News and posts about climate related topics
An opportunity to increase aquifer recharge Photo credit: Linda LaMar Within our water system communities property owners can increase aquifer recharge by managing stormwater runoff using simple, efficient and cost-effective green stormwater infrastructure. Often, if stormwater runoff is left to … Continue reading Stormwater Runoff Management
By Conrad Swanson, Seattle Times climate reporter Oct. 2, 2025 Drought conditions east of the Cascade crest are so dire that state officials plan to cut off water for farmers, ranchers and more, something they’ve never done before. Reservoirs in the Yakima … Continue reading Unprecedented water rationing to begin in WA’s Yakima Basin
This month, I found myself on a stakeholder panel for a series of three workshops on the Climate Resiliency Sub Element of the Comprehensive Plan, required by the State Department of Commerce as part of the county’s comprehensive plan update. The first workshop was on sea level rise. For a primer on the sea level rise issues our island is facing, you can read An Imperfect Storm. Continue reading A Gray Tsunami
The county issued a request to all water systems to check the Island County Hydrogeology Dashboard for your water system’s seawater intrusion risk. When a water system is connected to more than 2 homes and the well is in an … Continue reading Drinking Water: Seawater Intrusion Monitoring
In honor of Drinking Water Week. Thanks to Nikki Guillot of ODW. Continue reading ‘I Water That Way,’ new music video from the Splashstreet Boys
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-04-16/california-tulare-lake-groundwater-probation SACRAMENTO — California water regulators took the unprecedented step of cracking down on one of the state’s major farming regions for failing to take steps to curb growers’ excessive pumping of groundwater, which has sent water levels into rapid decline and is causing the land to sink.The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously Tuesday to place the Tulare Lake basin on “probationary” status for failing to adopt sufficient measures to address chronic overpumping. Continue reading California farming area placed on probation over declining groundwater and sinking land
Drought Response – Washington State Department of Ecology Including Island County Statewide drought declared April 16, 2024, limited exceptions for Seattle, Everett and Tacoma metro areas. With winter’s snowstorms largely behind us, our state’s low snowpack and forecasts for a dry and warm spring and summer have spurred the Department of Ecology to declare a drought emergency for most of Washington. Ecology is making up to $4.5 million available in drought response grants to qualifying public entities to respond to impacts from the current drought conditions. Continue reading Drought declared statewide
In an unprecedented deal, a private company purchased land in a tiny Arizona town – and sold its water rights to a suburb 200 miles away. Local residents fear the agreement has ‘opened Pandora’s box’ Continue reading ‘Water is more valuable than oil’: the corporation cashing in on America’s drought
A reminder that the county will be holding Open Houses in February at various locations on Whidbey and Camano Islands on the Comprehensive Plan. This is early in the planning process and a perfect opportunity to learn more about how … Continue reading Island County to hold Open House Events
‘These levels are crazy’: Louisiana tap water sees huge spike in toxic chemicals | Louisiana | The Guardian Sea water is naturally high in bromide and contains bacteria that require disinfection. The chlorine reacts with bromine for form bromine, which contributes along with the chlorine to disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). This is what’s happening right now is Louisiana as the combination of drought and rising sea levels has pushed salt water into the Mississippi River. ‘Everything out the faucet is salt’: Louisianans struggle as drinking water crisis persists | Louisiana | The Guardian This … Continue reading Sea water intrusion – it ain’t just salt
‘Everything out the faucet is salt’: Louisianans struggle as drinking water crisis persists | Louisiana | The Guardian Continue reading ‘Everything out the faucet is salt’: Louisianans struggle as drinking water crisis persists
Recent rains not enough to fix water shortage, Seattle Public Utilities says | The Seattle Times Continue reading Recent rains not enough to fix water shortage, Seattle Public Utilities says
Saturday, June 10, 2023, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Whidbey Island Center for the Arts It was great to see so many members of the Association present at this event. Here’s the WIWSA presentation. We’ll add links to the others … Continue reading Whidbey’s Water Future in a Changing Climate
Arizona has determined that there is not enough groundwater for all of the future housing construction that has already been approved in the Phoenix area, and will stop developers from building some new subdivisions, a sign of looming trouble in the West and other places where overuse, drought and climate change are straining water supplies.
The decision by state officials marks the beginning of the end to the explosive development that has made the Phoenix metropolitan region the fastest growing in the country. Continue reading Arizona limits new construction in Phoenix area, citing shrinking water supply
Abstract Sea level rise (SLR) will exert pressures on assets with social value, including things such as infrastructure and habitats, in the coastal zone. Assessing and ranking the vulnerability of those assets can provide insights that support planning and projects … Continue reading A Data-Driven Approach for Assessing Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Applied to Puget Sound, Washington State, USA