The Rundown
- USDA forecasts the largest U.S. corn planting, by acreage, since the Great Depression, and record production.
- At the same time, the EIA notes that U.S. ethanol exports are at a record high, pushing ethanol production higher even as domestic consumption is flat.
- Salt water continues to move up the Mississippi River.
- EPA intends to approve a carbon sequestration permit for a company operating in eastern Indiana.
And lastly, a Senate committee advances a bill on water research and forecasting.
“Recent weather events across the country have highlighted the need for advanced water prediction.” – Excerpt from a Senate committee report on a bill that would expand the responsibility of the National Water Center, a federal program that uses computer modeling to forecast river flows and levels. “These models are crucial for predicting and managing water-related hazards and enabling timely and informed decision-making by emergency managers and water resource planners,” the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee noted. It voted to send the Water Research Optimization Act to the full Senate.
By the Numbers
River Mile 56: Estimated location, as of October 24, of the saltwater “wedge” pushing up a weakened Mississippi River. The Army Corps of Engineers just completed an underwater dam at river mile 64, in southern Louisiana, to impede the salty water’s upstream movement. Because it is denser than fresh water, the salt wedge moves along the river bottom. The wedge travels upstream when the river is weakened by drought. Two weeks ago the wedge was at mile 53.
News Briefs
Carbon Sequestration Permit
The EPA says it intends to issue a permit to One Carbon Partnership that would allow the company to inject carbon dioxide deep underground at a site in eastern Indiana.
Indiana and other midwestern states are centerpieces in a regional expansion of carbon dioxide pipelines and underground storage.
This carbon sequestration project would be located in Randolph County and store carbon generated by the Cardinal Ethanol production facility. One Carbon, a joint venture between Cardinal Ethanol and Vault44.01, a carbon-capture specialist, will be required to monitor the Class VI injection well so that the carbon does not pollute aquifers used as drinking water.
The injection zone is between 3,100 and 3,659 feet deep.
The EPA is taking public comments on its proposed permit approval through December 8. Submit them here.
Studies and Reports
Rising Ethanol Production
The Energy Information Administration reports that U.S. ethanol production has exceeded its pre-pandemic peak. Rising output is not due to domestic consumption, which is flat.
Exports instead are fueling the industry.
At the same time, U.S. corn production, a main input for the ethanol industry and a major source of groundwater demand in the High Plains, is breaking new ground.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that corn plantings, by acreage, in 2025-26 will be the largest since the Great Depression. Production is expected to be around 16.8 billion bushels, which would be roughly equal to this year’s record output.
The two trend lines point to ethanol production remaining “near record highs” in 2026, according to the EIA forecast.
On the Radar
Carbon Sequestration Hearing
The EPA will hold a public meeting on December 4 in Winchester, Indiana, to take comments on the proposed carbon injection project.
The meeting is from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Winchester Community High School Commons.
Federal Water Tap is a weekly digest spotting trends in U.S. government water policy. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.
