Author: John Lovie

John Lovie is a vegan, a runner, cyclist, hiker, kayaker, and open water swimmer, an environmentalist, photographer, and musician, a writer, a chemist and a software developer. He lives on Whidbey Island. He writes mostly about water at Mostly Water | John Lovie | Substack and is available for consulting Work with John
Drought, LA Times

California farming area placed on probation over declining groundwater and sinking land

John Lovie

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-04-16/california-tulare-lake-groundwater-probation SACRAMENTO — California water regulators took the unprecedented step of cracking down on one of the state’s major farming regions for failing to take steps to curb growers’ excessive pumping of groundwater, which has sent water levels into rapid decline and is causing the land to sink.The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously Tuesday to place the Tulare Lake basin on “probationary” status for failing to adopt sufficient measures to address chronic overpumping. Continue reading California farming area placed on probation over declining groundwater and sinking land

Training

Whidbey’s Water Future In a Changing Climate

John Lovie

Whidbey’s Water Future In a Changing Climate – Whidbey Earth & Ocean Month (whidbeyearthday.org) DETAILS Date: April 23 Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Cost: Free Event Categories: Activities & Gatherings, Sip & Science, Water VENUE Cosmic Veggies 661 SE Fidalgo AveOak Harbor, WA 98277 United States + Google Map Phone (360) 246-4940 As seas rise and rainfall patterns change, will there be enough drinking water to support our current needs and accommodate future growth? Sea level rise projections are estimating around two feet of sea level rise by 2050, making a flood like that in December 2022 a regular occurrence, placing some of our shoreline … Continue reading Whidbey’s Water Future In a Changing Climate

Drought, Ecology

Drought declared statewide

John Lovie

Drought Response – Washington State Department of Ecology Including Island County Statewide drought declared April 16, 2024, limited exceptions for Seattle, Everett and Tacoma metro areas.  With winter’s snowstorms largely behind us, our state’s low snowpack and forecasts for a dry and warm spring and summer have spurred the Department of Ecology to declare a drought emergency for most of Washington. Ecology is making up to $4.5 million available in drought response grants to qualifying public entities to respond to impacts from the current drought conditions. Continue reading Drought declared statewide

News, South Whidbey Record

Rate hike proposed for Cascadia Water customers

John Lovie

Rate hike proposed for Cascadia Water customers | South Whidbey Record Cascadia Water notified customers that increased rates will reflect additional revenue of $1,788,793 “The majority of our water systems were installed around the ‘70s, so the aging infrastructure is needing to be replaced, which is a huge cost in today’s day and age,” Lehman said. “The base rate is a set rate, but the tiered rate structure helps to promote water conservation, which helps to sustain this precious natural resource.” Continue reading Rate hike proposed for Cascadia Water customers

PFAS

US appeals court kills ban on plastic containers contaminated with PFAS

John Lovie

US appeals court kills ban on plastic containers contaminated with PFAS | US news | The Guardian “The court did not dispute EPA’s underlying decision that this is a danger to human health, what they did was say it’s not a new use, which I think is wrong … but this case isn’t over by any stretch,” said Kyla Bennett, a former EPA official now with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer) non-profit, which has intervened in legal proceedings. Continue reading US appeals court kills ban on plastic containers contaminated with PFAS