The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 597 counties in 14 states as natural disaster areas due to the persistent drought and heat, making them the first disaster designations of 2013. The designations include 17 counties in Utah, 4 in Arizona, 19 in New Mexico, 9 in Nevada, 157 in Texas, and 30 in Colorado. These counties experienced a classification of at least severe drought for...
In The News
January 10, 2013 |
USDA
January 10, 2013 |
NOAA NESDIS
Temperatures in the Southwest U.S. are predicted to increase, with the greatest warming (3.5-6.5 degrees F) in the summer season and a localized maximum in central Utah, according to a new technical report produced as part of a series of regional climate descriptions by the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service prepared as input for the U.S. National Climate...
January 10, 2013 |
DOI/DOE/EPA
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, and Environmental Protection Agency have announced they will work together and support Arizona and tribal stakeholders to find ways to produce clean power from the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station (NGS) in northern Arizona on the Navajo Indian reservation, about 15 miles from the Grand Canyon. The NGS provides power to parts of...
Early Storms Bring Rain, Snow to SW
January 4, 2013 |
CLIMAS
Temperatures during late November and early December were more than 2 degrees F above average in Arizona and New Mexico, according to the December Climate Outlook from CLIMAS. In fact, in many parts of eastern New Mexico, temperatures were as high as 6 degrees F above average....
Water Runoff to Decline in SW
January 4, 2013 |
Nature Climate Change
In the period 2021-2040, several regions in the Southwest will experience reduced soil moisture and runoff, according to a recent study published in Nature Climate Change. The authors examined changes in precipitation, evapotranspiration (evaporation from both soils and plants), runoff, and soil...
263-Mile Water Pipeline to Las Vegas Approved
January 4, 2013 |
Associated Press
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has given the Southern Nevada Water Authority the right of way to install a 263-mile pipeline that will transport billions of gallons of groundwater from rural areas in eastern Nevada to Las Vegas, reports the Associated Press. According to the water authority’s...
Wind Energy Tax Credit Renewed in ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Bill
January 4, 2013 |
The White House/Associated Press
When the Senate and House passed the tax relief bill to avoid the ‘fiscal cliff’ Tuesday, they also extended the Production Tax Credit for renewable energy, a key victory for the wind energy industry. The fact sheet outlining key points of the tax agreement from the...
Rangeland Productivity Threatened by Climate Change
December 21, 2012 |
U.S. Forest Service
Land development and climate change will continue to threaten natural ecosystems and their ability to provide goods and services, according to a new report by the U.S. Forest Service. The report is meant to assist resource managers and policymakers in...
Desalination in CA Won’t Be Cheap
December 21, 2012 |
The Pacific Institute
In conducting over twenty interviews with industry experts, water agencies, community groups, and regulatory agencies, researchers from the Pacific Institute determine the true costs of seawater desalination projects in California and the risks associated with them. The...
Ecosystems Now More Stressed Than Ever
December 21, 2012 |
U.S. Global Change Research Program
Ecosystems are more stressed today than at any comparable period in human history due to the impacts of climate change on species’ geographical ranges and distributions. Furthermore, climate change exacerbates problems associated with other environmental stressors such as land use change. These are among the findings in a new...