The surge of water, more than 22,400 gallons a second, plunged from the foot of Warm Springs Dam, launching a fine mist above. That was the spectacle of abundance last week at Lake Sonoma, the North Bay's largest reservoir, where the U.S. Army Corps was releasing what dam managers call an "oversupply" - the welcome product of heavy runoff from recent storms.
Future Farm is a modular vertical farming system designed by Qing Duan for integration within urban architecture, proposing a model where buildings function as hydro-ecological systems. Rainwater is collected, filtered, and redistributed to support plant growth and domestic needs, establishing a closed-loop water cycle that combines sustainable agriculture with everyday city life. The project incorporates public greenhouse spaces, shared kitchens, rooftop farms, and educational zones to enable collective care, learning, and interaction with urban farming processes.
The Trump administration is pressuring Mexico with more tariffs to force its southern neighbor to settle its water debt of nearly one billion cubic meters, of which Mexico has committed to delivering 249 million before the end of January. Meanwhile, the high demand for water from the agricultural sector is forcing President Claudia Sheinbaum to perform a balancing act to avoid jeopardizing access to water for irrigation systems in the north of the country.
On the day of a Nov. 11 federal deadline for states to submit a water management plan for the Colorado River, negotiations remain deadlocked. Without agreement, it is unclear how a water supply that millions depend on will be managed after the fall of 2026. With hours left, a deal seems increasingly unlikely - raising the possibility of the federal government stepping in with its own plan, or that states will resort to litigation.
"It's not in good shape right now," said Bartshé Miller, policy director of the nonprofit Mono Lake Committee. "There is systemic illness in the lake in terms of the health of the ecosystem, and it needs more water to recover to full health and vitality."
"I have people that would come in and train and it's affected the training. We felt like it wasn't safe for them to be using those trails."
The winter run was the main sustenance source for the Winnemem Wintu throughout history. We consider them the grandfather of all salmon, said tribal member Gary Mulcahy.
Alfalfa and other types of hay are used to feed cattle and other livestock, and in recent years they have been exported in growing quantities to China, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
Roalson said the conservation approach forms the foundation of Austin's 100-year water plan, since new water supplies are expected to become more scarce and expensive as more residents and resource-intensive businesses move into the area.
