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, February 16: Mississippi River Basin Grants Itself Two More Decades to Cut Nutrient Pollution

February 16, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Deadline extension for nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River Basin. More heat means more evaporation from western farmland and reservoirs. Western water supply forecasts coming soon. U.S. official promotes Nepal hydropower. “It takes time to improve water quality in very large water bodies like the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. And then […]

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

Study: Decades-long ‘Megadroughts’ in U.S. Southwest and Central Plains More Likely Due to Climate Change

February 12, 2015/in California, Climate Change, Drought, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

Droughts that are extreme by today’s standards will be normal by the end of the century, according to NASA research.

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

Pacific Northwest’s Winter, Warm and Wet, Is Climate Change Preview

February 10, 2015/in California, Climate Change, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

Little snow in sight looks to be the future of the American West.

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, February 9: President Obama’s 2016 Budget Seeks Broad Funding Increases

February 9, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The president recommends more money for agencies that deal with water. The EPA offers a list of pollutants for potential regulation while the State Department promotes sustainable energy in the Mekong River Basin. Western states receive more federal drought assistance. A new committee will assist Great Lakes water managers. “The entire Mekong region […]

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, February 2: Obama Administration Proposes New Flood Standards for Federally Funded Projects

February 2, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Using federal money to build in floodplains gets tougher. Vermont senator wants $US 1 trillion for infrastructure. Senate amendment to regulate fracking fails. Federal biologists criticize a California dam proposal. Water quality is a concern on the U.S-Canada border. The Senate holds hearings on the Clean Water Act and ballast water regulations. By […]

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

California Drought: A Dry January Closes and Dread Mounts

January 29, 2015/in California, California Drought, Drought, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

Snowpack in the already-parched state is near record lows, just 25 percent of normal.

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

Pace of U.S. Dam Removals Accelerates

January 28, 2015/in Hydropower, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

72 dams were torn down in 2014, a record. Photo © Brett Walton / Circle of Blue The Elwha River, famous for its salmon runs, flows through the sediment that accumulated behind Glines Canyon Dam, which was removed in August 2014. A record number of U.S. dams were torn down in 2014. Click image to […]

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, January 26: Bureau of Reclamation Releases 2015 California Drought Plan

January 26, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown California drought plan has three goals. India and the United States cooperate on clean energy. Industry and regulators agree to phase out copper brakes while the uranium industry faces new rules to protect groundwater. At the same time, pollution is rising in America’s aquifers. The political crisis in Yemen has environmental roots. 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

Report: Farming and Urban Growth Are Polluting U.S. Aquifers

January 23, 2015/in North America, Pollution, Water News/by Brett Walton

One-fifth of U.S. groundwater wells had at least one contaminant above federal standards for human health, according to new USGS study.

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

Important California Water Infrastructure Talks Start This Week

January 21, 2015/in California, California Drought, Infrastructure, North America, Water News/by Brett Walton

State and local agencies plan to invest billions in new assets.

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

Des Moines Initiates Clean Water Act Lawsuit to Stem Farm Pollution

January 20, 2015/in Agriculture, North America, Water Law, Water News/by Brett Walton

Iowa’s largest city will sue three upstream counties to reduce nitrate contamination.

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, January 19: Obama Administration Promotes Private Sector Involvement in Infrastructure, Conservation

January 19, 2015/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown A new federal bond program targets public-private infrastructure deals while the EPA gains an infrastructure finance center. The secretary of state promotes dam-building in Pakistan. An aqueduct in Kansas would cost $US 18 billion. The EPA released a final report defining waters covered by the Clean Water Act. The Supreme Court denied an […]

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