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OPINION: No, American West, You Can’t Have Our Great Lakes Water

/in , /by /Governingby Dan Pogorzelski

It is my hope to put to rest the mistaken belief that Great Lakes water, now, or at any point in the future, will be used to solve the water woes of the western United States. This is not going to happen. Westerners cannot have an honest discussion about their future until we dispel this myth once and for all.

Standing anywhere on Chicago’s famous lakefront, it is easy to imagine the freshwater resource in front of you is limitless. I have seen visitors to our city stare in awe at Lake Michigan and say, “You call this a lake? That’s an ocean!”

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California Supports Projects to Bolster Drinking Water Systems and Climate Resilience

/in , /by /Water World

The California State Water Resources Control Board distributed approximately $880 million to water systems and communities during the past fiscal year for projects that will benefit around 12 million Californians.

395 projects across the state have received funding to capture and recycle more water, recharge and protect groundwater, improve stormwater management, expand access to safe drinking water and improve sanitation.

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Can Eating Less Beef and Dairy Help Save the Colorado River?

/in , /by /NPRby Erin Stone

Western states and the federal government face a looming 2026 deadline to divvy up falling water levels in the Colorado River basin. As overuse and climate change stretch the river thin, research suggests relatively small shifts in global eating patterns could save enough water to fend off steeper cuts for cities and agriculture — and help reduce climate pollution.

Nearly half — 46% — of all the water drawn from the Colorado River goes to growing feed for beef and dairy cows, according to a recent study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. It’s the most detailed analysis yet of how the river’s water is used.

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Prop 4 Explained: Borrowing Money to Fund Environmental and Climate-Related Projects in California

/in , /by /KCRA3by Ashley Zavala

Proposition 4 asks California voters to allow the state to borrow $10 billion in bonds for water, wildfire prevention, and other environmental projects. It would require yearly audits of the money. The funds would help clean up and protect water supplies, help with wildfire prevention and response, and provide for projects that try to protect beaches, forests and mountains.

This is expected to cost taxpayers another $400 million a year for 40 years to repay the bond.

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California Farmers Turn to Agave Amid Drought Conditions and Climate Change

/in , /by /NPRby Manola Secaira

Most of the United States’ fruits and nuts, like avocados and almonds, come from California. But scientists say human-caused climate change means more extreme heat and intensifying periods of drought for the state. That has led some farmers to seek out less-thirsty crops — like agave.

The succulent has long been grown in Mexico and is the key ingredient in making tequila and mezcal. Agave, though, as a crop is a new idea for the United States. In California, it’s more often seen as part of decorative landscaping.

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‘I Won’t Let Them Drink the Water’: The California Towns Where Clean Drinking Water is Out of Reach

/in , /by /Cal Mattersby Rachel Becker

In a major milestone, state regulators announced in July that nearly a million more Californians now have safe drinking water than five years ago.

But across the state, the problem remains severe: More than 735,000 people are still served by the nearly 400 water systems that fail to meet state requirements for safe and reliable drinking water. Latino farm communities struggling with poverty and pollution are especially hard-hit.

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Much of the Colorado River’s Water goes to Feed Cows. How Changing your Diet Could Help

/in , /by /LAistby Erin Stone

Western states and the federal government face a looming 2026 deadline to divvy up falling water levels in the Colorado River basin. As overuse and climate change stretch the river thin, research suggests relatively small shifts in global eating patterns could save enough water to fend off steeper cuts for cities and agriculture — and help reduce climate pollution.

Nearly half — 46% — of all the water drawn from the Colorado River goes to growing feed for beef and dairy cows, according to a recent study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. It’s the most detailed analysis yet of how the river’s water is used.

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California has Enough Debt. It Doesn’t Need $10 Billion More for a Climate Bond

/in , /by /Cal Mattersby Brian Jones

Imagine using your credit card to buy something, knowing that by the time you finish paying off the debt, you’ll have spent nearly double the original price due to interest. It’s a poor financial decision most of us would avoid.

Yet this is precisely what Democrats in the state legislature are asking California taxpayers to do with Proposition 4: add $10 billion in bond debt — with billions more in interest — to pay for ambiguous, short-term, so-called “climate” programs.

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Climate Costs will Only Go Up if California Fails to Act. Voters Should Back a $10 Billion Bond

/in , /by /Cal Mattersby Horacio Amezquita

High on the list of things most Californians take for granted is the ability to confidently drink water that comes from their kitchen taps, or to safely bathe in water from their bathroom faucets. Take it from me and the dozens of farmworker families who lived in the housing cooperative that I managed and lived in for years: It’s not something that should ever be taken for granted.

To live without a safe, clean water supply is to be constantly aware of its absence. There are the itchy, painful rashes and illnesses caused by showering in contaminated water. There are the constant trips to purchase bottled water. There are the soaring water bills to pay for the drilling of ever-deeper wells that sometimes provide temporary relief.

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State Budget Cuts having “Profound” Impact on Water Agencies from State to Local Levels

/in , /by /SJV Waterby Jesse Vad

The impacts from California’s financial problems are starting to be revealed as some water agencies are implementing serious cutbacks.

During its August board meeting, staff at the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board announced they are trimming the operations budget by 5% because of state budget cuts.

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