If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Over two dozen U.S. Geological Survey Water Science Centers are slated to close due to Department of Government Efficiency cuts, putting key water management resources at risk, reports Wyatt Myskow in Inside Climate News.
According to Myskow, “Staffers at targeted centers, speaking anonymously because they are not authorized to speak to the media, said they are in the dark as to what happens when the leases end and how their operations, vital to water management across the country, will be able to continue, though talks continue about renewing some of the affected leases.”
The centers monitor water quality and collect data crucial to states’ water management plans. “In a worst case scenario, workers said, the termination of the leases would result in employees being unable to get out in the field to make the necessary checkups and repairs, making the agency unable to produce the data.” The USGS manages stream gauges that dictate how water is appropriated and determine when drought conditions require cuts in water use, among other functions. Myskow points out that most of the work done by the Science Centers is actually funded by states, not federal dollars.
FULL STORY: USGS Water Data Centers May Soon Close, Threatening States’ Water Management
Arizona Governor Pledges $1 Billion to Water Infrastructure
The billion-dollar investment in the state's water supplies sounds good on paper, but lawmakers must also distribute funding effectively to mitigate the state's urgent water shortage.
Grant Program Will Pay California Farmers To Repurpose Fallow Land
A new state grant program will help California farmers convert idle land to new purposes in an effort to mitigate the environmental and economic effects of drought on the state's Central Valley.
U.S. Water Use Hits 45-Year Low
Recent data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows that the country is using less water even as its population grows.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie