The Stream, April 29: Snowmelt Predictions Possible With New Snowpack Measurement Techniques

Researchers from NASA and California’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are developing more advanced measurements to track the Sierra Nevada’s snowpack. Predictions that were once off by 18 percent at least half the time, The Washington Post reported, will now be able to precisely track melt volume, speed, flow direction and timing within 24 hours.

Recycling for Profit
Several Texas oil, gas, and water services companies are collaborating on water recycling operations for fields in the state. A single driver unites the surge, the Star-Telegram reported: producers are paying high costs for water acquisition and disposal at oil and gas drilling sites.

Paying for Holy Water
For decades, Chicago religious institutions have not paid their water bills under a citywide exemption. Now that they are being asked to pay, some argued the bills detracted from social services, the Chicago Tribune reported. A new ordinance is expected, renewing the exemption for nonprofits with assets of less than $US 1 million.

Texas Water Plan Disagreements
A plan to create a reservoir in northeast Texas is facing resistance from residents whose land would be flooded. The conflict, The Dallas Morning News reported, highlights the challenge legislators face in deciding which water projects to fund through the $US 2 billion state plan.