Climate Change, Water

and Traditional

Ecological Knowledge

INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT & OVERVIEW OF TOPIC

PART I:

Motivations for this Curriculum Project Climate Justice Global impacts of climate change are falling disproportionately

on tribal communities—particularly in Alaska and the southwestern states.

Legitimizing Traditional Knowledge Encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue Across science, policy, student and elder circles

The Broad Concerns

Equal and equitable input from for communities Elders, scientists, policy analysts, and students

Recognize each groups’ contribution Recognize each groups’ equity since they are not the same

Focus on a common theme – water Water gives life Water can take life away Water is essential to all food systems

The problem . . . Changing current water policy and management to adapt

to changes in water availability due to climate change impacts: Who are the key actors? How much salience do these actors have? What is the best strategy for including indigenous knowledge

and cultural traditions that respect the rights of nature in water policy?

A. B.

C.

A. Elder Knowledge on Water 1. Embedded in sacred history, ceremony cycle,

specific language 2. Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Water

B. Water Policy

1. Tribal Law & Policies 2. State Law & Policies 3. Federal Law & Policies

C. Science Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts on Water

1. Predicted & measured changes in temperature and precipitation

2. Impacts on watersheds

D. Strategies for Tomorrow 1. Water Policy Incorporating both

scientific and traditional knowledge

2. Adaptation plans incorporating both scientific & traditional knowledge & values

Model on Incorporating Elder Input, Science Input and Policy Input Toward Solutions to Meeting Future Water Needs

What is Traditional Knowledge, or Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)?

T h e i n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e o f t h e w o r l d p o s s e s s a n i m m e n s e

k n o w l e d g e o f t h e i r e n v i r o n m e n t s , b a s e d o n c e n t u r i e s o f

l i v i n g c l o s e t o n a t u r e . L i v i n g i n a n d f r o m t h e r i c h n e s s

a n d v a r i e t y o f c o m p l e x e c o s y s t e m s , t h e y h a v e a n

u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e p r o p e r t i e s o f p l a n t s a n d a n i m a l s ,

t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f e c o s y s t e m s a n d t h e t e c h n i q u e s f o r

u s i n g a n d m a n a g i n g t h e m t h a t i s p a r t i c u l a r a n d o f t e n

d e t a i l e d … p e o p l e ’ s k n o w l e d g e a n d p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e

e n v i r o n m e n t , a n d t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h i t , a r e o f t e n

i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t s o f c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 1994

TK, TEK

Develops out of Indigenous Peoples’ connections to land—homelands.

Lifeways and practices. Decades, centuries of observation,

understanding, and relationships between Indigenous peoples and the natural world—air, earth, fire, water, plants, animals.

Class Activity #1: Using the above chart , compare and contrast Traditional Knowledge and Western Science

Deloria on Traditional vs. Western Science

“The ma in d i f f e rence be tween

I nd i genous knowledge and Western

s c i ence i s t ha t fo r I nd i an s , t he

knowledge i s per sona l , and w i th i t

comes a respons ib i l i t y.”

Red Earth, White Lies (1995)

Indigenous Perspectives on Water Indigenous cultures “recognize, honor and respect water as sacred and sustains all life” (Indigenous Peoples World Water Forum Kyoto 2003)

Water is worthy of reverence and great respect

Water is the blood of mother earth, the giver of life

Indigenous World Forum on Water and Peace “Water is a living being. We proclaim the responsibility to

honor and respect water as a sacred being that sustains all of life.

Humans and all living things have the right to water, but water also has rights.”

We are in concert with the need to give voice to the Indigenous perspective of guardianship of all sources of water.

We as Indigenous Peoples understand this as our sacred duty to protect our relationship to all the elements that comprise life.

Cycles of wet and dry periods are normal, however,

When the hydrological cycle is out of balance (or intensified due to climate change), these can lead to more extreme flooding and drought cycles

Water & Climate Change

Water & Climate Change Climate plays a major role in water management. It directly

impacts the quantity of water available and can affect water delivery and changes in how much, where, and in water form future precipitation falls can have a powerful impact on our water supplies. Therefore, the potential shortages due to climate change need to be considered in water policy.

Precipitation Predictions: U.S. 2041-2060

Native Nations in SW are major land & water managers Reservations and tribal lands are >27% of land in AZ Confronting the same climate trends, but the context is different

– cultural ties to landscape – federal trust relationship – widely variable capacity

Role of Native Americans in Land & Water Management in the SW

Research in Indian Country, AZ Ext. bulletin, 10/08

O’ODHAM & WATER: History & Traditional Ecological Knowledge

PART II

Images courtesy of the Tohono O’odham Cultural Center

Tohono O’odham Nation The Tohono O’odham peoples have lived in the desert for thousands of years. Today, the Tohono O’odham Nation is the second largest reservation in the United States. It is made up of four non-contiguous segments (Tohono O’odham, Gila Bend, San Xavier, and Florence Village) encompassing an area of 2.8 million acres, roughly the size of Connecticut. The Nation, with a population of 25,000, lies within the Sonoran Desert in south central Arizona and continues into Mexico. Sells is the largest city of the Nation and is its capital.

Sonoran Desert

Climate: Precipitation: winter and

summer rain. Mild winters differentiate

from other NA deserts (warmest).

Vegetation: diverse, including trees,

shrubs, succulents, and annuals.

Indicator Species: Columnar Cactuses (e.g., saguaro) and Leguminous Trees (e.g., palo verde)

Rainfall Patterns & Biotic Communities

Total rainfall is highly variable and can vary from 3 to 15 inches

On the Tohono O’odham Nation, distribution of biotic communities reflect precipitation patterns

The Voice of Tohono O’odham Elders BioTour Part I: Tohono O’odham elders speak on climate change and traditional values:

Baboquiviri Peak (Waw Giwulk)—Center of the O’odham Universe & home of Elder Brother (I’itoi).

O’odham elders believe that the nature of the world is change. For example in early creation stories, animals, plants and the elements like wind and the rain, all spoke the same language, but over time this changed.

The ocean is considered a deity and is revered as well as feared. In ancient stories, there was a great flood which was survived by I’itoi, the creator of the O’odham.

Tohono O’odham Calendar The names of the months

in the traditional Tohono O’odham Calendar describe patterns of temperature and rainfall as well as the activities of plants and animals. December is “Dry, Cold

Month” April is “Yellow Month”

when the palo verdes are in bloom

This is an example of

traditional ecological knowledge

Water & Culture Water plays a central role to the Tohono O’odham

There is a Tohono O’odham song that describes how the red ripe fruit of the saguaro call to the clouds to form overhead. These clouds mark the beginning of the summer monsoons and also the beginning of the new year in the traditional Tohono O’odham calendar

Hohokam History of Irrigation Hohokam, the ancestors of the Tohono O’odham built huge canal systems from the Gila River and Salt River from 600 to 1400 A.D.

The canals are an engineering marvel--the grade is not too shallow, not too steep, and very consistent. The canals are evidence of complex socioeconomic structure.

O’odham Water History

The technology did not end with the Hohokam. O’odham also applied & continue to apply it it, just to smaller scales; this is a modern irrigation canal built to utilize monsoon rain from washes

Downhill direction

Downhill direction

Hohokam canal near Baboquiviri Peak

Three O’odham Adaptations to Water O’odham groups are united

through their language. All O'odham speak the

same language-the O'odham or Piman language, in the Uto-Aztecan family

The three groups are differentiated based on their adaptations to water: adaptation: Tohono O’odham

(Desert People) Akimel O’odham (River

People) Hia C’ed O’odham (Sand

People)

Three O’odham Adaptations to Water Tohono O'odham

"Desert People“ central section with 5-10 inches of annual rainfall two-village adaptation spent winters near permanent springs in mountain foothills

("winter well villages") spent summers in the intermontane plains, where they farmed

("summer field villages") planted corn, beans, squash, cowpeas, and melons saguaro fruit harvest essential to culture

Traditional Farming

The Tohono O’odham traditionally grew corn, tepary beans, and squash as well as amaranth, chiltepins, and cotton. They knew when to plant and how to use the scarce water to live and survive in an arid region.

Ak Chin Farming Traditional farmers employed a natural form of irrigation

by planting downstream from a wash and allowing the floodwaters to irrigate their crops.

This traditional farming practiced relied on summer rains to flood the fields

Three O’odham Adaptations to Water Akimel O'odham

"River People” also known as the Pima lived to the north and east along the Gila, Salt, and Santa

Cruz Rivers, 10-15 inches of rain falls each year one-village adaptation at this time, these rivers flowed constantly which made

permanent villages possible

Three O’odham Adaptations to Water

Hia C-ed O’odham “Sand People” Extremely dry western section 0-5” of rain/year

No-village adaptation Nomadic existence

Scarcity of water made it even more sacred

European Contact Father Kino and the Jesuits (ca. 1687) Livestock—cattle and horses Construction instruments for wells, plows, digging Winter crops (wheat)

Modern Uses of Water In the 1930’s, as part of the New Deal, the Civilian

Conservation Corps built charcos – deep catch basins, earthen dams.

A pond (charco or wo’o). Photo by G.P. Nabhan, 1982

Groundwater

Groundwater is 250’ to 700’ deep TOUA obtains water from 66 wells

Today TON’s Department of Water Resources and TOUA monitor water quality and maintain wells on the Nation

CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT (CAP)

336 miles of aqueducts, tunnels, pumping plants and pipelines

carrying 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water per year. Extends from Lake Havasu to the southern boundary of the San Xavier Indian Reservation southwest of Tucson

CAP Use

The CAP is a major water source for the Gila River Indian Community who won the rights to use this water in 2004: Indians’ Water Rights Give Hope for Better Health The Tohono O’odham Nation uses CAP water at the following farms: - Schuk-Toak Farms

- San Xavier Farms

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WATER IN THE SOUTHWEST

PART III

Impacts of Climate Change on Water in the Southwest

According the IPCC 2007 Report, the climate change

assessment is as follows: Higher minimum and maximum temperatures Increased precipitation intensity (fewer, more intense rain

events especially during the monsoons Enhanced rates of evaporation Increased precipitation variability Risk of extreme droughts & floods that occur with ENSO

events

Warmer Temperatures Longer, Hotter, Heat Waves

Drier Winter, Spring

Precipitation to Evaporation

Seager et al, 2007. Average of 19 climate models. Figure by Naomi Naik. www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/div/ocp/drought/science.shtml

Colorado River Basin

The Colorado River provides water to over 30,000,000 people and to large agricultural industries in the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico •The overall flow of the river is not great •70% of the runoff is generated by around 10% of the basin

•from snow on high mountains (above 2,700 m)

•Large reservoirs in the river basin can store up to 4 years of average runoff

•Until now, this has protected the region from drought

Cowin, CDWR, 2008

Summary of Impacts to Western Watersheds

Longer, more severe drought More winter precipitation falling as rain Shorter snow accumulation at a given elevation Earlier snowpack melting Greater run-off with flood peaks in winter Increased severity of summer storms Reduced river flows and lower reservoir levels Will ultimately affect CAP water quantities

Lake Powell Storage Through June 4, 2009

Currently 62 % full (capacity 24.17 MAF) Minimum: 33 % full on April 8, 2005

Lake Powell

2000

2002

Lake Mead

Lake Mead Water Levels

Impacts on Ranchers

Due to prolonged drought in SW, ranchers are losing cattle due to lack of water and forage

Charcos are drying up

and the cattle die after getting stuck in the mud trying to reach the water remaining in the charco

Individual Written Assignment Given the predicted climate change trends in the

southwest, can you speculate on potential future impacts to both traditional and modern water uses on the Tohono O’odham Nation?

STRATEGIZING FOR TOMORROW—Role of water policy

PART IV

A. B.

C.

A. Elder Knowledge on Water 1. Embedded in sacred history, ceremony cycle,

specific language 2. Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Water

B. Water Policy

1. Tribal Law & Policies 2. State Law & Policies 3. Federal Law & Policies

C. Science Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts on Water

1. Predicted & measured changes in temperature and precipitation

2. Impacts on watersheds

D. Strategies for Tomorrow 1. Water Policy Incorporating both

scientific and traditional knowledge

2. Adaptation plans incorporating both scientific & traditional knowledge & values

Model on Incorporating Elder, Science and Policy Input Toward Solutions to Meeting Future Water Needs

Relative Estimate of Stakeholder Influence over current and future water policy

Individual Project: Stakeholder Analysis Read Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) Case Study (First

Nations Development Institute, 2009) and the article “Indians’ Water Rights Give Hope for Better Health” (Archibold 2008) and answer the following questions: Identify the stakeholders in the case study On a scale of 0 to 1(Figure 2), estimate the relative input of

each stakeholders to the outcome of the GRIC Case Study Answer the following question:

Was traditional knowledge incorporated in the outcome? Were indigenous values & perspectives on water considered in the

outcome?

Strategizing for Tomorrow • Do you like the status quo? • If not, what would you change? • Let’s assume a position

– We are the traditional knowledge holders • Which actor has the most shared interests in policy preferences? • Which actor has the least shared interests in policy preferences?

• With no data, we can only play with scenarios (no real objective place to start with no data)

Estimated Influence Over Status Quo

Group Project I: Adaptation Plan Using the Model of Incorporating Elder, Science and Policy

Input, Prepare a climate change adaptation plan for meeting the

future water needs of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Refer to “Adapting to Climate Change, Sections 1 & 5” (Adaptation

Working Group, 2010) for guidance.

Group Project II: Tribal Resolution Draft a tribal resolution addressing the impacts of climate

change on water resources and food systems on southwestern tribal lands. Refer the “Sample Tribal Resolution” for the appropriate

format.

References & Sources Colby, B.C. et al. (2004). Arizona’s Water Future: Challenges and Opportunities. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press . First Nations Development Institute (2009). Native American Asset Watch: Rethinking Asset-Building in Indian

Country. Longmont, CO: First nations Development Institute.