Wildfire forces closure of westbound lanes of Colorado's I-70 between Parachute and Rifle
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E&E News
an hour ago
- E&E News
Interior forecasts more water supply cuts in the Colorado River Basin
The Interior Department on Friday forecast continued dry times ahead for the two big reservoirs serving the Colorado River Basin, triggering continued water delivery reductions for some states that rely on the stressed-out river. In an annual assessment that drives key federal water-delivery decisions, the Bureau of Reclamation projected that Lake Mead will settle at an elevation of about 1,055 feet at the end of the year. The elevation level reflects the amount of water stored in Lake Mead, the nation's largest reservoir. Lake Mead's low storage level will mean Arizona must give up 512,000 acre-feet, about 18 percent of its annual apportionment. Nevada must give up 21,000 acre-feet and Mexico will give 80,000 acre-feet or 5 percent of its annual allotment. Advertisement Interior officials emphasized that the sustained parched conditions show the need for the seven states that use the river to reach a long-term plan for its future. 'This underscores the importance of immediate action to secure the future of the Colorado River,' said David Palumbo, the Bureau of Reclamation's acting commissioner, in a statement, adding that 'we must develop new, sustainable operating guidelines that are robust enough to withstand ongoing drought and poor runoff conditions.' States have largely remained at odds over how cuts should be split since negotiations started during the Biden administration. Recently, however, state leaders signaled some progress was being made, particularly about how to measure the amount of water in the river available to split. Scott Cameron, the Interior Department's acting assistant secretary for water and science, has given state negotiators a mid-November deadline to reach an agreement on a long-term plan that begins in October 2026. That requires the two basins that share the river — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming in the Upper Basin and Nevada, Arizona and California in the Lower Basin — to agree on how they will divide the reduced water deliveries. The Lake Mead projections are part of an overall 24-month study that also assesses the coming year's precipitation, runoff and water use throughout the Colorado River Basin. The 24-month studies are published monthly and cover a lot of territory, but the August editions are particularly important as they determine future water deliveries to the three Lower Basin states, as well as Mexico. 'The Bureau of Reclamation's 24-month study proves what we've known for decades: the Colorado River is overextended,' said Jennifer Pitt, the Colorado River program director at the National Audubon Society, adding that 'we are again facing shortages, emergency measures, and the reality of needing to do more with less water.' The specific water supply reductions for the Lower Basin states are associated with Lake Mead reservoir elevation levels set through negotiation. When the reservoir's projected end-of-the-year elevation level falls below 1,090 feet, water supply reductions kick in the next water year, which begins in October. The Bureau's 24-month study issued last August projected the Jan. 1, 2025, Lake Mead elevation to be below 1,075 feet and above 1,050 feet. Those projections resulted in a so-called Tier 1 shortage, cutting potential deliveries. Similar Tier 1 shortages were declared for 2021 and 2022, while more severe Tier 2 shortages were imposed for 2023. 'As the basin prepares for the transition to post-2026 operating guidelines, the urgency for the seven Colorado River Basin states to reach a consensus agreement has never been clearer. We cannot afford to delay,' Cameron said in a statement. A series of existing agreements for management of the water will expire at the end of 2026. 'We must act fast to secure a sustainable water future for the 35 million people who depend on the river. That means moving beyond crisis-to-crisis management and towards long-term, equitable sharing solutions that rebalance demand with the river's shrinking supply,' Pitt said. In June, President Donald Trump nominated former Central Arizona Project General Manager Ted Cooke to serve as Bureau of Reclamation commissioner. He is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fire service receiving multiple calls from people reporting smoke in York
People living more than 30 miles from a large moor fire have reported being affected by the smoke and been advised to keep their windows closed. Firefighters have been battling a blaze on the North York Moors, close to the RAF Fylingdales early warning station, since Monday, and they said on Friday that the smoke appeared to have reached York. At its height, 20 pumps were at the scene and a helicopter was used to try to control the blaze, as the fire service declared a major incident. On Friday, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said nine crews were continuing to tackle the blaze, plus another two dealing with a separate outbreak close to the A171 Scarborough to Whitby road, which had to be closed at one point. The service said on Friday: 'We have nine fire engines at the incident on Langdale Moor. 'We're getting a lot of calls reporting smoke in and around York which we believe may be from this incident. 'We continue to advise people to keep their doors and windows shut if they are impacted by smoke. RECOMMENDED READING: Smoke from Langdale fire spreads across York and Malton 'We also have two fire engines at the incident on the A171 near the Flask Inn.' There were also reports of people in the Malton area being affected by the smoke from the moor fire, 15 miles to the north. The blaze covered an area of more than two square miles at its height. This included an area which is on an old range and an Army explosive ordnance disposal team was called to the scene because of munitions in the area. The fire service said earlier this week: 'We have precautions in place for our crews at the scene, but people may hear explosions.' It said on Thursday that it did not know the cause of the fire. Firefighters also thanked people for their donations of water, other drinks and snacks which have been delivered to their base in the village of Goathland.
E&E News
an hour ago
- E&E News
‘He's gotten lucky in a way': Why Trump's cuts haven't fueled wildfire catastrophe
President Donald Trump has so far largely evaded political fallout from his administration's controversial cuts to the Forest Service, thanks in part to weather conditions in fire-prone parts of the country that have helped keep blazes in check. Democratic lawmakers and state officials across the country warned that the Trump administration was courting disaster by removing about 5,000 Forest Service workers through early retirement and buyout programs, including about 1,600 people with wildland firefighting qualifications, and losing key agency leaders. But as of mid-August, the worst fears largely haven't materialized. Favorable weather conditions in parts of the country, including decent spring and summer rainfall and cooler temperatures across regions of the West, have helped contain wildfires, making existing personnel and resources adequate for ongoing response efforts, according to three state fire officials and three current and former Forest Service workers. Advertisement 'He's gotten lucky in a way,' Steve Ellis, a former Forest Service supervisor who now serves as chair of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, said of Trump. 'You're not really going to look bad until fire gets going and you don't have enough resources. When resources get short, that's when these things are noticed.
