Supplemental General Security & Resilience Highlights – December 19, 2023

The following posts are useful for general awareness of current physical security threats, natural disaster resilience, preparedness resources, mitigation guidance, and other security-related news or updates. These resources have been curated by the WaterISAC analyst team as items of broad relevance and benefit that do not need supplemental analysis at this time.

Natural Hazards/Climate Change

• Two storms packing snow to collide over Rockies, Plains during Christmas weekend – Accu Weather 
• 3 dead, 600,000 without power after monster storm tears up the East Coast – ABC News
• Queensland floods: Airport submerged and crocodiles seen after record rain – BBC News
• North Queensland’s record-breaking floods are a frightening portent of what’s to come under climate change – The Conversation
• COVID and flu surge could strain hospitals as JN.1 variant grows, CDC warns – CBS News
• December 2023 El Niño update: adventure! – Climate.gov
• El Niño is nearing historic strength. What this means and when it will end. – The Washington Post
• Earth had its warmest November on record – NOAA

Operational Resilience

• Interior announces new Colorado River System conservation agreements – Water World Magazine
• How an overlooked study over a century ago helped fuel the Colorado River crisis – Smart Water Magazine
• Q&A: Why should we consider treating wastewater closer to home? – Stanford University
• Pilot program in California generates clean energy from water pressure in its water pipelines – Smart Water Magazine
• Wisconsin DNR preps 2024 grant program for small water systems to deal with PFAS contamination – AP
• How Salt Is Threatening Our Drinking Water – Water Online

Extremism/Terrorism

• U.S. terrorist watchlist grows to 2 million people — nearly doubling in 6 years – CBS News
• The ghost of terrorism re-emerges: The resurgence of ‘ISIS’ and ‘Al-Qaeda’ organizational activity and their strategy for adaptation and resilience – The Diplomatic Insight
• Extremist Content Online: Pro-ISIS Propaganda Videos Resurface On Instagram – The Counter Extremism Project