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Drought and Agriculture in the American West

Western watersheds are under severe stress, as are the farming operations that depend on them. A warming climate is reducing water availability, while years of mismanagement and minimal regulation of irrigation have depleted aquifers and dried up rivers.

The Latest From Circle of Blue

Arizona and California Farmers, Targets for Colorado River Cuts, Draft Their Conservation Strategy

August 4, 2022
Nearly 1 million acre-feet of compensated water cuts are being discussed.
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2009-Calif-Imperial-Valley-BStirton_A7D9983-2500.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 1600 2400 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2022-08-04 19:13:402022-12-08 22:12:53Arizona and California Farmers, Targets for Colorado River Cuts, Draft Their Conservation Strategy

The U.S. Has Spent More Than $2 Billion on a Plan to Save Salmon. The Fish Are Vanishing Anyway.

June 1, 2022
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220520_KWG_hatchery-trouble_0009.jpg?fit=1600%2C1100&ssl=1 1100 1600 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2022-06-01 09:00:392022-06-23 17:53:00The U.S. Has Spent More Than $2 Billion on a Plan to Save Salmon. The Fish Are Vanishing Anyway.

Arizona’s Future Water Shock

March 28, 2022
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/lakebartlett.jpeg?fit=1600%2C860&ssl=1 860 1600 Keith Schneider https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Keith Schneider2022-03-28 09:47:422022-12-08 22:28:19Arizona’s Future Water Shock

Unsafe Yield

March 21, 2022
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-01-Arizona-KSchneider-IMG_7365-Edit-2500-e1647883479818.jpg?fit=1600%2C736&ssl=1 736 1600 Keith Schneider https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Keith Schneider2022-03-21 13:39:362022-12-09 11:15:54Unsafe Yield

At Peak of Its Wealth and Influence, Arizona’s Desert Civilization Confronts A Reckoning Over Water

March 14, 2022
Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20150206-Ariz-CAP-JGanter-7D-Filename-491-Edit-Edit-2500.jpg?fit=1600%2C863&ssl=1 863 1600 Keith Schneider https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Keith Schneider2022-03-14 15:06:332022-12-08 22:28:24At Peak of Its Wealth and Influence, Arizona’s Desert Civilization Confronts A Reckoning Over Water

Historically Excluded from Colorado River policy, tribes want a say in how the dwindling resource is used.

January 20, 2022
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/COLORADO-RIVER-BASIN-RESERVOIRS-DROUGHT-HV-0001-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&ssl=1 1067 1600 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2022-01-20 11:28:332022-07-11 13:46:25Historically Excluded from Colorado River policy, tribes want a say in how the dwindling resource is used.

As West Withers Corporations Consolidate Land and Water Rights

December 7, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/51327601029_17c31346eb_o.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&ssl=1 1067 1600 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-12-07 12:26:142022-07-11 13:52:31As West Withers Corporations Consolidate Land and Water Rights

Utah’s Water Dilemma

November 29, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/BearRiver1.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&ssl=1 1067 1600 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2021-11-29 11:00:262022-07-11 13:53:10Utah’s Water Dilemma

How a Federal Drought Relief Program Left Southern Oregon Parched—and Contributed to the Ongoing Groundwater Crisis in the West

November 23, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IMG_3264-farm-sold-water-rights-klamath-november-2021.jpg?fit=2000%2C1334&ssl=1 1334 2000 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-11-23 11:32:232022-07-11 14:08:04How a Federal Drought Relief Program Left Southern Oregon Parched—and Contributed to the Ongoing Groundwater Crisis in the West

Where Is The Water Going?

November 22, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/watertitans_usa_1122_23-1.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&ssl=1 1067 1600 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-11-22 15:23:102022-07-11 14:12:50Where Is The Water Going?

As Drought Grips American West, Irrigation Becomes Selling Point for Michigan

September 27, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-09-09-Michigan-Gillison-Farm-irrigation-JGanter-SV2A1476-Edit-2500-1-e1632752379934.jpg?fit=1512%2C796&ssl=1 796 1512 Keith Schneider https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Keith Schneider2021-09-27 10:05:312022-07-08 16:25:54As Drought Grips American West, Irrigation Becomes Selling Point for Michigan

Amid Extreme Heat and Drought, Line 3 Pipeline Construction Puts Water At Risk

September 3, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-08-25-Line-3-Treaties-Not-Tar-Sands-8.25.21-43-Edit-2500.jpg?fit=1600%2C837&ssl=1 837 1600 Laura Gersony https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Laura Gersony2021-09-03 16:55:262022-07-08 16:28:22Amid Extreme Heat and Drought, Line 3 Pipeline Construction Puts Water At Risk

Shrinking Reservoirs Trigger Deeper Water Cuts for Lower Colorado River

August 17, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2012-10-03-Nevada-Colorado-River-JCGanter_G7_8995-Edit_HDR-1.jpg?fit=2500%2C1525&ssl=1 1525 2500 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2021-08-17 14:26:192022-07-11 14:26:57Shrinking Reservoirs Trigger Deeper Water Cuts for Lower Colorado River

Dry Wells in Northern California Bring Home the Costs and Stresses of Drought

August 11, 2021
Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GlennCountyChilds.jpg?fit=2400%2C1603&ssl=1 1603 2400 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2021-08-11 15:12:512022-07-08 16:41:08Dry Wells in Northern California Bring Home the Costs and Stresses of Drought

Drought, The Everything Disaster

June 24, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-03-California-Shasta-Lake-BWalton-IMG_5579.CR2-Edit-2500.jpg?fit=2400%2C1351&ssl=1 1351 2400 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2021-06-24 11:27:272022-07-13 13:31:32Drought, The Everything Disaster

As a Hot, Dry Summer Begins in California, More Water Wells Are Failing

June 17, 2021
Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2015-04-30-California-Central-Valley-JGanter_G3_5438-2500.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 1600 2400 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2021-06-17 09:41:112022-07-11 14:39:54As a Hot, Dry Summer Begins in California, More Water Wells Are Failing

The Central California Town That Keeps Sinking

May 25, 2021
Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Boswell-012021-USA-Lois-Henry-YF-002-1.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 1600 2400 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-05-25 12:54:422022-07-11 14:44:48The Central California Town That Keeps Sinking

Innovative Partnerships and Exchanges are Securing the Gila River Indian Community’s Water Future

May 13, 2021
Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Recharge-main.jpg?fit=1842%2C916&ssl=1 916 1842 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-05-13 11:00:262022-07-13 13:13:52Innovative Partnerships and Exchanges are Securing the Gila River Indian Community’s Water Future

Extremely Dry Conditions Spill Across the American West

May 11, 2021
Read more
https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-03-California-Shasta-Lake-BWalton-IMG_5581.CR2-Edit-2500.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 1600 2400 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2021-05-11 18:46:522022-07-13 13:24:09Extremely Dry Conditions Spill Across the American West

Cheese in the Desert: Why Mega-Dairies are Piping Water onto Oregon’s Shrub-Steppe

May 6, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Bombing-Range-Road.jpg?fit=2400%2C1599&ssl=1 1599 2400 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-05-06 11:00:092022-06-23 17:51:03Cheese in the Desert: Why Mega-Dairies are Piping Water onto Oregon’s Shrub-Steppe

Some Rural California Residents Doubt They’ll Ever Get Clean Water

May 5, 2021
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https://i0.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CHR_TCP_Water_14.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 1600 2400 Circle Blue https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Circle Blue2021-05-05 11:00:382022-07-13 13:40:45Some Rural California Residents Doubt They’ll Ever Get Clean Water

Lead Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue

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