Brett Walton

The Season of Our Growing Discontent Summer may bring warmth, but it also increases environmental threats. Learn about the changing risks of the season.

In the northern hemisphere, summer is the risky season. And hazards abound
www.circleofblue.org/2025/blue-pl...

Years ago I saw a sticker that roughly said:

"Nature makes a hazard, man makes a disaster."

The distinction is important. As the planet warms, the world is becoming more hazardous. Hotter fires, melting glaciers, bigger storms. Where we place people and assets can increase risk. Or decrease it.

Great Lakes Blue Economy Virtual Town Hall Join the Great Lakes News Collaborative for a LIVE conversation about the state of the blue economy in the Great Lakes region. Great Lakes Now host Anna Sysling will moderate a panel of journalists di...

What's the state of the Great Lakes blue economy?

Join us for a town hall featuring reporters behind a Great Lakes News Collaborative series examining the relationship between the region’s economy and its most abundant natural resource — water.

Stream it June 4 at 7 PM: youtube.com/live/iOwYSSc...

Months after Hurricane Helene, some North Carolinians still struggle to find housing Eight months after Hurricane Helene, communities in western North Carolina still see evidence of the storm's destruction. For many, the biggest problem remains finding an affordable place to live.

When disasters strike already-stressed housing markets, they disproportionately damage affordable housing stock and put tremendous downward pressure on the market, further squeezing those at the bottom of the ladder. This story features both dynamics: www.npr.org/2025/06/02/n...

Federal Water Tap, June 2, 2025: Supreme Court Affirms Narrow View of Environmental Assessments ● Justices rule unanimously that environmental reviews can be limited to the project at hand and not its implications. ● Army Corps publishes a draft environmental review for the Line 5 oil pipeline t...

US govt water news:
- Supreme Court affirms narrow environmental reviews that do not assess upstream or downstream effects
- Summer forecast for high wildfire risk and heat
- Army Corps posts draft EIS for Line 5 tunnel
- USGS reports on Boise River water quality
www.circleofblue.org/newsletter/f...

That one weekend a year when Seattle resembles New Orleans

UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation provides an early overview of how LA’s water systems and their residents were impacted by the 2025 wildfires | UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation From boil-water advisories to direct infrastructure damage, findings underscore the need for equitable and resilient recovery

LA's 2025 wildfires didn’t just burn homes, they disrupted water systems, hitting smaller providers & vulnerable communities hardest. New research led by @gregspierce.bsky.social reveals the hidden toll & calls for equitable recovery innovation.luskin.ucla.edu/2025/05/29/u... #UCLA #UCLALuskin

In The Newsroom With Brett Walton: A Blue Economy For Great Lakes Explore Circle of Blue's coverage of the Great Lakes Blue Economy—how water tech, infrastructure, and innovation are reshaping the region’s sustainable future.

It was great chatting with @waterloop.bsky.social about our recent reporting project on the Great Lakes region's blue economy
www.waterloop.org/in-the-newsr...

The River's Reckoning: The Mississippi created Louisiana, but can we contend with its new era? Louisiana’s reliance on the Mississippi means the mighty river can take away as much as it gives – and both the state and the nation are reaching a moment of reckoning. “The river’s constantly trying...

Big problems for a big river. In-depth look at the Mississippi River delta as this highly engineered and altered system faces saltwater intrusion, erosion, shipping industry changes, rising seas, aging flood control structures
www.nola.com/news/environ...

A major smoke event due to Canadian wildfires happened in the region in 2023. It revealed a lack of preparation and awareness
www.circleofblue.org/2024/great-l...

Wildfire smoke is drifting into the Great Lakes region again

Gateway to the azalea kingdom

After Cuts, a Kentucky Weather Office Scrambles for Staffing as Severe Storms Bear Down

9 people were killed in a tornado last night in KY. The NWS office responsible for that area has faced some of the most extreme cuts by the Trump administration, including the loss of overnight forecasting.

Last night, they were rushing to find help for the office.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/w...

Texas Oil and Gas Companies Drill With River Water During Extreme Drought - Inside Climate News Oil and gas companies have used billions of gallons of Rio Grande and Pecos River water for drilling in the past four years, according to an exclusive Inside Climate News analysis.

My story on Rio Grande & Pecos River water use in oil and gas drilling during an extreme drought is out today in @insideclimatenews.org insideclimatenews.org/news/1305202...

The EPA Will Likely Gut Team That Studies Health Risks From Chemicals Reorganizations at the EPA may get rid of the agency’s fundamental program for research around the risks of toxic chemicals.

new from me for @wired.com : the EPA is moving to reorganize its scientific research office, which will likely kill off a small but crucial program devoted to studying the impacts of toxic chemicals—which has been a target of industry groups for years

The Alabama Landline That Keeps Ringing

An information hotline operating since 1953. A person on the phone to answer questions, no matter how mundane or obscure. For callers without the internet or who need to hear a voice. This was a delight to read
oxfordamerican.org/oa-now/the-a...

Dry Colorado River Forecast Gets Drier What a difference a month makes. The forecast for how much water will flow this year into Lake Powell, a bellwether reservoir on the Colorado River, was already meager. Now, after a dry April, it’s ev...

The runoff forecast for the Colorado River this summer wasn't great. Now it's looking worse. And that poses challenges for a basin already in contentious debate about how to cut water use
www.circleofblue.org/2025/supply/...

For a beautiful moment in time we created a lot of mobile dog salons

Especially since it looked like this two months ago

This neighborhood wisteria is a little miracle every spring

Coots a plenty on Union Bay during this rare stretch of cold nights, sunny days

EDGI, as part of the Public Environmental Data Project, has been working for the last two months to archive critical federal environmental data. We're working to build public access, so check back here for updates. If you would like to be involved, reach out: envirodatagov.org/volunteer/

A Midwest farmland owner tests a longstanding wetland conservation law called 'swampbuster' Under a 40-year-old law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture can withhold subsidies, like crop insurance and disaster payments, from farmers who clear, drain or convert wetlands. A company that owns fa...

Another wetlands lawsuit to watch
www.wglt.org/2025-01-20/s...

Federal Water Tap, January 20: EPA Identifies Health Risks from PFAS in Biosolids The Rundown EPA releases draft health risk assessment for two PFAS in biosolids. EPA publishes final toxicity review for inorganic arsenic, a naturally occurring drinking water contaminant. USGS releases study on water supply and demand in the Lower 48 states. EPA evaluates environmental impact of federal biofuels mandate. New study assesses potential for floating solar […]

Slew of federal agency reports last week:
▪️EPA, health risk of two PFAS in biosolids
▪️EPA, enviro impact of biofuels mandate
▪️USGS, water supply and demand
▪️EPA, toxicity review of inorganic arsenic
▪️NREL, floating solar panels on fed reservoirs
That and more..
www.circleofblue.org/2025/federal...

Tomorrow we are going to record a special episode of Water Talk focused on wildfires and water supply + infrastructure. Let us know if we (me and @gregspierce.bsky.social) can address any particular issues on your mind.

The board will meet tomorrow to discuss and vote to approve the draft. Register here

usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/regi...

Draft report from EPA advisory board makes clear that water affordability is more than customer assistance programs. It includes what is built, how it's operated, and how rates are designed.

www.epa.gov/system/files...

Federal Water Tap, December 23: EPA Reports on Water Affordability, Wetland Health The Rundown EPA publishes a report on drinking water affordability and a status update on the health of the nation’s wetlands. Congress funds the federal government and includes $100 billion for disas...

While you were wrapping gifts, the federal government was wrapping up its end-of-administration business.

EPA reports on water affordability and wetland health

Congress adds $100 billion in disaster relief

Plus Yakima dairies polluting groundwater w/ nitrate

www.circleofblue.org/2024/federal...

Tap water avoidance is a big problem indeed. We've estimated around 61 million Americans do not drink their tap water - see these papers:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
&
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
&
www.nature.com/articles/s44...

🤦‍♂️ this study completely slipped my mind!