The Qualities of Water: Climate, Environment and Health in Leukerbad, Switzerland

University Of Wyoming, Laramie WY

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract 0078891 This project will investigate the issue of water use and availability in Leukerbad, Switzerland, focusing on how these processes are shaped by the population' assessments and perceptions of water as a resource (marketable commodity, subsistence resource, hydroelectric energy source, health resource, aspect of the environment). As spa town with hydrotherapy-based clinics and hydroelectric plants, Leukerbad's population is economically dependent on high quality water resources in many forms. This research will examine the historic and current uses of water resources, the management of water resources as commodity and commons, the relationship between perceived water qualities (and attached meanings) and chemical analyses of water, and the potential impact of anticipated climatic changes on water systems. Methods include mapping of water resources, archival research, structured interviews and surveys of the population, as well as chemical analyses of water samples. This project will contribute to our understanding of how sociocultural forces shape use and management of a critical natural resource; it will also contribute to our understanding of how communities may respond to anticipated future climatic changes affecting water quality and availability.