Echo River Capital - January Update
Peter Yolles
Managing Partner @ Echo River Capital | MBA, Water Expert, Impact Investor
Echo River January 2023 Update
In this issue:
New Blog Post: Making the most of Flooding and learning for the future.
In January, we were reminded of California’s climate predicament: to be living amidst the twin risks of flood and drought simultaneously. Increasing ocean and atmospheric temperatures drives more energy and water vapor into our storms, while also creating more potential for deeper droughts.
What these successive atmospheric rivers highlight is that more of California’s precipitation will arrive as rain than snow, and in greater concentrations. So how can California, and other places in the world with torrential downpours and monsoons, make the most of these plentiful water opportunities? How can groundwater basins be replenished? What will prevent sewer systems from being overwhelmed? What information is needed to better predict and manage future atmospheric river events? Read the full blog post online.
Industry News: Exits!
ERC Portfolio News
Indigenous Wisdom
In December, my family visited Mexico City and spent a day touring the ancient city of Teohuatican. 20,000 people resided here from about 200 BC to 600 AD, when the population mysteriously disbanded, torching their buildings and fleeing to other parts of the region. Ironically, our lovely tour guide could not provide much information on the natural resource or water portion of the story. I later discovered a fascinating book chapter by Susan Toby Evans and Deborah L. Nichols called “Water Temples and Civil Engineering at Teotihuacan, Mexico. (Thanks to my niece Kira Waldman for introducing me to this work.) They found that, “Through their engineering projects and their art, Teotihuacanos reveal themselves to be water worshippers from the earliest days of their city, and over time they emphasized different water sources and the deities associated with them.” These structures and very detailed Feathered Serpent sculptures are a fascinating window into how this ancient people honored, carefully protected and guided water for human and spiritual use. Ultimately, water fostered centuries of thriving culture, and its challenges contributed to their understanding that their civilization was no longer sustainable. “Drought was a chronic threat, but torrential rains brought erosion and flooding, a challenge to the city’s planners who tried to harness the flow of water through the city as well as minimize potential damage from these powerful forces. When the city’s decline began in the sixth century, with challenges to the rulers and a falling population, the stresses of severe weather would further weaken community stability.”
Please send any questions or comments to [email protected] and (415) 203-0432. Here's to a future of water abundance.
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1 年Peter Yolles thank you for sharing the info about the city of Teohuatican. The way they stored water made me think of the cisterns in Masada and how they stored water there, but we know how that story ended... exciting water year ahead!