Aspen, Colorado's City Council has voted to preserve the city's water rights with an option to dam local waterways if climate change or population growth creates a shortage of water in the future.
To the dismay of some local environmental groups, the Aspen City Council has voted to extend the city's water rights, giving the city the option to build dams on Castle Creek and Maroon Creek in the future if warranted by water shortages caused by climate change or population growth. The damming, the groups argue, would flood recreation areas and wildlife habitats in the area. Zach Evens of Boulder Weekly writes that the City Council has stated that by securing the water rights "they are preventing outside parties from being able to exploit the creeks." However, opponents say there are other measures the city can take to preserve the water supply, including increased conservation and water-sharing agreements.
FULL STORY: Water rights in Aspen; Lawsuit in Peru
New Yorkers Face New Climate Risks
A two-acre fire in a city park prompted city officials to ban grilling while urging residents to conserve water to limit the impact of a historic drought.
Southern Water Infrastructure at Risk From Climate Impacts
A water main breaks somewhere in the United States every two minutes, according to an estimate from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Northeastern Waterways More Polluted After Wet Year
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Research Links Urban Design and Human Happiness
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Reimagining Your Street
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Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Washington Lawmakers Eye Rent Stabilization
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Wildfires Devastate LA Outdoor Education Spaces and Schools
The current Los Angeles wildfires have destroyed schools and outdoor education spaces like Eaton Canyon, displacing families and disrupting vital learning and community resources while highlighting the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’
Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Ada County Highway District
Charles County Government
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland