Archive
Water Futures Join Wall Street
Water has now joined oil, gold, and other commodities traded on Wall Street, highlighting worries that the life-sustaining natural resource may become scarce across more of the world. The contracts, a first of their kind in the U.S., were announced in September of this year as heat and wildfires ravaged the U.S. West Coast and as California was emerging from an eight-year drought. They are meant to serve both as a hedge for big water consumers, such as almond farmers and electric utilities, against water prices fluctuations as well a scarcity gauge for investors worldwide. Farmers, hedge funds and municipalities […]
Severe Drought Affecting Colorado and Half the U.S.
As the forecast remains dry, drought continues to climb. The latest drought monitor update shows a significant milestone. The ‘Abnormally Dry’ category, that was previously keeping Colorado out of the 100% drought category by a small margin, has been replaced by areas of Moderate drought in North Colorado. This means the entire state is experiencing drought, not just a dry category or higher. The most recent time this happened was July 9, 2013[1]. That was part of a long stretch of drought conditions across Colorado. Another notable change is the increase in Severe drought conditions. With areas of Moderate drought being overtaken […]
Identifying States’ Vulnerability to Drought
When thinking of states that are most impacted or vulnerable to drought, the Western region of the country would be the most referenced area as they are suffering under hot and dry conditions and raging wildfires. However, according to a newly published assessment funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)[1], there are more factors involved in what makes a state more vulnerable to droughts than just a lack of rain. The assessment looked at a combination of how susceptible a state is to drought and whether it is prepared for the impacts of the drought. Each state was […]
Statewide Significant Drought Declared in Massachusetts
Following a month of unusually high temperatures in July and August paired with limited rainfall, Massachusetts state officials have declared a Level 2 drought for all regions, urging citizens to closely monitor and limit their water consumption. The Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary, Kathleen Theoharides, declared a “Level 2 – Significant Drought” in all of the state’s regions this past week, according to a joint statement from Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Drought Management Task Force, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. “The combination of three months of limited rainfall and well above normal temperatures through July and early August […]
Water Management in Urban Centers
Water management is a challenge facing the world, whether it is from too much water or too little. Prolonged drought and population growth continue to be key areas of concern for water utilities, especially in urban centers. According to the UN, urban areas currently comprise approximately 55% of the world’s population and estimates that percentage will grow to 68% by 2050. Water uncertainty threatens many of the most populous cities throughout the world as they struggle to mitigate the combined factors of climate change, population growth and water loss. The unrelenting population growth of cities signifies demands on water infrastructure […]