ENERGY COMPANY TO UNVEIL COLORADO WATERSHED PLAN IN APRIL
A working group made up of Genesis Gas and Oil officials and local and federal officials has designed a plan to direct Genesis’ drilling operations in the Grand Junction and Palisade municipal watersheds, and the plan is set to be released for public comment on April 2. Grand Junction Sentinel; March 7 link
GROUP URGES CONTINUITY OF MANAGEMENT FOR COLORADO RIVER
Friends of the River Uncompahgre said that Ouray, Montrose and Delta counties, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, should work together to create a unified plan for the river as a whole rather than the patchwork of planning that allows development along some stretches and not others. Grand Junction Sentinel; March 27 link
GROUPS SAY COLORADO SHOULD WORK TO KEEP SAND OUT OF STREAMS
Traction sand used on the roads through Colorado’s passes is washing down the passes into wetlands and streams, creating a “concrete” base that seals the bottom of the food chain, and transportation officials said they would address the sand problem when they do safety upgrades on Loveland Pass this summer. Vail Daily News; March 27 link
SOME COLORADO FARMERS IMPOSING THEIR OWN WATER USE RULES
Farmers in eastern Colorado and along the Republican River realize that if they don’t retire some of their wells, the state may shut them down, or the wells may simply dry up, and so many farmers in eastern Colorado are imposing their own restrictions on water. Christian Science Monitor; March 19 link
COLORADO WATER LAW CRIPPLES ATTEMPTS TO USE STORED RAIN WATER
A new study discussed at land use conference says that even simple attempts by Colorado homeowners to capture and store rain water would affect water law and is subject to court approval because any water captured must be replaced for downstream users. Denver Post; March 5 link
WATER SHORTAGE POSSIBLE: CO RIVER VULNERABLE DESPITE PLANNING
Colorado River users will remain vulnerable to water shortages under any of the drought plans under review by the federal government. Arizona Republic, 3/1 link
DRAFT RELEASED ON DEALING WITH CO RIVER DURING DROUGHTS
The federal government has released an environmental review laying out how much water California and other Western states will be allowed to take from the Colorado River during droughts and other low reservoir conditions. AP, 3/1 link
HOW SHOULD COLORADO RIVER WATER BE DIVVIED?
The Colorado Compact, which divides Colorado River water among seven Western states, is now 85 years old and in many ways is showing its age. Salt Lake Tribune, 3/3 link
EXPERTS CALL FOR REVISION ON COLORADO RIVER PLAN
If you drink water that came from the Colorado River, you have a problem: Global warming stands to reduce flows on a river needed to sate the ever-increasing thirst of the booming West and preserve endangered species and ecosystems all along the river. Grand Junction Sentinel, 3/4 link
N.M. GOVERNOR’S ‘YEAR OF WATER’ A BIT DRY SO FAR
The majority of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s $100 million in water projects that comprise his “Year of Water” goals of solving many of the state’s water issues are about money as opposed to laws, and lawmakers say that he’ll see some of those projects funded, but by no means all. Albuquerque Journal; March 4 link
PIPELINES COULD HELP BRING SAN JUAN WATER TO PUEBLOS WITH NO TAPS
A 2005 settlement over San Juan River rights, signed by Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. and Gov. Bill Richardson, includes a plan called the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to build a pipeline and water treatment system that would provide running water to many of an estimated 63,500 people on the Navajo Nation who lack running water. Santa Fe New Mexican; March 4 link
TRIBAL WATER RIGHTS CASE IN NEW MEXICO IRKS MANY NON-INDIANS
A decade ago the Navajo Nation worked out a deal with New Mexico for the majority of the water rights on the San Juan River, but the deal has yet to be approved by Congress and many non-Navajos say the tribe is allotted too much water and that the issues should be resolved in court. Santa Fe New Mexican; March 4 link
NM UTILITY TO BUY WATER FROM FARMERS TO SUSTAIN RIO GRANDE
New Mexico’s largest water utility plans to work with conservation groups to buy water from farmers to help keep the Rio Grande flowing. AP, 2/28 link
N.M. DEVELOPER WANTS TO USE IRRIGATION WATER FOR NEW HOMES
Santa Fe Canyon Ranch LLC’s owners said that they want to use water rights currently classified for irrigation for a proposed 1,300-acre development, but locals are concerned that the development, which could have anywhere between 200 and 700 new homes, could be too big. Santa Fe New Mexican; March 4 link
N.M. WATER COMPANY FACES LEGAL SANCTIONS
A change in state law in New Mexico in 2005 gave the state more authority over community water systems, and 30 small systems are currently in violation of state law. Santa Fe New Mexican; March 12 link
SANTA FE MAYOR WANTS TO REVIVE RIVER RUNNING THROUGH HIS CITY
The Santa Fe River has run dry for decades, thanks to reservoirs east of the New Mexico City that trapped its headwaters, but Santa Fe Mayor David Coss is working to restore the flows through the city. Santa Fe New Mexican; March 13 link
FEDS RELEASE RUNOFF FORECAST FOR NEW MEXICO
Dry, warm, windy weather is taking its toll on New Mexico’s winter snowpack, according to the latest runoff forecast by the National Resources Conservation Service. Las Cruces Sun-News, 3/9 link
NEW MEXICO’S RIVERS RUNNING HIGH WITH EARLY MELT
Record high temperatures in northern New Mexico and Colorado are turning the so- so snowpack into water and pushing water levels in New Mexico rivers to record highs. Albuquerque Journal; March 22 link
UTAH WATER DEVELOPERS FRUSTRATED BY STATE’S INTERFERENCE
Water dealers in Utah County want to use water they own in Salt Lake County for thousands of new homes in Utah County, but all attempts to do so lately, they say, have been stopped by protests filled with state agencies regarding a century-old water deal between Salt Lake City and an irrigation company. Provo Daily Herald; March 16 link
UTAH WATER OFFICIAL BEGINS HEARINGS ON LIMITS IN ESCALANTE VALLEY
Under a law passed in 2006, the Utah State Water Engineer has the authority to create groundwater management plans in basins where water supplies are in trouble, and the Utah State Water Engineer Jerry Olds will begin the process to put controls on water usage in Escalante Valley. St. George Spectrum; March 11 link
WATER PLANS ARE TOUGH BUT NECESSARY
Last year, Utah lawmaker passed a law that allows the state water engineer to create a groundwater management plan in basins that have been over-allocated, such as the one in southern Utah, where the growing population has strained the already thin water supply, and as the public weighs in on a new management plan, they should expect the process to be tough and that no everyone will walk away happy. St. George Spectrum; March 16 link
UTAH MUST STAND FIRM ON NEVADA’S WATER REQUEST
Southern Nevada Water Authority officials’ are pushing Nevada to approve the plan to pump groundwater from the Utah-Nevada border south to thirsty Las Vegas, but Utah officials should not yield their position and wait until scientific studies on the effect of the groundwater pumping plan are complete. Salt Lake Tribune; March 20 link
ARIZONA SNOWPACK DROPS TO SINGLE DIGIT PERCENTAGES IN SOME AREAS
The warm March melted much of Arizona’s snowpack and natural water reserves, with some areas now at single digit percentages, such as the central Mogollon Rim, which has just 2 percent of normal snowpack at this time of year. Arizona Republic; April 2 link
PESSIMISM GROWS ON CAP WATER SHORTAGE
For many years, everyone familiar with the Colorado River knew it was oversubscribed and that shortages caused by droughts would force periodic cuts in water supplied to the Central Arizona Project and other users. Arizona Daily Star, 2/26 link
COLORADO RIVER WATER STUDY SHOULD BE TAKEN UP A NOTCH
Arizona will take the brunt of any water shortages on Colorado River allocations because of its agreement to take junior status in exchange for federal funding of the Central Arizona Project, and the state should push for what scientists have been recommending — an in-depth study of the river with a focus on urban water and fluctuating demands. Arizona Republic; March 15 link
COURT REPEALS OK FOR MANMADE SNOW ON ARIZONA PEAKS
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling and said that reclaimed water used to make snow to extend the ski season at a resort in the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona would pollute the site, which is scared to several Native American communities. Arizona Republic; March 13 link
ARIZONA SKI AREA SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SNOW
Despite the ruling that says Arizona Snowbowl can’t make snow for its ski resort on the San Francisco Peaks, which are deemed sacred by many Indian tribes, the resort owners said that either the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the Forest Service’s permit to use recycled water, or the company will use water from its private land. Arizona Daily Sun; March 13 link
ARIZONA SKI RESORT SAYS WATER DECISION WON’T ALTER EXPANSION
The owner of Snowbowl Resort said a federal court decision that rescinded the Arizona resort’s permit to use reclaimed water to make snow won’t change the resort’s plan to clear 124 acres for new trails. Arizona Daily Sun; March 15 link
DEVELOPERS WANT TO BUILD WATER PARK ON ARIZONA GOLF COURSE
Scottsdale-based Waveyard Development LLC wants to build a $250- million water park and resort in Mesa, but the Arizona must first be approved by a referendum vote in November. Arizona Daily Star (AP); March 6 link
THIRSTY GOLF COURSES FINED
The Arizona Department of Water Resources has fined eight Valley golf courses for using more groundwater than state regulations allow. Arizona Republic, 3/7 link
AZ OFFICIALS WARN OF BAD WATER YEAR
An erratic winter snow season will result in lower than expected runoff into the state’s reservoirs this spring, water officials said. Mohave Valley News, 3/4 link
NORTHERN ARIZONA WRAPPED UP IN WATER WOES
It could be a long, dry summer in northern Arizona as these water battles continue: two Hopi villages are worried about a plume of radioactive water that is headed toward a spring used for drinking water; a ski area owner says if he can’t use effluent to make snow, he’ll dig a well and pump a million gallons a day; and a subdivision faces three-fold increase in water rates. Arizona Daily Sun; March 23 link
AZ WANTS DEVELOPER GUARANTEE: 100 YEARS OF WATER
State lawmakers have proposed two bills, SB1575 and HB2693, that would allow rural cities and counties to require developers to demonstrate a 100-year water supply before building new subdivisions. East Valley Tribune, 3/14 link
COMPANY’S PLAN TO PIPE ARIZONA WATER TO NEVADA LANDS IN COURT
An Arizona company’s plan to sell groundwater across state lines to the Virgin Valley Water District in Nevada, which would then use it for area communities as well as possibly another community back in Arizona, is now being addressed by a court. Las Vegas Review-Journal; March 4 link
YUMA DESALTING PLANT UNDERGOING TEST RUN
For the first time in nearly 15 years, the Yuma Desalting Plant is doing what it was designed to do: desalting water. Arizona Republic, 3/3 link
WATER ADVOCATES CRITICIZE NEVADA WATER AUTHORITY’S PRICING PLAN
Nevada Assembly lawmakers heard testimony about the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s plan to pump groundwater from northern Nevada to Las Vegas, including that of a water conservation expert who said if Las Vegas used the same pricing plan as Tucson, the Nevada city could conserve millions of gallons of water. Las Vegas Review Journal; March 2 link
NEVADA WATER OFFICIAL PUSHES TO GET LAS VEGAS PIPELINE PUMPING
Pat Mulroy, the head of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, is fierce in her determination to build a 250-mile pipeline to ship water from a northern Nevada valley on the Utah border south to ever-thirsty Las Vegas, and the feisty Democrat has found a powerful ally in U.S. Sen. Harry Reid. Another look. Los Angeles Times; March 7 link
USGS GROUNDWATER STUDY FINDS LITTLE WATER FOR LAS VEGAS
U.S. Geological Survey officials gave Utah ranchers and local officials a sneak peek of the results of the agency’s study of groundwater supplies in the Great Basin, which found that the aquifers are more connected than originally thought, which means Las Vegas may not be allowed to tap into the groundwater resources as it has proposed. Salt Lake Tribune; March 27 link
BILL WOULD FORCE NEVADA WATER AUTHORITY TO DISCLOSE MORE INFO
A bill that has bipartisan support in the Nevada legislature would force the Southern Nevada Water Authority to issue monthly updates on its investigation into a project to pump groundwater from rural Nevada to Las Vegas, but the Authority officials argued against the plan saying they only wanted to release information when they were sure it was accurate. Las Vegas Review-Journal (AP); March 27 link
MORE DESTRUCTIVE MUSSELS FOUND IN COLORADO RIVER AQUEDUCT
Crews inspecting the aqueduct that brings Colorado River water to millions of Southern Californians have found almost 800 quagga mussels since March 10 in the largest discovery so far of the tiny but destructive mollusks in the West, officials said. link
USFS QUESTIONS WYOMING CLOUD-SEEDING PLAN
A state plan to seed the clouds over Wyoming’s Wind River Range with silver iodide particles that could help create more precipitation is being questioned by U.S. Forest Service officials who want to know who is paying for the study and whether the plan is compatible with the Wilderness Act or with a Forest Service regulation that bans weather changes that affect wilderness areas. Casper Star-Tribune; March 16 link
BUREC, MONTANA, WYOMING OFFICIALS DISCUSS BIGHORN WATER ISSUE
Officials of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation hosted a meeting with Montana and Wyoming officials to discuss how to handle water shortages on Bighorn Lake and the Bighorn River. Billings Gazette; March 9 link
MONTANA, WYOMING SAY BUREC’S BIGHORN PLAN MIGHT WORK
A compromise on Bighorn River water flows proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation would increase spring flows to benefit trout along Montana’s stretch of the river, and would also slowly build up the summer storage capacity in Wyoming’s Bighorn Lake reservoir, and officials from both states seemed pleased with the proposal. Casper Star-Tribune (AP); March 22 link
WATER ALLOCATION RULING COULD AFFECT ALL OF WESTERN MONTANA
A recent ruling in a water rights case in western Montana says that all new appropriations beyond small, single-home wells, are going to have to prove legal availability or no impact on existing water allocations, and in western Montana, which is served by the singular and sprawling Clark Fork basin, the implications could be widespread and could create a new water market. Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; March 15 link
BOTH SIDES RACE TO BEAT CLOCK ON GROUNDWATER BILLS IN MONTANA
A bill to allow the state to issue new groundwater permits in Montana’s five closed basins if hydrogeologic studies and other tests show they won’t harm senior water rights holders has been lauded as a compromise to deal with the state supreme court’s water decision from last year, but the bill has also come under fire from the agency that issues the permits, saying it would only invite more litigation. NewWest.net; March 26 link
FEDERAL JUDGE RULES WESTSLOPE CUTTHROAT TROUT NOT ENDANGERED
A federal judge in Washington, D.C. ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was correct in not designating the westslope cutthroat trout as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, a decision that could end a 10-year legal battle between environmental groups and the federal government. Bozeman Daily Chronicle; March 27 link
MONTANA’S FLATHEAD VALLEY AWAITS NEXT BIG FLOOD
Just the right conditions can cause a major flood like the historic flood of 1964 along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in northwestern Montana, and it’s anyone guess when the next such flood will hit the area, but four decades later, the valley’s population has increased immensely, which would mean such a flood event would create dramatically bigger problems. Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; March 6 link
WILDLIFE OFFICIALS PAN MONTANA COUNTY’S PROPOSED GROWTH PLAN
Both Montana and federal wildlife officials criticized Flathead County’s proposed subdivision regulations because they said the rules ignore scientifically supported guidelines for stream setbacks and buffer zones around riparian areas. Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; 3/22 link
WATER CASE
The Montana Supreme Court told a lower court to reconsider whether a Montana couple’s water rights can be changed from irrigation to recreation before tribal water rights are determined; the couple, who live in the Flathead Reservation, want to create a water-skiing pond on their property. Missoulian (AP); March 15 link
MONTANA TRIBES WANT TO TAP INTO MISSOURI RIVER WATER
Leaders of the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes are pitching a plan to irrigate 15,000 acres of land on the Fort Peck Reservation in eastern Montana, and to eventually have 100,000 acres of irrigated land, but other downstream water users aren’t as enthusiastic about the plan. Billings Gazette (AP); March 26 link
TROUT UNLIMITED MAY OR MAY NOT ABANDON STREAM ACCESS ISSUE
The national conservation group Trout Unlimited says it may consider dropping stream access as an issue it deals with because it doesn’t come up very often, but when it does, it’s very controversial, and that potential decision could alienate many in Montana, where stream access has long been a big issue. NewWest.net; March 16 link
STREAM ACCESS BACK IN COURT IN MONTANA
A millionaire media mogul who owns a ranch in Montana’s Ruby Valley is counter-suing Madison County and the Public Lands Access Association, claiming that the public is illegally accessing the Ruby River across his property while blocking his driveway and littering in the area. Montana Standard; March 21 link
BILL WOULD ALLOW USERS TO DONATE WATER BACK TO IDAHO RIVER
An Idaho Senate committee unanimously approved a bill that would allow water users to donate unused portions back to the Big Wood River, which has been de-watered from irrigation and a building boom. Twin Falls Times- News; March 5 link
BILL TO ADD WATER TO IDAHO RIVER AWAITS GOVERNOR’S SIGNATURE
A bill that was created by consensus among stakeholder throughout the watershed and that would increase flows on the Big Wood River and Silver Creek systems passed both the House and Senate and now awaits the governor’s signature. Idaho Mountain Express (Sun Valley); March 21 link
IDAHO WATER RULING ALLOWS STATE TO RESOLVE ALLOCATION ISSUES
The Idaho Supreme Court ruled that those with the oldest and highest- priority water rights don’t have absolute rights to that water — the state does — and that decision opens the door to allowing the state more discretion in how water is allocated and allows Gov. Butch Otter to negotiate future Idaho water policy, including discrepancies between ground water and surface water users. Idaho Statesman; March 6 link
IDAHO WATER DECISION LEAVES MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
The ruling by the Idaho Supreme Court that senior water rights holders don’t have absolute say over water allocation doesn’t say whether the state can constitutionally manage allocation, and both sides of the issue say another court case is likely. Another look. — Twin Falls Times-News; March 6 link
COURT DECISION CHURNS UP ACTION ON WATER BILLS IN IDAHO
Just days after an Idaho Supreme Court decision on allocation of water, state House lawmakers have passed two bills that address funding for water purchases and management plans for aquifers, and took another bill on expansion of the state’s water authority under consideration. Twin Falls Times-News; March 8 link
IDAHO GOVERNOR PUSHES FOR WATER SUMMIT BEFORE LEGISLATURE ENDS
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter is expected to announce a statewide water summit, which will gather legislators, officials and surface and groundwater users. Twin Falls Times-News; March 9 link
IDAHO IRRIGATION COMPANY MAKES CALL FOR WATER
Members of the A & B Irrigation District filed their call for water because they said they were frustrated by the Idaho Department of Water Resources’ failure to follow up on its 1994 pledge to manage the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. Twin Falls Times-News; March 20 link
IDAHO GOV SAYS ALL WATERCRAFT SHOULD PAY BOAT FEES
Gov. Butch Otter called a state law that requires owners of motorized and other large boats to register their boats and pay a registration fee an unfair burden, and said he would like to discuss extending the requirement to owners of all watercraft, including kayakers, canoeists, rafters and even windsurfers. Twin Falls Times-News (AP); March 30 link
BPA: WITHOUT DAMS, POWER CONSUMERS WOULD HAVE TO PAY MILLIONS
The Bonneville Power Administration, which markets about 40 percent of the electricity consumed in the Pacific Northwest, said that if the lower four Snake River Dams were removed, customers would have to pay $400 million to $550 million a year to replace lost power, which is much more than environmentalists and sportsman estimated. Idaho Statesman; March 4 link
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SNAKE DAM REMOVAL DEPENDS ON AGENDA
Three different groups with three different views on removing the four lower Snake River dams have offered three different amounts for the cost of replacing energy lost if those dams were to go, with those most in favor of breaching claiming the lowest loss, but the losses are all relative to one’s assumptions about the economy and region. Idaho Statesman; March 21 link
CALIFORNIA ISSUES ANOTHER SALVO IN KLAMATH DAM REMOVAL FIGHT
The California Energy Commission ran another report on the cost-benefit ratio of removing four dams from the Klamath River, taking into consideration numbers PacifiCorp, the dams’ owner, had said the utility board ignored earlier, and the California board said the new numbers showed dam removal to be even more cost effective than previously thought. Los Angeles Times; March 27 link
LAWMAKERS AGAIN PUSH STUDY OF SNAKE RIVER DAMS AND SALMON
Legislation introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., doesn’t call for the removal of four Snake River dams, but does call for another round of economic and scientific studies regarding Northwest salmon populations that could help push a Democratically controlled Congress to support removal of the dams. Idaho Statesman; March 15 link
NEW FISH SPECIES IDENTIFIED
U.S. scientists say they have identified a new species of fish that closely resemble the threatened white marlin … A team of university and government scientists has confirmed the existence of the enigmatic billfish species closely resembling the heavily fished, overexploited white marlin. Playfuls.com, 2/26 link
FLORIDA COUNTY ORDERS WATER RESTRICTIONS THROUGH JULY
Residents of this county are under water restriction rules that will remain in effect until July 31 due to a severe water shortage. Bradenton Herald, 3/6 link
NATION FACES GROWING AND SEVERE WATER CHALLENGES
In letters to the President … Congress and Governors, the AWRA … calls on leaders to immediately address … water challenges ranging from increasing flood damages, more frequent droughts, and water pollution to decreasing attention to environmental problems and major infrastructure renewal shortfalls that threaten water systems. PR Newswire, 2/22 link
ENGINEERS CHALLENGE 110TH CONGRESS ON INFRASTRUCTURE
From long commutes and dirty water to unsafe dams and bridges, with each passing day failing infrastructure is threatening the economy and quality of life in every state, city and town in America. Water World, 3/7 link
REPORT BY TROUT GROUP WARNS AGAINST DEPLETING GROUND WATER
A new report by Trout Unlimited entitled “Gone to the Well Once Too Often” warns that exploding growth in a region that primarily relies on ground water could over-tap those water resources, affecting surface water as well. Salt Lake Tribune; March 16 link
TRADE LAWYER URGES CANADA TO PROTECT WATER FROM UNITED STATES
At a conference to challenge the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) between Canada, Mexico and the United States, international trade lawyer Steven Shrybman warned Canadians that Canada should not be asked to support unsustainable water consumption in the United States. Edmonton Journal; 4/1 link
GROUP PITCHES $605-MILLION PLAN FOR ALBERTA RIVER VALLEY
The River Valley Alliance has spent $1.6 million to prepare an ambitious plan to create a continuous river valley park stretching from Fort Saskatchewan to Devon, and members of the group said they’ll now begin lobbying local Alberta and federal government officials to find a way to get the project done. Edmonton Journal; March 16 link
EUROPE TARGETS WATER AS FOREIGN POLICY TOOL
Water management is climbing the agenda in EU foreign policy and internal security plans, making up a significant part of Europe’s new thrust to engage with Central Asia states, soothe tensions in the Middle East and cement conflict resolution in the Western Balkans. EU Observer, 3/14 link
6 MILLION PEOPLE ALONG YANGTZE SHORT WATER
Six million people in Chongqing could be facing severe water shortages by the beginning of May due to persistent drought along the Yangtze River, according to a local meteorological expert. China Daily, 3/1 link
AUSTRALIA’S LONGEST RIVER IS DRYING UP
Australia’s longest river has lost half its natural water and it is predicted to dry up by a further 20 percent due to climate change by 2030. Reuters, 3/7 link
EPA PROPOSES GROUNDWATER PLUME IN UTAH FOR SUPERFUND LIST
A plume of groundwater flowing between Bountiful and Woods Cross in Utah that is contaminated with tetrachloroethylene, or PCE, which is used in dry cleaning and can cause liver damage and increase the risk of cancer, has been proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency for listing as a Superfund project. Salt Lake Tribune; March 8 link
DUCK DIE-OFF AT COLORADO WATER TREATMENT PLANTS REMAIN A MYSTERY
Hundreds of ducks have died at Front Range wastewater-treatment facilities, but no one is sure why, though some suspect the cold Colorado winter caught many ducks off-guard, especially since they have become accustomed to milder winters. Denver Post; March 15 link
RADIOACTIVE PLUME OF WATER MOVES CLOSER TO HOPI VILLAGES
Hopi and Navajo tribal officials said they believed radioactive waste taken from a Cold War-era uranium milling site near Tuba City, Ariz., and buried in a public dump operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs is raising uranium levels in drinking water wells for two Hopi communities. Arizona Daily Sun (AP); March 19 link
SALT LAKE COUNTY LEADER UNVEILS WATER QUALITY PLAN
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon unveiled his “Watershed Water Quality Stewardship Plan,” which aims to help the growing urban county manage water quality and improve streams and rivers in the watershed. Salt Lake Tribune; March 15 link
BLM REPORTS FOAM-LIKE SUBSTANCE ON UTAH RIVER
River runners on the Green River in Utah’s Desolation Canyon said the foul-smelling foam on the river smelled a lot like petroleum, and a Bureau of Land Management ranger sent to collect water samples said the substance irritated his skin. Grand Junction Sentinel; March 22 link
Oil and gas energy officials in Wyoming say they would like to see Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal reject rule changes adopted last month by the state Environmental Quality Council because the officials claim the rules are unclear and only create more paperwork for industry and landowners. Billings Gazette; March 15 link
NEVADA OFFICIALS WARN ANGLERS NOT TO EAT FISH FROM 6 WATERWAYS
Elevated levels of methylmercury — an organic form of mercury that can be particularly toxic — found in fish caught in six lakes, reservoirs and rivers prompted Nevada officials to warn people against eating fish caught in those areas. Reno Gazette-Journal; March 9 link
MONTANA FISH HATCHERY STILL POLLUTED, EVEN AFTER CLEANING
Officials with the Big Springs Trout Hatchery say they are dumbfounded that the Montana hatchery still contains traces of PCB contamination, even after the hatchery conducted a $1 million cleanup to remove paint laced with the suspected toxin. Montana Standard (AP); March 6 link
MONTANA SEN ASKS STATE DEPARTMENT TO INTERVENE ON B.C. MINE
Montana Sen. Max Baucus has requested that the U.S. State Department intervene in a dispute over a proposed Canadian coal mine north of Glacier National Park, saying the mine could harm the state’s social, environmental and economic assets; the request comes on the heels of other moves to curb the mine’s plans. Missoulian; March 16 link
BUSH ADMINISTRATION WADES INTO MONTANA-B.C. WATER FIGHT
The U.S. State Department sent a letter to the B.C. government requesting that the province decline to permit a coal mine proposed for the headwaters of the Flathead River, citing fears that the mine could have “significant adverse environmental effects” in the United States. Helena Independent Record (AP); March 12 link
DAM DRAWDOWN DROPS ARSENIC LEVELS IN MONTANA WELLS
As part of the Superfund cleanup of mining waste along the Clark Fork River in Montana, water levels in the Milltown Reservoir have been drawn down for eventual removal of the Milltown Dam, and as expected, arsenic levels in monitoring wells around the site have declined as well. Missoulian; March 8 link
FORMER OFFICIAL SAYS MONTANA VALLEY NEEDS WATER-QUALITY DISTRICT
Theresa Blazicevich, retired Ravalli County public health director, spoke on the importance of watershed health and urged residents of Montana’s Bitterroot Valley to form a water-quality district to help keep the valley’s aquifer healthy. Ravalli Republic; March 23 link
MEXICO BORDER SEWAGE DEAL HITS THE ROCKS
From the outset, state and federal regulators have had their doubts about the … deal with Bajagua, a new partnership with limited know-how handling complicated binational projects. And government watchdogs and others have raised questions about the campaign contributions Bajagua has showered on Capitol Hill. AP 2/26 link
BORDER POLLUTION
A waste water treatment plant that Mexican officials say will help prevent pollution of U.S. waterways was inaugurated in the city of Mexicali, across the border from Calexico, California. link
CLEANUP OF LEAKING U.S. FUEL TANKS COULD COST $12 BILLION
It will cost at least $12 billion to clean up contamination from tens of thousands of gasoline storage tanks that are leaking underground, congressional auditors say. AP, 2/23 link
MEDICATIONS IN DRINKING WATER A BIG PROBLEM
Today we find ourselves confronted with many ecologic threats; global warming, toxic waste, global disease pandemics like HIV/AIDS, ‘Mad Cow’ disease, (BSE/CJD,) and the extinction of many animals that are an integral part of our ecosystem; but one of the greater ecological threats is the presence of human medications in our water supply and aquatic ecosystem. San Mateo Daily Journal, 3/6 link
CAMPAIGN TO CUT DRUG DISPOSAL INTO WATERWAYS
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the American Pharmacists Association announced March 17 that they have signed an agreement outlining how the two groups will work cooperatively to build consumer awareness of the hazards posed by the improper disposal of unused and expired medications into the nation’s waterways. Water Tech Online, 3/20 link
The European Commission and Environment Ministers from all 16 countries sharing the Danube River Basin and Black Sea region adopted a new Declaration on the Enhancement of Cooperation … according to the U.N. Office to Ukraine. Yhiah News, 2/26 link
CHINA: UNSAFE WATER TOPS ENVIRONMENT FEAR
Unsafe drinking water in rural areas topped last year’s environmental concerns, according to a report from a non-governmental organization based in Beijing. China Daily, 3/13 link
WWF SAYS POLLUTION, DAMS THREATEN RIVERS
Hoping to raise awareness about the state of the world’s great rivers, the World Wide Fund for Nature released a report on what it called the 10 most endangered rivers Hoping to raise awareness about the state of the world’s great rivers, the World Wide Fund for Nature on Tuesday released a report on what it called the 10 most endangered rivers. The Yangtze River gets more than half of China’s industrial waste and sewage. Europe’s Danube has lost most of its surrounding wetlands. And the Rio Grande has become so shallow that salt water is seeping in, bringing ocean fish that threaten freshwater species. link
NEW IRON-BASED TECHNOLOGY REMOVES VIRUSES FROM WATER
U.S. scientists have developed an inexpensive, non-chlorine-based technology that removes harmful microorganisms, including viruses, from drinking water. UPI, 2/27 link
