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Violence Over Water is on the Rise Globally. A Record Number of Conflicts Erupted in 2023

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

In Pakistan, two groups of farmers started arguing in the fields and attacked each other with axes, clubs and bricks in a bloody fight over water. In South Africa, hundreds of people protesting a water shortage blocked roads with burning tires and hurled rocks at police. In Ukraine, Russian attacks on infrastructure left a city of nearly 1 million people without water.

These are some of the 347 water-related conflicts that researchers have documented during 2023, a year that saw violence over water increase dramatically worldwide. The number of incidents reached a new record last year, far surpassing the 231 conflicts recorded in 2022 and continuing a rising trend that has persisted over the last decade.

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Boiling Point: Heat, Fires, Floods — Extreme Weather has Affected 99% of Americans

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

Extreme weather alerts for dangerous heat, wildfires, storms, flooding and other hazards have affected nearly everyone in the United States over the past few months.

Tracking data from the National Weather Service, the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists has found that since the beginning of May, extreme weather alerts have been issued for 99% of the country’s population.

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US Plans to Limit Water Usage from Colorado River

/in , /by /VOA Newsby Suman Naishadham

The U.S. government plans to reduce the amount of Colorado River water several states are permitted to use next year.

The river supplies water to seven Western states, more than 20 Native American tribes, and two states in Mexico. Those states and the country of Mexico are also considering plans for how to share the water after 2026. That is when many current rules and agreements about the use of Colorado River water will come to an end.

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SoCal Farmers Agree to Big Cuts to Colorado River Water Use in Major Deal with Feds

/in , /by /LAistby Erin Stone

Farmers in the Imperial Valley of Southern California who use the most Colorado River water across the river basin have agreed to cut their use significantly in a new deal struck with the federal government.

The cuts will happen through 2026 and add up to more than double the amount the entire state of Nevada uses in a year.

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As La Niña Strengthens, Forecasters Warn of a Potential Return to Drought

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith and Grace Toohey

As La Niña gathers strength in the tropical Pacific, forecasters are warning that the climate pattern could plunge California back into drought conditions in the months ahead.

La Niña is the drier component of the El Niño Southern Oscillation system, or ENSO, which is a main driver of climate and weather patterns across the globe. Its warm, moist counterpart, El Niño, was last in place from July 2023 until this spring, and was linked to record-warm global temperatures and California’s extraordinarily wet winter.

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Federal Official: Nevada, Lower Basin States Meet Key Colorado River Water Goals Ahead of Schedule

/in , /by /Las Vegas Sunby Kyle Chouinard

A plan from water officials in Arizona, Nevada and California to cut back on the amount of water those states use from the Colorado River in exchange for money with hopes of saving 3 million acre-feet of water over three years is meeting conservation goals, a top water official said Wednesday.

The 2023 agreement has already seen 1.7 million acres of improvement less than one year into the effort, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton said. She says she believes the states are on pace to reach their original goal.

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US Gov’t Agency Issues Warning over Water Sector’s Security

/in , /by /Cyber Magazineby Kristian McCann

The rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape is increasingly putting critical infrastructure at risk, with a watchdog putting The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under scrutiny for its lacklustre approach to cybersecurity in the water sector.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlights alarming trends in cyber attacks targeting water and energy systems, emphasising the urgent need for improved defences and strategic planning.

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Feds will Pay California Farmers Not to Use Colorado River Water

/in , /by /Las Vegas Review Journalby Alan Halaly

A key Colorado River conservation goal just got more realistic.

The Bureau of Reclamation approved an agreement this week that will keep 700,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead that would have been used by the Imperial Irrigation District, which uses more water from the river than any city or farming district in the West.

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Are You Prepared? Stronger Earthquakes Striking in Southern California in 2024

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Debbie L. Sklar

If it seems there have been more and bigger earthquakes in Southern California recently, it’s because there have been more.

Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist from California Technical Institute in Pasadena, posted on social media that there have been 13 earthquakes in Southern California with magnitudes of 4.0 or greater this year.

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CA Farmers Agree to Conserve 700,000 Acre-Feet of Water in Lake Mead Through 2026

/in , /by /Nevada Currentby Jennifer Solis

The Imperial Irrigation District in California, which uses more Colorado River water than any other district in the West, finalized an agreement on Monday to leave up to 700,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead through 2026.

As part of the landmark conservation agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the district will receive federal funding for conservation programs from 2024 through 2026 to conserve up to 300,000 acre-feet a year of water that will remain in Lake Mead to aid the drought-stricken Colorado River.

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