Will banning lawns and limiting water use be enough as new communities continue to sprout up across the drying west?
Writing in Circle of Blue, Brett Walton describes the growing water conservation movement in the American Southwest, where booming populations and strained water supplies are bringing the urgency of the water crisis to the forefront.
One by one, cities such as Tucson are banning ‘ornamental grass’ and home lawns, while others are cutting off water supplies to unincorporated communities.
According to John Berggren, a water policy analyst with Western Resource Advocates, “There’s a growing recognition that there are actually ways to allow growth to happen, that don’t really increase the amount of overall water you need” through landscaping regulations, zoning codes, and other policy levers. “We don’t have to restrict growth, we just have to shape it and make sure water efficiency is embedded throughout the entire development process.”
While developers are hanging on to this promise of infinite growth with the right technological and regulatory policies, the cost of water continues to rise. Meanwhile, agriculture remains the biggest user of water in the state.
FULL STORY: Say Goodbye to Lawns in Drying U.S. West
Can Southwest Utah’s Water Supply Handle its Explosive Growth?
A remote corner of the state is the nation’s fastest-growing metro area, but concerns about water supplies across the Southwest signal an uncertain future.
NYC Under Drought Warning, Residents Urged to Conserve Water
Amid a series of brush fires, including one in Manhattan, the city issued the first drought warning in 22 years and announced plans to release water through the Delaware Aqueduct to supplement local reservoirs.
New Yorkers Face New Climate Risks
A two-acre fire in a city park prompted city officials to ban grilling while urging residents to conserve water to limit the impact of a historic drought.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service