Solar Canals Redefine Water Conservation and Energy Production in the West: From Megadrought to Megawatts

Arizona, California, and Nevada agreed to conserve 3 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River.

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This voluntary conservation effort comes in exchange for $1.2 billion from the Biden administration.

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Cities in Nevada and Arizona have long banned water-thirsty grass lawns in areas where they serve no practical purpose.

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California is undertaking an innovative experiment to capture water by managing the intensity of forest fires.

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Newer technologies that prevent evaporation, such as high-density black plastic shade balls, show promise.

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California is covering irrigation canals with solar panels, combating severe droughts and generating renewable energy.

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The Project Nexus aims to reduce water evaporation while generating renewable energy over three sections of the TID canals.

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The data collected from the pilot project will inform future plans and costs for scaling up the initiative.

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