Water
Groundwater Management A Looming Disaster for California
Of all the environmental problems facing California, depletion of its groundwater may be the most important according to this piece.
Decades of Failure in the Sea of Dust
When Los Angeles drained Owens Lake to bring water into its quickly growing urban basin, it simultaneously created a dry lakebed and one of the worst dust pollution problems in America. Various efforts to fight the problem have only failed.
Making the Desert Productive
Officials in Jordan are moving closer to creating an ambitious project aimed at producing food, fresh water and energy in the Sahara Desert.
Re-Engineering California's Water Supplies
In California, some worry that the state's aging delta levees are in extreme danger of being destroyed by earthquakes. And as environmental concerns rise, the state is considering plans to re-engineer its water supplies to prevent another "Katrina".
Troubles Persist in California's Delta
The process of re-designing California's Delta to protect endangered species, feed the state's farms and serve freshwater to its residents has become further complicated.
Nature-Mimicking Infrastructure: 21st Century Technology?
Andy Lipkis, the founder and president of TreePeople, an organization in Los Angeles that brings natural concepts into the "urban forest", details his 40 years of work proving the feasibility of projects such as the Elmer Avenue Project.
Watershed States
This post from GOOD points to an old map of the Western U.S. in which state lines are redrawn based on the locations of watersheds.
Green Efforts Have Room to Grow in Chicago
Chicago is trying to position itself as one of the greenest cities in America, but longheld plans to upgrade the city's overburdened stormwater system highlight how far it has to go.
Aging Water Infrastructure Carries Huge Costs
With America's water infrastructure graded as a D-minus by the American Society of Civil Engineers, officials are recognizing the need to upgrade the system. A $6 billion infusion by the federal government, though, is just a drop in the bucket.
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.
World's Delta Cities Team Up to Address Shared Issues
A new group of cities is emerging to collaboratively tackle issues related to sea level rise in delta and waterfront cities.
Water Infrastructure Questions Linger in California
Prop. 18, the financial centerpiece of legislation meant to overhaul California's aging water supply infrastructure, was removed from the statewide ballot slated for November.
Anger Upstream on the Nile
Egypt runs on the Nile's water. But with a growing population, Egypt's Ministry of Irrigation expects that the Nile will barely be able to meet the country's water needs by 2017. Its neighbors are increasingly angry about its overuse.
Amid Growth, the Colorado River is Running Dry
Freshwater resources are running out and being overused -- a global crisis that can be seen in the declining flows of the Colorado River.
Irrigation Project Spurs Protests in Peru
A proposed irrigation project near the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru that would divert water away from small villages has sparked violent protests.
Light at End of Tunnel for Southern States' Water Fight
The tri-state fight over water in Alabama, Georgia and Florida is still raging, but some believe a negotiated settlement is not far off. However, there is potential for the fight to go all the way to the Supreme Court.
Reframing the Human Relationship with Water
Urban runoff and contaminated water are creating major ecological damage, even in the United States. One design competition has the goal of rethinking how we handle this crucial resource.
The Global Challenge of Unsafe Water
Unclean and unsafe water is an increasingly vexing problem for the world's cities, which are struggling to meet the needs of rapidly growing populations. But there has been some positive work in developing countries.
A Little Bit of Venice in New Orleans
The waters that have for so long plagued New Orleans should be reconsidered as an amenity, not a curse, according to this commentary.
Will Atlanta Grow No More?
Citing three examples of growing pains in Metro Atlanta, this piece wonders whether the region is incapable of efficiently growing any further.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
