WaterWired

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 15 March 2021

A week from today (the Ides of March) is World Water Day. Tune in to a great webinar, 3:30 - 5 PM PDT/MST: Managing Aquifer Recharge: A Showcase for Resilience and Sustainability. Register: click here. It is sponsored by the Arizona Water Resources Research Center, directed by Sharon Megdal.

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_15March2021

Word: Download Bulletin_Boards_15March2021

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

Check out Elaine's coronavirus/COVID-19 section in the Environmental Science Bulletin Board.

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 15 March – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Meteor created fireball over Vermont from near Burlington to the Canadian Border

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/meteor-explodes-over-vermont-with-the-force-of-440-pounds-of-tnt/ar-BB1enVeu

How old is the Yangtze River? Evidence from detrital muscovite and K-feldspar

• https://eos.org/research-spotlights/researchers-home-in-on-the-age-of-the-yangtze-river

Seismic data from Mid-Atlantic Ridge suggests upwelling may contribute to divergent behavior

• https://eos.org/articles/a-new-understanding-of-the-mid-atlantic-ridge-and-plate-tectonics

Global surface temperatures since the end of the Little Ice Age – as expected it is somewhat warmer

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/new-global-surface-temperature-dataset-spans-170-years
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019JD032361

As Earth cools over geologic time may lead to increased water capacity of the mantle

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/watering-down-the-mantle
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020AV000323

Hydrologic modeling & discharge estimates from Landsat result in assessment for Missouri River Basin

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/gauging-ungauged-river-basins-with-smart-remote-sensing

Geologists share concerns with drilling for oil in Big Cypress

• https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2021/03/geologists-share-their-concerns-drilling-oil-big-cypress

New swimming robot works in the Mariana Trench

• https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/03/researchers-build-a-swimming-robot-that-works-in-the-mariana-trench/

Using geomagnetic data to link Antarctica to other continents

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Antarcticas_magnetic_link_to_ancient_neighbours_999.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84834-1

Crop-CASMA maps soil moisture

• https://www.seeddaily.com/reports/NASA_data_powers_new_USDA_Soil_Moisture_Portal_999.html
• Interactive Crop-CASMA: https://cloud.csiss.gmu.edu/Crop-CASMA/

Images from Perseverance Rover on Mars

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32li-Xl8NL0

San Cristobal volcano in Nicaragua spewed cloud of volcanic ash

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Nicaragua_volcano_blankets_communities_in_ash_999.html
• https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/san-cristobal/news/124027/San-Cristobal-volcano-Nicaragua-series-of-moderate-to-strong-explosions.html

Duh!  Bite of juvenile T. rex was less ferocious than an adult

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Bite_of_juvenile_T_rex_was_less_ferocious_than_an_adult_tyrannosaurus_999.html
• Paper: https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.24602

Copernicus Sentinel-2 monitors Galapagos Islands chain of volcanoes

•https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/ESA_Eyes_On_Earth_Galapagos_Islands_999.html

Fossil plants preserved within 300 myo volcanic ash in China “Pompeii of prehistoric plants”

https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Pompeii_of_prehistoric_plants_unlocks_evolutionary_secret___study_999.html

• Paper: https://www.pnas.org/content/118/11/e2013442118

Predicting shallow, dangerous landslides – size matters

• https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=302226&org=GEO&from=news

First non-avian dinosaur found atop egg clutch in China

• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/oviraptorid-dinosaur-embryo-bearing-egg-clutch-09434.html

New method for locating mild tremors near deep-sea faults – Nankai subduction zone, Japan

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210305123805.htm
• Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X21000017?via%3Dihub

TROPOMI observations being used to discern emissions from natural geological methane sources

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-natural-geological-methane-emissions-larger.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83369-9

Russian mining company Norilsk Nickel pays nearly $2B fine for giant fuel spill in the Arctic

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-russian-giant-2bn-fine-arctic.html

Mantle of Earth may contain proton rivers of superionic phases of iron oxide-hydroxide

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-earth-deep-mantle-proton-rivers.html

10-year retrospective:  2011 M9.0 Earthquake & Tsunami

• Chronology: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210311/p2g/00m/0na/029000c
• https://theconversation.com/fukushima-why-we-need-to-look-back-thousands-of-years-to-get-better-at-predicting-earthquakes-156882
• Resilience: https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/resilience-strengthened-when-it-shared-decade-lessons-japans-mega-disaster

Characteristics of Ediacaran organisms

• https://www.sciencealert.com/strange-creatures-from-550-million-years-ago-show-surprising-similarities-to-humans

Oldest meteorite on Earth found in Sahara Desert dates from 4.6 billion years ago

• https://www.zmescience.com/science/geology/the-oldest-meteorite-ever-found-is-older-than-the-earth-itself/

Searching for more glaciers

• https://www.postregister.com/news/local/ice-hunter-idahos-glacier-hunter-and-geologists-say-there-are-more-glaciers-out-there/article_cdc7d3a7-25f2-50c2-8fb3-bc83d60be628.html

Earthquakes of 365 AD – the making of the legend of Atlantis based on tangible proof

• https://www.argophilia.com/news/365-anno-domini-the-faint-echoes-of-a-dead-atlantis/228543/

Geology sheds light on archaeological artifacts – cogged stones in Orange County, California

• http://news.fullerton.edu/2021/03/geologists-identify-rock-source-of-native-american-cogged-stones-from-orange-county/

Celebrating Joseph Prestwich & John “Flint” Evans – weekend geologists

• https://blog.oup.com/2021/03/turning-geology-into-archaeology-how-two-businessmen-changed-the-face-of-time/

Landslide atlas of Kerala, India

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/mtu-gec030921.php

Origin of the 62-mile wide Moniitsoq structure – not an impact crater?

• https://www.sciencealert.com/a-giant-meteorite-impact-crater-from-3-billion-years-ago-isn-t-what-we-thought

Texas Earthquake Network (TexNet) adds to Advanced National Seismic System

• https://news.utexas.edu/2021/03/08/texas-earthquake-system-strengthens-national-network/
• TexNet 2020 report: https://www.beg.utexas.edu/files/texnet/docs/2020%20Biennial%20Report%20on%20Seismic%20Monitoring%20and%20Research%20in%20Texas.pdf

Tracking major earthquakes in the Ring of Fire

• https://www.uibk.ac.at/newsroom/tracking-giant-earthquakes-in-the-ring-of-fire.html.en

Apollo rocks revealed history of the Earth and the Moon

• https://www.universetoday.com/150448/apollo-rocks-reveal-the-moons-early-history/
• https://www.brown.edu/news/2021-02-24/sulfur

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 15 March – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Diphtheria is returning as major global disease threat – evolving antimicrobial resistance

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/diphtheria-risks-becoming-a-global-threat-again-scientists-warn/ar-BB1enivR
• https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/3/20-3205_article
• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/uoc-drb030521.php
• Outbreak: http://outbreaknewstoday.com/diphtheria-in-hispaniola-six-deaths-to-date-59848/

Removal of 4 Snake River dams remains a political issue

• https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/mar/07/fate-of-republican-mike-simpsons-plan-to-remove-sn/

Retrospective on Thomas Midgley Jr who solved some science problems but created greater ones – put tetraethyl lead in gasoline (he got lead poisoning) & created CFCs that destroyed the ozone layer

• https://www.ehn.org/thomas-midgley-jr-lead-poisoning-2650919604/harmful-invention-2-freon

Hard to believe:  UN finds “no adverse health effects” from 2011 Fukushima disaster – But 19,000 died

• https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-adverse-health-effects-fukushima-disaster.html
• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/UN_finds_no_adverse_health_effects_from_Fukushima_disaster_999.html
• Report: https://www.unscear.org/docs/publications/2020/UNSCEAR_2020_AnnexB_AdvanceCopy.pdf

10-year retrospective:  2011 M9.0 Earthquake & Tsunami

• Chronology: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210311/p2g/00m/0na/029000c
• https://theconversation.com/fukushima-why-we-need-to-look-back-thousands-of-years-to-get-better-at-predicting-earthquakes-156882
• Resilience: https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/resilience-strengthened-when-it-shared-decade-lessons-japans-mega-disaster

Comprehensive planning & leadership needed to increase flood resiliency in North Carolina

• https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2021/03/03/new-plan-recommends-nature-based-solutions-to-manage-stormwater-flooding-in-north-carolina
• https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/03/new-stormwater-plan-puts-nature-to-work/

San Diego ready to begin construction of $5B Pure Water sewage recycling system

• https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2021-03-06/san-diegos-pure-water-sewage-recycling-system-ready-for-construction-after-litigation-delays

CRS Report:  The Safe Drinking Water Act & Regulating Contaminants under SDWA

• https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31243.pdf
• https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R46652.pdf

Protecting neighborhood from “eminent domain” claims for proposed pipeline in Memphis, Tennessee

• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-landowner-digs-against-land-143253924.html

Frozen wind turbines – can they keep spinning through the winter?

• https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-frozen-wind-turbines-and-how-to-keep-them-spinning-through-the-winter-156520

Spain to cull (i.e., kill) 900 cattle that were stranded at sea

• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spain-starts-culling-900-cattle-151840143.html

Two-thirds of original tropical rainforest destroyed or degraded across the world – sold on Amazon

• https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-03-08/two-thirds-of-tropical-rainforest-destroyed-or-degraded-globally-ngo-says
• Info-graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/30jfbd7
• https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56168844
• Rainforest Foundation Norway Reports: https://www.regnskog.no/en/publications/reports    

Fish stocks in rivers in Cambodia are dwindling

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/cambodias-dwindling-fish-stocks-put-010641994.html

Two giraffes die in barn fire at Roer’s Zoofari in Virginia – “Waffles” and mate

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/two-giraffes-killed-in-devastating-virginia-zoo-fire-we-are-so-heartbroken/ar-BB1epCaJ

Perspective:  Valuing wetlands using balanced conservation strategies

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-021-00713-4

US Interior Dept outlines next steps in fossil fuels program review

• https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-outlines-next-steps-fossil-fuels-program-review

Flood waters overflowed Kaupakalua Dam and forced evacuations in Hawaii

• https://apnews.com/article/evacuations-hawaii-e99b078c5230ec14a240cad1efe202b7
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/heavy-hawaii-rains-breach-dam-force-evacuations/ar-BB1eppT3

Smugglers using color-coded wrist bans to sort out illegals – payment status or affiliation

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/color-coded-passage-why-smugglers-182920329.html

“forthcoming” Interim report on suspension of oil & gas leases

• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-officials-report-oil-gas-175934832.html

Endangered Amur tiger at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado following artificial insemination procedure

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/endangered-tiger-dies-artificial-insemination-155644431.html

Western States respond differently to demand for freshwater exceeding the supply in the Colorado River

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/western-states-chart-diverging-paths-165331438.html

Arizona closes Highway Checkpoints to respond to crisis of surging illegal immigration from Mexico

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/cbp-shuts-down-arizona-highway-154613439.html
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/number-migrant-children-border-patrol-231832870.html

California could learn some lessons about wildfires from Native Americans

• https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/california-wildfires-native-burns-162826131.html

Making progress on flood control projects in Louisiana

• https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_893bf502-8026-11eb-8eff-0ba518e6f34b.html

Converting Red Rock Dam in Pella, Iowa, from flood control to a hydroelectric dam

• https://www.enr.com/articles/51358-red-rock-dam-in-pella-iowa-becomes-a-hydrodam

Technological hazard:  understanding methods used by cybercriminals for cyberattacks

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/what-is-a-cyberattack-a-guide-to-the-different-methods-cybercriminals-use-to-harm-computers-and-steal-data/ar-BB1esbmG

If you have bird feeders, do not forget to clean them

• https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/03/clean-your-birdfeeder-wildlife-biologists/

Sea slugs grow new bodies after decapitation

• https://www.9news.com.au/world/some-sea-slugs-grow-new-bodies-after-decapitation/04b899f6-9dc6-4b13-a451-c21e4572115d
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/03/this-sea-slug-can-lose-its-head-and-regenerate-new-body-in-three-weeks/

Update on the Great Green Wall in Sub-Saharan Africa

• https://eos.org/articles/new-funding-fortifies-africas-great-green-wall

Have you tried refillable Dove deodorant? Company slashing virgin plastic use

• https://www.treehugger.com/dove-introduces-refillable-deodorant-5094440

Growing marijuana creates enormous amounts of carbon emissions

• https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/03/as-a-crop-cannabis-has-enormous-carbon-emissions/

Invasive Zebra mussels found in pet stores in 21 states from Alaska to Florida

• https://www.usgs.gov/news/invasive-zebra-mussels-found-pet-stores-21-states

Venom-extraction & exotic pet trade may hasten extinction of scorpions

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210310122605.htm
• Paper: https://bioone.org/journals/arachnologische-mitteilungen/volume-61/issue-1/aramit6103/Amateur-venom-extraction-business-may-hasten-extinction-of-scorpions/10.30963/aramit6103.full

Bioaccumulation of phased-out fire retardant chemical slowly declining in Bald Eagles

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-bioaccumulation-phased-out-retardants-slowly-declining.html
• Paper: https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.5006

CRS Report:  Central Valley Project in California

• https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45342

Perspective:  Reduced role of nuclear technology in global energy supply

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00615-w

Perspective:  valuing ecosystems may help conserve the planet

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00616-9

Population of endangered Mexican wolves is increasing in New Mexico & that is a good thing

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/wild-population-endangered-mexican-wolves-163854568.html

Sierra Club joins others in suing Kern County to block new O&G wells

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/groups-sue-over-california-countys-014444261.html

Curved barriers help protect pedestrians from road pollution

• https://www.theengineer.co.uk/curved-barriers-traffic-pollution/

Massive carbon filters “contain” contaminated soil in Detroit River – PAHs & heavy metals

• http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/09/massive-filter-keeps-detroit-river-contaminants-in-place/

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

Zombie crisis of the unsick but locked down

• https://theconversation.com/a-year-into-the-pandemic-the-coronavirus-is-messing-with-our-minds-as-well-as-our-bodies-155213

Immune interference & emerging strains

• https://theconversation.com/immune-interference-why-even-updated-vaccines-could-struggle-to-keep-up-with-emerging-coronavirus-strains-156465

2018 diplomats warned of risky experiments in Wuhan Lab – no one listened

• https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/03/08/josh-rogin-chaos-under-heaven-wuhan-lab-book-excerpt-474322
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/09/coronavirus-spread-world/?arc404=true

Governor talking about numbers that make California look good – risk of recall is good motivation

• https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-death-rates-gavin-newsom-california-coronavirus-pandemic-b06dff742c7ccbbc594665f8cefeab7d

CDC reports mask mandates associated with 0.5% to less than 2% reduction in cases/deaths – in other words masks are not effective since that is within the margin of error

• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7010e3.htm?s_cid=mm7010e3_w

Deaths related to vaccine? Despite assumed/presumed/confirmed dying with/from virus CDC says no deaths attributed to vaccines

• https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/03/10/no-link-between-covid/

Long-term economic impacts of the shutdown

• https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2021-03-09/state-economies-weathered-the-coronavirus-storm-but-the-damage-lives-on

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board – 15 March – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

US Dept Interior completes Environmental Review of Vineyard 1 Wind offshore project

• https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-completes-environmental-review-offshore-windproject

More damage found at Pensacola Bay Bridge – more work & delayed re-opening

• http://www.northescambia.com/2021/03/pensacola-bay-bridge-probably-wont-reopen-inmarch-more-damage-found

$50B Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion proposal receives positive report from US Army COE

• https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_fdb34438-7c45-11eb-8164-5b2d879fcbef.html

Virginia Beach to restore 200+ acres of Back Bay marshes to reduce wind-driven flooding

• https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/virginia-beach-sets-out-to-restore-200-plus-acres-of-marshes-to-curb-wind-driven-flooding/

Environmental concerns raised that new artificial island will alter currents in Copenhagen Harbor

• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-10/copenhagen-s-island-building-planfaces-new-test?srnd=premium

Human-induced land subsidence in coastal areas is the big culprit – not sea level rise

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/sea-level-rise-is-impacting-populous-coastalareas-four-times-faster-than-global-average-study-says/ar-BB1eqhwm

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-sea-global-average-coastal.html

• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-08/rising-sea-levels-inundating-coastaleconomies-four-times-faster

The potential for recovery of barrier islands and coastal dunes after storms

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-resilience-barrier-islands-coastal-dunes.html

Seeking new route for railroad tunnel as San Diego County coastal bluffs erode

• https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-07/soil-studies-start-for-del-mar-railroadtunnel

The potential for recovery of barrier islands and coastal dunes after storms

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-resilience-barrier-islands-coastal-dunes.html

Longest & deepest underwater power cable to connect electrical grids of Cyprus, Greece & Israel

• https://www.dw.com/en/longest-and-deepest-subsea-power-cable-to-be-connected-betweencyprus-greece-and-israel/a-56809996

Coastal Growers LLC breaks ground for new peanut shelling facility in southern Alabama

• https://www.atmoreadvance.com/2021/03/10/coastal-growers-llc-holds-groundbreaking-fornew-facility/

Examining coastal and offshore faults in southern California

• http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news_story.aspx?sid=78337

Mapping coastal North Carolina as part of Risk Assessment & Resilience Plan

• https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2021-03-10/environmental-justice/underservedunderwater-mapping-a-future-for-coastal-nc/a73474-1

New use for abandoned offshore oil & gas platforms

• https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210126-the-richest-human-made-marine-habitats-inthe-world

Offshore gas “mega hub” developed in Equatorial Guinea to generate future revenue

• https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/equatorial-guinea-successfully-developsoffshore-gas-mega-hub

Encountering substantial pressure increases during offshore drilling causes halt before reaching Neocomian targets in Suriname – will redesign wellbore & drilling program

• https://www.oedigital.com/news/485908-apache-total-halt-suriname-offshore-drilling-due-topressure

Israel & Cyrus reaching settlement of offshore gas field dispute

• https://www.oedigital.com/news/485904-israel-cyprus-working-to-settle-offshore-gas-fielddispute

GAO report on Coastal Barrier Resources Act

• https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-258

Chaotic approach to chronic coast erosion in southern California

• https://patch.com/california/lagunaniguel-danapoint/hope-7-miles-eroding-socal-coast

Urging Rhode Island Supreme Court to reject settlement that allows expansion of Block Island Marina

• https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/2021/03/05/attorney-general-argues-denialchamplins-marina-expansion-pact/4591507001/

Ad hoc adaptations in coastal communities

• https://hazards.colorado.edu/mitigation-matters-report/the-art-of-getting-by-1

Collapse of Northern California kelp forests may be irreversible

•https://www.terradaily.com/reports/The_collapse_of_Northern_California_kelp_forests_will_be_hard_to_reverse_999.html

• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-01827-6

28-year record of water quality in Buzzards Bay

• https://phys.org/news/2021-03-citizens-scientists-year-quality-buzzards.html

• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-021-00856-4

Mekong River delta eroding away – dams and sand mining have significant impact

• https://chinadialogue.net/en/energy/as-the-mekong-delta-washes-away-homes-andhighways-are-being-lost/

"Thanks to Deep Fake technology, we can make any old white guy’s (OWG) video lectures totally woke and diverse." - @ass_deans

CRS Report: 'Water Resource Issues in the 117th Congress'

This is the kind of CRS report (12 March 2021) that will likely be updated a few times over the next 18 months or so. It's got the Natural Resources A-team here: Charles V. Stern, Nicole T. Carter, Pervaze A. Sheikh, Anna E. Normand, Eva Lipiec, and Peter Folger: Water Resource Issues in the 117th Congress.

Download CRS_Report_WR_Issues_117Congress_12March2021

Whenever I post these CRS reports, which are truly 'hidden' treasures, I rarely comment on them and let the reader draw their own conclusions. I will make some comments on this one.

Lots of important issues are in the report: Great Lakes (increasing water levels, water quality, cooperation with Canada); Western drought; Columbia River Treaty (cooperation with Canada); Indian Water Rights SettlementsSettlements; Cooperation with Mexico - Rio Grande and Colorado River; Water Resource Science at the USGS; Protecting and Restoring the Environment (Everglades, Gulf Coast, etc.); nature-based solutions; and more.

I was especially pleased to see that groundwater and recharge were there. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was specifically mentioned and acknowledged that it was a State of California effort, not one of Reclamation's. 

Water quality was not listed separately as an issue. It was mentioned as part of the Great Lakes. But there was nothing about the 'forever chemicals' (PFAS), drinking water (SDWA was mentioned in some of the copious footnotes. But it should be given more visibility - a separate heading would be very good.

The graphic is not from the report (click here). Click on it to enlarge it. Here we go...

Summary
Congress engages in authorization and appropriations for water resource projects and activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), as well as involvement in water resource activities by other agencies. USACE constructs projects nationwide, primarily to improve navigation, reduce flood damage, and res tore aquatic ecosystems. Reclamation constructs projects as authorized in the 17 arid and semiarid states west of the Mississippi River; these projects primarily provide water supply benefits, often to agricultural irrigation users. The 117th Congress may conduct oversight and may deliberate on authorization and funding of water resource development, management, and protection. The 117th Congress, like earlier Congresses, also may consider authorization of new or amended Indian water rights settlements and may evaluate the focus of and funding for the water resource science activities of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). 

Development pressures, droughts and floods, and concerns about land-use change and climate change, among other issues, have given rise to interest in federal financial and technical assistance for water resource science and projects. Stakeholders are interested in a range of water resource issues, including 

 new water resource infrastructure (e.g., storm surge gates, water storage) and new kinds of water resource projects (e.g., groundwater recharge, nature-based flood risk reduction); 

 reinvestment in aging water resource infrastructure and use of hydrologic science and real-time monitoring and forecasting to improve infrastructure operations; 

 funding and financing of projects, including whether and how to shift from federally led projects to federal partnerships with state and/or local entities; and 

 activities to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems and enhance flood resilience (including the use of nature-based approaches). 

Some topics largely relate to specific agencies. USACE-related topics that may be considered include efforts to update the agency’s authorities to incorporate new mission areas and address the agency’s aging infrastructure. Congress also may address Reclamation drought mitigation activities in the Colorado River Basin and other areas. In addition, Congress may explore ongoing issues associated with Reclamation’s project operations in Ca lifornia and other areas; Congress may address how these issues affect water deliveries to irrigation districts and municipalities and how they impact threatened and endangered species, among others. 

In addition to domestic water resource issues, some topics are international in character. Regarding freshwater bodies shared with Canada, potential topics for the 117th Congress include federal funding for activities supporting Great Lakes restoration and negotiations (and any resulting agreements) with Canada to modify the Columbia River Treaty. Potential topics related to Mexico include oversight of a binational agreement on water sharing during dry conditions in the Colorado River Basin and Mexico’s deliveries to the United States in the Rio Grande Basin. 

Crosscutting topics (i.e., topics relevant to multiple agencies and programs) also are part of congressional water resource deliberations. For example, Congress may consider the status and priority of new and ongoing federal efforts to restore large - scale aquatic ecosystems that have been altered or impaired by changes to their natural conditions (e.g., Florida Everglades and the Chesapeake Bay). Congress may be interested in the funding and performance of existing restoration efforts, including what changes, if any, may be necessary to improve project delivery and evaluation. In addition, Congress may consider its guidance to multiple federal agencies on how to respond to flood hazards, including efforts related to enhancing the resilience of infrastructure and communities to flooding. Many have expressed interest in developing and evaluating approaches that protect natural elements that reduce flood risk (e.g., natural dunes) or are “nature-based” in comprehensive flood risk management (e.g., constructed dunes). Congress also may consider legislation and oversight on USACE supplemental appropriations for response to and recovery from floods. 

Introduction
Demands on available water supplies have heightened local and regional water-use conflicts throughout the United States, particularly in the West and the Southeast. Development pressures, droughts, floods, and concerns about land-use change and climate change, among other issues, have increased stakeholder interest in federal financial and technical assistance for water resource projects. Many have expressed interest in constructing new water resource infrastructure (e.g., storm surge gates, water storage) at various locations, as well as in new types of projects (e.g., groundwater recharge, nature-based flood risk reduction). In addition, some stakeholders and Members of Congress have expressed interest in reinvestment in aging water resource infrastructure and in improved management of available water supplies through water science, monitoring, and operational changes. Water resource policy questions that the 117th Congress may consider include the following:

•   What should be the federal role in maintaining the performance and safety of existing water resource infrastructure?

•   Under what conditions and how should the federal government be involved in planning and constructing water resource projects?

  How should water resource science, observation, and monitoring inform water resource management, project design, and operation?

Congress plays a role in water resources through authorization of, and appropriations for, projects and activities. Some of these projects are for facilitating navigation and expanding water supplies for irrigation and other uses. Other projects aim to achieve goals such as reducing flood and/or drought losses or restoring aquatic ecosystems.

Congress principally directs either the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the Department of Defense or the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) in the Department of the Interior (DOI) to plan, construct, operate, and maintain the majority of federally owned water resource projects. Reclamation projects generally are located in the 17 arid and semiarid states west of the Mississippi River; these projects are designed principally to provide reliable supplies of water for irrigation and some municipal and industrial uses. USACE constructs projects nationwide primarily to improve navigation, reduce flood damage, and restore aquatic ecosystems. In recent years, USACE generally has constructed more new projects than Reclamation, although both agencies have continued to construct new facilities. Congress also authorizes and funds selected water resource science and monitoring activities at multiple federal agencies. DOI’s U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a prominent role in federal water resource science and observation (e.g., streamgages, groundwater information). The water-related programs and activities of federal agencies other than USACE, Reclamation, and USGS are largely outside the scope of this report, which focuses on water resources issues. This report also does not address federal support for municipal water systems; municipal wastewater infrastructure; or environmental protections, such as water quality and wetlands regulations.

This report covers broad categories of water resource topics that the 117th Congress may consider—projects and activities of USACE and Reclamation, as well as related issues such as Indian water rights settlements, international waters shared with Canada and Mexico, and water resource science at USGS. It also provides information on crosscutting topics, including support for aging and new water resource projects, protection and restoration of the environment, efforts to facilitate flood resilience and natural and nature-based infrastructure, and groundwater recharge.

Cutting to the chase...

Conclusion
Many factors shape water resource issues that the 117th Congress may consider. These factors include demand for reliable water supplies; hydrologic conditions, such as droughts, floods, and effects of climate change; issues regarding safety and performance of existing infrastructure; and interests and concerns about alternative financing and public-private partnerships.

The 117th Congress may consider some measures proposed but not enacted in the 116th Congress, as well as new legislative proposals. In the water resource area, legislative activity often has been specific to the federal water resource management agencies or to water use by particular sectors, including energy, agriculture, navigation, recreation, and municipal and industrial use. Occasionally, Congress takes up broader water resource policy issues, such as coordination of federal water resource activities, programs, science, and research.

Congress and other decisionmakers often make water resource decisions within a complicated context. These decisions may involve existing federal infrastructure and its beneficiaries, multiple or conflicting objectives, various legal decisions, multiple environmental and natural resource statutes, and long-established institutional mechanisms (e.g., water rights and contractual obligations). These decisions also occur within a federalist framework in which water resource responsibilities are shared with state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector.

Enjoy!

"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." - Joseph Brodsky (quoted in @ParadeMagazine via @TheWeek)