WaterWired

GAO Report: 'Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Plan: Improved Communication and Adaptive Management Strategy Could Help Address Stakeholder Concerns'

Just published on 23 July 2020: 'Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Plan: Improved Communication and Adaptive Management Strategy Could Help Address Stakeholder Concerns'.

Download USGAO_Highlights_StLawrence_23July2020

Download USGAO_Full_StLawrence_23July2020

Here we go:

Fast Facts
The Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River waterway supports multiple users in the U.S. and Canada that live, visit, or conduct business in the region. Representatives of both countries serve on a commission that implements Plan 2014, which governs water releases from the lake into the river.

We found that the commission doesn't effectively evaluate its efforts to communicate with stakeholders about these water releases. It also hasn't developed a comprehensive plan to assess and improve Plan 2014.

We recommended that U.S. commissioners work with their Canadian counterparts to develop more robust plans for communicating and for assessing Plan 2014.

Examples of Users of the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Waterway

Highlights

What GAO Found
The International Joint Commission's (IJC) process for developing and selecting the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Plan 2014 (Plan 2014) was generally consistent with relevant essential elements of risk-informed decision-making. During the 18-year process, IJC took steps to define objectives and performance measures to be used in its decision-making, identify various options, assess uncertainties like climate change, and engage with stakeholders, among other steps. These steps are all essential elements of risk-informed decision making.

Plan 2014 Affects Various Users of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Including (from Left to Right) Commercial Navigation, Coastal Development, and Recreational Boating, Including Marinas

IJC uses two mechanisms—a communications committee and a strategic communication plan—and a variety of methods—such as its website, social media, and public meetings—to communicate with stakeholders about its implementation of Plan 2014. Nevertheless, 12 of the 14 stakeholders GAO interviewed expressed concerns about IJC's communication. GAO found that IJC's strategic communication plan and related documents partially align with best practices. For example, the communication plan and related documents do not comprehensively identify target audiences or include mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the effectivness of their communication efforts. Updating its strategic communication plan to align with best practices and principles for risk communication could help IJC ensure improved stakeholder communication.

Of the 14 stakeholders interviewed, nine expressed concerns about the rules and criteria in Plan 2014 and 10 expressed concerns about its implementation. For example, seven stakeholders told us that they do not believe that the Plan allows IJC to act proactively in anticipation of future water conditions. IJC has taken initial steps to develop an adaptive management process that may help address stakeholder concerns and approved a long-term adaptive management strategy in March 2020. However, the document does not fully incorporate the key elements and essential characteristics of an adaptive management process that could help IJC transparently and effectively assess Plan 2014 and adjust future actions to achieve the plan's objectives. For example, the Plan does not fully incorporate a communication strategy for engaging stakeholders throughout the process or information on how IJC will determine if adjustments to the Plan's rules and criteria are warranted.

Why GAO Did This Study
Water releases from Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River are determined by a set of regulatory rules and criteria called Plan 2014—issued pursuant to IJC's Supplementary Order of Approval and the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. The IJC—a binational commission—developed and issued the Plan and Order with the concurrence of the United States and Canada. The rules affect a variety of users of the waterway, including ecosystems, hydropower, and municipal and industrial water use.

After flooding from the lake and river in 2017, GAO was asked to examine the process IJC used to develop and evaluate Plan 2014 and how IJC has addressed stakeholder concerns. This report examines (1) the extent to which IJC's process to develop and select Plan 2014 was consistent with essential elements of risk-informed decision-making, (2) actions IJC has taken to communicate with stakeholders about its implementation of Plan 2014 and stakeholder concerns regarding IJC's communication, and (3) stakeholder concerns about Plan 2014 and the extent to which IJC has developed a process to assess and adjust Plan 2014. GAO reviewed Plan 2014 and other IJC documents, interviewed IJC and federal officials and a nongeneralizable sample of 14 stakeholders, selected for a variety of user interests and stakeholder types.

What GAO Recommends
GAO is making three recommendations, including that the U.S. Section of the IJC work with its Canadian counterpart to ensure that the communication plan aligns with best practices and the adaptive management strategy fully incorporates key elements. IJC agreed with our recommendations.

For more information, contact J. Alfredo Gómez at (202) 512-3841 or gomezj@gao.gov.

Enjoy, eh?

Thanks to Tim Smith for sending this my way.

"Nature abhors a moron." -- H.L. Mencken

CRS Insight Report: 'The Nile Dam Dispute - Issues for Congress'

CRS staffers Lauren Ploch Blanchard and Jeremy M. Sharp wrote this 3-page Insight report (27 July 2020): 'The Nile Dam Dispute - Issues for Congress'.

The online version of this brief report has a number of hot links, These may not be preserved in the PDF copy (below). You can access the online version by clicking on the emboldened title above.

I was pleasantly surprised to see CRS tackle this international issue. Such issues are frequently addressed, but reports on international water issues are less frequent. The Nile issue transcends water and energy and involves conflict among US allies, regional stability, national pride and a host of other items. Blanchard and Sharp do a fine job in just three pages.    

The map shown below is from the BBC. The CRS map, from the New York Times, did not display well.

Download CRS_Insight_Nile_Dam_Dispute_Congress_27July2020

From the report...

Overview
A long-running dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan over the waters of the Nile flared in 2020, as Ethiopia moves toward completion of Africa’s largest hydroelectric power project, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The domestic stakes are high for both Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who seeks to guide Ethiopia through a fragile political transition, and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi, who seeks to preserve Egypt’s share of the Nile amidst population growth, pollution, and rising sea levels. Efforts to resolve the conflict, including by the United States, have yet to result in a final agreement. Alongside the potential for the dispute to escalate, failure to reach an accord could set a negative precedent for transboundary water cooperation at a time of growing global concern over climate change, demographic growth, and resource scarcity.

Current Status
In April, Prime Minister Abiy proposed an interim deal for the first two years of filling, and reiterated Ethiopia’s intention to begin filling during the rainy season in July, with or without a deal. Egypt, arguing that would be a breach of Ethiopia’s international legal obligations, sought U.N. Security Council intervention, insisting on a final deal before filling commenced. The U.S. National Security Council expressed its position on Twitter: “257 million people in east #Africa are relying on #Ethiopia to show strong leadership, which means striking a fair deal. Technical issues have been resolved – time to get the GERD deal done before filling it with Nile River water!” 

Days before a June 22 U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue, African Union (AU) officials proposed to facilitate a new round of talks. Many Security Council members welcomed the AU intervention, which the parties accepted and the International Crisis Group called a “window of opportunity.”

Tensions subsequently increased when, amidst the talks, satellite imagery showed the reservoir’s volume increasing. Ethiopian officials explained that heavy rains had created “natural pooling,” which experts say was expected at this stage of construction. Egypt’s foreign minister warned that if the stalemate continued, Egypt would again appeal to the Security Council. A July 21 meeting among the countries’ leaders appears to have resulted in a breakthrough, though, with the parties agreeing to extend the AU-led talks. This defused the standoff over the initial stage of filling, which Abiy announced had been achieved the following day. He suggests the GERD will reach full power generating capacity in 2023.

The GERD dispute has raised several issues for Congress, including whether the Administration inflamed regional tensions by appearing to intervene on Egypt’s behalf. The Congressional Black Caucus has urged impartiality in the dispute between Africa’s second- and third-most populous countries. Several Members have expressed the position that it is in the U.S. interest for the parties to reach an equitable deal; some have cautioned against the United States “playing favorites.” Some have raised concern with reports that the Administration may be reviewing some U.S. aid to Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s perception that the United States has overstepped could have implications for the bilateral relationship.

The GERD dispute may be a harbinger of other rising transboundary tensions over shared natural resources. According to the National Intelligence Council, “Nearly half of the world’s 263 international river basins lack cooperative management agreements.” As lawmakers consider options to encourage cooperation over competition, Congress may consider how foreign policy tools such as aid, trade, investment, and technical assistance could be employed to foster more efficient water use and cooperative water-sharing worldwide.

The number of transnational river basins is pushing 300 and the number of transnational aquifers is approaching 600. And don't forget transboundary river and groundwater basins that cross jurisdictional but not international boundaries.   

Plenty of CRS reports out there.

Enjoy!

"There are two things which cannot be taken out of water: one is salt and the other is politics." – J. Turley

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 25 - 31 July 2020

Great deal from AGU - free download! @AGU_Eos Volume 101, No. 8 - August 2020: 'The Data Problem' Go here: https://bit.ly/2D7u8qRor download below:

Download EOS_AUG20

***************************************************

The links below represent the week's water news as represented by my Tweets. I do not pretend that this survey is a comprehensive survey of the water news; it's my attempt to keep my readers informed to the best of my ability and available time.

Scroll down to 'Positions Open' and 'Previous Weeks' Positions Open' to see the jobs. All my individual job Tweets are archived at #JobWaWi. Previous weekly summaries are archived at:  #WaWiNews or click here.

Coronavirus and COVID-19
From @CASTagScience 'Friday Notes' - 31 July 2020. Research in the Pandemic Era and More! https://conta.cc/3jWfmUp

It's @Nature Briefing - 31 July 2020. Today we ponder the bizarre mating behaviour of anglerfish, catch up with efforts to produce a #coronavirus vaccine and find out why skin grows bigger as you stretch it. https://bit.ly/2EEW9Xh

It's @nature Briefing - 30 July 2020. Today we celebrate the successful launch of @NASA’s Perseverance rover, discover the source of Stonehenge’s sarsen stones and explore how #coronavirus hotspots are spreading across the United States. https://bit.ly/31hnDKj

In @USATODAY Climate Point - 31 July 2020. Saving the Amazon and sourcing clean water for Navajo Nation - More! https://bit.ly/39HgCpR #SWUSwater #globalwater

It's @nature Briefing - 29 July 2020. Today we welcome some 100-million-year-old microbes back to life, investigate how much deep cleaning really helps to stop the #coronavirus spreading, and check out Pluto’s dark side. https://bit.ly/3jLPoTD

It's @nature Briefing - 28 July 2020. Today we meet the artificial-intelligence system that can recognize individual birds, catch up on the latest #coronavirus research and look back at space missions that have brought extraterrestrial material to Earth https://bit.ly/39xrNBo

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Mgmt - 27 July 2020 https://bit.ly/3eZQfMM

It's @nature Briefing - 27 July 2020. Today we learn that Earth’s atmosphere rings like a giant bell, hear from South Africa’s top #coronavirus adviser and delve into the origin of language. https://bit.ly/3g6cH8m

From @AWRAHQ: Water Resources IMPACT Special Issue: 'Water Resources In The Time of #COVID19' (free) edited by @LISABEUTLER https://bit.ly/330R4Tn

In @nytimes: With #COVID19, a Seismic Quiet Like No Other https://nyti.ms/39uwjQT (tnx @ScottKing56)

From @AP via@gtnews: Photos: #HurricaneHanna hits virus-weary Texas, floods expected https://bit.ly/30M1vY6 #txwater #globalwater #coronavirus #COVID19

“Not everyone agrees with wearing a mask, but then again, not everyone agrees with a loved one getting sick and dying either. So face up to wearing a mask and just maybe by doing that, you have saved someone's loved one. Maybe even your own.”-Anthony Hincks #COVID19 #coronavirus

Top Twenty-Five (More or Less)
From @AGU_Eos: Accessibility and Fieldwork in the Time of #Coronavirus https://bit.ly/3i75dCP

From @AGU_Eos Buzz Newsletter - 31 July 2020. The Latest Science News by@theAGU https://bit.ly/39I1Fng

In @BreakingNews_RS: @GavinNewsom asks @WarrenBuffett to back dam removal. https://bit.ly/2EAqW7r #cawater

NEW!!! @TexasPlusWater is out with results of a water infrastructure survey by @TX_WIN & @Water_Opinions plus the Outlook by @MaceatMeadows, the Q&A with @TSSWCB Executive Director Rex Isom & so much more: https://bit.ly/3fiODxU

From @WaterSourceMag: Report from @UNUniversity - A 3-D Lens on Water and Migration. https://bit.ly/3jVyTEp #globalwater

In @thelandnews Hydrating landscape key to the future https://bit.ly/3jSWvJP

The @USGAO Report: 'Climate Resilience - Actions Needed to Ensure DOD Considers Climate Risks to Contractors as Part of Acquisition,Supply,and Risk Assessment'

Thursday Trifecta! CRS Reports: 'Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure' and Two More! https://bit.ly/2P69NEO

 

In @CC_Yale: Deliberate flooding of agricultural land could recharge Idaho groundwater. https://bit.ly/2XaI1vg #PNWater

 

In @washingtonpost: The Energy 202: Hunting and fishing groups urge Congress to work together on climate change https://wapo.st/2CZOWR4

 

In @EPAwater: The final rule to reduce lead in internal plumbing materials used in public water systems,homes, schools,etc. to prevent new sources of lead from being introduced into internal plumbing systems will help protect public health https://bit.ly/3hM7wec

 

Great article by Carol Collier, former Delaware River Basin Commission ED and @AWRAHQ Past President. From @AcadNatSci: How do you manage a river? https://bit.ly/334gSh6

 

In @RuralWaterNet: Happy 10th anniversary - human rights to water & sanitation! https://bit.ly/2D9EhTA #globalwater

 

Film by@UPGroResearch: 'Unlocking Africa's Groundwater Potential' https://bitly.is/39yAco2 (tnx @RuralWaterNet)

 

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Mgmt - 27 July 2020 https://bit.ly/3eZQfMM

 

From @AWRAHQ: Water Resources IMPACT Special Issue: 'Water Resources In The Time of #COVID19' (free) edited by @LISABEUTLER https://bit.ly/330R4Tn

 

The @BCWaterNews: Top Water Stories, 20 - 24 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30StBkk

 

In @nytimes: With #COVID19, a Seismic Quiet Like No Other https://nyti.ms/39uwjQT (tnx @ScottKing56)

 

In @latimes: Trump administration clears way for Alaska's Pebble Mine, despite fears it could imperil salmon fishery. https://lat.ms/32V0zDu

 

From @WLRN: @CityofMiami Proposal For Fighting Climate Change Rattles Environmentalists https://bit.ly/3hzibsz #FLwater

 

Water, Volume 12, Issue 7 (July 2020): Hydrology and Hydraulics, Governance and Management, Urban Water, Wastewater & More! - 232 Papers! https://bit.ly/2OTOfuP

 

Free download! @AGU_Eos Volume 101, No. 8 - August 2020: 'The Data Problem' https://bit.ly/2D7u8qR

 

On the 'The Stream' with @WillSarni & Tom Freyberg: Smarter agricultural water trading with @RichaelYoung, CEO of Mammoth Water https://youtu.be/BpSS59VdJKE

 

From @GRAofCalifornia: Third Annual Western Groundwater Congress 14-17 September 2020, 8:30 - 5 PM. Registration open and draft agenda available! https://bit.ly/33fPVao

 

In @Water_MDPI: 'Socio-Hydrology: A New Understanding to Unite or a New Science to Divide?' by @KavehMadani and Majid Shafiee-Jood https://bit.ly/2BObH9X

 

Books and Reviews
New book by Philine Wehling: 'Nile Water Rights - An International Law Perspective' http://bit.ly/3gVo5UD

Bottled Water, Beer, Drinking Water/TapWater
In @EPAwater: The final rule to reduce lead in internal plumbing materials used in public water systems,homes, schools,etc. to prevent new sources of lead from being introduced into internal plumbing systems will help protect public health https://bit.ly/3hM7wec

Bullshit and Crap Detection
In @latimes: Trump administration clears way for Alaska's Pebble Mine, despite fears it could imperil salmon fishery. https://lat.ms/32V0zDu

California
In @BreakingNews_RS: @GavinNewsom asks @WarrenBuffett to back dam removal. https://bit.ly/2EAqW7r #cawater

Lois Henry of @SJVWater in @Bakersfieldcali: Valley farmers look to mountain stream to replenish groundwater https://bit.ly/33dP0HJ

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 27 July. 1963: Death of Garrett A. Morgan; 1976: Legionnaires' Disease in Philadelphia; 1905: Consideration of Owens Valley Water Supply for Los Angeles https://bit.ly/3hJY37k #TDIWH

From @GRAofCalifornia: Third Annual Western Groundwater Congress 14-17 September 2020, 8:30 - 5 PM. Registration open and draft agenda available! https://bit.ly/33fPVao

Canada
From @CanadianWater 'The Droplet' Newsletter - 27 July 2020. Watershed Management | Water Safety | Agricultural Water Management | More! https://bit.ly/305MYHr

In @globalnews: La Ronge Dam at risk of failing: Saskatchewan Water Security Agency https://wtrpr.tl/3hXbelr

Climate, Climate Change, and Meteorology
In @USATODAY Climate Point - 31 July 2020. Saving the Amazon and sourcing clean water for Navajo Nation - More! https://bit.ly/39HgCpR #SWUSwater #globalwater

In @thelandnews Hydrating landscape key to the future https://bit.ly/3jSWvJP

From @WLRN: @CityofMiami Proposal For Fighting Climate Change Rattles Environmentalists https://bit.ly/3hzibsz #FLwater

In @washingtonpost: The Energy 202: Hunting and fishing groups urge Congress to work together on climate change https://wapo.st/2CZOWR4

Conferences,Webinars, Workshops and Calls for Abstracts/Paper
From @ngwatweets: 2020 Groundwater Summit will be virtual - 8-10 December. Visit: https://bit.ly/3jkAeEu

From @AWRAHQ: 2020 Virtual Geospatial Water Technology Conference: Complex Systems 4 - 13 August https://bit.ly/2UBeV79

Free conference via @michiganstateu: 'Engagement with Science: Defining and Measuring Success' Online in-depth discussions 4 & 5, 11 & 12 September. https://bit.ly/3fNE1bo

New deadline! From @iwra_water: 'Addressing Groundwater Resilience under Climate Change' online conference, 29-30 October 2020. Abstracts due: 31 July https://bit.ly/38CQCuY

AWRA's Workshop Series on 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion' by @joegerstandt Pt. 2: 29 July 1-2 PM ET: 'Inclusive Leadership'. Free for @AWRAHQ members; Non-members = $99 https://bit.ly/31TXlzx

From @GRAofCalifornia: Third Annual Western Groundwater Congress 14-17 September 2020, 8:30 - 5 PM. Registration open and draft agenda available! https://bit.ly/33fPVao

Conflict, Cooperation, and Security
From @WaterSourceMag: Report from @UNUniversity - A 3-D Lens on Water and Migration. https://bit.ly/3jVyTEp #globalwater

Disasters: Droughts, Floods, Wildfires and More
From @AP via@gtnews: Photos: #HurricaneHanna hits virus-weary Texas, floods expected https://bit.ly/30M1vY6 #txwater 

From @nytimes: New Data Reveals Hidden Flood Risk Across America. https://lnkd.in/gZrGa3p

In @globalnews: La Ronge Dam at risk of failing: Saskatchewan Water Security Agency https://wtrpr.tl/3hXbelr

Daily Water Newsletters
California Water Daily
The Caifornia Water Daily - 31 July 2020 https://bit.ly/33cLq0k #cawater

The California Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3hVu1NF #cawater

The California Water Daily - 29 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3fbdRht #cawater

The California Water Daily - 28 July2020. https://bit.ly/333Zvgn #cawater

The California Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30R4ui2 #cawater

The California Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/301nvyY #cawater

The California Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/337ixmr #cawater

Colorado Water Daily
The Colorado Water Daily - 31 July 2020 https://bit.ly/313gqNL #cowater

The Colorado Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30fKab3 #cowater

 

The Colorado Water Daily - 29 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3gaAFiF #cowater

 

The Colorado Water Daily - 28 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2P9i4HP #cowater

 

The Colorado Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3gky1XL #cowater

 

The Colorado Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/303CTLo #cowater

 

The Colorado Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2ZZ0igF #cowater

 

Florida Water Daily
The Florida Water Daily - 31 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2PcwiI7 #FLwater

The Florida Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3jXRAqY #FLwater

The Florida Water Daily - 29 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2P5jvHB #FLwater

The Florida Water Daily - 28 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2X5DkCN #FLwater 

The Florida Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2X0qGVw #FLwater

The Florida Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3jOuvav #FLwater

The Florida Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30QKmN3 #FLwater

Northeast US Water Daily
The Northeast US Water Daily - 31 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2Xgepwv

The Northeast US Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2EAjxoM #NEWater

The Northeast US Water Daily - 29 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3134uvc #NEWater

The Northeast US Water Daily - 28 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30TMvHI #NEWater

The Northeast US Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/39yBvDr #NEWater

The Northeast US Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/39sYaks #NEWater

The Northeast US Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2BvvlYh #NEWater

Pacific Northwest Water Daily
The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 31 July 2020. https://bit.ly/33dRMwA #PNWater

The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3hQch6p #PNWater

The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 29 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3g9zJva #PNWater

The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 28 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2CVm2S3 #PNWater

The Eugene Water Weekly - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3g7p5ou #EUGwater #PNWater

The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3f7cWPh #PNWater

The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3g5EB4u #PNWater

The Pacific Northwest Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/301ftGl #PNWater

Southwest US Water Daily
The Southwest US Water Daily - 31 July 2020. https://bit.ly/318uDZx #SWUSwater

The Southwest US Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2BIZwvb #SWUSwater

The Southwest US Water Daily - 29 July 2020 https://bit.ly/2EwyAzP #SWUSwater

The Southwest US Water Daily - 28 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30TM1Bo #SWUSwater

The Southwest US Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3jJObvQ #SWUSwater

The Southwest US Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2CP107E #SWUSwater

The Southwest US Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2WQlNhZ #SWUSwater

Texas Water Daily
The Texas Water Daily - 31 July 2020. #txwater cc: @TxWRI https://bit.ly/2XfoFoM

The Texas Water Daily - 30 July 2020. https://bit.ly/33bRvtY #txwater

The Texas Water Daily - 29 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2D0EwR1 #txwater

The Texas WaterDaily - 28 July 2020. https://bit.ly/332L8cv #txwater

The Texas Water Daily - 27 July 2020. https://bit.ly/3hHvbfL #txwater

The Texas Water Daily - 26 July 2020. https://bit.ly/300ZZCh #txwater

The Texas Water Daily - 25 July 2020. https://bit.ly/39uOHZT #txwater

Education, Events, and Opportunities
From @OSUCEOAS 'On the Horizon' Newsletter - 31 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2D81gi3

From @AGU_Eos: Accessibility and Fieldwork in the Time of #Coronavirus https://bit.ly/3i75dCP

 

In @RuralWaterNet: Happy 10th anniversary - human rights to water & sanitation! https://bit.ly/2D9EhTA #globalwater

 

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 31 July. 1859: Birth of Theobald Smith https://bit.ly/33bnn1S #TDIWH

 

From @CaptDocMike
This Day in Water History - 30 July. 2018: Wooden Water Pipes in Edinburgh; 1982: Surgeon General Koop discusses fluoride; 1894: Jersey City’s Contaminated Water Supply https://bit.ly/2XbKEwQ #TDIWH

 

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 29 July. 1911: Common Cup Observations on New Jersey Trains. https://bit.ly/2P5URX9 #TDIWH

 

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 28 July. 1909: Stream Pollution in America https://bit.ly/3g7riQN #TDIWH

 

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 27 July. 1963: Death of Garrett A. Morgan; 1976: Legionnaires' Disease in Philadelphia; 1905: Consideration of Owens Valley Water Supply for Los Angeles https://bit.ly/3hJY37k #TDIWH

 

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 26 July. 1930: Allen Hazen Dies. https://bit.ly/3jGgJ9v #TDIWH

 

From @CaptDocMike This Day in Water History - 25 July. 1698: Thomas Savery Gets Patent for Steam Pump; 1799: Birth of James Simpson https://bit.ly/32UchhJ #TDIWH

E-Newsletters and E-Newspapers
From @CASTagScience 'Friday Notes' - 31 July 2020. Research in the Pandemic Era and More! https://conta.cc/3jWfmUp

The@BCWaterNews: Top Water Stories, 20 - 24 July 2020. https://bit.ly/30StBkk

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Mgmt - 27 July 2020 https://bit.ly/3eZQfMM

From @CanadianWater 'The Droplet' Newsletter - 27 July 2020. Watershed Management | Water Safety | Agricultural Water Management | More! https://bit.ly/305MYHr

In @USATODAY Climate Point - 31 July 2020. Saving the Amazon and sourcing clean water for Navajo Nation - More! https://bit.ly/39HgCpR #SWUSwater #globalwater

From @OSUCEOAS 'On the Horizon' Newsletter - 31 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2D81gi3

From @AGU_Eos Buzz Newsletter - 31 July 2020. The Latest Science News by@theAGU https://bit.ly/39I1Fng

The @WaterNetwork1 Newsletter-31 July 2020. Essential Industry Trending Technology~Editor's Choice~Articles & Knowledge Exchange~Featured Jobs~Online Course~Events~More https://bit.ly/3ghE537

NEW!!! @TexasPlusWater is out with results of a water infrastructure survey by @TX_WIN & @Water_Opinions plus the Outlook by @MaceatMeadows, the Q&A with @TSSWCB Executive Director Rex Isom & so much more: https://bit.ly/3fiODxU

It's @Nature Briefing - 31 July 2020. Today we ponder the bizarre mating behaviour of anglerfish, catch up with efforts to produce a #coronavirus vaccine and find out why skin grows bigger as you stretch it. https://bit.ly/2EEW9Xh

It's @nature Briefing - 30 July 2020. Today we celebrate the successful launch of @NASA’s Perseverance rover, discover the source of Stonehenge’s sarsen stones and explore how #coronavirus hotspots are spreading across the United States. https://bit.ly/31hnDKj

It's @nature Briefing - 29 July 2020. Today we welcome some 100-million-year-old microbes back to life, investigate how much deep cleaning really helps to stop the #coronavirus spreading, and check out Pluto’s dark side. https://bit.ly/3jLPoTD

It's @nature Briefing - 28 July 2020. Today we meet the artificial-intelligence system that can recognize individual birds, catch up on the latest #coronavirus research and look back at space missions that have brought extraterrestrial material to Earth https://bit.ly/39xrNBo

It's @nature Briefing - 27 July 2020. Today we learn that Earth’s atmosphere rings like a giant bell, hear from South Africa’s top #coronavirus adviser and delve into the origin of language. https://bit.ly/3g6cH8m

Ethics, Gender, Indigenous People, Rights
In @USATODAY Climate Point - 31 July 2020. Saving the Amazon and sourcing clean water for Navajo Nation - More! https://bit.ly/39HgCpR #SWUSwater #globalwater

In @RuralWaterNet: Happy 10th anniversary - human rights to water & sanitation! https://bit.ly/2D9EhTA #globalwater

Florida  #FLwater
From @WLRN: @CityofMiami Proposal For Fighting Climate Change Rattles Environmentalists https://bit.ly/3hzibsz #FLwater

Global Water  #globalwater
In @USATODAY Climate Point - 31 July 2020. Saving the Amazon and sourcing clean water for Navajo Nation - More! https://bit.ly/39HgCpR #SWUSwater #globalwater

From @WaterSourceMag: Report from @UNUniversity - A 3-D Lens on Water and Migration. https://bit.ly/3jVyTEp #globalwater

New deadline! From @iwra_water: 'Addressing Groundwater Resilience under Climate Change' online conference, 29-30 October 2020. Abstracts due: 31 July https://bit.ly/38CQCuY

In @RuralWaterNet: Happy 10th anniversary - human rights to water & sanitation! https://bit.ly/2D9EhTA #globalwater

Film by@UPGroResearch: 'Unlocking Africa's Groundwater Potential' https://bitly.is/39yAco2 (tnx @RuralWaterNet)

In @Water_MDPI: 'Socio-Hydrology: A New Understanding to Unite or a New Science to Divide?' by @KavehMadani and Majid Shafiee-Jood https://bit.ly/2BObH9X

On the 'The Stream' with @WillSarni & Tom Freyberg: Smarter agricultural water trading with @RichaelYoung, CEO of Mammoth Water https://youtu.be/BpSS59VdJKE

Groundwater and Hydrogeology
Lois Henry of @SJVWater in @Bakersfieldcali: Valley farmers look to mountain stream to replenish groundwater https://bit.ly/33dP0HJ

In @CC_Yale: Deliberate flooding of agricultural land could recharge Idaho groundwater. https://bit.ly/2XaI1vg #PNWater

From @ngwatweets: 2020 Groundwater Summit will be virtual - 8-10 December. Visit: https://bit.ly/3jkAeEu

New deadline! From @iwra_water: 'Addressing Groundwater Resilience under Climate Change' online conference, 29-30 October 2020. Abstracts due: 31 July https://bit.ly/38CQCuY

Film by@UPGroResearch: 'Unlocking Africa's Groundwater Potential' https://bitly.is/39yAco2 (tnx @RuralWaterNet)

From @Hatarilabs: Are hydrogeologist - numerical modelers limited without programming? https://bit.ly/302jjPr

From @GRAofCalifornia: Third Annual Western Groundwater Congress 14-17 September 2020, 8:30 - 5 PM. Registration open and draft agenda available! https://bit.ly/33fPVao

Hydrofracking, Shale Gas, and Energy
In @CSTribune via @MtnWestNews: Major Wyoming shale producer @Chesapeake Energy files for bankruptcy. https://bit.ly/3gghqDX

NE Water #NEWater
Great article by Carol Collier, former Delaware River Basin Commission ED and @AWRAHQ Past President. From @AcadNatSci: How do you manage a river? https://bit.ly/334gSh6

PA @GovernorTomWolf Announces $66 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure Projects in Nine Counties https://bit.ly/301gbmO #NEWater

Personal, People, Interviews, and Quotes
"I want to see young people in America feel the spirit of the 1960s and find a way to get in the way. To find a way to get in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble." - Rep. John R. Lewis

“Not everyone agrees with wearing a mask, but then again, not everyone agrees with a loved one getting sick and dying either. So face up to wearing a mask and just maybe by doing that, you have saved someone's loved one. Maybe even your own.”-Anthony Hincks #COVID19 #coronavirus

"Democracy means the belief that humanistic culture should prevail." - John Dewey, 1939 (tnx @JayLund113)

"Unearned suffering is redemptive." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Big data is like teenage sex: everybody talks about it, nobody really knows how to do it, everyone thinks everyone else is doing it, so everyone claims they are doing it." - Dan Ariely

"Kill them all; the Lord will know his own." - Arnauld-Amalric, 1209, Abbot of Citeaux, when his soldiers asked how they could distinguish heretics from Christians.

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illuseon of knowledge." - Daniel J. Boorstin (quoted in @goodreads via @TheWeek)

"To err is human - but it feels divine." - Mae West (quoted in  @Forbes via @TheWeek)

PNW Water
In @CC_Yale: Deliberate flooding of agricultural land could recharge Idaho groundwater. https://bit.ly/2XaI1vg #PNWater

In @sfchronicle: Klamath water arrives, saving 50,000 ducklings from certain death https://bit.ly/2EnvIFv #cawater #PNWater

Policy, Planning, Law, Governance, Economics, IWRM, and Management
Great article by Carol Collier, former Delaware River Basin Commission ED and @AWRAHQ Past President. From @AcadNatSci: How do you manage a river? https://bit.ly/334gSh6

On the 'The Stream' with @WillSarni & Tom Freyberg: Smarter agricultural water trading with @RichaelYoung, CEO of Mammoth Water https://youtu.be/BpSS59VdJKE

Positions Open  #JobWaWi
Josh's Water Jobs and More! 28 July 2020 https://bit.ly/30WFPs9

Check out jobs @ @OregonState's Water Resources Graduate Program https://oregonstate.edu/gradwater/jobs #JobWaWi

Check out @WaterDistJobs! https://waterdistrictjobs.com  #JobWaWi

For the latest @TVAjobs Employment opportunities visit https://tva.me/4mRN6k  #JobWaWi

Amazing resource! Follow @joshswaterjobs and visit his website: https://www.joshswaterjobs.com  #JobWaWi

Check out @FLWaterDaily #FLwater jobs! https://tinyurl.com/jpffgoh  #JobWaWi

Positions: @CA_DWR - Various locations and types: enviro science, geology, engineering, restoration, etc.https://bit.ly/1XaG4sw  #JobWaWi

Positions: @SeaGrant - Various positions across the USA. Updated regularly. https://1.usa.gov/1SYL5RQ  #JobWaWi

 @BCWaterNews Jobs Click 'View Jobs' at https://bcwaterjobs.com 

@EcologyWA - Current Openings - Updated every few days https://1.usa.gov/1evxlPd

Current Positions: @NYCDEP (New York City & environs) - Various. https://tinyurl.com/zoq6jqc

Positions (many): @nature_org - Various locations and duties. https://jobs.nature.org/jobs/  #JobWaWi

Previous Weeks' Positions Open    #JobWaWi
Josh's Water Jobs and More! 14 July 2020 https://bit.ly/3h2QsA3

Josh's Water Jobs and More! 7 July 2020 https://bit.ly/2VWk3n0

Josh's Water Jobs and More! 30 June 2020 https://bit.ly/3ge7zhY

Previous Weekly Water Summaries - Go To #WaWiNews
TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 25 - 31 July 2020 https://bit.ly/2DlMbcA

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 11 - 17 July 2020 https://bit.ly/2COz1o1

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 4 - 10 July 2020 https://bit.ly/2W7v3Oe

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 27 June - 3 July 2020. https://bit.ly/2VLdB1V

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 20 - 26 June 2020. https://bit.ly/2NBSlak

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 13 - 19 June 2020 https://bit.ly/3eqGdFa

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 6 - 12 June 2020 https://bit.ly/2zxYSQ8

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 30 May-5 June 2020 https://bit.ly/2Bw3kPM

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 23 - 29 May 2020 https://bit.ly/2yOTkQS

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 16 - 22 May 2020 https://bit.ly/2LSgZms

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 9 - 15 May 2020 https://bit.ly/2ZaaqTU

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 2 - 8 May 2020 https://bit.ly/3dqXMDY

TGIF! Weekly Water News Summary 25 April - 1 May 2020 https://bit.ly/2Wi9JF1

Reports, Publications, and Journals
Thursday Trifecta! CRS Reports: 'Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure' and Two More! https://bit.ly/2P69NEO

In @Water_MDPI: 'Socio-Hydrology: A New Understanding to Unite or a New Science to Divide?' by @KavehMadani and Majid Shafiee-Jood https://bit.ly/2BObH9X

From @AWRAHQ: Water Resources IMPACT Special Issue: 'Water Resources In The Time of #COVID19' (free) edited by @LISABEUTLER https://bit.ly/330R4Tn

Free download! @AGU_Eos Volume 101, No. 8 - August 2020: 'The Data Problem' https://bit.ly/2D7u8qR

Water, Volume 12, Issue 7 (July 2020): Hydrology and Hydraulics, Governance and Management, Urban Water, Wastewater & More! - 232 Papers! https://bit.ly/2OTOfuP

Science, Medicine, Health, and Technology
From @AGU_Eos Buzz Newsletter - 31 July 2020. The Latest Science News by@theAGU https://bit.ly/39I1Fng

In @ScienceMagazine: From rocks to icebergs, the natural world tends to break into cubes. https://bit.ly/2X1K5W8

Free download! @AGU_Eos Volume 101, No. 8 - August 2020: 'The Data Problem' https://bit.ly/2D7u8qR

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Mgmt - 27 July 2020 https://bit.ly/3eZQfMM

In @WaterWorld: Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology releases new strategic plan. LIFT is a joint initiative of @WaterResearch and @WEForg. https://bit.ly/2Dcb6iU

Southwest Water   #SWUSwater
By @waltonwater in @circleofblue: Phoenix Tests Water Shutoff Alternative. https://bit.ly/3h5Dr91 #SWUSwater

By @MarkOlalde in @mydesert: Imperial Irrigation District seeks Salton Sea consideration in lawsuit over Colorado River water https://bit.ly/395Gcod

From @USATODAY (tnx@PhDRosarioSF): Arizona's border fence -- and taking groundwater from an iconic desert preserve to do so https://bit.ly/394RZTF #SWUSwater

Streams, Wetlands, Dams, Lakes, and Ecosystems
In @BreakingNews_RS: @GavinNewsom asks @WarrenBuffett to back dam removal. https://bit.ly/2EAqW7r #cawater

Great article by Carol Collier, former Delaware River Basin Commission ED and @AWRAHQ Past President. From @AcadNatSci: How do you manage a river? https://bit.ly/334gSh6

In @sfchronicle: Klamath water arrives, saving 50,000 ducklings from certain death https://bit.ly/2EnvIFv #cawater #PNWater

In @globalnews: La Ronge Dam at risk of failing: Saskatchewan Water Security Agency https://wtrpr.tl/3hXbelr

Texas   #txwater
NEW!!! @TexasPlusWater is out with results of a water infrastructure survey by @TX_WIN & @Water_Opinions plus the Outlook by @MaceatMeadows, the Q&A with @TSSWCB Executive Director Rex Isom & so much more: https://bit.ly/3fiODxU

From @AP via@gtnews: Photos: #HurricaneHanna hits virus-weary Texas, floods expected https://bit.ly/30M1vY6 #txwater

Visuals, Audios, Podcasts and Infographics
Film by@UPGroResearch: 'Unlocking Africa's Groundwater Potential' https://bitly.is/39yAco2 (tnx @RuralWaterNet)

On the 'The Stream' with @WillSarni & Tom Freyberg: Smarter agricultural water trading with @RichaelYoung, CEO of Mammoth Water https://youtu.be/BpSS59VdJKE

Water/Land Quality and Contamination
From @NPR via @BCWaterNews: President Trump announces overhaul of National Environmental Policy Act https://n.pr/2DMs7jT

In @clevelanddotcom Scientists predict moderate harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie this summer https://bit.ly/2CwH2Og #NEWater #cdnwater

Water Supply, Quantity, Reuse, Conservation, Infrastructure
Thursday Trifecta! CRS Reports: 'Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure' and Two More! https://bit.ly/2P69NEO

PA @GovernorTomWolf Announces $66 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure Projects in Nine Counties https://bit.ly/301gbmO #NEWater

WTF?
In @ScienceMagazine: From rocks to icebergs, the natural world tends to break into cubes. https://bit.ly/2X1K5W8

Via @NewYorker “The Far Side” Returns to a Weird World https://bit.ly/3f1s54F

"Big data is like teenage sex: everybody talks about it, nobody really knows how to do it, everyone thinks everyone else is doing it, so everyone claims they are doing it." - Dan Ariely

Thursday Trifecta! CRS Reports: 'Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure' and Two More!

From the pens of Jonathan L. Ramseur, Tadlock Cowan, Elena H. Humphreys, Julie M. Lawhorn, Anna E. Normand, Charles V. Stern and Megan Stubbs comes the CRS report (30 July 2020): Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure. 

1) Download CRS_Report_Fed_Projetcs_Pgms_Water_Infra_30July2020

From the report:

Summary

For decades, Congress has authorized and modified federal programs to help communities address water supply and water infrastructure needs, including both wastewater and drinking water. Departments and agencies that administer this assistance include the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Commerce’s EconomicDevelopment Administration (EDA).

These agencies administer these programs in multiple ways. In terms of funding mechanisms, projects developed or assisted by Reclamation and USACE are often funded through direct, individual project authorizations from Congress. In contrast, the other agencies administer programs with standing authorizations that establish eligibility criteria rather than identify specific projects. A key practical difference is that with the individual project authorizations, there is no predictable assistance or even guarantee of funding after a project is authorized, because funding must be secured each year in the congressional appropriations process. The programs, on the other hand, have generally received some level of annual appropriations and have set program criteria and processes by which eligible parties can seek funding.

In terms of scope and mission, the primary responsibilities of the federal agencies discussed in this report cover a wide range. For example, EPA’s authorities relate to protecting public health and the environment. The EDA and HUD focus on community and economic development. Likewise, the specific programs differ in several respects. Some are national in scope (those of USDA, EPA, and EDA, for example), while others are regionally focused (Reclamation’sprograms and projects). Some focus primarily on urban areas (HUD) and some on rural areas (USDA), and others do not distinguish based on community location or size (e.g., EPA, USACE, EDA).

Federal funding for these programs and projects varies greatly. Congressional funding for the water supply and wastewater and drinking water programs continue to compete with many other programs that are supported by discretionary spending. Stakeholders and others continue to call for increased appropriations for these programs. FY2020 appropriations highlights include the following:

•   $1.126 billion for capitalization grants to states under EPA’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program fordrinking water systems and $1.639 billion for EPA’s SRF program for wastewater projects;

•   $55 million for subsidy costs for the EPA-administered Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, allowing the agency to provide credit assistance for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, not to exceed $11.5 billion;

•   $443 million for grants and approximately $1.4 billion in loan authority for USDA’s rural water and wastedisposal program;

•   $3.425 billion for HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program (water and wastewater projects are among many eligible uses);

•   $100 million for USACE environmental infrastructure projects; and

•   $67 million for Reclamation’s Title XVI reclamation/recycling projects.

Check out Table 1 - it's too big to reproduce here. Great summary.

Here are some more relevant CRS reports, each short (two or three pages).

2) Download CRS_Insight_Water_Infrastructure_116th_Congress_28July2020

3) Download CRS_InFocus_WRDA_Primer_28July2020

Enjoy!

"I want to see young people in America feel the spirit of the 1960s and find a way to get in the way. To find a way to get in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble." - Rep. John R. Lewis

GAO Report: 'Climate Resilience - Actions Needed to Ensure DOD Considers Climate Risks to Contractors as Part of Acquisition, Supply, and Risk Assessment'

This latest GAO report involving climate: Climate Resilience: Actions Needed to Ensure DOD Considers Climate Risks to Contractors as Part of Acquisition, Supply, and Risk Assessment.

Download Highlights_GAO-20-511_25June2020

Download Full_Report_GAO-20-511_25June2020

Fast Facts

The Department of Defense relies on contracted goods and services to carry out missions. Since 2010, DOD has identified climate change as a threat to its operations and installations.

Climate effects can damage infrastructure—for example, flooding can damage roads or electrical infrastructure—in turn delaying critical goods like food or services like information technology. However, DOD hasn’t routinely assessed how climate change or extreme weather risks could affect its contractors and its access to goods and services.

We recommended, among other things, incorporating climate resilience into military acquisition and supply guidance.

Road washed out from flooding at Fort Irwin

What GAO Found

The Department of Defense (DOD) has not routinely assessed climate-related risks faced by its contractors as part of its acquisition and supply processes, through which DOD obtains contracted goods and services. DOD's acquisition process includes long-term planning activities such as life-cycle sustainment planning. Its supply chain process includes steps to identify and assess potential disruptions, such as severe storms affecting transportation or energy systems, in order to mitigate risk. However, these processes in general do not systematically identify and consider climate-related risks to materiel acquisition and supply or the acquisition of weapon systems, according to Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and military department officials. DOD's climate change adaptation directive indicates that OSD and the military departments should include climate considerations in acquisition and supply and integrate those considerations into relevant policy and guidance.

However, GAO's review of DOD and military department guidance on acquisition and supply found that the guidance did not implement DOD's climate change directive by including consideration of climate change or extreme weather. Until DOD and the military departments include these considerations in their guidance on acquisition and supply chain processes, they risk continuing to develop acquisition strategies and managing supply chains without building climate resilience into these processes and potentially jeopardizing their missions.

DOD guidance requires consideration of climate-related risks as part of the mission assurance process, when appropriate. However, GAO found that the department has not assessed risks—including those associated with climate change or extreme weather—to commercially owned facilities, which can support DOD installations as well as weapon systems, as part of this process. Assessing risks to commercial facilities has been a longstanding challenge for DOD, with the department noting in 2012 that it had paid inadequate attention to challenges outside of DOD-owned facilities and citing a limited understanding of supply chain risks as a pervasive problem. DOD's mission assurance guidance includes minimum requirements for assessments of certain non-DOD-owned facilities, such as completion of an all-hazards threat assessment. However, DOD officials stated that they had not conducted such assessments.

The officials noted that DOD is limited in its ability to conduct such assessments, as it does not have the same access to commercial facilities as it does to its own facilities. While DOD officials stated that they are exploring alternative ways of assessing risks to commercial facilities, they noted that these efforts are in the early stages. Without determining what approaches may be feasible for assessing risks to commercial facilities as part of the mission assurance process and issuing or updating guidance accordingly, DOD may not fully evaluate the risks to critical commercial facilities as part of the mission assurance process, leaving gaps in its knowledge of potential risks—to include climate and weather-related risks—to its ability to fulfill key missions dependent on such facilities.

Why GAO Did This Study

Since 2010, DOD has identified climate change as a threat to its operations and installations. The department relies on contracted goods and services for its mission and installations. Climate change is projected to have broad effects that could affect DOD's supply chains, and any associated risks to contractors can have an impact on DOD. One way DOD assesses risk to its missions is through mission assurance, which is a process to protect or ensure the function of capabilities and assets critical to its missions.

GAO was asked to review potential threats to national security from the effects of climate change on defense contractors. GAO examined the extent to which DOD assesses the potential effects on its operations from climate change and extreme weather risks faced by its contractors through the department's (1) acquisition and supply processes, and (2) mission assurance process. GAO reviewed DOD acquisition, supply, and mission assurance documents and interviewed relevant DOD officials and contractor representatives.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is making six recommendations, including that DOD incorporate climate adaptation into its acquisition and supply guidance and issue or update guidance on mission assurance-related assessments for commercial facilities. DOD concurred with three recommendations and partially concurred with three. GAO continues to believe that DOD should fully implement its recommendations.

For more information, contact Elizabeth A. Field at (202) 512-2775 or fielde1@gao.gov.

Enjoy!

"To err is human - but it feels divine." - Mae West (quoted in @Forbes via @TheWeek)