WaterTank Update
No, Arctic sea ice is not going to be okay
Washington Post- One of the most obvious effects of global climate change is that it’s causing ice to melt all over the world, especially at the planet’s frozen poles. Ice losses have been observed for years now in glaciers and ice sheets, as well as in Arctic sea ice — the ice that floats on top of the ocean. In a confusing twist, though, new research published Monday is showing that there was a large increase in Arctic sea ice in 2013, rather than a decrease. It’s just the kind of news often seized upon by climate skeptics as a way to undermine the concept of anthropogenic global warming. However, making sense of these observations requires a deeper understanding of long-term trends in sea ice and the factors that affect it from one year to the next.
June sets new temperature record
The Hill- Last month was the hottest June on record globally, setting yet another in a string of temperature records, federal scientists said. A Monday report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also concluded that land and water surface temperatures each hit a new record in June, and the first half of 2015 was also the hottest on record.The average temperature across all of the world’s land and ocean surfaces in June was 61.48 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest since federal records began in 1880.
Key Findings and Recommendations from NRDC Workshops on Promoting Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Commercial Property
NRDC- Cities throughout the United States are embracing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) as a means to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and satisfy the Clean Water Act, while also realizing public health, environmental, economic, and quality of life benefits of urban green space. GSI includes green roofs, rain gardens, cisterns, and other mechanisms that mimic natural hydrologic functions or that otherwise capture runoff on-site for productive use.
Florida Town to seek $15.5 million from state for beach project cost-sharing
Palm Beach Daily- Every year the town asks the state for thousands, sometimes millions, to help pay for completed and scheduled coastal protection work. Most of the time the town receives only a fraction. Town officials expect this year to be no different. The Town Council authorized staff Tuesday to apply to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection seeking a $7.8 million reimbursement for the recently completed Midtown nourishment project and $6.7 million for the planned Phipps Ocean Park beach project. The $17 million Midtown beach fill is eligible for up to 46 percent state cost sharing and the $17.2 million Phillips fill is eligible for 39 percent.
The $50 billion plan to save Louisiana's wetlands
PRI- The bayou lands are crucial to the nation's fisheries, as well as regional oil and gas supplies. Perhaps ironically, activity by the energy industry is helping to destroy its own infrastructure. In response, industry and government officials have created an unprecedented plan to save and rebuild these wetlands over the next 50 years at an estimated cost of $50 billion. In a joint project with ProPublica, Bob Marshall, a report for The Lens has co-authored an analysis of the plan called “Losing Ground: Louisiana’s Moon Shot."
FL gov highlights millions in water, environmental funding for Lee County
WaterWorld- Last week, Florida Governor Rick Scott visited the Pineland Marina in Lee County, Florida, to highlight funding to protect the state's environment included in this year's "KEEP FLORIDA WORKING" budget. The budget invests $2.4 million to support local environmental and agricultural projects in Lee County, with more than $1.7 million invested in projects that will help protect and improve water resources within the county."Florida's natural resources are some of the most unique and beautiful in the entire world and also help provide a foundation for our growing economy and record-breaking tourism industry," said Scott. "From our hundreds of miles of coastline, pristine waterways and our award-winning state parks, we will continue to invest in our natural resources so our future generations can enjoy our beautiful state."
California Rain Showers: Small Things Matter
Our Water Counts- It rained while I was in Los Angeles last month for the 2015 gathering of top water utilities at the annual American Water Works Association conference. But it wasn’t the sort of rain we get back home in Indiana—where a front blows through the region and dumps a couple inches in less than an hour. That sort of “good rain” washes off the cities, sweeps through the underground infrastructure and soaks the farmland. Too much of any good thing can cause problems, and rain is no exception. A few extra days of such rains lead to streets flooding and downstream rivers pushing out of their banks.
SD’s Groundbreaking Measures in Water Conservation
GlobeSt- From a desalination plant in Carlsbad to a state-of-the-art leakage-detection device, San Diego has been making huge strides in water conservation, Lee & Associates’ Monique Medley tells GlobeSt.com. In Part 1 of this two-part exclusive story, we spoke with Medley about the San Diego industries hardest hit by the drought. In Part 2, we discuss with her the county’s water-conservation achievements and advancements and what they will mean for water use going forward.
Why Asking ‘How Much Rain Will End the Drought?’ Is the Wrong Question
Circle of Blue- For a society in thrall with performance reviews, business analytics, and the Fitbit, it is an appealing calculation: how much rain will end the California drought? Like asking how many calories to cut to lose five pounds, the question reflects an American sense of goal setting and stocktaking. Where are we now? Where do we need to be? How do we get there? It is a query in the style of Peter Drucker, father of management theory: we can manage what we can measure.
Architects Design Water Resiliency Infrastructure for Boston and New York
Inframanage- Following the example of cities such as Hoboken and New Orleans, the cities of Boston, Massachusetts and New York City have both announced exciting new resiliency projects.The project in Boston is called “Living With Water” and is a competition for architects to redesign Boston for the year 2100, with the estimation that sea levels are five feet higher than today. New York’s project has already been assigned to world-famous Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, who shows that his project, “Dryline”, is more than just functional. “If you’re going to do something anyway”, he says, “then you might as well give it a public benefit as well.”
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