Water News
Please note, the daily news can now be found at our new website, waterportal.ca . We will no longer be updating this page, as this website will be removed in the coming weeks. All of our content can be found at our new website, with a modern look and better functionality on all your devices.
Alberta Water News is a free, subscription-based service that provides the latest information on water news across Alberta and upcoming events.
The news is distributed weekly on Mondays via a collated email and Monday to Friday via WaterPortal social media (X was Twitter). Please note that news will not be distributed on Holiday Mondays and will be released the following Tuesday.
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Lowering costs for municipalities
Government of Alberta
Municipalities play an important role in shaping Alberta’s vibrant communities and contributing to a stronger province. The province will now lend money to local authorities, which include municipalities, airports, counties and irrigation districts, at a lower rate. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Governance.
Compare and contrast: Helene now a tropical storm after speeding through Florida with deadly force
CBC
Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday after making landfall in northwestern Florida as a hurricane, bringing “nightmare” storm surge and dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeastern U.S. There were at least five reported storm-related deaths. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
In an era of drought, can B.C. rely on Site C and other hydro projects?
CBC
By the fall of 2025, when all six turbines are expected to be online, the $16 billion mega project that straddles the Peace River in northeast B.C. will churn out 5,100 gigawatt hours of energy per year. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: ‘We used to sail and fish and play’: how did an Argentinian lake the size of New York City disappear?
The Guardian
Drought and mismanagement have turned Lake Colhu Huap into a virtual dustbowl. Now the race is on to save its sister lake from the same fate. If nothing is done to improve water management, the disappearance of both lakes will be irreversible. Click here to read the story.
The Future of Home Heating? It’s in the Dishwater
The Tyee
Every time someone takes a shower, washes the dishes, runs the laundry or flushes the toilet in Vancouver’s Olympic Village, something special happens. The heat from the raw sewage produced by those everyday acts is captured and turned into power. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Irrigation.
The lonely Lake Superior caribou and a lesson in limits
The Narwhal
Ontario’s southernmost herd illustrates how hard it is to bring a species back from the brink – and why we need to recognize tipping points before we reach them. Click here to read the story.
Atmospheric rivers deluge parts of B.C. as storm season begins
The Canadian Press
A series of atmospheric rivers has been moving across British Columbia’s north and central coasts and spreading into the Interior, bringing heavy rain. The River Forecast Centre is maintaining high-stream flow advisories and several flood watches throughout the province, while a higher-level flood warning has been downgraded for the Telkwa River in northwestern B.C. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Climate and Severe Weather.
Compare and contrast: Soil and water pollution: An invisible threat to cardiovascular health
Science Daily
Pesticides, heavy metals, micro- and nanoplastics in the soil, and environmentally harmful chemicals can have a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system, according to a review paper. The article provides an overview of the effects of soil and water pollution on human health and pathology and discusses the prevalence of soil and water pollutants and how they negatively affect health, particularly the risk of cardiovascular disease. Click here to read the story.
Ghost River location selected for new Bow River Reservoir
Government of Alberta
After reviewing multiple options, the Alberta government has determined that the relocated Ghost Dam option is significantly better than the Glenbow East option due to its lower cost, ability to mitigate future droughts and floods, and fewer social and environmental impacts. Click here to read the story.
Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.
Compare and contrast: Baltimore City Is Investing in Wetlands Restoration For Climate Resiliency and Adaptation. Scientists Warn About Unintended Consequences
Inside Climate News
Wetlands restoration and shoreline rehabilitation efforts in South Baltimore promise to make communities resilient against climate change and severe weather while spawning new green spaces. Scientists say it’s a new science that needs careful and closer scrutiny. Click here to read the story.