The News Review:

- Calif. river system is nation’s most endangered
- Water water everywhere but how many drops to drink?
- Report says use of water energy linked
- Natural water resources extremely low in 14 Arkansas counties
- Rocket Fueled Baby Formula ‘Safe’ Says Industry Council
- Lubbock institutes water restrictions
- Flint River nation’s second most endangered report by group states

Calif. river system is nation’s most endangered
San Jose Mercury News
“The health of the delta depends directly on maintaining the health of these two rivers that feed it. ” The organization chooses its most endangered rivers from nominations made by environmental groups and bases the selections on the value of a river to people and the environment the level of the threat and pending decisions that could affect it in the next year Rothert said. But Jerry Johns deputy director at the Department of Water Resources said the report did not give adequate consideration to statewide efforts to restore the health of the delta and its two chief tributaries. Rivers from Pennsylvania to Alaska also made this year’s list whose Advertisement yld_mgr. place_ad_here(“adPosBox”); top five included Georgia’s Flint River the Lower Snake River that courses through Idaho Washington and regon Mattawoman Creek in Maryland and the North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana. The Sacramento and the San Joaquin meet in the delta a freshwater estuary surrounded by an aging network of fragile levees. That system of flood control has harmed the rivers’ floodplains a crucial habitat for fish and other species that use that area to feed and reproduce Rothert said.

Water water everywhere but how many drops to drink?
Canada.com
And if you think that recycling makes all of the environmental pain go away think again: As of 2004 85% of those bottles ended up in landfills or as litter. As if the waste generated wasn’t enough bottled water generates further controversy because of the perceived commodification of water by corporations who charge a huge premium for what is often not much more than filtered tap water. Concerns have been raised that municipal water supplies are being drained in the name of bottling local water for sale and that local ecosystems are harmed in the process. So what is a health-and environment-conscious person to do? At this point it seems your best bet is to drink out of glass or stainless steel containers and choose tap water (yes tap water) more often. If you do not like the taste of tap water then consider buying a filter system. If you are responsible for providing water for work or other organization you are involved with consider offering pitchers and glasses of water rather than bottles. And if you must offer plastic bottles then at least make sure to recycle the bottles that are used.
Related from Gxy988: What is your traditional Chinese element? – Part 6 (The Water Element)

Report says use of water energy linked
Houston Chronicle
The report released Monday claims that improving water conservation will cut power demand and that upgrades in energy efficiency will decrease water needs allowing Texas to utilize “finite supplies of both” and cut consumers’ costs. ne recommendation in the report which the Environmental Defense Fund helped prepare requires studies to determine how much water is available for use at new fossil-fueled or concentrated solar power plants. A bill before legislators pertaining to the recommendation is scheduled for a public hearing Wednesday in Austin.

Natural water resources extremely low in 14 Arkansas counties
KAIT
According to the Arkansas Ground Water Protection and Management report aquifers in 14 counties west of Crowley's Ridge are extremely low. “n the west side of Crowley's Ridge we're seeing a continual fall. n the east side over towards Lake City over in there the water table seems to be holding its own and doing well” said Randy Ferguson District Conservationist with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Ferguson said Monday the problem is that water from the alluvial aquifer which is where water for irrigation purposes is pumped from is being obtained faster than rainwater can replenish it. Ferguson said there are a number of reasons for this.

Rocket Fueled Baby Formula ‘Safe’ Says Industry Council
MedHeadlines
  The study merely identified the presence of perchlorate in an assortment of powdered baby formulas that it did not mention by name.   The study gained public attention once an advocacy group the Environmental Working Group called attention to it on Thursday by means of a press release. When the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted recent tests of almost 4000 public water supply systems servicing populations of 10000 or more approximately 160 of them contained perchlorate in detectable levels.   The EPA is considering raising the safe limit of perchlorate in the public water supply and under the proposed new standards 31 of the water supplies tested would have exceeded the safe limit.   Water supplies most affected by perchlorate contamination occur near sites associated with the defense and aerospace industries. Several states have established their own safe levels of perchlorate in drinking water independent of federal standards. Scientific evidence indicates perchlorate impacts thyroid function although no tests on perchlorate have proven the chemical causes health problems.

Lubbock institutes water restrictions
The Daily Toreador (registration)
“Surface water and ground water are the two types of water resources on the Texas High Plains said Carmon McCain communications director at the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District. Ground water comes from beneath the land’s surface and mostly is used for agriculture production whereas surface water comes from lakes rivers and streams and mostly is used in urban areas. Twenty percent of Lubbock’s water supply is groundwater from wells located in Bailey County said Tom Adams Lubbock deputy city manager. and the city has been drawing water from those wells for the last 50 to 60 years. “We would like it to last another 30 to 40 years so by conserving we keep that water source working for us” he said. The Canadian River Municipal Water Authority supplies the other 80 percent of Lubbock’s water the majority of that water coming from Lake Meredith. The lake’s low water levels are another reason for water restrictions said Mark Brown county extension agent at the Urban Water Conservation on the High Plains division of the Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Flint River nation’s second most endangered report by group states
Macon Telegraph
Jenny Hoffner Atlanta-based director of the water supply program for American Rivers said the Flint ranked so high because it is “a national treasure” that is representative of the poor water supply decisions being made nationwide and particularly in the Southeast. “We’re seeing politicians reaching for 20th-century and 19th-century solutions when 21st-century solutions are at their fingertips” Hoffner said. Examples include tiered water-use rates retrofitting residential water fixtures and individual meters for apartments she said. Last year Republican U.