Making speeches comes with the territory for hydrologists.
Here
is a sample speech.
"My name is Christopher Aqua and I
am a hydrologist. I would like to begin by explaining a little about hydrology,
which is the study of water. Without water, there would be no life on Earth.
Two-thirds of the Earth's surface is covered by water. The power of water
can be seen in such natural wonders as the Grand Canyon.
"We all use
water -- probably more than we imagine. One study found that each person uses
1,320 gallons of water every day. How is that possible? Well, it starts with
things like your morning shower, which takes about 22 gallons. It also includes
the water used in producing the items we find all around us. It includes the
water used in producing the hamburger you ate for dinner -- the animal was
fed grain that was grown with water.
"Unfortunately, there is only
a limited supply of water. And water is constantly moving through a cycle
within the Earth's atmosphere. As a hydrologist, it's my job to
try to figure out how we can use that water while making sure there's
enough left for future generations.
"That brings us to the project
now before you. As you know, this is an expensive proposal, but it's
one that is needed to keep the city's supply of drinking water safe and
strong. As many of you know, some water in the city limits has been polluted
by industrial use and is no longer safe for drinking.
"Nor can we take
our groundwater supply for granted. A dam planned on the Squash River will
probably impact groundwater levels. The city is enjoying a steady
rise in population and without more water sources, there may be a need to
cut back on water use to keep supplies at acceptable levels. For all these
reasons, this project is now recommended for our city.
"Thank you for
your time. I'd like to leave you with this thought: even though water
isn't as rare as gold or as valuable as diamonds, water is possibly the
most precious resource on Earth. We all must do our part to preserve and protect
it."