Brett Walton

About Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club's Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

Entries by Brett Walton

California Groundwater Law Tests State’s Capacity to Oversee A Vital Resource

September 16, 2015/in Agriculture, California, California Drought, Groundwater, North America, Water News, Water Policy & Politics/by Brett Walton

A year after passage, California begins building a new regulatory infrastructure Photo © Brett Walton / Circle of Blue Sprinklers irrigate a field of cauliflower outside Watsonville, in California’s Pajaro Valley. This region relies almost exclusively on groundwater to produce some of the most valuable fruit and vegetable harvests in the United States. By Brett […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, September 14: El Nino To Increase Tidal Flooding This Winter

September 14, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Higher seas, higher tides: more floods, says NOAA analysis. EPA criticizes a Colorado reservoir proposal. GAO finds more water recycling in oil fields. A Great Lakes senator says ‘Clean up the Great Lakes!’ Congressional hearings on Gold King mine spill and western drought are on the calendar. EPA Inspector General begins investigation of […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Catalyst: California Series Sketches Blueprint for Drought Response

September 14, 2015/in California, California Drought, Water News/by Brett Walton

Strategies must bridge political jurisdictions and reflect local water conditions.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

The Fall and Potential Rise of California’s San Joaquin Valley

September 11, 2015/in California, California Drought, Groundwater/by Brett Walton

Groundwater pumping is reshaping California’s farm belt.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, September 7: EPA Proposes Ban on Sewer Disposal of Hazardous Medications by Hospitals

September 7, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown President Obama visits Alaska, to talk climate change. The EPA proposes a ban on flushing certain medications down the drain. Might the Gold King mine spill revive interest in Congress in mining reform? The National Academy of Sciences assesses the Everglades restoration while the New Jersey coast builds resilience against flooding. “I’ve come […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

WaterSmart Pulls Water Savings from the Cloud

September 4, 2015/in California, California Drought, Infrastructure, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

Software company uses data to reboot the venerable water utility.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

The Stream, September 2: El Nino Could Be Strongest on Record But Arctic Warming Complicates Forecasts

September 2, 2015/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown The eastern Pacific Ocean continues to warm, but predicting rainfall is an uncertain business. India’s subpar monsoon leads to water cuts in the country’s largest city, and drought in Zambia prompts power cuts to save water. Meanwhile, water managers in Australia reckon that an idled desalination plant might be back in service […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

The Stream, September 1: Saudi Arabia, Jordan Sign Agreement Over Shared Aquifer

September 1, 2015/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown Neighbors in the Middle East sign a rare groundwater agreement. A tax increase helps Minnesota study its rivers and lakes, while drought in Nevada drains Walker Lake. Algae blooms cut property values in Vermont. Green groups in India rally against a canal project. “We just pray that they could build the dam […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, August 31: Tennessee Valley Coal Ash Ponds Begin Journey to Closure

August 31, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown EPA completes a quick internal review of Colorado mine spill. Pesticides in U.S. rivers generally rise and fall with farm use. Tennessee Valley Authority plans to close coal ash ponds. Regulators prepare a new national pipeline map. California desalination plant begins environmental review. “If another country threatened to wipe out an American town, […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

The Stream, August 31: Chinese Officials Discuss Measures to Curb Water Pollution

August 31, 2015/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown China’s top executive body addresses drinking water pollution. A grandiose engineering project in India faces delay. Cuba, in a drought, will shoot chemicals into clouds, to induce rain. Alaska’s glaciers are getting baked. Infrastructure is an emerging issue in Canada’s national election. “This election is a clear choice between smart investments that […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

‘Disastrous Year’ for North Cascades Glaciers Heralds Global Decline

August 28, 2015/in Climate Change, Drought, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

Record heat in 2015 is melting glaciers at an eye-popping pace.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

After Dry Wells, Relief for Some California Families

August 25, 2015/in California, California Drought, Groundwater/by Brett Walton

State and local aid is helping, but only for a few.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

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About Brett Walton

Entries by Brett Walton