Water News
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: First-Ever December Flood Warning Issued for Red River of the North
Newsweek
The US National Weather Service has issued the rare flood warning following high amounts of ice and rain in North Dakota throughout the month of December. This is the first time a flood warning has ever been issued for the river at this time of year, according to one of the agency’s meteorologists. Click here to continue reading
Is 2024 the year Okanagan Lake floating bridge becomes a suspension bridge?
iNFOnews
This is shaping up to be the driest year on record in terms and if this continues, by the end of winter, could set a modern-day low water level record for Okanagan Lake. That very unlikely event would force a lot of considerations, not least of which is to the only floating bridge in Canada. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The race to destroy the toxic ‘forever chemicals’ polluting our world
The Guardian
“Forever chemicals” are in our drinking water sources, sea foam and spray, rain and groundwater, sea ice, and even human blood – so now efforts are increasing to detect, remove and destroy them. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: California snowpack lowest in decade despite hope with December storms
The Guardian
In the first snow survey of the season, California came up short – just 25% of the historical average – despite a spate of strong storms that caused flooding and landslides along the coast in late December. Click here to continue reading
Edmonton crews see big jump in water and ice rescues this holiday season
Global News
Over the holidays, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services were called to more than a dozen water or ice rescues. Between Dec. 24 and Jan. 1, there were 13 calls related to water rescues or people on the ice. Click here to continue reading
Water conservation top priority for 2024, says Lethbridge Mayor
CBC
Mandatory water restrictions are on the table, according to Mayor Blaine Hyggen. The mayor sat down with the CBC’s Lethbridge Bureau reporter Ose Irete for a year-end interview to discuss some of council’s priorities this new year. Click here to continue reading
More than 70% of Canada is ‘abnormally dry.’ Here’s why
CTV News
Rising temperatures and intense drought conditions impacted Canadians in 2023, from water rationing to the country’s worst wildfire season on record. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s latest assessment of drought conditions across the country continues to paint a dire picture(opens in a new tab): Canada is “abnormally dry.”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Fleeing drought, vulnerable populations face flood risk in most African countries
EurekAlert!
In 80% of African countries, people moved toward rivers and into cities during or following drought, increasing the number of people living in flood-risk areas in recent decades. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Scientists discover new way to identify liquid water on exoplanets
EurekAlert!
Scientists have devised a new way to identify habitable planets and potentially inhabited planets, by comparing the amount of carbon dioxide in their atmosphere, to neighbouring planets. Click here to continue reading
Let the lawns go brown: Water conservation key for future Metro Vancouver droughts
Vancouver Sun
A significant amount of the water in Metro Vancouver’s complex reservoir system is consumed not by people, but by lawns, says Linda Parkinson, water services director for Metro Vancouver. Click here to continue reading