State and local resource managers thirst for information about the ebb and flow of California's water supply. New legislation making its way through Congress could help satisfy that thirst with stepped up nationwide monitoring and data analysis. And a new focus to the role of climate change. Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports from Capitol Hill.
Water has always been a priority in the West. But the stakes are higher than ever. Jon Lambeck of Southern California's Metropolitan Water District told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee no water agency can respond alone. That's why an increased role for the federal government is so essential.
Lambeck: Obtaining vital information to better understand the situation we are facing, to assist in evaluating alternative solutions, and to support the changes that will be necessary to mitigate the challenges of climate change to the water industry.
The proposed 'Secure Water Act' would support nationwide data collection and systematic groundwater monitoring. It also calls for a formal link between climate scientists and water managers.
From Capitol News Connection in Washington, I'm Elizabeth Wynne Johnson for KPBS News.
