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Interior Department moves forward on guidelines for Colorado River absent full state consensus
The Department of the Interior is moving forward with the Post-2026 NEPA process to finalize operating guidelines for Colorado River reservoirs by Oct. 1, 2026. While the seven Basin States have not reached full consensus on an operating framework, the Department cannot delay action. Meeting this deadline is essential to ensure certainty and stability for the Colorado River system beyond 2026.
States reliant on Colorado River fail to meet the latest deadline to find consensus
The seven Western states that depend on the Colorado River missed a deadline for the second time Saturday to agree on a plan addressing record drought and water shortages.
The seven Western states that depend on the Colorado River have missed a deadline for the second time to agree on a plan addressing record drought and water shortages.
AP News (apnews.com)
Cargill to close Wisconsin beef plant, cut 221 jobs
Beef prices remained near record highs amid strong demand and low supply. U.S. beef packers have had to pay more for the livestock that they slaughter and process and were losing money. The U.S. cattle herd was at its lowest count in almost 75 years due to ongoing drought and parched pastures.
Nearly 100% of Florida in drought, worsening fears of wildfires, water shortages
Millions of Floridians are living in drought conditions intense enough to warrant burn bans and water shortage warnings as the fire danger climbs.
A transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral is expected in February-April 2026 (60% chance), with ENSO-neutral likely persisting through the Northern Hemisphere summer (56% chance in June-August 2026).
Japan weather bureau says 60% chance of El Nino in summer
There is a 60% chance of the El Nino phenomenon occurring in the summer, Japan's weather bureau said on Tuesday.
In the spring, there is a 50% likelihood of El Nino occurring and a 50% chance of normal conditions continuing.
Amid drought, Colorado River standoff flares
Some Colorado River Basin states appear to be bracing for litigation as the deadline for a plan all seven states can agree to looms – with no agreement reached.
Meanwhile, the snowpack situation across its various tributaries paints a bleak picture for the coming summer.
Bison hunters abandoned long-used site 1,100 years ago to adapt to changing climate, Great Plains study finds
Droughts reduced the water available for processing animals at a bison kill site in central Montana. Site abandonment was a response to environmental stressors and changing social and economic pressures.
Percent of normal precipitation across the U.S. for the past 60 days. Large swaths of the country in red have received 50% or less of normal. A few small pockets colored green/blue/purple have gotten more than normal.
Updated daily, these maps allow you to review recent and past climate information. Over 250,000 maps are available in an archive dating to 2003.
(hprcc.unl.edu)
Sixth year of drought in Texas and Oklahoma leaves ranchers bracing for another harsh summer
Drought cost the agriculture industry across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas an estimated US$23.6 billion in lost crops, higher feed costs and selling off cattle from 2020 through 2024 alone. As rangeland dried out, it also fueled devastating wildfires.
#drought #Texas #Oklahoma #Kansas
The Southern Plains states get a severe drought about once a decade, but long-lasting droughts lately have been leaving farms, rangeland and water sources with too little time to recover.
The Conversation (theconversation.com)
Record snow drought in Western US raises concern for a spring of water shortages and wildfires
A record snow drought with unprecedented heat is hitting most of the American West, depleting future water supplies, making it more vulnerable to wildfires and hurting winter tourism and recreation.
Except for California, most Western states are experiencing the worst snow drought in decades, not because of dry conditions but really warm temperatures that change snow to rain.
AP News (apnews.com)
