State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Groundwater13

  • GRACE Satellites and the Global Water Balance: CWC Seminar

    In an April 1 Columbia Water Center Seminar, two researchers from the Center for Sustainable Water Resources, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas Austin, Bridget R. Scanlon and Laurent Longuevergne, spoke on their work with GRACE data and subsurface tracer studies, and what they bring to the climate science field.

  • USGS report shows water use in the USA increasingly efficient

    The US Geological Survey report, ‘Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2005’, By Joan F. Kenny, et al, released in 2009, compares recent and historical findings on water withdrawls for fresh surface water, groundwater, irrigation, thermo-electric power generation, public supply, self-supplied industrial use, and livestock, among others.

  • Punjab Farmers Adapt to Shrinking Water Supply

    Often referred to as the granary of India, Punjab is now slowly drying out. And though many farmers are deeply worried over the prospects of producing enough food, some of the more entrepreneurial ones are adopting new ways to conserve water while bracing for what will be a drier future. Back in the 1970s India…

  • Public water means water savings

    On February 12, Columbia Water Center staff had the opportunity to hear a presentation from Sheetal Sekhri, an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia Department of Economics, on ‘The Impact of Public Groundwater Provision Schemes on Water Tables: Evidence from Rural India’. Staff engaged her in a spirited discussion of the results of her…

  • Punjab: Less Water, More Money (Part 3)

    In previous weeks, I began the story of declining groundwater tables in India. In the first post, I talked about the current system of subsidized energy, the need to change it, and the willingness of farmers to adapt to such changes. The second post talked about the possible benefits and methods of direct seeding for…

  • Punjab: Less Water, More Money (Part 2)

    Last week, I began the story of declining groundwater tables in India. I talked about the current system of subsidized energy, the need to change it, and the willingness of farmers to adapt to such changes. Even before changing the irrigation in the crop’s lifecycle, however, an initial step that farmers can take starts with…

  • Punjab: Less Water, More Money (Part 1)

    In an earlier blog, I highlighted the story of declining groundwater in many parts of India. This story is one of agricultural intensification and widespread groundwater pumping, facilitated by highly subsidized or free electricity. As the Government of India sought food security for the nation, it promoted the procurement of rice and wheat from the…

  • India: the Impact of the 2009 Monsoon Failure

    This article is the second in a series inspired by the recent Columbia Water Center trip to India During our recent CWC trip to India (during the first three weeks of August) one news story dominated all others: this year’s near total failure of the monsoon.  Many of us in the West don’t really understand what…

  • India’s Water Future

    I recently returned from a CWC trip to India, where we have several projects underway.  During this trip, we had the opportunity to talk with a range of  water users – farmers, corporations, academic experts, and government officials.  One thing became very clear to me: Although India’s water situation is precarious, there is a real…

Columbia campus skyline with text Columbia Climate School Class Day 2024 - Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School MA in Climate & Society Class of 2024! Learn about our May 10 Class Day celebration. #ColumbiaClimate2024

  • GRACE Satellites and the Global Water Balance: CWC Seminar

    In an April 1 Columbia Water Center Seminar, two researchers from the Center for Sustainable Water Resources, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas Austin, Bridget R. Scanlon and Laurent Longuevergne, spoke on their work with GRACE data and subsurface tracer studies, and what they bring to the climate science field.

  • USGS report shows water use in the USA increasingly efficient

    The US Geological Survey report, ‘Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2005’, By Joan F. Kenny, et al, released in 2009, compares recent and historical findings on water withdrawls for fresh surface water, groundwater, irrigation, thermo-electric power generation, public supply, self-supplied industrial use, and livestock, among others.

  • Punjab Farmers Adapt to Shrinking Water Supply

    Often referred to as the granary of India, Punjab is now slowly drying out. And though many farmers are deeply worried over the prospects of producing enough food, some of the more entrepreneurial ones are adopting new ways to conserve water while bracing for what will be a drier future. Back in the 1970s India…

  • Public water means water savings

    On February 12, Columbia Water Center staff had the opportunity to hear a presentation from Sheetal Sekhri, an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia Department of Economics, on ‘The Impact of Public Groundwater Provision Schemes on Water Tables: Evidence from Rural India’. Staff engaged her in a spirited discussion of the results of her…

  • Punjab: Less Water, More Money (Part 3)

    In previous weeks, I began the story of declining groundwater tables in India. In the first post, I talked about the current system of subsidized energy, the need to change it, and the willingness of farmers to adapt to such changes. The second post talked about the possible benefits and methods of direct seeding for…

  • Punjab: Less Water, More Money (Part 2)

    Last week, I began the story of declining groundwater tables in India. I talked about the current system of subsidized energy, the need to change it, and the willingness of farmers to adapt to such changes. Even before changing the irrigation in the crop’s lifecycle, however, an initial step that farmers can take starts with…

  • Punjab: Less Water, More Money (Part 1)

    In an earlier blog, I highlighted the story of declining groundwater in many parts of India. This story is one of agricultural intensification and widespread groundwater pumping, facilitated by highly subsidized or free electricity. As the Government of India sought food security for the nation, it promoted the procurement of rice and wheat from the…

  • India: the Impact of the 2009 Monsoon Failure

    This article is the second in a series inspired by the recent Columbia Water Center trip to India During our recent CWC trip to India (during the first three weeks of August) one news story dominated all others: this year’s near total failure of the monsoon.  Many of us in the West don’t really understand what…

  • India’s Water Future

    I recently returned from a CWC trip to India, where we have several projects underway.  During this trip, we had the opportunity to talk with a range of  water users – farmers, corporations, academic experts, and government officials.  One thing became very clear to me: Although India’s water situation is precarious, there is a real…