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I can't speak for Peru specifically, but natural ecosystems play a huge role in absorbing and holding on to rain water, ensuring it doesn't all just flow back i

I can't speak for Peru specifically, but natural ecosystems play a huge role in absorbing and holding on to rain water, ensuring it doesn't all just flow back into the sea. This has been known for ages - I remember a friend who did environmental sciences telling me stories of cities in developing countries that cut all the nearby forests and as a side-effect also ruined their water supply. So with that in mind I'm a bit surprised at the skepticism on display here.

droopyEyelids 5y ago
I saw an interesting farmer presentation on YouTube[1] the other day where he eventually starts talking about how cover crops have improved his land's ability to absorb and retain water. He even includes photos contrasting his neighbor's monoculture fields with his during rain storms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yPjoh9YJMk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yPjoh9YJMk
beambot 5y ago
Too true. For example, compare the 2-meter long root ecosystem of prairie grass that holds water exceptionally well to that of wheat: https://images.app.goo.gl/PHmVUNRwwBg8oUKv7 https://images.app.goo.gl/PHmVUNRwwBg8oUKv7
jhayward 5y ago
There is a really interesting example of the role of the surface vegetation for groundwater in Bamberger Ranch[1] in Central Texas. Central Texas was massively overgrazed by cattle in the 1800's and 1900's, and the ecosystem was completely transformed from prairie grass dominant to cedar and mesquite dominant vegetation. This resulted in a drastic loss of groundwater and utterly transformed the ecosystem. David Bamberger restored 5,500 acres to close to original condition and the results are amazing. [1] https://bambergerranch.org/ https://bambergerranch.org/
- mackrevinack 5y ago
  there's a good video about that ranch in youtube as well https://youtu.be/ZSPkcpGmflE https://youtu.be/ZSPkcpGmflE

droopyEyelids 5y ago

I saw an interesting farmer presentation on YouTube[1] the other day where he eventually starts talking about how cover crops have improved his land's ability to absorb and retain water. He even includes photos contrasting his neighbor's monoculture fields with his during rain storms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yPjoh9YJMk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yPjoh9YJMk

beambot 5y ago

Too true. For example, compare the 2-meter long root ecosystem of prairie grass that holds water exceptionally well to that of wheat: https://images.app.goo.gl/PHmVUNRwwBg8oUKv7 https://images.app.goo.gl/PHmVUNRwwBg8oUKv7

jhayward 5y ago

There is a really interesting example of the role of the surface vegetation for groundwater in Bamberger Ranch[1] in Central Texas. Central Texas was massively overgrazed by cattle in the 1800's and 1900's, and the ecosystem was completely transformed from prairie grass dominant to cedar and mesquite dominant vegetation. This resulted in a drastic loss of groundwater and utterly transformed the ecosystem. David Bamberger restored 5,500 acres to close to original condition and the results are amazing. [1] https://bambergerranch.org/ https://bambergerranch.org/

mackrevinack 5y ago
there's a good video about that ranch in youtube as well https://youtu.be/ZSPkcpGmflE https://youtu.be/ZSPkcpGmflE