Latest news with #Southwest
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Colorado River Basin has lost as much groundwater as the entire volume of Lake Mead
Deep below the surface of the ground in one of the driest parts of the country, there is a looming problem: The water is running out — but not the kind that fills lakes, streams and reservoirs. The amount of groundwater that has been pumped out of the Colorado River Basin since 2003 is enough to fill Lake Mead, researchers report in a study published earlier this week. Most of that water was used to irrigate fields of alfalfa and vegetables grown in the desert Southwest. No one knows exactly how much is left, but the study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, shows an alarming rate of withdrawal of a vital water source for a region that could also see its supply of Colorado River water shrink. 'We're using it faster and faster,' said Jay Famiglietti, an Arizona State University professor and the study's senior author. In the past two decades, groundwater basins – or large, underground aquifers – lost more than twice the amount of water that was taken out of major surface reservoirs, Famiglietti's team found, like Mead and Lake Powell, which themselves have seen water levels crash. The Arizona State University research team measured more than two decades of NASA satellite observations and used land modeling to trace how groundwater tables in the Colorado River basin were dwindling. The team focused mostly on Arizona, a state that is particularly vulnerable to future cutbacks on the Colorado River. Groundwater makes up about 35% of the total water supply for Arizona, said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, who was not directly involved in the study. The study found groundwater tables in the Lower Colorado River basin, and Arizona in particular, have declined significantly in the last decade. The problem is especially pronounced in Arizona's rural areas, many of which don't have groundwater regulations, and little backup supply from rivers. With wells in rural Arizona increasingly running dry, farmers and homeowners now drill thousands of feet into the ground to access water. Scientists don't know exactly how much groundwater is left in Arizona, Famiglietti added, but the signs are troubling. 'We have seen dry stream beds for decades,' he said. 'That's an indication that the connection between groundwater and rivers has been lost.' Some land has also begun to cave in, with deep fissures forming in parts of the state as ground water has been pumped out. This is not unique to Arizona, Famiglietti said, with similar signs of disappearing groundwater happening in the agriculture-heavy Central Valley in California. Porter said the results illuminate the magnitude of the groundwater crisis in the Southwest, which is particularly helpful for state officials and lawmakers. 'There are a lot of people who aren't sure if we have a serious situation with respect to groundwater, because groundwater is hidden,' Porter said. 'The value of the study is that it really adds a lot of information to the picture.' Groundwater may be hidden, but scientists know with relative certainty that once it is pumped out, it won't be able to recharge within our lifetimes. Much of it was deposited tens or hundreds of thousands of years ago. 'It takes geologic time' to refill these deep aquifers — meaning thousands of years — 'and we as humans have more or less been burning through it in the last over the last century,' Famiglietti said. Famiglietti warned the groundwater situation could worsen if the state's allocation of Colorado River water is further decreased, a decision that could be made in the next two years. If Arizona's Colorado River water allocation was cut to zero, 'we could burn through the available groundwater in 50 years,' Famiglietti said. 'We're talking about decades. That's scary. No one wants that to happen.' But Porter pushed back on that characterization, pointing out that Arizona cities have another stable water supply—the Salt River. Porter added cities like Phoenix and Tucson are storing groundwater and have regulations designed to keep it from running out. Arizona has had a groundwater management law in place since 1980. 'We're not expecting that the whole state would turn to groundwater,' Porter said. Famiglietti said he hopes the study will prompt discussions over how to more effectively manage groundwater use in the region, especially from agriculture, which uses the lion's share of water. Much of Arizona's crops are exported, either to other states or, as is the case with alfalfa, internationally. Famiglietti called it the 'absolutely biggest' choice that policymakers will have to decide. 'Agriculture just uses so much water,' Famiglietti said. 'Are we going to plan to continue to grow as much food? Are we losing food that's important for the state, that's important for the country, or is it alfalfa that's being shipped to Saudi Arabia?'
CNN
3 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
The Colorado River Basin has lost as much groundwater as the entire volume of Lake Mead
Deep below the surface of the ground in one of the driest parts of the country, there is a looming problem: The water is running out — but not the kind that fills lakes, streams and reservoirs. The amount of groundwater that has been pumped out of the Colorado River Basin since 2003 is enough to fill Lake Mead, researchers report in a study published earlier this week. Most of that water was used to irrigate fields of alfalfa and vegetables grown in the desert Southwest. No one knows exactly how much is left, but the study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, shows an alarming rate of withdrawal of a vital water source for a region that could also see its supply of Colorado River water shrink. 'We're using it faster and faster,' said Jay Famiglietti, an Arizona State University professor and the study's senior author. In the past two decades, groundwater basins – or large, underground aquifers – lost more than twice the amount of water that was taken out of major surface reservoirs, Famiglietti's team found, like Mead and Lake Powell, which themselves have seen water levels crash. The Arizona State University research team measured more than two decades of NASA satellite observations and used land modeling to trace how groundwater tables in the Colorado River basin were dwindling. The team focused mostly on Arizona, a state that is particularly vulnerable to future cutbacks on the Colorado River. Groundwater makes up about 35% of the total water supply for Arizona, said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, who was not directly involved in the study. The study found groundwater tables in the Lower Colorado River basin, and Arizona in particular, have declined significantly in the last decade. The problem is especially pronounced in Arizona's rural areas, many of which don't have groundwater regulations, and little backup supply from rivers. With wells in rural Arizona increasingly running dry, farmers and homeowners now drill thousands of feet into the ground to access water. Scientists don't know exactly how much groundwater is left in Arizona, Famiglietti added, but the signs are troubling. 'We have seen dry stream beds for decades,' he said. 'That's an indication that the connection between groundwater and rivers has been lost.' Some land has also begun to cave in, with deep fissures forming in parts of the state as ground water has been pumped out. This is not unique to Arizona, Famiglietti said, with similar signs of disappearing groundwater happening in the agriculture-heavy Central Valley in California. Porter said the results illuminate the magnitude of the groundwater crisis in the Southwest, which is particularly helpful for state officials and lawmakers. 'There are a lot of people who aren't sure if we have a serious situation with respect to groundwater, because groundwater is hidden,' Porter said. 'The value of the study is that it really adds a lot of information to the picture.' Groundwater may be hidden, but scientists know with relative certainty that once it is pumped out, it won't be able to recharge within our lifetimes. Much of it was deposited tens or hundreds of thousands of years ago. 'It takes geologic time' to refill these deep aquifers — meaning thousands of years — 'and we as humans have more or less been burning through it in the last over the last century,' Famiglietti said. Famiglietti warned the groundwater situation could worsen if the state's allocation of Colorado River water is further decreased, a decision that could be made in the next two years. If Arizona's Colorado River water allocation was cut to zero, 'we could burn through the available groundwater in 50 years,' Famiglietti said. 'We're talking about decades. That's scary. No one wants that to happen.' But Porter pushed back on that characterization, pointing out that Arizona cities have another stable water supply—the Salt River. Porter added cities like Phoenix and Tucson are storing groundwater and have regulations designed to keep it from running out. Arizona has had a groundwater management law in place since 1980. 'We're not expecting that the whole state would turn to groundwater,' Porter said. Famiglietti said he hopes the study will prompt discussions over how to more effectively manage groundwater use in the region, especially from agriculture, which uses the lion's share of water. Much of Arizona's crops are exported, either to other states or, as is the case with alfalfa, internationally. Famiglietti called it the 'absolutely biggest' choice that policymakers will have to decide. 'Agriculture just uses so much water,' Famiglietti said. 'Are we going to plan to continue to grow as much food? Are we losing food that's important for the state, that's important for the country, or is it alfalfa that's being shipped to Saudi Arabia?'
USA Today
6 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Caitlin Clark's quads, Trump-Musk bromance and 'Duck Dynasty': Your week in review
USA TODAY RFK Jr. changes COVID-19 vaccine protocols COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced. National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, joining Kennedy for the announcement posted in a video on X, called the change 'common sense and good science." Traditionally, immunization guidance is voted on by a CDC advisory committee; then the CDC director makes the final call. The CDC panel has not voted on Kennedy's change. Can Trump and Musk agree to disagree? Could there be some cooling in the Trump-Musk bromance? The president's crusade to pass his "big, beautiful" tax and spending bill through Congress took some flak from his former right-hand man, who said he was "disappointed" with the cost of the bill and complained that it "undermines the work the DOGE team is doing." (Musk has also criticized Trump's tariffs.) Asked about Musk's remarks on the spending bill, Trump cited politics: "I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it. … It's got a way to go." At least one break is official, however: Musk's turbulent 130-day run as a "special government employee" is now over. Southwest's free-checked-bag era comes to a close It's the end of the line for free checked bags on Southwest. For the first time, the airline is now charging for the service: $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for a second bag (overweight and oversized baggage costs more). Tickets booked or changed on or before May 28 don't apply, and for some customers, new fare categories and membership perks will still earn them free checked bags. The new fees are the latest major change for Dallas-based Southwest, including a farewell to its open seating policy of more than 50 years. In a news release, the airline acknowledged that "preferences have evolved." 'Duck Dynasty' guru Phil Robertson dies Phil Robertson, the bushy-bearded and plainspoken patriarch of the colorful Louisiana family featured on A&E Network's 'Duck Dynasty," has died. He was 79 and had battled Alzheimer's disease and other health problems, his family said. His family-run hunting products business, Duck Commander, was the epicenter of "Duck Dynasty," which ran from 2012 to 2017 on the back of the clan's three core tenets: "faith, family and ducks.' The duck call will not go silent, however; a spinoff, "Duck Dynasty: The Revival," premieres June 1. Caitlin Clark is hurting, and so is the WNBA Call it the Caitlin Clark effect − in reverse. The Indiana Fever's star guard is out for at least two weeks after she strained her left quad in a loss to the New York Liberty, which meant she would be sidelined for at least the next four games. The WNBA is feeling the pain, too: Ticket prices have plunged since news of Clark's injury. It's especially disappointing for the Fever's road game June 7 against the Chicago Sky − the latest Clark vs. Angel Reese clash − which had been moved to the 23,000-plus-seat United Center to meet demand for tickets. − Compiled by Robert Abitbol, USA TODAY copy chief
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man allegedly shot at car with kids inside; latest on 'Doomsday Mom'
PHOENIX - From what a 19-year-old man is accused of doing to a car with kids inside to the latest on Lori Vallow Daybell's legal saga, here's a look at some of the top stories on for Friday, May 30, 2025.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest Airlines Cuts Flights in Atlanta
Southwest Airlines has made a number of unpopular moves over the past several months and weeks, highlighted by the airline's decision to end its longstanding "bags fly free" policy. Now, the airline has made yet another unpopular decision. As detailed by a piece from Emma Hurt of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week, Southwest Airlines has cut more than a third of its schedule at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world. While Delta Air Lines dominates the airport, accounting for about 80 percent of the flight capacity at Hartsfield-Jackson, Southwest has long been the second-largest carrier in Atlanta. But with these recent cuts, it seems like only a matter of time before it no longer holds that status. The move has been unpopular amongst customers, with the AJC highlighting one longtime Southwest customer who has now abandoned his loyalties to Southwest. 'Southwest never gave me a reason to shop around,' Atlanta-based filmmaker Adelin Gasana told the AJC. 'It was just my go-to … but this is the first time I've been shopping around for domestic flights.' Southwest flight attendants aren't necessarily happy, either. Alison Head, an Atlanta-based flight attendant for Southwest who represents the base on the Transport Workers Union's executive board, expressed concern about the cuts. 'Morale is very uneasy as we've watched other carriers come into Atlanta,' she wrote. She went on to criticize the airline for presumably valuing profits and stock market perofmance over the people and service. 'We feel like we're up against Wall Street,' Head said. 'Southwest has always been known for the 'LUV,' (its stock market ticker symbol) and we feel like they're not willing to protect the 'LUV' like they once were.' Clearly, this is yet another unpopular move from the airline. Southwest Airlines Cuts Flights in Atlanta first appeared on Men's Journal on May 30, 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
