Freshwater resources are running out and being overused -- a global crisis that can be seen in the declining flows of the Colorado River.
Smithsonian Magazine profiles the river and looks at how declining freshwater resources are threatening the vast and growing cities that depend on the river.
"Climate change will likely decrease the river's flow by 5 to 20 percent in the next 40 years, says geoscientist Brad Udall, director of the University of Colorado Western Water Assessment. Less precipitation in the Rocky Mountains will yield less water to begin with. Droughts will last longer. Higher overall air temperatures will mean more water lost to evaporation. 'You're going to see earlier runoff and lower flows later in the year,' so water will be more scarce during the growing season, says Udall."
Read the full story: The Colorado River Runs Dry
Designing Cities in an Age of Scarce Water
Freshwater is becoming increasingly scarce. Our cities will need to address these shortages with better design, according to author Steven Solomon.
Arizona prepares to tap into emergency water supply as it braces for Colorado River cuts
The Salt River Project has been collecting nearly 4 million acre-feet of water since the mid-1990s.
Federal proposal calls for mandatory water cuts to Arizona, California and Nevada
The Bureau of Reclamation stepped in after states failed to come to an agreement over Colorado River water use reductions.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC to turn city-owned property into thousands of homes
The city has scheduled a public hearing regarding the development for October.
Buses travel at 5mph along this route in NYC. The Bronx's first-ever busway looks to change that
Prior to the busway, buses on the Bx36 route traveled as slowly as 5 miles per hour.
Pittsburg launches 'EZ permits,' aims for one-day turnaround for low-risk permits
The pilot ‘fast lane’ for permits is part of a bundle of modernization efforts for Pittsburg’s permitting process.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello