References
NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.
How America Uses Water
- Thermoelectric power 41%
- Irrigation 37%
- Public Supply 12%
- Self-supplied industrial 5%
- Aquaculture 2%
- Mining 1%
- Self-supplied domestic 1%
- Livestock <1%
Source: Summary of Estimated Water Use in the United States in 2015 (U.S. Geological Survey, Jun. 17, 2018)
Water Resources & Issues
Why the Era of Cheap Water May be Ending in Utah (The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 22, 2022)
“Utah lawmakers are on the verge of adopting an aggressive water policy they say could fill the equivalent of another Jordanelle Reservoir. It’s so sweeping and far-reaching, in fact, that it won’t benefit just one city, county or water district — it could free up more water in nearly every corner of the state and mark an end to cheap, unfettered outdoor watering.”
Coastal Sea Levels in U.S. to Rise a Foot by 2050, Study Confirms (The New York Times, Feb. 16, 2022)
In a report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) it was found that, regardless of mitigating efforts, the sea-level will rise at least one foot by the year 2050. About 40% of United States citizens live within 60 miles of the ocean, many of whom will be in danger of more destructive storm surges, tides, and coastal floods. The report, which was meant to help government officials, city planners, and engineers think about infrastructure, will hopefully serve as a blueprint for future action.
U.S. Megadrought Worst in at Least 1,200 Years, Researchers Say (NBC, Feb. 15, 2022)
“The megadrought that has gripped the southwestern United States for the past 22 years is the worst since at least 800 A.D., according to a new study that examined shifts in water availability and soil moisture over the past 12 centuries.
The research, which suggests that the past two decades in the American Southwest have been the driest period in 1,200 years, pointed to human-caused climate change as a major reason for the current drought's severity. The findings were published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.”
Water Rights
Tribes to Receive $1.7 Billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Fulfill Indian Waters Rights Settlements (United States Department of the Interior, Feb. 22, 2022)
“The Law invests more than $13 billion directly in Tribal communities across the country and makes Tribal communities eligible for billions more in much-needed investments. That includes $2.5 billion to implement the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund, which will help deliver long-promised water resources to Tribes, certainty to all their non-Indian neighbors, and a solid foundation for future economic development for entire communities dependent on common water resources.”
Marijuana Bill Spurs Water Rights Debate in Arid New Mexico (The Roanoke Times, Feb. 16, 2022)
In one of the driest regions of the country, rural residents, Hispanic farmers, and Native American agriculture groups are worried that legislation for new cannabis producers may lack enough regulation surrounding water rights. Though some think that the pushback about water rights is “red tape” aimed at the recreational marijuana industry, the groups opposed state that they simply want to protect the already critically low water resources in the state.
Climate Crisis and Systemic Inequities Drive Push to Reform California Water Laws (Los Angeles Times, Feb. 13, 2022)
A group of prominent legal experts has presented a blueprint for updating California’s system of water laws to fix long-standing weaknesses and adapt to the worsening effects of climate change. They say their proposals, if adopted by the Legislature, would help the state better manage surface water and groundwater, protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems, and improve state oversight of the water rights system.
Understanding Water Rights: 12 Types of Water Rights (MasterClass, Jun. 7, 2021)
“Water rights refer to legal rights to use water from a specified source. Water rights authorize particular entities—like property owners or private companies—to use, sell, divert, or manage the water. Laws governing water rights vary from state to state, and water permits are issued in accordance with state laws and mandates. The two main types of water rights followed in the US are riparian rights—which refers to the right of a property owner to use water that touches the borders of their property—and prior-appropriation water rights—in which the state grants a party the right to use certain waters.”
Land Use & Water
‘Environmentally Focused’ Development Could Endanger ‘Best Kept Secret’ in Texas, Land Owner Says (KXAN, Feb. 22, 2022)
Roy Creek Canyon, a waterway full of 700-year-old Cyprus trees and endangered species in Texas, is at the center of a debate between protection and development. Plans were announced last year for a 1,400 acre “conservation-scale” development surrounding the creek called Mirasol Springs. The director of the development company said that the homes would “be guided by a land-use plan that defines and enforces sustainable design.”
First Solar Canal Project is a Win for Water, Energy, Air, and Climate in California (The Conversation, Feb. 22, 2022)
“About 4,000 miles of canals transport water to some 35 million Californians and 5.7 million acres of farmland across the state. As we explained in a 2021 study, covering these canals with solar panels would reduce evaporation of precious water – one of California’s most critical resources – and help meet the state’s renewable energy goals, while also saving money.”
Investors are Buying up Rural Arizona Farmland to Sell the Water to Urban Homebuilders (AZ Central, Nov. 26, 2021)
The Colorado River supplies much of the water to the ever-drying American Southwest, and the rights to the water are already hotly contested. In the newest contested move, an investment company in Arizona has bought almost 500 acres of farmland and plans to send the water almost 200 miles away to the bustling suburbs of Phoenix, highlighting the disagreement between those who think landowners should be able to profit off water and those who believe it should be a public commodity.
Water Quality Issues
Biden Announces $1 Billion in Infrastructure Funding to Clean Up the Great Lakes (CNN, Feb. 17, 2022)
“President Joe Biden on Thursday announced $1 billion in funding from his administration's signature bipartisan infrastructure law would go toward cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. It's going to allow the most significant restoration of the Great Lakes in the history of the Great Lakes," Biden said in remarks in Lorain, Ohio.”
US Pushes for Better Tap Water but Must Win Over Wary Public (AP, Jan. 30, 2022)
“As the Biden administration looks to spend billions of dollars to address inequalities in water quality and access, officials must try to overcome persistent public distrust of tap water. Experts say it will be especially difficult to overcome in Black and Hispanic communities, where suspicion can be entrenched because of past instances of being misled by public officials and high-profile lead crises in cities with large Black populations, including Flint and Newark, New Jersey.”
How a Toxic Chemical Ended Up in the Drinking Water Supply for 13 Million People (Politico, Jan. 23, 2022)
“New Jersey’s largest drinking water supplier discovered a toxic chemical in the river where it gets water for hundreds of thousands of customers, setting off a major search for polluters that led back to a Pennsylvania wastewater treatment plant and a South Jersey company. The chemical New Jersey American Water Co. found, 1,4-Dioxane, is a byproduct of plastic manufacturing that is considered a likely carcinogen by the federal government.”
Related Websites
Water Resources Index (United States Geological Survey)
Water Quality "Glossary" (United States Geological Survey)
American Water Resources Association
National Groundwater Association
American Water Works Association
Surf Your Watershed (United States Environmental Protection Agency)—search by zip code
Agriculture and Land Use (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
Urban Land Use and Water Quality (United States Geological Survey)
Water Use in the United States (United States Geological Survey)
Water: U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
eBooks & Other Resources
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.
Understanding Water Rights and Conflicts (Denver, CO: Burg Young Publishing, 2003) TD 345 Y9
Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly and the Politics of Thirst (New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2002) TD 345 W257
Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America’s Fresh Waters (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002) TD 223 G58
When the Rivers Run Dry (eBook)
Water Rights & the Environment in the United States (eBook)
Waterwise House & Garden A Guide for Sustainable Living (eBook)
When the Rivers Run Dry: Water – The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-First Century (eBook)
The Clean Water Act Handbook, 2nd ed. (Chicago, IL: American Bar Association, 2003) KF 3790 C54
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