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Nature and Environment

Rancho Sahuarita has grown fast, and its water utility has had to grow quickly with it.

We should go where the water is

Aug 29, 2022 Arizona’s economy runs on growth. But as the state is forced to make cuts in its water usage, it will have to reconsider what the housing developments built to accommodate that growth look like and even how many more people it can realistically handle.
The seven states in the Colorado River basin couldn't agree on a plan to conserve unprecedented amounts of water before a federal deadline. Meanwhile, grim projections for the future of water levels in Lake Mead have forced mandatory cuts to water for some users in the lower basin. Federal authorities are trying to prop up levels in the nation's largest reservoir before they dip too low to generate hydropower or allow the passage of water.

The Buzz: How will more Colorado River water cuts affect Southern Arizona?

Aug 26, 2022 Tucson's rights means municipal users aren't likely to feel the pinch, but the same can't be said for agriculture.
A rafting outfitter motors through Lake Powell's delta.

As Lake Powell's water level declines, what is emerging in Glen Canyon?

Aug 25, 2022 Also on Arizona Spotlight: "The King of Sting" talks monsoons and insects; Author and illustrator Adam Rex on being "Writer in Residence" at the library; and a Medieval marital dispute -- over a video game -- from "Stories That Soar!".
The Central Arizona Project canal north of Phoenix moves water from Lake Pleasant to southern Arizona. July 2021

Tucson keeps same water order despite drought

Aug 23, 2022 Kozachick urged council to "lead by example" and cut water order.
Lake Mead’s light-colored “bathtub ring” of mineral deposits towers above a speeding boat on June 29, 2022, near Hoover Dam.

No firm new deadline for Colorado River basin states’ conservation plans

Aug 22, 2022 The seven states that rely on the river blew past an August 16 deadline without a plan to conserve 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water.
Granados’ beloved dog Thor — named for the Norse god of agriculture and thunder — heads towards the vermicompost area of the ranch. There, Granados’ California red worms create the compost he uses to augment the soil.

The water diplomats

Aug 22, 2022 Many communities along the U.S.-Mexico border share aquifers, and that works better for some states and cities than others. In this collaboration with the Texas Water Resources Institute, we compare how those relationships work in Texas and Arizona.
Glen Canyon Dam holds back Lake Powell, the nation's second-largest reservoir on the Colorado River. The lake is currently at 28% of its capacity.

Tucson Water plans for future

Aug 17, 2022 The utility held a town hall after Colorado River cuts announced.

Oil spill stopped from reaching tributary on Navajo Nation

Aug 17, 2022 Up to 80 barrels of brine water were released.
The seven states in the Colorado River basin couldn't agree on a plan to conserve unprecedented amounts of water before a federal deadline. Meanwhile, grim projections for the future of water levels in Lake Mead have forced mandatory cuts to water for some users in the lower basin. Federal authorities are trying to prop up levels in the nation's largest reservoir before they dip too low to generate hydropower or allow the passage of water.

Colorado River states fail to meet federal deadline on restricting water use

Aug 16, 2022 Arizona will lose 21% of its Colorado River allotment next year.
Lake Mead and the rest of the Colorado River system are shrinking rapidly. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has called for new conservation measures, asking states to conserve a tremendously large amount of water, and giving them a 60-day timeline to formulate a plan for those reductions.

More water cuts coming to Arizona

Aug 16, 2022 The federal Bureau of Reclamation has announced how much Colorado River water the state will give up.
Michelle Peters fills a glass with freshly desalinated ocean water at Poseidon Water's Carlsbad plant. Using reverse osmosis, the facility creates about 10% of San Diego County's freshwater supply.

The Southwest is running out of fresh water. Could the ocean provide a cure?

Aug 16, 2022 Arizona and other states are looking at the use of desalination plants.
Water levels in Lake Powell, seen here in May 2021, are dipping dangerously low. The federal government has proposed an unprecedented plan to cut back on water supplies for Arizona, Nevada and California. The measure aims to keep water levels high enough to generate hydropower at the Glen Canyon Dam.

Deadline looms for drought-stricken states to cut water use

Aug 15, 2022 New cuts are expected on Tuesday.
Kenneth Skinner’s house sits on a hillside in north Phoenix on July 1, 2022. The home is constructed with expanded polystyrene foam and Sabscrete, a concrete mix developed by Strata International Group.

3D printing and foam: Arizona organizations make homes more sustainable

Aug 14, 2022 Using technology to make the home of the future.
A saguaro cactus in the Grand Canyon National Park is in full bloom, displaying beautiful pink flowers.

Arizona Spotlight for August 11th, 2022

Aug 12, 2022 Native plants return to Hermosillo's urban landscape; Tucsonan John Rhodes tells about his family's rodeo history; Meet the new CEO of The Western National Parks Association; and a short story by Aurelie Sheehan.
Santa Catalina mountains, August 2022.

Forest "greenup" could lead to increased mountain wildfire danger

Aug 11, 2022 Monsoon-assisted growth is expected to dry out and may provide fuel for potential fires.
Oak Flat, east of Superior, Arizona. A company proposes to build one of the world's largest underground copper mines at this location.

Conservationists file notice of intent to sue EPA over Queen Creek mining waste

Aug 10, 2022 The groups also take aim at the state Department of Environmental Quality.

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