This graphic came with an email promoting AGU's upcoming conference on preparing for our future, 24-26 June in Washington, DC. If this doesn't do it, I don't know what will. But they should have had one figure dealing with losses from a mega-hurricane, flood, or something water-related. Just a suggestion,...
Water
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Most Topular Stories
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@AGUSciPolicy Infographic: How To Promote A Conference
WaterWired18 May 2013 | 3:34 pm -
What Is Water Security? @UN_Water Infographic, Definition, Analytical Brief & More!
WaterWired19 May 2013 | 4:58 amFrom the folks at UN Water. View/download a larger version here. PDF: Download Water_Security_poster Here are the analytical brief (PDF or online flipbook) and a summary. Read more here. Download Watersecurity_analyticalbrief Enjoy! “The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for... -
Fracking pollution, property rights and payments
Aguanomics17 May 2013 | 4:30 amGrant McDermott wrote a nice comment on fracking, and I left this reply:* There is GOING to be some pollution. The question is how much. It would be useful to compare lifecycle pollution from fracking to other energy sources. The precautionary principle is too strong, but it would be good to have a strong penalty -- and fast process to administer it -- for pollution (or lack thereof -- in PA and NY). This (social) discussion should not compare peer review (which has problems) vs populism (ditto), but property rights vs regulation. Grant discusses regulation versus common law remedies. -
Some quick updates
Watering the Desert16 May 2013 | 9:20 pmAs expected, an environmental organization has filed suit against the state over the approval of a large development in the Sierra Vista area (I discussed this in a previous post in March). Earthjustice issued a press release yesterday (it also includes a link to their complaint) announcing their suit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. I've only skimmed the complaint and it looks pretty -
Breathing Emission Particles Turns HDL Cholesterol From 'Good' To 'Bad'
Water - Air Quality / Agriculture News From Medical News Today18 May 2013 | 12:00 amAcademic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries...
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Water - Air Quality / Agriculture News From Medical News Today
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Breathing Emission Particles Turns HDL Cholesterol From 'Good' To 'Bad'
18 May 2013 | 12:00 amAcademic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries... -
Emissions From Coal-Fired Electricity Plants May Affect People Suffering From Different Mood Disorders And Impact Suicide Rates
15 May 2013 | 1:00 amNew research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center finds that suicide, while strongly associated with psychiatric conditions, also correlates with environmental pollution. Lead researcher John G. Spangler, M.D., M.P.H., a professor of family medicine at Wake Forest Baptist, looked specifically at the relationship between air pollution and emissions from coal-fired electricity plants... -
Improving Food Security In Africa By Educating Women
15 May 2013 | 12:00 amThe author of the thesis, Simon Wagura Ndiritu, has studied gender-related issues concerning agriculture and food management in Kenya and Tanzania. He found significant differences between men and women, where women are often forced to farm lower-quality lands and do not typically use the most productive farming methods to the same extent as men... -
Air Pollution Increases Risk Of Insulin Resistance In Children
14 May 2013 | 1:00 amNew research shows that growing up in areas where air pollution is increased raises the risk of insulin resistance (the prescursor to diabetes) in children. The research is published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and is by Elisabeth Thiering and Joachim Heinrich, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany, and colleagues... -
Study Finds That Drinking Water Has Little Or No Effect On Resting Energy Expenditure
14 May 2013 | 12:00 amA study presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Liverpool has found that drinking distilled water has virtually no effect on resting energy expenditure, while mineral water has only a very small effect. The research is by Nathalie Charrière and Professor Abdul Dulloo at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and colleagues...
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Circle of Blue WaterNews
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Washington Water Main, May 17: Moniz Confirmed as Next Energy Secretary, EPA Administrator Nominee Narrowly Passes Committee
17 May 2013 | 1:37 pmMIT’s Ernest Moniz will become the next secretary of energy, but EPA administrator nominee Gina McCarthy still faces stiff Senate opposition. The Senate confirmed Ernest Moniz, former director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Energy Initiative, as the next secretary of energy in a unanimous 97-0 vote Thursday. Ernest Moniz, President Barack Obama’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Energy, testified in front of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee April 9 (Screen capture courtesy of www.energy.senate.gov. Click image to enlarge. The vote was a… -
The Stream, May 17: The Cost of Natural Disasters
17 May 2013 | 9:58 amDroughts, floods and other natural disasters are creating huge economic losses around the world, totaling about $US 2.5 trillion this century, according to estimates by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Bloomberg BNA reported. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged businesses to take steps to reduce disaster risk exposure when investing in new buildings and infrastructure. Affordable flood insurance will remain available to current homeowners in high flood-risk areas of the United Kingdom until the end of July, one month after a deal between the government and insurance… -
The Stream, May 16: Life in 1.5 Billion-Year-Old Water
16 May 2013 | 10:23 amScientists discovered water trapped underground for more than 1 billion years north of Toronto, Canada. The water predates multicellular life on earth, NPR reported, but could contain microbes that offer insight to the earliest of Earth’s lifeforms. Depleted Cities More than half of all cities around the world with populations of 100,000 people or more sit in depleted water basins. A new study from The Nature Conservancy, The Atlantic Cities reported, says that urban-rural partnerships can decrease regional consumption and replenish supplies. State Enforcement and Planning California… -
Study: Fewer Trees in the Amazon, Less Hydropower from Dams
16 May 2013 | 4:00 amThe study runs counter to the conventional wisdom about deforestation’s effects on the water cycle. Image courtesy of Aviva Imhof/International Rivers The sun sets over the Xingu River where Brazil is building the world’s third largest dam by generating capacity. Deforestation in the Amazon may decrease the dam’s hydropower potential, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Click image to enlarge. By Brett Walton Circle of Blue A controversial dam under construction on an Amazon River tributary in Brazil may deliver less electricity than… -
U.S. Groundwater Losses Between 1900-2008: Enough To Fill Lake Erie Twice
16 May 2013 | 3:30 amGroundwater depletion in the United States has accelerated over the last decade, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, contributing to both localized problems and global issues, like sea level rise. Image courtesy of Konikow / U.S. Geological Survey The United States has lost enough groundwater to fill Lake Erie twice. The biggest declines occurred in the Southern Great Plains, the Mississippi River Delta, and the Central Valley of California. Two aquifer systems in the Pacific Northwest show net increases since 1900, but those trends have reversed in the last few decades. Click image to…
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U.S. EPA Water News
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Federal Agencies Expand Urban Waterway Revitalization Effort to Proctor Creek in Atlanta
17 May 2013 | 11:02 amATLANTA – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Transportation and Urban Development, the Army Corp of Engineers and the Centers for Disease Control, along with other federal partners, announced that the Urban Waters Federal Partnership is expanding to Proctor Creek in Atlanta, Ga. Proctor Creek is one of only 11 communities nationwide to be newly selected for the partnership -
EPA joins other agencies to finalize summer work plans for Pennsylvania Mine cleanup
16 May 2013 | 1:51 pmMeeting on May 29 to outline cleanup effort to address acid discharge and toxic waste piles (Denver, Colo. – May 16th, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety, the U.S. Forest Service, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and Summit County, today announced plans to address legacy mining contamination at the Pennsylvania Mine site, located near Montezuma, Colorado -
EPA orders gas stations to close underground injection wells to protect drinking water sources on Yakama Reservation
15 May 2013 | 2:27 pm(Seattle – May 15, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, has ordered two gas stations to close their underground injection wells to protect drinking water on the Yakama Indian Reservation in Washington. In separate settlements, the gas stations in Wapato and White Swan will pay $13,140 and $11,991 in federal penalties for violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Da Stor at Lillie’s Corner gas station, in Wapato, operates two underground injection wells -
Federal Agencies Expand Urban Waterway Revitalization Efforts in Western Lake Erie Basin
14 May 2013 | 12:27 pmCHICAGO – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, announced that the Western Lake Erie Basin is one of 11 new locations selected for revitalization efforts by the Urban Waters Federal Partnership. First launched in 2011, the Urban Waters Federal Partnership works to reconnect urban residents with their waterways and open spaces -
FRIDAY - Federal Agencies to Announce Urban Waterway Revitalization Effort in Proctor Creek
14 May 2013 | 7:33 amATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Transportation, and Urban Development, Army Corp of Engineers and the Centers for Disease Control, along with other federal partners, are expanding an effort to revitalize urban waterways to Proctor Creek in Atlanta, Ga. Proctor Creek is one of only 11 communities nationwide to be selected for the partnership
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Water Conserve
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Invasive species: ‘away-field advantage’ weaker than ecologists thought
18 May 2013 | 3:18 pmScienceDaily: For decades, ecologists have assumed the worst invasive species -- such as brown tree snakes and kudzu -- have an "away-field advantage." They succeed because they do better in their new territories than they do at home. A new study led by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center reveals that this fundamental assumption is not nearly as common as people might think. The away-field advantage hypothesis hinges on this idea: Successful invaders do better in a new place because the environment... -
Syria: Without Water, Revolution
18 May 2013 | 8:23 amNew York Times: I just spent a day in this northeast Syrian town. It was terrifying — much more so than I anticipated — but not because we were threatened in any way by the Free Syrian Army soldiers who took us around or by the Islamist Jabhet al-Nusra fighters who stayed hidden in the shadows. It was the local school that shook me up. As we were driving back to the Turkish border, I noticed a school and asked the driver to turn around so I could explore it. It was empty — of students. But war refugees had occupied... -
Is tornado intensity increasing?
18 May 2013 | 7:00 amClimate Nexus: With at least 10 tornadoes ripping through North Texas in one night this week -- leveling neighborhoods, killing six and injuring dozens -- it might be tempting to call the twisters yet another instance of climate-fueled weather. But not so fast. While most climate scientists agree that global warming is driving record heat waves, widespread drought, heavy rain and floods, intense hurricanes, and even monster snowstorms, tornadoes -- at least for now -- are a different story. "With tornadoes,... -
Experts: Increased rate of weather disasters in Ohio linked to global warming
18 May 2013 | 7:00 amCentral Oho: Weather disasters aren’t just a big deal in the South or along the coasts, according to a new report from Environment Ohio. They also occur with some frequency in Ohio. The report, “In the Path of the Storm,” stated seven of 10 Ohioans suffered from a weather disaster in the past six years. The report compiled by the Federal Emergency Management Agency designated disasters in each of Ohio’s counties, excluding tornadoes, which haven’t been linked to global warming. Julian Boggs, state policy... -
Study quantifies sea level rise from melting glaciers
18 May 2013 | 7:00 amSummit Voice: The world`s major ice sheets -- on Greenland and Antarctica -- haven`t really started a major meltdown yet. But the rest of the world`s glacial regions have been losing ice at a rate of about 260 billion metric tons annually, raising sea level by about 0.03 inches per year -- about a third of the observed sea level rise. The biggest ice losses are happening in Arctic Canada, Alaska, coastal Greenland, the southern Andes and the Himalaya. Combined, the areas contribute as much to sea level rise...
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ScienceDaily: Water Conservation News
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Frogs, salamanders and climate change
18 May 2013 | 12:37 pmIncreasingly erratic rainfall patterns can lead to declines in southeastern frog and salamander populations, but protecting ponds can improve their plight. -
Low-grade cotton offers more ecologically-friendly way to clean oil spills
16 May 2013 | 9:36 amWhen it comes to cleaning up the next massive crude oil spill, one of the best and most eco-friendly solutions for the job may be low-grade cotton from West Texas. -
Moth-inspired nanostructures take the color out of thin films
16 May 2013 | 7:56 amInspired by the structure of moth eyes, researchers have developed nanostructures that limit reflection at the interfaces where two thin films meet, suppressing the "thin-film interference" phenomenon commonly observed in nature. This can potentially improve the efficiency of thin-film solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. -
Natural 'keystone molecules' punch over their weight in ecosystems
16 May 2013 | 3:39 amEcosystems are disproportionately influenced by "keystone molecules" that have powerful behavioral effects and contribute to ecosystem structure, according to a new general theory. The chemicals can each fill a variety of functions and affect multiple species. The actions of four keystone molecules are described, three of them toxins. -
Insecticides lead to starvation of aquatic organisms
15 May 2013 | 5:30 pmNeonicotinoid insecticides have adverse effects not only on bees but also on freshwater invertebrates. Exposure to low but constant concentrations of these substances – which are highly soluble in water – has lethal effects on these aquatic organisms.
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WaterSISWEB / Top Posts
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Study Finds Loss of Rain Forests Can Deplete Hydropower - NYTimes.com
17 May 2013 | 5:57 pmA new study found up that the loss of rain forests in countries like Brazil will reduce rainfall as well as depleting hydropower generation.7 Vote(s) -
Soil and Groundwater Remediation.mov - YouTube
17 May 2013 | 5:48 pmHC-2000 is a Biostimulation and biosurfactant agent developed by Remtech Engineers that has been used on over 100 sites to bioremediate soil and groundwater contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and solvents. Recent biodegradation efficacy testing and range finding freshwater toxicity testing demonstrates that HC-2000 outperforms degradation efficiencies and is less toxic than other products o7 Vote(s) -
WaterWaterWater (Photo)
17 May 2013 | 2:58 pmA nice break. Check it out.7 Vote(s) -
Agricultural and Biofuel News: Rocky Mountain Snow Packs
15 May 2013 | 11:24 pmClimate change is mainly responsible for the loss of 20 percent of the Rocky Mountains snow packs since the 1980's.7 Vote(s) -
WATER QUALITY: Cocaine, chemicals common in Minn. lakes - KMSP-TV
15 May 2013 | 1:24 pmTraces of chemicals from common household products, legal prescription medications and illegal drugs are common in Minnesota lakes, according to a study released Monday. Scientists from the Minnesota Pollution Control agency chose 50 lakes at random and tested them for 125 chemicals, including substances that mimic or interfere with the actions of naturally occurring hormones.The common insect re7 Vote(s)
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On Water
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Dam News: 22nd – 30th April, 2013
1 May 2013 | 4:38 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. Herring Return to Taunton After Removal of Mill River Dam Enterprise News – Apr 30, 2013 Taunton – Alewife are swimming again at a city dam for the first time in many years. The river herring are running through the former site of Hopewell Mills Dam, according to the Nature Conservancy. Eisenhauer:… -
Dam News: 9th – 21st April, 2013
22 Apr 2013 | 5:56 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. Frank Galusha: Repeating Big Lies About Klamath Dams Record-Searchlight – Apr 21, 2013 What scientific research does he have proving dam removal will truly benefit the salmon, let alone increase their numbers by 81 percent? The truth is the foundation upon which the case for removal is built is based on… -
2013 West Regional Conference – May 6-10 Seattle, Washington
22 Apr 2013 | 4:55 pmThe West Region of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials is hosting the 2013 West Regional Conference and Technical Seminars, to be held May 6-10 in Seattle, Washington. The conference will include an Exhibit Show and one full day of technical presentations. The presentations will focus on issues of importance to dam owners, government officials and engineers in the western states. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to register for either of these specialty training courses in addition to the conference & exhibit show. For more information visit their website. -
Dam News: March 27th – April 8th, 2013
15 Apr 2013 | 4:05 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. In Our View: Dam Removal Hits a Wall The Columbian – Apr 8, 2013 Extremist views about hydroelectric dams — as with many other issues — often stray from basic realities.It’s unrealistic to advocate that all power-generating dams are evil and therefore must be destroyed. Modern needs and… -
Dam News: 20 – 26 March, 2013
27 Mar 2013 | 8:01 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. Elwha Dam Removal Postponed Again The Seattle Times (blog) – Mar 26, 2013 Repairs continue on the Elwha Water Facilities treatment plant, delaying work on removal of Glines Canyon Dam until at least July. The National Park Service, which is running the $325 million federal dam removal program, originally…
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Water Online News
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Information Is Power: See TrojanUV at ACE13
17 May 2013 | 2:41 amLearn more about UV disinfection technology at ACE13. Drop by our booth (11017) to get informative facts about the TrojanUVTorrent™ drinking water disinfection system, the world’s largest drinking water UV installation, our TrojanUVSwiftSC™ validation and more. And remember to pick up your ACE13 program guide when you arrive at the Convention Center. You’ll notice that the advertisement wrapped around it has a few questions on it. We hope you’ll take a few seconds to answer them, and then come see us in booth 11017! -
Sauereisen Announces Front Office Promotions
17 May 2013 | 1:45 amSauereisen, a third-generation manufacturer of corrosion-resistant materials, is pleased to announce several promotions of its front office personnel. -
State-Of-The-Art Wastewater Treatment Plant Supports Shingle Springs Band Of Miwok Indians' Commitment To The Environment
17 May 2013 | 1:34 amThe Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians is deeply committed to having a positive impact in the community and to preserving the places where its neighbors, guests, team and Tribe work, live and play. -
Builds Its First Overseas Water Treatment Plant In Vietnam
17 May 2013 | 1:18 amA Nanyang Technological University (NTU) start-up has successfully launched its first overseas water treatment plant in Vietnam on Friday, 10 May 2013. -
FLO-CORP's Guardian 2000™ Wireless Monitoring System Brings Advanced M2M Functionality To Process Monitoring
17 May 2013 | 1:11 amFLO-CORP announces the release of the Guardian 2000™, a wireless monitor that transmits data using cell towers and/or satellites, along with pinpoint location of the device through a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite chip.
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Water - Use It Wisely
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What are the best gifts to shower Mom with?
10 May 2013 | 9:42 amWater-friendly ones, of course! Here are some great Mother’s Day ideas that are bound to please your Mom and Mother Earth as well. Thinking of ways to “shower” Mom with love this Mother’s day? Showerheads and faucet fixtures are the “jewels” of the plumbing world and make a great gift that any practical Mom will appreciate. On top of that, certain models are specifically designed to help with water conservation efforts. A great showerhead can truly make a difference between a relaxing, spa-like experience and just an average shower. Technology and innovation in design in… -
Six Easy Ways to Reduce Your Landscape Water Use
8 May 2013 | 2:53 pmIf you want to create a healthy, attractive landscape and one that saves water to boot, then you can’t go wrong with Xeriscape. This concept of landscape design follows seven horticultural principles, including good planning, low water use plants, appropriate turf areas, efficient irrigation, soil improvements, use of mulches and lastly, proper maintenance. The way you maintain your landscape can have a tremendous impact on your landscape water use. The good news is that most of the recommendations below actually represent a lot less work for you! Check Irrigation Systems – Periodically… -
Why We Celebrate Trees
26 Apr 2013 | 12:07 pmFirst grade students, friends, family and the City of Mesa celebrated Arbor Day today at Candlelight Park by rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty! Today is Arbor Day, a special day set aside to encourage the planting and proper care of trees. And Water – Use It Wisely is celebrating, because trees can help save water. How you ask? A tree can not only add some visual interest to your landscape, but when placed strategically in your yard, its shade can reduce energy use in your home by up to 40%. And saving energy can save water, as the electrical power industry is one of the biggest… -
Celebrate National Plumber’s Day on April 25th
23 Apr 2013 | 4:27 pmMost people take plumbing for granted, that is until a plumbing disaster strikes their house and the chaos of blocked drains or clogged pipes ensues. But a local company, Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber is reminding the public to take a moment to appreciate and salute America’s Plumbers on April 25th – National Plumber’s Day. It is no surprise that water conservation is closely related to plumbing. In fact, millions of gallons of water are lost each day due to improperly installed fixtures, drips and leaks in pipes. Consider that if a drip from your faucet fills an eight… -
It’s a Party for the Planet!
18 Apr 2013 | 1:37 pmOn Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. celebrate Earth Day, conservation and nature at the special Earth Day at the Phoenix Zoo event. Water – Use It Wisely will be joining in on the fun once again with our tropical duck float trivia contest. Children young and old can test their water know-how, then take home one of our “oh-so-cute” ducks to float in the pool or bathtub to help remind them to use water wisely every day of the year – not just on Earth Day. Visit us at the Harmony Farm section of the Zoo. Don’t worry; we have a lot of cool stuff for the “big” kids, too. See…
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AWRA Water Blog
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TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 11 – 17 May 2013
17 May 2013 | 3:02 amEarly again this week! Headed to Cape Cod, MA, so I’ll be on a plane most of the day. This will be the last weekend to submit an abstract for the AWRA Annual Conference. The abstract submission site will stay open through 19 May. No more excuses! Click here for the weekly water news summary. Enjoy! “Excellence [...] Related posts:TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 4 – 10 May 2013 This past week seemed like ‘Halogen Week’ on WaterWired. In... TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 29 December 2012 – 4 January 2013 Carol Collier is now AWRA President; read her… -
TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 4 – 10 May 2013
10 May 2013 | 7:51 amThis past week seemed like ‘Halogen Week’ on WaterWired. In honor of Drinking Water Week, I posted reviews of two books dealing with drinking water additives: chlorine and fluoride. You still have two days to celebrate Drinking Water Week – or chlorine or fluoride, if you are so inclined. You also have an extra week to submit an [...] Related posts:TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 26 January – 1 February 2013 The new AWRA Board of Directors is having its first meeting... TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 23 February – March 1, 2013 So much for sequestration;… -
Book Review: ‘The Chlorine Revolution – Water Disinfection and the Fight to Save Lives’
9 May 2013 | 1:55 pmA few days ago it was fluoride. Now it’s chlorine! What is happening? Halogen addiction on the verge of my 65th birthday? Maybe I have a thing for poisons added to drinking water! It’s all in honor of Drinking Water Week. Read on, dear reader. @CaptDocMike is the Twitter handle for Dr. Michael J. McGuire, drinking water expertextraordinaire [...] Related posts:Book Review: ‘The Fluoride Wars: How a Modest Public Health Measure Became America’s Longest Running Political Melodrama’ Introduction and ‘The Book’ It is funny to be writing about... -
Book Review: ‘The Fluoride Wars: How a Modest Public Health Measure Became America’s Longest Running Political Melodrama’
7 May 2013 | 4:01 pmIntroduction and ‘The Book’ It is funny to be writing about fluoridation of public water supplies and a book on that topic at this late date; I thought that battle had been settled years ago. Apparently not. A few years ago, I encountered a book, The Fluoride Wars: How a Modest Public Health Measure Became America’s Longest [...] Related posts:Cheryl Ulrich: Sustaining America’s Water Supplies – Developing a National Vision & Strategy Cheryl Ulrich, Program Manager, Weston Solutions, and member of AWRA’s Policy... Related posts brought to you by Yet… -
TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 27 April – 3 May 2013
3 May 2013 | 3:20 pmHere we are into May. Wonderful – now I am Medicare eligible! I will be spending the next few weekends engaging the IRS once again – tax forms for nonprofits are due on 15 May. Fortunately, my situation is not very taxing. And, as luck would have it, the weather this weekend is supposed to be fabulous. [...] Related posts:TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 6 – 12 April 2013 Unpleasant weekend for many in the USA and some overseas... TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 26 January – 1 February 2013 The new AWRA Board of Directors is having its first meeting... TGIF! Weekly…
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We All Live Downstream
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Safe Drinking Water in California; the Impossible Dream?
17 May 2013 | 7:50 amBy Jennifer Clary, California Program Associate In February two reports about Californians’ drinking water quality were delivered to the state legislature. The first report “Californians with Contaminated Groundwater” found that the source water for 21 million Californians is contaminated and that nearly half a million Californians have unsafe water at the tap (see footnote 1) . The second report “Recommendations Addressing Nitrate in Groundwater” provides 15 recommendations to prevent continued contamination of groundwater by nitrate and provide safe drinking water in two of… -
Stand With Gina for Mother’s Day
15 May 2013 | 10:38 amThis Mother’s Day I had a lot to be thankful for. After celebrating the weekend with my beautiful daughter, enjoying flowers, presents, and all that spring has to offer; I took a few minutes to consider some of the environmental and health issues that mothers and their children are faced with every day. Most mothers know children are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses from air pollution because their immune systems and lungs are still growing. Pollution from coal plants lead to countless health issues for children, including asthma. I want to thank my Senators Debbie Stabenow and… -
Let EPA Do Its Job
9 May 2013 | 7:05 amGina McCarthy By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee was supposed to vote on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Clean Water Action fully supports this nomination, and we fully support letting EPA do its job. I’ve been hearing a lot of Senate Republicans criticizing McCarthy and the EPA’s work. This morning they boycotted the hearing due to a perceived lack of “transparency.” And, because all 8 Republicans stayed home the Committee… -
Supporting Science to Protect Drinking Water
8 May 2013 | 8:31 amBy Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at the direction of Congress, is conducting a multi-faceted scientific study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water. Because this study is being conducted in a transparent, peer-reviewed process, EPA is consulting with its Science Advisory Board which convened a special panel to answer specific questions related to the five aspects of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle being covered in the project. We think it’s a good way to celebrate Drinking Water Week. You can read… -
Fighting Toxic Exposure in Florida: Education and Action
7 May 2013 | 8:10 amBy Cara Capp, Program Coordinator The average family comes into contact with toxic chemicals on a daily basis. More often than not they have no idea that everyday consumer products contain chemicals shown to cause harm. Children across America are playing with toys manufactured with phthalates. Moms are making dinner with non-stick pans coated in perfluorooctanoic acid. Dads are serving fruit and vegetables from cans lined with Bisphenol A (BPA). Families are using personal care products laced with endocrine disruptors. Classrooms are full of oil-based art supplies that give off dangerous…
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WaterWired
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What Is Water Security? @UN_Water Infographic, Definition, Analytical Brief & More!
19 May 2013 | 4:58 amFrom the folks at UN Water. View/download a larger version here. PDF: Download Water_Security_poster Here are the analytical brief (PDF or online flipbook) and a summary. Read more here. Download Watersecurity_analyticalbrief Enjoy! “The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for... -
@AGUSciPolicy Infographic: How To Promote A Conference
18 May 2013 | 3:34 pmThis graphic came with an email promoting AGU's upcoming conference on preparing for our future, 24-26 June in Washington, DC. If this doesn't do it, I don't know what will. But they should have had one figure dealing with losses from a mega-hurricane, flood, or something water-related. Just a suggestion,... -
TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary, 11 - 17 May 2013
17 May 2013 | 12:20 amEarly again this week! Headed to Cape Cod, MA, so I'll be on a plane most of the day. This weekend will be the last to submit an abstract for the AWRA Annual Conference. The abstract submission site will stay open through 19 May. No more excuses! Note - if... -
G.F. White Lecture by Steven L. Stockton - 'Global Context: The Flood Risk Management Challenge' @USACEHQ
16 May 2013 | 10:04 amSteven L. Stockton, P.E., Director of Civil Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, gave this address at the recent 2013 Gilbert F. White Lecture in the Geographical Sciences: Global Context - The Flood Risk Management Challenge. The lecture was sponsored by the NAS/NRC. Download GFWhite_Lecture_Stockton_7May2013 From the WWW site: Damages... -
Infographic: Will Your City Run Dry? Report: 'America's Water Risk: Water Stress & Climate Variability'
15 May 2013 | 9:57 amI just received a PR email from Veolia Water's publicity folks touting the release of a new report (although it is dated February 2013 - guess I am on the 'D-List' with Kathy Griffin) from the Columbia Water Center and Veolia, America's Water Risk: Water Stress and Climate Variability'. Download...
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Akvo blog
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Akvo Track Day – What, why, how?
14 May 2013 | 2:30 amIt’s just 10 days until the first international edition of the Akvo Track Day. Here Sebastian Wafula talks with Akvo’s Luuk Diphoorn and Mark Charmer, at Akvo’s East Africa hub in Nairobi. Sebastian Wafula: Imagine I’m a six year old. What is Akvo Track Day? Luuk Diphoorn: It’s a place where people come together who use cool technology to make their work better, and to share experiences with each other. They all work in the field of trying to make the world a better place, and trying to help improve the lives of people. They have a common purpose but they do it… -
The first international Akvo Track Day
7 May 2013 | 5:29 amOn 23 May 2013 we will be hosting the next Akvo Track Day. This will be the first international edition, with concurrent events running at our AmLab HQ in Amsterdam as well as in Nairobi and Washington DC. With different programmes in each location, all three events offer a chance to learn about and discuss the latest ways people are implementing, reporting, monitoring and communicating development programmes, hear about how Akvo partners are using our tools in the field and catch up on all our news – including new product developments. Amsterdam Track Day At our Amsterdam event, we are… -
Go Three60!
3 May 2013 | 3:26 amThere was an informal event here at the AmLab in Amsterdam last night to launch AmLab’s new identity and the first joint product from the group. It’s called Three60. To recap, AmLab is not just the location of our headquarters, but also a physical hotspot for international development and innovation in the centre of Amsterdam. AmLab is an initiative of three partners – 1%CLUB, Text to Change and Akvo. It’s housed in a 370 year old building with a fascinating history – it was formerly the headquarters of the Dutch West Indies Trading Company. Last November, the AmLab… -
Akvo printed stock
29 Apr 2013 | 5:35 amWith Akvo staff in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America it is sometimes difficult to keep track of all the printed material we have in use. I am about to take stock at our main hubs to find out how much material we have got, so I thought it would be nice to do a quick round up off all the printed materials we are currently using. As a technology foundation, we have always tried hard to keep the range and volume of printed material we produce to a minimum. Especially as we are working with people in many of the most remote parts of the world. But here’s what we do have. Annual Report… -
Akvo RSR – support partner manual v1
17 Apr 2013 | 7:03 amThis is a guide for our support partners which outlines roles and responsibilities and what you need to know to use Akvo RSR and support your field partners to use it. We hope it helps you to get started with Akvo RSR. Contents Introduction Roles and responsibilities of support partners Different types of RSR users Role of the RSR ‘organisation administrator’ How to use the admin How to set up a partner site How to get more help 1 Introduction Akvo is a non-profit foundation headquartered in the Netherlands. We build open source internet and mobile software which is used to make…
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Aguanomics
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Flashback: 13-19 May
18 May 2013 | 4:30 amA year later and still worth reading... Cost recovery versus conservation incentives, i.e., what's fiscal isn't necessarily economical. Dutch water expertise does not apply -- I repeat these every time I talk to Dutchers. -
Friday party!
17 May 2013 | 10:00 amHow do you identify hipsters? This is pretty accurate: -
Fracking pollution, property rights and payments
17 May 2013 | 4:30 amGrant McDermott wrote a nice comment on fracking, and I left this reply:* There is GOING to be some pollution. The question is how much. It would be useful to compare lifecycle pollution from fracking to other energy sources. The precautionary principle is too strong, but it would be good to have a strong penalty -- and fast process to administer it -- for pollution (or lack thereof -- in PA and NY). This (social) discussion should not compare peer review (which has problems) vs populism (ditto), but property rights vs regulation. Grant discusses regulation versus common law remedies. -
Water and fracking hangout TODAY
16 May 2013 | 5:17 amHere's a link to the event on Google+ at 16:00 (NL)/ 10:00 (EDT) / 7:00 (PDT). I'll post a link to YouTube (live streaming) when we go on. The archived video and MP3 will be posted here tomorrow. -
Religion, water and policy
16 May 2013 | 4:30 amA few months back, I pointed out that "religious ideology can lead to terrible results (e.g., Christians who welcome catastrophic climate change as a sign of end-times, i.e., this or this)" in my weekly newsletter. One reader asked me to "name the specific denomination or kind of Christians who believe this rot rather than using such a broad brush. It certainly does not describe mine." That's a good point, so let's start with first principles: I don't care what belief you have or how you manifest that belief when it comes to your individual choices of what private goods to consume, e.g.,…
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The Water Information Program
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May 16, 2013--Forest Service considers beetle epidemic options (Alamosa News)
17 May 2013 | 7:48 amAddressing the Rio Grande Roundtable on Tuesday, Rio Grande National Forest staff including Forest Supervisor Dan Dallas talked about how the current spruce beetle epidemic is affecting the forest presently and how it could potentially affect the landscape and watershed in the future. They also talked about what the Forest Service and other agencies are doing about the problem.read more -
May 16, 2013--1.5 billion-year-old water found on Earth (USA Today)
17 May 2013 | 7:43 am"Old" might not top the list of the adjectives you'd use to describe water, but that could very well change after reading this story: Scientists say they've found water whose age clocks in at no less than 1.5 billion years, making it the oldest cache to have ever been discovered.read more -
May 16, 2013--Disappearing wonders: 10 world heritage sites in danger (USA Today)
17 May 2013 | 7:37 amStanding atop the ramparts of China's Great Wall. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. These are the giants of our collective imagination, the plumes in our travel cap. Though they might seem timeless, many of the world's most treasured sites are in peril, threatened by theft, development, climate change, or unsustainable tourism.read more -
May 16, 2013--Report: Calif. short on key state water workers (Denver Post)
17 May 2013 | 7:26 amCalifornia is losing key employees at the Department of Water Resources because it can't pay afford to pay them enough.read more -
May 16, 2013--State engineer plans metering of some water wells (Denver Post)
17 May 2013 | 7:19 amIrrigators, municipalities and industry in parts of drought-stricken eastern New Mexico will be required to install meters on their underground wells to measure water use under a plan by the state's top water manager. State Engineer Scott Verhines said meters must be installed by January in the Fort Sumner Underground Water Basin, which is within a larger area that relies on surface wateread more
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Water Conservation Blog
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ESSAY: Freedom Isn’t Free, Terrorism Is Pervasive
27 Apr 2013 | 2:22 pmEnduring occasional acts of random terror is the cost of living in a free society. Giving up civil liberties does not provide security, but rather enslaves you in a state of pervasive terror. The human family is threatened by systematized eco-terrorism and other assaults by the elite upon the poor far more than by infrequent criminal acts which the courts can and should handle. By Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet Earth Meanders come from Earth's Newsdesk Terrorism is the act of inspiring terror in others by harming presumed innocents. For many, unjust postmodern life on a dying planet is… -
ESSAY: What Would John Muir Say... About the Sierra Club?
20 Apr 2013 | 8:16 amWhat would Muir say about the Sierra Club being led by Michael Brune, Accountant-in-Chief and old-growth forest logging apologist? On the occasion of Muir's 175th birthday, we are certain he would not be pleased and would say so strongly. As we celebrate Earth Day, will Madison Progressives see through Brune's greenwash of logging ancient, sacred wildlands for toilet paper and books? "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir "Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed -- chased and hunted down as… -
ALERT! Demand India Protect Old-Growth and Abandon Coal
7 Apr 2013 | 12:48 pmTAKE ACTION! India is a thriving democratic nation with tremendous potential to achieve just, equitable, and ecologically sustainable national development that could last forever. Yet India is heading towards social and ecological collapse unless it stops burning coal and clearing its natural ecosystems, especially important old-growth forest remnants. The momentum of unfettered economic and population growth sweeping India is so severely damaging to the environment that failure to stop burning and cutting threatens the nation's reliable climate, food and water supplies, and its future… -
ESSAY: The Green Liberty Party
24 Mar 2013 | 2:47 pmThe "Earth is dying if we let it. Without ecology there can be no economy. Stop burning and cutting, work less and live more. Live free and green, or die" Political Philosophy. Human growth in population and industry, at the expense of ecosystems is destroying the natural world, causing mass extinction, abrupt climate change, and economic as well as biosphere collapse. The challenge facing humanity, the greatest challenge of all time, is to foster a political, social, and economic transformation that realigns the human project with its ecosystem habitat. The corporate-owned American two-party… -
ALERT! Massive Chinese Dam Threatens Cambodia's Cardamom Rainforests
16 Mar 2013 | 6:19 amBy Ecological Internet's Rainforest Portal TAKE ACTION! The Areng Valley's rainforests in the Cardamom Mountains [search] of south-west Cambodia is threatened with flooding by a Chinese hydropower dam. This biodiversity gem - home of the Siamese crocodile and indigenous Khmer Daeum - is to be destroyed for a relatively small amount of electricity. Standing large, connected, and ecologically intact old-growth forests are required for local and global ecological sustainability and well-being.
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Water Blog
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Join us for Cycle the Well Field on June 1st
14 May 2013 | 10:28 am -
Slow Down for Work Zone Safety
13 May 2013 | 3:33 pm -
Simple Tips for Sprucing Up Your Sprinkler
6 May 2013 | 9:23 am -
Portland to Vote on Water Fluoridation in Special Election
29 Apr 2013 | 9:02 am -
TRAFFIC ADVISORY 04/23/13: Portland Water Bureau to conduct underground survey work on SW Nevada Street week of April 29, 2013
23 Apr 2013 | 2:47 pm
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Washlink
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UN: 2.4 billion people will lack improved sanitation in 2015
13 May 2013 | 1:35 pmpress release 2.4 billion people will lack improved sanitation in 2015 World will miss MDG target GENEVA/NEW YORK, 13 May 2013 – Some 2.4 billion people – one-third of the world’s population – will remain without access to improved sanitation in 2015, according to a joint WHO/UNICEF report issued today. The report, entitled PRogress on Sanitation and Drinking-Water 2013 Update, warns that, at the current rate of progress, the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of halving the proportion of the 1990 population without sanitation will be missed by eight per cent – or half a… -
Solving the Global Sanitation Crisis Discussion Panel – CGI U 2013
29 Apr 2013 | 11:29 amWashlink comment: This is way too short given the panelists, none the less still great to watch. The first 2 quarters of an hour and last quarter are the best. The third quarter – has audio problems – when the audience give reports from their breakup group meetings. Today, more people around the world have access to a mobile phone than a toilet. An estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to clean and safe bathrooms, resulting in diarrheal diseases that kill more children than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. Many developing country governments simply do not have the… -
1 million dollar prize for reducing childhood mortality
25 Apr 2013 | 8:57 amThe Caplow Children’s Prize is a novel humanitarian contest to save children’s lives. A $1 million prize will be awarded to the best plan for preserving the lives of children who would otherwise die before the age of five. All prize finalists will be showcased on our website. THE PROBLEM: 19,000 children under five die every day. THE CONTEST: Seeks to find the best way $1 million might help. WHO CAN APPLY: Any person or organization worldwide that: 1) works with or for children 2) could save more… -
When Sanitation Does Not Have Clear Institutional Home or Accountability, Progress Lags: UN Deputy Secretary-General
25 Apr 2013 | 7:40 amDeputy Secretary-General DSG/SM/661 DEV/2984 When Sanitation Does Not Have Clear Institutional Home or Accountability, Progress Lags, UN Deputy Secretary-General Tells High-level Panel ——PRESS RELEASE——- Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at a high-level panel on investing in sanitation, in Washington, D.C., 19 April: I am pleased to see so many familiar faces from last year’s Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting. Last year we talked about commitments. Today I want to talk about action. But first… -
Brian Arbogast to Lead Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Program: Announcement by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
17 Apr 2013 | 5:31 pmpress release 206-709-3400 media@gatesfoundation.org SEATTLE — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced that Brian Arbogast has been named director of the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene program. He will start work at the foundation on May 13, 2013. “Brian has more than 20 years of experience leading teams around the world. He is well equipped to drive an innovative program that is helping bring sanitation services to people in developing countries,” said Chris Elias, president of Global Development at the foundation. Arbogast was previously with Microsoft…
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Watering the Desert
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Some quick updates
16 May 2013 | 9:20 pmAs expected, an environmental organization has filed suit against the state over the approval of a large development in the Sierra Vista area (I discussed this in a previous post in March). Earthjustice issued a press release yesterday (it also includes a link to their complaint) announcing their suit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. I've only skimmed the complaint and it looks pretty -
A Pretty Impressive Graph showing what Tucson Water has been doing with Renewable Water
13 Apr 2013 | 5:34 pmAt a recent meeting I attended at Tucson Water, their hydrology staff gave a presentation on where our water is coming from these days. One graph in particular really drew a reaction from those in attendance: This does require a bit of context though. What is being shown is the total amount of water produced by the utility and provided to its customers. This is then broken down -
Yumans shoot down Water Augmentation plans
13 Apr 2013 | 9:24 amWay back in 2010 the Arizona state legislature, responding to widespread concerns that the state would run out of water in the future, created a study commission called the Water Resources Development Commission (WRDC). They set to work studying current and projected water demands, available water supplies, and the institutions in place that try to match up the two sides of the equation. They -
Follow-up on Tribute development in Sierra Vista
15 Mar 2013 | 9:58 amThe Daily Star has an article this morning about the big proposed development in Sierra Vista that has been the subject of some controversy lately over their water use. I commented on this situation last summer when Arizona Department of Water Resources first ruled that the development does have an adequate water supply and could move forward in the permitting process. This latest article was -
Quality Scholarship on the Issue of Property Rights in Groundwater
8 Mar 2013 | 9:29 pmThis article was posted on the Environmental Law Prof blog recently. I'll bite on anything that discusses the nature of property rights in groundwater and this article is a very good one. The author is a former scientist (geologist) turned lawyer (now law professor), so we have something in common. It's a very thorough discussion of how groundwater rights are treated in the context of takings
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SmallWaterSupply.org
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Annual events raise awareness, benefit operators and small communities
7 May 2013 | 10:08 amDesignated days and weeks to honor ideas, people serve an important public communication function for small communities. -
What Does a Well-Run Tribal Utility Look Like?
22 Apr 2013 | 12:05 pmDocument lists utility management best practices, serves as important reference to educate decision makers. -
Test Your Knowledge with Free Online Quizzes
16 Apr 2013 | 2:58 pmFree quizzes from ProProfs can offer simple, fun alternative to traditional studying. -
WEFTEC Conference More Accessible
12 Apr 2013 | 2:25 pmFind out what WEF is doing to make your more likely to attend their annual conference. -
Using EPA's Energy Assessment Tool
8 Apr 2013 | 2:35 pmNeed to cut costs? Improved energy management may be an approachable option for your small system.
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Chance of Rain
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High good, low bad: Mead in April 2013
2 May 2013 | 11:15 amLake Mead dropped nearly five and a half feet in April, 2013. -
Spring 2013
18 Apr 2013 | 8:37 pm -
Colorado “most endangered” American river
16 Apr 2013 | 11:27 pmThe Colorado tops 2013 "most endangered" list from American Rivers -
Free except the lemonade
3 Apr 2013 | 12:06 pmEmily Green is on assignment. Slow to no-posting is likely to continue through April. Please help yourself to the site’s directories and, for those of you in the Los Angeles region interested in rain water harvesting and lawn alternatives, do remember that the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase is on April 20th. Admission to dozens of gardens, many staffed by experts in native landscaping, water harvesting and food production, is free. -
High good, low bad: Mead in March 2013
1 Apr 2013 | 1:13 pmThe next mayor of Los Angeles needs to be a conservationist as Southern California faces a dry spring.
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International Water Law Project Blog
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Rethinking Transboundary Ground Water Resources Management: A Local Approach along the Mexico-U.S. Border
6 May 2013 | 2:11 pmThe nearly 2,000 mile-long border between Mexico and the United States is hot and dry. Few rivers cross this arid expanse. Yet, despite the lack of visible, life-sustaining water, the region is growing – the combined border population, currently around 14.4 million, is expected to increase 40% by 2020. The reason for this remarkable growth is ground water, more specifically, transboundary aquifers. As many as twenty aquifers straddle the Mexico-U.S. border, many of which serve as the primary or sole source of fresh water for the border’s communities and unique ecosystems ... -
Remembrance of Ambassador Chusei Yamada
24 Mar 2013 | 10:27 pmIt is always sad when a colleague passes on. Somehow, it is even more sorrowful when that person was a friend to and respected by so many. On 21 March 2013, Ambassador Chusei Yamada passed away in his native Japan; and the global water community lost a great friend ... -
2013 – International Year of Water Cooperation
18 Mar 2013 | 4:37 amThe following post is by Dr. Salman M.A. Salman, an academic researcher and consultant on water law and policy and a Fellow with the International Water Resources Association. Until December 2009, Dr. Salman served as Lead Counsel and Water Law Adviser with the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank. He can be reached at [...] -
Water Security, National Security and Israel’s Separation Wall: The Case of Battir
6 Mar 2013 | 7:58 amOnly a few miles from Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Green Line, residents of the Palestinian village of Battir practice an ancient agricultural water-use technique dating back to the Roman Period . . . Israel is currently planning to build the separation wall on the edge of Battir, separating Palestinian farmers from their fields. -
Sharing Central Asia’s Waters: The Case of Afghanistan
19 Jan 2013 | 6:04 pmAfghanistan has four major river basins. All are international watercourses as that term is defined in the 1997 UN Convention on the Law of Non-navigable Uses of International Watercourses. When looking at the waters in Afghanistan the regional history cannot be ignored and the circumstances that often provide an impetus to negotiate water-sharing agreements should be examined.
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Water Canada
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May 31, 2013: Alberta P3s – The Next Frontier
15 May 2013 | 1:10 pmWhere: Toronto, ON Organization: The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships Website: pppcouncil.caThe post May 31, 2013: Alberta P3s – The Next Frontier appeared first on Water Canada. -
May 20-23, 2014: Moving Plans to Action: CNAM Conference
15 May 2013 | 1:07 pmWhere: Toronto, ON Organization: Canadian Network of Asset Managers Website: cnam.caThe post May 20-23, 2014: Moving Plans to Action: CNAM Conference appeared first on Water Canada. -
May 27-29, 2013: Climate Change Technology Conference
15 May 2013 | 1:04 pmWhere: Montreal, QC Organization: CCTC Website: cctc2013.caThe post May 27-29, 2013: Climate Change Technology Conference appeared first on Water Canada. -
November 7-8, 2013: CCPPP National Conference
15 May 2013 | 1:01 pmWhere: Toronto, ON Organization: The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships Website: pppcouncil.caThe post November 7-8, 2013: CCPPP National Conference appeared first on Water Canada. -
Canada Assumes Chairmanship of Arctic Council
15 May 2013 | 12:40 pmMinisters from the eight Arctic states and representatives of the Arctic Indigenous Peoples met today in Kiruna, Sweden at the conclusion of Sweden’s two-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council. At the meeting, the group adopted a joint vision statement for the future of the Arctic and signed a new, legally-binding Agreement on Cooperation on Marine [...]The post Canada Assumes Chairmanship of Arctic Council appeared first on Water Canada.
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Waiology
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A tale of two storms
9 May 2013 | 3:58 pmBy Martin Doyle The rainstorm near Nelson on 21 April, 2013, was one of the most intense ever measured in New Zealand, and caused considerable flooding through urban Stoke and Richmond. Just 18 months prior, another storm also caused significant damage to the same area. It would be tempting to draw parallels between the two storms, but in fact they provide an interesting contrast.Comparison of the 2011 and 2013 storms, measured at the Tasman District Council office. Rainfall totals over the period of graph are nearly identical.The figure to the right shows the hourly rainfall from the onset… -
How to drought-proof New Zealand as droughts get worse
2 May 2013 | 1:00 pmBy Daniel Collins For the most part, droughts are natural events. Rainfall and river flows wax and wane, and there will be times when there just isn’t enough water to fully meet our needs, whether to grow crops or to quench a city’s thirst. Wairarapa drought, February 2013. (Credit: D. Allen, NIWA)And when it comes down to it, that’s really the best definition of a drought: when water supply is insufficient to meet demand. If no rain falls on the land, and there is no-one there to go thirsty, is it a problem? But there is a growing part of drought that isn’t natural. -
Reader feedback invited for Waiology
8 Apr 2013 | 1:59 pmBy Daniel Collins Waiology has been running for the better part of two years now, and has just completed a significant series on water governance. And as Waiology moves ahead, it would be very helpful to know what you think about the blog. Are you happy with the status quo? What’s good or not so good? How useful and informative is Waiology? What topics would you like covered in the future? How can Waiology engage with you and others better? What holds you back from commenting on articles? Are you a subscriber? How do you hear about Waiology articles? Are you a member of the public or… -
Water governance in New Zealand: A conclusion
7 Apr 2013 | 12:30 pmBy Daniel Collins When it comes to managing our freshwaters well, science can provide only part of the solution. It is important to appreciate how much water we have, what quality it is, and how our activities change these things – questions that only science can answer – but it is also important to appreciate what people want from their freshwater, how they value water, and how to broker agreements when people don’t exactly see eye to eye. This is the domain of water governance. And for the past five weeks we have been examining water governance in New Zealand with particular… -
Collaborative water management delivers local solutions in north Canterbury
3 Apr 2013 | 4:10 pmBy David Eder and Ian Whitehouse In July 2013 the Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee will notch up three years of work. It was set up as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy – a collaborative process for finding local solutions to water issues within an environmentally sustainable framework. In July 2010 the committee’s daunting task was to sort out water storage in the Hurunui catchment and set water quality limits. We held dozens of committee meetings, public meetings involving more than 300 people, and received written feedback from more than 120 people before finalising our…
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Watery Foundation
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Predictions about the water supply future
16 May 2013 | 4:23 amSo, how much water will Florida be using in a couple of decades? Judged by the historical record of previous forecasts, it will be much less than current projections show. You could take a look, for example, at the 1994 Lower West Coast Regional Water Supply Plan (large PDF) published by the South Florida Water Management District. They forecast that water demand in 2010 would be 917 million gallons a day (p. IV-2). The 2012 version of this plan reports that actual demand in 2010 was only 630 mgd (p. 29). How much money would have been wasted if supply facilities actually been constructed… -
Florida-Friendly?
13 May 2013 | 4:54 amWhat should “Florida-Friendly Landscaping” mean for irrigation and fertilization? Should it mean “efficient” watering and irrigation of landscapes? Or should it mean using smaller amounts of water and fertilizer than regular landscaping? Or should it mean using as little water and fertilizer as possible? According to the statute, the term means “efficient” irrigation and fertilization. That allows you to use a huge amount of water for a large expanse of “appropriate” plants. The program tells you, however, not to “overwater” the… -
Pork for the New Pork Chop Gang
8 May 2013 | 5:22 amThe people currently in charge at the Legislature are about as bad as the old “Pork Chop Gang” of the 1950s and 1960s. There is, for example, the open division of political pork in the new budget. A text search for “water projects” in the the budget text takes you right to a very long list of porky local projects (p. 232-234), totaling $59,475,000. These are not the best projects, of course, just those favored by some influential senators and representatives in the gang. All the rest of Florida pays for these political projects. That amount of money could be put to… -
Avoiding water wars in Florida?
6 May 2013 | 4:23 amEasy as watching the tide come in. There have not been and will not be any water “wars” in Florida. We misuse this violent metaphor if we call our rather mild water disputes a “war.” The most heated disputes about water in Florida history probably are those in the Tampa Bay region some years ago. They involved some name-calling, a few million dollars of lawyer fees, and some judicial decisions. The eventual result was a very large reduction in groundwater pumping, a billion dollars of regional water construction projects, and a stable regional water supply authority. -
Two kinds of water budgets
2 May 2013 | 5:05 amFirst, why can’t Florida create detailed hydrologic budgets for all the state’s waterbodies and apply that information in all water management decisions? For one thing, water measurements have built-in uncertainty. Streamflow gaging, for example, is subject to significant measurement error. Smaller rivers and creeks are monitored even less often than larger systems. All monitoring networks were cut back in recent years. Groundwater poses problems of its own. Monitoring wells can be very costly to install. Even with many wells, the boundaries of springsheds are hard to determine.
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Good Hydration
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Can Caffeine Help You Win? Tips for Consuming Caffeine on Game Day
18 May 2013 | 4:34 amTrying to gain an edge on the course? Caffeine is one trick used. Athletes are commonly seen downing a power drink before a competition… or grabbing a coke in the last feed zone. The performance benefits of caffeine are widely supported. But before you get your next game-day caffeine fix, check-out these tips to optimize … Continue reading » -
Sodium in Salt. Sodium in Food. Is too much Salt a Problem?
5 May 2013 | 8:18 amSalt is needed to survive, but too much salt can be dangerous. Needless to say, many of us consume far more than the recommended amount. In part, this is because salt is deceptively hidden in many seemingly innocuous foods – such as cereals and breads. In part, it’s because of our own developed craving for salty, … Continue reading » -
Health Benefits of Almonds
21 Apr 2013 | 5:47 pmIn search of the perfect healthy snack? Grabbing a handful of almonds to satisfy a hunger craving may be the perfect answer. These nutritious little nuts are delicious (especially honey roasted), convenient, and can actually help dieters lose weight. Heart Healthy Benefits According to the Mayo Clinic, evidence suggests eating nuts such as almonds … Continue reading » -
7 Reasons How Drinking Water Can Help You Lose Weight
6 Apr 2013 | 5:36 amAs crazy as it may seem, drinking water throughout the day may well be one of the most important steps towards weight loss. How can drinking water help you to lose weight? Check out these important ways and get psyched to start trimming down and feeling good. 1. Water Helps Suppress Hunger Pains Hunger … Continue reading » -
Is Drinking Two Bottles of Water per Hour Too Much?
24 Mar 2013 | 6:23 pmThe Surprising Truth about Over-Hydration. What Runners and Cyclists Need to Know Have you ever experienced that dull throbbing headache while on a long run or ride? Maybe cramps or dizziness started to set in. Could your body be reacting to dehydration? Or could you actually be over-hydrating? While athletes know hydration is critical to … Continue reading »


