In California water news this weekend …
State Water Board order could impede 2022 irrigation season, groundwater recharging
“The California State Water Resources Board issued curtailment orders to 45 water rights holders in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta, including the Turlock Irrigation District. These orders could cause water shortages in the coming years if they stay in place for an extended period of time. The curtailment order instructs local agencies to immediately stop diverting flows to rivers. … “There’s not really much water coming down anymore, so what’s going to be stored from this really dry year is already stored. So, while they’re calling for a seizure of diversions, at least for TID, it really doesn’t impact us this year. We will be able to meet all of the demands of our farmers this year,” said TID Communications Specialist Brandon McMillan, “However, this could have a significant impact in 2022 and beyond if the curtailments aren’t lifted.” … ” Read more from the Turlock Journal here: State Water Board order could impede 2022 irrigation season, groundwater recharging
State water curtailment order prompts lawsuit
“An emergency drought order issued by the State Water Resources Control Board last month to curtail water diversions has triggered a lawsuit. On Thursday, the Oakdale (OID) and South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts (SSJID) joined the San Joaquin Tributaries Association (SJTA), which includes Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts and the City and County of San Francisco, in filing a lawsuit against the board in Fresno Superior Court. At issue is whether the board has the authority to prevent the water agencies from diverting and storing water. For OID and SSJID that impacts Stanislaus River runoff into the Donnells, Beardsley, New Melones, and Tulloch Reservoirs. Both Districts relay they have the ability to use water previously stored behind those reservoirs and anticipate no immediate impacts to their agricultural and municipal customers. … ” Read more from My Mother Lode here: State water curtailment order prompts lawsuit
South San Joaquin Irrigation District suing state after Sacramento goes after its water
“South San Joaquin Irrigation District is suing the state in a bid to avoid a curtailment order from creating severe water shortages in 2022 for 200,000 Manteca, Lathrop, and Tracy residents and growers farming nearly 55,000 acres. SSJID, along with Oakdale Irrigation District, over a century ago secured first-in-line rights under state law for the initial 600,000 acre feet of annual water runoff in the Stanislaus River Basin. A curtailment order issued Aug. 20 by the State Water Resources Control Board is essentially seizing the water the SSJID and OID legally own and prevents the agencies from diverting and storing Stanislaus River runoff in Donnells, Beardsley, New Melones and Tulloch Reservoirs. … ” Read more from the Manteca Bulletin here: South San Joaquin Irrigation District suing state after Sacramento goes after its water
As California restricts water use for farmers, low supply levels add to drought’s harsh reality
“California’s re-emerging drought is placing unprecedented strain on the state’s intricate water system, threatening mass agricultural production and basic drinking water in a way experts say is more severe than in years past. Federal officials on Aug. 16 declared a first-ever water shortage from the Colorado River — which supplies drinking and irrigation water to a number of western states like Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California — after water levels from the Lake Mead reservoir fell to record lows. In California, officials are turning their attention to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — a massive water system that is fed by dozens of rivers that helps move water from the north of the state to the south and provides water to two-thirds of the state’s population. … ” Read more from PBS News Hour here: As California restricts water use for farmers, low supply levels add to drought’s harsh reality
12 important things to know about California’s drought
“California is in a second year of drought. Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked residents to voluntarily cut water use by 15% across the state to try to shore up our reserves in case of another dry winter. In the meantime, fires are raging around California as bone-dry forests go up like tinderboxes. How did we get here? As climate change scrambles weather patterns and adds more variability to our lives, it’s time to take stock of what we know about our state’s frequent hot, dry periods so that we can begin planning for a future with less consistent water supplies. Bay Curious just finished up a six-part State of Drought series examining the issues. Here’s what we learned. … ” Read more from KQED here: 12 important things to know about California’s drought
How California’s drought is stressing a water system that delivers water to millions of residents
“California’s worsening drought is putting a strain on the web of rivers and canals that course through the nation’s most populous state and provide drinking water for millions of residents. As the state’s major reservoirs hit historic lows, regulators are taking steps to protect the water flow of one of the most crucial water resources: the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Why is it so important? The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water system, also known simply as the Delta watershed, helps provide water to two-thirds of the state’s population, irrigation for millions of acres of the state’s agricultural industry and is an ecological habitat for bird and fish species. … ” Read more from PBS News Hour here: How California’s drought is stressing a water system that delivers water to millions of residents
California’s lucrative almond orchards face a reckoning with drought, climate change
“First came the asparagus field. Then came the melons. And now Joe Del Bosque is considering the unthinkable: tearing out a sprawling almond orchard bursting with healthy, nut-producing trees. “It’s a tough decision to pull out these orchards,” said Del Bosque, who farms on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. “But what do you do? We’re thinking of ways to survive.” Two decades of almost unrelenting growth vaulted almonds into the upper ranks of California agriculture. Now, though, the state’s $6 billion-a-year industry is being humbled by a devastating drought. Farmers have slowed the pace of new orchard plantings and, in a few cases, have plowed up trees still capable of bearing almonds. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California’s lucrative almond orchards face a reckoning with drought, climate change
Drought, water issues driving California cotton acres down
“When USDA released its Planted Acres report in late June, it showed total U.S. cotton acreage down 3% from the final 2020 numbers. That’s not surprising considering the planting conditions across the Cotton Belt early in the season, as well as competitive market prices from other commodities. One of the numbers that stood out in the 2021 report was a 41,000-acre drop in total California cotton acres, driven by a number of factors including drought and water issues. And that follows a 20,000-acre reduction in 2020. … ” Read more from Cotton Grower here: Drought, water issues driving California cotton acres down
Drought has farmworkers dreaming of escape from California’s breadbasket
“For decades, farm labor has kept unincorporated communities alive throughout the Central Valley. But the drought is making it hard to stay. The dearth of essential resources — clean water, adequate housing and fair employment wages — has crippled towns that are easily overlooked and triggered a slow exodus to bigger places. It can be seen in the dwindling number of people attending nonprofit-led workshops and meetings on agricultural worker rights, said Chucho Mendoza, an environmental and public health advocate who has worked with migrants and small farming families in the Central Valley for 25 years. The pandemic further hollowed out rural life. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Drought has farmworkers dreaming of escape from California’s breadbasket
Initiative would allocate two percent of state budget to water
“There have been all kinds of efforts and money allocated to trying to solve California’s water woes. Now an organization states it has the solution — the 2 percent solution. In what it’s calling the 2 percent solution More Water Now is working to place an initiative on the November 2022 ballot that would require 2 percent of the state budget to be allocated to the state’s water resources. If placed on the ballot and approved the water abundance ballot initiative would set aside 2 percent of the state budget to water. There has been a great deal of water allocated toward dealing with California’s water issues, which includes a $7.5 billion bond measure that was passed by the state’s voters in 2014. But seven years later that bond has done little to place a dent in dealing with the state’s water woes. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder here: Initiative would allocate two percent of state budget to water
The heavy cost of heavy rain in California
“With California’s seemingly endless drought it may be years before the spillway at Oroville Dam — which created Lake Oroville, the largest state-owned reservoir — sees another drop of water. That wasn’t the case in February 2017, when runoff from torrential rains filled Lake Oroville to its 1.1-trillion-gallon capacity, forcing dam operators to begin releasing torrents of water and damaging both the main and emergency spillways. Short-lived evacuation orders were initially issued as a precaution for more than 180,000 people living downstream. … ” Read more from the Patch here: The heavy cost of heavy rain in California
Report your household water shortage to the state
“With evidence of severe drought all around, Lake County residents are urged to report any household water shortage to the state. … So far this year, 602 reports related to household water supply shortage have been filed with the state from across California — a 608% increase over last year — with 160 of those reported in the last 30 days. … ” Read more from Lake County News here: Report your household water shortage to the state
Family’s death in Sierra National Forest is shrouded in mystery
“The couple had backpacked in the Himalayas, ridden camels through the Gobi Desert and checked off Burning Man, even creating their own hashtag, an amalgamation of their first names: #jellonadventures. So a day of hiking in the Sierra National Forest, even with the demanding switchbacks and triple-digit heat, would not have been unusual for Jonathan Gerrish and Ellen Chung, husband-and-wife transplants from San Francisco who had recently become parents to a little girl, Miju, during the coronavirus pandemic. But the trek would be the family’s last … ” Continue reading from the New York Times here: Family’s death in Sierra National Forest is shrouded in mystery
SEE ALSO: Toxic algae downstream from where hiker family died prompts closure of Merced River area, from the San Francisco Chronicle
Attorney General Bonta urges Biden administration to protect California’s waterways
“California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James today led a multistate coalition in submitting a comment letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Army Corps) to stop applying a recently vacated Trump-era rule redefining “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act. The coalition, which includes 18 state attorneys general, as well as the City of New York and the California State Water Resources Control Board, also asks the agencies to resume application of the 1980s regulatory definition, and swiftly adopt a new, more protective definition. Under the Trump Administration’s 2020 rule, more than half of all wetlands and at least 18 percent of all streams were left without federal protections. Western states like California were even harder hit, with 35% of all streams deprived of federal protections as a result of the region’s dry climate. As the West confronts worsening drought conditions, the coalition argues that it is essential that the EPA and Army Corps not only restore the previous protections for these waterways, but develop a new, more expansive definition that addresses climate change and environmental justice. … ” Read more from Attorney General Bonta’s office here: Attorney General Bonta urges Biden administration to protect California’s waterways
Podcasts …
THE WATERING HOLE PODCAST: Don Wright: Water Politics and WaterWrights.net
Don Wright joins the podcast to talk about water, the absurd politics of water, and how he came up with the idea to found www.waterwrights.net, a news and editorial website that covers California farmers and water policy.
CA STATE OF MIND PODCAST: Can California continue to grow the world’s food without reliable water?
“California’s ag industry uses 80 percent of the state’s water. As the drought continues, can the Golden State continue to operate its fields as usual? On this episode of California State of Mind, Nigel talks with the person charged with promoting California ag to the rest of the world. Karen Ross has served as Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture since 2011. She grew up on a small farm southwest of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, so she’s no stranger to the demands of a working farm. We’ll hear about the drought, almonds and the fate of her football team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers.”
SIDEBAR PODCAST: The dry, dry West
Courthouse News takes a detailed look at the drought in the American West, spanning from water wars in Arizona, wildfires in California and why drought seems to be becoming the way of life across the West.First, we dive into Arizona’s relationship with the Colorado River and hear about the shrinking lifeline that provides water to 40 million people in the American West. Farmers there have been the first to feel the impacts of the dehydrated planet.Then we face California’s wildfires – a fact of life in the Golden State that is no longer limited to a season or the forested areas.Last, we break down why the drought is here to stay and how it’s playing out in real time on the West Coast.
PLANET MONEY PODCAST: Water’s Cheap… Should It Be?
“Robert Glennon, University of Arizona professor and water expert, joins us to talk about the strangely nonchalant way the U.S. prices one of its most precious commodities. While you could be charged a few dollars for a bottle of water, the price for a gallon at home is often less than a penny. This means you can leave your sink running or overwater your lawn, and while a valuable resource goes down the drain, often, you don’t have to worry about footing the bill.”
WATER IS A MANY SPLENDOR’ED THING PODCAST: Searching Out Solutions
“Douglas County is just south of Denver, Colorado and home to eight to nine thousand individual domestic water wells that people use through the exempt permit process. Adding up the impacts of all these wells ends up equal to the water demand of 62,000 people living in the largest city within Douglas County, Castlerock, Colorado. Water is a Many Splendor’ed Thing brings you another water relationship that has a personally significant impact to your life.” Produced by Steven Baker, Operation Unite® Bringing People Together to Solve Water Problems, Online at www.operationunite.co
RIPPLE EFFECT PODCAST: Nanobubbles will Blow Your Mind!
Emily Lewis writes, “Wow, wow, wow. This episode is a MUST LISTEN. Nick Dyner, CEO of Moleaer discusses his fascinating nanobubble technology and its applications in both the agricultural and municipal water sphere. This is a solution of the future we need to start applying today.”
In commentary this weekend …
Central Valley farmers need to know plan for future water usage
Ian LeMay, president of the California Fresh Fruit Association, writes, “Right now, California’s agricultural industry needs to hear from our state’s leader, Gov. Gavin Newsom, regarding his vision for the future of water and agriculture in the Golden State. From where we stand, the future of California as America’s Salad Bowl is far from certain. The state’s recent action to curtail water for users of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed is the latest in a series of devastating blows to California’s $50 billion-a-year agricultural industry. As California’s growers, farmworkers and farming communities continue to be gripped by historic drought, and with the impact of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act looming, we deserve answers to the tough questions. ... ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Central Valley farmers need to know plan for future water usage
Hands off our river water in Modesto and Turlock, California bureaucrats
The Modesto Bee editorial board writes, “There is nothing new about drought in California. We’ve always had them, and always will — although with climate change they will become more frequent and more severe. What’s new this time is the state’s heavy handed answer to drought. This time, the state will try to take our farmers’ water to bail out others who haven’t been as wise with their water as we have with ours. This is outrageous. … ” Continue reading at the Modesto Bee here: Hands off our river water in Modesto and Turlock, California bureaucrats
In regional water news this weekend …
Water arrives to Lower Klamath Refuge
“The Bureau of Reclamation began releasing water from the Klamath River to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge on Friday afternoon. Advocates hope it will improve wetland habitat on the refuge for migrating birds this fall. Last week, California Waterfowl Association officially purchased approximately 3,750 acre-feet of water from Agency Ranch in the Wood River Valley, above Upper Klamath Lake, having announced the purchase and fundraising effort this spring. Lower Klamath has been plagued by insufficient wetland habitat due to a lack of deliveries from the Klamath Project for the past 20 years. ... ” Read more from the Herald & News here: Water arrives to Lower Klamath Refuge
Siskiyou County: Judge blocks county from cutting off water to South Asian immigrants in rural California
“A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked a Northern California county from enforcing water permit laws aimed at cracking down on illegal marijuana farms, finding the restrictions might be intended to drive a minority Asian community out of their homes. Responding to concerns about violent crime and environmental harm associated with illegal marijuana grows, Siskiyou County passed two ordinances in May 2021 requiring permits to extract and move groundwater off site and to transport water by truck. The water-truck permit law applies to a limited number of streets and highways, including those in an area called Shasta Vista, which is home to a large number of Hmong immigrants from south China and Southeast Asia. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service here: Siskiyou County: Judge blocks county from cutting off water to South Asian immigrants in rural California
Fort Bragg City Council spends $155K on desalination gear for shallow well at Redwood Elementary
“The City of Fort Bragg is being proactive about making sure it has sources of water secured for the future. At a special meeting Monday, the Fort Bragg City Council unanimously approved the purchase of groundwater desalination equipment, worth $154,624, that is expected to purify the water from Redwood Elementary School’s well. “This is similar to our surface water treatment plant,” said Public Works Director John Smith. “Just a miniature size and a little bit different process.” The well is among the alternative water sources the city identified, with help from the state, to supplement its primary surface water sources like the Noyo River, which is experiencing a historic drought. … ” Read more from the Mendocino Voice here: Fort Bragg City Council spends $155K on desalination gear for shallow well at Redwood Elementary
Proposed north Butte County water district stirring controversy
“A proposal for a new Butte County water district is wending its way through the approval process, and not everyone is happy about that. The Tuscan Water District would cover most of the northwestern county, excluding Chico. The area is dependent on well water. Under a recently approved state law, the amount of groundwater currently being pumped in the area will have to be reduced. Each well owner is currently on their own. No entity speaks for them as a group. Proponents say the Tuscan Water District would be that advocate for the whole area. However a handful of farming families own the majority of the land in the district, and opponents think they could stack the district’s board of directors to the detriment of the others. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record here: Proposed north Butte County water district stirring controversy
Column: Nevada Irrigation District’s Plan for water a big step
Bruce Herrington, member of The Union Editorial Board, writes, “Today we take a look at the Plan for Water, coming this September from the Nevada Irrigation District. The Plan for Water emerged out of board discussion back in 2018 as a precursor to the Raw Water Master Plan. It’s been tossed around ever since, with a few false starts and changes of direction. Now it’s back and a basic overview was presented by General Manager Jennifer Hanson on July 28. Now if you’ve been paying attention to NID — as you should — you may have noticed they recently completed an Ag Water Master Plan and an Urban Water Master Plan. So what’s the difference? … ” Continue reading at The Union here: Column: Nevada Irrigation District’s Plan for water a big step
Experts explain the impact California wildfires could have on Lake Tahoe’s famed clarity
“It’s known worldwide for its clear blue water, but after three weeks of ash raining down on Lake Tahoe, many are worrying about the impact California wildfires will have on the lake’s famed clarity. “We know it affects a lot of aspects of the lake. We don’t know how much or for how long and that’s what some of the questions are we’re trying to answer during this time,” said Jesse Patterson with the League To Save Lake Tahoe. Patterson is the chief strategy officer with the organization, which is best known for creating the “Keep Tahoe Blue” slogan and stickers. … ” Read more from KCRA here: Experts explain the impact California wildfires could have on Lake Tahoe’s famed clarity
How Lake Tahoe was spared devastation from the Caldor fire
“Things looked grim for South Lake Tahoe as the Caldor fire barreled toward the treasured resort community this week. The fire spotted over a granite ridge that officials had hoped would keep flames from spreading into the Tahoe Basin. Forecasters warned of gusty winds and bone-dry conditions that could push it further toward populated areas, raising fears of an urban conflagration. Tens of thousands of residents and visitors fled, gridlocking traffic along Highway 50. But the danger appeared to have largely abated Saturday, as authorities said the fight against the 214,112-acre blaze seemed to have turned a corner. The fire is now 43% contained. ... ” Read more from the LA Times here: How Lake Tahoe was spared devastation from the Caldor fire
Napa County dreads third straight super-dry rain season
“Water year 2021-22 begins on Oct. 1 and the stakes are whether Napa County escapes having one the deepest droughts in its recorded history. The county has been hit by a devastating one-two drought punch. Rainfall at Napa State Hospital for 2020-21 is about 10 inches, following a season of 12.19 inches. The average annual rainfall there is about 26 inches. A third consecutive rainfall year with a total barely denting double digits would be unprecedented in weather records dating back to 1877-78. Water supplies for local cities, vineyards and rural homes would be further taxed. A fire-prone landscape would be even more parched. … ” Read more from the Napa Register here: Napa County dreads third straight super-dry rain season
San Francisco to pay $600 million to keep low-lying neighborhoods from flooding. It will probably take seven years.
“San Francisco has pledged to invest another $600 million into the city’s sewer system in an effort to prevent chronic flooding in low-lying areas as part of an agreement with state water quality officials. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board announced the tentative pact, which was negotiated with city officials but needs final approval from the Board of Supervisors and Mayor London Breed. The city’s Public Utilities Commission has recommended approval. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: San Francisco to pay $600 million to keep low-lying neighborhoods from flooding. It will probably take seven years.
Cupertino’s Climate Victory Gardens help fight drought
“When Cupertino residents Sherri Stein and her husband planted a victory garden, it wasn’t to grow food but to help fight the California drought. The Steins took advantage of a pilot project by the City of Cupertino to help residents establish Climate Victory Gardens in their front yards. These gardens are drought-tolerant and can be irrigated with laundry-to-landscape graywater systems. “It’s an easy way to save 15% of home water use,” Sherri Stein said of the graywater system she had installed a couple months ago in the laundry room of her Dumas Drive home. “I don’t have to go outside and water my trees, and they’re really healthy and thriving. What else am I supposed to do with all that water?” … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News here: Cupertino’s Climate Victory Gardens help fight drought
Antioch launches the region’s first water desalination project
“The city of Antioch’s water supply has been challenged in recent years by a variety of factors. But the Brackish Water Desalination Project, the first desalination project of its kind in the five-county Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, is intended to improve the reliability of the city’s water. The city filed its notice of preparation for the project just over four years ago and then broke ground on the plant in February of this year. “I believe that we’re about a quarter of the way complete with the work,” said John Samuelson, public works director/city engineer for the city of Antioch. “It’s expected to be completed in the middle of 2023.” … ” Read more from The Press here: Antioch launches the region’s first water desalination project
New cost study could jump start Doheny desalination project
“A central obstacle for a proposed desalination plant near Doheny State Beach has been reluctance of south county water districts to get involved as partners. But an extensive analysis of financial projections presented over four hours on Thursday, Sept. 2 — and approval of an information campaign to explain the costs to those districts — has given the project sponsor, the small South Coast Water District, hope that it can soon firm up those partnerships. “I think in the next few months, we’re going to have a sense for whether this is a partnership-type project or it’s go-it-alone,” said South Coast Chairman Rick Erkeneff at the online event. “This is a crucial meeting that we’ve been waiting for — that everybody’s been waiting for — and now we have a really good sense of what costs will be.” … ” Read more from the OC Register here: New cost study could jump start Doheny desalination project
Needles: After this desert city faced dry taps, California rushed through emergency water funding
“For months, the city of Needles has endured not just scorching hot weather but the possibility that its single water well could fail, a potentially life-threatening risk for this Mojave desert community of 5,000 residents. Yet over recent weeks, word arrived that state officials — flush with billions of dollars in surplus tax revenue — intend to hand over $2 million to pay for a new well that could be operational later this year. City officials are now breathing easier, even as they prepare for high temperatures this Labor Day weekend of 111 degrees. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: After this desert city faced dry taps, California rushed through emergency water funding
Along the Colorado River …
The Grand Canyon has always faced water problems, this year the problems are different
“The Colorado River is grappling with shortages this year. But it was a very different story nearly thirty years ago. High flows coming through a dam just upstream of the Grand Canyon were ripping it apart. Inside Climate News reporter Judy Fahys rode down the canyon then as part of a floating press tour. She recently revisited the canyon and found the park is still facing water challenges; they’re just different ones now. … ” Read more from NPR’s All Things Considered here: The Grand Canyon has always faced water problems, this year the problems are different
Commentary: The time has come to demolish Glen Canyon Dam
Gary Wockner , a river-protection activist based in Colorado, writes, “It feels like an apocalypse in the Southwest — wildfires, floods, drought, heat, smoke. This was not the norm when I moved to Colorado 35 years ago. Climate scientists may have predicted the arrival of these extreme events, but many admit their predictions have come true faster than they expected. One outcome they pinpointed was the impact of heat and drought on water flows in the Colorado River. For the last 20 years this new climate, combined with booming human population growth, has parched landscapes, drained reservoirs and incited talk of water wars across the region. Lake Powell on the Colorado River, and Glen Canyon Dam which creates the reservoir, have become casualties of this strained environment. … ” Read more from In These Times here: The time has come to demolish Glen Canyon Dam
In national water news this weekend …
The surprising places PFAS are being found
“In the last five years, the environmental problem known as PFAS has become mainstream public knowledge and a growing public concern. When introduced to the marketplace in the early 1950’s due to features like oil and water repellency, flame retardancy, and general indestructibility, PFAS have been used in industrial and product manufacturing for at least eight decades. Their seemingly ubiquitous usage in a wide range of consumer products and frequent daily contact with these “forever chemicals” is assured for most people. While exposure to PFAS in these everyday items is becoming increasingly well known, new information continues to surface pointing to some of the more surprising places PFAS can be found, from the far away to the very local. … ” Read the article at Water & Wastes Digest here: The surprising places PFAS are being found
Army Corps looks to the cloud for flood modeling
“Generating the best possible models of storm surge, flooding and coastal conditions has been a major goal of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. While the computing power necessary to model these complex data sets normally requires the use of Dept. of Defense supercomputers, the ERDC has recently undertaken an effort to evaluate cloud-based computing services to augment its capabilities. This includes a recent agreement with Microsoft to evaluate the Azure cloud environment and its predictive analytics tools for how they could improve climate modeling and natural disaster resilience planning. While not a replacement for ERDC’s existing workflows, these cloud-based systems could allow for a more reactive and faster approach to storm and climate modeling, with implications for how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers evaluates threats posed by sea-level rise and climate change. … ” Read more from Engineering News-Record here: Army Corps looks to the cloud for flood modeling
Scientists urge racial equity in U.S. environmental research
“People of color and other underrepresented groups can help shape federally funded environmental health research, as can researchers that typically aren’t involved in such studies, scientists said during two recent international conferences. The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and International Society of Exposure Science focused on people’s exposure to air pollution, chemicals, and climate change. The conferences came as the Biden administration works to ensure that 40% of benefits from federal clean energy and other relevant funding combats racial inequities and helps communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. … ” Read more from Bloomberg here: Scientists urge racial equity in U.S. environmental research
