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Environmentalists worry over plans for a key irrigation pipeline.
The federal government is doing what once had been unthinkable. It's building a new stretch of pipeline and draining more water from the Columbia River system to aid farmers. Seattle Times, Washington. 14 March 2010.
Monterey County seeks water balance with dams, recycling.
After decades of pumping too much water from the ground for irrigation, salt water has moved 6 miles inland and now threatens agricultur Salinas River valley. Salinas Californian, California. 13 March 2010.
Tony Abbott promises to save the parched River Murray.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has promised to fix the Murray-Darling Basin or put a full federal takeover of the parched system to a referendum if the Coalition wins the next election. Adelaide Advertiser, Australia. 13 March 2010.
Oregon high court says Klamath Basin farmers may be entitled to payment over water.
The Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday kept alive claims by Klamath Basin farmers that the federal government should pay them for shutting off water to crops in 2001 to help protected fish survive a drought. Associated Press. 13 March 2010.
Cyprus conflict closes leaders' eyes to water shortage.
Cyprus has reached what geographers call Peak Water - when demand meets and then outstrips supply. Peak Oil is already a familiar concept. However, water, despite being central to life, is having a much harder time getting on to the political radar. BBC. 12 March 2010.
Severe drought puts spotlight on Chinese dams.
Environmentalists claim that China's management of a series of dams on the Lancang River has aggravated the unfolding drought crisis. Some say the criticism is unfounded. Rising tensions in Asia could usher in a protracted regional conflict over resources. Science. 12 March 2010.
Waiting for the rain: Haiti's next disaster looms.
Only weeks after the country was hit by an earthquake, Haiti is threatened by the next potential calamity. The upcoming rainy season could turn overcrowded refugee camps into hotbeds of disease. Der Spiegel. 12 March 2010.
Floods create a spectacular outback wonderland.
Heavy rain across large areas of Queensland in recent months have sparked inland floods, transforming Australia's Simpson Desert into a wonderland of flooded creeks and water-filled claypans and waterholes, teeming with plants and wildlife. Australian Associated Press. 12 March 2010.
Water issue bridges divide for California lawmakers.
Three California lawmakers who often disagree sharply on environmental protection priorities found one thing Thursday on which they could agree: Federal irrigation officials in Sacramento aren't moving fast enough to resolve the state's water woes. Fresno Bee, California. 12 March 2010.
Protect the aquifers.
With two of the Great Lakes lapping the state's shores and thousands of inland lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands, it would appear that water supply shouldn't be a problem for Wisconsin. But appearances are deceiving in this case. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. Editorial, 12 March 2010.
Interbasin transfers: Still all wet..
More conservation, less waste, smarter growth plans and construction of reservoirs in water-starved areas are better options than interbasin transfers. Yet it refuses to die. Savannah Morning News, Georgia. Editorial, 12 March 2010.
Southern villages emptying as drought bites.
“Empty” increasingly describes the southern Niger town of Tanout in Zinder Region: Water wells and pastures, fields and food banks - and slowly - entire villages, are emptying. UN IRIN. 11 March 2010.
Waterpebble stops you from taking ultra-long showers.
Even the most devoted environmentalist will likely confess to taking long, hot showers on occasion. One possible reason is that there are few products to help users gauge the amount of water being poured out of a showerhead. That's where the Waterpebble comes in. Fast Company. 11 March 2010.
The Freshwater Factory: A bubble-shaped skyscraper that desalinates sea water.
The Freshwater Factory skyscraper, located in the countryside, isn't meant for human inhabitants. Instead, its series of bubbles are filled with water-filtering mangroves that desalinate seawater without using any electricity. Fast Company. 11 March 2010.
Water shortage crisis worries King, Queen.
Their Majesties the King and Queen are worried about the growing problem of water shortages affecting people in several parts of the country – and about the likelihood of food shortages, particularly of rice. Bangkok Post, Thailand. 11 March 2010.
Manitoba welcomes U.S. ruling against water pipeline plan.
Manitoba has won another round in its long-running legal dispute with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation over a water-diversion project that could allow invasive species from the United States into Lake Winnipeg and the rest of the Hudson Bay drainage basin. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario. 11 March 2010.
City won't leave well alone.
City council members narrowly decided Wednesday to move forward with a controversial $4 million well plan to store up to 180 million gallons of treated wastewater underground during the wet season to reuse during dry months for irrigation. Melbourne Florida Today, Florida. 11 March 2010.
New measure proposed to protect state's groundwater.
Two lawmakers introduced legislation on Monday that would create a new mechanism to protect areas that are affected by excessive withdrawals of groundwater. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 11 March 2010.
Lake level hearing locations slammed.
The level of Lakes Michigan and Huron has plunged some two feet since humans first dredged the massive river that flows from them. And a warming globe could lower the lakes further in coming decades, jeopardizing city drinking water intakes. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 11 March 2010.
Landslides: Experts warn worst is yet to come.
The Uganda government has now declared the scene of the Bududa landslides a mass grave. So far 92 bodies have been dug out of the rubble by the army and rescue workers and over 300 people are still missing. Experts warn that the worst is yet to come. Inter Press Service. 10 March 2010.
New South Wales rains raise hopes of end to drought.
Since Christmas, parched areas of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, have received their best rains in a decade, fuelling hopes the continent's worst drought in a century may finally be easing. BBC. 10 March 2010.
The 'waterless' washing machine that could save you money.
"Dry" cleaning is set to become a domestic activity with a washing machine that uses 90 percent less water than a normal laundry cycle and could be available by the end of 2011. London Guardian, United Kingdom. 10 March 2010.
Congo Dam projects evolve and draw critics.
BHP Billiton, the Australian company that is one of the world’s largest mining companies, appears set to build a $3.5 billion hydroelectric plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo to power a $5 billion aluminum smelter. New York Times. 10 March 2010.
Marsabit welcomes dam, but wonders if water will ever fill it.
Water shortage in Marsabit has been such a nightmare that people can go for days without seeing a drop during drought – affecting hygiene and health standards. Nairobi Daily Nation, Kenya. 10 March 2010.
Mozambique to evacuate 130,000 from flood areas.
Flooding in Mozambique killed two people and displaced hundreds of families, prompting the government to step up rescue operations and issue a red alert for some areas. Reuters. 10 March 2010.
Drought ravages famed Philippine rice terraces.
A worsening drought is exacting a terrible toll on the world-famous mountain rice terraces of the northern Philippines, local officials said Tuesday. Agence France-Presse. 10 March 2010.
Venezuela seeks alternatives to hydropower.
Up to now, hydropower has been the major energy source in Venezuela — providing residents and industry with up to two-thirds of the total electricity produced. But a record lack of rainfall has resulted in low water flows and several power interruptions. New York Times. 10 March 2010.
Judge rebukes reclamation on North Dakota water pipeline.
A federal judge has issued a harsh rebuke to the Interior Department's Bureau of Reclamation, ordering the agency to conduct more studies on the potential environmental impact of a project to divert water from the Missouri River to a large swath of North Dakota. Greenwire. 10 March 2010.
The business of water: Privatizing an essential resource.
Corporate control must be prevented, and global water justice efforts must take the lead. Momentum is growing globally, but it won't arrive easily up against powerful opposition. Baltimore Chronicle and Sentinel, Maryland. Opinion, 10 March 2010.
Another water project could divide the state.
The proposed dam and reservoir at Temperance Flat would be the biggest water storage project in CA in more than three decades and that has some people questioning whether taxpayers should keep subsidizing water projects that primarily benefit CA agribusiness. Los Angeles Times, California. 9 March 2010.
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