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A record percentage of Illinois cropland acres, 49.9 percent, were farmed with conservation tillage last year, according to a statewide survey released last week by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA). IDOA, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service started the soil erosion and crop tillage survey in 1994.

Conservation tillage is good for the environment because it prevents soil erosion and improves water quality, said Illinois Agriculture Director Tom Jennings.

Since 1994, farmers use of conservation tillage has increased from 32 percent up to 49.9 percent of all cropland acres. Conservation tillage leaves at least 30 percent crop residue on the ground after planting.

In addition, farmers have reached tolerable soil loss or T on 85 percent of cropland acres.

Dr. Jane Goodall tours the Water Conservation Garden created by Roots and Shoots students at Headwaters Corner in Calabasas, CA Monday October 26, 2009. Under the guidance of Mountains Restoration Trust, the garden is a long-term project of local students involved in Roots and Shoots, the Jane Goodall Institute's global humanitarian and environmental youth program.

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If you're thinking of starting the day with a nice, crisp beer, you might want to know that a two-day conference on water conservation for craft brewers has its first toast today at Discover World Museum at Pier Wisconsin.

Representatives from craft brewers nationwide, as well as conservationists and state leaders, will be there.

Speaking of water, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District votes tonight on its budget.

Also firefighters who had to dump millions of gallons of water on the Patrick Cudahy meatpacking plant this summer will be paying attention to the hearing today for Kurtis Popp. He and his brother Joshua Popp were blamed for accidentally setting the fire that burned for several days and Joshua Popp was sentenced to a bit of jail time earlier this month.

And as you're reading this, there's a good chance water is falling out of the sky. Forecasters expect rain in the area for at least the first half of the day.

So try to stay dry – that includes putting that craft beer back down. It's a bit early for that.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Residents of the Yulee Area residence hall complex on the University of Florida campus are being asked to take five minute showers. They are piloting water conservation education efforts sponsored by the Department of Housing and Residence Education Green Team/Recycling/Sustainability Committee.

Water conservation messages are posted throughout the area, including reminders about turning off water while brushing teeth or shaving as well as reminders to report leaking faucets and shower heads and “running” toilets through iService, an online maintenance request procedure, The most challenging water conservation effort for residents is the Shower Coach Challenge: Can You Take a Five Minute Shower?

Shower Coaches are five minute shower timers on suction cups that have been placed in the 86 showers in the Yulee Area. A five minute shower uses 12.5 gallons of water. Each additional minute uses 2.5 gallons of water. Residents are being asked to take shorter, cooler showers to support both water conservation and energy conservation efforts campus-wide.

“The Shower Coach timers are a fun way to remind residents about water and energy conservation while they are actively using resources,” said Sharon Blansett, assistant director of Housing and chair of the Housing Green Team/Recycling/Sustainability Committee. “This water conservation effort is one of many resource conservation efforts supported by the committee in residence facilities.”

Residents are responding positively to the Shower Coach, but say it is difficult to take a five minute shower. Some say it helps them with time when they are running late for class.

The Yulee Area houses approximately 520 residents and is home to the Global Living Learning Community in Yulee Hall. The Global Living Learning Community is a residential learning community that explores global issues including sustainability. If the water conservation education is successful in the Yulee Area, the program will be expanded to other residence areas.

Our view: The water is back, so let's keep it there
The rain this week made for some gloomy days, but there was a bright spot amidst the precipitation. For the first time since 2005, Lake Lanier reached full pool.

It's an amazing recovery for a lake that as recently as December was 20 feet below full pool - 1,071.10 feet above sea level. A year before that, Dec. 26, 2007, Lake Lanier was at its most distressed at 1,050.79 feet, part of the Southeast's epic drought.

Now, after rising more than two feet in two weeks, the lake is at full pool and the National Weather Service predicts it will exceed that level by a foot by mid-week. It's good news for Gwinnett residents and for businesses on and near the lake.

"Having Lake Lanier full and usable by everyone is a positive thing for the community," Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce president Jim Maran said.

The drought forced area residents to be more conservation conscious, and officials say that shouldn't change despite the good news that the lake is at full pool. Atlanta Regional Commission Chairman Sam Olens and Metropolitan Georgia Water Planning District Chairwoman Kit Dunlap urged residents to continue to conserve.

"This milestone is no reason to abandon responsible water conservation practices," they said in a joint statement. "In fact, it is imperative that we make water conservation a way of life in the Atlanta region. While Lake Lanier may be full today, metro Atlanta's water resources are still precious and finite. We must use them wisely and responsibly."

So as we celebrate Lake Lanier's rebound, it's important to keep in mind how far we have come since the drought. For tips on conserving, go to www.conservewatergeorgia.net.

New Trend: Flammable Tap Water

Posted on Wednesday October 14th by Jebediah Reed

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The whole natural gas question in this country is a complicated one. On one hand, we have oodles of the stuff, it’s relatively low carbon, and it would seem to be a sensible pillar of our country’s energy future. On the other hand, extracting it from Mother Earth does nasty stuff to the water supply. How nasty? Check out this video shot in Fort Lupton, Colorado, a little town just north of Denver’s northernmost suburban sprawl.

Until a year ago, these Fort Lupton residents had run-of-the-mill, non-flammable water. But there’s some aggressive oil and gas production in the area, and now local faucets are liable to create a massive fireball if you hold a lit match near them. It’s hardly an isolated incident either, as communities across the west from Texas to Montana are already being affected in disturbing ways. So apparently will be communities in the eastern US sitting atop the massive Marcellus Shale formation which stretches from upstate New York down to West Virginia and which gas companies are just in the early stages of exploiting.

So it seems to shape up as a case of lower carbon emissions and potential energy independence vs. kitchen faucets across the country becoming flamethrowers. Um… whadda we do, boss?

The clip comes from an in-progress documentary called Water Under Attack — click through the jump to see a 16 minute video about Fort Lupton.