Natural Movement of Water over the Earths' surface

[Guest guest]

continued:

 

'It is unthinkable that water should be controlled by mathematical formulae

alone. The proper management of water above all demands a sense of

commitment and great sensitivity, similar to that of a good doctor.

 

There are unmistakable symptoms in relation to the management of water which

should once more be summarised briefly. As long as a waterway can transport

timber unaided and therefore free of charge, the forester may use his axe.

The deterioration of waterways warns of the dangers which, without

exaggeration, most seriously threatens our own existence.

 

As long as the trout continues to stand motionless in the water because food

flows unaided into its jaws, then favourable conditions will also exist for

humanity and for the economy. If water exhibits destructive phenomena, if

the trout becomes agitated and the flowing timber begins to strand in the

river, then in the same ratio that the creatures in the water decline in

quality, the conditions for all life will begin to disappear, conditions

that those closely bound to their native soil can now no longer overlook.

Contemporary methods for torrent limitation, river regulation and hydro

electric power generation in general will have to be changed radically.

 

The increasing karst development in the upper reaches due to the continued

sinking of the ground water table, the destruction and devastation of the

cultivable land in the lower reaches , the unruly and undisciplined

discharge of catastrophic flood waters into the valley, the increasing

development of swamps in low-lying areas, the constant increase in the

severity of so called 'natural' disasters occuring locally from year to

year, the decline of agriculture and so on, in many instances can also be

put down to the totally unnatural systems applied to the regulation of

rivers.

 

Large scale regulatory works have been put in hand without even the vaguest

idea of the energetic principles governing Natures's processes and without

inkling of the most fundamental laws of the movement of water. These have

radically altered the natural scheme of things and acted in garing

contravention of the laws here prevailing. Instead of bearing in mind the

obvious fact that forest and high altitude vegetation are just as essential

as the skin on the body, everything possible has been done to destroy

Nature's truly marvellous interdependancies, which otherwise are

indestructable.

 

In the belief that forest exists to be exploited for every conceivable

purpose, every effort has been made not only to plunder what Nature needs

for life and for the maintenance of the soil as objects for vulgar

speculation, but on top of everything, to destroy them through totally

perverse practises. The most discouraging aspect is that in spite of all the

bad experiences, these absurd methods of regulation and forest management

are still followed today. Through such methods the forest, the prime

necessity for culture of any kind, must demonstrably die as a result of

measures presently applied by the responsible authorities. In no single

instance can it be demonstrated that the regulation of even a small stream

was carried out without fault.

 

Millions of people are already unemployed. Thousands of farms are in danger

of collapse. Even very ingeniously constructed machines are no longer able

to work the exhausted soil in such a way that the energy expended is in

proportion to the yield. Through devastation of forest and misguided

regulation of our rivers the state of equilibrium in Nature's household has

been disturbed. Such a crisis in agriculture and forestry directly

responsible for all other economic upsets, could never have occured had

forest and water been treated even half-way intelligently. In every way the

hydraulic engineer has treated the waterways no better than the forester the

forest. In view of the close connection between forest and water, it

therefore comes as no surprise that channels are in an even more

disproportionately dismal state than the forest.

 

Even at a time when thousands are destitute for lack of work, it is almost

pointless to wait and see whether humanity, who has already lost all

connection with Nature, will not only continue to destroy all further

existence, but also shatter the very last hope of recovery. In reality,

twice as many are required to arrest the total economic collapse that

threatens us, which can only happen, if the mistakes that have been made so

far are rectified as far as humanly possible. This depends on whether the

forest can be built up again as it once was and must always be, and if the

channels are brought into balance once more through the construction of

suitably designed resevoirs, so that at the very least they can keep to a

tolerably regular course for the time being and generate healthy water again

in order that healthy blood can once more be supplied to flora and fauna

alike.'

 

 

 

Therefore it seems that there will have to be massive disasters for the

rivers of the world that have been so drastically interfered with by man

before they may be naturally restored to their courses and again produce

their natural and life giving water.