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 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 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 […]
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 […]
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 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 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 […]
A Circle of Blue series show that algae blooms are often tied to agricultural pollution that goes largely unregulated. The water and environment news outlet, Circle of Blue, created an important six-part series on the problem of harmful algal blooms and the difficult — but possible — solutions. Agricultural pollution sits at the the center […]
A drying climate in the American Southwest could lead to hydroelectric power shortages as lakes empty. Impact of a Dry Climate on Energy and Agriculture As the country’s two largest lakes – Lake Mead and Lake Powell – empty out from the effects of climate change on the region’s precipitation patterns, loss of power from […]
