After a couple of years of sufficient water, much of California is showing “abnormally dry” conditions in spring 2026, according to the state drought monitor. And as climate change adds more swings between wet and dry conditions, researchers are working on ways to better identify, predict and manage drought.
As the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence drives an unprecedented boom in data center construction across California, a bipartisan push for tighter industry oversight is gaining traction in the state capitol. Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio) cast his vote this week in favor of a sweeping package of legislation designed to pull back the curtain on […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has approved a settlement package designed to rein in groundwater pumping along one of North America’s longest rivers and ensure enough water reliably makes it from New Mexico to Texas, ending a long-running dispute over management of the Rio Grande. In a brief order Tuesday, the court accepted the recommendation of a special […]
American data centers collectively consume unprecedented amounts of water, with AI driving exponential demand growth. Data centers across the United States consume massive quantities of water for cooling their servers. These facilities require constant temperature regulation to prevent overheating, and that cooling comes at a steep environmental cost. The scale of consumption continues growing as AI workloads demand more […]
Amid the worst regional drought the Western U.S. has seen in 1,200 years, and in a year where Rocky Mountain snowpack levels also hit record lows, the Colorado River system is now barely over one-third of its total hydrological capacity, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. As a result, water levels at Lake Mead […]
The Bureau of Reclamation plans to release about $35 million to Utah from the Inflation Reduction Act for drought mitigation projects in the Colorado River Basin, said Amy Haas, director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah. That’s just a portion of the $90 million that the Biden administration awarded to Utah for 11 projects, […]
Can AI Help Predict and Manage Drought?
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Sierra Stewart /UC Mercedby Patty GuerraAfter a couple of years of sufficient water, much of California is showing “abnormally dry” conditions in spring 2026, according to the state drought monitor. And as climate change adds more swings between wet and dry conditions, researchers are working on ways to better identify, predict and manage drought.
California Lawmakers Move To Pull Back Curtain on AI Data Centers Amid Strain on Power and Water
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Sierra Stewart /Imperial Valley Press SacramentoAs the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence drives an unprecedented boom in data center construction across California, a bipartisan push for tighter industry oversight is gaining traction in the state capitol. Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio) cast his vote this week in favor of a sweeping package of legislation designed to pull back the curtain on […]
Supreme Court Settles Long-Running Water Dispute Over Dwindling Rio Grande
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Sierra Stewart /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Susan Montoya BryanThe U.S. Supreme Court has approved a settlement package designed to rein in groundwater pumping along one of North America’s longest rivers and ensure enough water reliably makes it from New Mexico to Texas, ending a long-running dispute over management of the Rio Grande. In a brief order Tuesday, the court accepted the recommendation of a special […]
The Great Water Heist: How AI Data Centers are Draining the Heartland
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Sierra Stewart /Yahoo Newsby Alex BarrientosAmerican data centers collectively consume unprecedented amounts of water, with AI driving exponential demand growth. Data centers across the United States consume massive quantities of water for cooling their servers. These facilities require constant temperature regulation to prevent overheating, and that cooling comes at a steep environmental cost. The scale of consumption continues growing as AI workloads demand more […]
Southern Nevada Confronts a Challenging Future After Water Cuts Further Deplete Lake Mead
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Sierra Stewart /Las Vegas Weekly by Tyler SchneiderAmid the worst regional drought the Western U.S. has seen in 1,200 years, and in a year where Rocky Mountain snowpack levels also hit record lows, the Colorado River system is now barely over one-third of its total hydrological capacity, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. As a result, water levels at Lake Mead […]
Utah To Receive $35M From Feds for Colorado River Projects
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Sierra Stewart /The Times-Independent Utahby Brooke LarsenThe Bureau of Reclamation plans to release about $35 million to Utah from the Inflation Reduction Act for drought mitigation projects in the Colorado River Basin, said Amy Haas, director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah. That’s just a portion of the $90 million that the Biden administration awarded to Utah for 11 projects, […]