CLO 4: Relationship of Civil Engineering to Environmental Science

According to University of Oklahoma (n.d.), Civil engineers are responsible for the design and construction of society’s infrastructure, such as buildings, highways, bridges, mass transit systems, dams and locks, and municipal water and sewage treatment systems. Civil engineering is frequently referred to as the “the people-serving profession.” On the other hand, Environmental scientists have a variety of job responsibilities, including collecting and analyzing air, water and soil samples, monitoring compliance with environmental laws and regulations, assisting industrial companies in complying with environmental regulations, and addressing public meetings on local environmental challenges.

The relationship between the two is that engineers do not only build structures just for aesthetics but they also must relate their way of making to the environment whether it's lawful or not. Just like for example the trees which are one of the natural resources of our planet and one of the basic needs in making structures. As an engineer, he/she must need to know how to reciprocate the use of those resources as a form of help to maintain or increase biodiversity.

In relation to that, these engineers relate their efforts in making structures based on different innovations that they stimulate which also brought wide impact to the environment. To be specific, the impact of innovation of civil engineering to environmental science is that it gives modern solutions to those pressing environmental issues that are rampant in our society today. It gives more influence to civil engineers to do their part in making their desired outcome safe as well as environment-friendly.

In addition, specific innovation affects the environment as well. According to Lee (2017), here is the effect of innovation of dams to the environment:

1. WATER LOSS

Our deliberate overuse of fresh water, notwithstanding the all around deteriorating impacts of environmental change, makes a requirement for artificial reserves. As indicated by the American Water Works Association, in 2010 Americans pulled out 355 billion gallons for every day (BGD) from the country's water frameworks; 12 percent for public water supply, 32 percent for water system and 45 percent for thermoelectric force.

Additionally, dams disturb the flow and composition of the water within waterways and channels. Water released downstream from dams has unnaturally high energy and very little sediment, which causes “hungry water” to run forcefully, to run strongly, disintegrating the riverbeds, without adequate silt focus to back it off. This develops the riverbed contrasted with the encompassing water table, which causes the ground water to hurry into the channel and become surface water.

2. HABITAT DESTRUCTION

Any sensational change in waterway sythesis stresses both up-and downstream territories. Habitat loss is the leading cause of extinction. Dams disrupt fish and bird migration. The change in the composition of the river interferes with the chemical signals guiding species through their biological processes. And the physical barrier of the dam blocks species from their traditional spawning and rearing locations.

Also, changes in the circumstance and stream of the waterways can make conditions which undermine the endurance of the species that have developed to live there. Any adjustment in the structure and organization of the waterway can effectively affect the encompassing species, as a rule prompting termination.

3. GREENHOUSE GASES

Most repositories, particularly those in tropical locales, emanate huge measures of ozone harming substances due to anaerobic microorganisms that separate the vegetation at the base of the store, emitting carbon dioxide and methane.

Moreover, the progressions to waterways' planning, substance and residue organization, and stream lead to emotional varieties in floodplains and wetlands, which can cause the demolition of encompassing timberlands. Deforestation contributes altogether to environmental change in light of the fact that the trees presently don't store extra carbon dioxide and their recently assimilated carbon is delivered into the air. Furthermore, the drying out of wetlands crushes another important carbon sink.

4. EARTHQUAKES

Researchers have credited more than 100 earthquakes the world over to dams and stores, a wonder known as Reservoir Induced Seismicity. This happens when additional water saturates the miniature breaks and gaps under the supply and encompassing territories and greases up shortcomings effectively under structural strain. The 7.9 Sichuan Earthquake in China in 2008, slaughtered 80,000 individuals and has been connected to the development of the Zipingpu Dam.

5. TROUBLE FOR PEOPLE ALREADY AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

Dams displace around 80 million people around the world. From individuals eliminated from dam building locales to the individuals who lose their homes to bombing dams, the greater part of the uprooted networks come from ruined regions previously influenced by environmental change. Dams that displace enormous populaces regularly cause common liberties infringement. Moreover, old and bombing dams create the two perils and expenses.

6. HEALTHY WATERWAYS + SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIP

Fresh water is vital to the functioning of Earth’s hydrologic cycle, the maintenance of aquatic and surrounding ecosystems, and the support of human life. Preserving healthy and high functioning waterways contributes to controlling global temperatures and sustaining fresh water reserves, among countless other benefits.

Waterways are significant in their own right, yet in addition matter for their capacity to keep up the wellbeing of encompassing stream catchments, floodplains, and wetlands. On the off chance that we keep on building dams that obliterate our streams' capacity to help crucial environments, we proceed with an authentic worldview that qualities momentary advancement and formative accomplishment over the manageable wellbeing and trustworthiness of Earth's systems.

Reference:

Lee, D. (2017, December 13). Protect the environment/Right of nature. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from

https://www.earthlawcenter.org/blog-entries/2017/12/dams-climate-change-bad-news

University of Oklahoma. (n.d.). Four Reasons for Choosing CEES. Retrieved December 23, 2020, from

https://www.ou.edu/coe/cees

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