Washington state’s Lower Valley has had excess levels of nitrate in groundwater since the early 90s and in 2017, 20 percent of wells exceeded the state’s drinking water standards.
Record rain and snowfall are easing drought pressures, but California can’t overcome long-term water challenges if infrastructure is neglected.
The river’s Lower Basin states need a water-sharing agreement. It’s time for them to check their historical grievances at the door, make difficult compromises and be open to new and innovative solutions.
Amid a call to incorporate tribal knowledge in environmental protection, a state agency has set a standard for authentic consultation. A history of fights over water in Owens Valley embodies the tension between growth and stewardship.
The city and region are quickly running out of water as California’s drought persists, increasing the urgency for local officials to make immediate change instead of future investments.
The state's water agencies are proposing to reduce water use by up to 400,000 acre-feet per year or 9 percent. California is entitled to use 4.4 million acre-feet of Colorado River water per year, more than any other state.
The Nov. 8 election will elect four of the 7-member board for the area’s largest water provider, Santa Clara Valley Water District, which is one of Santa Clara County’s largest government agencies.
As water levels continue to drop, federal officials have warned seven states they will need to dramatically reduce water usage amid worsening drought conditions. But the groups haven’t yet reached an agreement.
Arizona, Colorado and Nevada are projected to grow by 30 percent or more by 2060, raising fears that demands for water will outstrip supply. Possible fixes include restricting water use and building new pipelines.
The enormous energy demands of Bitcoin mining are prompting some U.S. municipalities to impose moratoriums or outright bans on cryptocurrency facilities. Bitcoin mining activity, critics warn, is leading to electricity price hikes and a revival of dirtier sources of power.
Cities could offer to absorb 100 percent of the purchase and installation costs of micro-irrigation systems in exchange for a percentage of the water that farmers would save by making the switch.
The California Coastal Commission denied approval to construct a $1.4 billion plant after 20 years of debate. Gov. Newsom supported the plans, but it wasn’t enough to overcome worries about water costs and environmental damage.
The Colorado River provides water and electricity to 40 million people in the western US, but falling water levels threaten both of those resources.
Agreements negotiated a century ago to share water on Western rivers among states are showing their age in a time of water scarcity.
Smaller cities. Soaring water prices. Scorched desert towns. Arizona confronts a highly uncertain future.
Researchers estimated the state has the potential to substantially boost local water supplies by recycling wastewater and capturing stormwater. California recycles about 23 percent of its municipal wastewater.
