H2O and Beyond is your weekly deep dive into the science, systems, and stories behind the water we use every day. Hosted by a student with a passion for the environment, this podcast makes complex topics—from pollution to policy—easy to understand. Get clear, engaging episodes that explore the forces shaping our water future—without watering down the truth.
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In this episode of H2O and Beyond, we explore the story of Tulare Lake — once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi — and one of the most overlooked water systems in the United States.
Joined by experts from the Tulare Basin Watershed Partnership, we dive into the history, science, and complexity of a lake that doesn’t behave like most others. Unlike permanent lakes, Tulare Lake has always been dynamic — rising and falling with storms, droughts, and human intervention. But over the past century, it’s been almost completely engineered, drained, and reshaped to support agriculture in California’s Central Valley.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro – The lake that disappeared… and came back
04:20 How the basin works (why water gets trapped)
09:00 Why the lake constantly rises and falls
13:20 Human engineering – levees, farming, and control
19:05 Ecosystem overview – why this place was unique
27:30 Wildlife + biodiversity of the lake
34:10 Native communities and how they lived with the lake
40:50 Modern challenges – agriculture, water demand, sustainability
42:40 Hope for the future + closing thoughts
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Resources: https://www.tularebasinwatershedpartnership.org/
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28 Feb 2026
Episode 25 - The Aral Sea - World's Worst Water Disaster?
In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by historian Dr. Sarah Cameron to unpack the story of the Aral Sea — one of the greatest environmental catastrophes of the 20th century.
How did a massive inland sea in Central Asia nearly disappear?
What role did Soviet cotton production play?
And what happens to communities when an entire ecosystem collapses?
We dive into the Cold War politics behind the diversion of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, the rise of cotton as a “strategic crop,” and how irrigation infrastructure slowly strangled the sea.
We also explore the human side of the crisis — from fishing communities forced to abandon their livelihoods to toxic dust storms that reshaped public health in the region.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:59 What is the Aral Sea?
10:46 How did the sea affect the climate?
12:07 Why did the Soviets drain the sea?
24:13 How were locals affected?
28:41 Dust Storms
31:54 What does the Aral Sea look like now?
38:04 Revival Efforts
45:41 Closing
🎧 Listen to more episodes & follow us here: https://linktr.ee/h2oandbeyond
Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/RNjdFLY2wSrk7PW2A
Resources:
https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501730436/the-hungry-steppe/#bookTabs=5
https://decentarch.hypotheses.org/866
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/life-and-death-aral-sea-conversation-wilson-fellow-sarah-cameron
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13 Feb 2026
Episode 24: "Water Wars"
In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Morgan Shimabuku from the Pacific Institute to break down how water becomes a trigger, casualty, and weapon in conflict. We explore what actually qualifies as a water conflict, why the term “water wars” can be misleading, and what global data reveals about where and how these conflicts are increasing.
We discuss real-world examples from around the globe, including the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Ukraine, and Gaza—examining how water infrastructure is destroyed, shut off, or weaponized, and what that means for civilian populations.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
7:39 What are water conflicts?
11:12 Trends in water conflicts
17:30 Are water conflicts an issue in the developed world?
22:04 How are water conflicts resolved?
29:09 Conflicts in Gaza
34:09 Other work at the Pacific Institute
36:28 Closing
🎧 Listen to more episodes & follow us here: https://linktr.ee/h2oandbeyond
Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/RNjdFLY2wSrk7PW2A
Pacific Institute Resources: https://www.worldwater.org/water-conflict/https://www.worldwater.org/conflict/map/www.pacinst.org
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