Water News Roundup – March 29, 2010

Salt Lake Tribune: Feds seek public input on rerouting river for June Suckers – With carp eradication under way, federal officials are looking to the next step to make Utah Lake more hospitable to June suckers.

Deseret News: Proposal for treated groundwater could affect Great Salt Lake – Bolstered by a four-year, $2 million study and more than two decades of planning, a project that aims to pipe the byproduct of treated groundwater to a bay at the Great Salt Lake is inching forward.

Scientific American: Awash in Awareness: Knowing a product’s “Water Footprint” may help consumers conserve H2O – If you think your morning cup of joe only has 12 ounces (35 centiliters) of water in it, you’re sorely mistaken—it has closer to 40 gallons (150 liters). Conservation scientists say it’s time consumers become aware of the quantity and source of water that goes into growing, manufacturing and shipping food.

Technorati Tags: Great Salt Lake,groundwater management,JSRIP,June sucker,Provo River,water footprint

Water News Roundup – March 24, 2010

KSL: Study says mercury in Great Salt Lake is global problem – Scientific studies are turning up answers to a baffling mystery about the Great Salt Lake. The new findings help explain why concentrations of toxic mercury in the lake are higher than anywhere else in the country.

Salt Lake Tribune: St. George, Provo-Orem growing fast – When it comes to growth, Utah is still whistlin’ Dixie, Coal Country is still singing the blues and the state, as a whole, is still humming lullabies.

Deseret News: Meetings set to explain groundwater treatment proposal – The first in a series of informational meetings about a proposal to pipe the treated byproducts of a groundwater cleanup project to the Great Salt Lake’s Gilbert Bay is scheduled for Wednesday.

Details about the meetings can be found on the DEQ’s website.

Also, Continue to celebrate World Water Week by increasing awareness!  There are some great articles and amazing photography on National Geographic’s website.

A concise info-graphic of water facts: 10 things you should know about water.

My fav: A photo collection of some of California’s water infrastructure that is at risk and downloadable water wallpaper! Ooo!

Technorati Tags: Gilbert Bay,Great Salt Lake,Groundwater,JVWCD,population growth,mercury

Water News Roundup – March 11, 2010

Daily Herald:

Stalled no more, canal piping moves ahead – What is 126 inches tall, 21 miles long, weighs 32,000 tons, requires 131 miles of welding, and has peeved off an entire upscale Highland neighborhood?

Springville pipeline update – The intersection at 400 South and 400 East in Springville closed Tuesday, a week ahead of schedule, to make way for the ongoing Central Utah Water Conservancy District’s (CUWCD) pipeline project.

KSL:

Big pipeline to replace Provo Canal – A canal association plans to enclose an open ditch leaving Provo Canyon with a 21-mile pipeline to Salt Lake County.

Regulators OK disposal of wastewater into the Great Salt Lake – State regulators Wednesday gave a tentative “thumbs up” for disposal of contaminated water into the Great Salt Lake. A pipeline to get it there is already under construction.

Technorati Tags: CUWCD,Great Salt Lake,mining contamination,Provo Reservoir Canal,Provo Reservoir Canal Enclosure Project,PRWUA,Springville,wastewater disposal

Water News Roundup – March 4, 2010

KSL: Legislature OKs personal collection of rainwater – The Utah Legislature has passed a bill that would permit the personal collection of rainwater.

Deseret News: Great Salt Lake Bird Festival registration begins Thursday – Registration for the 12th annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival begins at 9 a.m. Thursday.  Registration can be made online at www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com or by calling 801-451-3278.

The Spectrum: Legislators to meet with city – Enoch City Council members will have the chance at their next meeting to ask Sen. Dennis Stowell, R.-Dist.28, questions about the recently passed Senate Bill 20 that allows for the creation of special districts by local entities to assess water rights.

Technorati Tags: Enoch,Great Salt Lake,Great Salt Lake Bird Festival,rainwater harvesting,Water Rights

Water News Roundup – March 2, 2010

Ogden Standard Examiner: House committee created to make recommendations on Great Salt Lake – A Utah House committee on Monday approved the creation of an official council to make recommendations on public policies that involve the Great Salt Lake.

KCPW:

Would advisory council for Great Salt Lake be enough? – Members of the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council convened by former Governor Jon Huntsman say Representative Ben Ferry’s bill to create a permanent council for the lake is a good first step.

Water rights discussions could be behind closed doors – Governmental negotiations on water rights could be held behind closed doors, under a bill passed by the Utah House of Representatives this morning.

Technorati Tags: Great Salt Lake,water legislation,Water Rights

Water News Roundup – February 2, 2010

eseret News: Great Salt Lake Bird Festival events announced – This year’s festival, held at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington, runs May 14-16 and will feature various birding tours with visitors coming from all over Utah to look for birds around northern Utah.

Salt Lake Tribune: Senate passes bill governing collection of rainwater – The Senate passed legislation Monday that would allow Utahns to legally set out a barrel to collect rainwater for use in their yards or gardens.  Current law prohibits the practice, because collecting the water could diminish the amount available to parties who hold rights to groundwater.

KUER: Today at 9 o’clock Diane Rehm will be talking about global water issues related to scarcity and security.  Here’s a description of her show.  We’ll add a link to the podcast (Windows Media Player) afterward. Have a great morning!

Environment: Global Water Security
Water is quickly replacing oil as our most valuable natural resource. Freshwater scarcity affects public health, national security and the global economy. A panel joins Diane to examine how control and distribution of water will affect future domestic and foreign policies.

GUESTS

Steven Solomon, journalist and author of the recently published “Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization” and “The Confidence Game.”

Water News Roundup – February 1, 2010

Suddenly lots of water news… Snake Valley, canal regulation, new legislation, etc.  Enjoy!

Deseret News:

Nevada top court reverses ruling on water deal –  A controversial water deal between Utah and Nevada — one that appeared destined for signatures just weeks ago — was upended Thursday after Nevada’s Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling on the matter.

Amendment aims to clarify water taxation – A constitutional amendment that would give tax-exempt status to water-producing property was sent on with a favorable recommendation Thursday morning in a House committee meeting.

Salt Lake Tribune:

Ruling may sink Snake Valley water deal – A top water official moved too slowly on a 1989 Las Vegas request for certain water rights, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Thursday — a finding that could delay or even kill a $3.5 billion proposal to pipe water 300 miles from Snake Valley to Sin City.

Utahns speak with one voice: no water deal – Anyway you slice the numbers in a new poll, most Utahns say a proposed Snake Valley water-sharing agreement with Nevada is a bad idea.  About 60 percent or more of all men, women, Democrats, Republicans, independents, Mormons and non-Mormons oppose the deal, which appeared all but done before a Nevada Supreme Court ruling Thursday smashed into it.

Great Salt Lake’s mercury source can’t hide forever – Scientists may finally be closing in on the source of mercury fouling Utah’s Great Salt Lake.  The Environmental Protection Agency is funding an effort by a University of Utah researcher and others to scan the air over the lake in search of mercury and any hints about where it’s coming from.

Salt Lake Tribune – Editorial: Canal regulation – At 4,703 words, Utah House Bill 60 sets a record.

KCPW: Senator wants to legalize rainwater collection – It’s been a year since Utah Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins first introduced his rainwater harvesting bill, but he says people are still “a little jumpy” about changing some of the oldest laws in Utah, its water laws. But it’s a common practice that’s becoming more popular as interest in gardening and sustainability grows. Jenkins notes that currently in Utah, people storing rainwater are actually breaking the law.