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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Compare and Contrast: Why do floods follow drought? Scientists show climate change is fuelling more ‘sudden shifts’
Euronews
Wild weather swings from severe drought to heavy rains are becoming more common with climate change, new research has found. Click here to continue reading
Researcher finds inspiration from spider webs and beetles to harvest fresh water from thin air
Science Daily
A team of researchers is designing novel systems to capture water vapor in the air and turn it into liquid. They have developed sponges or membranes with a large surface area that continually capture moisture from their surrounding environment. Click here to continue reading
Calgary’s water woes means lush lawns will have to go: UCalgary hydrologist
Water Canada
Prepare to kiss your grass goodbye, Calgary — that’s the message from a University of Calgary hydrologist, following a municipal order to restrict water use due to record-setting scarcity in local rivers. With the Bow River at its lowest level since 1911 and the Elbow at a 23-year low, Dr. Tricia Stadnyk, P.Eng., says Calgary and other Alberta municipalities must accept we are entering an era where water is scarce and too precious to be wasted keeping non-native plants alive. Click here to continue reading
Alberta scientists tracking blue-green algae blooms using satellite imagery
CBC News
A team of experts is working to better understand the spread of blue-green algae in Alberta lakes by combining satellite technology with near-simultaneous water sampling. The project, funded through Alberta Innovates, is a collaboration between several groups, including Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS), the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), and researcher Rolf Vinebrooke from the University of Alberta. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Trees and the Hydrological Cycle
Amazon Aid Foundation
The hydrological water cycle is one of the most important functions of the Amazon rainforest. The nearly 390 billion trees act as giant pumps, sucking water up through their deep roots and releasing it through their leaves, a process known as transpiration. One tree can lift approximately 100 gallons of water out of the ground and release it into the air each day! Click here to continue reading
A severe drought is affecting the Panama Canal. That’s not a good sign for supply chains — or your holiday shopping
CNN
Panama is about halfway through its rainy season right now, and one of the wettest countries in the world is having one of its driest seasons on record. At the Panama Canal, where freshwater serves as the lifeblood for its lock-driven operations, the lack of abundant rainfall is leading to lower water levels and putting a squeeze on a critical international shipping artery: Canal authorities have imposed restrictions on vessel weights and daily traffic. Click here to continue reading
Paper drinking straws may be harmful and may not be better for the environment than plastic versions
Science Daily
“Eco-friendly” paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded. In the first analysis of its kind in Europe, and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws for the group of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Click here to continue reading
New study examines historical drought and flooding on the Amazon River
Science Daily
Despite the rapid increase in severe flooding, a new article indicates recent floods and droughts in the Amazon River Basin may have not yet exceeded the range of natural hydroclimatic variability. Click here to continue reading
Connections between drinking water quality and increased lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis
Science Daily
High levels of some minerals and metals in environmental water supplies may increase the risk of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary infections in people with cystic fibrosis, according to a new study. The study found the presence of the metals molybdenum and vanadium along with sulfate — a collection of mineral salts — in the U.S. municipal water system was associated with an increased incidence of NTM pulmonary infections, the leading cause of drinking-water associated illnesses. Click here to continue reading
Beef’s high cost: Butchers and buyers struggle with price of cattle cuts; ranchers struggle with ongoing drought conditions
CTV News
The rising price of beef is impacting local butchers and small businesses in Alberta. Shane Eustace, store manager of Urban Butcher in southwest Calgary’s Mission neighbourhood, says his team has noticed a pretty significant spike in the price of beef since the beginning of spring. Click here to continue reading