Ebb ~ Flow
Does culture care for nature? A year-long exploration of Nebraska Water featuring 10 artists and culture workers.
Water Resources in Nebraska courtesy of UNL
What if there was nanotechnology to identify when water has pollutants unsafe to drink? *Image courtesy of Molly Toberer Studio + Nash Bellows
State of Nebraska Well Inventory
*NE Registered wells fed by respective water resources
Nitrates are invisible to the naked eye.....The Nitrate Eye at Work *Image courtesy of Molly Toberer Studio and Nash Bellows
Map of Nebraska's Highest Concentration Areas of Nitrate Pollution in groundwater. 85% of drinking water in NE comes from groundwater sources.
Let's take a closer look:
All 11 of these locations show above acceptable levels of Nitrate Concentration [ 30mg/L ] in the tested wells. [data from 2019]
Wells should be tested 1x per year, but are often not. Nitrate run-off concentration also fluctuates with agricultural harvest seasons.
In 2014 Nano-technologists in Iran and Italy developed the first nanosensor to detect nitrates in water:
Nitrates are invisible to the naked eye, but are present in our drinking water.
Nitrate Ions bind easily to water thus making them difficult to filter and detect without nanotechnology.
Nitrates levels in drinking water are unsafe at levels higher than 10 mg/L *As seen above: there are many areas in Nebraska with levels higher than 30 mg/L [dark blue]
*12,594 cancer cases a year in Nebraska are likely due to nitrate contamination
Running Buffalo *image courtesy of E. Muybridge
Now, lets take a look at Uranium:
Map of Uranium contamination that mobilizes into our water supply from mining
Native Activists are fighting to keep Uranium out of the water supply
Globally we are ALL connected by water like a vesicapiscis...
Detail: The state of Nebraska lies in region 7 of the United States Tributaries
NE* IA * KS * MO= Region 7 [EPA]
The Agriculture Industry is the largest polluter of nitrate runoff into USA groundwater due to crop irrigation. Map above shows areas of the USA where crops are grown.
Agriculture is the leading industry in Nebraska. Detailed map above shows crop areas in the state.
*Cover Crops reduce nitrate runoff in agricultural areas by 30% when planted rotationally with conventional crops.
*Last year, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service NE started an initiative for land owners to improve soil health and reduce nitrate run-off by planting cover crops for 5 years. Landowners are required to apply for funding to develop case studies showcasing changes.
*Areas in green show landowners participating in cover crop research in Nebraska.
*Beaded NE by Brittany DuBray Ogalalla Souix tribe
It seems culture cares for nature, only when it's convenient for capitalism. The sense of urgency is omnipresent to reciprocate care for nature and look to our native ancestors for guidelines: "Sustain the one who sustains you and our earth will last forever."
Nitrate eye artwork: courtesy of Molly Toberer Studio + Nash Bellows
Dear Culture, it's now critical in 2020...
~Nature has been waiting...
Untitled, 2020 ©images courtesy of Corson Androski
©images courtesy of Travis Apel
What other contaminates were found on our local NE water and feeder tributaries? Travis Apel and Dawaune Lamont-Hayes traveled around and took samples to find out: Manganese, Fecal Coliform, E-Coli, Nitrates (of course), Arsenic, Dissolved Solids, Sulfate!
Water so good we had to brand it!
pg1/2: Travis Apel's Water Analysis Results: Bathroom Tap, Omaha, NE
pg2/2: Travis Apel's Water Analysis Results: Bathroom Tap, Omaha, NE
Page1/2: Travis Apel's Water Analysis Results: Cole Creek, Omaha, NE
Page2/2: Travis Apel's Water Analysis Results: Cole Creek, Omaha, NE
Page 1/2: Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Headwaters of Missouri River.
Page 2/2: Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Headwaters of Missouri River.
Page 1/2 : Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Missouri River, Council Bluffs, IA
Page 2/2 : Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Missouri River, Council Bluffs, IA
Page 1/2: Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Missouri River, Oacoma, SD
Page 2/2: Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Missouri River, Oacoma, SD
Page 1/2: Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Missouri River, Omaha, NE
Page 2/2: Dawaune Lamont-Hayes Water Analysis Results: Missouri River, Omaha, NE
Exhibition Installation View: Mni Wocekiya, Water Prayer, 2020, Water as light on reclaimed fabric © Sarah Rowe, image courtesy of @amplifyarts.org
Project Exploring Native Plants found in Nebraska:
9 Native Healing Plants collaborative animation 2020 © Molly Toberer Studio and artist Joe Pankowski
Project Exploring Clean Water Acts of Congress:
Clean Water Acts of Congress animation by Molly Toberer Studio + Evynne Doue Design
Tools of Channelization at Omaha, 2020 by Alex O'Hanlon Image courtesy of @amplifyarts.org
Water Declaration:
In order to create change and effectively advocate for water justice, we must come to a universal understanding of water, not only as a source of life, but as life itself. Water is autonomous, deserving of care and protection. It is not a commodity, but rather, a basic human right that may only be granted through reciprocity. The production and consumption of all goods is dependent on water supply and it is our duty to understand how all consumption impacts the longevity of a habitable planet. May our collective actions be powered through knowledge informed by research, generative conversation and communal actions making us better stewards of the land.
-Angie Seykora, ACWG 2020 member courtesy of @amplifyarts.org
Erin Foley + Thalia Rodgers collaboration:
Refiuqa Suitiruam (dehydrated wet dream) (detail), 2020, Shrinky Dink, watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, paper © Thalia Rodgers courtesy of @amplifyarts.org
©Dawaune Lamont-Hayes, 2020 courtesy of @amplifyarts.org [Water sample analysis cited above] Dawaune collected water samples from the headwaters of the Missouri in Three Forks, Montana; one of the widest parts of the Missouri in Oacoma, South Dakota, Council Bluffs, IA and Omaha, NE. These samples were sent off for analysis to better understand our source water and estimate when and where contamination happens in the interest of cultivating more agency as a community to know and defend our Water.
Ebb,Flow ~Closing Event, December 31, 2020 AR Projection by Molly Toberer Studio hosted by Amplify Arts Omaha at The Generator Gallery Space.
Ebb, Flow - Alternate Currents Working Group Closing event AR Projection Dec 31, 2020
Ebb,Flow ~Closing Event, December 31, 2020 AR Projection detail by Molly Toberer Studio hosted by Amplify Arts Omaha at The Generator Gallery Space.
9 Native Plants Animation, AR Projection at Generator Gallery Space, Omaha, NE 2020
