Entries by Brett Walton

Voices from the Drying Rio Grande

One of the West’s iconic waterways, the Rio Grande is under assault from a warming climate.

In New Mexico, Partners Collaborate to End Siege from Megafires

Initiative in the Rio Grande basin intends to thwart catastrophic wildfires that wreck watersheds.

Federal Water Tap, October 10: State Department Releases Global Water Strategy, Names Water Envoy

The Rundown The State Department and USAID identify global water priorities in a new five-year strategy. NOAA Fisheries releases a report on improving salmon and steelhead populations in the interior Columbia River basin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removes a notorious species from the threatened list. The EPA’s science advisers will meet in November […]

Tap Water Failures and Distrust of Government: A Conversation with Manny Teodoro

Bad tasting and polluted tap water are not just infrastructure problems.

Federal Water Tap, October 3: Supreme Court Hears Key Clean Water Act Case

The Rundown The U.S. Supreme Court begins its October term today with a wetlands lawsuit that could redefine the Clean Water Act. Tribes tell the Bureau of Reclamation to prioritize long-term infrastructure solutions for the $4 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds for western drought response. President Biden signs a temporary funding bill that will […]

Perspective | Transforming the Economics and Governance of Water

Water-related crises around the world have shown that current systems of governance and economic organization are unsuited for a world altered by global warming.

Federal Water Tap, September 26: If Necessary, Interior Will Hold Back More Water in Lake Powell Next Year

The Rundown The Interior Department outlines steps it is taking in response to a drying Colorado River basin. The Bureau of Reclamation will hold public ‘listening sessions’ this week on how to use Inflation Reduction Act funds for western drought response. The Army Corps releases a final environmental impact statement for a project to divert […]

As Flood Waters Recede in Pakistan, ‘Second Wave’ of Disaster Strikes

Aid agencies race to ward off water-related diseases.

Federal Water Tap, September 19: Senate Republicans Reveal Their Infrastructure Permitting Bill

The Rundown The infrastructure permitting debate intensifies in the Senate. The CDC will use wastewater testing to track the polio virus in the U.S. A group of House Democrats introduces a resolution to recognize a human right to water. A congressional delegation visits Pakistan to witness the aftermath of record-setting floods. An interagency task report […]

Federal Water Tap, September 12: House Democrats Object to Manchin’s Permitting Deal

The Rundown House Democrats warn their leadership not to undercut NEPA environmental reviews. The EPA’s internal watchdog says it will begin an investigation into Jackson’s water crisis. The Defense Department seeks research projects on climate change, society, and national security. And lastly, the Bureau of Reclamation releases a water-supply study of California’s American River basin. […]

Federal Water Tap, September 5: FERC Staff Recommend Removing Klamath River Dams

The Rundown Energy regulatory staff recommend moving ahead with the country’s largest dam removal, on the Klamath River. Federal agencies begin the process to revise the Bears Ears National Monument management plan. A federal health agency completes eight assessments for people exposed to PFAS in drinking water from military bases. And lastly, President Biden issues […]

Federal Water Tap, August 29: EPA Proposes Regulating Two PFAS Chemicals under Superfund Law

The Rundown The EPA proposal would designate two PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances. A USGS research team summarizes green infrastructure benefits and unintended consequences in the Great Lakes basin. EPA science advisers chime in on PFAS regulatory process for drinking water. The White House wants more information on natural capital accounting. Washington state officials release […]