What civil engineers are reading this week

• Water is our most precious resource, and we must manage it smartly, author says

  With a direct and plainspoken but highly detailed prose style, the book is useful for students, water professionals, and laypeople. Read about water “hot spots” and why they are important.

• Chinese artificial intelligence tech could cut projected spike in US electricity

  Are we planning too many new power plants to fuel data centers? Advocates call for more protections for consumers – and the climate.

• Texas eyes 765-kilovolt transmission lines in regional ‘transmission race’

  Utility regulators are concerned about the potential for costs to spiral and supply chain constraints to slow development.

• California’s $1B transportation infrastructure investment focuses on sustainability

  The state continues to invest in clean energy, bike lanes, and pedestrian projects with funding through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and Senate Bill 1 of 2017.

• Bridges often forge connections that go well beyond geography

  As Valentine’s Day nears, here’s the story of how one famous Boston bridge helped bring together two people who became soulmates.

• Young, inexperienced engineers aiding Musk’s government takeover

  Engineers between 19 and 24, most linked to Elon Musk’s companies, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure.