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

Federal Water Tap, January 4: Congress Fails to Act on Klamath Basin Agreements

January 4, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA delays strontium regulations. Expect an active EPA in 2016. Klamath Basin agreements expire. Forest Service finalizes revised water rights rule for ski areas. CRS summarizes drought legislation. Oklahoma counties are named disaster areas. “A broad policy question is whether the issue that Congress is addressing is the current Western drought, drought […]

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, December 28: U.S. Needs More Water Data

December 28, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Water managers need more information. Streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin are fed in large part by groundwater. Congress passes a microbead ban. Growth in India’s farm sector was driven by increased groundwater irrigation. “At the level at which one makes management decisions, I would say that we are still data limited.” […]

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

America’s Septic System Failures Can Be Fixed

December 21, 2015/in Water Management/by Brett Walton

Solutions require new thinking about wastewater treatment By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Conceived as a low-cost, low-tech means of disposing toilet waste in rural communities without sewers, septic systems have become a leading cause of the toxic algae blooms that, like a rainbow cloak, drape across lakes, bays, and coastal shorelines on Cape Cod, […]

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, December 21: White House Announces Water Innovation Strategy

December 21, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Obama administration wants to jumpstart water technology. Congressional budget deal clinches water funding while a separate rural water bill passes Congress. An Arkansas representative wants to incentivize groundwater conservation. Government watchdog chides the EPA’s promotion of the Clean Water Rule on social media. Federal officials tell Colorado River states to fix chronic water […]

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

Hookworm Infections and Sanitation Failures Plague Rural Alabama

December 17, 2015/in Infrastructure, Sanitation/Health, Water Management/by Brett Walton

New civil rights movement emerges around septic system pollution By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue A measure of desperation and disease, parasitic infections caused by hookworms are seen by medical specialists as a powerful betrayal of civic progress. More than 700 million people worldwide, many of them children, are infected by a microscopic worm 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

Water Gained Stature at Paris Climate Talks

December 15, 2015/in Water & Climate, Water News/by Brett Walton

Though not mentioned in the final agreement, water nonetheless firmly staked a spot in the global climate agenda By Brett Walton Circle of Blue Just before midnight on December 12, the crowd at Le Bourget conference center in Paris was euphoric. One hundred ninety five countries, bucking past failures, had just signed a groundbreaking agreement […]

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, December 14: United States Signs Paris Climate Agreement

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

The Rundown World leaders produce an agreement for reducing carbon pollution. Mexico owes the United States some Rio Grande water. After California drought bill dries up, finger-pointing begins. House passes microbead ban. An Oregon fish is removed from the endangered species list. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes new oil and gas rules for wildlife […]

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

Infographic: Global Reservoir Storage Capacity

December 9, 2015/in United States, Water News/by Brett Walton

The rate of storage expansion has slowed since the mid-20th century Hoover Dam was not the first dam built in the United States, but the concrete wall across Boulder Canyon, on the Colorado River, was symbolic of an era. As the graphic below shows, reservoir storage capacity in the United States expanded dramatically in the […]

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

Water Resources Highlighted in Climate Adaptation Plans

December 7, 2015/in Water & Climate, Water News, Water Policy & Politics/by Brett Walton

Countries see climate adaptation as a water problem Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue A center-pivot irrigation system waters a field in California’s Central Valley. Food production, flood protection, data collection, and other sectors influenced by changes in water availability are being included in national climate adaptation plans. Click image to enlarge. […]

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, December 7: California Drought Legislation Stalls in Congress

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

The Rundown Drought legislation will likely wait until next year. Federal officials travel to Paris for the UN climate conference. Climate change will hammer U.S. agriculture, while the National Park Service reports on climate adaptation at coastal parks and reserves. The House passes a bill that changes hydropower licensing and a bill that modifies a […]

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

Water Storage a Critical Question for Climate Adaptation

December 6, 2015/in Water & Climate, Water News, Water Policy & Politics/by Brett Walton

21st century conditions require big changes in approach ensuring adequate water supplies Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue In northern India between the cities of Chandigarh and Ludiana, the waters of the Sirhind Canal are held back by a dam that manages flow and floodwaters. By Brett Walton Circle of Blue Negotiators […]

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

Oregon Congressman Releases Draft Klamath River Bill

December 3, 2015/in California, North America, Water News, Water Policy & Politics/by Brett Walton

Legislation does not authorize or fund dam removal.

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