Tag

Water Management

All articles tagged with #water management

politics19 hours ago•4 min saved

Nevada sues federal government over Colorado River plan, citing procedural flaws

Nevada filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department alleging the new Colorado River plan imposes heavy cuts on the Lower Basin (including Nevada) and was enacted with flawed procedures, failing to adequately consider the impact on Nevada’s people and economy and not mandating similar cuts for Upper Basin states. Arizona is still weighing its response, with California and other partners having pushed for a shared solution. The plan could trim more than 70% of Nevada’s allocation and allows larger reductions after 2028, while a temporary framework through 2028 was intended to ease cuts. Analysts say the suit could slow urgent, short-term fixes but is unlikely to reach the Supreme Court soon.

via KJZZ|

#colorado-river #interior-department #lawsuit

climate-politics-and-policy1 day ago•22 min saved

Nevada challenges federal Colorado River cuts in landmark lawsuit

Nevada filed a lawsuit against a federal plan requiring cuts to Colorado River water use by Nevada and two other states, arguing the plan violates river rules and ignores the economic impact on southern Nevada, including Las Vegas, as the river faces a potential collapse.

via The Washington Post|

#climate-policy #climate-politics-and-policy #colorado-river

world5 days ago•130 min saved

Hungary bets big on water retention as drought reshapes its lakes and rivers

Hungary is grappling with a severe drought that has emptied lakes and driven the Danube to historic lows, threatening energy production at the Paks nuclear plant and prompting a government-wide shift to water-retention and conservation, including fixing leaky pipes. Experts say restoring wetlands could help buffer future dry spells as climate change intensifies rainfall extremes.

via AP News|

#danube #drought #hungary

americas5 days ago•3 min saved

El Niño drought tightens Panama Canal traffic, prompting reductions

The Panama Canal Authority will throttle daily crossings from 36 to 34 starting Sept 3, then to 32 from Sept 15, as a severe El Niño–driven drought lowers canal water levels. The agency has already implemented water-saving measures such as limiting drafts to sustain operations, a vital route that handles about 5% of global maritime trade and roughly 40% of US container traffic.

via France 24|

#americas #drought #el-nino

policy-and-politics12 days ago•14 min saved

Puerto Rico’s Water Crisis: Drought, Decay, and a Policy Gap

Drought, extreme heat, sediment buildup in reservoirs, and aging infrastructure have driven a severe water shortage in San Juan and surrounding areas, triggering emergency rationing, long lines for water, and government efforts including FEMA support amid criticism of management. While cisterns help some households, long‑term relief hinges on transparent dashboards, better cross‑agency coordination, and policy reforms outlined in Puerto Rico’s Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Plan.

via Yale Climate Connections|

#drought #infrastructure #policy-and-politics

environment16 days ago•3 min saved

Lake Mead Dips to Historic Low, Amplifying Colorado River Crisis

Lake Mead fell to 1,040.4 feet, its lowest level since filling about 90 years ago, underscoring a severe Colorado River crisis that supplies water and power to roughly 40 million people across seven states and parts of Mexico. The drought, extreme heat, and reduced snowpack have drained the system, with Lake Powell also at historic lows and federal officials proposing short-term water cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada. A plan to protect the humpback chub led to limiting Glen Canyon Dam releases, highlighting competing needs for hydropower and ecosystems. Experts warn the situation could worsen this year as more reservoir declines are anticipated, though longer-term agreements remain elusive.

via The Guardian|

#colorado-river #drought #environment

environment22 days ago•8 min saved

Arizona water future hinges on diversification as Colorado River cuts loom

The Interior Department is poised to impose large Colorado River cutbacks—potentially up to 40%—on Arizona, California and Nevada, which could hit Phoenix-area water supplies hard. Officials say taps won’t go dry because cities are diversifying with groundwater, Salt River supplies, and programs like the Secure Water Arizona Program (SWAP) and water transfers. Cities are also pursuing storage projects, groundwater banking, and even potential desalination deals to weather a long-term shift to a drier baseline, with final cut sizes for 2027–2028 to be announced soon.

via KJZZ|

#arizona-water #colorado-river #environment

us-news25 days ago•5 min saved

US unveils flexible 10-year plan to curb Colorado River water use

The federal government released a 10-year, flexible plan to cut Colorado River water use, potentially reducing Lower Basin supplies by up to 3 million acre-feet a year (affecting CA, AZ, NV) while sparing Upper Basin states; a short-term “record of decision” is due soon, but critics say the framework postpones hard choices and could worsen shortages without a durable multi-state agreement.

via The Guardian|

#colorado-river #drought #lower-basin

environment25 days ago•4 min saved

US Proposes Major Colorado River Cuts for AZ, CA and NV to Avert Crisis

The Interior Department proposed a flexible plan to curb Colorado River use by Arizona, California and Nevada, potentially totaling up to 3 million acre-feet annually through 2036, with reductions decided every two years. The three Lower Basin states would split half the cuts based on an existing allocation, while Upper Basin states pursue voluntary cuts. The plan aims to prevent Lake Mead and Lake Powell from dropping further amid record-low snowpack, but faces pushback from state leaders who warn the proposal could devastate communities and agriculture. Final operating guidelines are due by October 1.

via Al Jazeera|

#arizona #california #colorado-river

environment25 days ago•3 min saved

Feds propose sweeping Colorado River cuts to water supply for AZ, CA and NV

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation unveiled a 10-year plan to cut Colorado River water deliveries to Arizona, California and Nevada during ongoing drought, proposing shortages of up to 3 million acre-feet per year in the Lower Basin and giving the federal government flexibility to operate Lake Powell and Lake Mead; the framework would be implemented in two-year increments and could face lawsuits as the basin states navigate a critical phase of drought, climate-driven drying and the river’s importance to power and agriculture.

via NBC News|

#arizona #california #colorado-river

health1 month ago•6 min saved

Upper East Side Legionnaires' Outbreak in NYC Leaves 5 Dead, 82 Infected

New York City reports an Upper East Side outbreak of Legionnaires' disease with 5 deaths and 82 cases; eight people are hospitalized and no new cases have been reported in six days, suggesting the exposure source may have been eliminated. Legionnaires' disease is a pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria spread mainly via aerosolized water droplets from cooling towers, plumbing, or hot tubs, not person-to-person. Prevention emphasizes robust water management: cleaning and disinfecting cooling towers, flushing infrequently used pipes, maintaining water temperatures and disinfectant levels, and addressing stagnant water. Early antibiotic treatment improves outcomes, and at-risk groups should seek care promptly.

via Fox News|

#cooling-towers #health #legionnaires-disease

climate1 month ago•18 min saved

Colorado River at a tipping point: looming federal plan could trigger major water cuts

With historic drought draining reservoirs, the federal government is poised to unveil a plan for the shrinking Colorado River that could impose substantial water cuts across seven U.S. states and parts of Mexico, impacting roughly 40 million people and reshaping agriculture, energy and Western economies. The decision hinges on climate-driven shortages and existing water-management rules, and whatever is decided could trigger legal disputes and ripple effects beyond the basin if states resist or renegotiate terms.

via The Washington Post|

#climate #climate-change #colorado-river

environment2 months ago•22 min saved

Colorado, Nevada push back on federal Colorado River plan amid drought

Colorado and Nevada negotiators signaled at a Boulder water conference that key parts of the Bureau of Reclamation’s plan to release water from Lake Powell and Lake Mead need revision, notably the idea of biannual reviews; with drought tightening supplies and Powell’s inflow forecasts at record lows, the long-standing compact remains unresolved as states fear litigation or a potential Supreme Court showdown. Reclamation aims to finalize a decade-long reservoir-operations plan within two months, but a temporary two-year approach from Lower Basin leaders and unresolved questions about who bears cuts and tribal allocations keep the dispute highly contentious.

via Colorado Public Radio|

#colorado-river #drought #environment

technology2 months ago•2 min saved

Google rolls out a water-conscious data-center framework

Google unveils a formal water-management framework for its data centers, pledging to return more water to local watersheds than it uses by 2030, cut water-intensive cooling in stressed regions, fund local water upgrades, pursue alternatives like reclaimed wastewater, and disclose annual usage; the move packages long-standing practices as a standard and aims to push industry adoption. In 2024 Google used 7.2 billion gallons of freshwater and replenished about 4.5 billion (64%), with two-thirds of centers using evaporative cooling and the rest relying on air cooling or recycled water, illustrating the trade-off between preserving water supplies and electricity use.

via Axios|

#cooling #data-centers #google

environment3 months ago•19 min saved

Tiny fixes won’t avert the Colorado River crisis

The Colorado River faces a dire set of conditions with record-low snowpack and reservoirs nearing historic lows. A short-term plan by Arizona, California and Nevada aiming to save about 3.2 million acre-feet by 2028 is unlikely to break the deadlock or prevent a longer-term crisis, because meaningful change will require deeper, negotiated reforms to water use and rights across the Lower Basin as negotiations among Western states remain stalled.

via The Washington Post|

#climate-change #colorado-river #droughts