Water

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  • Excessive Water Use ‘Threatening Business in Major Economies'

    WaterSISWEB / Top Posts
    16 May 2012 | 5:18 am
    Unsustainable water use is threatening agriculture, other business and populations in China, India and the US, according to a study by risk analysis company Maplecroft.6 Vote(s)

  • The Stream, May 14: NASA Scientist Links Specific Weather Events to Climate Change

    Circle of Blue WaterNews
    Nadya Ivanova
    14 May 2012 | 6:45 am
    Drinking water is safe to consume in the small Pennsylvania town of Dimock, where residents complained about hydraulic fracturing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Meanwhile, this Reuters analysis shows that insurers find it tough to price the risk from hydraulic fracturing. A NASA scientist has for the first time tied specific weather events, such as the recent Texas drought and the 2010 heat wave in Russia, to human-induced climate change. TIME Magazine and The Atlantic both look at his scary math. Record rainfall in April has helped take 19 counties in the United…

  • Water issues, struggling dairies cloud California agriculture

    WesternWaterBlog
    Editor
    24 Apr 2012 | 11:22 am
    By Harry Cline/ Posted on Western Farm Press The Western dairy industry is headed into another down year in what has become a series of three-year cycles of economic pinnacles and troughs. The availability and cost of water to irrigate crops and the economic health of the dairy industry have direct impacts across California agriculture. Without adequate storage to capture excess moisture in years like 2011, water deliveries have fallen dramatically this year compared to last. California agriculture is the most diversified in the world with roughly 400 different commercial crops. However,…

  • Defining Water Data

    Circle of Blue WaterNews
    Circle of Blue
    14 May 2012 | 4:31 pm
    Circle of Blue intern Varun Mangla summarizes the first two weeks of the summer he plans to spend with us. I’ve spent two weeks with Circle of Blue as a new data intern for the summer. I just finished my junior year at the University of Michigan in the chemical engineering department, which is where Aubrey Ann Parker — a former Circle of Blue data intern in 2009, now the assistant editor — graduated from, as well. Last fall, Aubrey sent an email to my undergraduate advisor saying she was looking for data interns, so I sent in my resume and was picked for an interview when the Circle…

  • Dam News: April 25 – May 3, 2012

    On Water
    miadocto
    5 May 2012 | 7:56 pm
    Sports Complex, Dam Head For Town Meeting Vote in Bolton Worcester Telegram – ‎May 3, 2012 BOLTON – A proposed Village Overlay District and funding to lower the Fyfeshire dam to remove it from state jurisdiction highlight the warrant for the town meeting Monday.   Phase 1 Bid Approved for Duck River Dam Project Cullman Times Online – ‎May 3, 2012 Phase I includes surveying, access road construction, stump and debris removal within the dam footprint, geotechnical explorations, soil removal and rock excavation. Once work begins, phase I is expected to take…
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    Water - Air Quality / Agriculture News From Medical News Today

  • Understanding The Cellular Secrets Of Plant Fatty Acid Production

    16 May 2012 | 2:00 am
    A curious twist in a family of plant proteins called chalcone-isomerase recently was discovered by Salk Institute for Biological Studies scientist Joseph Noel and colleagues at Iowa State University led by Eve Wurtele...

  • Any And All Toxic Materials Identified By "Dip Chip" Technology On-The-Go

    15 May 2012 | 6:00 am
    From man-made toxic chemicals such as industrial by-products to poisons that occur naturally, a water or food supply can be easily contaminated. And for every level of toxic material ingested, there is some level of bodily response, ranging from minor illness to painful certain death. Biosensors have long been used to safeguard against exposure to toxic chemicals...

  • New UV Disinfection Device

    15 May 2012 | 4:00 am
    Research from North Carolina State University will allow the development of energy-efficient LED devices that use ultraviolet (UV) light to kill pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. The technology has a wide array of applications ranging from drinking-water treatment to sterilizing surgical tools...

  • Study Of Indoor Air Quality Risks In United Arab Emirates Is Culturally Sensitive

    11 May 2012 | 3:00 am
    The rapid shift from nomadic life to modern-day culture in the United Arab Emirates has exposed residents to significant indoor air quality risks that can lead to respiratory illness, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...

  • Heart Attack Death Rates Higher When Patient Lives Near Highway

    10 May 2012 | 2:00 pm
    Major highways pose a considerable risk to heart attack survivors living in close vicinity. Findings of the study, published in the May 7 issue of Circulation, report that researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center conclude that housing developments need to be isolated from areas with heavy traffic...
 
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    Circle of Blue WaterNews

  • The Stream, May 15: America’s Most Endangered Rivers

    Nadya Ivanova
    15 May 2012 | 11:32 am
    The Potomac River is the most endangered river in the United States, according to a new report by the environmental group American Rivers. The annual list of U.S. rivers at risk includes streams in virtually every region of the country. Several are threatened by the same types of activities: energy development or dam- and reservoir-building, according to this interview by The New York Times Green blog. A severe drought has gripped northeastern Brazil, devastating farm output and triggering fighting in rural areas, AFP reported, citing local media. The drought is said to be the worst in the…

  • Defining Water Data

    Circle of Blue
    14 May 2012 | 4:31 pm
    Circle of Blue intern Varun Mangla summarizes the first two weeks of the summer he plans to spend with us. I’ve spent two weeks with Circle of Blue as a new data intern for the summer. I just finished my junior year at the University of Michigan in the chemical engineering department, which is where Aubrey Ann Parker — a former Circle of Blue data intern in 2009, now the assistant editor — graduated from, as well. Last fall, Aubrey sent an email to my undergraduate advisor saying she was looking for data interns, so I sent in my resume and was picked for an interview when the Circle…

  • Map: 2012 Water Prices in 30 Major U.S. Cities

    Circle of Blue
    14 May 2012 | 4:12 pm
    The price that Americans pay for water is rising faster than the cost of any other utility service in the United States — be it gas, electricity, or telephone charges. According to the newest report in an ongoing national survey conducted by Circle of Blue, water prices in 30 major U.S. cities rose 18 percent over the last two years and 7 percent in the past year. Map © Kalin Wood / Circle of Blue. Graphs © Amanda Northrop / Circle of Blue Interactive Map: A comparison of water prices from 2010 to 2012 in 30 major U.S. cities. Click each region above for graphical comparisons…

  • The Stream, May 14: NASA Scientist Links Specific Weather Events to Climate Change

    Nadya Ivanova
    14 May 2012 | 6:45 am
    Drinking water is safe to consume in the small Pennsylvania town of Dimock, where residents complained about hydraulic fracturing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Meanwhile, this Reuters analysis shows that insurers find it tough to price the risk from hydraulic fracturing. A NASA scientist has for the first time tied specific weather events, such as the recent Texas drought and the 2010 heat wave in Russia, to human-induced climate change. TIME Magazine and The Atlantic both look at his scary math. Record rainfall in April has helped take 19 counties in the United…

  • Federal Water Tap, May 14: Chemical Contaminants

    Brett Walton
    14 May 2012 | 5:00 am
    CCL 4 The Environmental Protection Agency keeps a list of unregulated contaminants from which it pulls chemicals for regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The agency is seeking nominations for additions to the fourth version of the Contaminant Candidate List. Submissions are due by June 22. The third list includes 92 chemical contaminants and 12 microbial contaminants. Water for Oil Shale The Army Corps of Engineers announced that oil companies and other industrial users in North Dakota will be able to tap Lake Sakakawea free of charge until the federal government develops a policy…
 
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    ScienceDaily: Water Conservation News

  • Tiny plants could cut costs, shrink environmental footprint

    15 May 2012 | 9:46 am
    Tall, waving corn fields that line Midwestern roads may one day be replaced by dwarfed versions that require less water, fertilizer and other inputs, thanks to a fungicide commonly used on golf courses.

  • A practical guide to green products and services

    15 May 2012 | 4:25 am
    A new report provides key information for policy makers and business managers on how to assess the environmental impacts of products and services. It helps to pave the way towards a resource-efficient Europe and aims to help design more sustainable products, which are indispensable in a world of 7 billion people and limited resources.

  • The gut could reveal effect of climate change on fish

    14 May 2012 | 1:47 pm
    As sea temperatures rise, stocks of some fish species can decline while others may grow, reveals new research looking at gastrointestinal function in fish.

  • Dip chip technology tests toxicity on the go

    14 May 2012 | 12:42 pm
    Researchers have developed a portable "dip chip" that detects water toxicity quickly and accurately. Once perfected, the chip might be plugged into ordinary smartphones or PDA devices to provide a toxicity alert.

  • Floating robots use GPS-enabled smartphones to track water flow

    14 May 2012 | 9:50 am
    A fleet of 100 floating robots took a trip down the Sacramento River on May 9, in a field test. The devices, equipped with GPS-enabled smartphones, demonstrated the next generation of water-monitoring technology, promising to transform the way government agencies track one of the state's most precious resources.
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    WaterSISWEB / Top Posts

  • Excessive Water Use ‘Threatening Business in Major Economies'

    16 May 2012 | 5:18 am
    Unsustainable water use is threatening agriculture, other business and populations in China, India and the US, according to a study by risk analysis company Maplecroft.6 Vote(s)

  • Polluting China for the sake of economic growth

    16 May 2012 | 5:05 am
    China's economic growth will continue to be energy-intensive and highly polluting for the foreseeable future with emissions and efficiency far below capital growth on the agenda, according to a study published in the International Journal of Global Energy Issues. Economist Yanqing Xia of Dongbei University of Finance and Economics and the Northeast Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Lia6 Vote(s)

  • Extreme weather to become norm

    16 May 2012 | 1:24 am
    From massive flooding and a hurricane in August 2011, to a warm winter and summer-like spring, the recent atypical weather in southern New Jersey has created uncertainty as to what the region can expect for the future. According to internationally renowned environmental leader and Cumberland County native Lester Brown, what was once viewed as extreme is becoming more common around the globe. Clim6 Vote(s)

  • Push from Mississippi kept Deepwater Horizon oil slick off shore

    16 May 2012 | 12:58 am
    When the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20, 2010, residents feared that their Gulf of Mexico shores would be inundated with oil. And while many wetland habitats and wildlife were oiled during the three-month leak, the environmental damage to coastal Louisiana was less than many expected, in part because much of the crude never made it to the coast.6 Vote(s)

  • Water usage far exceed sustainability level in the desert southwest, US

    15 May 2012 | 11:39 pm
    The American West has a 'drinking problem.' On farms and in cities, we are guzzling water at an alarming rate. Scientists say that to live sustainably, we should use no more than 40 percent of the water from the Colorado River Basin. As it is now, we use 76 percent, nearly double the sustainable benchmark. The water supports the populations of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Colora7 Vote(s)
 
 
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    On Water

  • Dam News: April 25 – May 3, 2012

    miadocto
    5 May 2012 | 7:56 pm
    Sports Complex, Dam Head For Town Meeting Vote in Bolton Worcester Telegram – ‎May 3, 2012 BOLTON – A proposed Village Overlay District and funding to lower the Fyfeshire dam to remove it from state jurisdiction highlight the warrant for the town meeting Monday.   Phase 1 Bid Approved for Duck River Dam Project Cullman Times Online – ‎May 3, 2012 Phase I includes surveying, access road construction, stump and debris removal within the dam footprint, geotechnical explorations, soil removal and rock excavation. Once work begins, phase I is expected to take…

  • Dam News: 13- April 21, 2012

    miadocto
    23 Apr 2012 | 12:11 pm
    “Dam news” is a round-up of news and events related to dams and dam removal, brought to you by the Clearinghouse for Dam Removal Information (CDRI), a project administered by the Water Resources Collections and Archives. Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal. –   Fisheries Scientists Redefine the Salmon Debate by Trumpeting More ‘Spill’ The Idaho Statesman – ‎Apr 21, 2012‎ By ROCKY BARKER – Lower Granite Dam is the first of four hydroelectric dams on the lower Snake River that migrating Idaho salmon encounter – and that some salmon advocates want…

  • Three Gorges Dam Symposium This Weekend at UC Berkeley

    miadocto
    13 Apr 2012 | 1:48 pm
    UC Berkeley Three Gorges Dam Symposium A post project assessment of the worlds largest hydro dam The symposium is focused on the lessons learned after Three Gorges Dam.  The symposium will convene invited experts both from within China, and outside, who are knowledgeable about the planning and environmental assessments of large dams, particularly the Three Gorges Project. Speakers are invited to share their evaluations of anticipated and surprising project impacts, future long term impacts, and recommended management actions to minimize adverse impacts. These ideas and analyses could help…

  • Dam News: 9-11 April, 2012

    miadocto
    11 Apr 2012 | 12:31 pm
    “Dam news” is a round-up of news and events related to dams and dam removal, brought to you by the Clearinghouse for Dam Removal Information (CDRI), a project administered by the Water Resources Collections and Archives. Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal. –   Whistleblower to Talk in Klamath Herald and News – ‎April 11, 2012 A scientist who filed a whistleblower complaint after being fired from his job advising the Bureau of Reclamation on ethical issues, including impact studies on removing four Klamath River dams, will talk next month during public appearances…

  • Dam News: 2- 8 April, 2012

    miadocto
    8 Apr 2012 | 10:20 pm
    “Dam news” is a round-up of news and events related to dams and dam removal, brought to you by the Clearinghouse for Dam Removal Information (CDRI), a project administered by the Water Resources Collections and Archives. Visit CDRI for more on dams and dam removal. –   Unintended Consequences Santa Monica Daily Press – ‎April 8, 2012 According to the non-profit American Rivers, over 1000 dams across the US have been removed to date. And the biggest dam removal project in history in now well underway in Olympic National Park in Washington State where two century-old dams…
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    Water - Use It Wisely

  • The Arizona Green Plumber Talks About “Water-Use It Wisely”

    admin
    3 May 2012 | 6:40 pm
    Join host John Smith on blogtalkradio as he talks with Donna DiFrancesco from the City of Mesa about the development of the Water-Use It Wisely campaign in Arizona. Listen to internet radio with John A Smith on Blog Talk Radio

  • Did You Know There Are “Smart” Irrigation Controllers?

    admin
    1 May 2012 | 11:00 am
    Up to 70% of your household water use is outdoors. This is why it’s so important to ensure you are watering efficiently. Raise your hand if you adjust your irrigation controller four times a year with the seasons. More than likely, you did not raise your hand. Either way, don’t worry there is a controller that is so smart that it adjusts automatically according to everything going on in your yard! This technology reduces the overall amount of water used up to 50% and reduces your water bill, saving you money, and helping to conserve a precious resource. “Smart” VS “Not-so-smart”…

  • Just in Time for Arbor Day – Tree Care Q & A

    Joanne Toms, City of Glendale
    27 Apr 2012 | 6:51 pm
    Heat tolerant trees like the Palo Verde often have small leaves, light green or grey leaves, are native to arid climates, and can tolerate intermittent watering Do you have questions about planting a tree or caring for existing trees in your yard? Joanne Toms, Water Conservation Specialist, from the City of Glendale is here with some helpful Q&A. Just in time for Arbor Day, which is today (Friday, April 27th)! What type of tree should I plant? Pick a tree that can survive and thrive in our desert region. Heat tolerant trees often have the following characteristics: small leaves, light…

  • Water Awareness Month – It’s All About You

    admin
    24 Apr 2012 | 1:50 pm
    Water Awareness Month is going on right now, and we can use your help! As readers of this blog, you are already water-aware and can probably name many of the 100+ water-saving tips on the Water – Use it Wisely website. Of course, first on the list is “There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.” In this spirit, we would like to ask a favor. As knowledgeable water ambassadors, help spread the word about Water – Use it Wisely and Water Awareness Month to your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. If you’re not familiar with Water Awareness Month, visit…

  • Plunging Into Green

    John Smith, Arizona Green Plumbers
    19 Apr 2012 | 6:20 pm
    It seems like everywhere you turn nowadays, both businesses and individuals are encouraging you to reduce, reuse, and recycle. In fact, the very words “going green” immediately bring conservation thoughts to mind. When was the last time you heard the word, “plumber,” though, and thought about sustainability? You should! With the advice of your plumber, you can make some very simple changes around your home or business to save significant amounts of water. One of the biggest water wasters in the home - the toilet. Look for the WaterSense label Let’s begin with the biggest…
 
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    Aquafornia

  • This just in … Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District petitions State Water Board to vacate permit requirements; Board sets workshop for July

    Maven
    15 May 2012 | 1:32 pm
    The State Water Resources Control Board has scheduled a workshop in July to review the waste discharge requirements for the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (SRCSD). The SRCSD is petitioning the State Water Resources Control Board to vacate the new filtration requirements for ammonia, pathogens and nitrate citing “adverse impacts on residents of all economic circumstances, business and development, and the environment. These adverse impacts are not justified. The Regional Board was too committed to certain outcomes and did not consider what is reasonable and necessary…

  • Tuesday’s top of the scroll: State officials release draft of Delta Plan

    Maven
    15 May 2012 | 10:41 am
    From the Stockton Record: “State officials Monday released a far-ranging “road map” for the Delta of the future, a complex web of strategies intended to save the estuary’s ecosystem, secure its role as a source of water for much of the state and protect some of its unique attributes. Local officials have watched with concern the development of the draft Delta Plan for two years. Not only might the plan eventually include a peripheral canal or tunnel to divert water past rather than through the Delta, it also adds a new layer of bureaucracy that city of Stockton…

  • Critic blasts newest plan to ‘save’ the Delta

    Maven
    15 May 2012 | 10:41 am
    From the Central Valley Business Times: “The final “draft” plan to solve California’s water supply problems is being criticized as incomplete and being a thin veil for the Brown Administration’s real plan to build a massive canal around the Delta or an equally large tunnel beneath it. The canal or tunnel would siphon off much of the Sacramento River before it enters the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and ship the fresh water to the state and federal irrigation systems’ pumps near Tracy. “Without a water quality analysis that examines how eliminating fresh water flows from…

  • After dry ‘rainy season,’ California faces high wildfire risks

    Maven
    15 May 2012 | 10:26 am
    From KQED’s Climate Watch: “In California, May typically marks the beginning of a warm and dry summer season. This year, however, things are different. Not only has it been warm and dry for the past couple weeks; it’s been warm and dry for months. So dry, in fact, that officials are warning the risk of wildfires across much of the state is going to be much worse than usual, for several months to come. According to their most recent outlook, the National Interagency Fire Center predicts that large parts of southern and central California, along with forests throughout the Sierra…

  • Delta National Park blog: Maps are great at that

    Maven
    15 May 2012 | 10:24 am
    From the Delta National Park blog: “Everyone, but especially those who develop history and geography curriculum for the state’s schools, should check out KQED’s fabulous new Delta interactive map. I’ve just barely scratched its surface but have already learned some new things. Great historical photographs, images and texts from early surveyors. It is a model of the kind of work that someone like J.B. Jackson would have done if he were doing his work with today’s media. Congratulations to KQED and Stanford’s Bill Lane Center. … “ Continue reading from the Delta…
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    AWRA Water Blog

  • TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 5 -11 May 2012

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    11 May 2012 | 10:11 am
    Another birthday visits me this weekend. No complaints here – really.Couldn’t ask for a better life. Maybe fewer aches and pains, but that’s no problem, considering the alternative. Mary Frances and I have finished the cookies in the picture above – now for some of the ‘adult beverages’. My favorite such libation is shown to [...] Related posts:TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 21 – 27 April 2012 Still trying to fathom the difference between nerds and geeks.... TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 21-27 January 2012 That day of the week again -Friday, time…

  • Hotels, Beware: Homey Don’t Do Internet Charges!

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    9 May 2012 | 5:53 pm
    After I spent 48 hours in Calgary, it was 24 hours in Portland. AWRA Executive Director  Ken Reid flew in to check out prospective venues for our 2013 annual conference, which I will chair. I decided to accompany him on his visits. One of the venues was the downtown Hilton (breakfast hosted by Susan Renner and Susan Henberry) which [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

  • TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 28 April – 4 May 2012

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    3 May 2012 | 11:09 pm
    This week’s post comes to you from Calgary, the ‘Houston of Canada’ located in Alberta, the ‘Texas of Canada’ (in more ways than just oil and gas). Calgary is the headquarters for Canada’s hydrocarbon industry, but it’s more like Denver than Houston what with the gorgeous Rocky Mountains in the (more distant than Denver) background. That’s the Bow [...] Related posts:TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 14 -20 April 2012 Earth Day is about here and will be upon us... TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 7 -13 April 2012 (Triskaidekaphobia Day!) Two…

  • TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 21 – 27 April 2012

    Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
    27 Apr 2012 | 2:34 am
    Still trying to fathom the difference between nerds and geeks. More proof that I have too much time on my hands. Or not. Don’t forget to check out groundwater geek. PhD oral exam this morning, then off to Salem for my first ‘live’ meeting of the GWAC (Groundwater Advisory Committee), and then a late-afternoon meeting with [...] Related posts:TGIF – Weekly Water News Summary, 31 March – 6 April 2012 Finally getting this week’s water news summary out. A blessed... TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 7 -13 April 2012 (Triskaidekaphobia Day!) Two down, one to go:…

  • Summary of AWRA’s 2012 GIS and Water Resources Conference

    smcclung
    23 Apr 2012 | 2:06 pm
    The 2012 AWRA Spring Specialty Conference on GIS & Water Resources VII was held March 26 to 28, 2012, in New Orleans, Louisiana. As with previous conferences in this series, the call for abstracts brought presentations and posters showcasing the most exciting work being done in the field of geospatial technology and water resources.  Topics [...] Related posts:Leadership in Deploying New GIS Technologies is highlighted at AWRA’s 2012 Spring Specialty Conference in New Orleans Date: April 14, 2012 Contact: Mary Ashton Phone: (540) 687-8390... Use of Innovative Technologies in GIS and…
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    On the Water Front

  • California Needs More Reliable Water Deliveries, Not More Delta Water

    Cynthia Koehler
    15 May 2012 | 1:43 pm
    By Cynthia KoehlerThe Sacramento Bee editorialized over the weekend about the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), articulating a position similar to many in keeping an open mind about a canal or tunnel that could eliminate the need to operate the major federal and state pumps in the south Delta that are harmful to California’s fisheries and the San Francisco estuary. The Bee put its finger on a key issue in noting that, south of Delta exporters “seem to have an expectation that BDCP can provide them with even more Delta water – more than the record high pumping of the previous decade…

  • Ecosystems and World Water Day

    Linda Esteli Mendez
    22 Mar 2012 | 7:32 pm
    By Linda Esteli MendezLinda Esteli Mendez, Tom Graff Fellow By Linda Esteli Mendez, EDF Tom Graff Fellow Recognizing the importance of freshwater to the health and vitality of the world's people, the United Nations General Assembly designated March 22nd, 1992 as the first "World Water Day." Each year a new theme related to freshwater is celebrated on March 22nd. This year's theme is water and food security. How is freshwater related to food security?  The US Department of Agriculture defines food security as, "access by all members at all times to enough food for an…

  • Waiting for a (March) Miracle

    Spreck Rosekrans
    14 Mar 2012 | 5:01 pm
    By Spreck RosekransI had thought “Waiting for a Miracle” was originally done by the Grateful Dead. It turns out the song was written by Leonard Cohen. But it might just as well be the theme song for California water wonks. It's been an abysmally dry year, through February – the seventh driest of the last 107 years as measured by the Eight River index. But with storms coming in from the Pacific Ocean this week there's hope of another miracle March. We had such months twice during the six-year drought from 1987 to 1992. In 1989, as figure 1 shows, the combined flow of the…

  • Ninth Circuit Rules In Favor of California Salmon Runs

    Cynthia Koehler
    2 Mar 2012 | 6:27 pm
    By Cynthia KoehlerThe Ninth Circuit vindicated environmental and fishing group plaintiffs in their 14-year litigation to implement the Central Valley Project Improvement Act’s (“CVPIA”) requirement to reallocate 800,000 acre-feet of federal project water back to the ecosystem. The 1992 CVPIA, also known as the Miller-Bradley bill for its co-sponsors, requires that the federal government double Central Valley salmon population levels from their average of several decades ago.  California has adopted a similar salmon doubling objective.  Key to meeting this goal was the directive that…

  • Blue sky blues after a very dry December

    Spreck Rosekrans
    5 Jan 2012 | 7:47 pm
    By Spreck RosekransSpreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF After a dry December, Californians are starting to worry about this year’s water supply. While we are fortunate that last year’s steady and extended precipitation has left our reservoirs and aquifers in relatively good shape, there are questions about what weather lies ahead. Beautiful blue skies can bring the blues. In winter, skiers lament that mountain tops are barren of snow. But the threat of impending drought looms large for all Californians as well as for our fish and wildlife. Certainly, a dry December does not…
 
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    We All Live Downstream

  • Drinking Water Matters Part 2 – What Would it Look Like?

    admin
    11 May 2012 | 1:11 pm
    Here's the Secret - Drinking Water Matters By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director Yesterday I wrote about the “Trickle Down Problem,” which allows pollution caused by our industrial and other activities to perpetuate until it trickles down to our drinking water sources.  We’re left to solve the problem with treatment and higher costs to consumers. What would it look like to act as if drinking water matters? As noted in Part 1, we would not exempt hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas (or other activities) from the Safe Drinking Water Act.  We’d also apply a great deal more…

  • Drinking Water Matters – Solving the Trickle Down Problem

    admin
    10 May 2012 | 3:27 pm
    Help Us Protect Drinking Water By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director It’s Drinking Water Week – a good time to think about the big picture when it comes to drinking water challenges.  One part of the picture that can’t get enough attention is what I call the “Trickle Down” problem. If you’re like most people in the United States, you think drinking water is pretty important.  Maybe you know something about your Public Water System or about the chemical and engineering miracle that is performed every minute by modern drinking water treatment plants. You might even know…

  • Safe Chemicals, please

    admin
    8 May 2012 | 5:29 pm
    Take Action for Safe Chemicals Today! By Cindy Luppi, New England Director May is here and for many, the top thing on our minds is spring and whether the Celtics can continue their tear in playoffs (Rondo!) or if the Sox will ever turn it around in the Valentine years (and, if you’re not from New England, feel free to insert your own sports teams/metaphors here). For me, Spring always reminds me of my grandmother, Aubine. She was born in early April, over 100 years ago in a small town in northern Maine. She taught my sisters and me many things over the years, but the single over-riding…

  • A Step in the Right Direction on Hydraulic Fracturing and Drinking Water

    admin
    4 May 2012 | 4:12 pm
    Let's keep diesel out of fracking! By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director As experts on the Safe Drinking Water Act, we weren’t at all thrilled when Congress exempted hydraulic fracturing from the law back in 2005.  EPA’s draft policy around fracking operations that use diesel addresses the only “exemption in that exemption” and because of that is very important.  We’ve seen since then that drinking water impacts are one of the biggest areas of concern with this type of oil and gas drilling and the exemption needs to be reversed. The Energy Policy Act of 2005…

  • Love Your Mother

    jscott@cleanwater.org
    4 May 2012 | 12:55 pm
    by Jonathan A.  Scott There are lots of great ways to celebrate Mother’s Day. While there is no substitute for an in-person visit or celebratory phone call (or video chat, if you’re so inclined), there is also a rich tradition involving gifts of cards, pictures flowers, edible goodies and more. If you wanted to add or substitute something on this list, you might consider giving a gift to Clean Water Action  or Clean Water Fund in honor or memory of your mother, grandmother and/or other special women in your life. In our household, we often give a gift of blankets (for disaster relief)…
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    WesternWaterBlog

  • Water issues, struggling dairies cloud California agriculture

    Editor
    24 Apr 2012 | 11:22 am
    By Harry Cline/ Posted on Western Farm Press The Western dairy industry is headed into another down year in what has become a series of three-year cycles of economic pinnacles and troughs. The availability and cost of water to irrigate crops and the economic health of the dairy industry have direct impacts across California agriculture. Without adequate storage to capture excess moisture in years like 2011, water deliveries have fallen dramatically this year compared to last. California agriculture is the most diversified in the world with roughly 400 different commercial crops. However,…

  • The trigger for an economic boom: Lower power via SSJID

    Editor
    20 Apr 2012 | 2:25 pm
    By Dennis Wyatt - dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com 209-249-3519  A plentiful and stable water supply was responsible for a real and sustained economic boom 100 years ago in Manteca, Ripon and Escalon. It turned the sandy loam and barren countryside into some of the most fertile farmland in the world. Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon went from mere wide spots on roads to bustling communities. Everyone benefitted: The farmer, the laborer, the merchant, the wealthy, the middle class, and the poor. It happened because a group of visionary farmers understood the economic might that irrigation water…

  • SSJID's Water Conversation Project -

    Editor
    26 Mar 2012 | 3:50 pm
    This year has not been good as far as rain fall.  SSJID seems to be taking a lead with their water conservation project. This video is worth reviewing.

  • SSJID joins fight over long-term Delta regulations

    Editor
    21 Mar 2012 | 8:04 am
    By Jason Campbell  jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com - 209-249-3544 When it comes to protecting their biggest resource the South San Joaquin Irrigation District is putting their money where their mouth is. The fight gearing up between the Delta Stewardship Council – a group charged with balancing the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta against its agricultural uses – and the coalition of municipalities that oppose what they say is broad power given to the group won’t come without a cost. And with a strong Sacramento political insider now on the payroll of the…

  • SSJID joins fight over long-term Delta regulations By Jason Campbell Reporter

    Editor
    21 Mar 2012 | 8:04 am
    By Jason Campbell  jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com - 209-249-3544 When it comes to protecting their biggest resource the South San Joaquin Irrigation District is putting their money where their mouth is. The fight gearing up between the Delta Stewardship Council – a group charged with balancing the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta against its agricultural uses – and the coalition of municipalities that oppose what they say is broad power given to the group won’t come without a cost. And with a strong Sacramento political insider now on the payroll of the…
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    WaterWired

  • Dr. Brenda Bateman Updates Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy

    Aquadoc
    16 May 2012 | 2:10 am
    Dr. Brenda O. Bateman of the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) traveled down to OSU yesterday to update us on Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) and its implementation: Download 2012_05_15_OSU_IWRS_Bateman Here's the draft IWRS Framework: Download 2011_December_Framework_updated_2_13_12 She made an excellent presentation and noted that the IWRS is slated...

  • Dude! OSU Hydrophiles' Water Resources Research Symposium - Friday, 18 May 2012

    Aquadoc
    15 May 2012 | 4:27 pm
    The Oregon Stae University student water group Hydrophiles has organized a stellar water resources research symposium this Friday, 18 May 2012, at OSU's Memorial Union, Rooms 211,212, and 213. The building is 'MU' on the campus map, at the corner of SW Jefferson Way and SW 26th Street. It is...

  • Will YOU Be Ready For Aqua Republica?

    Aquadoc
    14 May 2012 | 3:39 pm
    So is Aqua Republica James Cameron's long-awaited sequel to Avatar? Or, perhaps even worse, has Kevin Costner decided upon a 3D version of Waterworld? Actually, it's neither one, but a serious water resources game being developed by DHI and UNEP. This morning I had a call from DHI's Chengzi Chew...

  • Mother's Day Tribute to Ruth Emerson Campana

    Aquadoc
    13 May 2012 | 5:21 pm
    About once every seven or so years my birthday coincides with Mother's Day. Today is one of those years. It has been a while since I celebrated that event with my mother; the last year was 2001, the year of 9/11, an event that rocked our family. My mother, Ruth...

  • It's As Easy As...990-EZ!

    Aquadoc
    13 May 2012 | 12:16 am
    For those of us with charities and nonprofits it is that time of the year - time to let our uncle in Ogden, UT, know what we've been up to in the past year. So here is the Ann Campana Judge Foundation's 2011 990-EZ form plus Schedules A and O.,...
 
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    Akvo blog

  • All of Akvo, together (*)

    Mark Charmer
    15 May 2012 | 8:20 am
    We only hold a few all-Akvo staff meetings each year, because everyone’s spread around the world. So they’re quite special. Last week’s, held in Amsterdam, was by far our biggest yet. We had 27 people together. We’re now too big to fit the entire team in the Amsterdam office comfortably, so we used a beautiful venue called The Playing Circle, a short walk from our office (can I move in there please?). Trying to capture everyone together in a photograph or video is hard when you reach that number, so instead I camped like a paparazzi in the street as everyone headed to…

  • Putting the “Simple” back in Really Simple Reporting

    Emily Armanetti
    3 May 2012 | 12:46 pm
    Since it first appeared in 1955, Parkinson’s law has rung so true that it has been adapted to apply to almost any area of life. The task always expands to fill the time allocated, data stored on your computer always expands to fill the hard drive, and yes ladies – the bigger the handbag, the more you carry. So we weren’t surprised to see that this law also applies to Akvo Really Simple Reporting (RSR). Originally, most of the project fields in RSR were designed to limit the number of characters that could be entered.  For example, a Project Summary field was originally limited…

  • Jeroen van der Sommen on leading the Akvo FLOW business

    Mark Charmer
    3 May 2012 | 11:55 am
    Akvo’s chairman and co-founder Jeroen van der Sommen has just changed roles, joining the staff full time to lead the development of the Akvo FLOW business. Here Mark Charmer talks with him about his plans. Jeroen you’ve been our chairman for four years now, but now you’re coming back into an executive role. Tell me about this new role? If you look at Thomas and I, we stay quite close to where we started. I came from the partnership side, the network, bringing the network together, coming from the assumption that problems are so big, challenges are so large, that they cannot…

  • Updater of the month – April 2012

    Emily Armanetti
    3 May 2012 | 9:50 am
    This month we highlight Dorcus Musubaho, who has provided a number of deeply inspirational updates on the work that the Diocese of Jinja has been doing in Uganda. You can follow her update feed here. Recent project updates range from in-school maternal child healthcare education, to identifying and treating malnutrition, to jigger prevention and treatment. I should warn you that some of these photo updates aren’t for the faint-hearted. Kathelyne interviewed her in May 2011. You can see the video below.

  • Training Akvo RSR users in Ghana

    Laura Roverts
    3 May 2012 | 9:28 am
    Last week, Kathelyne and I gave a workshop on Akvo Really Simple Reporting (RSR) for the Dutch WASH Alliance (DWA) partners in Tamale, Ghana. This is part of the Dutch government’s MFS II international development funding programme for 2011-2016. In addition to WASH Alliance partners from eight organisations working on water, sanitation and hygiene projects around Tamale, we also hosted six participants from organisations representing Connect4Change. This was my first field visit for Akvo. Before we went to Ghana, many things needed to be arranged. I’d like to thank Prosper Sapathy,…
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    watercrunch

  • The Hidden National Mall Revealed and What's Coming Next

    11 May 2012 | 7:35 am
    For a single static green lawn in the middle of Washington DC., the history of the National Mall is an ever evolving molasses of constant planning. Writing about the Lincoln Memorial pool first made me realize this mall was always both highly constructed and freshly reconstructed.Would you believe there was a canal that flowed through the center of the present day National Mall near the Capital? By 1860, however, the canal was a canal in name only, but a sewer in use. Eventually filled in by the 1880s, all that remains today of the canal is a lock house near Seventeenth Street and…

  • Better..Stronger...Faster: World's Largest Urban Whitewater Park in Columbus Georgia

    19 Apr 2012 | 6:00 am
    "Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to make the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better...stronger...faster." - Intro into The Six-Million Dollar Man TV Show.The first dam blew up almost some four stories high dynamiting a decade's worth of planning with a rush of reality.  Believe it or not, Columbus, Georgia will have this year the longest urban whitewater park in the world.We can rebuild.Over 2 miles of the Chattahoochee river…

  • Goodbye Blueberries. Hello Loquats : USDA Updates its Hardiness Map

    2 Mar 2012 | 6:22 am
    Zone 7 NurseryHere is a picture of one my favorite nurseries.  What is wrong with this picture, besides being way too grainy?Ok, I'll give you a hint. The name of the business is no longer as relevant.Last month the USDA updated their plant hardiness map in which Zone 7 Nursery refers to. This is the map that homeowners, landscapers, and nursery owners use to judge what plants will prosper in what regions. Basically, it uses annual minimum temperatures as a proxy in determining whether plants can survive a frozen cellular assault.1990 USDA Map (Click to enlarge)For the 1990 USDA map, the…

  • Save Water, Drink Beer : The next untapped nexus.

    24 Feb 2012 | 7:41 am
    Photo by Robert OsborneWhen I saw this sign in downtown Clemson, I thought this should be a chorus to a country song. I could almost hear the five-string banjo swelling to hit the hook of the chorus. Well, apparently I missed my calling.“It ain’t rained in four monthsOne cigarette spark’ll burn the whole town upThat ole well is plum dryCity put a limit on the water you can buyWe don’t mind cause round herWe save water, and drink beerIce cold, genuine, raise ’em up, drip ’em dryHollar and Swaller ya’ll support your local wildlifeDo your part around hereJust save water, and drink…

  • Will our Associations survive?

    1 Feb 2012 | 5:30 am
    What if your professional association were vaporized today? Yes, absolutely atomized and ceased to exist. Would you miss it?A lot of professional associations are like towns that grew large in the age of the railroads only to be bypassed when the interstates were laid out. Many of these associations’ city grids were built to service the Baby Boomers. Drawn by the interstate on the edge of town, however, Generation X and Y’s no longer have to go downtown. The largest generational shift in our country’s history is occurring now. Every eight seconds a baby boomer will turn 65.This younger…
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    Water News Portal

  • SKF launches portfolio of customer solutions with significant environmental benefits as part of its BeyondZero™ concept

    16 May 2012 | 1:31 am
    SKF has launched the SKF BeyondZero portfolio which enables SKF customers to reduce their own environmental impact. The environmental improvements provided by solutions within the SKF BeyondZero portfolio are validated through a life cycle assessment methodology developed by SKF sustainability engineers. Results will be reviewed yearly by KPMG. "The SKF BeyondZero portfolio is a major step for ... [more]

  • Kennedy/Jenks Consultants and Gehrlicher Solar America Announce Joint-Development of Solar Systems in the Southwest

    20 Apr 2012 | 6:39 am
    Kennedy/Jenks Consultants and Gehrlicher Solar America Corp. announced a strategic joint-development agreement focused on providing solar energy to water and wastewater treatment facilities in California, Arizona and Nevada. Since 1919, Kennedy/Jenks Consultants has specialized in the planning, evaluation and design of water and wastewater treatment facilities. With a significant client network in ... [more]

  • The future role of fossil power generation (1/2)

    2 Apr 2012 | 6:03 am
    Fossil power plants with a highly versatile operating response are the key to integrating renewables into the power grid and are an essential prerequisite if the intended rapid growth of these energy resources is to be accommodated. Andreas Pickard, Siemens AG Energy and winner of POWER-GEN Europe 2012 Best Paper Awards examines what the integration of renewable energy into the European power ge ... [more]

  • The future role of fossil power generation (2/2)

    2 Apr 2012 | 6:01 am
    Start-up reliability In the context of stabilisation of the grid, the aim is to respond to changes in demand as quickly as possible. Power plants with short start-up times can feed extra power into the grid at short notice. It is already apparent in some power generation markets that load dispatchers are giving preference to power plants with short start-up times. Playing the spot market (tertiar ... [more]

  • Natural Power and SeaRoc open new office in Orkney, UK, to support the growing marine industry

    20 Mar 2012 | 1:45 am
    In order to support the development of marine projects and encourage the growth of the wave and tidal energy industry, Natural Power and SeaRoc are opening a new office in Orkney, establishing a new joint presence. Natural Power is a leading international renewable energy consultancy and SeaRoc is a marine engineering specialist. The Orkney office will provide a base for Natural Power and SeaR ... [more]
 
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    Aguanomics

  • My recent talks in DC

    15 May 2012 | 12:30 pm
    On centralized (bureaucratic) vs decentralized (market) allocation of water (and more!) at NOAA [MP3] and slides [PDF] On land and water grabs in Africa at IFPRI [MP3 -- much better quality than what what callers heard] and slides [PDF]. During the talk, Ruth Meinzen-Dick provided these useful links: The International Land Coalition probably has the best site on commercial pressures on land. They start with GRAIN listings but only add deals they can verify. Also check the World Bank land conference website (2 years of case studies and macro analyses) and the International Conference on Land…

  • Is your community secure?

    15 May 2012 | 6:30 am
    For water security, you need information, institutions and investments. All of them, presumably, are both necessary and sufficient. Your thoughts?

  • Monday funnies

    14 May 2012 | 12:30 pm
    Totally NSFW (swearing!)

  • Cost recovery versus conservation incentives

    14 May 2012 | 6:30 am
    MV writes with this description of his water bill: Calculating over the last five years and including taxes, VAT, and the connection, I paid about EUR 3.66 per m^2. (The water price is EUR 1.26 m^2, so EUR 2.44 is administrative crap/overhead.) I do not use a lot of water, so I pay an awful lot for the water I use. There is no incentive to use very little water. There is just a small incentive to not use an awful lot of water. This is a good description of two factors. First, of the importance of fixed costs in a water system. Second, of the small importance of variable costs for reducing…

  • Flashback: 7--13 May

    12 May 2012 | 6:30 am
    A year later and still worth a read... Floods, climate change and bad policies -- increasingly important as we get more variation in the weather. Lies, damned lies and politics -- where I confront a politician with facts and she decides to ignore them :-\ The culture of Arabia -- a useful portrait of a people from a visitor in the past.
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    Living in Actively Moving Water

  • Mitigation Banking Conference Here I Come

    Chris Corbin
    2 May 2012 | 8:55 pm
    I even splurged for an airport shoeshine on my way. I’m on a 10-day California journey that will culminate with a water rights presentation at the National Mitigation and Ecosystem Banking Conference. The take home message for the presentation is this: water rights will play a critical role in ecosystem service markets of the West, so understanding and managing these assets should remain a top priority. This previous post expands on this vision and role of water rights in these ecosystem service markets. I hope to see you there or along the way. Safe travels. Tweet

  • colorado water trust’s request for water

    Chris Corbin
    27 Apr 2012 | 11:20 am
    One of the many benefits of water markets is their ability to rapidly adapt to changes on short notice. Enter the Colorado Water Trust (CWT) and their implementation of “REQUEST FOR WATER 2012.” Faced with a 38% of average snowpack, this Denver-based nonprofit is actively pursuing short-term instream flow leases in priority basins. I’m obviously a fan of this market response to an anticipated water challenge and had the chance to ask CWT Executive Director, Amy Beatie, a couple of quick questions. Questions and answers are as follows: 1. It appears the Engineer must approve…

  • Montana Water Rights Handbook adds Marketing

    Chris Corbin
    25 Apr 2012 | 5:36 pm
    One of my all time favorite Montana Water Right references is the Water Rights in Montana Handbook. Revisions to this publication closely follow the latest legislative session and the changes that it brings.  This year of course, the state passed the the “Marketing” bill (AKA: My favorite bill ever). Here’s what the handbook has to say on this subject: Marketing for Aquifer Recharge or Mitigation  The 2011 Legislature allowed existing water rights holders to change  all or part of an appropriation for use as aquifer recharge or mitigation (section 85-2-420, MCA). Part of…

  • Where to go for information on water markets

    Chris Corbin
    18 Apr 2012 | 7:14 pm
    I’m frequently asked a simple question: I want to learn more about water markets, what are your recommendations? In response to this question, I’ve decided to create a hyperlink list of my favorite resources. Some of these resources don’t solely focus on this this topic, but have provided valuable great water market content from time to time. As these markets are continually evolving and emerging, I imagine this list will do the same. Feel free to email or submit in the comments of  resources you enjoy and I missed. Academia  Anything published by Bonnie Colby  Anything…

  • Why you should be listening

    Chris Corbin
    16 Apr 2012 | 12:30 pm
    The Back 40 recently asked for me to share some marketing communications framework for water.  I happily received this invitation and  thought the most logical starting point was the beginning. LISTEN. Here’s a link to the full article. Enjoy. And, please feel free to provide any insight or feedback. As a side, I have to give thanks to Seth Godin who has shaped much of my passion for marketing and thought process through his work and wisdom. If he writes it, I read it. Tweet
 
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    Thirsty in Suburbia

  • Sustainable Curiosities and Novelties: Flushable Toilet Paper Tube

    Gayle Leonard
    23 Apr 2012 | 3:44 pm
    Consider the fate of the common Toilet Paper Tube: destined to be violently ripped and separated from its Toilet Paper child whom it has cradled and supported since the day [...]

  • An Eye-Pooping Infographic on Water and Sanitation Challenges

    Gayle Leonard
    18 Apr 2012 | 7:26 pm
    The poo poo problem continues unabated, and here’s a genuinely crappy infographic for all you visual learners out there! I’ll bet this was the assignment of a lifetime for some [...]

  • World Water Day Hangover

    Gayle Leonard
    24 Mar 2012 | 10:43 am
    Content warning: Depressing, unfunny & negative diatribe. Regular programming resumes tomorrow. Bleauh. I don’t feel so good! It’s that nasty #WWD hangover again! So another World Water Day has come [...]

  • h2o mp3: Drought – Dave Dudley

    Gayle Leonard
    4 Mar 2012 | 2:14 am
    In a classic country song there’s rarely just one misfortune; the bad luck and the soul crushers just keep piling on, like some kind of perverted torture sandwich. In the song [...]

  • Water obsession support group forming now!

    Gayle Leonard
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:39 pm
    Water, water everywhere… consuming your thoughts and dreams, driving your actions and decisions. Dictating your choice of friends, how you spend your time, your money, your goodwill. You have water [...]
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    Water Blog

  • Traffic Advisory - Water construction extended on SW Market Street at SW Naito Parkway

    15 May 2012 | 5:19 pm
    Citing the need for more time due to difficult working conditions, the contractor for the Portland Water Bureau will continue work in the intersection of SW Naito Parkway at SW Market Street until Friday, May 18. The work could be completed sooner.   Work hours are 9:00 am - 3:00 pm and the signals will be turned off at SW Market and Naito. Flaggers will be used to get vehichles, bicycles and pedestrians through. Expect delays.   With a smaller work zone, fewer traffic lanes will be closed and the signal lights will be on. Flaggers and traffic cones will help move motorists past the…

  • Traffic Advisory - Water construction extended on SW Market Street at SW Naito Parkway

    14 May 2012 | 5:21 pm
    Citing the need for more time due to difficult working conditions, the contractor for the Portland Water Bureau will continue work in the intersection of SW Naito Parkway at SW Market Street until Friday, May 18. The work could be completed sooner.   Work hours will be from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, after morning and before evening rush hours.   With a smaller work zone, fewer traffic lanes will be closed and the signal lights will be on. Flaggers and traffic cones will help move motorists past the site. Motorists and bicyclists are encouraged to find alternate routes to avoid delays.

  • Powell Butte Reservoir 2 Project: FIRST POUR

    11 May 2012 | 4:11 pm
    Progress on the city’s new 50-million gallon drinking water reservoir at Powell Butte Nature Park remains steady.  Today, work crews – under contractor SSC Construction – began pouring concrete in the first two 40 foot x 40 foot sections that will make up the reservoir’s floor.  A total of 209 sections with a depth of 2.5 feet in a web of rebar will be set before work on the reservoir walls, pillars and finally ceiling are get underway.     Previously, for the past two months, workers have been preparing the reservoir’s foundation;…

  • Traffic Advisory, May 11, 2012

    11 May 2012 | 3:53 pm
    Weekend water work moves to SW Market Street at Naito Parkway    Portland,OR– On Saturday, May 12, and Sunday, May 13, the Portland Water Bureau’s work on SW Naito Parkway will move to the intersection of SW Market Streetnear downtown Portland. If necessary, the contractor’s crews will work on Monday, May 14 at the same location.     This work -- part of the second phase of the Portland Water Bureau's Westside Header Project -- is necessary to connect the new pipeline to an existing supply pipe that feeds theWashingtonParkreservoirs.     …

  • Relief from the Heat

    11 May 2012 | 1:22 pm
    There’s good news for Portlanders looking for some relief from the anticipated warm weather this weekend.      All six interactive fountains maintained by the Portland Water Bureau are in full operating mode:  McCoy, Salmon St. Springs, Jamison Square, Naito Legacy, Holladay Park, and Teachers.  For more information on these fountains including their locations,  see the fountain walking tour brochure at http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=26426&a=225489   Please remember to obey fountain rules to ensure your safety: Look but don't…
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    Washlink

  • SuSanA Releases Compilation of 13 factsheets on key sustainable sanitation topics

    WASHLink
    10 May 2012 | 7:21 am
    From SuSanA web page: FACTSHEETS Capacity development for sustainable sanitation Financial and economic analysis Links between sanitation, climate change and renewable energies Sanitation systems and technology options Productive sanitation and the link to food security Planning of sustainable sanitation for cities Sustainable sanitation for schools Integrating a gender perspective in sustainable sanitation Sustainable sanitation for emergencies and reconstruction situations Sanitation as a business Public awareness raising and sanitation marketing Operation and maintenance of sustainable…

  • Water and Health Conference: 29 Oct – 2 Nov Details

    WASHLink
    27 Apr 2012 | 12:21 pm
    Science, Policy and Innovation Bringing together academic research with policy, practice and networking events The 2012 Water and Health Conference: Science, Policy and Innovation, jointly organized by the Institute for the Environment and the Water Institute at UNC, will consider drinking water supply, sanitation, hygiene and water resources in both the developing and developed worlds with a strong public health emphasis. The 2012 Water and Health Conference: Science, Policy and Innovation is accompanied by several exciting events before and after the conference. Don’t miss the…

  • PATH Commercialization Toolkit – for Water focused Organizations

    WASHLink
    30 Mar 2012 | 12:16 pm
    “PATH has developed a core set of user-friendly tools and approaches to assist organizations as they seek to identify market opportunities, devise strategies to address these markets, and develop the capacity in their organizations to ensure successful execution of each strategy.” All  details below  found on the  PATH site: OVERVIEW For the past five years, PATH’s Safe Water Project has worked to identify, evaluate, adapt, and develop appropriate products and strategies that enable social enterprises to sustainably produce, distribute, and support household water treatment…

  • Course Announcement:Water and sanitation engineering from emergency towards development

    WASHLink
    19 Mar 2012 | 12:15 pm
    The purpose of this course is to Train qualified and motivated engineers and scientists who might in their professional life encounter water and sanitation problems in situations of emergency and especially in humanitarian contexts; Offer continuing education to professional staff from emergency and development organisations involved in water and sanitation; Facilitate the integration of engineers and scientists in humanitarian operations; Make the participants aware of public health issues and of the close links between public health, water and sanitation in disaster-striken populations;…

  • Louis Boorstin, deputy director of water, sanitation & hygiene at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks about lessons learned in tackling the global sanitation crisis.

    WASHLink
    18 Mar 2012 | 8:26 pm
    2.5 billion people need toilets. Louis Boorstin, Stanford MBA’87 , deputy director of water, sanitation and hygiene at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,  speaks about lessons learned in tackling the global sanitation crisis. This includes the ideas: “work at scale – don’t scale up” Related Links: Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: Impatient Optimist posts by Louis Boorstin Stanford Center for Social Innovation Stanford Public Management Program Louis Boorstin Responds to Acumen Fund’s Lesson #8 – Governments…
 
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    Rainbow Water Coalition

  • Greywater OK'd

    12 May 2012 | 1:54 pm
    The Sooner State makes it official - greywater is legal to use in Oklahoma according to this article in the Shawnee News-Star! "...It creates a permit exemption for gray water systems that use less than 250 gallons of gray water per day for gardening, composting or landscape maintenance".Bill sponsor State Rep. Scott Martin (R-Norman) said "I applaud their interest in water conservation and think the state should support private residential projects that cut water usage. Common sense reuse is good policy and an option for homeowners during times of drought or water rationing. The average…

  • Yet Another Great Greywater Thesis

    8 May 2012 | 11:25 am
    I recently proposed to teach a class titled "Geography of Greywater" at Oregon State University based on my experience with the Rainbow Water Coalition. I have been pleasantly surprised at how global greywater reuse is regardless of the reason for reuse, whether it be due to water scarcity, thus pressing the need to get the most out of water when one can, to the connection to the notion of greywater reuse as part of one of the many definitions of "sustainability", whether it be to leave more water in rivers for salmon, or to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with first treating the…

  • Puralytics Purifies with TEDx Message

    1 May 2012 | 11:38 am
    Mark Owen, greywater entrepreneur, inventor, and mechanical engineering alum of Oregon State University is visiting this week as part of our Spring Seminar series. Mark was also invited to participate in OSU's first TEDx event.  OSU is fortunate that he is willing to take time out of his busy schedule to share his message. He has a great story.

  • Kicky Kitchensink Greywater Killer

    29 Apr 2012 | 6:31 pm
    Greywater gadgets for the dreaded kitchensink wastewater are becoming ever more stylish. Some of the early gadgets discovered by the Rainbow Water Coalition include the legendary Hughie Sink, the EkoKook Sink, the EULO Sink, the Ecocubo Sink, the Envirosink, the Equaris treatment system but now the world will more than likely hear more about designer Alexis Lizares Aqualife, designated as a water recycling "appliance". Her design portfolio is very impressive and extends beyond appliances. * * *Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig…

  • More Greywater Mythbusting

    28 Apr 2012 | 1:40 pm
    In a second of what appears to become a running series on busting some preconceived notions about greywater, the first posting focused on dispelling the myth that pirating of greywater from wastewater flows would somehow or another cause concerns about the flows within sewers and increasing the "loading" of the wastewater quality to the point of making the wastewater treatment ineffective. Another concern discussed on the Rainbow Water Coalition was the issue of "dangerous" bacteria and viruses in greywater here, here and here.One of the papers that will be presented at the…
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    Watering the Desert

  • For the Water Wonks - A comprehensive study of residential water demand in Tucson

    Chris Brooks
    3 May 2012 | 11:21 pm
    Those who work in municipal water departments or follow trends in domestic water use have been noting for several years that household water use has been trending downwards, for much of the past 20 years.  The chart below shows percentage change in water usage per service connection for three different types of users in the Tucson Water system from 1997 to 2007.During a multi-year study designed to establish a roadmap for developing sustainable water policies for the region, one of the recommendations was to take a hard look at data on residential water use and try to determine why this…

  • New legislative road block to in-stream flow rights in Arizona

    Chris Brooks
    14 Apr 2012 | 1:22 am
    This little beauty apparently just popped up this week as a strike everything amendment to one of the bills in the legislature that was intended to look at creating a new water right in Arizona - to harvested rainwater.  The rainwater harvesting legislation first popped up last year - I wrote about it here at the time.This new incarnation of the bill is intended to make it much more difficult to establish in-stream flow water rights in Arizona - something that's already challenging enough.  For some helpful background on the issue, check out this summary that was just posted on the…

  • Rule of Capture Wins again in Texas

    Chris Brooks
    24 Feb 2012 | 8:20 pm
    Another loss for the prospect of sensible groundwater regulation in Texas.

  • Article on the value of property rights and markets to deal with uncertainty in water management

    Chris Brooks
    24 Feb 2012 | 9:31 am
    I came across a link to this article on the PropertyProf Blog - a great source of scholarly research and other fun stuff dealing with property law.  This one comes from Jonathan Adler, professor at Case Western Reserve Law School and also a contributor to the Percolator blog from the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) - a great resource for finding solutions to environmental problems that incorporate private property concepts.The article is titled Water Rights, Markets, and Changing Ecological Conditions.  Here's a link to the SSRN page that it can be downloaded…

  • Attack of Return of the Son of Painted Hills

    Chris Brooks
    18 Feb 2012 | 12:27 am
    Just when we thought it was safe to venture into the desert west of downtown Tucson --- the Dallas Police and Firefighters Pension fund has found a new ally to support their plans to develop "pristine" desert in the shadow of downtown Tucson and at the doorstep of the mighty Tucson Mountains Association.  They have gone to our friends in the state house up in Phoenix for a quick legislative fix to their problem of Tucson Water not wanting to supply the wet stuff to the houses they wish to build.  This was a big deal around these parts back in 2010 - I posted on it a couple of times…
 
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    Chance of Rain

  • The gray lady sells out for a doughnut

    EmilyGreen
    15 May 2012 | 5:45 pm
    A friend, UK Observer columnist Nick Cohen, used to refer to food writers as “para-journalists.” Another former colleague from the launch era of the UK Independent, then one of its Middle East correspondents, Harvey Morris, used to look at the features desk where the food staff worked and sigh, “Beware. There are hidden shallows.” At the time, the remarks seemed cruel, if apt. To judge by today’s story in the New York Times, they were kind. There’s no other way to describe the garbled claims that constitute Jeff Gordinier’s May 15  article “Foe…

  • Los Angeles built into a corner

    EmilyGreen
    14 May 2012 | 11:25 am
    The dams and debris basins strung along the San Gabriel foothills, forming what Flood Control historian Jared Orsi describes as a "Maginot line" around the LA basin, are choked with mountain sediment. A 15-month review of what to do with it is online at the LA Department of Public Works. Until January 2011, a favored option was felling pristine oak woodland, called only "native vegetation" by Flood Control engineers, for conversion to dumps. Public comment on other options for disposal of the sediment is due by May 30th. Click on the map to be taken to the LA County Department…

  • The common purse: Las Posas / Cadiz

    EmilyGreen
    12 May 2012 | 2:09 am
    A previous post, Rancho Santa Margarita, Meet Calleguas, hit a hornet’s nest. The decision to write it was little more than an instinct. “Poke there.”  The post referred to something called the “Las Posas Basin Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project,” described by the Los Angeles Times during the project’s inception in the 1990s as “the largest reservoir in Ventura County, ensuring a reliable water supply in cities from Simi Valley to Oxnard in the event of drought or earthquake.” Las Posas wasn’t big. It was bigger. “The $47-million…

  • Rancho Santa Margarita, meet Calleguas

    EmilyGreen
    8 May 2012 | 10:31 pm
    UPDATED 5/11/2012: As the board of the Rancho Santa Margarita Water District wades through the Draft Environmental Impact Report produced for them by their partners at Cadiz, Inc in the bid to involve the Orange County municipal water company in a water mining scheme in the Mojave Desert, let us pause to look at some bona fides of a lead Cadiz consultant. Cadiz engineer Terry Foreman would have Rancho Santa Margarita believe that “using 50,000 acre-feet per year is optimal for conservation” from a basin with recharge that is perhaps one tenth of that, and that mining groundwater…

  • High good, low bad: Mead in April 2012

    EmilyGreen
    1 May 2012 | 2:24 pm
    In April 2012, Lake Mead fell for the second consecutive month, marking an end to the spoils of the 2010/11 water year and leaving the largest storage reservoir in the West roughly 49 feet from the point where Arizona and Nevada will face shortages.
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    International Water Law Project Blog

  • 25 and Counting: Another Ratification for the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention

    gabriel.eckstein
    3 May 2012 | 2:01 pm
    For those of you keeping a count, the 1997 Watercourses Convention now enjoys 25 parties [see Status of the Convention here]. On 30 April 2012, Denmark submitted its notice of accession to the Convention.  This comes on the heels of 6 other ratifications over the past 2 years: Burkina Faso, France, and Morocco in 2011; [...]

  • Outcome of the Nairobi Nile Council of Ministers Meeting – An Inevitable Consequence of a level-playing field?

    gabriel.eckstein
    14 Feb 2012 | 10:22 pm
    The Ministers of Waters Resources of the Nile Basin countries (Nile Council of Ministers, or Nile COM) were supposed to hold an extra-ordinary meeting on January 27, 2012, in Nairobi, Kenya. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the legal and institutional ramifications of the entry into force of the Nile Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA). That meeting was requested by Egypt and Sudan, following signing of the CFA by six of the lower riparians, namely Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda Tanzania and Uganda. Coincidentally, the CFA needs six ratifications to enter into force.

  • Nicaragua and Costa Rica Return to the ICJ for 3rd Case over the San Juan River

    gabriel.eckstein
    12 Feb 2012 | 9:56 pm
    On December 22, 2011, Nicaragua instituted proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Costa Rica for “violations of Nicaraguan sovereignty and major environmental damages to its territory” (see ICJ Press Release). This is the latest dispute in a string of conflicts between the two nations that has spanned more than a century, and the third presented to the ICJ in the past few years.

  • What Does Turkey’s Contemplated European Union “Freeze” Have to do with Water?

    h2olwpadmin
    2 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pm
    The following post is by Rhett Larson, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Professor Larson specializes on environmental and natural resource law and, in particular, on domestic and international water law and policy. Professor Larson offers the following post as part of his ongoing research. Turkey plays an [...]

  • UNGA Adopts New Resolution on Transboundary Aquifers

    gabriel.eckstein
    16 Dec 2011 | 11:17 pm
    On 9 December 2011 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at its 66th session, adopted the following resolution on the “Law of Transboundary Aquifers” ...
 
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    Water Canada

  • May 29, 2012: Webinar: Cross-Canada Checkup: A Canadian Perspective on Our Water Future

    admin
    15 May 2012 | 4:53 pm
    Webinar Website: Click here. 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET (9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. PT) This is the fifth, and final, webinar in the POLIS Water Sustainability Project’s 2011/2012 Creating a Blue Dialogue webinar series. Information on next year’s series will be available in early fall 2012. **SPACE IS LIMITED** To register email Laura [...]

  • Manitoba Considers New Groundwater Rules

    admin
    15 May 2012 | 4:29 pm
    New rules being proposed this week would replace Manitoba’s almost 50-year-old groundwater regulations as part of a strategy to better protect the 25 per cent of Manitobans who rely on well water, Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today. About 1,500 water wells are drilled in Manitoba each year. There are currently about [...]

  • Cuts Could Erode Water Progress: Report

    admin
    15 May 2012 | 4:14 pm
    The slow and steady decline in federal water science and management capacity may negatively affect government’s ability to protect Canada’s freshwater resources, says the Forum for Leadership on Water (FLOW). “What is most concerning is that just as Canadian water issues are escalating, the capacity of the federal government to address them is being eroded,” [...]

  • BC Solicits Opinions on Water Data Sharing: What Was Said

    admin
    14 May 2012 | 2:51 pm
    In March 2012, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) asked water professionals to participate in online focus groups, and to offer feedback via an online form. The objective was to facilitate a conversation with the water science community about how, together with the MOE, it can increase access to water data and information to support sustainable [...]

  • Peninsula Harbour Sediment Capping Project Awarded to Milestone

    admin
    13 May 2012 | 3:04 pm
    Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. has been awarded the contract to complete the capping of historically contaminated sediment in the Peninsula Harbour, which is a Great Lakes Area of Concern. The $7.3 million sediment capping project will begin this month. Sediment in Peninsula Harbour is contaminated by mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) from historical discharges of [...]
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    Rain Tech Inc.

  • Staying Ahead of Stormwater Regulations

    26 Apr 2012 | 1:53 pm
    The Environmental Protection Agency has been regulating discharge into the waters of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permit (NPDES) for the Clean Water Act since 1972. Throughout the 39-year history of the Clean Water Act, regulations have shifted focus from point sources such as discharge from industrial plants and municipal treatment plants, to include: non-point sources such as stormwater runoff from construction sites. This shift in policy has resulted in more stringent regulations for the construction industry. This change in regulation has not only meant an increase in…

  • Water Planning Drenched in Uncertainty

    22 Feb 2012 | 1:06 pm
    Feb 14, 2012 With the sweat from 2011’s record-setting temperatures just now drying off and projections of a continued drought cycle remains for Central Texas, discussion about securing current and future water supplies is becoming increasingly urgent. And not a moment too soon, as 2012 has had reports of at least one public water supply system in Texas failing and 13 others at risk of a similar fate within 180 days if the drought does not ease up. With so many external factors affecting the status of water supplies, there is a great deal of uncertainty involving their future. To ensure…

  • Los Angeles Puts The LID On Stormwater Pollution

    25 Oct 2011 | 12:31 pm
    The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously passed a landmark Low Impact Development Ordinance (LID).Developed by the Bureau of Sanitation in collaboration with community members, environmental organizations, business groups and the building industry, LID calls for development and redevelopment projects to mitigate runoff in a manner that captures rainwater at its source, while utilizing natural resources including rain barrels, permeable pavement, rainwater storage tanks, infiltration swales or curb bumpouts to contain water. Reports have shown that LID is the most effective and…

  • Is a 'green' idea discredited by a Seattle drainage project gone awry?

    14 Sep 2011 | 11:12 am
    When Seattle was planning its first extreme-green makeover of a city block, residents competed for the honor. And in 1999, the winning street in the Broadview neighborhood got a gorgeous facelift complete with new sidewalks and verdant roadside rain gardens with shrubs and grasses.But when the city recently tried going green in the Ballard neighborhood, homeowners there felt like they got stuck with the booby prize.Read entire article here

  • Successful Rainwater Harvesting Systems Combine New Technology With Old Social Habits

    14 Sep 2011 | 11:10 am
    As a crippling drought grips much of the Southern and Southwestern United States, the population continues to grow and water resources become scarcer. One way to address the problem is by a combination of modern engineering and ancient social principles, outlined in a new paper on rainwater harvesting that will be presented at the 2011 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. To read the complete article, please click here:
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    Watery Foundation

  • Looking at Napoleon Bonaparte Broward

    Tom
    9 May 2012 | 6:21 am
    Broward surveying assembly of New River dredge (UF Digital Collections) This blog is taking a different turn because the University Press of Florida accepted my proposal to write a biography of Napoleon Bonaparte Broward. Governor of Florida from 1905-1909, he is best known today for his effort to create an “Empire of the Everglades.” That meant canals and drainage projects. South Florida today is still shaped by the consequences. Before becoming governor, Broward was a sailor, lumberyard owner, phosphate miner, steamboat captain, sheriff, city councilman, tugboat owner, state…

  • Gus Speth, “America the Possible”

    Tom
    8 May 2012 | 6:19 am
    This website has been about water in Florida but water management priorities are under the sway of much larger forces. That is why a new book from Gus Speth is so interesting. Cofounder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, former Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, founder of the World Resources Institute, former dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and now professor of law at the Vermont Law School, Speth understands some fundamental American problems and how they might be solved. His book, “America the Possible” will not be out for a few…

  • “Landscapes and Hydrology of the Predrainage Everglades”

    Tom
    7 May 2012 | 6:36 am
    What were the Everglades like before they were drained? If one is trying to “restore” them, that may be the most fundamental question of all. In this treasure of a book on the “Lanscapes and Hydrology of the Predrainage Everglades,” the authors perform what they call “diagnostic ecohistory” or “forensic ecology.” We are given an enormous amount of well-organized information to help answer that mixed historical and ecological question. Christopher W. McVoy, Winifred Park Said, Jayantha Obeysekera, Joel Van Arman, and Thomas Dreschel allow us to benefit from the immense…

  • You are certainly not the pine-scented air

    Tom
    4 May 2012 | 8:24 am
    Most of us who talk or write about Florida water resources try to explain the need for protection and enhancement. Could there ever be a drawback to using expressive language for this purpose? Look at some of the common  Florida water metaphors and comparisons. We say that our springs are “liquid bowls of light,” that water is the “lifeblood” of the state, that water “defines” Florida, that Okeechobee is the “liquid heart” of south Florida, that water “nourishes our souls,” etc., etc. What possibly could be the downside to making…

  • XKCD Lakes and Oceans

    Tom
    2 May 2012 | 6:49 am
    Speaking of the ocean, as yesterday’s post did (a bit), Randall Munroe created a marvelous way of comparing water depths for his XKCD webcomic. The graphic below takes you to the full size image. Maybe the most striking thing is over on the right: how amazingly deep was the Deepwater Horizon well. A very, very hard and risky way to secure energy supplies. As we have learned, a failure in a single deep well threatens much of the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico.  
 
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    WaterFront

  • Resistance to the Effective Use of Instrumentation VII: What next?

    noahmorgenstern
    14 May 2012 | 9:53 am
    Hi Everyone, I apologize for the long break. Things here have been hectic. I just got back from a great week in Munich attending the IFAT Entsorga show, and presenting a case study for Whitewater’s BlueBox Event Detection System at the SWAN Forum’s annual conference. In one month I will be attending the ACE12 show … Continue reading »

  • Demand Forecasting and Rate Sensitivity: An Introduction

    noahmorgenstern
    17 Apr 2012 | 3:46 am
    WaterFront is proud to bring you a new series on Demand Forecasting and Rate Sensitivity. This first post is a light introduction to the topic and will follow with more technical examples via case studies from John Cook and Edwin Roehl of Advanced Data Mining (ADMI). I hope you enjoy. Why Demand Varies Customer demand … Continue reading »

  • The Convergence of Water Quality, Technology, and Security: Part I – Introduction

    noahmorgenstern
    10 Apr 2012 | 8:14 am
    **editors note: due to a request the previous article has been taken down, and in its place a modified article covering similar concepts. The concept of a contamination warning systems (CWS) is defined as:  ”The active  deployment of monitoring technologies and/or strategies and enhanced surveillance activities to collect, integrate, analyze, and communicate information to provide  … Continue reading »

  • Resistance to the Effective Use of Instrumentation VI: Can I really trust what my instrument tells me?

    noahmorgenstern
    2 Apr 2012 | 10:00 am
    In this penultimate version of this blog on the resistance to the effective use of instrumentation Oliver Grievson  probes into why the fact that instrumentation in general is a lack of trust in instrumentation in general which prevents instrumentation, control & automation taking a step forward and treatment works becoming more instrumentally based. The modern … Continue reading »

  • Using Data to Optimize Processes: Part IV—Minimizing Total THM Formation in a Distribution System

    noahmorgenstern
    25 Mar 2012 | 1:47 am
    Here is the latest post in the series “Using Data to Optimize Processes,” by Ruby Daamen and John Cook from ADMI. As has been demonstrated from previous articles in this series, data can be used to build process models for both natural systems such as rivers, estuaries and groundwater movement over expansive areas, but can … Continue reading »
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