The week that was, 1/17-23/2010
Posted on | January 24, 2010 | 1 Comment
Huila, Angola. A boy jumps into a pool below a waterfall. Photo: Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters. Click on the image to be taken to the original from The Guardian's "24-Hours in Pictures."
… “this slick and fluted glitter, / slightly / arcing, rebraiding itself as it falls, // as for tangible / seconds it’s a thin/ taut string of surface tension // that my hand feels, on the handle, / as a pulse, a pull, / a thing // in space, that lives in this world” — excerpt from “Pour,” a poem from The Water Table by Philip Gross, winner of the TS Eliot Prize for Poetry, reviewed by the Guardian, January 23, 2010
It has … recently come to our attention that a paragraph in the 938-page Working Group II contribution to the underlying assessment 2 refers to poorly substantiated estimates of rate of recession and date for the disappearance of Himalayan glaciers. — Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Geneva, via “Claims Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035 were false, says UN scientist,” The Guardian, January 20, 2010
“These pelicans are getting cold and wet because the water quality is so poor right now and these added contaminants are preventing the feathers from doing their job.” — Jay Holcomb, director, International Bird Rescue Research Center, “Pelicans pounded by severe California storms and pollution run-off,” January 23, 2010
There have been multiple failed attempts over the last decade to fix 218 to cover flood control and stormwater pollution from two different legislators, one a Republican (Harman) and another a Democrat (Torlakson). — “Prop 218 is all wet,” Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay, Spouting Off, January 20, 2010
“We can talk about a lot of the technical stuff we have done, but it is the story of Salmon 66, named simply because that was his transmitter number.” — Peter Gough, fishery specialist with the Welsh Environment Agency, on the restoration of rivers that once “ran black” with pollution from coal mines, “Salmon return to once polluted waters of South Wales,” Western Mail, January 22, 2010
… epic water rights battles fought in the arid West—over irrigation, drinking water, ecosystems, and dams—are moving east … we shouldn’t estimate a region’s carrying capacity with old, bad data. Otherwise states could end up with something like the 1922 compact that divided the Colorado River among seven western states. — “Water troubles and water truths,” op-ed by syndicated writer Erica Gies, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 18, 2010
“There’s no reason to pop the corks in South Carolina.” — University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias on a 5-4 vote in which the Supreme Court said the Catawba River Water Supply Project and Duke Energy Carolinas had interests separate from the states and could intervene in South Carolina vs North Carolina over the use of the Catawba River, “SC lands partial win,” McClatchy, January 20, 2010
“The governor has called Judge Magnuson’s ruling a game-changer so, obviously, overturning the ruling would be a game-changer as well.” — Bert Brantley, spokesman for Georgia governor Sonny Perdue, “Court allows Georgia to appeal water ruling,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 21, 2010
“Judge Magnuson’s order is firmly grounded in the law, and Alabama is confident that it will be affirmed on appeal.” — Todd Stacy, spokesman for Alabama governor Bob Riley, “Court allows Georgia to appeal water ruling,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 21, 2010
“It will become a sideshow. We are setting a bad precedent that will stretch well beyond the Delta.” — Jeffrey Mount, UC Davis geology professor, “Science panel’s review of California’s water woes prompts fight,” Sacramento Bee, January 21, 2010
The Bee did not check its facts. First, the Two Gates project was proposed by water users as a scientific experiment. It was never the silver bullet for solving the west side’s water challenges. — David Hayes, deputy Interior secretary, “Interior is committed to water solutions,” Sacramento Bee, January 17, 2010
“We want to be good neighbors.” — Brandon Humphries, manager of ranch land in Spring Valley, Nevada, purchased by the Southern Nevada Water Authority as part of a sweeping plan to pump the basin’s water south to Las Vegas, “Properties bleed money but official points to water rights,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, January 22, 2010, via Aquafornia
Private developers are hoping to take a substantial amount of Lake Sakakawea water out to the oil patch ... — “Texas company wants rights to Lake Sakakawea water,” Bismarck Tribune, January 22, 2010“… the commission does not see a need to monitor fracturing fluids.” — Ramona Nye, Texas Railroad Commission spokeswoman, “Loophole lets gas driller inject chemical,” Dallas Morning News, January 19, 2010
“Every day we wait is playing Russian roulette with the Great Lakes.” — Mark Smith, project manager with the National Wildlife Federation, “Asian carp DNA found in Lake Michigan for the first time,” Detroit News, January 20, 2010
“This was supposed to be the Great Lakes president. I don’t think we’re seeing that. What we’re seeing is a Chicago president.” — Noah Hall, assistant professor in environmental law, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, “Asian carp DNA found in Lake Michigan for the first time,” Detroit News, January 20, 2010
In eastern Hillsborough, where strawberries are a $300 million annual crop, farmers pumped millions of gallons of water from the aquifer to spray on their plants; the coating of ice forms a protective layer on the fruit. The pumping caused the aquifer to drop 60 feet … — “As farmers pump, neighbors go dry,” editorial in the St Petersburg Times, January 19, 2010
… the EPA rule for total nitrogen volume in the St Johns River watershed is 1.205 parts per million. The state intended to allow a more pollutant-generous 1.730 parts per million. The EPA proposes standards for South Florida canals; the state none. — “Clean water rule,” editorial in the Daytona News-Journal, January 21, 2010
“It’s just quite sad it had to come from the federal government.” — Florida environmentalist Guy Marwick on resistance in his state to meeting federal clean water standards, “The Florida Department of Environmental Protection invites critiques,” Ocala Star-Banner, January 19, 2010
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North American Native Plant Societies
After the lawn
Garden blogs
January 25th, 2010 @ 11:14 am
For some reason, reading your poem excerpt made me think of Emily Dickinson’s #135:
Water, is taught by thirst.
Land – by the Oceans passed.
Transport – by throe –
Peace – by its battles told –
Love, by Memorial Mold –
Birds, by the Snow.