Raising the height of the Shasta Dam in Northern California has been on the table since the 1980s. Now it looks like the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation is going through with it.

Maven's Notebook shares news from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation about progress on a controversial project that would raise the dam at California's largest reservoir by 18.5 feet.
According to the Bureau of Reclamation announcement, "geologists are extracting core samples from on, around and deep within Shasta Dam. Gathered data will be used to characterize concrete and geology conditions related to a proposed 18 ½ feet Shasta Dam raise."
Raising the dam will allow an additional 630,000 acre-feet of storage in the reservoir. The Bureau of Reclamation is touting the project for its benefit to agricultural, commercial, and environmental interests, but the politics of the project aren't neat and clean, as detailed in a post by Katharine Jose from March 2018. For more on the Shasta Dam and Reservoir Enlargement Project, see a Bureau of Reclamation website set up for the project.
Congress approved $20 million in funding for the project in March, through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act.
Meanwhile, the state has also been pouring money into water storage projects, with $2.7 billion in Proposition 1 awarded to projects in July 2018.
FULL STORY: Exploratory work begins at Shasta Dam; Delta Islands and Levees study releases final EIS for review...

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009
Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie