Year of Award

2025

Document Type

Professional Paper

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism

Department or School/College

College of Journalism

Committee Chair

Joe Eaton

Commitee Members

Ray Fanning, Natalie Bursztyn

Keywords

Freshwater Sustainability, Water Law, Hydropower, Environmental Policy, Indigenous Rights, Watersheds

Subject Categories

Journalism Studies

Abstract

My portfolio will be centered around the theme of “Water justice,” which aims to unpack people’s manipulation of riverways and the environmental costs of this practice. Rivers, and their watersheds, have served as lifeblood for human and ecological populations the world over since the dawn of man. Derived from these watersheds is a multitude of ecosystem services and freshwater necessary for the sustainability of life. But freshwater makes up only 3% of the globe’s total water supply, making it a limited and dwindling resource. As the world’s population accelerates, climate change quickens, and societal needs for freshwater advance, the manipulation of watersheds should be more closely examined and a cause for concern when it comes to the planet’s longevity.

There are two notable factors when it comes to environmental justice issues surrounding freshwater. One, there is a disproportionate consumption of freshwater. A vast majority of demand—roughly 70%—is used for agriculture, and the rest is divided between industrial (19%) and domestic uses (11%), including for drinking. Two, is the disproportionate impact—symptoms of water scarcity are often felt first by minority populations, who usually consume the least. I believe these two aspects make community narratives of those personally witnessing the impacts of watershed degradation vital to my portfolio’s theme. Through three stories, specifically within the context of riverways, I plan to examine the intersection of water rights, use, and the ethics of access. I aim to go through a local, regional, and international scope for these narratives, with each story offering a solutions-based element.

My stories aim to paint the bigger picture of the importance of freshwater as a natural resource as it relates to communities and services. Through people and places that can illustrate the impacts of waterway manipulation, I will showcase narratives that speak to watershed degradation. Each story will consider the complexity of use, policy, and social structures in water management—and how, in the face of climate change, more conservative tactics will be needed for water to remain an equally accessible resource for generations to come. This portfolio will scrutinize the historical manipulation of riverways and the choices by individuals and governing bodies to help forge a new definition of “water justice.”

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© Copyright 2025 Emily Ann Senkosky