The Stream, December 13: Drier Future Ahead for Colorado River-dependent States

A federal report said that demand for Colorado River water will far outpace supply by 2060. Drought, climate change, and population growth, the Los Angeles Times reported, will create a supply-demand gap greater than five times the amount of water Los Angeles consumes every year.

Economics and Pricing
Chicago nonprofits are one step closer to receiving free city water, after a majority of aldermen signed on to the proposal. If finalized, the city could see a multimillion-dollar budget hole open up, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Waterborne Disease in Haiti
A new 10-year plan to eradicate cholera in Haiti was announced this week by governments in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with the UN. The initiative is a step in the right direction, an Al Jazeera contributor argues, but is too slow, underfunded, and built on a record of unfulfilled promises.

Forest Water Cycles
Trees in tropical cloud forests absorb water not just through their roots, but through their leaves, UC Berkeley News Center reported. That is the central finding from a new study that helps scientists understand the impacts of climate change on rainforest ecosystems, and reverses the traditional understanding of water absorbed by the roots tanned and released from the leaves.

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