News, Articles and Interviews

News briefs and articles about water footprints, water use and availability, as well as interviews with key people in the fields of water footprints and water use.

Great Salt Lake on Track to Disappear in Five Years

January 17, 2023

Great Salt Lake in Utah could effectively disappear beyond recovery in five years due to overallocation and overconsumption. Great Salt Lake in Utah could disappear completely in five years if consumption patterns continue, according to a new report. Utah’s Great Salt Lake is going the way of so many once bountiful water bodies. It is […]

Clean Water Act New Rules; Are They Finally Settled?

January 12, 2023

The Clean Water Act new rules about wetlands and waterways were published ahead of a SCOTUS case that may change them. Again. The Clean Water Act has been a point of contention for businesses since its inception. The nature of exactly which waterways are governed by the rules of the legislation has been brought to […]

Food Supply in Texas Threatened by Climate Change

January 10, 2023

Food supply in Texas is threatened by climate change-enhanced droughts that devastate crops, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. Producing a steady food supply in Texas relies on Mother Nature producing a steady supply of precipitation. Crops takes a lot of water to grow successfully and Texas has been a little (and by a […]

Groundwater Recharges Much Faster Than Scientists Previously Thought

December 28, 2022

Groundwater recharge rates might be underestimated in models compared to observed data, according to a new study. Groundwater recharge rates might be underestimated in models compared to observed data, according to a new study. Put simply, given how much we rely on groundwater for our municipal, agricultural and industrial water needs (HINT: it’s a lot!), […]

Southwestern United States Water Use Down Despite Growth

December 23, 2022

Southwestern United States cities have reduced their total water use over the last twenty years, even with high rates of population growth.  The Southwestern United States have seen major population growth over the last twenty years. One might think that growth would be accompanied by an increase in water use, yet new research in the […]

Don’t Forget Water While Pursuing Climate Goals

December 9, 2022

Climate change remains an existential problem for the entire planet. As this climate reality has been increasingly recognized—through scientific evidence and personal experience—other environmental challenges, such as water scarcity, can be overlooked. A recent Ecologist article describes how an emphasis on climate can eclipse other issues. As author Adam Wentworth writes, One of the reasons […]

Kan. governor pledges focus on water

November 21, 2022

Kansas governor pledges to focus on water as the western side of the state sees potential shortages. The Kansas Governor has pledged to focus on water issues in the state. The western side faces looming shortages as it grapples with drought. The eastern half deals with periodic intense flooding and contamination from various sources affects […]

Oil and Gas Production in Texas Creates Massive Amounts of Toxic Wastewater

October 27, 2022

Oil and gas production in Texas creates 38 billion barrels of of toxic wastewater per year and there are limited reuse options for it. It’s a water-energy nexus nightmare! Oil and gas production creates a lot of wastewater that is expensive to treat. West Texas is the top oil producing region in the country, and […]

Utah Water Levels, Development and Property Taxes

October 26, 2022

Utah water levels remain low along with those in the rest of the Southwestern states. Now, legislators are asking if property taxes should continue to pay for development or if water costs should be covered by user fees, as the megadrought rages on. Utah water levels are low, but the development rages on. Western states […]