Drought
Colorado River States Inch Closer to Agreement
Upper Basin and Lower Basin states each say their plan for conserving the Colorado River’s water is the most sustainable.
California Agency Awards $38 Million for Turf Replacement
The grant funds grass replacement rebates for commercial and residential properties and water-saving devices for fire stations.
Wet Summer Pulls California Out of Drought
The entire state is drought-free for the first time in years.
Arizona Town Looks for New Water Sources, Insists Development ‘Full Steam Ahead’
While many Southwest cities are looking for ways to conserve water and limit growth as water supplies become strained, one town is pressing ahead with rapid development.
Drinking Water More Precious Than Grass in California
Ornamental grass—the kinds of grass that line medians and roadsides but never serves for recreation—is a vanishing amenity in a drought-stricken West.
A Reckoning for Southwestern Golf Courses
Amid a growing water crisis, more cities are cracking down on ornamental uses of grass and golf course greens.
Southwest Coming to Grips With Water Crisis
Will banning lawns and limiting water use be enough as new communities continue to sprout up across the drying west?
Can Southwest Utah’s Water Supply Handle its Explosive Growth?
A remote corner of the state is the nation’s fastest-growing metro area, but concerns about water supplies across the Southwest signal an uncertain future.
California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.
Despite Water Crisis, Desert Golf Courses Thrive
Officials in the Coachella Valley seem reluctant to restrict water supplies to the many golf courses and ornamental lakes that dot the region, opting instead to cut water deliveries to a groundwater recharge facility.
Arizona Governor Takes Steps to Modernize Water Policy
A newly released report warns of rapidly dwindling groundwater resources as developers plan to build hundreds of thousands of new homes.
Survey: Mayors Concerned About Direct Impacts of Climate Change
Almost all U.S. mayors have some level of concern about climate change in their communities, but local leaders face some challenges in taking action.
Scottsdale Cuts Water Supply to Nearby Suburb
The city claims it has no responsibility to provide water to the unincorporated Maricopa County community.
California’s Reservoirs are Filling Up, but For How Long?
Recent storms are bringing plenty of water to parched parts of California, but scientists warn the relief won’t be a long-term solution to longer, drier periods.
Arizona Tapping Groundwater to Fuel Suburban Growth
Critics say Arizona’s growth patterns are unsustainable and dangerous, given the depleted Colorado River and the state’s deepening reliance on groundwater.
The Year in Public Lands
Public policy decisions that will impact land and water conservation in the American West.
Southern California Water District Declares Drought Emergency
State water officials say the region’s agencies will only receive 5 percent of their requested supplies for the start of 2023 due to intense drought conditions that continue to sap western water supplies.
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.
Controversial Agreement Yields Funding for Salton Sea Restoration
An unprecedented, but deeply controversial, agreement changes the equation for the Colorado River and the Salton Sea.
Arizona’s Growth Threatens Water Supplies
New communities are popping up across Arizona’s desert, evading water consumption restrictions and straining the state’s groundwater supplies.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
