WaterWired

CRS Report: 'Agricultural Research - Background and Issues'

Ag research and water - what a combination! Genevieve K. Croft wrote the CRS report (24 September 2020): 'Agricultural Research - Background and Issues'

Click on the graphics to enlarge them. The graphics don't appear in the same location as they do in the report.

Download CRS_Report_Ag_Research_Background_Issues_24Sept2020

Overview
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Research, Education, and Economics(REE) mission area funds billions of dollars annually for biological, physical, and social science research that is related to agriculture, food, and natural resources. Four agencies carry out REE responsibilities: the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and the Economic Research Service (ERS). The Under Secretary for REE, who oversees the REE agencies, holds the title of USDA Chief Scientist and is responsible for coordinating research, education, and extension activities across the entire department. The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS)—a staff office within the Office of the Under Secretary for REE—supports this coordination role. Discretionary funding for the REE mission area totaled approximately $3.4 billion in FY2020, and mandatory funding from the 2018 farm bill adds another $177 million per year on average.

USDA administers federal funding to states and local partners through its extramural research agency: NIFA. NIFA administers this extramural funding through capacity grants (allocated to the states based on formulas in statute) and competitive grants (awarded based on a peer-review process). USDAalso conducts its own research at its intramural research agencies: ARS, NASS, and ERS.

Debates over the direction of public agricultural research and the nature of how it is funded continue. Ongoing issues include whether federal funding is sufficient to support agricultural research, education, and extension activities; the different roles of extramural versus intramural research; and the implications of allocating extramural funds via capacity grants versus competitive grants.

Many groups believe that Congress should increase support of U.S. agriculture through expanded federal support of research, education, and extension programs, whereas others believe that the private sector, not taxpayer dollars, should be used to support these activities.

Cutting to the chase:

Funding Agricultural Research: Looking Ahead
In a constrained budget environment, agriculture competes for federal funding against other federal priorities. Within the funding allocated for agriculture, agricultural research competes for funding against other agricultural programs, such as conservation, farm income and risk management programs, food safety inspection, rural development, and domestic and foreign food aid programs. Historically, Congress has not solely prioritized funding for agricultural research, education, and extension activities but has also prioritized funding for programs designed to provide more immediate benefits to farmers, such as income support and crop insurance.

Stakeholders have varying perspectives on the needs for federal investments in agricultural research. Some want more public spending on agricultural research to maintain U.S. competitiveness and to increase agricultural productivity and innovation in the face of growing food demand and increasing agricultural challenges (e.g., pests, natural disasters). Some argue that the stagnant growth in inflation-adjusted USDA funding for agricultural research, education, and extension over the past few decades has hindered the ability of the U.S. agricultural sector to stay productive and competitive.

New innovations and technologies related to production, processing, marketing, and natural resource management are widely acknowledged as essential for continued productivity gains and economic growth of the sector. Some argue that agriculture has not achieved the same priority level with policymakers as other sectors, such as health, and that U.S. agriculture will suffer over the long term because of a lack of new innovations. These critics argue that the lack of public investment in new agricultural innovations will have dire consequences in the future, especially given new and varied challenges, such as rising production costs; new pest and disease outbreaks; increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods; and climate change. In a step toward increasing innovation for agricultural research, the 2018 farm bill authorized a new Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) pilot program (P.L. 115-334, §7132) at USDA to carry out innovative research and to develop and deploy advanced solutions to agricultural threats. As of September 2020, this pilot program has not received appropriations.

In contrast to those calling for increased funding, some stakeholders argue that the federal government should have a limited role in funding agricultural research and that taxpayer dollars should not be used to support what they believe should be a private sector endeavor. Others believe that the states and the private sector should fill the research funding gap left by the federal government.

At the same time, while private sector funding has increased over time, some have expressed concerns that private sector funding focuses primarily on bringing existing technologies to market (i.e., more applied research) and does not focus on basic research to address challenges that the agricultural sector may face in the future, such as environmental sustainability or adaptation to climate change.

Finally, some advocates have argued that some of USDA’s research portfolio duplicates private sector activities on major crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton. They argue that funding should be reallocated to basic, noncommercial research to benefit the public good that is not addressed through private efforts. Others point out that the major crops are economically important to the food, feed, and energy sectors and should continue to receive significant amounts of public funding, especially for emerging threats such as new pests and pathogens, limited water availability, and impacts of agriculture on human and environmental health.

Enjoy!

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." - W.B. Yeats

Drought? In New Hampshire? It's Wicked Dry! Nejem Raheem's Op-Ed: Droughts Are Real, Leadership Is Needed

My friend Nejem Raheem (whom I met at the University of New Mexico, where I encouraged him to get a PhD in Economics) wrote this Op-Ed in the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Here goes:

AS THE Union Leader and many other papers have reported, all of New Hampshire is experiencing some level of drought and nearly one quarter of the state is experiencing severe drought (despite our recent batch of rain), according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

This is our fourth hottest and ninth driest summer on record. Farmers in southern New Hampshire in particular are struggling. While coronavirus is a more immediately pressing issue, drought is not going away. And it’s most likely going to get worse.

I’m an environmental economist who has worked on drought and water issues for nearly 20 years. I work with scientists at the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Neb., who developed the drought monitor and with farmers in New Mexico. While New Hampshire doesn’t have a history of crushing drought like California, New England is on its way to having hotter and longer droughts. Much of that is due to climate change.

New England has been pretty wet for most of written history. That’s still true compared to the west, but we’re seeing climate change-driven shifts in precipitation patterns and temperatures that match predictions for more intense droughts. You might have noticed that rainstorms have become more intense and less frequent, for instance, or that winters are milder and less snowy. That itself isn’t likely a predictor of drought, but almost all of the climate models predict hotter and drier conditions.

People often fight over water; cities want it for their residents, ranchers want it for cattle, and forest ecologists worry about trees dying, bears coming into town, and fires. My work as an environmental economist is about getting people to work together and plan better for when a drought comes. Because, where drought is concerned, we are all part of the landscape. And while it’s clear that climate change is making droughts worse, it’s also clear that cooperation is part of the way to deal with it.

Having a climate change denier as president is incredibly dangerous. Not just for liberal environmentalists, but for farmers and ranchers, city people, and anyone who lives near the woods. (In New Hampshire, that’s all of us, by the way.)

As I watched the Democratic and Republican conventions, I was struck not just by the anti-science style of Donald Trump and his surrogates but also by their divisive rhetoric. I’ve worked on water issues in New Mexico, Montana, California, and Labrador, Canada. One crucial part of any solution to addressing future water problems, even here in small-town government New Hampshire, is cooperation and communication. This means getting past “I’ll only fight for those on my side.” Everyone needs water.

I was born and raised on the East Coast, but I lived out west for many years. We have no real experience with drought here in New England and we don’t really know what it’s like to have conflicts over water. But we will, and sooner than most think. And unless we get past the climate science denial and brawling combativeness of our current president’s approach, we’ll never solve the problem when it gets here. We need better leadership. We have to vote for a president who not only supports and endorses science, but also who will strive for collaboration and cooperation.

If we re-elect Donald Trump, New Hampshire will lose out on opportunities to plan for a water-scarce future.

New Englanders are good at working together, but we might be getting worse. I’ve been talking with people about politics all summer, mostly against my will. I’ve talked with environmentalists who don’t want to talk with loggers, and the reverse. Gun-owning rural folks who don’t want to talk to summer people from Boston. The divisive rhetoric is very compelling. We’ve seen it for years. We need to get past that and recognize that our neighbors are our allies, even if they’re not necessarily our friends. We need to realize that we’re all in this together.

Having a president who tells us otherwise is going to make things worse. We need a president who listens to scientists. And for the sake of all of us here in New Hampshire and all across New England, we need to start working together.

So is New England experiencing a drought? Take a look here (about 72% of NH is in a severe drought) and see below:

The text said there are about 13M people in the drought area. 

Why is this a big deal? Perception. Some of us, especially those of us who have spent a lot of time in the arid West, often forget that droughts occur in the East as well. 
I actually recall some droughts in Long Island, New York when I was growing up. TV weathermen would talk about how low upstate reservoirs were (never mind that we got our water from underground). Then we'd get a hurricane coming up from south to fill the reservoirs up. No such luck out here...

So what's with 'Wicked' in the title? Look here.

And Nejem is an Associate Professor of Economics at Emerson College in Boston. Wicked good!

Enjoy!

"Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst of Evils." - General John Stark, in a letter to his NH Revolutionary War comrades at their 32nd reunion 

Josh's Water Jobs and More! 22 September 2020

First day of autumn/spring in the Northern/Southern Hemisphere!

1) Josh's Jobs

Highlighted:
 
1) Director of the Division of Water Sciences and the Secretary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) – United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (Paris): 13 October
 
2) Innovation Grant Pitching Contest: Internship with PEG Africa – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Ghana): 9 October
 
3) President and CEO – Alliance for Water Efficiency (Chicago, IL, USA): 4 November
 
Deadline today (22 September)!
 
4) Initiation Plan: "Conservation of Wetland Biodiversity and Sustainable Management of Freshwater Ecosystems in the Western Dvina/Daugava Transboundary River Basin” – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Home-Based): 22 September
 
5) WASH Program Development Manager – Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) (South Sudan): 22 September
 
6) International GEF Project Development Consultant – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Home-Based): 22 September
 
7) Yemen nationals: WASH Officer – Danish Refugee Council (Yemen): 22 September

Jobs by Region:   Latin America and Caribbean jobs North America jobs Home-based/Remote jobs   Africa jobs              Asia-Pacific jobs Europe jobs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum years experience requested:

0-2 years   8) Project Assistant ((Water for Africa through Leadership and Institutional Support (WALIS)) – DAI (Washington, DC): Until filled   9) Consultant: Agricultural Water Management Expert – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Ghana): 23 September – PhD required   10) Graduate Program – South East Water (Frankston, VIC, Australia): 30 September   11) Climate Change Advisor – Métis Nation (ON, Canada): 28 September – 2-5 years’ experience   12) Water Program Technical Support Staff – Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) (Washington, DC): 1 October   13) Water Quality Planner/Project Manager I – King County (Seattle, WA, USA): 27 September   14) Entry Level Water Resources Engineer – Dewberry (Fairfax, VA, USA): Until filled   15) Entry Level Water/Wastewater Engineer (Water/Wastewater) – Dewberry(Fairfax, VA, USA): Until filled   16) Entry Level Water Resources Engineer – Dewberry (Dallas, TX, USA): Until filled

3-4 years
 
17) Communications Specialist (Water for Africa through Leadership and Institutional Support (WALIS)) – DAI (Washington, DC): Until filled
 
18) Chief Climate and Ecosystem Services Officer – Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) (Germany): 30 September
 
19) South Africa nationals: Deputy Director (Natural Resources Management Programmes) – South Africa Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries(South Africa): 28 September
 
20) South Africa nationals: Environmental Officer (Specialised Production: Norms and Standards) – South Africa Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries(Cape Town): 28 September
 
21) South Africa nationals: Project Coordinator (2 Posts) – South Africa Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries (South Africa): 28 September
 
22) Program Manager (Water) – Environmental Defence Inc. (Toronto, ON, Canada): 25 September
 
23) Mandarin speakers: Data Analyst (Global Water Program) – World Resources Institute (WRI) (Beijing): Until filled
 
24) Senior Associate, Preventing Ocean Plastics (International Environment Policy Research Analyst) – Pew Charitable Trusts (Washington, DC): Until filled
 
25) Senior Associate (Seabed Mining Project) – Pew Charitable Trusts (Washington, DC): Until filled
 
26) Associate Water Resources Specialist – East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) (Oakland, CA, USA): 25 September
 
27) Environmental Scientist (Water Quality) – Four Peaks Environmental Science and Data Solutions (Chicago, IL, USA): 30 September
 
28) Energy and Water Analyst (Project Hire) – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory(Fort Belvoir, VA, USA): 23 September
 
29) Policy Director – Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (Washington, DC): Until filled
 
30) Water Resources Grant Program Coordinator – New Mexico Highlands University (New Mexico, USA, Home-Based): Until filled
 
31) Project Manager (Resource Watch) – World Resources Institute (WRI)(Washington, DC): Until filled

5-7 years
 
32) Programme Management Officer – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Bangkok): 2 October
 
33) Programme Management Officer – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Nairobi): 9 October
 
34) Investment Operations Specialist (Water) – Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) (Beijing): Until filled
 
35) French speakers: Program Manager II (Eastern DRC Watershed Program) – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) (DRC): Until filled
 
36) Programme Officer Aquaculture Development – Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (Nigeria): 10 November
 
37) E.U. nationals: Project Officer (Water Resources Modeller) – European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) (Italy): 19 October
 
38) German speakers: Chief Operating Officer – Climate Analytics (Berlin): 4 October
 
39) Dutch speakers: Market Lead Digital Water – Royal HaskoningDHV(Netherlands): Until filled
 
40) Moldova nationals: Project Manager (Promotion of climate change and disaster risk reduction solution in the water and civil protection sectors for enhanced rural resilience project) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Moldova): 1 October
 
41) Japan nationals: JICA専門嘱託（JICA地球環境部水資源グループ）の募集 – Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Tokyo): 28 September
 
42) Nepal nationals: Water Resources Management Specialist – Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) (Kathmandu): 30 September
 
43) Junior Technical Expert – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Lucknow, UP, India): 30 September
 
44) Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Manager – Australian Marine Conservation Society (Brisbane, QLD, Australia): 28 September
 
45) International Environmental & Development Associate (Water CKM II) – The Cadmus Group (Arlington, VA or Bethesda, MD, USA): Until filled
 
46) Water Resource Specialist – Tri-Districts Water Resources (Fort Collins, CO, USA): Until filled
 
47) Oceans Program Associate – The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (California, USA): 28 September
 
48) Program Officer (Global Lead Initiative) – Pure Earth (New York): 2 October

8-9 years
 
49) Senior Researcher (Water, Climate, and Gender) – UNU Institute for Water Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) (Hamilton, ON, Canada): 5 October
 
50) French speakers: Coordinateur Régional du projet “Opportunités au Sahel” – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (Burkina Faso): 30 September
 
51) Special Adviser to the Director General – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (Switzerland): 28 September
 
52) International Environmental & Development Senior Associate (Water CKM II) – The Cadmus Group (Arlington, VA or Bethesda, MD, USA): Until filled
 
53) Portuguese speakers: Water Quality Expert – AdPI - Águas de Portugal International SA (Angola): 30 September
 
54) Officer (International Conservation Unit) – Pew Charitable Trusts (Washington, DC): Until filled

10+ years
 
55) Senior Environmental Affairs Officer – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) (Geneva): 1 October
 
56) French speakers: Chief of Party I (Eastern DRC Watershed Program) – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) (DRC): Until filled
 
56) Deputy Director General (Science and Capability) – Pacific Community (SPC)(Fiji): 4 October
 
57) Deputy Director General – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)(Switzerland): 7 October
 
58) Senior Programme Management Officer – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Nairobi): 8 October
 
59) Environment and Climate Change Senior Technical Advisor – FHI 360 (Asia-Pacific): Until filled

Not specified:
 
60) Project manager (m/f/d) for the project "Regional Resource Governance in West Africa" – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Liberia): 27 September
 
61) Spanish speakers: Fachkraft (m/w/d) für den Zivilen Friedensdienst zur Beratung für konstruktive Transformation von interkulturellen sowie Umwelt- und Ressourcenkonflikten – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Bolivia): 27 September
 
62) Chief Expert (Environmental Solutions) – Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)(Finland): 30 September
 
63) German speakers: Junior-Berater (m/w/d) für ökologisch orientierte Entwicklung der Aralsee-Region – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Uzbekistan): 1 October
 
64) Australia nationals: NRM Project Officer – Government of New South Wales(Illawara, NSW, Australia): 25 September
 
65) Australia nationals: Director of the Groundwater Advice and Data Section – Geoscience Australia (ACT, Australia): 27 September
 
66) Australia nationals: Senior Policy Officer – Victoria Government (Melbourne, VIC, Australia): 28 September
 
67) Australia nationals: Senior Natural Resources Officer (Floodplain) – Government of New South Wales (Various, NSW, Australia): 29 September
 
68) Australia nationals: Senior Irrigation Extension Officer (Maffra) – Victoria Government (Gippsland, VIC, Australia): 30 September
 
69) Consultant/ Senior Consultant Water Resources Specialist – Ricardo Energy & Environment (United Kingdom): 24 September
 
70) Director of Nature, Climate & Environment – Ulster Wildlife (Belfast): 28 September
 
71) U.K. nationals: Lead Engineer – Natural Resources Wales (Wales): 30 September
 
72) Canada nationals: Aquatic Program Scientist – Environment and Climate Change Canada (Vancouver, BC, Canada): 24 September
 
73) Canada nationals: Program Officer – Environment and Climate Change Canada(Québec, QC, Canada): 24 September
 
74) Canada nationals: Coordinator/Officer Environmental Programs – Environment and Climate Change Canada (Québec, QC, Canada): 24 September
 
75) Environmental Coordinator – City of Toronto (Toronto, ON, Canada): 25 September
 
76) Canada nationals: Irrigation Technologist – Government of Saskatchewan(Saskatoon, SK, Canada): 24 September
 
77) Canada nationals: Hydrologist – Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (Peterborough, ON, Canada): 29 September
 
78) Canada nationals: Natural Resource Officer Supervisor – British Columbia Public Service (Various, BC, Canada): 29 September
 
79) Executive Director/Chief Executive – Deschutes River Conservancy (Bend, OR, USA): 5 October
 
80) U.S. nationals: Research Hydrologist – U.S. Agricultural Research Service(Oxford, MS, USA): 8 October
 
81) Communications Coordinator – Water for Colorado (Denver, CO, USA): 30 September
 
82) U.S. nationals: Hydrologic Technician – U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (Various, PA, USA): 28 September
 
83) U.S. nationals: Hydrologic Technician – U.S. Forest Service (USFS)(Springerville, AZ, USA): 28 September
 
84) Tuttle Creek WRAPS Watershed Coordinator – Glacial Hills Resource Conservation and Development (Kansas, USA): 28 September
 
85) U.S. nationals: Hydrologist – U.S. Forest Service (USFS) (Prairie City, OR, USA): 28 September
 
86) Director of Water Quality – New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) (Kingston, NY, USA): 29 September
 
87) Maryland Executive Director – Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Annapolis, MD, USA): 30 September

Not specified (academic):

• Professors/lecturers

88) Various Water-related Professor/Lecturer Positions – University of South Africa(South Africa): 25 September
 
89) Lecturer: Water Engineering (nGAP) – University of Cape Town (Cape Town): 28 September
 
90) Assistant Professor (Environmental Studies) – University of Portland (Portland, OR, USA): 5 October
 
91) Assistant Professor (Structural Risk and Reliability for Multi-Hazards) – University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA, USA): 9 October
 
92) Professor in Civil Engineering – Texas State University (San Marcos, TX, USA): 18 October
 
93) Assistant or Associate Professor (Human-Environment Interactions) – Auburn University (Auburn, AL, USA): Until filled
 
94) Senior Instructor of Environment and Natural Resources Policy – University of Colorado-Boulder (Boulder, CO, USA): Until filled
 
95) Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Watershed-Aquatic Ecosystem Interactions – Université du Québec à Trois Rivières (Trois Rivières, QC, Canada): Until filled

• Postdocs

96) Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI, USA): Until filled
 
97) Postdoctoral Research Associate (Hydrosystems Research Group) – University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Amherst, MA, USA): 1 October
 
98) Postdoctoral Associate (Watershed Modeling) – Jones Center at Ichauway(Newton, GA, USA): 2 October
 
99) Postdoctoral position in freshwater ecology and forest management – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) (Sweden): 4 October
 
100) Postdoc: The effect of climate change on hydropower production and balancing – Chalmers (Sweden): 8 October
 
101) Spanish speakers: Postdoctoral Researcher (inventWater) – Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) (Spain): 28 September
 
102) PostDoctoral Research Associate (AI models for visualizing and understanding flood risk) – Texas A&M University (Galveston or Houston, TX, USA): Until filled

• Researchers/other

103) Unique Fellowship for Top Female Scientists (Civil Engineering and Geosciences) – Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) (Netherlands): 2 November
 
104) Sustainable groundwater management: Predicting and managing heavy metal contamination – Université de Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada): 25 September
 
105) Programme Director (Business & Nature) – University of Cambridge (United Kingdom): 30 September
 
106) MDT Fellow in Rural Water Security – The James Hutton Institute (Scotland): 5 October
 
107) Senior Research Associate/Research Associate ("Unlocking Resilient Benefits from African Water Resources") – Lancaster University (United Kingdom): 6 October
 
108) Researcher in quality of water detection – Fundacio Bosch i Gimpera(Barcelona): 27 September
 
109) Research Associate in novel water infrastructure management – The University of Sheffield (United Kingdom): 28 September
 
110) Research Theme Leader – Edith Cowan Universitys (Perth, WA, Australia): 27 September
 
111) Associate for work on the H2020 project DRYvER project: "Securing biodiversity, functional integrity and ecosystem services in DRYing riVER networks" – Faculty of Science University of Zagreb (Croatia): 1 October
 
112) German speakers: Research assistant – Technische Universität Berlin (Berlin): 25 September
 
113) Research Analyst – Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) (New Delhi): 30 September

WASH:

0-2 years

114) French speakers: Junior Consultant (Water and Sanitation Sector) – Aguaconsult (United Kingdom): 18 October
 
115) Research Officer – African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)(Nairobi): 25 September
 
116) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist – Water Mission International(North Charleston, SC, USA): Until filled
 
117) Spanish speakers: WASH Coordinator (Latin America) – Solidarités International (Latin America): Until filled

3-4 years
 
118) French speakers: Operational Technical Referent (WASH) – Action Contre La Faim (ACF) (Paris): Until filled
 
119) Water/ Wastewater Engineer – Michael Baker International (Virginia Beach, VA, USA): Until filled – 4-8 years’ experience
 
120) Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Manager – Water Mission International (North Charleston, SC, USA): Until filled
 
121) WASH-Shelter Coordinator – Triangle Génération Humanitaire (Syria): 30 September

5-7 years

122) Senior Manager (Dispensers for Safe Water) – Evidence Action (Washington, DC): Until filled
 
123) Gender Specialist – WaterAid (Uganda): 27 September
 
124) Korean speakers: WASH Specialist (UNICEF) – United Nations Volunteers (UNV) (Uganda): 28 September
 
125) Project Officer (Shelter and WASH) – International Organization for Migration (IOM) (Turkey): 30 September
 
126) Consortium WASH Specialist – Solidarités International (Syria): Until filled
 
127) Donor Relations Manager – water.org (Kansas City, MO, USA): Until filled
 
128) French speakers: Technical Advisor Environmental Health – International Rescue Committee (IRC) (Various): Until filled
 
129) Project Management Specialist (WASH) – U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (Ghana): 1 October
 
130) Local recruitment: Program Officer (Bangladesh) – water.org (Bangladesh): Until filled
 
131) Senior Manager (Deworm the World Initiative) – Evidence Action (Washington, DC): Until filled

8-9 years
 
132) Bangla speakers: Technical Adviser (WASH) – WaterAid (Bangladesh): 24 September

10+ years

133) French speakers: Coordinateur Nexus EHA – Solidarités International (Burkina Faso): Until filled
 
Not specified
 
135) Communication & Campaigns Officer – WaterAid (Ghana): 25 September

Consultancies:

136) Call for proposals: Expert Assignment for supporting programme development and resource mobilization on water solutions for food security and sustainable agriculture – Global Water Partnership (GWP) (Home-Based): 15 October
 
137) Senior Consultant to support the establishment of a Collaborative Center on Drought – United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) (Home-Based): 25 September
 
138) Spanish speakers: Team Leader/ Wastewater Expert – GOPA Infra (Ecuador): 28 September
 
139) Consultant: Data and Information Management Support – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Home-Based): 28 September
 
140) Arabic speakers: Consultant: Communications – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Home-Based): 23 September
 
141) Hydro-mechanical Advisor – The World Bank (Mozambique): 30 September
 
142) Consultancy: Development of Technical note on Area-wide Approach to Sanitation Programme – WASH – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Home-Based): 24 September
 
143) Consultancy: Sub-Regional WASH Coordinator and Information Management – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Panama): 25 September
 
144) Portuguese speakers: Consultancy Service for Environmental & Social Compliance Audit (Institutional and Sustainability Support to Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Service Delivery Project (ISSWUSSSDP)) – African Development Bank (AfDB) (Angola): 28 September
 
145) Terminal Evaluation of UNDP-supported GEF-financed projects – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Ghana): 23 September

146) Expert in Climate Change and Protected Areas – United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (Paris): 23 September
 
147) Consultant: Develop white paper to address land-based sources of pollution, under work stream 4- Ocean-Food- Climate Nexus – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Home-Based): 24 September
 
148) Consultant for work stream 1-Land-ocean interaction with a focus on land-based sources of marine pollution – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Home-Based): 24 September
 
149) International Consultant to Convene meetings, to negotiate the best consultation and Provisional Memorandum of Understanding – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Guinea-Bissau): 25 September
 
150) French speakers: Consultant: Blue Economy Study – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Haiti): 25 September
 
151) Portuguese speakers: International Consultant to convene three (3) public dialogues about environmental accounting policy – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Guinea-Bissau): 27 September
 
152) Project Research Associate – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Home-Based): 27 September
 
153) International Consultant for Final Evaluation of EU Water project – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Home-Based): 29 September
 
154) Pool of Experts for Forest-PLUS 2.0: Forest for Water and Prosperity – Tetra Tech (India): 30 September
 
155) Consultant (Senior Lead Engineer) – Mercy Corps (USA, Home-Based): Until filled
 
156) Kenya nationals: Advocacy and Influence Consultant (WASH and NTDs) – Crown Agents (Nairobi): 25 September
 
157) Kenya nationals: Integrated natural resources management (NRM) Specialist – United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (Nairobi): 1 October
 
158) Uruguay nationals: Asistente técnico en modelación de calidad de agua – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Uruguay): 28 September
 
159) Uruguay nationals: Consultor en Planificación de la Gestión Integrada de Recursos Hídricos y la Gestión Territorial – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Uruguay): 28 September
 
160) Sierra Leone nationals: Communications Specialist for Blue Peace/FCC – United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) (Sierra Leone): 30 September
 
161) Sudan nationals: Gender environmental and Conflict analysis for Blue Nile State – UN Women (Sudan): 30 September
 
162) Turkmenistan nationals: Technical assistance in designing of child appropriate WASH school infrastructure and rehabilitation of water stations in selected six schools in rural areas with shortage of water supply – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Turkmenistan): 30 September
 
163) Somalia nationals: Conduct Hydro-Geographical survey and selection of drilling sites – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Somalia): 30 September
 
164) Benin nationals: National Consultant Climate Change, Water and Agriculture Data Collection and Proposal Writing – United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (Benin): 1 October

RFP:

165) Feasibility Study for Groundwater Development and Management in the Merti Aquifer – The World Bank (East Africa): 24 September
 
166) Assessing the potential for augmentation of local water resources through ground water recharge and rain water harvesting – ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability (Bangladesh): 30 September
 
167) EoI: Providing WASH Access to Communities in Maharashtra and Karnataka – WaterAid (India): 24 September

Internships:

168) WASH Systems Academy Internship – IRC WASH (Netherlands): 30 September
 
169) Intern (Environment Affairs) – United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) (Geneva): 1 October
 
170) Intern (Urban Development and Water Division) – Asian Development Bank (ADB) (Manila): 7 October
 
171) Intern (Water SG, SDSC) – Asian Development Bank (ADB) (Manila): 7 October
 
172) Research Intern – OneWorld Sustainable Investments (Cape Town): Until filled
 
173) German speakers: Werkstudent/Praktikant Wasser (w/m/d) – Arcadis(Germany): Until filled
 
174) Remote Sensing and GIS Internship – IORA Ecological Solutions (Delhi): 25 September
 
175) Digital Outreach/Marketing Intern – H2O for Life (White Bear Lake, MN, USA): Until filled
 
176) Environmental Policy Intern/Coordinator – Silicon Valley Leadership Group(California, USA): Until filled

Scholarships:

177) Impact of Soil Hydrophobicity on Flooding and Erosion Hazards – Coventry University (United Kingdom): 1 October
 
178) PhD Fellowship in Chemical Engineering: Nanoparticles (NPs) for Water Management – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (Norway): 30 September
 
179) PhD positions (Water Security Lab) – University of Delaware (Newark, DE, USA): 1 December
 
180) WUR, CGIAR and SIPRI Joint Climate Security PhD Program Call for Applications for PhD Candidates – Wageningen University & Research(Netherlands): 1 October
 
181) French speakers: PhD (H/F): Impacts of dynamic, climate-driven water availability on tree water use and stress – Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) (France): 2 October
 
182) PhD Graduate Research Assistantship in Urban Hydrology – Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI, USA): Until filled
 
183) Graduate Research Assistant (PhD) – University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS, USA): 1 October
 
184) PhD (2): Modelling coastal migration under climate change and sea level rise – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Amsterdam): 1 October

Other:

185) U.S. nationals: Environmental Policy Analyst – AmeriCorps (Maryland, USA): 5 October
 
186) Water Data Prize – Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC)s (USA): 1 December
 
Last week’s list, in case you missed it
 
Post a job
 
Support Josh’s Water Jobs
 
Recruitment services

For our full list of active water jobs, please visit www.joshswaterjobs.com/jobs.

2) Additional Jobs from WaterWired

187) Position: Wolf Water Resources (Portland, OR) - Geomorphologist. OUF. https://bit.ly/3eCQgG6 #JobWaWi

188) Position: @MontanaTech (Butte, MT) - Professional Scientist or Assistant Research Hydrogeologist. OUF; Full review: 1 September. https://bit.ly/30Mvwbq #JobWaWi

189) Position: Anderson Perry & Associates, Inc. (La Grande, OR) - Wetland Scientist/Biologist/Natural Resources Specialist. OUF. https://bit.ly/30OQYfU #JobWaWi

189) Position: @MeridianIdaho: Water Quality Specialist I. OUF. https://sforce.co/3aTch3q #JobWaWi #PNWater

190) Position: @USAID (Washington, DC & elsewhere) - Foreign Service Program Officer. Closes: 1 March 2021. https://bit.ly/2G8tNW4 

191) Position: @USAID (Washington, DC) - Foreign Service Contracting Officer. Closes: 1 March 2021. https://bit.ly/2YLHwIG

192) Position: @OregonState (Corvallis, OR) - Faculty Research Assistant - School of Chem/Bio/Envr Eng. Closes: 2 October; Full consideration: 18 September. https://bit.ly/2ZH0SiD   

193) Positon: @A4WE (Chicago) - President and CEO. Closes: 5 November. https://sforce.co/3mI2T8r #JobWaWi

194) Position: @DeschutesRiver (Bend, OR) - Executive Director/CEO. Closes: 5 October https://bit.ly/364QrJW #JobWaWi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

3) Some General Employment Resources

AGU Career Center for research/academic jobs

GoodWorkCanada - Canada's Green Jobs Site

Congressional Research Service Positions

Check out @AidJobs - Vacancies in aid, development, humanitarian & nonprofit sector (volunteers, consultants or F-T employment) https://aidjobs.org

Conservation Jobs Board

UN Jobs in Water Resources

UN Jobs in Water Management

UN Jobs in Water and Sanitation

Global Water Jobs

WASH Vacancies

Academic Jobs Online

Higher Education Job Site

Get Hydrology Jobs

AAG Jobs

@BCWaterNews Jobs Click View Jobs

@EcologyWA - Current Openings - Updated every few days. Click here.

King County (WA)Jobs

Geoscience Job Board

California DWR Jobs

AZ Water Career Center

Florida Water Jobs

NYC DEP

Nature Conservancy jobs

State of Washington Careers

Idaho DEQ

OSU Water Resources Program

Water District Jobs

Academic Jobs in Schools of Physical/Earth Sciences

Mac's List - Jobs in Portland and Beyond!

New Zealand Hydrological Society Jobs Board

Government Jobs

Association of Oregon Counties Job Postings

Soil Science Societies Career Center

How to Find Work Overseas, with Marcelle Yeager. https://bit.ly/1pIopLT

For the full list of Josh's active water jobs, please visit www.joshswaterjobs.com/jobs

Enjoy! 

"May you live in REALLY interesting times!" - New Chinese curse

And check this webinar out:

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 21 September 2020

We got 'our rain' on Friday here in western Oregon and that mitigated the smoke from the fires. About 1 inch fell here in Corvallis; more is expected mid-week.

As a favor to friends Will Logan of ICIWaRM and John Matthews of AGWA I am publicizing a free webinar on 24 September (the day I start teaching my class): 'Incorporating Climate Risks Into Decision-Making Through CRIDA: Perspectives from Zambia and Chile'. Here is the link to the registration page. A flyer is below.

We at AWRA are also having a webinar this week - on 23 September: 'Using Social Infrastructure for Urban Water Delivery When There's No Engineering Solution' 23 September, 1-2 pm ET (register so you can view archived version). Amber Wutich of ASU is the presenter. Click here.

 

Enjoy!

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

Do you know of a colleague and/or student who would be interested in receiving these Bulletin Board listings? Please forward this to them. A quick email to Geosciences-BBoard@att.net with the word “subscribe” in the subject line and the email address will be added to the weekly distribution. 

Here are Elaine's BBs as a PDF and a Word document:

PDF: Download Bulletin_Boards_21Sept2020

Word: Download Bulletin_Boards_21Sept2020

Note: If a link does not work, try pasting the URL into your browser. 

Check out Elaine's coronavirus/COVID-19 section in the ES BB.

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 21 September 2020 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

The Autumnal Equinox 2020 – Visit the Sunwheel online

• https://patch.com/us/across-america/when-1st-day-fall-2020-5-things-autumnal-equinox
• https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/umass-amherst-sunwheel-open-online
• Sunwheel: https://www.umass.edu/sunwheel/

Landslides cause collapse of 3 artisanal gold mines near Kamituga in the Congo – 50+ dead

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/more-than-50-killed-at-collapsed-gold-mine-in-eastern-congo/ar-BB18Xxh8
• https://www.africanews.com/2020/09/12/50-believed-dead-in-drc-gold-mine-accident/

Deep-sea mass extinction some 55 myo caused by volcanic eruptions - PETM

• https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/huge-volcanic-eruptions-caused-deep-173656909.html

Toward a better understanding of hailstorms

• https://eos.org/editors-vox/ice-from-above-toward-a-better-understanding-of-hailstorms

New insights into geological structure beneath the Himalaya

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/deconvolving-what-lies-beneath-the-himalaya

Using clumped-isotope thermometry of 700 myo rocks to reveal climate swings during Snowball Earth

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/measuring-paleoclimate-during-a-deep-time-deep-freeze
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019AV000159

New map of lithospheric thickness may highlight targets for large metal deposits

• https://eos.org/articles/cratons-mark-the-spot-for-mineral-bonanzas

Braiding Indigenous knowledge into geomorphology

• https://eos.org/features/the-rivers-lizard-tail-braiding-indigenous-knowledges-with-geomorphology

Carnian Pluvial Episode occurred in Late Triassic – Wrangellia volcanism may have triggered extinction event and subsequent explosive diversification

• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/carnian-mass-extinction-08857.html
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/38/eaba0099

Well-preserved Ice Age cave bear found in Russia

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-age-bear-preserved-arctic-russia_n_5f5fa6b4c5b6e27db1312c3d
• https://www.businessinsider.com/ancient-cave-bear-carcass-siberia-permafrost-intact-organs-nose-2020-9

Rethinking the sequence of meteor bombardment on Early Earth

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916094247.htm
• Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X20304416?via%3Dihub

Turbulence impacts aerosols & cloud formation

• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-turbulence-affects-aerosols-cloud-formation.html

Most landslides in Western Oregon triggered by heavy rainfall – not large EQs

• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-landslides-western-oregon-triggered-heavy.html
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/38/eaba6790

Seismic monitoring may improve warnings for glacial lake outburst floods

• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-seismic-early-glacial-lake-outburst.html
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/38/eaba3645

GEER Report:  2020 Puerto Rico M6.4 Earthquake

• http://www.geerassociation.org/administrator/components/com_geer_reports/geerfiles/GEER_PuertoRico_Report.pdf

GEER Report:  2020 Elaziǧ, Turkey M6.7 Earthquake

• http://www.geerassociation.org/administrator/components/com_geer_reports/geerfiles/GEER%20Report_2020%20Turkey.pdf

ZOOM lecture on “The Granites of Joshua Tree”

• http://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/event/zoom-lecture-joshua-tree-granites-september-17-2020/

Study highlights impact of human activities & local geology on groundwater in SW Wisconsin

• https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/tri-state/article_03c77d3c-8ba2-5249-b0eb-3263e5e80b1d.html

New interactive role-laying game highlights geologic time

• https://www.thechannels.org/features/2020/09/14/rock-and-role-playing-new-virtual-game-engages-geology-students/

Dust may have controlled ancient human civilization and migration

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/gsoa-dmh091520.php

Tropopause may provide early signals of persistent strong rainfall

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/ioap-sli091620.php

Using virtual reality to bring geology of Lake Huron shoreline to students

• https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-prof-uses-vr-bring-lake-huron-shoreline-his-students

Giant “Dragon Stone” found in Arkansas is septarian nodule

• https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article245734430.html

Winds in SW Alaska are picking loose volcanic ash from 1912 Novarupta eruption

• https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2020/09/16/winds-kick-up-century-old-volcanic-ash-on-alaska-peninsula/

October auction of “Stan” T. rex skeleton may fetch $6M to $8M

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/auction-of-unusually-complete-t-rex-skeleton-could-smash-sales-record/ar-BB196SAG

Oldest known animal sperm discovered in Myanmar amber (100 million years old)

• https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1201265.shtml

Model suggests sea ice triggered Little Ice Age in Europe from 1300s through mid-1800s

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/uoca-sit091620.php
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/38/eaba4320

How caves form

• https://www.grunge.com/248373/the-truth-about-how-caves-form/

Data competition on potential mineral resources in Gawler Region of South Australia yields targets

• https://www.mining-technology.com/news/potential-mining-projects-data-competition/

Volcano diplomacy and the future of eruption predictions – interview with Kayla Iacovino

• https://massivesci.com/articles/volcano-volcanologist-kayla-iacovino/

“Globally significant” grades of lithium found within historic mining area of Cornwal

• https://www.mining.com/cornish-lithium-finds-globally-significant-grades-in-uk-project/
• https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/17/significant-lithium-find-spurs-hopes-of-cornwall-regeneration

Earthquake swarm recorded at Yellowstone between Heart Lake and West Thumb

• https://www.newsweek.com/yellowstone-volcano-earthquake-swarm-best-recorded-1532561?piano_t=1

Perspective:  The next geological epoch should be named the Heliocene

• http://nautil.us/issue/90/something-green/dawn-of-the-heliocene

Bill introduced to expand boundary of Sunset Crater National Monument

• https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2020/09/16/martha-mcsally-tom-ohalleran-bill-could-expand-sunset-crater-volcano-national-monument/5813713002/

Insight into the North Atlantic may help improve forecasts of atmospheric blocking

• https://www.whoi.edu/news-insights/content/north-atlantic-variability-key-for-better-long-term-weather-predictions/

Sidereal (23 hours & 56 minutes) vs solar day (24 hours)

• https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-animation-reveals-earth-has-2-types-of-day-2020-9

Glacial meltwater passed through crevasse and flooded Svalbard coal mine

• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-glacier-arctic-coal-highlighting-climate.html

Age of alluvial fan surface in Death Valley, California, reflected in desert varnish

• https://blogs.agu.org/mountainbeltway/2020/09/18/friday-fan-death-valley-california/

Seismic events triggered by explosive blast caused rockfall at Gwalia gold mine in Australia

• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-18/blast-triggers-seismic-events-at-gwalia-gold-mine/12678364

New evidence leads to re-examination of the origin of the Swiss Alps & Molasse Plateau Basin

• https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/44443/20200918/origin-swiss-alps-molasse-plateau-basin-reexamined-due-new-evidence.htm
• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-detaching-uplifting-bulldozing.html

USGS & US DOE partner on mineral mapping project in Walker Lane geologic area of western Nevada

• https://www.miningmagazine.com/exploration/news/1395414/usgs-doe-partner-on-nevada-minerals-project

Indirect measurement of ocean temperature using speed of sound wave transmission

• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-temperature-ocean.html

Explaining why glaciers “retreat” – fact-check:  forward flow actually decreases and then glacier ablates

• https://www.howitworksdaily.com/why-do-glaciers-retreat/

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 21 September 2020 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Perspective:  A message from *Mother Earth”

• https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/09/a_message_from_mother_earth_to_nancy_pelosi.html

Bring back the Bison

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/bring-back-bison-103051121.html

Center for Excellence for Bison Studies formally launched at South Dakota State University

• https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2020/09/new-center-excellence-advance-bison-research-knowledge

Wildfires continue to ravage West Coast States – need to change how forests are “managed”

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/color-coded-map-shows-biggest-224800211.html
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-west-coast-fires-trump-161228395.html

Increase in wildfires in California linked to drier years not just heat since 1984

• https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/wildfire-rise-1984-northern-californias-coastal-ranges/

Toxic smoke from wildfires causes lingering heath impacts – may last years

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/damage-from-wildfires-toxic-air-lingers-long-after-the-smoke-clears/ar-BB19b648
• Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/8/3/53/htm
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/as-smoke-lifts-on-californias-coast-it-lingers-in-central-valley-where-farmworkers-have-no-refuge-194945873.html

Gray wolves reintroduced to Isle Royale National Park are playing critical role as top predators in reducing moose herd by 9% and reducing damage to vegetation

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/relocated-isle-royale-wolves-form-140202094.html

1. kelleyi - bat ticks found for the first time in New Jersey – can transmit disease to humans

• https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/health/bat-tick-found-for-the-first-time-in-nj-could-pose-health-risks-to-humans-animals/2608616/

Waters from H Laura overwhelm aging water supply system infrastructure in Louisiana

• https://apnews.com/758347b3c08c0fec5cc1de7f13f48453

City of Chicago plans to replace lead pipes that residents were forced to install – estimated cost $8.5B

• https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicagos-mayor-launches-lead-pipe-replacement-plan/579ec191-1862-4933-b123-72468f164fd7

Lawmakers asking US Army COE to designate “Corn Belt Ports”

• https://qctimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/local-lawmakers-urge-army-corps-to-designate-mississippi-as-official-port/article_8bf9c9b7-a93f-550a-84c7-b51142c6842a.html

Uganda & Tanzania agree to construct longest heated oil pipeline from oil fields to port of Tanga

• https://apnews.com/a032dcb58670016bf260454f4f2d57e2

“Super sire” – CRISPR genetically editing – surrogate sires – legal issues – moral issues?

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/super-sires-breakthrough-see-elite-174006296.html

Egypt building two 8-lane highways across pyramids plateau – a UNESCO world heritage site

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/egypt-cuts-highways-across-pyramids-140225477.html

Encounters increasing between hikers & rattlesnakes in Yosemite – increasing number of snake bites

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/two-hikers-bitten-rattlesnakes-encounters-150504965.html

Draft policy document:  “Research Involving Free-living Wild Species in their Natural Habitat”

• https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2020-0087
• Link to document: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS-2020-0087-0002

US District Court upholds revised NEPA

• https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/white-house-environmental-review-rule-survives-first-legal-test

“Sea Caves” of the Chicago River were used to reverse flow in early 1900s for sanitation & shipping

• https://www.wbez.org/stories/whats-that-building-the-sea-caves-of-the-chicago-river/5d94ce20-ec63-413e-a78f-c7cb934c74fe

Die off of thousands of birds continues in New Mexico – investigating cause

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/birds-are-dropping-dead-in-new-mexico-potentially-in-the-hundreds-of-thousands/ar-BB1949AD
• https://www.thecut.com/2020/09/new-mexicos-migratory-bird-die-offs-are-unprecedented.html

Repeated rebuilding after successive floods is now (finally) seen as bad policy

• https://www.bdcnetwork.com/relocation-neighborhoods-next-step-us-flood-strategy-underwayhttps://indianflipboard.online/u-s-flood-strategy-shifts-to-unavoidable-relocation-of-entire-neighborhoods/
• http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20200831-u-s-flood-strategy-shifts-to-unavoidable-relocation-of-entire-neighborhoods

Mosquitoes also love the “vertical forest” apartment buildings

• https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/welcome-jungle-plants-overrun-chinese-083139205.html

Did Smokey Bear get it wrong? – aggressive fire suppression leads to excessive fuel supply

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/creek-fire-ignites-fire-management-debate-on-102-million-trees-killed-by-beetles-drought/ar-BB196c7C

South Carolina urges dam owners to lower levels in advance of floodwaters from H Sally

• https://apnews.com/b7a68bafbb778d67f410036715afc698

Toward a better understanding of halocarbons (CFCs, = etc.) & impacts in the atmosphere

• https://eos.org/editors-vox/halocarbons-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-important

How significant an impact do trans-Atlantic dusts have on nutrient loads in South America?

• https://eos.org/research-spotlights/trans-atlantic-dusts-may-not-enrich-amazon-as-much-as-thought

Climate warming may actually improve oxygen mixing in high-altitude deep lakes

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/climate-warming-improves-oxygen-mixing-in-a-high-altitude-lake

Charting the $88T world economy

• https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-88-trillion-world-economy-in-one-chart/

Animated maps of surface area, population, and GDP by continent

• https://www.visualcapitalist.com/animated-map-the-comparative-might-of-continents/

Clouds of mosquitoes in the wake of H. Laura – bitten animals become exhausted & may die

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mosquito-clouds-southwest-louisiana_n_5f5bf3aec5b6b485080083ab

Workers allege Algoma Steel had “full knowledge” of exposure to lethal cancer-causing chemicals

• https://www.ehn.org/algoma-steel-worker-health-2647660541.html

Deadly Nile River floodwaters recede

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Sudan_Nile_level_drops_after_deadly_floods_999.html

Human activity has been degrading the Tropics for 500 years

• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Humans_have_been_degrading_the_American_tropics_for_500_years_999.html

Early humans hunted and then likely cooked their food in hot springs in Olduvai Gorge

• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Did_our_early_ancestors_boil_their_food_in_hot_springs_999.html
• Video: https://vimeo.com/453940276

Moderate adolescent cannabis use may have adverse effects on cognitive functioning (verbal memory)

• http://www.sci-news.com/medicine/cannabis-cognitive-functioning-08821.html

Thawing permafrost releasing mercury into Yukon River

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916113409.htm
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18398-5

Reforestation can only partially restore degraded tropical soils

• https://phys.org/news/2020-09-reforestation-partially-tropical-soils.html

90+% of conventionally farmed soils are thinning – 16% have lifespans of less than a century – conservation measures can help

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200914115905.htm
• https://scienmag.com/global-study-reveals-time-running-out-for-many-soils-but-conservation-measures-can-help/
• Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aba2fd

How sustainable is your toothbrush?

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/tcd-rah091620.php

Dire warning:  “human-climate niche” may force folks to move to Canada

• https://projects.propublica.org/climate-migration/

More stupid humans – harassing Bison by riding motorcycles near grazing animals in Yellowstone

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/yellowstone-motorcyclists-caught-on-video-disturbing-bison/ar-BB196VWM

As demand continues (and likely increases) Lake Powell & Lake Mead will decline

• https://apnews.com/be04e1fa0008d0dbcd537148dd7f2ab0

Harvest Information Program collecting data to allow estimate of migratory game birds in Texas

• https://www.tpwmag.com/2020/08/how-many-ducks.html

How to manage crop residues this fall – best to switch from convention to conservation tillage

• https://www.farmprogress.com/crops/follow-these-4-steps-manage-crop-residue-fall

Update:  Dredging & construction of new lock at Sault Ste Marie Michigan

• https://www.sootoday.com/sault-michigan/soo-lock-construction-shifts-into-247-gear-2717934
• https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/usace-begins-1b-soo-lock-project/49788

Use no-till farming technique in post-derecho conditions in Iowa to improve soil health

• https://www.farmprogress.com/soil-health/nrcs-use-no-till-post-derecho

Concerns remain following spill in Kibiro that contained natural gas, clay, drilling fluids & traces of petroleum

• https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1527236/experts-concerned-about-kibiro-oil-spill

Anticipating the sequence:  wildfire season is followed by debris flow season in California

• https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/county-to-open-erosion-control-center-in-alpine-for-valley-fire-victims

Human activity causing high levels of intact ecosystem & wilderness loss –

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/shocking-wilderness-the-size-of-mexico-lost-worldwide-in-just-13-years-study-finds/ar-BB19bloi
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18457-x

Atal Tunnel - Longest high-altitude highway tunnel located at Rohtang, India – 9.02-km long – 10+ years to construct

• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/worlds-longest-highway-tunnel-is-ready-to-open/articleshow/78164866.cms

Oregon beginning task of removing debris & assessing damage to roads caused by wildfires

• https://www.kezi.com/content/news/Hazard-trees-in-hundreds-of-thousands-on-one-highway-alone-ODOT-says-572435491.html

“Torch Tower” to be constructed as new tallest skyscraper in Japan – estimated cost 500B yen

• https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3102046/japans-tallest-skyscraper-named-torch-tower-be-built-tokyo

Salt Lake City, Utah, $348.6M federal WIFIA loan for building new water-reclamation plant

• https://www.enr.com/articles/50105-wifia-loan-to-salt-lake-city-allows-for-major-water-upgrade

Researching the potential of “sustainable” building materials made from earth materials

• https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/bath-engineers-to-investigate-building-materials-made-of-earth-to-understand-wellbeing-benefits/

$681K worth of meth & marijuana confiscated & two arrested in drug busts along Texas-Mexico border – adds to CBP year-long efforts to protect the country & citizens

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/more-than-681k-worth-of-meth-marijuana-seized-along-texas-mexico-border/ar-BB19bh7k
• https://smcorridornews.com/texas-weekly-border-summary-cbp-seize-68m-in-drugs-counterfeit-sneakers-worth-4-3m/

CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus COVID-19 statistics by country (click on USA to get State statistics)

• https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
• https://time.com/5800901/coronavirus-map/
• interactive maps https://geodacenter.github.io/covid/map.html

Discarded masks pose threats to wildlife

• https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/animals-entangled-disposable-masks-warning-163759973.html

Perspective:  The role of exceptionalism & hubris

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02596-8

Coastal Science Bulletin Board – 21 September 2020 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

New owner may demolish half-built Berkman II to replace it with mixed-use development on waterfront

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/downtown-s-half-built-berkman-ii-tower-couldbe-sold-demolished/ar-BB196jV1

Dams constructed on rivers alter & adversely impact nutrient loads to coastal ecosystems

• https://eos.org/research-spotlights/dams-alter-nutrient-flows-to-coasts

Working to improve coal & ecosystem resilience in the Mesoamerican Reef

• https://eos.org/articles/scientists-support-local-activities-to-rescue-the-mesoamerican-reef

• 2020 Report Card: https://www.healthyreefs.org/cms/wpcontent/uploads/2020/02/SmithReefs_RC19_Pages_BIL_f_E_LO.pdf

Understanding hurricane storm surge

• https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-hurricane-storm-surge-and-why-is-it-so-dangerous-145369

NPS proposes shoreside floating dock along USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor National Memorial

• https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2020/09/national-park-service-proposes-newshoreside-floating-dock-along-uss-arizona

Tracking nutrient transport in the Gulf of Mexico

• https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=301237&org=GEO&from=news

Increase in number of rattlesnake sightings on Tybee Island in the coastal Georgia sand dunes

• https://www.islandpacket.com/news/state/south-carolina/article245774150.html

Battle over desalination infrastructure continues in California

• http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/local_news/desalination-fight-goes-to-coastalcommission-with-environmental-justice-in-the-foreground/article_42626e86-f84f-11ea-addab3b1504ea8e1.html

Residents of coastal California cities are moving elsewhere and driving up housing prices

• https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coastal-migrants-boost-las-vegas-home-pricesup-8-in-august-amid-high-local-unemployment-rate-301132010.html

Superior Court judge to decide whether conservation deed restrictions to decide should be removed from property to allow development

• https://www.coastalreview.org/2020/09/no-agreement-in-conservation-deed-dispute/

Part of Pensacola Bridge collapses amid 30-inches of precipitation from H Sally – month+ to repair

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hurricane-sally-makes-landfall-part-of-pensacolabridge-collapses-amid-30-inches-of-rain-catastrophic-flooding-in-alabama-florida/ar-BB196kwi

• https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/09/16/penscola-bay-bridge-hurricane-sally-damagerepair/5820536002/

New York has figured out where to dump its garbage – they call Hempstead Reef an artificial reef

• https://patch.com/new-york/longbeach/state-expands-lis-artificial-reefs-old-train-cars

Why ecologists love soggy coastal soils

• https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/wetlands-coastal-soils-ecology-floodingstorm-surge-climate-change

Concerns that 800,000 tonnes of mud dredged from old nuclear facility contaminated with plutonium to be dumped along Cardiff coast

• https://nation.cymru/news/campaigners-claim-nrw-has-been-ignored-as-mud-sampling-fromnuclear-plant-gets-underway/

Lawsuit claims US EPA failed to enforce pollution caps in Chesapeake Bay

• https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2020/09/16/582840.htm

Tracking massive bioluminescent algal blooms in Virginia coastal waters

• https://chesapeakebaymagazine.com/massive-glowing-algal-blooms-overtake-va-waters/

Salmon farm planned on eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay

• https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2020/09/05/salmon-farm-plannedeastern-shore/5701827002/

“Long duration” coastal flood event through multiple tide cycles forecast for Outer Banks

• https://www.obxtoday.com/top-stories/updated-expect-long-duration-coastal-flood-event-forthe-outer-banks/

"May you live in REALLY interesting times!" - New Chinese curse

CRS InFocus Report: 'Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration'

This CRS InFocus 2-pager by Pervaze A. Sheikh and Anna E. Normand, 'Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration' (17 September 2020) should be of interest to many readers, not just those in South Florida. 

Download CRS_InFocus_Rec_Devel_Everglades_Rest_17Sepe2020

Overview
What Is the Everglades? The Everglades is a unique network of subtropical wetlands in South Florida. Due in part to federal water supply and flood control projects (as well as agricultural and urban runoff), the ecosystem was degraded and was approximately half its historical size by the end of the 20th century. The ecosystem is home to a number of unique species, including 67 species listed under the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§1531 et. seq.). [The map is from Wikipedia.]

What Is CERP? The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) was approved by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA 2000; P.L. 106-541). It is a framework under which the federal government, with the State of Florida, is attempting to restore the Everglades and improve the timing, distribution, and quality of the water flowing south from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades. Under CERP, the federal government, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), is required to fund half the costs of restoration, with the State of Florida contributing the other half. Several tribal and local agencies also are involved in restoration. Originally, CERP was to include 60 projects that would be completed over 30 years at a cost of $8.2 billion (in 2000 dollars). A 2015 report to Congress increased this estimate; the report projected that CERP will take approximately 50 years to implement at a total cost of $16.4 billion (in FY2015 dollars). As of FY2020, the federal government has spent more than $1.7 billion and the State of Florida has spent an estimated $4.5 billion on CERP in nominal dollars (although much of this state funding is not yet officially credited for Florida’s share of the cost).

Everglades restoration under CERP was authorized in 2000 and is expected to take 50 years to complete.

Outside of CERP, complementary efforts to restore the Everglades (most of which predate CERP) are ongoing. The federal government has spent more than $3.5 billion on these efforts, collectively referred to as non-CERP projects.

Everglades Restoration Projects Must Be Authorized by Congress
WRDA 2000 approved CERP and the process for its implementation. The law also authorized several pilot projects. Subsequent projects require study by USACE and congressional authorization before they can receive federal appropriations, including credit or reimbursement for nonfederal work undertaken in advance. Several laws subsequent to WRDA 2000 authorized projects contemplated under CERP. Some projects received appropriations and are under construction. Studies for other CERP projects are in progress (see Table 1). Projects with completed studies and signed reports from the Chief of Engineers (e.g., Loxahatchee River Watershed Project) are awaiting potential authorization in legislation in the 116th Congress (see S. 3591 and H.R. 7575).

Read on - more information on Congressional interest in CERP and other initiatives.

When this restoration is finished in 2050, I'll be 102. But I suspect I will have to live even longer to see this work done.

I am not sure I would use the word 'restoration'. I prefer 'renaturalization'. My friend and colleague Bill Woessner explained that to me years ago.

Enjoy!

"There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated." - Nelson Mandela