education and outreach
teams work closely with many partners, including academic
institutions, government agencies, nonprofit organizations,
and industry.
“Thousands of people are served by our educational
programming with the goal of developing a river and
freshwater educated public to support better management
and policy,” said Executive Director Gary Rolfe. “Our
comprehensive water quality program showcased through
Great Lakes to Gulf, an integrated, geospatial water quality
database, and the Great Rivers Ecological Observatory
Network (GREON) monitoring program provide the
foundation with effective and targeted water quality solutions
for the future.”
GREON exemplifies the type of collaborative work being done
at NGRREC. Partners at the Illinois Natural History Survey,
a part of the University of Illinois, had been taking discrete
water quality samples for more than 20 years as part of
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Upper Mississippi River
Restoration Long Term Resource Monitoring project. Because
of the interval between these discrete samples collected
over a wide spatial range, changes happening on a short time
scale, such as a flood pulse over a week’s time, would not be
captured in that discrete data. Continuous monitoring using
field-deployed instruments are an amazing complement to
this already rich data set.
NGRREC worked with YSI Integrated Systems to come up
with a turnkey solution as a proof of concept for continuous
monitoring of mid-channel water quality. The PISCES
platform, outfitted with a YSI EXO2 sonde, UV nitrate
sensor, weather sensor and data logger, was first tested in a
backwater channel connected to the Mississippi River and
performed admirably. NGRREC’s goal was to monitor water
quality along the entire length of the Mississippi River, and
eventually to create partnerships with monitoring rivers
around the world. Throughout the next few years after that
first test, NGRREC was able to purchase and deploy a total
of seven fully outfitted PISCES platforms. Three of these
units are on the main channel of the Mississippi River, two
on backwaters contiguous with the river, and two are on
reservoirs in the watershed. These continuous monitoring
stations have done well to fill in the data gaps from
discrete sampling.
Above: Research teams from NGRREC combine educational outings with practical data-gathering missions.
Below: A YSI PISCES platform, one of seven such fully integrated monitoring platforms, deployed by NGRREC.

MISSION: WATER24
Photos: NGRREC
A Swarovski Waterschool educational workshop, featuring field exercises,
works towards expanding awareness of local water quality issues.
The mission of the Great Rivers Ecological Observatory
Network program has shifted slightly with NGRREC’s
work in the area of Gulf Hypoxia and the transport of
nutrients through the watershed. A bigger emphasis is
being placed on the nutrient monitoring component of
the network, and with the emergence of the USGS’s very
large network of sensors on big rivers and tributaries,
GREON does not have to focus as many resources on
general monitoring of the main channel. The mobile
nature of the floating platform has allowed the research
team to be opportunistic and, if desired, move units
to address specific research questions. Eventually, the
program aims to expand the deployment of platforms to
great rivers across the globe.
Great Lakes to Gulf
The GREON program is augmented considerably by
another collaborative project at NGRREC, the Great Lakes
to Gulf Virtual Observatory. This interactive geospatial
application allows users to view data and geospatial
context layers from many publicly available sources on
a common map-based interface. Great Lakes to Gulf
supports the activities of the EPA’s Hypoxia Task Force,
as well as the activities undertaken by state agencies
in their nutrient reduction strategies, providing a user-
friendly way to view nutrient and water quality data.
There are many data sets available with measurements
taken at thousands of sites in the Mississippi River
Watershed. These data sets can be hosted in any number
of databases across the internet, and are made available
for all interested parties.
The observatory brings many of these data sets
together and allows anyone to explore data and learn
more about the hypoxia issue. Site enhancements will
continue to make that exploration and learning easier
while furthering the projects goal of facilitating the
transformation of data to knowledge and having that
knowledge inform policy.
Furthering Education
NGRREC is also home to the newly-established Swarovski
Waterschool USA Mississippi River, the first and only one
located in the United States. Swarovski set up its first
Waterschool nearly 16 years ago along the Danube River
in Austria to teach children and local communities about
safe hygiene practices and the importance of freshwater
conservation. Water preservation has been integral to the
company since its beginning, more than 120 years ago.
The Swarovski Waterschool program educates children
(ages 8-15) and communities about the ecological,
economic, social and cultural issues that affect water use
on a local and global level, and provides clean drinking
water and sanitation in schools and communities. The
program now has footholds situated along many great
rivers of the world – the Danube (Austria), Ganges
(India), Yangtze (China), Nile (Uganda), Amazon (Brazil)
and now the Mississippi (United States). Working with
local partners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
schools and government partners, the program is focused
around the following three pillars – access to safe water,
water education, and sanitation and hygiene.
Award Winning Facility
Just as NGRREC’s scientists expand their impact through
collaboration, the Jerry F. Costello Confluence Field Station
is meant to attract visiting scientists with specialized
research equipment and meeting space. The facility
features offices, labs and research support tools.
One such tool is this large river mesocosm system,
consisting of three 60-foot-long pairs of 6-foot-wide
channels that can be set up in various configurations.
Water is pumped directly from the river through the
“raceways” allowing investigators to conduct studies in
manageable, controlled conditions. A companion indoor
wet lab is also available. A multipurpose conference room
overlooking the Mississippi River provides a stunning
backdrop and sense of place for bringing people together
to discuss the river, its issues and management of this
amazing resource.
There are many water and energy saving features in
the building, but as a river research center, the water
conservation features are highlights. The green roof, with
a minimum of 18 inches of soil, allows for a native prairie
habitat on a site that was once a barren brownfield. These
features, and others like them, are an attempt to practice
what the center preaches, and demonstrate best practices
in water conservation.
ngrrec.org
facebook.com/NGRREC
@NGRREC
NGRREC seeks to accomplish similar goals, connecting the
St. Louis Metro East Community with the Mississippi River
through varied educational programming, teacher workshops
and community engagement activities.
“Partnering with Swarovski to develop a Swarovski
Waterschool on the Mississippi River is an exciting way
to further our educational mission,” said Natalie Marioni,
NGRREC Director of Environmental Education and Citizen
Science. “This program will empower students to become
stewards of change within their river communities, providing
context for their relationship with the river by connecting
them with Swarovski Waterschool students along other major
rivers of the world, thus ensuring students better understand
water issues through both a local and global perspective.”
Get Involved
Those curious about NGRREC now have the opportunity to
meet some of the staff and explore the Jerry F. Costello
Confluence Field Station in East Alton, Illinois. NGRREC is
asking community members to attend its newest event,
Neighbor Nights @NGRREC, which will take place on the first
Tuesday of every month from 5:30-8 p.m.
“NGRREC will be open for you to come and go as you
please,” Environmental Educator Allison Rhanor said. “Feel
free to explore our lobby and classroom exhibits, our native
landscaping or take a stroll up to our green roof. A tour of the
entire building will take place at 6 p.m., and a short presentation
on a different river project each month will start at 7 p.m.
Attend one or both of these, or just drop by for a bit.”
greatlakestogulf.org
For more on the Great Lakes
to Gulf Virtual Observatory:
For more on NGRREC and the Jerry F.
Costello Confluence Field Station:

MISSION: WATER
HEADLINE
26
SURFACE WATER
27
HEADLINE
SURFACE WATER
An aerial view of the damaged Oroville Dam spillway as the California
Department of Water Resources gradually reduced the outflow from
the spillway from 50,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to zero on February
27, 2017. The reduction allowed work to begin to remove debris at the
spillway’s base and reduce water surface elevation in the diversion pool.
Photo taken February 27, 2017.
Dale Kolke, California Department of Water
Drone performs emergency survey to assess damage to California dam
Perfect Storm
Recent extreme flooding events in Northern California have
taken a toll on the state’s water infrastructure. The situation
was even more dire near Oroville, California where multiple
bouts of heavy rains – driven by atmospheric rivers blanketing
the area – caused water levels in a nearby reservoir to
drastically rise quickly.
One of these atmospheric rivers known as the “Pineapple
Express” brought heavy rains to the area and led to extensive
erosion and damage to the Oroville Spillway, a structure built
to control the flow of water in the region. When the Oroville
Dam’s spillway structure was compromised, an immediate
and timely assessment of the damage was needed.
Emergency response teams turned to on-site surveyors and
engineers to evaluate the damage. But where did these
professionals turn for survey grade data in their time of need?
They turned to tools and instruments they trust, because
the lives of a couple hundred thousand people depended on
informed decisions based on accurate data.
Downstream of the Oroville Dam is a region of northern
California that is home to hundreds of thousands of citizens.
Estimates report that if the Dam failed, a nine meter wall
of water would be unleashed onto these communities.
This precarious condition prompted the evacuation of an
estimated 180,000 people from their homes, as experts
feared a complete structural failure would result in
catastrophe. Valiant work crews kept up the fight to stabilize
the dam but in the end, Mother Nature won, forcing a
sequence of events that left severe damage to the Oroville
Dam Spillway.
Heroic work crews were able to stabilize the structure long
enough to see, firsthand, the forceful damage caused from
the event. The remains of the spillway left many of the first
responders in awe at the power of Earth’s most precious
resource, water. Crews immediately began the enormous task
of formulating a mitigation plan to stabilize the earth near
the spillway. However, any plan would not be effective unless
supported by accurate data and the expertise to collect and
interpret such information.
This was a very dangerous area, with steep terrains, obstacles,
and a loose foundation of waterlogged earth. Initially,
traditional survey methods were implemented using field
crews, but it quickly became apparent other tools were
needed to assess the damage in order to keep the team safe.
Thus, began the story of how a little blue drone (coincidently
resembling a flying hard hat) assisted surveyors and engineers
in their quest for survey grade data; important data that
would produce the critical information needed to help rebuild
the Oroville Dam and protect the residents downstream.
The NEXUS 800 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) powered
by HYPACK was designed to handle these exact scenarios. Its
foundation is built upon the underlying principle of turning
data into tangible information by leveraging the power
of real time sensor fusion. Marrying LiDAR sensing and
photogrammetry simultaneously limits the “dead time” by
streamlining the process of transforming data to meaningful
models of the landscape.
During events like these, crews weren’t just searching for
any tool, but rather, they were looking for the right tool. And
when the job demanded a high level of data quality with
a heightened safety awareness and precision operational
execution, they chose the NEXUS. This complex geography
was littered with eroded areas, marked with multiple gulleys
and deep crevasses. By leveraging the real time spatial
monitoring of an aerial vehicle, the team kept the survey
crews out of harm’s way, deploying response teams safely and
effectively around the unstable terrain.
Upon acquiring all the necessary data from the dam, the
team then utilized HYPACK software to rapidly process it.
The software automatically registers any spatially referenced
images to build a 3D map, which was then exported into
several different formats, required by the engineering teams.
That information was then used to predict the stability of the
area and the risk of public harm.
To the surveyors and engineers who worked at the Oroville
Dam - job well done! Xylem is honored and proud to support
your important work. As the California Department of Water
Resources works to rebuild the infrastructure at the Oroville
Dam and other dams in the state, your continued guidance
will be critical for protecting the public.
An urgent and critical need for accurate topographic data.
Oroville, California
The
Perfect Storm

MISSION: WATER28
29
Understanding Atmospheric Rivers
The U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) defines atmospheric rivers as narrow regions in the
atmosphere that are responsible for most of the horizontal
transport of water vapor outside of the tropics.
These events are responsible for 30-50% of annual
precipitation in the west coast of the United States and can
transport up to 15 times the average flow of the Mississippi
river to a region.
It’s all about the data.
When licensed professional surveyors and engineers from
eTrac, SurvTech Solutions, and Brunswick Engineering
needed a LiDAR enabled UAV, they leveraged the NEXUS
800. The acquired data were expeditiously processed and
disseminated to the mitigation teams for action within a
span of 36 hours—an incredible feat. More importantly, the
data set acquired by the NEXUS 800 agreed to within 5.5
centimeters of LiDAR data that overlapped in other areas
where traditional survey crews had previously
collected data.
An aerial view of Lake Oroville at 83 percent of capacity or 104 percent of
historical average, while the California Department of Water Resources released
water at 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the flood control spillway.
Photo taken on April 21, 2017.
Kelly M. Grow, California Department of Water
Learn more about atmospheric rivers at:
esrl.noaa.gov/psd/atmrivers
For more on the Nexus 800 Powered by HYPACK®
:
unmanned@hypack.com • HYPACK.com
AERIAL SURVEYING
Powered by HYPACK®
Take your aerial mapping to the
next level with the NEXUS 800!
This innovative end-to-end
solution represents a new
paradigm in Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (UAV) data collection by
seamlessly harmonizing LiDAR
data with photogrammetry.
• Aerial mission planning
• Aerial mapping
• Product creation
• Data acquisition
• Post processing
Applications:

AshevilleAsheville
Durham
Fayetteville
Wilmington
Durham
Fayetteville
Winston-Salem
Wilmington
Winston-Salem
CharlotteCharlotte
MISSION: WATER30
31
HEADLINE
SURFACE WATER
Photos: Waterkeeper Alliance
Learn more:
0
1 - 20
21 - 40
41 - 60
> 60
ewg.org/interactive-maps
Written by
Lindsey Muzzio, Communications and
Marketing Coordinator, Waterkeeper Alliance
Combating CAFOs
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are colossal facilities
where thousands of animals are raised for consumption. In the United
States, North Carolina is one of the top players when it comes to
production of swine and poultry by using these types of operations.
But, with that high ranking comes high risks for North Carolinians.
Massive facilities require massive waste management systems, like
these treatment pools, which present a variety of environmental risks.
Swine waste is regularly discharged
directly to surface waters.
Buzzard on a 'Deadbox'
at a NC swine facility.
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
North Carolina produces the second most hogs of any state
in the country. The state is home to more than 2,200 swine
CAFOs that confine an estimated 10 million hogs. Parts of
the state have the highest density of hog operations in the
world. In addition to hog operations, North Carolina produces
approximately 785.5 million broiler chickens per year, the
fourth most of any state, and approximately 34 million
turkeys, the second most of any state.
The problem that arises when raising a large number of
animals in a limited space is simple enough: animals generate
waste, but there is nowhere to put it. For hog and cattle
operations, which produce wet waste, the urine and feces
generated are collected in open-air, unlined pits often the size
of Olympic swimming pools. Across the state, there are over
15,000 of these cesspools brimming with swine waste.
After the wet waste is collected in these pits, it is sprayed
onto adjacent fields. In North Carolina, many of these fields
are in low-lying coastal plains with a high groundwater
table, where the fields have been heavily ditched for proper
drainage to facilitate crop production. Compounding the
problem, the waste is often sprayed in amounts far greater
than can be absorbed by crops.
The ditches in the fields act as conduits for pollutants such
as nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorous that lead to
harmful algal blooms) and fecal bacteria. These pollutants are
transported off-site and into public waters. Heavy rainfall or
high winds can also transport pollution into surface waters.
In addition to these impacts on water quality, CAFOs emit foul
odors and air pollution in the form of toxic substances like
ammonia and hydrogen sulfide as well as greenhouse gases
like methane.
Density of Animal
Feeding Operations
Number of Animal Feeding Operations
Because of their waste management practices, some
CAFOs pose an imminent threat to public health and the
environment in North Carolina, especially whenever a major
tropical storm or hurricane hits the state. Even the best-run
CAFO can’t stop rising floodwaters from transporting waste
from inundated sprayfields or breached lagoons into public
waterways. The water pollution in the state has reached
such an extreme level that American Rivers listed the Neuse
and Cape Fear Rivers (the source of drinking water for 40%
of North Carolinians) among their list of America’s Most
Endangered Rivers® for 2017. The reason they were listed
so high? Because of the significant number of CAFOs in the
rivers’ floodplains.
Pollution from CAFOs doesn’t just threaten the environment,
it lowers the quality of life for many North Carolinians.
Many scientific studies have confirmed and documented the
numerous health effects associated with living near CAFOs
in North Carolina. Waterborne health threats range from
the spread of disease through pathogens and bacteria in the
water, to methemoglobinemia (blue-baby syndrome) caused
by high nitrate levels in water. Airborne threats include
asthma and other respiratory disorders, which are common
especially in the young and elderly, as well as exposure to
antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant
staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Emissions of hazardous gasses
from CAFOs are linked to coughing, nausea, headaches,
burning eyes, and psychological impairments.
Riverkeepers are...working
tirelessly to keep our rivers,
lakes and streams clean.

MISSION: WATER32
33
HEADLINE
SURFACE WATER
Photos:WaterkeeperAlliance
Waterkeeper Alliance’s Pure Farms, Pure Waters campaign
focuses on educating the public and decision makers about
the impacts of and alternatives to industrialized livestock
operations, supporting communities and local farmers, and
advocating for sustainable food systems. We implement
the campaign in coordination with local environmental
organizations across the state that house Riverkeepers –
experienced advocates devoted to protecting a specific
waterbody in their community.
North Carolina communities need support because beyond
being a public health issue, this is an environmental
justice epidemic. Across the state, swine CAFOs are
disproportionately located in low-income communities and
communities of color. The percentage of people of color
living within three miles of an industrial hog operation is 1.52
times higher than the percentage of non-Hispanic Whites. In
September 2014, Waterkeeper Alliance took action against
this injustice in partnership with the NC Environmental Justice
Network (NCEJN) and the Rural Empowerment Association for
Community Help (REACH).
These groups filed a complaint with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) External Civil Rights Compliance
Office (ECRCO) against North Carolina’s Department of
Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), alleging that the state
agency violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by
issuing a permit that allowed for the operation of over 2,200
industrial hog facilities without sufficient protections to affect
neighboring residents. Title VI prohibits recipients of federal
funds - such as the North Carolina government - from taking
actions that have a discriminatory racial impact.
The challenged permit did not give adequate protections
for the African American, Hispanic and Native American
communities that bear the burden of living next to these
polluting operations. The agency nonetheless issued the
permits despite extensive evidence demonstrating the
negative impacts of the continued use of primitive waste
management techniques.
ECRCO began its investigation of the complaint in February
2015. This year, in a January 12th letter to NCDEQ, the
agency expressed “deep concern” that the state’s failure to
adequately regulate industrial hog operations has a disparate,
discriminatory impact on communities of color in eastern
North Carolina.
EPA’s “Letter of Concern” urged NCDEQ to take immediate
steps to address the discriminatory effects of the state’s
swine waste management system. “For far too long, NCDEQ
has prioritized customer service for the benefit of polluters
instead of environmental protection for the benefit of all
North Carolinians,” says Will Hendrick, Waterkeeper Alliance
Staff Attorney and Manager of its North Carolina Pure Farms,
Pure Waters Campaign. “We are glad EPA shared our concerns
and are hopeful that the new NCDEQ administration will view
this as an opportunity to take long overdue action.”
The letter to NCDEQ contained key recommendations
that the state agency should take, with immediate steps
to be implemented. EPA acknowledged that alternative
waste management technologies are available and would
decrease pollution and odor caused by the use of lagoon and
sprayfield systems. EPA further called on NCDEQ to institute
a “functioning nondiscrimination program,” including the
introduction of staff and procedures to handle complaints
from the public. NCEJN, REACH, and Waterkeeper Alliance
hope that NCDEQ will adopt these recommendations.
The letter from EPA to NCDEQ was a critical step toward
achieving justice and recently Waterkeeper Alliance was able
to put another win under its belt in Waterkeeper Alliance
v. Environmental Protection Agency. On April 11, 2017, the
DC Circuit Court ordered EPA to close a dangerous loophole
that has allowed hazardous substances released into the
environment by CAFOs to go unreported. “People have a right
to know if CAFOs are releasing hazardous substances that
can pose serious risks of illness or death,” says Kelly Foster,
Senior Attorney for Waterkeeper Alliance. “This ruling ensures
that the public will be able to obtain this information in the
future, and will hopefully spur EPA to start responding when
hazardous substances reach toxic levels.”
WATERKEEPER® ALLIANCE Gets Down and Dirty to Reel in Wins Against CAFO Pollution
Raw swine discharges have serious implications including fish kill and algal blooms.
Responding to Pollution Disasters
Waterkeeper Alliance has created a “Rapid Response”
initiative to guide its response to environmental disasters.
This ”Rapid Response” program is an innovative solution that
has provided trusted and independent emergency response
to disasters impacting waterways in North Carolina. The
program is focused on documenting and reporting impacts to
the public and governmental agencies. Waterkeeper Alliance
and North Carolina Riverkeepers utilized the model with
full efficacy when Hurricane Matthew throttled the state in
October 2016.
Responders immediately captured photos that showed the
submersion of sprayfields and breach of waste ponds at
industrial hog facilities throughout the coastal plain. They
closely monitored industrial meat production facilities where
threats to water quality and human health increased as
floodwaters inundated fields, drowned animals in barns,
and overwhelmed waste lagoons. The impact of Hurricane
Matthew was exacerbated by the presence of so many CAFOs
in the floodplain.
“Waterkeeper Alliance and its Riverkeepers are the eyes and
ears on the ground, working tirelessly to keep our rivers,
lakes, and streams clean,” says Will Hendrick. Without
Waterkeeper Alliance and the Riverkeepers efforts, the people
of North Carolina would not have been aware of the pollution
from industrial facilities for quite some time. Riverkeepers
were among the first responders to this environmental
disaster. They were able to quickly get data on the pollution
and its harmful effects to surrounding communities so
residents could protect themselves.
As climate change causes even more of these destructive
weather events, we cannot afford continued disasters to
North Carolina’s waterways and communities.
Waterkeepers are pressuring the state legislature to re-invest
in the removal of CAFOs from the 100-year floodplain, which
would significantly reduce the threat to our water resources
and communities posed by these facilities. As a result of
our advocacy following Hurricane Matthew, the NC General
Assembly allocated more than $2M to fund the voluntary
closure of swine facilities in the flood plain. This was the first
investment in the facility closure program in a decade.
Achievements of this magnitude are made possible by a
dedicated team of Riverkeepers throughout the state who
monitor the impact of CAFO pollution on our waters. The 14
Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates in North Carolina
spend every day standing up to polluters and protecting
local waterways.
One such Riverkeeper is Cape Fear Riverkeeper, Kemp
Burdette. His watershed contains 40 swine and 11 poultry
CAFOs, equaling approximately 94,000 head of swine and
1.3 million broiler chickens. For essential water monitoring,
Burdette relies on YSI instruments to provide quick and
accurate water-quality data that he uses to identify waterways
that are in trouble. He recently located a heavily impaired
waterway, which he expects to be added to North Carolina’s
303(d) list of impaired water bodies because of his collection
and submission of data demonstrating high concentrations of
bacteria. Once listed as impaired, a watershed-wide approach
to reducing pollution can be planned and implemented to fix
issues in the waterbody.
Waterkeepers are watchdogs that carry out air, ground, and
water monitoring on a weekly basis. They patrol in small
aircraft overhead to identify facilities breaking the rules and
target where to later perform water quality tests. They use
YSI water quality monitoring equipment to test pollution
levels in waterways and locate the source of pollution. Yadkin
Riverkeeper, Will Scott, says YSI equipment is critical to his
organization because it “helps us be mobile to monitor water
quality across our whole 7,221 square mile watershed.”
Waterkeepers are the ones in the field collecting the data
needed to hold polluters accountable.
Flooding from Hurricane Matthew in October 2016
compromised CAFO industrial waste ponds.
Monitoring programs undertaken by WATERKEEPER®
ALLIANCE ensure compliance with local laws.

MISSION: WATER34
HEADLINEGULF COAST HIGHLIGHTSSURFACE WATER
waterkeeper.org
facebook.com/waterkeeper
@waterkeeper
@waterkeeperalliance
Conclusion
At both the state and federal levels, efforts are underway to
roll back environmental regulations and impose extensive
budget cuts on environmental agencies. In such a climate,
the need for Waterkeepers to speak the truth about the
harmful impacts of water emergencies on communities has
never been greater. Data collection by Riverkeepers has
proven to be a successful way to advocate for policy changes.
North Carolina Riverkeepers will remain involved as long
as necessary to assure the health and safety of the state’s
waterways and communities.
About WATERKEEPER® ALLIANCE
Waterkeeper Alliance strengthens and grows a global
network of grassroots leaders protecting everyone’s right to
clean water. It is a global movement uniting more than 300
Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates on six continents
and focusing citizen advocacy on issues that affect our
waterways, from pollution to climate change. Waterkeepers
patrol and protect more than 2.5 million square miles of
rivers, streams and coastlines in the Americas, Europe,
Australia, Asia and Africa.
Illegal swine waste discharge, shown above, is being pumped into the tributary system upstream of
the CAFO facility and is the leading reason for the WATERKEEPER® ALLIANCE monitoring program.
You're invited to our FREE online training
program for the YSI ProDSS — built for the
most challenging field conditions.
Whether you just opened the box or
you've been using the ProDSS for a
few years, we guarantee you'll learn
something new from our experts.
ProDSS
On-Demand Training
info@ysi.com | +1 (888) 860-9465
YSI.com/ProDSS-Training
YSI.com/ProDSS-Training

HEADLINE
MISSION: WATER
WATER HEROES
36 37
HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES
WATER HEROES
Philippe and his wife Ashlan on expedition with
their organization – EarthEcho International –
energizing youth to change our planet.
Photos Courtesy: EarthEcho International
VOICE of WATERVOICE of WATER
Q&A with Philippe Cousteau
Philippe Cousteau has established himself as a prominent
leader in the environmental movement. An award-
winning television host, producer, author, speaker,
philanthropist and social entrepreneur, Philippe is the
son of Philippe Cousteau Sr. and grandson of Jacques
Cousteau. His life-mission is to empower people to
recognize their ability to change the world.
Philippe is the host and executive producer of
Xploration Awesome Planet, a new series that
airs every Saturday morning syndicated on Fox
and then Sunday free on Hulu. As a special
correspondent for CNN he has hosted several
award-winning shows including Going Green
and Expedition Sumatra.
In 2004 he founded EarthEcho International,
a leading environmental education
organization that is creating a whole new
generation of environmental citizens -
youth equipped with the knowledge to
understand environmental challenges,
critical thinking skills to solve them, and
the motivation to do so.
Discussing the Cousteau family legacy and empowering
the next generation of environmental stewards.
Filmmaker
Explorer
Teacher
Water Hero
Keynote Speaker
Environmentalist
Conservationist
Entrepreneur
TV Host
Author
Advocate
F E A T U R E • S T O R Y
ABOUT PHILIPPE

Philippe Cousteau Sr.
MISSION: WATER38
HEADLINEWATER HEROES
39
HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES
WATER HEROES
Q. Tying back to your family roots – what was
it like growing up in a family of explorers?
Philippe: My father passed away six months before I was
born. So, there was both inspiration and some tragedy from
an early age, but thank goodness I had my grandfather and
my mother there to support me.
My mother spent 13 years on expedition with my father.
So, between the two of them, and my father's films and
books, I was inspired. People may not remember, but [my
father, Philippe Cousteau Sr.] filmed, produced, and directed
26 episodes of the series The Undersea World of Jacques
Cousteau, which was popular at the time. He had his own
award-winning series, Oasis in Space and was as much of
a pioneer as my grandfather… he was the right hand to so
much that [Jacques Cousteau] did. He led conservation efforts
and was a global environmental advocate in his own right.
So, I was in that environment growing up and it was a huge
inspiration.
I always like to say first and foremost, I believe my father and
grandfather both left behind a legacy of problem-solving.
People think of my grandfather as this tall, lanky, Frenchman
- as a global visionary, and leader in conservation, an explorer,
a filmmaker, and all of these things, and he certainly was
all of those. But for me, he was a problem-solver. When he
started out as a young man, he had no ambition to explore
the oceans.
His goal and ambition, initially, was to fly with the Naval
Aviation Program. Unfortunately, he broke his back in a car
accident, which I like to call the most fortuitous or luckiest
car accident in history – both for the world because it
eventually changed history by setting him on a different
course, but also for me because all of the remaining members
of his Naval Aviation class were killed in the early days of
World War II.
If it wasn't for that car accident, I literally wouldn't be here, so
I'm grateful for it. And… the world would be a very different
place because he was told to swim in the Mediterranean
every day to rebuild his back strength.
He was struck by this [undersea] world that he saw and a
friend gave him a pair of homemade goggles to use. Those
weren’t things you could go down to the store and buy back
then. And he used those goggles to start freediving and
he became frustrated that he couldn't spend more time
underwater.
Some people may forget the only way we could explore the
oceans in the early 1900’s was through hard helmet diving
that you see in the old Jules Verne movies…or through
freediving. That was a problem [for Jacques] so he sought a
way to solve it.
To make a long story short, he met an engineer and they co-
invented scuba diving as we know it today. Then he wanted
to figure out ways to film what he was seeing underwater to
share the experience with others, so together they figured
out ways to create underwater cameras. So, every step along
the way, there was a problem that he sought to solve.
Eventually, over the course of a decade or more of diving
and exploring the Mediterranean, he saw all of these aquatic
environments for the first time and he was the first to show it
to the world.
At this point in time, most people knew very little about the
ocean. They only knew what we pulled out of it and ate, and
the trash we'd dumped into it. Over the course of a decade
or so, [my grandfather] witnessed a precipitous decline in the
health of the environment.
In the Mediterranean, in particular, the population explosion
post-World War II and corresponding trash, waste, and
overfishing threatened the ocean. It was shocking.
His thinking evolved from exploring the oceans to recognizing
he had a responsibility to protect them. So that's it...it's a long
answer, but it kind of gives a little bit of context to our family’s
thinking and how I grew up.
A young Philippe Cousteau Sr.with his father, Jacques.
Q. At what point, as a kid, did you start to realize
you were part of something bigger? Was there a
turning point where you said, "I want my life to
focus on advocating for the environment”?
Philippe: Yeah. Well, the best part of my job is that I'm able
to travel, see the world, explore, and learn new things. And it
really goes back to when I was about 16 years old and I had an
opportunity to go on an expedition to Papua New Guinea.
I was in the southeastern part of the island, diving on a
liveaboard with a researcher, Dr. Eugenie Clark, for two weeks.
The trip was just spectacular. Here we were in this incredible,
remote part of the world and we were doing research on a
couple of new fish species that Eugenie had discovered. And I
was thinking to myself, "My God, you can make a living doing
this. You're traveling and you're seeing these amazing places-
why would I want to do anything else?"
That was the turning point for me. I was hooked.
Q. Once you started to show interest in that side
of your family's life, did they encourage you to
keep going?
Philippe: Well, my grandfather passed away when I was 17,
a little less than a year after that experience in Papua New
Guinea. And so he was certainly an important part of the
inspiration leading up to that point, but by then it was my
mother who encouraged me to keep moving forward in this
world. She inspired me and pushed me forward to pursue
my dreams.
We had family, friends and people who'd known my father
and grandfather and they provided opportunities for me to
start getting involved in research. But, I went off to university
and it wasn't until I got out of school and moved to Florida to
work with an oceanographic institution that I got back on this
path. I knew I needed to do something to honor this legacy
and that’s when EarthEcho was born.
Q. Tell me a little bit more about EarthEcho
and how it's different from other environmental
organizations.
Philippe: From its inception, EarthEcho was a response to
a problem. I looked around at the environmental movement
and realized there was already a duplication of effort. There
were many groups out there focused on conservation. And,
in many ways, we're not really a conservation organization.
While that’s an essential tenet to EarthEcho, we're more of an
environmental education organization.
There were a lot of conservation groups out there doing good
work, but few offered a strategy for youth. If you look at the
big NGOs (non-government organizations) like the WWF or
the Ocean Conservancy, they have virtually no youth strategy
to speak of. And that was a problem for me and I recognized it
was a need.
We don't like to duplicate effort, that's a very important part
of the organization, and our philosophy, and our culture.
Without a youth strategy, I don’t believe the environmental
movement has a strategy.
My grandfather was a big proponent of young people and
recognized they are truly the trendsetters of society and have
tremendous influence on the corporate world and even their
parents.
EarthEcho is unique because we leverage the history and the
connection with the Cousteau legacy, but drive change by
youth engagement.
A young Philippe Cousteau Jr. with his
grandfather, Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

thewaterinstitute.org
MISSION: WATER40
41
HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES
WATER HEROES
EarthEcho Water Challenge educates
on the fundamentals of water testing.
EarthEcho Water Challenge is the largestwater quality program of its kind.
EarthEcho's central philosophy:
"Action leads to awareness."
Q. Can you speak to how EarthEcho empowers
youth specifically? And what strategies you've used
to get more buy-in from the younger population?
Philippe: Yeah, we've evolved over the last 14 years, of
course, just as technology and society has. I see organizations
doing pretty much the same thing they were 30 years ago,
and I think that that's an impediment to being effective.
It's hard to change. It's hard to grow and it's hard to look
at new technologies. There weren't any smartphones 14
years ago when we founded EarthEcho. We've seen a huge
evolution in society in how young people communicate, from
video games to mobile devices. You have to keep up and look
for new ways to engage with them.
Also, I think that what else sets us apart is that we're not
a purely educational organization either. Our mission, our
goal, is to engage people with action. We have a saying at
EarthEcho, "awareness doesn't lead to action, action leads to
awareness." We start with the idea of getting people engaged
and getting them outdoors.
The EarthEcho Water Challenge is a perfect example of
this. It's a program that we're really excited about. It was
developed initially by the EPA around 15 years ago and has
continued to evolve over the years. Other groups like the
Water Environment Federation, WEF, took it over from the
EPA for a couple of years and then they were seeking another
partner that was more youth-focused to take over, and they
chose us.
We were quite honored to be able to inherit that program
two years ago, and it's a perfect example of action leading
to awareness. We get people outdoors in their own
communities, connecting with water, which is our most
precious substance. They begin to understand where that
water comes from and how it’s tested.
It’s the beginning of a powerful conversation, which is
symbolic of what EarthEcho is all about. That conversation is
a jumping off point to people thinking more critically about
what's happening in the environment over the long-term.
Q. What’s your vision for the challenge
moving forward?
Philippe: Well, as soon as we took over [the Water
Challenge program], we spent a lot of time and resources
updating the logistics of the program and how we could
digitize and streamline how we communicate to participants.
There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work and investment
to bring us to where we are today. That continuous
improvement is a big part of our strategy moving forward.
We also want to emphasize the action component of the
challenge. Now that participants have personally tested
the water and see the results, what are they going to do?
Will they run cleanup projects, lobby for legislation, or seek
funding? How will they improve or protect the water in their
own community? There are all sorts of different ways that
people can get involved.
Also worth mentioning, is expanding the different water
quality parameters that we can test for. We're hearing back
from many of our partners that the tests we have currently
are a terrific starting point, but they're interested in collecting
data on phosphates and nitrogen.
But why stop there? Can we look at nutrient loads in a water
system that have a huge impact on our water? Eventually,
could we build a program to test for things like E.coli and
other indicators of water health?
Ultimately, our goal is to make the EarthEcho Water Challenge
the premiere water quality program, and I believe in many
ways it already is. It's the largest global program of its kind,
but we're never satisfied. We want to continue to grow it to
meet the diverse needs of each community around the world.
Q. What lessons have you learned from both
your grandfather and father to fuel the work you
do today?
Philippe: One very important lesson is that tenacity is a
virtue. Most people read the glorious headlines and saw all
the accomplishments of my grandfather; all the films, and
the success stories, and all his other projects. What you don't
hear about are the struggles; how difficult it was to raise
money for a nonprofit to do films and to do all the hard work
that went into them. There were constant challenges he had
to overcome, but he made it look easy.
Growing up with those stories, I recognized early on that you
can’t give up when things get difficult. Just a few years ago,
the financial crisis took the rug out from under everyone. Yet,
nonprofits didn't get a bailout, even though the nonprofit
industry [in the U.S] is the backbone of our society and
employs more people than financial services and auto
industries combined.
It was a difficult time. When the
economy suffers, charity suffers.
Overcoming those types of
challenges – many of which
you have no control over,
but threaten everything you've
built – are a key to success.
Q. How do you think your television shows
and outreach in the media have affected your
conservation efforts and helped further
your mission?
Philippe: In the media space, we have an opportunity
to continue to be outside and involved in fieldwork. As an
advocate for sustainability and the environment, it's really
important to get out and into the thick of it. You can't be an
armchair conservationist.
To speak to an issue and be passionate about it, you have
to see it, touch it, and feel it, in person. The filmmaking and
other related work allows me to do that, while also providing
the added benefit of providing a platform to share those
stories and experiences with millions.
We have many different shows and programs and they're all
designed to inspire people, to engage them, and to keep them
asking questions about the world around them. To honor this
legacy and that’s when EarthEcho was born.
Without a youth strategy, I don't think the
environmental movement has a strategy.

MISSION: WATER42
HEADLINEWATER HEROES HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES 43
WATER HEROES
Philippe and Ashlan challenge young people to be
engaged in the world around them, remain open-
minded, and be flexible.
Photos Courtesy:
EarthEcho International
I could cut my leg off - I'd still
probably survive, but not very
well, and that's what we're
doing to the ocean. It's the life
support system of this planet...
we've been destroying it for
decades, and we're essentially
maiming ourselves.
Q. Has there been a moment or a special
experience during your filming that stands out
above all others?
Philippe: A big part of what we do is connecting the dots.
We help people understand that human beings are intimately
connected to the environment. My father and grandfather
always said, "You can't build environmental sustainability
without human sustainability."
There are so many different things that come to mind, but
one that really impacted me was in Haiti. I was doing a special
for CNN and for 10 days we examined local communities and
how they were transforming themselves with hopeful and
engaging work around solving the problems that they faced
there, which are myriad and daunting, to say the least.
One community, in particular, was in a place called Cité Soleil,
which in French, means the City of Sun. It's the largest slum in
the western hemisphere, located in Port-au-Prince. There are
a few hundred thousand people living there in a shantytown
of shacks and tents, dealing with extreme poverty, pollution,
crime, gangs, etc.
And in the middle of this, in the middle of this place, there's
a program called The Jaden Tap Tap, which is a beautiful
community garden. The gentleman who started this program,
created an oasis – a Garden of Eden – in the middle of this
port. His purpose is to help kids and community members
grow fresh vegetables, so they can get proper nutrition with
healthy food. He also built a place where kids could come and
play soccer (football) in a safe place, away from gangs. It was
truly a paradise in the middle of one of the worst slums in
the world.
That moment reminded me that connecting people to
nature, particularly young people, can transform lives. It was
an impactful experience to see people striving amidst truly
daunting circumstances.
Q. What is your advice for young people
thinking about following in your footsteps as
a conservationist?
Philippe: No matter what you're interested in, ask
questions, and always be interested and engaged in the world
around you. Remain open-minded and inclusive because that
allows you to learn, grow, and to change your opinion.
I think that's one of the big problems we face today. People
are so rigid in their ideology and thinking that they're
unwilling to engage with others that don't necessarily share
their views.
My other practical advice is to study communications. I
always tell young people that – whether you want to become
a doctor, scientist, an explorer, or a lumberjack – through
the course of your education you should understand how to
better communicate with people.
Take a public speaking class. Take a class in communications
because those are the types of tools that will last a lifetime,
and they're practical skills that a lot of young people
today aren't getting. I was just speaking with some kids
studying marine biology, and while it's great to have all that
information and all that knowledge, if you can't talk to people
about your work, it doesn't do the world much good.
You have to be able to communicate to people, and you have
to be able to get others excited about your work, or else
you’ll just be piling away a research paper up on the shelf
somewhere in the library, which should not be the goal.
Firing people up about these
issues should always be the goal.
Learn More:
earthecho.org
Xploration Awesome Planet, Season 4
Each week Philippe hosts a 30-minute riveting earth science
documentary series that explores the most spectacular
places – on the earth, inside the earth, and above the earth.
> Saturday Mornings, FOX
(Seasons 1-3 Available on Hulu)
Caribbean Pirate Treasure
Later this summer, join Philippe and Ashlan as they dive into
maritime mysteries, explore pirate history and investigate
the lore of lost treasures in the Caribbean.
> Season 1 Premiers August 20th
at 10:00pm, Travel Channel
Check out Philippe’s upcoming TV shows
on FOX, Hulu, and the Travel Network.

44
45
HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES
WATER HEROES
Photos Courtesy:
EarthEcho International
Decades before EarthEcho International existed,
Philippe Cousteau Sr., award-winning filmmaker and son of
legendary explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, believed in a world
where “every single child can breathe fresh air, drink clean
water, and walk on green grass under a blue sky.” This belief,
along with others, about the importance of protection our
planet for future generations became the guiding principles
for his children Philippe Jr. and Alexandra. Tragically, in June
of 1979, Philippe Sr. died in a seaplane accident in Lisbon,
Portugal, leaving Philippe Sr.’s widow to keep the Cousteau
legacy alive for their children. Jan Cousteau spent 13 years on
expedition with her husband, providing her with insight and
experiences to instill in their children – the same beliefs and
passion that she and her husband shared for the planet.
Growing up fantasizing about traveling on expeditions as
their parents did spurred the siblings to establish EarthEcho
International in their father’s memory. At its core, EarthEcho
International is a nonprofit organization founded on the belief
that youth have the power to change our planet. For more
than a decade, the EarthEcho team, now led by 37-year old
Philippe Jr., have worked with thousands of young people,
educators, and youth leaders to support change
through action.
Today, all of the EarthEcho’s programs are designed to
equip new generations of leaders and problem solvers to
identify and tackle environmental challenges in their own
communities and beyond:
The EarthEcho Water Challenge
is an international program that
equips anyone to combat the
global water crisis by starting in
their own communities. Through
the simple acts of testing their
local water, sharing the results,
and taking action to restore and
protect their resource, anyone can
play a critical role in ensuring the
overall health of the environment.
All living things - plants, animals, and human beings - require clean
water. As users of water and citizens of planet Earth, we must take
responsibility for our impact on water quality. Recognizing that
education and awareness are important first steps toward action,
we challenge you to test the quality of your waterways, share your
findings, and protect our most precious resource.
Philippe Cousteau, Jr.
EarthEcho’s STEMExplore highlights
relatable voices and exciting life
experiences to make careers in
Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math (STEM) come alive.
STEMExplore kindles youth
interest in solving problems and
becoming critical thinkers about
the world around them. EarthEcho
brings modern-day explorers
and trailblazers to students and
classrooms with a no-cost online
destination, featuring dozens of
relatable, day-in-the-life interviews
with scientists and engineers from a
variety of industries.
EarthEcho’s Youth Leadership
Council (YLC) is a platform for
today’s emerging trailblazers and
visionaries in the environmental
space. Comprised of 19 diverse
leaders from across the country,
ages 15-22, each YLC member has
demonstrated an ability to engage
and mobilize their peers and their
communities to change the world.
Through EarthEcho’s platforms,
YLC members are empowered to
develop programs and conduct
outreach to youth around
the world.
EarthEcho Expeditions is an annual
program that brings the thrill of
discovery to STEM classrooms by
taking educators to the frontlines
of our planet’s most pressing
environmental issues in a new
location each year. These teachers
interact with leading experts who are
solving or mitigating these complex
issues. This first-hand experience
with experts, thought leaders, and
environmental advocates on the front
lines is the basis for the creation of
timely and exciting video and print-
based classroom materials that are
shared free of charge on EarthEcho’s
digital platforms.

MISSION: WATER46
HEADLINELIFE TAKES WATER HEADLINE
#WATERHEROES 47
LIFE TAKES WATER
70%
of our planet
is covered
with water
97%
2%
<1%
is in the oceans in the
form of salt water
is locked in ice caps
and glaciers
is freshwater for consumption
needed by all living creatures,
including plants and animals
The idea of global water shortages may seem overwhelming
and distant, but when a water crisis occurs—the value of clean
water and healthy waterways becomes apparent.
Xylem Watermark is proud
to sponser the EarthEcho
Water Challenge program.
Many of us often take it for granted, but it is important to remember that water doesn’t just
come from our tap. Our drinking water comes from SEVERAL SOURCES:
it is up to us to better understand
and protect our water resources.
Safe drinking water is a privilege
STREAMS GROUNDWATERLAKESRIVERS
Life Takes
WATER
143
76,790
Bodies of water
tested (oceans, lakes,
rivers, streams, etc)
Countries
120,098
Water Quality
Monitoring
events
137,703
Water Quality
Monitoring Kits
distributed
1,499,068
Participants
It provides
drinking water to over
30 million people
(2005-2016)
1OUT OF 3
Americans get
their drinking
water from a river
SPENT
ANNUALLY
on U.S.
river-related
recreation
and tourism
2.9MILLION
Miles
of rivers
in the U.S.
One of the largest drinking water
sources in the United States, is the
Lower Colorado River
"We believe that all of us have a
role to play in the fight for clean
water and healthy waterways
worldwide…and that the best
place to start is in your own
community. The EarthEcho Water
Challenge is a program that can
do just that – equip anyone to be
an advocate for water resources.
The Water Challenge is a water
monitoring program that helps
individuals, students, families,
and organizations take the first
step in creating positive change
in their own communities."
and is responsible for growing
90% of our nation’s winter
vegetables.90%
2017it was named
America’s Most
Endangered
River
At EarthEcho
International...
BY THE NUMBERS
EARTHECHO WATER CHALLENGE
$
97
BILLION
Water in U.S. Communities
Join Us: monitorwater.org

The Hrimfare af Ranrike, a former long distance
sailing vessel with no engine emissions.
Photos: Dr. Martin Hassellöv
MISSION: WATER48
HEADLINEOCEAN & COASTAL WATERS
HEADLINEOCEAN & COASTAL WATERS
Sailing the Baltic Sea
Measuring Environmental Effects of Shipping
For several thousand years, the Baltic Sea
has been an important resource for fishing and trade. The
Vikings (800-1100 AC) established trade routes across the
Baltic and travelled with their longships via rivers to the
Caspian and Black Seas. Many of the Viking trade routes and
locations were eventually taken over by the Hanseatic League,
an association of independent cities that dominated trade
and shipping in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages.
Today other types of ships dominate the Baltic Sea - from
ferries and cruise ships, to oil tankers, car carriers, container
and other cargo ships. Up to 15% of the world’s cargo traffic
is handled in the Baltic Sea, making it one of the busiest areas
for ship traffic, in the world. Due to its narrow straights and
shallow waters, the Baltic Sea is difficult to navigate. In some
of the major ship lanes, like in the Bornholm straight between
the Danish Island of Bornholm and the Swedish main land,
there is one large ship passing every 10 minutes, on average. 1
The ever expanding shipping and tourism industries have
led to growing environmental pressure on the waterway.
This pressure manifests as increased air, water, and noise
pollution, presenting a clear threat to the future of the Baltic.
So much that the European Union (EU) launched a joint
research and development program called BONUS in 2010,
focused exclusively on developing a sustainable economic
and ecological plan for commerce.
BONUS is a collaboration of representatives from all EU
members bordering this priceless resource and “…funds
projects of high excellence and relevance to produce
knowledge, scientific evidence and [innovative] solutions
needed by policymakers…” 2
One such initiative is the SHEBA (Sustainable Shipping and
Environment in the Baltic Sea region) project, which launched
in April of 2015 and will continue until 2018. In the SHEBA
project, environmental effects of shipping in the Baltic Sea
region are in sharp focus. The project is supported by a wide
range of stakeholders - from atmospheric and oceanographic
scientists to economists and experts on shipping,
environmental policies and law, who will be consulted about
data collection and results of the project. Per BONUS, the
project aims to “…provide a holistic assessment of [the]
impacts of operational shipping on the environment…through
[analysis] of the drivers for shipping and their impacts on ship
traffic volumes and emission factors.” 3
1
Madjidian et al. 2013 2
bonusportal.org 3
sheba-project.eu
Baltic Vessels of the Past
Mankind has rich maritime history on the Baltic Sea.
Kingdoms, merchant leagues, and empires were
forged and lost on its waves. Different eras of history
led to different naval designs, with some of the most
famous designs firmly imprinted into our culture
today. Long and slender Viking longships are some of
the most easily recognizable ships on record.
Taking cues from the Baltic’s past, Hrimfare af
Ranrike’s name was inspired by Nordic mythology.
It translates loosely to frost traveler of the sea, with
“Hrim” meaning frost, “Fare” meaning travel and
“Ranrike” signifying the kingdom of goddess of the sea
(her name was Ran).
BONUS Members
Per BONUS, Eight EU (European Union) member states
have supported the program with €100M in combined
funding over the past 6 years. The Russian government
also joins in the program via bilateral agreements. 2
RussiaPolandLatvia
FinlandDenmark
SwedenLithuania
GermanyEstonia
DR. ANDERS TENGBERG
The project aims
to...provide a
holistic assessment
of [the] impacts
of operational
shipping on the
environment...

Mission: Magazine, Issue #3 - The Magazine that Addresses Critical Water Issues

Mission: Magazine, Issue #3 - The Magazine that Addresses Critical Water Issues

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