A new study by researchers at Columbia University estimates how predicted changes in the levels and locations of snowfall will affect water supplies.
Sindya N. Bhanoo reports on a new study lead by Justin S. Mankin, analyzing 421 drainage basins in the Northern Hemisphere that depend for models of how climate change might affect water supplies.
Worldwide, the study's findings indicate that "97 basins, currently serving two billion people, depend heavily on snowmelt. The scientists calculated that the likelihood the basins would receive less snow in the coming century was 67 percent." The two basins most at risk in the United States are already experiencing historic droughts. According to the study, "[t]he most sensitive basins in the United States include those in Northern and Central California, and those of the Colorado and Rio Grande rivers."
FULL STORY: Billions of People Depend on Water From Shrinking Snowpacks
Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake
With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.
Superfund Project to Deliver Massive Water Supply Boon to Los Angeles
The semi-arid region of Los Angeles is often mistaken for a desert, but the local water supply is also constrained by the environmental sins of the 20th century. The water supply equation of Los Angeles will soon change, however.
Ramping Up Recycled Wastewater
States like Colorado and water suppliers in parts of Southern California are expanding the use of recycled wastewater to protect dwindling drinking water supplies.
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?
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville
Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.
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.’
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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