Uploaded on 2015-11-20 by Carlottapen

The most important ressource where I live is water. In many aspects water is most important: as drinking water, for energy production, energy storage (pump to reservoir), mineral water and for irrigation in food production as well as for fire defending (wildfires). The quality of the water, that comes out of the water tab is equal to the botteled mineral water "Passugger", it is fresh water from several wells. The infrastructure to guarantee watersafety during draught periods is renewed, as well as the cystern is save against criminal abuse. Climate change provides dryer periods in a already dry microclimate. Chur is situated bethween steep mountains on a knee of a main valley. So water plays a mayor role in firefighting and irrigation. Steep mountains with optimal exposure and maximal radiation are a major danger for the city. The capacity and speed of water to be available is key. ![enter image description here][1] Passugger Mineral Water botteling. River in front of St. Theophil Well at Passugg, near Chur: https://www.dropbox.com/s/p7zhnymwr5xbhm3/1_provisioning_river_.jpg?dl=0 Well of Passugger mineral water, near Chur: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b0ow1kgxjyvd6ij/1provisioning_well_passugger_red.jpg?dl=0 Well of bigger fountain ALLEGRA at Passugg, near Chur: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ryjyxaeagg2gsr5/1well_allegra_mineral_water_chur_red.jpg?dl=0 Chur is the oldest town in Switzerland. The Romans setteled 60 b.C. only 50 meters from where I live. Water was key for the location the Roman city was built. The river "Plessur" then was a settlement, where everyone changed horses to start the adventurous crossing over the Alps. The toll for crossing the bridge on the one hand and the watermills on the other hand were important. Wealth came from south in the form of wine for the "last supper", new species of seeds/wheet. All the new things from the southern parts of Europe entered here in Chur. Overlefts and broken fragments are even in the soil in my very own garden. The town was the center of the province Rhaetia I ( Rhaetia Prima), the ancestors from todays Rhomansh speaking part of Switzerland. Today Chur is a fully German speaking city. The borders of the Romansh speaking areas moved up and south. Only 16000-30000 people speak four diffrent ideoms, similar dialects of Romansh. The large Roman collection, located in a well designed shed, constructed by the former archeologist and later fameous architect Peter Zumthor is an intresting place for research and tourists. There is no place like Chur, where you can find so much lomgtime research/information of migration, cultivation and breeding of seed for food from south to the north alpine region **Regulating services** **Again water:** The moderation of extreme weather like heavy rain and snow, avalanches and landslides is a research topic at the local university. Soaked and steep soils have to be stabilyzed. Snowsheds for avalanches have to be enlarged. New amounts of snow have to be stabiyzed in these sheds, thatswhy the research of the university produced an new system to proofe the anchors. On two sides the city is next to steep forests. The cutting of older trees is important because thir roots won't hold the larger amount of heavy snowfall. Immense cost face the city budget. View from mainstation Chur, steep hills. https://www.dropbox.com/s/s9swvi88mugm9yh/2_regulation_bahnhofplatz_chur.jpg?dl=0 Galewind demage at steep hills near Chur: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6hcz1u45mlt47aj/2regulating_services_storm_and_wind_red.jpg?dl=0 Work in Progress in city center at Chur, new trees will be planted: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7o07cywlcsqyhxp/2_regulating_renoval_postplatz.jpg?dl=0 **Habitat or Supporting services** **No water:** the city of Chur lies in the middle of a touristic area. But Chur itself is poor on habitats and recreation areas. Chur is one of three cities that don't grow in Switzerland. If you want to go to a park to lay on the grass, you won't find one in Chur. There are plans to make a lake in Chur. But the antagonists blame moskitos and do all they can against this compelling idea. Fortunately Chur is not a huge city (30000 inhabitants) so I provide here an image from the military training area, which is a ... special habitat and ecosystem. Not only ants and bugs search their free habitat, men do it as well - on sundays. ![enter image description here][6] Common road in Chur, near Stadtpark. ![enter image description here][7] Rhine and Calanda at Chur. ![enter image description here][8] Dome in Chur with nature in background: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pvk2da8gw3232o/3_habitat_chur_dome.JPG?dl=0 **Cultural services** A water story: the saint of Chur is King "Luzius di Britanni" and this is a wonderful story. Luzius came ... Not like Saint Gallus from Ireland, but he came for the same reason, to pray the evangelium, to educate the celts. But the people from Chur put him, like Jacob from the bible, in a fountain from where he was saved by his christian friends later. The thought that this King Luzius came from England - but no - it was a simple misunderstanding - he came from Prättigau - a nearby valley in Raetia I. Prättigau was a German spoken minority area in the middle of a Romansh spoken province. ![enter image description here][9] Historic drinking hall of Passugger Mineral Water, Chur. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14480377902352218.jpg [2]: http:// [3]: http:// [4]: http:// [5]: http:// [6]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14480380045204622.jpg [7]: http:// [8]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14480380449463839.jpg [9]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14480381134204036.jpg Sorry: imageupload didn't realy work, neighter with reduced size. I hope it works with dropboxlinks.