Water

Dry Lake in Arizona

Federal Government Declares Water Shortage as Lake Mead Reaches Critical Low

The first-of-its-kind declaration triggers major water cutbacks for Arizona farmers and reduced allocations for Nevada and Mexico.

August 19, 2021 - The Arizona Republic

Water slides at Slide & Splash, Lagoa, Portugal

Do Water Parks Belong in the Desert?

Three planned Phoenix-area developments have drawn criticism for wasteful water use, but how do water parks compare to other municipal uses?

August 2, 2021 - AZ Central

A water-pipeline in the foothills west of Ridgecrest, CA

Water Thieves are Compromising California's Water Supplies

Theft by illegal marijuana grow operations is straining California's already dwindling water supplies and endangering local communities as authorities lock hydrants and restrict access to water sources.

July 27, 2021 - CALmatters

Wildfire

Visualizing the Western Drought

Lower-than-average rainfall and reduced snowpacks have led to one of the driest and most dangerous fire seasons in history.

June 23, 2021 - The New York Times

Highway 93

Unsustainable Sprawl Testing Water Supplies in the Valley of the Sun

As more and more people move to the suburbs blossoming in the Phoenix metro area, local water officials are increasingly concerned about the region's ability to keep up with demand.

June 9, 2021 - High Country News

Drought

Researchers Propose the Concept of 'Anthropogenic Drought'

As climate change heightens the risk of intense drought periods, a new framework can help scientists better understand the interconnected causes and effects of drought.

May 10, 2021 - Eos

California Aqueduct

Southern California's Water Conservation and Storage Efforts Paying Off

The region has poured over a billion dollars into storage infrastructure and demand management policies in anticipation of worsening drought conditions.

May 7, 2021 - Bloomberg Green+CityLab

Scottsdale, Arizona

Arizona Water Rights No Longer 'Use it or Lose it'

A bill approved with bipartisan support by the Arizona State Legislature offers new incentives for water conservation.

February 28, 2021 - Arizona Public Media

Lake Powell

The Southwest Contends With a Crisis on the Colorado River

With warmer temperatures sapping the flow of water and communities clamoring for higher volumes, the Colorado River needs strict management to continue serving millions of people and farms.

January 4, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

ARIZONA RESERVOIR

Arizona Proposes Legislation to Protect Water After Trump Rollbacks to Clean Water Act

To protect the state's water resources, Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality has drafted a new set of regulations aimed at replacing Clean Water Act provisions struck down by the Trump administration.

December 29, 2020 - Arizona Public Media

Water Dripping

Water Use and Land Use Are Deeply Intertwined

It's time to recognize the interconnectedness of land use planning, water policy, and sustainability initiatives.

December 24, 2020 - Water Foundation

kayak

Water Recreation Brings $18 Billion Annually to Colorado

Water recreation is an important contributor to the state's economy. A recent report found that water-related activities contribute an annual $18 billion to the state's economy.

June 30, 2020 - The Denver Post

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica Designs Greenest Municipal Building in the World

Amber Richane, Project Manager for the city of Santa Monica's new City Services Building, on the city's commitment to building the world's most sustainable public building.

November 22, 2019 - The Planning Report

Texas Flood

Texans to Vote on Flood Control Funding, Property Tax Breaks in Disaster Areas

The fingerprint of Hurricane Harvey and recurring flooding events around the state are evident in the statewide election in Texas on November 5, 2019.

October 21, 2019 - Austin American-Statesman

Swimming Hole

Friday Eye Candy: A Love Song for Swimming Holes

There's still technically some time left in the summer of 2019 to enjoy a dip, or a frolic, in a swimming hole.

September 13, 2019 - The New York Times

Las Vegas Sprawl

Sales Tax to Fund Water Projects Extended in Las Vegas Region

The Clark County Commission is extending a sales tax, created in 1998, which could have drawn to a close after raising $2.3 billion or the year 2025, whichever came first. The tax will remain in place indefinitely.

September 5, 2019 - Las Vegas Sun

Kennebec River

20 Years of Dam Removal Projects

Dam removal has its benefits, according to the example set by a particularly historic dam removal in the United States, which took place on July 1, 1999.

July 2, 2019 - American Rivers

Mission Street Bus Lane San Francisco

Investing in a more Sustainable Infrastructure

Congress needs to do more than fund the status quo in its next infrastructure bill, whenever that long-promised bill becomes a reality.

May 23, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Mississippi River

Monday Map: Water Infrastructure in New Orleans

The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans has launched its first public dashboards to track its operations and initiatives.

May 20, 2019 - Sewage and Water Board of New Orleans

The Yards Park, in Washington, D.C.

Coming Soon to D.C.: Rivers Clean Enough for Swimming

A tremendous open space and recreation addition could be on the horizon for residents of Washington, D.C., but there's still work to do in cleaning the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.

August 30, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.