The Miracle of Water
I’m fascinated by water, especially the Headwaters of the Missouri River near Three Forks, Montana. There the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison rivers mingle and flow east and south for 2,341 miles before joining the Mighty Mississippi. It’s amazing to me that the Missouri, a major character in the story of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery, begins so quietly. The first time I went to the Headwaters, when I was twenty-two years old, I expected to see roiling waves and hear hydraulic collisions. But no. The three rivers simply braid together unobtrusively as they move around islands of gravel and willow thickets until they are forced into one channel by the surrounding topography.
Despite this lack of drama, I visit the place often. Out there, I can watch nature’s theatrical productions accompanied by a soundtrack of birdsong, insect hum, and the rustle of bunchgrass. Ripples slap sand. Fish leap for lunch. The sun throws sparks of light across rolling waves. The river is wide and determined as it flows toward the fifteen dams blocking its path to the Gulf of Mexico. Each time I watch it undulate and slide away, I wonder about the human-caused restrictions, pollutants, and hijackings — legal and illegal — all water on our planet has endured.
During my early years in public school, I learned that water is an inorganic compound composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, a molecular formula named H2O. The adaptability of water is magical. When it encounters hostile terrains and temperatures, it simply morphs into one of its three magical forms: gas, liquid, or solid.
In Western Montana, where I live, water seems plentiful. It gathers in the mountains as snow. It pools underground. Turn a faucet handle and clean water gushes or dribbles at your command. Around Bozeman, you won’t drive, hike, or bike far before encountering a spring, irrigation ditch, creek, river, pond, lake, or wetland area. But is it plentiful? What do we really know about the water we use and see? Where does our drinking water come from? What’s the source of the Gallatin River, or any of our rivers? What, exactly, is a wetland and why is it important to our quality of life?
Not many people know more about water and wetlands than Dr. William (Bill) Kleindl, Assistant Research Professor in Montana State University’s Department of Land Resources & Environmental Sciences. He’s an expert. In addition to teaching, conducting field research, and writing, Bill works as the wetland reviewer for the City of Bozeman. He’s a busy man.
And yet, amid all those responsibilities, he recently shared a smattering of his vast knowledge in life-long learning class. Since the class had water in the title — “Water Resources: Ecology and Management” — I signed up immediately, even though it sounded science-y. (I’m more of a creative arts kind of person, although once, for a nanosecond, I contemplated a career as a hydrologist.)
I learned a lot in the water class. For instance, wetlands are the planet’s natural waste-water treatment facilities. They store carbon and provide homes for a myriad of plants, animals, and fish. I also found out that after a lawsuit — Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (2023) — some wetlands are no longer protected by the Clean Water Act, which makes it more difficult to save them from development. Another concern to add to the lengthy list as we watch our open spaces disappear under concrete, asphalt, and buildings.
There was one moment during the second class when I felt a twinge of panic. Bill showed us a PowerPoint slide with the formula for calculating annual stream discharge: Q = (w) (d) (v). Seeing that formula reminded me of the reason why I choose to major in English instead of hydrology: algebra. Yuck. But, as it turned out, that slide was just an FYI moment designed to connect us to other information. Whew! By the way, the word “stream” in that formula refers to any stream of water. It can be a tiny trickle, the Nile River, or anything in between.
Algebraic scare aside, the class intensified my fascination with and curiosity about water. And thanks to Dr. Kleindl, I now visit the Headwaters of the Missouri River fortified with new perspectives and knowledge. Words like thalweg and hyporheic and fluvial float through my mind as I watch the waters mingle and merge. I stand mesmerized by the multi-faceted power of this miraculous substance. I think about possible fates of rivers and wetlands in Montana, and beyond, if we don’t respect and care for them. Is there anything more important to humans, animals, and ecosystems than plentiful, unpolluted water? No.
Humans can only live three days without the miracle of H2O. Our survival, our economy, and our quality of life all require clean water. Learn. Care. Get involved. Volunteer for one of the many nonprofit organizations working hard to keep our water safe. They, and the water, could use your help.
