waterloop

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐟 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚: Traveling to film took me to some states for the first time in 2024, including Iowa. Any preconceptions I had about the state were quickly swept away. I was stunned by the beauty of the green fields and blue skies, the clean cities and towns, and the genuinely friendly people. Visiting a half dozen farms, I was also struck by how proactively farmers brought up the challenges of climate change and the impacts they have seen firsthand. My time in Iowa gave me a renewed appreciation for America's Heartland and the people who live there. Watch an episode about funding conservation on Iowa farms: https://lnkd.in/esuNpFYG See all the favorites of 2024: https://lnkd.in/ep8itVC8

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐌 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐮𝐜𝐬𝐨𝐧: It's almost unfair and uncool to single out one problem-solver among the litany I interacted with this year. But Brad Lancaster is a legend. He has spent decades mastering rainwater harvesting at his home in the Sonoran Desert. Despite only receiving about 11 inches of rain a year, he captures all the water he needs for himself and the vegetation on his property. Brad also admits to cutting curbs on his street to capture runoff instead of letting it get wasted, an initial move that eventually led to the launch of Tucson's green infrastructure program. See all the favorites of 2024: https://lnkd.in/ep8itVC8

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬: 2024 was an incredible year of travel, visiting impactful water projects and awe-inspiring places. But my favorite adventure was exploring Mollicy Farms in Louisiana, the largest floodplain reconnection ever completed in the U.S. This 25-square-mile project reconnects the Ouachita River to its historic floodplain, helping reduce downstream flooding, filtering out nutrients, and creating critical habitat for wildlife. I traveled through Mollicy Farms on a boat as floodwaters rose to the tops of the trees next to me—a surreal and humbling experience. See all the favorites of 2024: https://lnkd.in/ep8itVC8

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎 𝐎𝐅 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞: When a series of atmospheric rivers hit California in early 2024, I reshared a video from 2023 when a similar pattern of heavy, intense rain and snow led to the reemergence of Tulare Lake in the Central Valley. It was once the largest freshwater lake in the West until the construction of dams, diversions, and canals caused it to dry up. The video racked up over 2 million views on Tik Tok alone. From a content perspective, I appreciate how the video increased my following across social media. It also includes amazing drone shots of a vast inland sea in the middle of a normally dry, brown agricultural region. See all the favorites of 2024: https://lnkd.in/ep8itVC8

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐬'𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫: It is extremely difficult to choose just one episode to be the favorite of 2024.  But ultimately I chose the story about water use in Las Vegas because what has happened there smashes misconceptions. People see Las Vegas and think it is utterly unsustainable from a water perspective and cannot exist in the Colorado River Basin. The truth is that Las Vegas has used a mix of water conservation, efficiency, and recycling to drastically drive down use even while the population has boomed. Plus as a fellow communicator, I have great admiration for the job Bronson Mack of the Southern Nevada Water Authority does messaging and articulating the progress. See all the 2024 Favorites: https://lnkd.in/ep8itVC8

MOST DOWNLOADED EPISODE OF 2024 Our most popular podcast episode in 2024 was the conversation with Alan Roberson of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) on 50 years of the Safe Drinking Water Act. During a sit-down at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington, D.C., Alan reflected on the 50th anniversary of the landmark legislation, including the remarkable progress, remaining challenges, and what lies ahead for drinking water in America. Revisit this audience favorite!

How many people in the U.S. lack safe drinking water? How much water do you drink each day? Where does your drinking water come from? Hear how people answered in this edition of Water Your Questions. Tell us in the comments the water questions to ask next! From Water Street outside the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions.

Linda Ofori is the Assistant Director of Water Systems Operations for New Jersey. Linda highlights the growing need for investment in drinking water infrastructure, noting that estimated needs in New Jersey have tripled or quadrupled since 2003. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the EPA and states to secure sufficient funding, ensuring water systems can meet critical demands. “Our water is worth it,” she says. #SDWA50 series is a collaboration with the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA). See the series at https://bit.ly/50SDWA

💧H2O Minute News ⏰ Rogelio Rodriguez of Water Finance Exchange (WFX): Water Finance Exchange Municipal Advisors launched to further the organization's mission of helping communities access funding, financing, and expertise to implement resilient, sustainable, and equitable water infrastructure solutions. More: https://lnkd.in/e-nkNEWZ H2O Minute News is sponsored by 120Water

The Potomac River and other waterways in Washington, D.C., are undergoing a remarkable transformation, thanks to the DC Clean Rivers Project. This $2.7 billion initiative addresses the city's historic combined sewer overflow problem, which has long polluted its rivers. Bethel Abate, PE, PMP, Assoc. DBIA, a Civil Engineer at DC Water, describes the innovative system of deep tunnels and massive storage shafts that divert and store overflow until it can be treated at the Blue Plains facility. These efforts have already achieved a 96% reduction in combined sewer overflows, dramatically improving water quality. Bethel highlights the profound responsibility water professionals have to care for these rivers and ensure they become a source of pride and joy for future generations. She is an alumni of the Water Innovation Leadership Development program at Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke Environment Plus.