News Briefs

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.

Southwest drought linked to climate change in a new report by NOAA 

September 30, 2021

The southwest drought that has hammered drinking water and agricultural water supplies alike, has been linked to climate change by NOAA. The southwest drought currently gripping a substantial portion of the western half of the United States has been linked to climate change in a new report by NOAA. The drought is the most severe […]

California Water Use Rose in LA and San Diego Despite Requested Cuts

September 24, 2021

California water use rose in July, despite calls from the governor to cut use by 15 percent across the state. In July, Governor Gavin Newsom called for all Californians to reduce their water use by 15 percent. While water users in Northern California made strides toward accomplishing that goal, Southern Californians’ water use stayed flat, […]

Wildfire Pollution Affects Water Supplies

September 3, 2021

Wildfire pollution affects drinking water to the point where consumers can see, smell and taste the pollutants. Water utilities face a threat to water quality. Wildfire pollution is so bad in Western states that it has affected water quality in numerous communities. Water utilities must prepare for this constant threat to water quality. An unanticipated […]

Water Cuts Necessary in Orlando to Preserve Liquid Oxygen For COVID Patients

August 25, 2021

Water cuts for Orlando residents are necessary to preserve liquid oxygen for treatment of COVID patients, an element that is also used for water purification. Water cuts for Orlando, Florida residents have been called for by public officials as liquid oxygen used to purify municipal drinking water is needed to treat patients struggling with COVID […]

Colorado River Water Level Down; Shortages Up

August 19, 2021

Colorado River water levels are down enough to prompt river basin managers to declare a shortage and California to issue water supply alerts. Colorado River Water Levels Are Down – Way Down Colorado River water levels are at record lows, dropping Lake Mead to its lowest level since 1937, when the reservoir was first filling […]

Lawn Watering in Excess in Denver Provides More Water Than Rain

August 18, 2021

Lawn watering in excess may contribute to flow in urban streams when more water is applied than plants can use or when sidewalks or driveways receive water from mis-aimed sprinklers. Lawn Watering in Excess has Unintended Consequences Lawn watering in excess of what plants need or misdirecting sprinklers to spray onto sidewalks or driveways may […]

Extreme Weather Events Linked to Intensified Water Cycle

August 11, 2021

Extreme weather events are becoming more prevalent. An intensified water cycle explains why. Drought and deluge – they are two sides of the same weather coin. A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) now links extreme weather events – which include both droughts and major floods – to increasing carbon emissions. […]

Power and Water Collide at Lake Oroville

August 9, 2021

Power and water are at odds in California as the extreme, multi-year drought has impacted hydropower production at Lake Oroville. Power and water are in an epic battle in hydropower-reliant California. The multi-year “mega-drought” has reduced water levels to historic lows in Lake Oroville, the site of the tallest dam in the United States. State […]

Water Scarcity and Drought in the Western US: The Real Story

June 18, 2021

Water scarcity is something people in the western US have to live with. Are its causes natural or human made? The answer is complicated. Water scarcity is now a common state of affairs in the Western US, but how much of it is caused by drought and how much by water overuse? Water advisor Brian […]