Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Research catalogs greenhouse gas emissions tied to energy use for interbasin water transfers
Much of the water in the U.S. West is transported across vast geographical areas by large infrastructure projects known as interbasin water transfers. Two of these projects in particular make up 85% of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions associated with U.S. interbasin transfer—one in Arizona and the other in California—according to the new research published […]
Switch to green wastewater infrastructure could reduce emissions and provide huge savings
University researchers have shown that a transition to green wastewater-treatment approaches in the U.S. that leverages the potential of carbon-financing could save a staggering $15.6 billion and just under 30 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions over 40 years. The comprehensive findings from Colorado State University were highlighted in Nature Communications Earth & Environment in a first-of-its-kind […]
Researchers envision sci-fi worlds involving changes to atmospheric water cycle
Human activity is changing the way water flows between the Earth and atmosphere in complex ways and with likely long-lasting consequences that are hard to picture. Land use change is altering where clouds form and how precipitation is distributed. Meanwhile, weather modification activities like cloud seeding are shifting how nations plan for water use in the face […]
Global study finds extreme drought impacts on grasslands and shrublands
A global study organized and led by Colorado State University scientists shows that the effects of extreme drought—which is expected to increase in frequency with climate change—has been greatly underestimated for grasslands and shrublands. The findings—published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—quantify the impact of extreme short-term drought on grassland and shrubland ecosystems […]
Researchers map streamflow alterations to gauge human impact on ecosystems
Altering streamflow can endanger the ecosystems that rely on it, but researchers have lacked data on how human infrastructure has impacted streamflow in the U.S. Now, a study involving a Colorado State University researcher has mapped streamflow alterations across the continental U.S., providing a wealth of data for determining societal impacts on ecosystems. This figure […]
Climate change from the ground up: Researchers explore sea level rise impact
Researchers have considered how flooding from rising sea levels and storm surges will damage the built environment along the coast, but what about climate change’s less noticeable impacts below the surface? A new study by Colorado State University civil engineers examines the hidden costs to building foundations due to sea level rise. They propose a […]
Study looks at glacial lakes, dams in Alaska and potential for flooding
Brianna Rick, a doctoral student in the Department of Geosciences at Colorado State University, has been conducting research in Alaska for several years. She’s developed an interest in studying glacial lakes, bodies of water that form near glaciers, which can impact glacier behavior and drain catastrophically. “Floods that originate from these lakes can have devastating […]
Researchers launch $1.9 million project for water treatment and reuse using biochar
Every day, hundreds of billions of gallons of a precious, dwindling natural resource, fresh water, is used for agricultural irrigation, energy extraction and more. The demand for novel sources of clean water, in the face of a growing population and a warming planet, is at crisis levels. Colorado State University researchers have been given the […]
Study finds urbanization means different things to different watersheds
Prior to urbanization, the natural landscape and climate determined how much water flowed into streams and rivers. Urban development now dramatically affects how much and where water flows, but Civil and Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Aditi Bhaskar has found changes to streamflow vary significantly from city to city. With urban development rapidly increasing, it is […]