Water News 2023
Compare and contrast: Cheltenham councillors concerned over contaminated Pump Room water
BBC News
There are concerns over the lack of drinkable spa water in a town, two years after the issue was supposed to be resolved. In 2021, bacteria was detected in the water at Cheltenham’s Pittville Pump Room, making it unfit for consumption. The cause of contamination is still unknown. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Thames Water criticised over Bracknell Forest rivers’ quality
BBC News
The Environment Agency said sewage discharges by Thames Water was a major factor in pollution in water courses within Bracknell Forest council area. It said none of the monitored waterways reached a good ecological status. Thames Water admitted its discharges were an issue, but said agriculture and urban run-off added to the problem. Click here to continue reading
How to stay safe on open water ice: RCMP, province, Parks Canada tips
Edmonton Journal
Police warn the public that ice on open water should be at least 15 cm thick for a person to walk or skate on and at least 20 cm thick for groups of people; a thickness of 25 cm is required for safe snowmobiling or using off-highway vehicles on. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New Mexico proposes regulations to reuse fracking wastewater
The Canadian Press
New Mexico environmental officials have proposed a new regulatory framework for reusing wastewater with a focus on the used, salty byproducts of oil and natural gas drilling in a major U.S. production zone. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water increasingly at the center of conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East
Los Angeles Times
Six months ago, an explosion ripped apart Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine, unleashing floods that killed 58 people, devastated the landscape along the Dnipro River and cut off water to productive farmland. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Land of 10,000 Lakes: how Minnesota’s most sacred resource made headlines in 2023
WCCO CBS News Minnesota
If there’s one thing Minnesota is known for, it’s water. However, our state of water has seen many changes over the years. Water is also at the heart of indigenous traditions, and a piece of any Minnesotan’s DNA. Click here to continue reading
Northern Manitoba First Nation hopes billion-dollar settlement will finally end boil-water advisory
Winnipeg Sun
It’s been years since anyone in the Tataskweyak Cree Nation (TCN) could drink water unless it was either boiled or sent in on a delivery truck. But thanks to a billion-dollar settlement reached with the feds, the far north community is now anticipating a chance to finally put an end to their ongoing boil-water advisory. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Researchers to tap into why Springwater aqua purest on Earth
Collingwood Today
Researchers will work to determine where Springwater’s water comes from, how it travels through the various layers of soil, the composition of that soil, what beneficial bugs and microbes are in the soil and how the water and soil are impacted by industrial, commercial and residential uses. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: After 6 days without running water, end in sight for Lincoln mini-home park
CBC
In a notice sent to residents, management warned individuals to boil the water because “your jugs or other transportation means may not be sterile and we want to prevent any sickness over the holidays.”. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: South West Water investigates discoloured water at beach
BBC News
A water provider has investigated after reports of “discoloured water” entering the sea at a beach in Cornwall.In a statement it said “discolouration in the bay has been caused by run off from agricultural land”. Click here to continue reading
After years of drought and wells running dry, this Nova Scotia community is looking to the sea
CBC
Barrington, Nova Scotia, is partnering with a Quebec-based company called Oneka Technologies to test a sustainable approach to desalination, which could potentially see some of the community’s drinking water coming from the ocean. The pilot project is set to start in 2024. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Towns reinforce dikes as heavy rains send rivers over their banks in Germany and the Netherlands
The Canadian Press
Firefighters and volunteers worked to reinforce dikes against rising floodwaters in northern and eastern Germany as heavy rains falling on already soaked ground pushed rivers and streams over their banks and forced several towns to evacuate residents. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: After a Decade of Planning, New York City Is Raising Its Shoreline
Yale Environment 360
Inspired by the Dutch model of living with water, New York’s coastal defenses are on the rise. The city — like others around the country — is combining infrastructure like floodwalls with nature-based features, as it moves ahead with the largest resiliency project in the U.S. Click here to continue reading
Canada and Nova Scotia invest in disaster mitigation infrastructure in Lawrencetown
Water Canada
Route 207 is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and has weathered significant damage during storms, at times making it impassable and causing economic harm to nearby communities. The project includes rebuilding a 500-metre section of the road further away from the coast and naturalizing the existing section. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘This river is doomed’: Peru’s gold rush threatens waterways and the people who depend on them
The Guardian
Indigenous communities lead fight to stop illicit mining in Loreto, Peru, that is poisoning the water and destroying its forests. The activity has affected the quality of water, bringing the threat of pollution and disease to more than 170,000 Indigenous inhabitants across the Peruvian Amazon. Click here to continue reading
Important Notice: 2024 Irrigation Season Water Supply Update
St. Mary River Irrigation District
our water supply level as of December 18, 2023 based on the most recent information obtained from Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. The current storage levels in the District’s reservoirs are at 136,000 acre-feet, which represents 43% of the Full Supply Limit (FSL) irrigation storage volume. Additionally, the Headworks reservoirs have experienced minor gains since their shutdown, resulting in a combined storage of 118,000 acre-feet, equivalent to 25% of the FSL. Click here to continue reading
Flooding, power outages plague Cape Breton residents
CTV News
Days of heavy rain proved to be too much for the sewer system in Sydney, N.S., on Thursday. As water levels continued to rise, so did concern among residents. Click here to continue reading
https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/more/flooding-power-outages-plague-cape-breton-residents-1.6698318
Compare and contrast: India’s new manual for water supply will replicate past failures
The Conversation – Global
Water utilities in India supply residents with water for an average of only four hours per day. Within cities, some neighbourhoods receive water almost all the time, while some receive less than half an hour per week. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Drought-prone California approves new rules for turning wastewater directly into drinking water
PBS News Hour
California regulators on Tuesday approved new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools and businesses. Click here to continue reading
Prairie First Nations call on Ottawa to rewrite clean water bill
CBC
First Nations leaders in Manitoba and Alberta are calling on Ottawa to redraft proposed new clean water legislation — and warn that the bill would fail to ensure safe drinking water and wastewater services in their communities. Click here to continue reading
Coal contamination spurs search for new backup drinking water source in Rocky Mountain city
The Narwhal
The small Rocky Mountain city of Fernie, B.C., is on the hunt for a new backup drinking water supply after selenium levels exceeded provincial water quality guidelines in tests of its secondary water source earlier this year. Click here to continue reading
Irrigation sector ratifies amalgamation in Sask.
The Western Producer
Irrigation Saskatchewan will represent private irrigators as well as irrigation districts in the province. The Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association and Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. formally agree to join forces. Click here to continue reading
Boil-water advisory issued for all of Chelsea, Quebec
CBC
The municipality of Chelsea, Que., is advising residents to boil water prior to using it as a preventative measure during an emergency repair. The advisory affects everyone who’s served by the municipality’s water and sewer network, a news release Wednesday states. Click here to continue reading
‘Water apocalypse’ demands return to nature for flood, drought resilience: experts
The Canadian Press
Norm Allard knows he may never see the full impacts of his efforts to restore wetlands and floodplains in southeastern British Columbia, but he takes a”generational view”of the work that exemplifies a key part of climate resiliency. Click here to continue reading
Helping Alberta manage water supply
Water Canada
Alberta relies on melting snow and rain for most of its water. A lack of rain and early depletion of mountain snow led to drought in parts of the province this summer and below average precipitation has continued through the fall. Click here to continue reading
Together with First Nations leadership, Minister Patty Hajdu introduces a Bill to support clean drinking water in First Nations communities
Water Canada
Everyone in Canada should have access to safe and clean drinking water. First Nations have long called for legislation that affirms their inherent rights, recognizes their stewardship in keeping water clean and meets First Nations needs. Click here to continue reading
Construction finishes up on Saskatoon’s third Flood Control Strategy project
Water Canada
Construction has wrapped up in Weaver Park where crews had been working since February on the City of Saskatoon’s (City) third Flood Control Strategy (FCS) project. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Weather tracker: Parts of Rhine closed to shipping as river levels rise
The Guardian
Heavy rain and melting snow force closure near chokepoint of Maxau and Speyer, says German navigation authority. Water levels on the Rhine were critically high last week, after heavy rain across the catchment area and the snow melt that followed. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Understanding atmospheric flash droughts in the Caribbean
Science Daily
The word ‘drought’ typically conjures images of parched soil, dust-swept prairies, depleted reservoirs, and dry creek beds, all the result of weeks or seasons of persistently dry atmospheric conditions. In the sun-soaked islands in the Caribbean, however, drought conditions can occur much more rapidly. Click here to continue reading
Taking Action on Drought in Alberta
Chestermere Anchor
Most of the water that Albertans use to drink, grow crops, run our businesses and sustain our environment comes from rain and melting snow. The last three years have brought droughts and water shortages in various parts of our province, including most of Southern Alberta this summer. Click here to continue reading
Water Shortage Advisories in Alberta – Important Information for Water Licence Holders
Alberta Energy Regulator
Alberta is experiencing extremely low water levels in many parts of the province due to below-average snowpack and precipitation over the past several months, resulting in less runoff to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. This is contributing to widespread dry conditions and water shortages, especially in southern Alberta. Click here to continue reading
Drought conditions force BC Hydro to rely on power purchases
The Globe and Mail
Persistent drought conditions have forced BC Hydro to rely on costly energy imports this year for one-fifth of its domestic demand, while the Crown-owned utility has missed an opportunity to fill the Site C dam’s reservoir this year, which could have mitigated the shortfall. Click here to continue reading
Small lakes, big studies: what Ontario’s experimental lakes area teaches the world about water
The Narwhal
For over half a century, 58 small, self-contained lakes in Treaty 3 territory have allowed scientists to replicate — and clean up — the effects of oil spills, microplastics and other threats to fresh water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How an overlooked study over a century ago helped fuel the Colorado River crisis
Science Daily
At the start of World War I, a scientist named Eugene Clyde La Rue hiked the American West to estimate how much water flows down the Colorado River. His findings were ignored, but leaders today don’t have to make the same mistake. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Flooding drives millions to move as climate-driven migration patterns emerge
The Canadian Press
Flooding is driving millions of people to move out of their homes, limiting growth in some prospering communities and accelerating the decline of others, according to a new study that details how climate change and flooding are transforming where Americans live. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Why Is the Colorado River Running Dry?
Mother Jones
It’s not just drought. It’s putting sacred cows above farmers, cities, and a secure future. Click here to continue reading
Southern Alberta wishing for snow as water levels at historic lows
Calgary Herald
Southern Alberta is experiencing an exceptional drought, the driest it has been in the last 50 years, says the Oldman River Watershed Council. Click here to continue reading
Residents cleared to return home as Quebec dike declared safe after repair work
The Canadian Press
Authorities say work carried out by government engineers has stabilized a dike northwest of Montreal that was at risk of bursting. With the Morier dike in the Laurentians region deemed safe, hundreds of residents from the municipalities of Chute-Saint-Philippe and Lac-des-Écorces can return home after being forced out 11 days ago. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How to provide reliable water in a warming world – these cities are testing small-scale treatment systems and wastewater recycling
The Conversation – United States
A lot can go wrong in a large urban water system. Cities have started experimenting with small-scale alternatives – including wastewater recycling and localized water treatment strategies known as decentralized or distributed systems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Floods have washed away entire villages’: Kenya’s rains made twice as intense by climate change
EuroNews Green
Kenya’s military has stepped up efforts to evacuate hundreds of people trapped by raging floods. Hundreds of people have died and millions more have been affected since the rains began in October. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Depleted Groundwater Could Be Refilled by Borrowing a Trick from Solar Power
Scientific American
In many places around the world, groundwater is being pumped out faster than nature replenishes it. A new model points to a possible solution. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Dangerous ‘Fill and Build’ Floodplain Policy Should Be Scrapped, Experts Say
Scientific American
A FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) advisory council says a program that allows developers to elevate homes on fill dirt is environmentally harmful and can increase flood risks for nearby homes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Green Roads’ Are Plowing Ahead, Buffering Drought and Floods
Yale Environment 360
As the developing world witnesses a boom in road building, a movement to retrofit existing roads is gathering steam. Using embankments, channels, and dikes, so-called “green roads” help control floods, harvest excess water for use in irrigation, and slash maintenance costs. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in wastewater infrastructure improvements in Kimberley
Water Canada
Kimberley, B.C. — The City of Kimberley will build new wastewater infrastructure after a combined investment of more than $90.6 million from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Webcast: How water researchers are rethinking the global flood crisis
Nature
In this webcast, a panel of researchers discuss how to improve resilience to floods and the need for expertise from fields such as climate modelling, urban studies and behavioural science. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Sizing up hydrogen’s hydrological footprint
Nature
The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier is essential to decarbonizing economies. Industrial policies and technology developments could trim the water consumption involved in producing the gas, minimizing its cost and environmental impact. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water and warfare: the battle to control a precious resource
Nature
Water resources can be casualties of violence, but disputes over water control can also act as triggers for unrest — for example, when two communities clash over access to a single water source. Historical records show that conflicts over water access stretch back millennia, with water systems often being targeted or manipulated as strategic assets on the battlefield. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The human factor in water disasters
Nature
Decisions about land use and infrastructure have left little space for water, amplifying the effects of natural disasters and climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: National policy aimed at reducing U.S. greenhouse gases also would improve water quality
Science Daily
A climate policy that raises the price of carbon-intensive products across the entire U.S. economy would yield a side benefit of reducing nitrate groundwater contamination throughout the Mississippi River Basin. The Gulf of Mexico, an important U.S. fishery, also would see modest benefits from the nitrate reductions. Click here to continue reading
University of Calgary named world’s first United Nations University hub for water
Calgary Herald
The University of Calgary has become the world’s first United Nations University hub focused on water. The hub is a partnership between the Calgary school and the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, which is a think tank based in Hamilton. Click here to continue reading
Glencore’s prized Canadian coal mines come with rising environmental scrutiny
Reuters
A Glencore-led consortium’s successful $9 billion bid for Teck Resources’ steelmaking coal unit could face tougher environmental clean-up obligations, as water pollution from the mines comes under increasing scrutiny in the U.S. and Canada. Ottawa and Washington are close to requesting a study of selenium contamination from Teck’s Elk Valley mines in southeast British Columbia. Click here to continue reading
EuroNews Green
Hydroponics uses just 10 per cent of the water needed for traditional cultivation. Amid water scarcity and shrinking arable land, some smallholders in Egypt are switching to soilless farming. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: A quarter of freshwater fish risk extinction -study
Reuters
About a quarter of all freshwater fish species are at risk of extinction due to threats from climate change and pollution, the latest Red List of Threatened Species showed on Monday. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Freshwater Fish, Yet Most States Don’t Warn Residents
Scientific American
Staggering amounts of toxic “forever chemicals” have been found in freshwater fish, but there is no US federal guidance on what is a safe amount to eat. At least 17 states have issued PFAS-related fish consumption advisories, KFF Health News found, with some warning residents not to eat any fish caught in particular lakes or rivers because of dangerous levels of forever chemicals. Click here to continue reading
Tataskweyak Cree Nation to get $40M water pipeline after 6 years under boil water advisory
CBC
The construction of a new 40-kilometre pipeline and water treatment plant for the community is set to begin next spring, meaning Tataskweyak’s six-year boil water advisory will be coming to an end. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: We rely heavily on groundwater – but pumping too much threatens thousands of underground species
The Conversation – Australia
Groundwater is the world’s largest unfrozen freshwater reserve. Globally, we pump almost 1,000 cubic kilometres of this ancient water each year. About a third of the world’s largest groundwater basins are in distress, meaning levels are continuously declining. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Our cities will need to harvest stormwater in an affordable and green way – here’s how
The Conversation – Australia
When it rains, stormwater runs down surfaces like streets and parking lots and into drains. At such times, stormwater is seen as a problem. But it’s also the last untapped source of water available for cities. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: River deltas are threatened by more than climate change – leaving hundreds of millions of people at risk
The Conversation – United Kingdom
Perilously situated between rising sea levels and pressures from upstream lie coastal river deltas and their roughly half a billion inhabitants. Our recent research reveals that 49 deltas around the world, including the Nile, Mekong, and Mississippi are facing growing risks under all of the IPCC’s future scenarios for climate change and development. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Why circular water management is the next step
New Civil Engineer
For too long, the linear model of ‘take, make, consume, and waste’ has dominated, with water abstracted from the natural environment, ‘made’ drinkable through treatment, used by humans and then discharged back to the environment. Currently, over 80% of wastewater generated by society flows back into the environment without being treated or reused. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Predictive models augur that at the end of the century fields will need more water than today
Science Daily
A team has published evapotranspiration projections for Andalusia through 2100, using a machine learning model that allows this data to be obtained based on the air temperature. By 2100 more water will be needed to alleviate evaporation and transpiration losses from cultivated areas. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Extreme rainfall increases ag nutrient runoff, conservation strategies can help
Science Daily
Nutrient runoff from agricultural production is a significant source of water pollution in the U.S., and climate change that produces extreme weather events is likely to exacerbate the problem. A new study looks at how extreme rainfall impacts runoff and suggests possible mitigation strategies. Click here to continue reading
Okanagan Water Board seeks grant applications to address drought & other water challenges
Water Canada
The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is now accepting applications to its Water Conservation and Quality Improvement (WCQI) grant program for 2024. With an annual funding pool of $350,000, applicants that meet the program criteria can receive between $3,000 and $30,000 for water projects within the Okanagan Basin. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: UK water regulator enters next stage of enforcement cases in sewage treatment row
Reuters
The UK’s water regulator on Tuesday said it has reached the next stage of enforcement cases related to a 2021 probe into non-permitted sewage discharges by water firms. Water companies have been accused of releasing wastewater directly into rivers, watercourses and the sea during heavy rain or storms. Click here to continue reading
‘Do not swallow any unboiled water,’ McMaster tells students in downtown residence
CBC
McMaster University is telling students who live at its new downtown residence they should boil their water before drinking it and to add bleach when cleaning their dishes. The guidelines were part of a Saturday morning email to students and tenants in 10 Bay St. S., obtained by CBC Hamilton. Click here to continue reading
Feds introduce bill to set drinking water standards in First Nations
CBC
The federal government’s proposed new bill is intended to protect fresh water sources, create minimum national drinking water and wastewater standards in First Nations, and provide sustainable funding for maintaining water quality. Click here to continue reading
Study of Water Impacts of Hydrogen Development in Alberta – 2023
WaterSMART Solutions
In recognition of the potential scale and speed of hydrogen development in Alberta, this report has been prepared to assess the potential impacts of hydrogen development on water resources across Alberta, and to highlight locations in which available supply may limit hydrogen development. Click here to continue reading (Associated infographic)
Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity
IISD
The natural infrastructure sector contributes billions to the Prairie-wide economy and creates jobs. In 2022, the sector’s direct contribution to the GDP of the Canadian Prairies was estimated to be CAD 4.1 billion, and it directly employed over 33,000 people in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘A scam all around’: Navajo Nation groups oppose hydropower projects
The Guardian
Navajo Nation environmentalists are opposing a “self-described jet setter” and French millionaire’s plans for a massive hydropower project they claim will adversely affect the land, water, wildlife, plants and cultural resources of the largest land area held by Indigenous American peoples in the US. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in Fraser River bank erosion protection
Water Canada
Efforts to reduce the risk of further erosion on the Fraser River bank, and in particular that of the Matsqui Dike, are receiving much needed support, thanks to the combined investment of more than $19 million from the governments of Canada and British Columbia, along with the City of Abbotsford. Click here to continue reading
Deep in the Wilderness, the World’s Largest Beaver Dam Endures
Yale Environment 360
The largest beaver dam on Earth was discovered via satellite imagery in 2007, and since then only one person has trekked into the Canadian wild to see it. It’s a half-mile long and has created a 17-acre lake in the northern forest — a testament to the beaver’s resilience. Click here to continue reading
Quebecers evacuated over fears of dike breach won’t be able to return before Dec. 17
The Canadian Press
Residents forced from their homes in Quebec’s Laurentians region over fears a dike could burst and unleash a torrent of water won’t be able to return for another 11 days. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: You Won’t Believe What New Mexico Is About to Buy
Mother Jones
New Mexico will invest $500 million into purchasing water from controversial sources, including treated oilfield wastewater, as a means to bolster the state’s water portfolio. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Urban Anti-Flooding Strategies in Latin American Cities
ArchDaily
The issue of flooding, in particular, is becoming more prominent in urban centers. The lack of planning and inadequate drainage systems directly impact land use, leading to its subsequent impermeabilization. When addressing the issue of urban flooding, the primary mitigation tactics that emerge are precisely those related to green infrastructure. Click here to continue reading
Wetlands can provide potential climate change solutions: Lakehead study
Water Canada
In a recent study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Dr. Florin Pendea and co-authors Dr. Nanda Kanavillil and Dr. Sree Kurissery from Lakehead, and Dr. Gail Chmura of McGill University, found that wetlands within the Lake Simcoe watershed were 50 percent more effective in storing carbon than other wetland ecosystems, second only to salt marshes that form along the shores of temperate seas. Click here to continue reading
Winter has been unusually warm and dry
The Western Producer
Fall is officially over and we are starting meteorological winter, so let s look at the fall weather numbers for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Click here to continue reading
Irrigators plan for a dry year if conditions hold
The Western Producer
Soil moisture and precipitation in Alberta are far from ideal for field crops and even irrigated land had challenges in the last growing season a situation that had many producers talking options during the Ag Connections conference in Medicine Hat in November. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Sister climate cities, utility data predict future water, electricity demands
Science Daily
Modern-day Ciudad Mante, Mexico, could help Tampa, Florida, plan for shifting water and electricity demands due to climate change, according to an international team of researchers. Researchers used utilities data and climate analogs — contemporary cities with climates close to what other cities are predicted to experience in the future — to assess how climate change may impact residential water and electricity use across 46 cities in the United States. Click here to continue reading
Protecting coastal aquatic ecosystems in British Columbia through important restoration work
Water Canada
More than $12 million announced for 6 projects in British Columbia under the Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund (AERF). This fund supports projects to conserve and restore our aquatic ecosystems by addressing threats in these environments. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Dozens of Zimbabwe elephants die as climate change dries up Hwange park
Reuters
Dozens of elephants have died of thirst in Zimbabwe’s popular Hwange National Park, and conservationists fear losing more as a drought caused by climate change and the El Niño global weather pattern dries up watering holes. Click here to continue reading
A residential drinking well in northern B.C. has run dry, prompting concerns amid unprecedented drought
CBC
BC is currently in its second year of prolonged drought, which is having an impact on the groundwater that about a quarter of B.C.’s residents rely on for drinking water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Urban water resilience: practical examples of locally-led adaptation [webinar]
Stockholm International Water Institute
An estimated 90% of climate-related impact is felt though water-related events and disasters, making water-focused adaptation sttegies vital. A session in the COP28 Water for Climate Pavilion looked at various examples of locally-led urban water resilience, to identify solutions that could be replicated and applied worldwide. [Recorded webinar]. Click here to continue reading
Morden issues water-use warning amid early drought conditions
The Free Press
Morden (Manitoba) residents are being asked to conserve water, after a moderate-level drought warning was announced this week. Morden leadership has set a use-reduction target of 10 per cent, and already reduced the amount of some water services, including landscape, construction sites and community leisure centres. Click here to continue reading
Alberta homes, businesses damaged by spring flooding can access provincial fund
CBC
The Alberta government is making $68 million available for people in Edson, Whitecourt, Yellowhead and Woodlands Counties who suffered losses in the floods caused by heavy rain and spring runoff last June. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Unprecedented drought in the Amazon threatens to release huge stores of carbon – podcast
The Conversation – United Kingdom
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to an ecologist who has spent 45 years living in and studying the Amazon for causes of drought, why it’s so dangerous for the planet, and what can be done to protect the rainforest. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water crisis in South Africa: damning report finds 46% contamination, 67% of treatment works near to breaking down
The Conversation – Africa
The audit report found that the quality of the country’s drinkable water is getting worse. Nearly half (46%) of all water supply systems pose acute human health risks because of bacteria or other pathogens in the drinking water supply. The report also found that more than two thirds (67.6%) of all wastewater treatment works are close to failure. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: NCSC Urges UK Water Companies to Secure Control Systems
Infosecurity Magazine
The UK’s security agency has urged the nation’s water sector to apply best practice security measures after a US operator was breached via its industrial control systems. An unnamed US facility had been taken offline and switched to manual operation after its Unitronics programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were compromised. Click here to continue reading
Update on Lake Superior Outflows and Expected Conditions – December 2023
International Joint Commission
The gate setting of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will be lowered in December to a setting equivalent to approximately one-half gate fully open. After the gate adjustments on Wednesday, December 6, the St. Marys Rapids flow will be approximately 96 m3/s. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Not just Chennai, a dozen Indian cities might go 3 feet under water
India Today
The flooding brought by cyclone Michaung has highlighted the threat to Indian cities from climate-induced disasters. Not just Chennai, a dozen Indian cities could be under three feet of water by the end of this century. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Harvesting water from air with solar power
Science Daily
Researchers have developed a promising new solar-powered atmospheric water harvesting technology that could help provide enough drinking water for people to survive in difficult, dryland areas: They synthesized a super hygroscopic gel capable of absorbing and retaining an unparalleled amount of water. Click here to continue reading
Coastal First Nations get $60M boost from B.C. to protect Great Bear Sea
National Observer
The Indigenous-led funding allows coastal First Nations to push forward with a vast marine conservation network in their traditional territories to protect marine ecosystems, create new jobs and economic opportunities, and foster sustainable fisheries and tourism, Premier Eby said. Click here to continue reading
Shuswap Watershed Council opens Water Quality Grant Program for applications
Water Canada
The Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC) is inviting another round of applications to its Water Quality Grant Program, beginning December 1st. One of our objectives as a watershed council is to protect and maintain water quality in Shuswap and Mara Lakes, explains Erin Vieira, program manager for the SWC. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Greek villagers vote to relocate after deadly climate-driven flood
Reuters
Residents of the small Greek farming village of Metamorfosi have voted in favour of relocating their entire community after it was submerged by flood waters in September, seeking to protect themselves from future climate change-driven disasters. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The houses built to survive floods
BBC News
The Manobo indigenous people live and thrive on a vast wetland in the Philippines despite dealing with dozens of storms and floods per year. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: More than 300 killed as heavy rains wreak havoc across East Africa
CNN
Torrential rains and flash floods have ripped through parts of East Africa for several weeks, killing more than 350 people and displacing over 1 million across Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Unprecedented drought emergency demands urgent action
UN News
A new report by the UN team combatting desertification reveals alarming trends over the past two years which have resulted in an unprecedented emergency due to human-induced droughts. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Cyclone Michaung hits India’s south after 13 killed in floods, rain
Reuters
Cyclone Michaung barrelled into the southern Indian coast on Tuesday with winds of up to 110 kph (70 mph), its arrival preceded by intense rain and flooding that killed at least 13 people, as officials assessed the damage. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Report: £8bn of UK food imports threatened by worsening floods, droughts and heatwaves
BusinessGreen
Bananas, rice, tea, coffee and sugar among £8bn of UK food imports from countries struggling to cope with increasingly extreme weather, Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) analysis finds. Click here to continue reading
Flood watches issued for B.C.’s South Coast and Lower Fraser regions as atmospheric river arrives
CBC
The province’s River Forecast Centre issued flood watches for rivers and streams in Metro Vancouver, the South Coast and the Lower Fraser regions, while Vancouver Island and the Nicola and Similkameen regions are under high streamflow advisories. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water consumption drops in Great Lake cities, study finds
Midland Daily News
Residents of major Great Lakes cities, including Lansing, are using less water. And the relationship between per capita water use and socioeconomic factors such as income and race may prove significant as policymakers address inequities in the distribution and affordability of water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Pumping cold water into rivers could help fish chill out
Science News Explores
This past summer, hundreds of fish in Canada beat the heat in human-made plumes of cold water. The approach could help protect cold-water species as climate change warms rivers. Click here to continue reading
Local groups say new funding will help promote living shorelines in N.S.
CBC
The Nova Scotia government has pledged more than $2.4 million to seven community-led projects that focus on living shorelines. Living shorelines are seen as a nature-based way to reduce coastal erosion and flooding caused by climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant Taking Shape On Hydropower Plant
CleanTechnica
The plans for the world’s largest floating solar power plant illustrate how quickly the floating solar field can grow. The project is aimed at expanding an existing 145-megawatt (AC) floating solar array at the Cirata hydropower reservoir in West Java, Indonesia, to reach a total of up to 500 megawatts. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Unsafe lead levels in school drinking water: new study IDs building risk factors
Science Daily
Civil and environmental engineers have determined the factors that may help identify the schools and daycare centers at greatest risk for elevated levels of lead in drinking water. The most telling characteristic for schools in Massachusetts is building age, with facilities built in the 1960s and 1970s at the greatest risk. Click here to continue reading
Mild, rainy winter expected as Canada warms at twice the global rate
CTV News
Federal scientists presented a seasonal forecast on Friday that called for lower-than-average snowfall levels over large swaths of Western and Central Canada, above average levels in parts of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec, and average levels everywhere else. Parts of the country forecast to receive less snow should be prepared for more rain. Click here to continue reading
Helping Alberta manage water supply
Government of Alberta
The government has issued a request for proposal to help conduct modelling throughout the winter, and to work with municipalities, water users, industry and others to explore ways to maximize the province’s water supply, if needed. Click here to continue reading
Water Security Agency Issues Conditions at Freeze-up Report
Water Security Agency
The Water Security Agency released the 2023 Conditions at Freeze-up Report. Hot and dry conditions throughout the summer and fall have led to most areas of the province heading into the winter with below to well below normal soil moisture. Click here to continue reading
Upper Fish Creek State of the Watershed: online report released!
BRBC
The Bow River Basin Council (BRBC) has released the latest edition of the Upper Fish Creek State of the Watershed Report. This updated report builds upon the original version completed in 2021 for the Fish Creek Watershed Association. Click here to continue reading
BC Hydro’s Site C project inches closer to the finish line
Journal of Commerce
BC Hydro’s recent announcement marks a significant milestone for the Site C Clean Energy project, with 80 per cent of the construction now complete. The project is on track for filling in 2024 and project completion in 2025. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Can US pull off a $30bn plan to dump lead water pipes?
BBC News
President Joe Biden’s administration has announced a plan to rip out nine million lead water pipes across the US. It would cost about $30bn (£24bn), the Environmental Protection Agency says. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Proposed EPA rules require US cities to replace lead water pipes within 10 years
The Guardian
Most US cities would have to replace lead water pipes within 10 years under strict new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency as the Biden administration moves to reduce lead in drinking water and prevent public health crises like the ones in Flint, Michigan, and, earlier, in Washington DC. Click here to continue reading
Below-average precipitation forecast
The Western Producer
November brought little relief for producers living through dry conditions across Alberta. Precipitation remains rare and many mountain snowpack stations are reporting below average levels, as 51 water shortage advisories stretch across the province, north to south. Seasonal forecasts predict little reprieve in the next three months as an El Nino weather system moves in. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Small marine creatures swimming in plastic chemicals not reproducing
Science Daily
Plastic waste in the water might be stopping — or interrupting — some shrimp-like creatures from reproducing. In a unique study, the ability of ‘shrimp like’ creatures to reproduce successfully was found to be compromised by chemicals found in everyday plastics. Click here to continue reading
Ontario Nature expands the Lost Bay Nature Reserve
Water Canada
Ontario Nature has announced the expansion of its Lost Bay Nature Reserve. The newly acquired 21.35-hectare (50 acres) property is an important connecting corridor within the Frontenac Arch, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve that is considered one of the most biologically diverse areas in Canada. Click here to continue reading
Lower Athabasca Region drinking water safety: Office of the Chief Scientist
Government of Alberta
Jonathan Thompson, chief scientist of Alberta, issued the following statement on drinking water quality in the Lower Athabasca Region. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: New Zealand freshwater study sounds alarm over E coli pollution levels
The Guardian
A new study of New Zealand’s freshwater quality has painted a sobering picture, showing that E coli is seeping through three-quarters of the land and into waterways at higher levels than national regulations allow. Click here to continue reading
Edmonton experiencing driest fall on record: Environment Canada
Global News
As the end of November approaches, Edmonton is experiencing something quite unusual: no snow on the ground. The city is currently on track for one of the driest and warmest Novembers ever. Click here to continue reading
‘Playing beaver’ in drying of the wetlands
The Columbia Valley Pioneer
The Columbia Wetlands are drying — and they have been for many decades due to climate change. One solution may help wetlands adapt and safeguard their key ingredient. It involves mimicking the actions of one of the most iconic and ubiquitous animals across Canada. Click here to continue reading
The $500,000 fight to protect a Muskoka wetland
The Narwhal
Very few of Ontario’s quickly vanishing marshes and swamps are safe from development. A group of citizens managed to preserve one, but they also found deep flaws in the system. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Drinking water restrictions introduced as northeast Spain weeks away from drought ‘emergency’
EuroNews Green
Drought ‘emergency’ could be weeks away, authorities in northeast Spain have warned. Barcelona may need fresh water shipped in by boat in the coming month, authorities in Catalonia say. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Every Bitcoin payment ‘uses a swimming pool of water
BBC News
Every Bitcoin transaction uses, on average, enough water to fill “a back yard swimming pool”, a new study suggests. That’s around six million times more than is used in a typical credit card swipe, Alex de Vries of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, calculates. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘Forever chemicals’ found in drinking water sources across England
The Guardian
Potentially toxic “forever chemicals” have been detected in the drinking water sources at 17 of 18 England’s water companies, with 11,853 samples testing positive, something experts say they are “extremely alarmed” by. Click here to continue reading
Town of Orangeville signs with Neptune Technology Group for water meter replacement
Water Canada
The Town of Orangeville’s water meter replacement project is moving forward after signing an on-budget contract with Neptune Technology Group on November 10. The new water meters will be non-mechanical and equipped with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology, which means they can be read remotely and that meter accuracy will be drastically improved. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Future floods: Global warming intensifies heavy rain — even more than expected
Science Daily
The intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall increases exponentially with global warming, a new study finds. The analysis shows that state-of-the-art climate models significantly underestimate how much extreme rainfall increases under global warming — meaning that extreme rainfall could increase quicker than climate models suggest. Click here to continue reading
Asbestos cement water pipes petition tabled in House of Commons
National Observer
On Nov. 9, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May tabled a parliamentary petition on an issue few Canadians are even aware of — asbestos cement pipes. National Research Council studies state that as these aging pipes deteriorate, they shed asbestos fibres into the water, and this comes with cancer risks. Asbestos is not regulated in Canadian water, so very few municipalities test for asbestos, even as the pipes break more and more frequently. Click here to continue reading
Déjà vu and heavy criticism for Alberta Energy Regulator at federal environment committee
National Observer
Critical questions about tailing pond leaks at Imperial Oil’s Kearl facility are still unanswered after the second round of testimony by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) president, say some MPs. Laurie Pushor and his lawyer appeared via Zoom before the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development on Nov. 28 after he was legally summoned to testify. Click here to continue reading
Dal[housie] researchers tested the water in a local lake for viruses. Here’s what they found
Water Canada
A novel, simple and inexpensive way to test wastewater for the COVID-19 virus is now being used around the world to identify the presence of the pathogen in water systems and can also be detect viruses in freshwater lakes. Click here to continue reading
Wave-Powered Desalination System Produces 13,000 Gallons of Drinking Water a Day From Each Buoy
Good News Network
If a new Canadian startup is successful with its product, it could decarbonize the whole desalination industry, using only energy from the sea to turn seawater into drinking water. Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: An ambitious plan to save the world’s oceans: What happened at the IUCN nature conference
EuroNews Green
The second IUCN Leaders Forum brought together over 400 participants to identify solutions to protect and restore nature. This year’s theme was ‘Global goals for nature: Tracking progress, financing success.’ Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: Pristine Coral Reefs Discovered Are Thousands of Years Old And Teeming With Life
Good News Network
An international expedition from the Schmidt Ocean Institute to the Galapagos islands has revealed the presence of two pristine, cold-water coral reefs growing alongside the walls and bases of several seamounts over 1,000 feet below the surface. Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: The country trailblazing the fight against disasters
BBC News
Bangladesh has a world-leading system to protect people from disasters, including through an army of female volunteers to better support women. What can other countries learn from it? Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: Financing Viet Nam’s flood fighting efforts
International Food Policy Research Institute
Viet Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Its long coastline and river deltas are dangerously exposed to sea level rise. An estimated 10 million people will be affected in the next 15 years just from flooding alone. The Vietnamese government is keenly aware of these vulnerabilities and has been proactive in devising responses. Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: Europe’s largest inner-city urban development project as a blueprint for the new European city on the waterfront
HafenCity
Despite the risk of occasional flooding, Hafen?City is neither surrounded by dikes, nor cut off from the water. Instead, with the exception of the quays and promenades, the whole area is being raised to between 8 and 9 m above sea level. The concept of building on artificial compacted mounds (warfts) lends an area once dominated by port and industrial uses a new, characteristic topography, retaining access to the water and the typical port atmosphere, while guaranteeing protection from floods. Click here to continue reading
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EuroNews Green
An old coal mine has been providing an English town with green energy for the last six months. The ground-breaking project in Gateshead is using the warm water that has filled the tunnels to heat hundreds of homes and businesses in the former coalfield community. Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: Float-ovoltaics’: How floating solar panels in reservoirs could revolutionise global power
EuroNews Green
Floating solar panels on reservoirs could produce three times as much electricity as the entire EU, a new study has shown. Solar panels are one of the cheapest and most efficient ways of generating electricity but they also take up a lot of space. Click here to continue reading
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Compare and contrast: Google launches Flood Hub in the U.S., which predicts when rivers will flood and warns people to evacuate
Fast Company
In August, when heavy rain hit parts of Chile, tens of thousands of people had to evacuate their homes as their communities flooded. Many got a warning a couple of days in advance, thanks to a tool from Google called Flood Hub that rolled out in the country earlier this year. Click here to continue reading
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These massive B.C. coal mines are about to get a new owner. Why some are worried about Glencore’s record
The Narwhal
Teck’s plan to sell its Elk Valley coal mines to Swiss mining giant Glencore has raised alarm bells on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border amid negotiations over an international inquiry into extensive water contamination from the mines. Click here to continue reading
Quebec, feds to protect waterways around Anticosti Island with new marine park
CBC
Federal and provincial officials committed on Friday to the creation of a marine park to protect the waterways around Quebec’s Anticosti Island. Click here to continue reading
Runoff spill reported at Suncor’s Fort Hills oilsands site
Global News
A spill of surface runoff from a containment pond at Suncor Energy’s Fort Hills oilsands site may have spanned more than a year, the Alberta Energy Regulator has announced. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The government’s Murray-Darling bill is a step forward, but still not enough
The Conversation – Australia
This week, the Australian Senate is debating changes to Australia’s most important water laws. These changes seek to rescue the ailing A$13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan to improve the health of Australia’s largest river system. Click here to continue reading
Ontario COVID wastewater signal hits one-year peak: ‘Your chance of being exposed is very high’
Toronto Star
In a sign that COVID-19 continues to affect the lives of Ontarians, even if the virus is far from the minds of many, both the province’s wastewater signal and nationwide hospitalizations for the virus have reached one-year highs. And they’re on their way up. Click here to continue reading
Province tells N.S. business owners they applied for non-existent flood relief
CBC
The province has apologized to some small business owners in Bedford, N.S., who were affected by July’s floods, after they applied to a relief program that was posted online in error. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in wastewater upgrades for Sea to Sky Country
Water Canada
Communities in Sea to Sky Country will see upgrades and replacements to aging wastewater infrastructure that will accommodate future growth, thanks to a combined investment of more than $11.1 million from the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, the District of Squamish, and the Sunshine Coast Regional District. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Living Lab takes new direction
The Western Producer
The Manitoba Association of Watersheds is hammering out specifics for the next five years of Living Labs work. It s the successor to Living Labs Eastern Prairies, established as part of a multimillion-dollar commitment from the federal government in 2019. The idea was to provide common ground for researchers, farmers and other stakeholders to develop and test sustainable agriculture practices. The Nov. 15 announcement came with another $9.2 million in funding over the next five years. Click here to continue reading
Irrigation modernization moves ahead in Alta.
The Western Producer
It’s full bore ahead for the nearly $1 billion Alberta Irrigation Modernization program launched more than two years ago that will see hundreds of kilometres of open canals converted to underground pipes, improved infrastructure and expanded reservoir capacity. Most of the work is expected to be complete by the 2028 deadline. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Weather tracker: Ethiopia hit by severe drought amid east Africa floods
The Guardian
The regions of Tigray and Amhara in northern Ethiopia have continued to experience severe drought conditions. The southern and eastern parts of the country, along with Kenya and Somalia, have been hit by flooding. Somalia suffered the worst of the flooding, with 50 people reported dead. According to the Somali disaster management agency almost 700,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. Click here to continue reading
Alberta Energy Regulator sticks with approval for Suncor expansion into wetland
National Observer
Alberta’s energy regulator ruled Thursday that it won’t reconsider approvals for Suncor to expand an oilsands mine into a wetland once considered for environmental protection. It unlocks an estimated billion barrels of bitumen. Click here to continue reading
Canada and New Brunswick invest in new municipal well infrastructure in Fundy Albert
Water Canada
Fundy Albert will be building new wells and related infrastructure thanks to the combined investment of over $12.2 million from the governments of Canada and New Brunswick and the municipality. Click here to continue reading
Wastewater stats affirm Prince Albert’s growing drug crisis, says police chief
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Data from the Canadian Wastewater Survey shows the city has the highest daily load per capita of cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription amphetamines among seven Canadian cities – also including Saskatoon, Halifax, Montreal, Edmonton, Metro Vancouver and Toronto. Click here to continue reading
Water testing could help unveil substance abuse trends in Cold Lake
Lakeland Today
In an attempt to gain deeper insights into substance abuse trends within the Cold Lake community, the Cold Lake Regional Utility Service Commission (RUSC) has been given the green light for a pioneering proof-of-concept study. Click here to continue reading
Regulator investigating treated water release at Imperial’s Kearl oilsands facility
Edmonton Journal
The Alberta Energy Regulator is looking into an accidental release of treated water into the Muskeg River from Imperial Oil’s Kearl operation. Click here to continue reading
Despite the risk of military explosives, TC Energy wants to build ‘Ontario’s battery’ on Georgian Bay
The Narwhal
Pumping water in and out of a National Defence site in Meaford could be a win for clean energy. Locals are wary of TC Energy’s track record — and the buried weapons putting soil, water and wildlife at risk. Click here to continue reading
Mackenzie River’s low water levels are preventing crucial supplies from reaching remote NWT communities
The Globe and Mail
Tons of freight, including groceries and heating fuel, are left undelivered talong the Mackenzie River due to low water levels. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The Amazon’s record-setting drought: how bad will it be?
Nature
Researchers who study the rainforest say other factors have come together to exacerbate this crisis, which has cut river communities off from supplies including food, and has forced Indigenous residents to use dirty, contaminated water, resulting in gastrointestinal and other illnesses. Click here to continue reading
Live zebra mussels found in Clear Lake at Riding Mountain National Park, says Parks Canada
CBC
An aquatic invasive species has been discovered at a lake in Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park, according to Parks Canada. Click here to continue reading
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park at risk with reservoir option: Foundation CEO
Global News
A ranch and conservation group located on the Bow River between Calgary and Cochrane is raising concerns that a flood mitigation project could irreparably change the face of the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. “We’re very concerned about the proposed East Glenbow Dam,” Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation CEO Jeromy Farkas said. Click here to continue reading
Ontario investing in critical infrastructure
Water Canada
The Ontario government is investing $200 million over three years to help municipalities repair, rehabilitate and expand critical drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Click here to continue reading
Shuswap watershed groups warn of recent Zebra and Quagga Mussel discoveries
Water Canada
The Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC) and the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) are raising the alarm about recent discoveries of invasive Zebra and Quagga mussels. Quagga mussels have been detected in the Snake River at Twin Falls, Idaho. Click here to continue reading
The Guardian
The waters of South America’s largest freshwater lake have severely receded leaving the Indigenous people around its shores struggling to maintain their livelihoods. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate change: The villagers building 100ft ice towers
BBC News
Innovation leading to the creation of ice cones to address changing precipitation patterns threatening the lives and livelihoods of the Ladakhi people, who face an uncertain future below the melting glaciers of the Himalayan mountains. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Amazon region hit by trio of droughts in grim snapshot of the century to come
The Conversation – Global
The Amazon is facing an unprecedented drought that is projected to continue affecting the region at least until mid-2024. The lowest water levels in 121 years of river-level records have been recorded in the city of Manaus. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Luxury water: Inside the companies going to the ends of the Earth for their rich customers
EuroNews Green
‘Fine water’ is drawn from volcanic rock in Hawaii, from icebergs that have fallen from melting glaciers in Norway or from droplets of morning mist in Tasmania. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Solar panels will cut water loss from canals in Gila River Indian Community
Associated Press
In a move that may soon be replicated elsewhere, the Gila River Indian Community recently signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to put solar panels over a stretch of irrigation canal on its land south of Phoenix. Click here to continue reading
Proposed wastewater lagoon on Hutterite colony raises concerns
CTV News Winnipeg
A proposed wastewater lagoon on a Hutterite colony development in Manitoba’s Interlake is raising concerns from some in the area who worry it could impact the health of Lake Winnipeg. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Coastal river deltas threatened by more than climate change
Science Daily
In a study covering 49 deltas globally, researchers have identified the most critical risks to deltas in the future. The research shows that population growth and poor environmental governance might pose bigger threats than climate change to the sustainability of Asian and African deltas, in particular. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Most inland bathing spots in England have unsafe pollution levels, report finds
The Guardian
In a survey of a representative sample of popular swimming and water sports locations, 60% were found to have pollution at unsafe levels, the annual report from Surfers Against Sewage said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Irrigators overdrew 40,000ML of water from NSW rivers, audit finds, as farmers protest buy-backs
The Guardian
Irrigators in New South Wales have withdrawn the equivalent of 16,000 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of water over their allowed limits from waterways throughout the state. Click here to continue reading
Canadian coal mines still poisoning U.S. waters, U.S. study finds
National Observer
A new American study has confirmed southeastern British Columbia coal mines are contaminating waters shared by Canada and the U.S., adding the miner’s attempts to remove selenium from wastewater aren’t making much difference to the amount flowing south. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Why the Pyrenees’ mountain lakes are turning green
The Conversation – Europe
We sampled more than 100 mountain lakes located in the eastern Pyrenees to the Béarn region (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) at least once a year. Over time, we noticed changes, in particular the increased growth of algae cyanobacteria and sometimes dinoflagellates, the blue-green algae that turn many lakes green. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Ghana: Akosombo Dam disaster reveals a history of negligence that continues to this day
The Conversation – Africa
Recent heavy downpours in the Lower Volta area of Ghana led to the worst flooding in the region’s history. The flooding was caused by a spillage (a deliberate release of water) from the Akosombo Dam, the country’s biggest hydroelectric dam. Over 26,000 people were displaced. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Are wetlands really flood risk? Experts debunk most common myths around these precious ecosystems
EuroNews Green
Bog bodies and flood risks: Here’s what Europeans are getting wrong on wetlands. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: “Dams now run smarter with AI”
Science Daily
Scientists have leveraged artificial intelligence models to enhance dam operations. A research team recently employed deep learning techniques to scrutinize dam operation patterns and assess their effectiveness. Click here to continue reading
Living in Merritt is like living on an active volcano, says city manager, as concerns loom over flood risk
CBC
Residents, municipal officials worry not enough is being done to prevent future flooding. Click here to continue reading
‘Forever contaminant’ road salts pose an icy dilemma: Do we protect drivers or our fresh water?
The Conversation Canada
For decades, applying road salt has been regarded as a simple but vital tool in countering the dangers of slippery road conditions, but the downsides of its use are apparent with implications that extend beyond the cold months. But now we are finding that this chemical also disrupts the delicate balance of oxygen and nutrients in our freshwater lakes and ponds. Click here to continue reading
Hub to study climate change’s effect on water
The Western Producer
A UN University Hub focusing on water will be located at the University of Calgary to help communities adapt to changes. Bridging the gap between scientists and decision makers to better deal with the impact of climate change on water is one goal of a pioneering global initiative involving the University of Calgary. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: It’s one of Europe’s last pristine rivers. Can scientists save it from 50 dams?
The Guardian
The Neretva river, which runs 140 miles (225km) from the Dinaric Alps to the Adriatic Sea, supports bears, wolves lynx and myriad rare species. It ranks among the most biodiverse and intact rivers in Europe – but ecologists say it is also among the most threatened. More than 50 dams, including one already under construction, are planned along its length and tributaries. Click here to continue reading
Earth is getting extra salty. And that’s bad for freshwater supplies
National Observer
Humanity is messing with the Earth’s “salt cycle,” with potentially dangerous consequences for drinking water supplies, crop production, and ecosystems. It’s the first time that scientists have documented the extent to which humans have changed the salt content of the land, water, and air across the globe. Click here to continue reading
Let coastlines be coastlines: How nature-based approaches can protect Canada’s coasts
The Conversation – Canada
Our go-to solution to protect property and infrastructure is to build walls to block wave energy — walls that have become ineffective and unaffordable. It’s time to look beyond the status quo and consider nature-based solutions to protect the places we love. Click here to continue reading
After July floods took four lives, Nova Scotia plans flood plain mapping by 2026
The Richmond News
A plan is now in place to create the kind of detailed flood plain maps that some of Nova Scotia’s emergency managers have said they lacked when torrential flooding occurred in July. It’s expected the mapping will be conducted over the next three fiscal years and be completed by 2026. Click here to continue reading
B.C. Hydro postpones filling Site C reservoir for another year
Vancouver Sun
B.C. Hydro has been forced to abandon its plan to fill the Site C reservoir this fall, owing to some major unfinished business at the hydroelectric dam on the Peace River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water Utility Innovations Explored in NYC Environmental Tech Lab
Government Technology
The Environmental Tech Lab in New York City selected eight companies to explore proofs of concept as part of its inaugural Operational Efficiency Challenge and Data Utilization Challenge. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: High water closes parts of Rhine river in south Germany to shipping
Reuters
Parts of the river Rhine in Germany have been closed to shipping because of a rise in water levels following recent heavy rain, German authorities said on Thursday. Rhine river shipping has been stopped around Maxau in south Germany as vessels do not have enough space to sail under bridges, preventing vessels reaching Switzerland. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Catastrophic flood drives Greek village of Metamorfosi to seek relocation
Reuters
When floodwaters gushed through the Greek farming village of Metamorfosi in September, residents fled. Now they want to relocate their entire community, terrified it cannot survive another bout of extreme weather driven by climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Not so silver lining: Microplastics found in clouds could affect the weather
Science Daily
From the depths of the seas to snow on mountains and even the air above cities, microplastics are turning up increasingly often. Now, researchers have analyzed microplastics in clouds above mountains. They suggest that these tiny particles could play a role in cloud formation and, in turn, affect weather. Click here to continue reading
What low water levels in Edmonton could mean for fish this winter
CBC
With multiple bodies of water under water shortage advisories after a dry start to the month, some fish in Edmonton could be facing a tough winter. Low water levels can also mean there are reduced oxygen levels — even before a stream or lake gets seized up by ice. The fish and other creatures in those bodies of water will be using up what oxygen is available to them going into the winter. Click here to continue reading
Governments of Canada and Manitoba allocates funds to boost hydro capacity at Pointe du Bois Renewable Energy Project
Water Power & Dam Construction
The federal-provincial investment allocates $314 million for the installation of eight new hydroelectric turbines at the Pointe du Bois Generating Station. Additionally, $161.6 million will be directed towards constructing a new 230kV transmission network in the Portage la Prairie area. Click here to continue reading
It was called a once-in-a-century flood. Cities aren’t sure they’re ready for the next one
CBC
British Columbia municipalities face challenge of mitigating floodwaters that flow across international borders. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Flood protection plans for English homes cut by 40%
The Guardian
The number of properties that will be better protected from flooding by 2027 has been cut by 40%, and 500 of 2,000 new flood defence projects have been abandoned, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Melting ice falling snow: Sea ice declines enhance snowfall over West Antarctica
Science Daily
As the world continues to warm, Antarctica is losing ice at an increasing pace, but the loss of sea ice may lead to more snowfall over the ice sheets, partially offsetting contributions to sea level rise, according to Penn State scientists. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: State of emergency declared in parts of France after record rainfall
The Guardian
Widespread flooding in northern and eastern France has led to thousands of people having to evacuate their waterlogged homes, the collapse of roads and the closure of schools and public buildings. Record rainfall has caused rivers to break their banks, forcing the government to declare an official state of emergency in hundreds of towns and villages. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As water becomes a weapon of war, we must focus on cooperation and peace
The Guardian
In recent months, the world has been bombarded with reports of attacks on major dams and civilian water systems in Ukraine, water being used as a weapon during the violence in Gaza and the West Bank, unrest and riots in India and Iran over water scarcity and drought, and conflicts between farmers and herders in Africa over land and water sources. Our limited and precious freshwater resources have become triggers, weapons and casualties of war and conflict. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: First-Ever Flood Forecasting Maps Show Houses and Roads at Risk
Scientific American
The National Weather Service venture offers the first real-time forecasting service that shows precise areas such as city blocks likely to experience at least an inch of flooding over the subsequent five days, shading the areas blue on an online map. Click here to continue reading
Dieppe to test residential water meters as Bathurst considers ditching them
CBC
Two New Brunswick cities are considering opposite approaches when it comes to residential water meters. Bathurst in the northeast has meters but is considering switching to a flat-rate model based on the cost to update its system. Dieppe in the southeast charges a flat rate but will test meters in several hundred homes next year. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Campaigners warn against Thames Water’s £250m effluent ‘recycling’ scheme
The Guardian
Thames Water is facing a public backlash over a multimillion-pound water “recycling” scheme promoted as a solution to tackling climate crisis-induced droughts. The technology involves using effluent from sewage treatment works, putting it through a further layer of treatment and releasing the treated water into a river, in order to replace the same amount of water that is abstracted off for drinking water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Solar-powered device produces clean water and clean fuel at the same time
Science Daily
A floating, solar-powered device that can turn contaminated water or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and purified water, anywhere in the world, has been developed by researchers. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Extreme drought in northern Italy mirrors climate in Ethiopia
The Guardian
Extreme drought in northern Italy has doubled over the past two decades, creating a climate that increasingly mirrors that of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, research shows. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Earth’s surface water dives deep, transforming core’s outer layer
Science Daily
A new study has revealed that water from the Earth’s surface can penetrate deep into the planet, altering the composition of the outermost region of the metallic liquid core and creating a distinct, thin layer. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: France is one of the world’s richest countries. Why are its territories facing water shortages?
Euronews Green
Drop by disappearing drop, water is an ever more precious resource on Mayotte, the poorest place in the European Union.
Taps flow just one day out of three in this French territory off Africa’s eastern coast, because of a drawn-out drought compounded by years of underinvestment and water mismanagement. Click here to continue reading
BC Hydro scrambles to tranquilize and remove bears hibernating in Site C dam flood zone before waters rise
The Narwhal
While construction of the megadam has been underway for more than eight years, B.C.’s public utility appears to be engaged in last-minute efforts to find grizzlies and black bears and relocate them to artificial dens — a plan one biologist says is ‘potentially deadly’ for the creatures. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Ontario plunges $1.3M into Lake Simcoe cleanup
National Observer
Ontario announced over $1.3 million to help tackle persistent problems with high phosphorus levels in Lake Simcoe. Phosphorus levels in Lake Simcoe are still at 90 tonnes per year, far higher than the crucial target of 44 tonnes per year by 2030 reduction goal set in the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan for 2023. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Zooplankton in ocean and freshwater are rapidly escalating the global environmental threat of plastics
Science Daily
A collaborative research team has recently revealed that rotifers, a kind of microscopic zooplankton common in both fresh and ocean water around the world, are able to chew apart microplastics, breaking them down into even smaller, and potentially more dangerous, nanoplastics. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: How mega-floods can be predicted
Science Daily
Extreme flood events are extraordinary outliers that were not considered possible on the basis of local data. If data from other regions with similar hydrological conditions is taken into account, the extent of these ‘mega-floods’ suddenly becomes predictable. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: We can save lives and millions with less nitrate in drinking water
Science Daily
Denmark could save lives and more than $300 million a year by reducing the amount of nitrate in its drinking water. An ever-growing body of research concludes that the amount of nitrate in some Danish boreholes increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Emmanuel Macron pledges €1bn to fund research into melting ice caps
The Guardian
France will spend €1bn (£880m) on polar research between now and 2030, amid rapidly rising scientific concern over the world’s melting ice caps and glaciers. A new polar science vessel will spearhead the effort, and France is calling for a moratorium on the exploitation of the seabed in polar regions, to which the UK, Canada, Brazil and 19 other countries have so far signed up. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Murray-Darling water buybacks won’t be enough if we can’t get water to where it’s needed
The Conversation Australia
The report from a Senate inquiry , released on Friday, supports buybacks but also makes key recommendations to remove “constraints” to water delivery. These are physical constraints or limits to the movement of water through the river system. Managers can only deliver so much water before it spills out of the river onto private land. Click here to continue reading
Water sharing agreements ‘helpful’ in a drought
The Western Producer
Irrigation districts in southern Alberta managed a tough growing season as drought maintains a stubborn hold and calls for maintaining co-operation between stakeholders and better water storage infrastructure continues. From the Milk River along the U.S. border to the Hay River running into the Northwest Territories, 50 water shortage advisories are currently in place across the province. Click here to continue reading
Too early for ice bubble walks on Abraham Lake near Nordegg, says Rocky Search and Rescue co-ordinator
Red Deer Advocate
Most of the Abraham Lake is still open water, yet people are posting pictures of themselves standing on ice bubbles on social media. And Van Heeren heard reports from a colleague that some skaters were out on frozen parts of the lake last weekend. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge takes proactive steps to maintain water supply
Water Canada
It probably comes as no surprise that limited precipitation in 2023 has led to lower than typical water reserves across southern Alberta. The City of Lethbridge is carefully monitoring and taking proactive steps to ensure a sustained water supply for the region. Click here to continue reading
Three Hills pump house undergoes demolition
East Central Alberta Review
Nov. 2 removal of the Three Hills pump house by Red The Deer’s Diamond Demolition moves the Town closer to resuming full water services by the end of next summer. The new plant, constructed on the same site by Peace River’s AGS Mechanical Contractors, will allow the resumption of bulk water sales. The four-decades-old facility’s water mainline break in April resulted in Town insurers determining that the building was beyond repair. Click here to continue reading
Warman, SK, completes $21M wastewater infrastructure project
Water Canada
The City of Warman recently held a ribbon cutting and grand opening to officially celebrate the completion of its Sewage Treatment Lagoon Expansion and Improvements project. This approximately $21-million project was made possible with more than $13.2-million in combined Federal and Provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s (ICIP) Green Infrastructure Stream. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: US chemical industry likely spent $110m trying to thwart PFAS legislation, study finds
The Guardian
The US chemical industry likely spent over $110m during the last two election cycles deploying lobbyists to kill dozens of pieces of PFAS legislation and slow administrative regulation around “forever chemicals”, a new analysis of federal lobbying documents has found. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: NSW households urged to reduce water use before state dips into drought
The Guardian
New South Wales residents have been urged to introduce water-saving measures before a looming drought causes major water storages to drop. It comes as data from Sydney Water revealed that households in Sydney’s richest suburbs use up to three times more water than the citywide average, and up to five times more than those living in regional and rural areas. Click here to continue reading
U of G collaboration recognized nationally for advances in groundwater protection
Water Canada
For two decades, Dr. Beth Parker, a professor in the School of Engineering and director of the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute (MG360), has collaborated with the City of Guelph and two environmental engineering firms — Matrix Solutions and WSP Global — to enhance the City’s groundwater monitoring network with state-of-the-science methods to manage risks to the City’s water supply, safeguarding the community’s access to clean uncontaminated water into the future. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: EPA to push ban of toxic chemical found in US drinking water
The Guardian
The Biden administration is proposing a ban on TCE, a highly toxic chemical commonly used in stain removers, adhesives and degreasers, and which had been found to be contaminating drinking water on a wide scale across the US. Click here to continue reading
Funding for flood-damaged trails across Nova Scotia
Water Canada
Trails in Nova Scotia that were damaged in the July floods play an important role in the daily lives of Nova Scotians. The Province is investing $5 million to fix them. Click here to continue reading
Less snowpack, low rainfall, higher demand. Experts offer answers on low water levels in Lethbridge
CBC News
Water levels in the Oldman River reservoir are the lowest they’ve ever been since its construction in the early 1990s. The reservoir and the river are responsible for supplying water to a number of local communities, including Lethbridge. The City of Lethbridge said in a release that while there’s no immediate danger of being left without an adequate supply of drinkable water in the city, the lower-than-average water levels across southern Alberta is something they are watching closely. Click here to continue reading
Ship traffic ramps up through the Northwest Passage as Arctic ice retreats
Ponoka News
A growing number of people are now getting to witness those vibrant tundras first-hand. The same climate shifts that affect Arctic flora have also forced a massive retreat in Arctic sea ice — even in the passage, where geography and wind currents freeze the waters for a longer period of the year than in other parts of the Far North. Click here to continue reading
Technology aims to sequester carbon deep in the ocean off B.C. coast
CBC News
A project off B.C.’s coast focused on removing carbon dioxide from the air is aiming to tap into a resource that makes up roughly 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface — the ocean. The Solid Carbon Project, which is overseen by Ocean Networks Canada, wants to use the ocean in carbon sequestration efforts as a way to fight climate change, according to Kate Moran, the project’s principal investigator. Click here to continue reading
Threat of invasive mussels has Okanagan’s water board calling for moratorium on out-of-province boats
CBC News
The threat of invasive mussels has led the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) to propose a potential temporary ban on all out-of-province boats entering B.C.’s waterways. James Littley, deputy administrator for the OBWB, said two species of freshwater mussels — zebra and quagga mussels — could be catastrophic to lake and river systems if stringent measures aren’t put in place to keep them out of the province. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge taking steps to maintain water supply as dam levels remain low
CTV News
Though the days of hot summer weather are behind us, the demand for water in southern Alberta remains. According to Doug Kaupp, general manager of water and wastewater services with the City of Lethbridge, volume in the Oldman Reservoir is the lowest it’s been since it was built in the early 1990s. Click here to continue reading
Balancing global water supplies
CIFAR News
The growing issue of climate change has exposed widely documented areas of inequity. The International Monetary Fund notes that the world’s poorest countries — those that rely most heavily on sectors like agriculture, fishing and forestry — are experiencing heightened levels of hardship with the acceleration of climate change. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: El Niño may be drying out the southern hemisphere – here’s how that affects the whole planet
The Conversation UK
A new study has shown that the southern hemisphere has been drying out more than the northern hemisphere over the past two decades (2001-2020). The authors suggest the principle cause is the weather phenomenon known as El Niño, which occurs every few years when ocean water in the eastern Pacific is warmer than usual. Click here to continue reading
Suncor plans to pump 1 billion barrels of oil from a wetland — but vows to protect the other half with a wall
CBC News
McClelland Lake in northern Alberta is at once an important gathering place for local First Nations, a carbon sink, a wildlife habitat and a major potential source of bitumen. Plans to mine it have been brewing since 2002, when the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (a precursor to the Alberta Energy Regulator) allowed the company TrueNorth Energy to develop part of the wetland within its oilsands lease. Those plans kicked into high gear last fall, when the energy regulator gave current owner Suncor a green light to move ahead with its operational plan. Click here to continue reading
Town of Neepawa, MB recognized for 100+ year-old cast iron drinking water pipes
Water Canada
The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) welcomes the town of Neepawa in Manitoba, Canada, to the Century Club, which celebrates the strength and durability of cast iron water mains. Neepawa installed the cast iron mains along its Mountain Avenue in 1912. The town is currently in the process of replacing 4-inch mains with larger pipes to aid in fire flow operations, said Operations Manager Denis Saquet. There are also original 6- and 8-inch mains still in operation today. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in the final phase of wastewater infrastructure upgrades
Water Canada
The final phase of wastewater infrastructure upgrades is set to get underway thanks to an investment of more than $10.1 million from the governments of Canada and British Columbia, as well as Lake Cowichan. Announced by Minister Sean Fraser, Minister Anne Kang, and Mayor Tim McGonigle, this project will enhance the wastewater system, safeguarding the Cowichan River. Click here to continue reading
Low river levels result in concentrated trout spawning locations in Calgary
Global News
Fall brings brown trout spawning time along Calgary’s Bow and Elbow rivers, and a group of citizen scientists hope to capture a better picture of how that fish population is faring. Volunteers with Calgary River Valleys (CRV) were on the Bow River from Baker Park to Parkdale counting spawning nests called redds. Click here to continue reading
Calgary lifts outdoor water restrictions as cold weather expected to reduce use
CBC News
The City of Calgary says it is lifting its outdoor water restrictions, but it’s still asking residents to use water wisely. Officials say the restrictions, which have been in effect for two months, will be removed Tuesday. They were implemented in mid-August due to record low flows in the Bow and Elbow rivers that supply the city and other downstream communities across the Prairies. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Rescuers free humpback whale ‘hog-tied’ to 300lb crab pot in Alaska
The Guardian
A young humpback whale was freed by rescuers in Alaska after it was discovered hog-tied to a 300lb crab pot. The rescue, which occurred on 11 October, came after two local residents discovered the trapped whale a day earlier in the coastal waters near Gustavus, a city close to Glacier Bay national park in the southernmost part of Alaska. Researchers estimate the whale to be about three to four years old. Click here to continue reading
‘Snowmazing’ conditions lead to early openings for some southern Alberta ski hills
Calgary Herald
With healthy levels of snowfall to close out October, several southern Alberta ski hills are planning opening days early next month. Mt. Norquay will be the first out of the gate, with opening day scheduled for Friday, followed by Nakiska, which is set to open some of its higher-terrain, intermediate to advanced level slopes on Saturday. Lake Louise Ski Area is set to open the following weekend. Click here to continue reading
Lakes in Kootenay and Yoho National Parks closed after suspected whirling disease
CBC News
All bodies of water in Kootenay and Yoho National Parks have been closed for the next five months after a suspected case of whirling disease was reported in British Columbia’s southeast Rocky Mountains. Parks Canada says in a news release it’s the first time the microscopic parasite that causes the fatal disease in fish has been detected in the province. Click here to continue reading
Drought reveals cracks in Canada-U.S. Columbia River Treaty as B.C. lake dries up
CBC News
The resident of Nakusp on the shores of the reservoir in British Columbia’s southern Interior says she’s seen thousands of dead fish on the shore, and the receding waterline means boat access has been cut to waterfront properties. Instead of lapping waters, some homes now face an expanse of sucking quicksand. Drought is part of the reason. But so too is the Columbia River Treaty with the United States that obligates B.C. to direct water from the reservoir across the border at American behest. Click here to continue reading
The race of water droplets
Science Daily
How fast does a droplet flow along a fiber? It depends on the diameter of the fiber… and also on its substructure! These are the findings of a study conducted by researchers who are interested in microfluidics, especially water harvesting in arid/semi-arid regions of our planet. Click here to continue reading
Tracking down environmental toxins
Science Daily
PFAS, a family of highly fluorinated substances, represent a danger for humans and the environment. Particularly problematic members of this family, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) appear to cause organ damage and cancer, as well as disrupting the endocrine system. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: To the delight of eager U.K. ecologists, London welcomes its first baby beaver in centuries
CBC News
A baby beaver was spotted splashing about with its parents in the stark, black-and-white video recording captured by cameras set up around its habitat. The baby, known as a kit, is believed to be the first to be born in the area in hundreds of years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: How the US supreme court and an Idaho couple upended wetlands protection
The Guardian
Often dismissed as dismal wet bogs and rampantly cleared since European arrival in the US, the underappreciated importance of wetlands has been placed into sharp relief by a supreme court ruling that has plunged many of these ecosystems into new peril. Click here to continue reading
Hillhurst, Edgemont, Silver Springs, downtown core hit by water main breaks
CTV News
Many Calgarians weren’t getting any water when they turned on the taps Saturday, due to numerous water main outages and breaks. That included troubles Saturday in a number of Beltine-area communities, as well as Edgemont, Hillhurst, Silver Springs and the downtown core. Trucks with water tanks were brought in to provide a temporary supply until water is restored. Click here to continue reading
Olds, Alta., issues boil water advisory after power failure at water treatment plant
CBC News
A boil water advisory is in place in the town of Olds, Alta. after a power failure was reported at the Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission water treatment plant, located on the banks of the Red Deer River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: More than 4,000 English flood defences ‘almost useless’, analysis finds
The Guardian
More than 4,000 of England’s vital flood defences are so damaged they are almost useless, including hundreds in areas battered by Storm Babet. Nearly 800 critical assets – defined as those where there is a high risk to life and property – were in a “poor” or “very poor” condition in the 10 English counties worst affected by last week’s historic downpours. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: US Halloween pumpkin crop hit by extreme weather and lack of water
The Guardian
For some pumpkin growers in states such as Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, this year’s pumpkin crop was a reminder of the water challenges hitting agriculture across the south-west and west as human-caused climate change exacerbates drought and heat extremes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: The Rio Grande isn’t just a border – it’s a river in crisis
The Conversation US
The Rio Grande is one of the longest rivers in North America, running some 1,900 miles (3,060 kilometers) from the Colorado Rockies southeast to the Gulf of Mexico. It provides fresh water for seven U.S. and Mexican states, and forms the border between Texas and Mexico, where it is known as the Río Bravo del Norte. The river is in decline, suffering from overuse, drought and contentious water rights negotiations. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Collaborative water management can be a building block for peace between Israelis and Palestinians
The Conversation US
Water is a central element of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel controls several water pipelines entering Gaza, much as it controls most of life there. But water can also be a source of hope for an alternative future. Click here to continue reading
Do or dye: Synthetic colors in wastewater pose a threat to food chains worldwide
Science Daily
Dyes widely used in the textile, food and pharmaceutical industries pose a pressing threat to plant, animal and human health, as well as natural environments around the world, a new study has found. Billions of tons of dye-containing wastewater enter water systems every year, and a group of researchers say that new sustainable technologies including new membrane-based nano-scale filtration are needed to solve the issue, adding that legislation is needed to compel industrial producers to eliminate colorants before they reach public sewage systems or waterways. Click here to continue reading
Alta. vows to tackle water shortages
The Western Producer
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says there will be public engagement on how to best manage provincial water supplies as the situation threatens to become worse if moisture levels in southern Alberta don’t improve. Click here to continue reading
Cochrane lifts local state of emergency as pipeline repairs continue
CBC News
The Town of Cochrane has officially lifted its state of local emergency in response to a major pipeline break on the weekend that left its reservoirs at critically low levels. Mike Derricott, the town’s chief administrative officer, also confirmed the cause of the pipeline break: a guide for a directional drill was to blame for damaging the wastewater line. Click here to continue reading
Fukushima nuclear plant workers sent to hospital after being splashed with tainted water
The Guardian
Four workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant were splashed with water containing radioactive materials, with two of them taken to hospital as a precaution, according to the plant operator. The incident, which took place on Wednesday, highlights the dangers Japan still faces in decommissioning the plant. The reactor was knocked out by an immense tsunami in 2011 in the world’s worst atomic disaster since Chornobyl in 1986. Click here to continue reading
New ‘forever chemicals’ polluting water near North Carolina plant, study finds
The Guardian
At least 11 new kinds of PFAS “forever chemicals” are polluting the water around a North Carolina Chemours plant that manufactures the toxic substances, new research finds. The discovery, made by researchers using a novel testing method, is evidence that the environment around the plant is more contaminated with PFAS than regulators have found, the researchers said. Click here to continue reading
Ontario helping restore wetlands in the City of Pickering
Water Canada
The Ontario government has invested over $925,000 in two projects led by conservation organizations to restore and enhance wetlands in the City of Pickering. These projects are among hundreds of local wetlands restoration projects that are helping to improve water quality, help prevent flooding and build climate resiliency. Click here to continue reading
Improved water infrastructure for nine Saskatchewan communities
Water Canada
Nine water infrastructure projects in Saskatchewan will improve residents’ quality of life and contribute to the province’s long-term sustainability and growth thanks to the combined investment of more than $6.9 million from the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan. Announced by Parliamentary Secretary Terry Duguid and Minister Don McMorris, these projects will support communities, enhance their infrastructure, and ensure reliable access to safe and clean drinking water for years to come. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: MPs call for review of Environment Agency flood failings in England
The Guardian
MPs in areas of England worst hit by Storm Babet have called for a review of Environment Agency (EA) failings after reporting that some residents received flood alerts only after their homes were flooded. Click here to continue reading
State of emergency extended in central B.C. village as threat of water shortage looms
CBC News
The village, about 180 kilometres east of Prince George in central B.C., declared a state of emergency on Sept. 19 and restricted water usage the following day while under Stage 5 drought conditions — the highest level on the province’s severity scale. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘These levels are crazy’: Louisiana tap water sees huge spike in toxic chemicals
The Guardian
The water for a community along Louisiana’s Gulf coast has seen a significant increase in the levels of contaminants known as disinfection byproducts, according to recent state water tests reviewed by the Guardian. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), long-term exposure to such substances poses an increased risk of cancer. Click here to continue reading
Applications opening for livestock drought relief
Government of Alberta
Applications open Oct. 30 for the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program, providing livestock producers with up to $165 million to maintain breeding herds. Click here to continue reading
Bitcoin mining has ‘very worrying’ impacts on land and water, not only carbon
Science Daily
As bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have grown in market share, they’ve been criticized for their heavy carbon footprint: Cryptocurrency mining is an energy-intensive endeavor. Mining has massive water and land footprints as well, according to a new study that is the first to detail country-by-country environmental impacts of bitcoin mining. Click here to continue reading
Cochrane water reservoir levels stabilized but ‘not out of the woods yet,’ say officials
CBC News
While Cochrane remains under a state of emergency, town officials announced water reservoir levels have been partially restored after a major pipeline break over the weekend. Speaking to the media Wednesday, emergency management deputy director Shawn Polley said that thanks to voluntary conservation efforts from residents and business, as well as water hauling from nearby communities, reservoir levels had “stabilized.” Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Venezuelans handpick plastic and rake up oil in bid to save Lake Maracaibo – video
The Guardian
Anglers in Venezuela have been raking up oil spills and collecting plastic waste from Lake Maracaibo to try to save the lake that sustains their livelihoods. President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the implementation of a “rescue, attention and decontamination” plan for the 13,000 sq km lake, one of South America’s largest and one of the oldest in the world. Click here to continue reading
Governments come together to build flood resilience in Nooksack, Sumas watersheds
Water Canada
An international, multi-government agreement that commits to addressing flood risks and restoring salmon habitat in portions of British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and Washington state’s Whatcom County has been finalized. The Transboundary Flood Initiative advances a collaborative framework to identify and pursue actions for flood-risk reduction and habitat restoration on the flood-prone Nooksack and Sumas watersheds. Click here to continue reading
Stantec enters design phase for Tampa Bay Water potable water supply project
Water Canada
Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has begun the final design phase of Segment B for the South Hillsborough Pipeline with longtime client Tampa Bay Water. Tampa Bay Water awarded the firm a contract amendment to include final design engineering and construction management at risk support services (CMAR), bringing Stantec’s total fees to US$14 million. With a construction cost of approximately US$100 million, Segment B will help meet the growing demand for potable water in Hillsborough County’s South-Central service area. Click here to continue reading
New method to analyze implications of large-scale flood adaptation
Science Daily
In a test of their new analysis tool, researchers show where ‘moving up’ or ‘moving over’ may make the most sense for those affected by the 2022 Pakistan flood, and what costs it would entail. Click here to continue reading
Pottery becomes water treatment device for Navajo Nation
Science Daily
Large chunks of the Navajo Nation in the Southwest lack access to clean drinkable water, a trend that has been rising in many parts of the U.S. in recent years. A research team aims to change that. Click here to continue reading
Plants’ water use efficiency stalled 20 years ago
The Western Producer
It has often been thought by scientists that the rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere benefit plants and increase their water-use efficiency by absorbing more carbon, using less water and increasing growth. But recent research by scientists at the University of New Hampshire and colleagues at the universities of Michigan State, Montana and South Dakata and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has shown that plant water-use efficiency has stalled since 2001. Click here to continue reading
State of local emergency called as Cochrane, Alta., residents could run out of water
CTV News
Officials in Cochrane, Alta., say water levels in the community’s reservoirs are very low, meaning some residents could run out of water. The town says it has declared a state of local emergency over the issue, which began on Oct. 21 when a contractor punctured a sewage and water line. The new measure, which allows the town to “take extraordinary actions,” comes after Cochrane put mandatory water conservation rules in place earlier this week. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Carrots farms v valley: the battle over a water-depleted California region
The Guardian
The 230-sq-mile Cuyama groundwater basin – which spans Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern and Ventura counties – is one of 21 basins in the state that are in “critical overdraft”. More water is being consumed than replenished; the valley gets an average of 8in of rain a year. And locals are angry they have been forced to lawyer up to preserve that increasingly rare resource. Click here to continue reading
Hiawatha First Nation celebrates new water treatment system
Water Canada
Hiawatha First Nation has announced the successful completion of the first phase of its new water treatment plant and distribution system. The critical project, which began in 2019, eliminates more than 20 years of boil water advisories (BWA) for the community. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: UK farmers warn of rotting crops after Storm Babet flooding
The Guardian
Potato and cereal crops are likely to have been heavily damaged by the recent devastating floods across the UK, farmers have warned. Entire fields have been submerged in water after Storm Babet swept across the country, with crops ruined. Extreme weather events are becoming more likely and frequent due to climate breakdown, and have caused food shortages and price increases. Click here to continue reading
How bombings, blockades and import bans caused Gaza’s water system to crumble
The Guardian
In 2020, the average Israeli citizen consumed 150 litres of water a day for domestic use, according to official figures. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2.2 million people in Gaza are now trying to subsist on just three litres a day for all purposes – drinking, cooking and washing. Click here to continue reading
Cochrane’s water reservoir critically low post-line break, state of local emergency declared
Global News
The Town of Cochrane, Alta., has declared a state of local emergency as recent breaks to water and sewage lines have drastically reduced the level in the town’s water reservoir. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Climate is increasing risk of high toxin concentrations in Northern US lakes
Science Daily
As climate change warms the Earth, higher-latitude regions will be at greater risk for toxins produced by algal blooms, according to new research. The findings identify water temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) as being at the greatest risk for developing dangerous levels of a common algae-produced toxin called microcystin. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Death Valley visitors delight in rare ephemeral lakes left behind by storm
The Guardian
After months of closure, visitors to Death Valley national park are being greeted by stunning new features, including lakes left behind by a ferocious summer deluge. The park reopened last week after being shuttered in August, when a record-breaking tropical storm unleashed a year’s worth of rain in a single day. Click here to continue reading
New report says national agrifood water strategy needed
The Western Producer
Canada should be exploiting its enormous water resources to be both a sustainable food powerhouse and a global water research superpower, says a new paper from the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. Yet the country’s water policies, management and research efforts are underdeveloped and unco-ordinated, leaving water resources and challenges largely unaddressed. Click here to continue reading
New online dashboard for drinking water advisories for Saskatoon residents
Water Canada
The City of Saskatoon has launched a new online dashboard for drinking water advisories. Residents will now be able to check for updates regarding the status of a drinking water advisory by visiting the new dashboard. The dashboard is linked to the City’s internal system, providing residents more timely updates on their drinking water. Click here to continue reading
St. Lawrence Seaway strike leaving goods, ships stranded at Port of Thunder Bay
CBC News
The St. Lawrence Seaway shutdown has left ships unable to pass through the port of Thunder Bay on Lake Superior in northwestern Ontario. Hundreds of workers stationed between Lake Erie and Montreal walked off the job Sunday after they were unable to reach an agreement with the employer by the strike deadline, said the union. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Billions of snow crabs in Alaska likely vanished due to warm ocean, study says
The Guardian
Warmer ocean temperatures have likely caused the sudden and shocking disappearance of billions of snow crabs in Alaska, which had previously baffled scientists and environmentalists, a new study has shown. Click here to continue reading
Alta. livestock producers to receive $165M in drought support from provincial, federal program
CTV News
The governments of Alberta and Canada are to provide $165 million to support livestock producers affected by drought and extreme weather conditions. The Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program is aimed at livestock producers with grazing animals. Click here to continue reading
New extremes in stratospheric water vapor
Science Daily
The focus of new research was to determine how deep, how much and how frequently water in the stratosphere was being increased by thunderstorms. Click here to continue reading
Wastewater from ruptured sewer line still flowing into Bow River: Town of Cochrane
CTV News
After initially saying that wastewater was no longer flowing into the Bow River, the Town of Cochrane said actually it still is. At 7:35 a.m. Sunday, the town said workers had stopped the flow of wastewater into the Bow following a Saturday sewage line rupture. However, at 12:20 p.m., they issued a statement to the contrary. Click here to continue reading
‘Dramatic decline’: Calgary researcher says sea ice in Antarctica lowest since 1986
CTV News
A Calgary researcher, who has spent the last eight months in Antarctica studying sea ice, says he has seen first-hand how big an effect climate change has had in the region. Click here to continue reading
As drought dries up B.C. rivers, conservationists turn to beavers for help
CBC News
The ongoing drought in many parts of B.C. is causing some rivers in the province’s northern Interior to reach their driest mid-October levels in years. In Prince George, the unusually low waters have locals worried. Click here to continue reading
First ‘significant’ snowfall over Alberta
Global News
Environment Canada said snow will develop over west-central Alberta Sunday and move towards the south and east Monday. Snowfall amounts will vary greatly across the province due to initially warm ground temperatures and the duration of the snowfall. Click here to continue reading
Sewage leaks into Bow River in Cochrane; Calgary urges residents to stay away from river
Calgary Herald
Cochrane has implemented water restrictions, but drinking water remains safe in both communities, officials say. Click here to continue reading
‘Crabs everywhere’: off Canada’s Pacific coast, Indigenous Haida fight a host of invasive species
The Guardian
The 150 islands of Haida Gwaii (“Islands of the People” in the Haida language) are under relentless attack by waves of invasive species, which threaten to upend a delicate ecosystem and erode the rich wildlife of the region. The scourge of invasives is a global problem costing $423bn (£350bn) a year, but as local people work to fend off the intruders, the debate over their eradication raises larger questions about how ecosystems adapt over generations. Click here to continue reading
Funding for Nova Scotia to help salmon, trout in vital wild salmon watershed
Water Canada
The Province is investing $75,000 from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund to protect and enhance the habitat of one of Nova Scotia’s only healthy spring salmon rivers. Click here to continue reading
Reservoirs fill back up in southern Alberta
The Western Producer
Reservoirs across southern Alberta are starting to fill again after a year in which irrigation water resources were stressed but managed to get through a growing season dominated by dry conditions and little precipitation. The one major exception is the Oldman Dam reservoir, which continues to see levels drop, albeit at a much slower rate since the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District shut down earlier this month. Click here to continue reading
Drought conditions not letting up
The Western Producer
Moisture is just as much of a concern as harvest wraps up across the Prairies as it was at the beginning of the growing season. As of Sept. 30, 72 percent of Canada was reported as having some level of drought conditions, 69 percent of which is agricultural land, according to Agriculture Canada’s recently released Canadian Drought Monitor report. Click here to continue reading
Cajun crawdads make unwelcome appearance in Nova Scotia lake
CBC News
An invasive crayfish native to the southern United States has been found in a lake near Lower Sackville, N.S., outside Halifax. It is believed to be the first confirmed detection in Canada of the red swamp crayfish, better known as the crawdad in Louisiana cuisine. Click here to continue reading
Province putting up $5M to study feasibility of proposed new southern Alberta dam
Calgary Herald
The Alberta government will spend up to $5 million on a study that will look into whether a new dam is needed in southern Alberta. The proposed Eyremore dam would be located southwest of the city of Brooks along the Bow River, about 43 kilometres downstream of the Bassano dam, improving southern Alberta water management and security, and flood mitigation. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Everything out the faucet is salt’: Louisianans struggle as drinking water crisis persists
The Guardian
A few weeks ago the water crisis in Plaquemines parish stirred national headlines as a so-called “wedge” of saltwater surged upriver, traveling up the Mississippi, threatening the drinking water for nearly a million people in the city of New Orleans and the suburbs that surround it. Click here to continue reading
Ice that survived Arctic summer hits low, with implications for traditional harvesting and shipping
CBC News
The amount of sea ice that persists throughout the summer also affects how thick ice will grow in the Arctic in the winter. Ice that builds on an existing layer of ice can grow thicker than ice that grows seasonally from scratch. Summer sea ice in the Arctic naturally shrinks in the summer. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), Arctic summer sea ice dwindled to 4.23 million square kilometres on Sept. 19 — the sixth lowest extent on a 45-year record. Click here to continue reading
Drought conditions expose rivers to hotter water temperatures
Science Daily
A new study reveals how reduced water flows and rising atmospheric temperatures are set to heat our rivers — creating major challenges for aquatic life, ecosystems, and society. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Pipeline dreams: the desert city out to surpass Phoenix by importing water
The Guardian
Arizona, stressed by years of drought, has declared its housebuilding boom will have to be curbed due to a lack of water but one of its fastest-growing cities is refusing to give up its relentless march into the desert – even if it requires constructing a pipeline that would bring water across the border from Mexico. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘You should be able to have a water break’: US workers fight for extreme-heat rules
The Guardian
Climate change is fueling record high temperatures, and the number of workers who die from heat exposure has doubled since the early 1990s. More than 600 people died on the job from heat between 2005 and 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Undocumented workers in outdoor industries like agriculture, landscaping, and construction who may fear retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions, are often the most at risk.) Click here to continue reading
Shuswap Watershed Council releases updated report on nutrients and water quality
Water Canada
The Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC) has released an update to a report it originally published in 2020 summarizing the results of a multi-year water quality research partnership with UBC Okanagan. The report explains two separate research projects to better understand the inputs of nutrients to Shuswap and Mara Lakes. Click here to continue reading
Meet the magnet fishers pulling treasure from the Detroit River
CBC News
There’s plenty of history, some treasures and a whole lot of junk at the bottom of the Detroit River — and local magnet fishers are doing their part to bring it all to light. By casting strong magnets into the depths of the river in Windsor, Ont., the hobbyists hope they’ll pull up a something interesting — or at the very least, clean up some of the underwater litter. Click here to continue reading
Research finds water quality in Gulf of Mexico improves when adding social costs to carbon emissions
Science Daily
Researchers took a closer look at what would happen to agriculture if there was an extra cost, or so-called social cost, added to fossil fuels, which are essential for making fertilizer used in farming. They found that while CO2 emissions would decline by as much as 50%, the cost of fertilizer would rise leading to a significant benefit on water quality by lessening fertilizer runoff contributing to the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone. Click here to continue reading
Ocean circulation, ice melt and increasing tourism could all be contributing to Arctic microplastics
Science Daily
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Water level at Amazon port in Brazil hits lowest point in 121 years amid drought
The Guardian
The water level at a major river port in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has hit its lowest point in at least 121 years, as a historic drought upends the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and damages the jungle ecosystem. Click here to continue reading
Solar design would harness 40% of the sun’s heat to produce clean hydrogen fuel
Science Daily
Engineers have designed a system that can efficiently produce ‘solar thermochemical hydrogen.’ It harnesses the sun’s heat to split water and generate hydrogen — a clean fuel that emits no greenhouse gas emissions. Click here to continue reading
New river channel breathes life into Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
CBC News
A new channel carrying river water to the lagoon in the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary is expected to revitalize a key wildlife habitat. The southeast park was heavily damaged by the 2013 flood on the Bow River. Since then, there have been cleanups and a rebuilding of the park infrastructure. A study was done to come up with ways to revitalize the area and enhance things like flood and erosion control. The plan included constructing a new channel that carries water from the Bow to the sanctuary’s lagoon. Click here to continue reading
Climate change coping mechanism discovered in humble algae
Science Daily
One of the building blocks of ocean life can adapt to cope with the effects of climate change, according to new research. The discovery holds promises for biotechnology developments that could counter the negative effects of changing environmental conditions, such as ocean warming and even the reduction in the productivity of crops. Click here to continue reading
Canada invests in Thunder Bay projects to clean up and protect the Great Lakes
Water Canada
These local projects will help to advance Canada’s commitments under the Canada–United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Canada–Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health. Click here to continue reading
A ‘whalecam’, seals v sharks and fish that play dead: it’s Planet Earth III
The Guardian
A detachable “whalecam”, remote underwater cameras operated from a director’s bedroom and a “drone ballet” are among the innovations that will be featured for the first time on David Attenborough’s Planet Earth III. Click here to continue reading
More than 50 Indigenous fish harvesters in the Maritimes charged or on trial
Sylvan Lake News
Three years after a First Nation started a self-regulated lobster fishery that sparked protests and violence in Nova Scotia, federal prosecutors are pressing ahead with charges against dozens of Indigenous fishers, some of whom are planning constitutional challenges. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Water metering should be compulsory in England, advisers likely to say
The Guardian
Water metering should be made compulsory for all households in England, the government is likely to be told this week, as water supplies come under pressure from increased demand and more frequent droughts and floods. Click here to continue reading
Above-average snowpack needed to bring water levels in southern Alberta back to normal
CTV News
While most crops are out of the ground, irrigation districts are reflecting on the possibility of another summer with drought-like conditions. Canada’s largest irrigation district – the SMRID — imposed a 15-inch per-acre allocation as a result of a low snow pack and precipitation this spring. Click here to continue reading
Scientists count huge melts in many protective Antarctic ice shelves. Trillions of tons of ice lost
CBC News
Four dozen Antarctic ice shelves have shrunk by at least 30 per cent since 1997 and 28 of those have lost more than half of their ice in that time, reports a new study that surveyed these crucial “gatekeepers” between the frozen continent’s massive glaciers and open ocean. Click here to continue reading
Ranchers feel the heat as water supplies dwindle
The Western Producer
The drought in Alberta has caused multiple rural municipalities to declare agricultural disasters, urban communities to issue water restrictions and warnings from the province about tough times for next season if present conditions continue. That warning includes irrigation districts that got through the 2023 season by tapping into its robust reservoir system built over the past century for just such years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Toxic PFAS from US military bases polluting drinking water, report finds
The Guardian
The number of communities threatened by the military’s pollution is likely to increase as further more investigations are carried out. The defense department has only looked at about one-third of more than 700 facilities suspected of having contaminated the ground with PFAS. Click here to continue reading
Keeping more invasive species out of the Red Deer River is sparking inter-municipal discussions
Red Deer Advocate
Some paddle boarders and rafters on the Red Deer River last summer might have noticed a foreign species that’s been lurking in the waterway since at least 2018. That’s when an Alberta Conservation Association study confirmed the presence of carp in the Central Alberta river. Click here to continue reading
‘Ultrashort’ PFAS compounds detected in people and their homes, study shows
Science Daily
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become ubiquitous throughout the environment, and increasing evidence has demonstrated their deleterious effects. A group of smaller, fluorinated compounds are becoming replacements for these ‘forever chemicals,’ though research suggests the smaller versions could also be harmful. Now, a study reports that the levels of these substances in many indoor and human samples are similar to or higher than those of legacy PFAS. Click here to continue reading
Rivers may not recover from drought for years
Science Daily
Lack of rainfall is not the only measure of drought. New research shows that despite a series of storms, the impact of drought can persist in streams and rivers for up to 3.5 years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Saltwater threat to Louisiana drinking water to grow across US, experts warn
The Guardian
Louisianans have been preparing for a potential crisis because of seawater from the Gulf of Mexico penetrating the low-lying Mississippi. The mayor of New Orleans declared a state of emergency last month amid concerns about the potential health risks to the city’s drinking water, which would leave residents reliant on bottled water for cooking and cleaning. Click here to continue reading
Modular dam design could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy
Science Daily
Scientists have developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The new modular steel buttress dam system facilitates the rapid construction of paired reservoir systems for grid-scale energy storage and generation using closed-loop pumped storage hydropower, cutting dam construction costs by one-third and reducing construction schedules by half. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Ancient Maya reservoirs offer lessons for today’s water crises
Science Daily
Ancient Maya reservoirs, which used aquatic plants to filter and clean the water, ‘can serve as archetypes for natural, sustainable water systems to address future water needs.’ The Maya built and maintained reservoirs that were in use for more than 1,000 years. These reservoirs provided potable water for thousands to tens of thousands of people in cities during the annual, five-month dry season and in periods of prolonged drought. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Indigenous Amazonians urge Brazil to declare emergency over severe drought
The Guardian
Indigenous people in the Amazon are calling on the Brazilian government to declare a climate emergency as their villages have no drinking water, food or medicine due to a severe drought that is drying up rivers vital for travel in the rainforest. Click here to continue reading
Dry conditions contributed to lower crop yields in southern Alberta this year
CTV News
Dry conditions helped Alberta farmers harvest faster, but also caused major problems throughout the growing season. Southern Alberta is ahead of the average harvesting pace, with 98.2 per cent of the crop harvested by Oct. 3, according to the province’s latest crop report. But this year’s crop yields are only 66.9 per cent of the five-year average. Click here to continue reading
Out with the old, in with the new
East Central Alberta Review
Out with the old, in with the new. A cliché, yes, but appropriate for what’s left of Three Hills’ 41-year-old pump house on 2 St. N. A critical water mainline break at the pump house’s foundation April 2023 rendered the building unsafe and inoperable. This plunged the community and its rural water customers into a quickly solved crisis that led insurance adjusters to determine the facility had to be replaced. Click here to continue reading
Titanium oxide material can remove toxic dyes from wastewater
Science Daily
Discharged in large quantities by textile, cosmetic, ink, paper and other manufacturers, dyes carry high-toxicity and can bring potential carcinogens to wastewater. It’s a major concern for wastewater treatment — but researchers may have found a solution, using a tiny nanofilament. Click here to continue reading
Alberta non-profit aims to help brain tumour patients through water rehabilitation
Global News
The Pool Brats rehab sessions are being held at the accessible ACT Centre in Rundle Park starting Sunday, Oct. 15, and they just need more people to dip their toes into the pool. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘A sacrifice zone’: East Palestine’s wastewater is flooding into this Ohio community
The Guardian
Owned by Buckeye Brine, a private company, the injection wells will see the wastewater pumped thousands of feet underground for storage. It has become a major concern for Coshocton residents and fueled protests. Click here to continue reading
A ship that sank on Lake Huron 128 years ago is found nearly intact off Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula
CBC News
The Africa, an American cargo steamer, vanished in 1895 on its way from Ashtabula, Ohio, to Owen Sound, Ont. The ship set off on Oct. 4, 1895, with the barge Severn in tow. Both vessels were loaded with coal and bound for Georgian Bay until a snowstorm snapped the towline separating both vessels. Click here to continue reading
University of Ottawa’s Delatolla Lab working with CHEO Research Institute and McMaster’s Children’s Hospital uses real-time wastewater measurements to boost hospital preparedness
Water Canada
Working in close collaboration with CHEO Research Institute (RI) and McMaster’s Children’s Hospital, Dr. Robert Delatolla’s lab at the University of Ottawa led the study during the early and intense 2022-2023 RSV season, comparing wastewater surveillance signals of RSV to clinical surveillance signals, which rely upon RSV clinical test positivity and hospitalizations. Researchers compared city-wide wastewater samples and pediatric RSV clinical test positivity and hospitalization trends in Ottawa and Hamilton between Aug. 1, 2022, and March 5, 2023. Twenty-four-hour composite wastewater samples were collected daily and five days a week at the wastewater treatment facilities in both cities. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge, AB advocacy efforts continue for water, wastewater improvements
Water Canada
Water is not an infinite resource and as the city’s population continues to grow, the process to provide water and wastewater services to residents and businesses becomes a more pressing issue. Advocacy efforts for sustainable long-term water and wastewater infrastructure have been in conversation at last week’s Alberta Municipalities conference in Edmonton, at last month’s Economic Standing Policy Committee meeting and at Lethbridge City Council’s meeting on Tuesday. Click here to continue reading
Cost of Canada’s new flagship ocean science vessel jumps to $1.28B
CBC News
The budget for Canada’s new flagship ocean research ship increased 28 per cent this year jumping from $995 million to $1.28 billion. Construction of the offshore oceanographic science vessel is underway at the Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver, B.C., as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. It will replace the decommissioned Canadian Coast Guard Ship Hudson — now at a wreckers yard — to provide scientific and ocean mapping missions in Atlantic Canada. Click here to continue reading
How a huge new LNG plant spells ‘dire’ trouble for whales off Canada’s coast
The Guardian
Collisions between large whales and even larger ships have been growing more common as marine traffic increases, including a spate of deadly collisions this summer. Now, with the opening of a huge new liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal in 2025, transforming the deep fjords of northern British Columbia into a crowded marine highway, researchers are warning of a likely “dire” increase in whale deaths. Click here to continue reading
Alberta pumpkin farmers impacted by drought, but patches prevail
CBC News
After Alberta’s hot, dry summer, droughts impacted all parts of the agricultural landscape, especially pumpkin farmers —yet even after the challenges, many growers are really proud of their pumpkins. Click here to continue reading
Remnants of post-tropical storm Philippe bring high winds, heavy rain to Maritimes
CBC News
The remnants of post-tropical storm Philippe have combined with another low pressure system and the merger of the two systems is now bringing high winds and heavy rain to the Maritimes. According to CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin, the rain is heaviest in the west and will continue to push in from west to east. The wind and rain will continue for the morning and into the afternoon in Prince Edward Island, eastern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: More rain to come for flood-hit Scotland, with amber warning in place
The Guardian
Heavy rainfall caused flooding, transport disruption and the cancellation of events across many parts of Scotland over the weekend with a warning of more to come. An amber weather warning – the second highest – was in place between Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon for parts of north-east Scotland, while a yellow warning was in place for much of northern Scotland. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Groundwater a significant source of pollution on Great Barrier Reef, study shows
The Guardian
Scientists say they have discovered large flows of pollution are reaching the Great Barrier Reef after soaking into underground water, a finding that could have implications for policymakers focused on cutting pollution from river catchments. Click here to continue reading
Supporting Peace Region wetlands through student-driven conservation
Water Canada
Peace Wapiti Academy students are the new protectors of the Peace Region’s wetlands. Through a partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Peace Wapiti Academy students receive training and mentorship to lead wetland stewardship as part of their coursework. It’s part of a newly launched Wetland Centre of Excellence in Grande Prairie designed to engage and empower young people in meaningful nature-based experiences. Click here to continue reading
Canada and Yukon invest in water, sewer, and road improvements in Watson Lake
Water Canada
Through this funding, the Town of Watson Lake will replace over 1,200 metres of sanitary line and more than 1,500 metres of water mains with upgraded materials across the community in addition to restoring more than two kilometres of affected roadway. Funding will also support over 14 kilometres of road repairs across the town. Once complete, residents will have improved access to safe drinking water, increased sewage capacity, and more reliable roads, creating a safer, healthier and more sustainable community. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘We are vulnerable’: demand for drought aid rises as El Niño takes hold in Queensland
The Guardian
Demand for emergency rural aid is rising as farmers face a dry and unproductive summer ahead. The latest Australian agricultural seasonal outlook forecasts farm incomes will plummet by 41% on average this financial year. The chief executive of Rural Aid, John Warlters, said requests to the national charity for mental health support, financial counselling and emergency livestock feed had “effectively doubled” in the last month. Click here to continue reading
City of Calgary looks at more measures to help deal with drought
Global News
Outdoor watering restrictions are still in effect in Calgary and those rules may become normal in the future. The Bow River through Calgary is at far below normal levels, according to data from Alberta’s river basin dashboard. A provincial graph shows that the flow rate of the Bow River in Calgary is around 28 cubic metres per second. Normal levels for this time of the year should be between 50 to 70 cubic metres per second. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: As Waters Rise, a Community Must Decide: Do We Stay or Go?
Yale Environment 360
Faced with more frequent flooding and worse to come, the Philadelphia environmental justice community of Eastwick is grappling with difficult questions about its future: Will levees and flood walls protect them, or should residents abandon their homes and move to higher ground? Click here to continue reading
Trying to keep farm families fed in 1930s was a struggle
The Western Producer
During the 1930s, an almost decade-long drought affected much of the Prairies along with infestations of grasshoppers, gophers and cutworms. With the lack of rain, the dry farmland blew away, creating terrible dust storms. A worldwide Depression, which led to a rapid decline in global trade and rising unemployment, occurred at the same time. Click here to continue reading
Irrigators warned to plan for shortages
The Western Producer
The situation along rivers and in reservoirs across southern Alberta received a reprieve from deteriorating conditions on the last day of September, but challenges remain as the last few irrigation districts shut off their taps for the season. Rainfall in late September was among the largest seen in weeks and was also widespread and felt from the Eastern Slopes to the Saskatchewan border. The rainfall resulted in one-day accumulations ranging from 38 millimetres in Pincher Creek to 8.5 mm in Medicine Hat. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Glacial lake burst banks in northeast India, triggering lethal flash floods
CBC News
At least 40 people were killed after a glacial lake burst its banks and triggered flash floods this week in the Indian Himalayas, government officials told Reuters on Friday as rescuers searched for dozens missing for a second day. The Lhonak Lake in the mountainous northeastern state of Sikkim overflowed on Wednesday after a cloudburst triggered torrential rains and an apparent avalanche, causing major flooding in the Teesta River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Dead lawns, dry wells: Texas drought persists after summer heat dome
The Guardian
The heat dome that roasted a wide swath of the US this summer has dissipated – but it has left behind a crisp, dehydrated landscape, particularly in Texas. Even as the weather cools, more than 30% of the continental US is experiencing drought, according to a newly released analysis from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). Click here to continue reading
Nova Scotia consulting coastal property owners
Water Canada
The Province is contacting people who own coastal property in Nova Scotia and inviting them to provide their input on how to plan and adapt development along the coastline in response to climate change. Click here to continue reading
Parksville, B.C. and The Nature Trust of British Columbia partner to protect critical habitat along the Kw’a’luxw River
Water Canada
The City of Parksville and The Nature Trust of British Columbia, have announced plans to conserve an ecologically important property along the Kw’a’luxw (Englishman) River in perpetuity at 130 Shelly Road. The 5.2ha (13 acre) property contains important floodplain, riparian and forested habitat immediately adjacent to the Kw’a’luxw (Englishman) River and supports numerous species of fish and wildlife throughout the year. Click here to continue reading
Here’s what El Nino means for Canada’s winter
CTV News
El Niño has entered the chat. After seven years characterized by La Niña conditions, the World Meteorological Organization announced in July(opens in a new tab) that the surface temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean has warmed again, signalling the switch to a global El Niño event. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Discovery of massive undersea water reservoir could explain New Zealand’s mysterious slow earthquakes
Science Daily
Researchers working to image New Zealand’s Hikurangi earthquake fault have uncovered a sea’s worth of water buried in the Earth’s crust. The water was carried down by eroding volcanic rocks and is believed to be dampening the earthquake fault, allowing it to release most of the pent-up tectonic stress through harmless slow slip earthquakes. Click here to continue reading
Staying dry for months underwater
Science Daily
Researchers have developed a superhydrophobic surface with a stable plastron that can last for months under water. The team’s general strategy to create long-lasting underwater superhydrophobic surfaces, which repel blood and drastically reduce or prevent the adhesion of bacterial and marine organisms such as barnacles and mussels, opens a range of applications in biomedicine and industry. Click here to continue reading
Calgary water restrictions remain amid record low levels in the Bow, Elbow Rivers
CTV News
It’s been nearly two months since Calgary implemented outdoor water restrictions, but it could still be another few weeks until they’re lifted. The City of Calgary issued the water restrictions on Aug. 15 following record-high temperatures paired with dry conditions and little precipitation. As the seasons change and winter approaches, staff will look at whether the city can lift those restrictions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Floods linked to increased deaths from heart and lung disease, Australian-led research shows
The Guardian
It has long been known there is an increased risk of communicable diseases after floods but a new Australian-led study shows people are also more likely to die from heart and lung disease about three to six weeks after a disaster. That is likely to be due to reduced access to health services caused by road closures, along with increased exposure to black mould and other contaminants, including pathogens, researchers say. Click here to continue reading
Sniffing out invasive species: Alberta’s canine conservationists are on the job
CTV News
The fight against invasive species in Alberta is aided by a trio of four-legged friends. Years into the province’s Conservation K-9 Unit, hundreds of instances of mussel-foul boats have been found and dozens of bodies of water are monitored by dogs to make sure Alberta’s waterways and parks are free from harmful species. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Watchdog berates Thames Water and Southern Water over level of complaints
The Guardian
Under-fire Southern Water and Thames Water have been named the “standout poor performers” in handling complaints from customers over the past year by a water watchdog. Click here to continue reading
Disagreements between city, territory slowed Iqaluit water crisis response: report
CBC News
A bypass system that allowed people in Iqaluit to drink the city’s tap water again after it was contaminated with fuel could have come online earlier, according to a report from a third-party review of the 2021 water crisis. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Hundreds of potentially toxic road runoff outfalls polluting England’s rivers
The Guardian
A toxic cocktail of damaging chemicals created by road pollution is flowing into England’s rivers and no regulator is monitoring the scale of its impact on wildlife or public health. More than 18,000 outfalls, such as pipes, and about 7,700 soakaways managed by National Highways discharge rainwater potentially contaminated with heavy metals, hydrocarbons, microplastics and other chemicals from the main road network into rivers and on to land. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Exceptional year’: Mont Blanc shrinks by another 2 metres
The Guardian
Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in the Alps, has shrunk by 2.2 metres since 2021 to its lowest height in recent memory. The mountain, which is capped by a ridge of ice covering the rock, was measured by a team of surveyors from the Haute-Savoie regional administration, aided by a drone. Click here to continue reading
International recognition for the protection of the Magpie River
Water Canada
The Muteshekau-shipu Alliance is pleased to announce that the Magpie River has been registered as an Indigenous and Community Conserved Area (ICCA), an internationally recognized status for the conservation of Indigenous territory. It is the first territory in Canada to achieve ICCA status, the result of an initiative announced by the Alliance last December. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Wetlands win reprieve after deal over Andalucian natural space
The Guardian
A controversial plan that would have placed one of Europe’s most important and threatened wetlands in even greater jeopardy has been paused after an unexpected agreement was reached between Spain’s caretaker government and the regional authorities in Andalucía. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Type of storm that drenched New York is up to 20% wetter due to climate crisis
The Guardian
The unmistakable influence of the climate crisis helped cause New York City to be inundated by a month’s worth of rain within just a few hours on Friday, scientists have warned, amid concerns over how well the city is prepared for severe climate shocks. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Rare tidal phenomenon in Chinese river creates pec
CBC News
The Qiantang River in eastern China was a sight to behold as a fish scale-shaped tide was seen forming on the water’s surface. This type of tide is rare, discovered only in the past few years, and usually lasts only about a dozen minutes before fading. There was also a crossing tide — where two tides collide into each other — on the Qiantang River, creating a different but equally striking visual. Click here to continue reading
Despite being properly treated and highly diluted, wastewater still impacts on the river ecosystem
Science Daily
An experiment using water from a large wastewater treatment plant has shown that this water continues to affect river diversity and the trophic web (food web) despite being properly treated and highly diluted before discharge. The study shows that the limits currently in place and the procedures used to treat wastewater may not be sufficient to protect the natural properties of food webs. Click here to continue reading
Study: UBCO researcher examines how wildfires can transform rivers
Water Canada
After wildfire, the devastation to the landscape and communities is obvious and unforgettable. And now, a UBC Okanagan researcher is taking a different look at fire-impacted areas. Dr. Alessandro Ielpi, an Assistant Professor in Geomorphology with UBCO’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, recently published research examining how the record-setting 2017 Elephant Hill Fire affected the Bonaparte River near Cache Creek, BC. Click here to continue reading
Desalination system could produce freshwater that is cheaper than tap water
Science Daily
Researchers have designed a new solar desalination system that takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight. The system flushes out accumulated salt, so replacement parts aren’t needed often, meaning the system could potentially produce drinking water at a rate and price that is cheaper than tap water. Click here to continue reading
Wet winter needed to feed next years’ crops, say Alberta irrigators amid early water shut-off
CBC News
Lake Newell, a reservoir south of Brooks, Alta. that helps feed water to farmland as well as various municipal, industrial, wildlife and recreational areas, is less than half the level it should be heading into winter. The lake is a part of the Eastern Irrigation District (EID), an area east of Calgary bound by the Red Deer river to the north, and the Bow River to the south. On Sept. 25, EID shut down its irrigation season roughly two weeks ahead of when it normally would, due to dry conditions throughout the summer that have strained water supply. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Mass death of Amazonian dolphins prompts fears for vulnerable species
The Guardian
The sudden die-off of more than a hundred Amazonian river dolphins in recent days has prompted fears that rising global heat could be passing the tolerance threshold of species in vulnerable areas. The floating corpses of the endangered mammals, along with thousands of dead fish, have appeared at Lake Tefé where the temperature is now like a hot bath after a protracted drought has dried up most of the water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Thousands of salmon escaped an Icelandic fish farm. The impact could be deadly
The Guardian
Suspected escapees have now been found in at least 32 rivers across north-west Iceland, according to unconfirmed social media posts, one of which showed fish covered in sea lice, a parasite that can be lethal to wild fish. Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MRI) confirmed the farmed fish have been found in multiple rivers. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: New York City reels after flash flooding chaos and powerful downpours
The Guardian
As flash flooding swept over parts of the New York City region on Friday, residents reeled from powerful downpours and surging waters. On Saturday, some localities in Connecticut and Long Island braced for still more rain. While no fatalities have been reported, scenes of chaos emerged as residents waded through knee-deep water in search for higher ground and drivers abandoned their vehicles on overwhelmed highways. In one north Brooklyn, New York City, building, residents said raw sewage seeped into their apartments amid the torrent. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘We felt so betrayed’: Indigenous tribe reels after exclusion from US marine sanctuary
The Guardian
The Chumash tribe had advocated for California’s central coast to be protected, but a draft management plan left out the stretch they had hoped would be protected. Click here to continue reading
AI and data centres drink up billions of litres of water, experts say. This is why
CTV News
Artificial intelligence is making things easier in some industries, like health care and astronomy, but in other ways, AI can be harmful. It’s difficult to determine whether these types of technology do more harm than good, as some AI systems use a lot of energy, emitting a significant amount of carbon. Others can aid industries already harming the environment by amplifying their resources. Click here to continue reading
At Canada’s largest Atlantic puffin colony, chicks are dying of starvation
CBC News
The volunteers who rescue Atlantic puffin chicks — called “pufflings” — knew something was wrong when so few strays from the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula showed up this summer. The fledglings emerge from their burrow at night to avoid predators, but some are attracted to the lights in the rapidly growing communities on shore. Members of a group called the Puffin Patrol capture the stranded pufflings and release them into the ocean. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Fight over precious groundwater in rural California town is rooted in carrots
Ponoka News
The battle playing out in this stretch of rural California represents a new wave of legal challenges over water, long one of the most precious and contested resources in a state that grows much of the country’s produce.For years, California didn’t regulate groundwater, allowing farmers and residents alike to drill wells and take what they needed. That changed in 2014 amid a historic drought, and as ever-deeper wells caused land in some places to sink. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘It smells so bad’: glut of wild salmon creates stink in Norway and Finland
The Guardian
Along the border between Norway and Finland lies the world’s greatest Atlantic salmon river. To the Norwegians, it is the Tanaelva or Tana; the Finns call it the Tenojoki or Teno. But to both countries it is known as one of the purest and cleanest rivers, passing through largely unspoiled and unpolluted regions from Finnmark, Norway’s northernmost county, into Lapland. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: English water firms face backlash over plans to ask customers to pay £96bn to cut leaks
The Guardian
Water companies are facing a backlash from campaigners after revealing they will ask customers to pay for a record £96bn investment to fix raw sewage leaks, build new reservoirs and reduce leaks. The main water and sewerage companies want the regulator, Ofwat, to approve their spending plans for 2025-30, which they say amount to almost doubling the investment into providing clean water, protecting the environment and securing future water resources. Click here to continue reading
ALTRA | SANEXEN’s Martin Bureau wins 2024 Clean50 Award
Water Canada
Martin Bureau, Vice-President of Innovation and Head of the PFAS Centre for Excellence at ALTRA | SANEXEN, has won the 2024 Clean50 Award, in the Clean Technology category. The prestigious Clean50 award recognizes leaders from across Canada who have done the most to advance climate action and develop smart climate solutions. Click here to continue reading
‘Situation is not ideal’
The Western Producer
A generational hydrological drought is occurring in rivers in southern Alberta, resulting in water levels rivaling the lowest seen in 50 years, the activation of a county’s emergency operations and a warning from the province. Hydrological drought refers to the effects of precipitation shortfalls on surface or subsurface water, such as stream flows, reservoirs, lake levels and groundwater. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Weather tracker: South Africa floods kill at least 11 people
The Guardian
Extreme rain and strong winds across South Africa’s Western Cape province have caused flooding, torn off roofs, destroyed crops and damaged roads this week. It is estimated that the 48-hour rainfall totals between Sunday and Monday were between 100mm to 200mm (4-8in) in this region. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘The dog’s very happy’: water-conscious Swedish islanders compete for ugliest lawn title
The Guardian
Dry, brown grass is no longer a source of shame on one Swedish island where residents have been competing over the “ugliest lawn” in an attempt to save water – and it seems the trend is spreading. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: New York sees wettest day since Hurricane Ida as heavy rain causes severe flooding
The Guardian
Schools, roads, public transport and airports affected; New Jersey declares state of emergency; reports emerge of raw sewage flooding New York homes. Click here to continue reading
Stettler county council questions water licenses enforcement
East Central Alberta Review
Stettler county council discussed a tense situation occurring at a lake located within the municipality and wondered if the provincial government’s water licensing system relies too much on the honour system. Click here to continue reading
Alberta Energy Regulator followed rules in Kearl mine wastewater release, report finds
CBC News
A third-party report into the release of millions of litres of oilsands wastewater at Imperial Oil’s Kearl mine has found the Alberta Energy Regulator followed its rules in keeping the public and area First Nations informed — but concludes those rules are significantly lacking. Click here to continue reading
Celebrating the next generation of Indigenous water treatment plant operators
Water Canada
Graduation often marks the end of a journey. For the Indigenous youth and community members who recently completed a training program to become certified water treatment plant operators, graduation is just the beginning. Click here to continue reading
Funding for flood prevention in Amherst, NS
Water Canada
With this funding, the Town of Amherst will complete a stormwater management study and improve stormwater infrastructure. The upgrades will help reduce the risk of flooding in the area surrounding Dickey Brook, protecting the community from damage during heavy rainfall or storms. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Swiss glaciers are disappearing, with ‘massive ice loss’ tracked in past 2 years
CBC News
A Swiss Academy of Sciences panel is reporting a dramatic acceleration of glacier melt in the Alpine country, which has lost 10 per cent of its ice volume in just two years, after high summer heat and low snow volumes in winter. Switzerland — home to the most glaciers of any country in Europe — has seen four per cent of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023, second only to the six per cent drop in 2022, the academy’s commission for cryosphere observation said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Forever chemicals at former Nasa lab are leaking into LA River, say watchdogs
The Guardian
Two highly toxic chemicals polluting a former Nasa research site are also probably contaminating the Los Angeles River and aquifer from which the region’s agricultural growers draw their water, watchdog groups and a whistleblower charge. Click here to continue reading
Summer’s over, but Calgary still has water restrictions in place. Here’s why
CBC News
While the outdoor watering restrictions implemented in Calgary on Aug. 15 have already saved an estimated 1.1 billion litres of water, they aren’t going away any time soon, say city officials. In order to get through what climate models are predicting to be a dry winter, the City of Calgary is planning to keep outdoor water restrictions in place for the time being, to prevent water stores from dropping too low come spring. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Water firms forced to pay back customers for poor performance
BBC News
Water companies have been ordered to pay back £114m to customers through lower bills after missing key targets. Click here to continue reading
Scientists use water fleas to filter pollutants out of wastewater
The Guardian
Tiny water fleas could play a big role in filtering out drugs, pesticides and industrial chemicals from wastewater to make it safe, according to scientists. Treatment plants do not remove all of the persistent chemical pollutants in wastewater from industry, so they often end up in rivers, streams and irrigation systems. This harms the biodiversity of these ecosystems and pollutes our food and water, but many of the current options for water filtering are expensive, carbon-costly and can be polluting themselves. Click here to continue reading
New study finds that sewage release is worse for rivers than agriculture
Science Daily
Sewage pollution, whether treated or untreated, was found to be the primary driver of increased nutrients, algae, and sewage fungus in rivers. Sewage discharge also radically altered plant, animal, and microbe communities, increasing the abundance of harmful species. Run-off from agriculture was also found to lower water quality and be particularly harmful for sensitive insect groups. Click here to continue reading
Ocean acidification makes ecologically important seaweed species fragile
Science Daily
Ocean acidification will likely almost triple by the end of the century — a drastic environmental change that could impact important marine species like fleshy seaweeds, algae that grow vertically and promote biodiversity in more than a third of the world’s coastline. To get a better idea of how seaweeds might fare in a rapidly acidifying ocean, a team of marine scientists subjected a common fleshy seaweed species to the acidification levels expected by the end of the century. Click here to continue reading
New study definitively confirms Gulf Stream weakening, understanding the changes could help predict future trends in extreme events
Science Daily
The Gulf Stream transport of water through the Florida Strait has slowed by 4% over the past four decades, with a 99% certainty that this weakening is more than expected from random chance, according to a new study. Click here to continue reading
Rivers contain hidden sinks and sources of microplastics
Science Daily
New research represents the first combined analysis of microplastics in water, sediment and air around a major river system. It found significant quantities of microplastics trapped in riverbed sediments, and also found they were being transported through the air and the flow of the river. Click here to continue reading
Antarctic sea ice shrinks to lowest annual maximum level on record, data shows
The Guardian
Antarctica has likely broken a new record for the lowest annual maximum amount of sea ice around the continent, beating the previous low by a million square kilometres. The new mark is the latest in a string of records for the continent’s sea ice, as scientists fear global heating could have shifted the region into a new era of disappearing ice with far reaching consequences for the world’s climate and sea levels. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Brown bear cubs in Japan die of starvation amid salmon shortage
The Guardian
As many as eight in 10 brown bear cubs born this year in a remote part of northern Japan have died amid a shortage of salmon, with experts blaming rising sea temperatures caused by the climate crisis. Along with acorns, pink salmon are an important source of food for the estimated 500 brown bears living along Hokkaido’s Shiretoko peninsula, a Unesco world heritage site known for its dramatic coastline and wild animals. Click here to continue reading
Government of Canada calls for proposals to advance flood mapping science and climate adaptation projects
Water Canada
Canadians across the country are already facing the consequences of climate change, which is causing more frequent and severe weather. Climate-related natural disasters, including flooding, pose a serious threat to the safety of Canadian communities and our economic stability, underscoring our need to adapt. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘We can’t drink oil’: how a 70-year-old pipeline imperils the Great Lakes
The Guardian
It’s little known to the throngs of tourists who gawp at the wonder of the Great Lakes but at the meeting point of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, a combined system that forms the largest lake in the world, there is a 70-year-old pipeline, battered and dented by dropped boat anchors. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge closes Elma Groves storm pond, Chinook Lake to mitigate goldfish population
CTV News
The City of Lethbridge is closing Chinook Lake and Elma Groves storm pond in order to continue its efforts to mitigate the goldfish population in both. Both bodies of water will be treated with Rotenone, which the city says is a “naturally-derived compound with a short half-life, meaning it will not remain in the water system for long and does pose threat to anything other than fish,” according to the city’s website. Click here to continue reading
Rocky Mountain House to get $30-million wastewater plant
Red Deer Advocate
Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County have teamed up to build a $30-million wastewater treatment plant outfitted with the latest technology and able to support decades of population growth. Click here to continue reading
Monitoring Alberta’s wastewater could help drug users avoid harm. Here’s how.
CBC News
A Calgary research facility that developed the most comprehensive wastewater monitoring program in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic is setting its sights on another burgeoning public health issue: illicit drug use. Advancing Canada Water Assets (ACWA), a joint initiative between the City of Calgary and the University of Calgary, is applying the same techniques it used to monitor COVID-19 case numbers to track illicit drugs in the province’s wastewater. Click here to continue reading
Every fish in B.C.’s Emerald Lake may have to be killed after signs of rare parasite detected
CBC News
Researchers say every fish in B.C.’s Emerald Lake may have to be “sacrificed” after the discovery of a rare parasite in the water. But first, more testing needs to be done. Parks Canada says it is investigating a suspected case of whirling disease in Yoho National Park’s Emerald Lake. The disease is a microscopic parasite that affects trout and salmon, and can cause infected fish to swim in a whirling pattern and die prematurely. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Tropical storm Ophelia makes landfall, as coastal North Carolina hit by flooding
CBC News
Residents in parts of coastal North Carolina and Virginia experienced flooding on Saturday after tropical storm Ophelia made landfall near a North Carolina barrier island, bringing rain, damaging winds and dangerous surges of water. Click here to continue reading
Bow River stream flows at record low; historic glacial melt recorded in Rockies
Global News
Autumn is casting its signature hue across the Rockies. As tourists flock to its peaks and valleys to witness the splendor of one season dying and another beginning, others are zeroing in with great concern on the shrinking rivers. Click here to continue reading
Why Calgary’s drinking water is tasting icky
Calgary Herald
You may wonder why your water is suddenly tasting moldy. This unpleasant taste may follow you into the shower, your workplace, gym or college campus. You may have also been losing sleep over thoughts of contaminated water affecting your health. But the reality is nowhere near as dangerous as it seems. City officials say the cause of your worry is geosmin, a “harmless” naturally occurring carbon compound that usually makes its way into Calgary’s reservoirs in late summer or fall. Click here to continue reading
Money, power and an ecosystem are all at stake in Canada-U.S. negotiations over a massive river
CBC News
Walk along the banks of the Columbia River in B.C. and you might be forgiven for thinking it’s like any of the province’s other big waterways. You might spot a sturgeon, or glimpse one of the more than 60 dams in the Columbia’s watershed. But the Columbia is not like other rivers. For one, it crosses the U.S. border to empty into the Pacific in Oregon. The Columbia River basin is also a vital source of electricity, providing about 40 per cent of all U.S. hydroelectric power, while B.C. draws almost half of its total electrical generation from the region. Click here to continue reading
New method for purifying drinking water could be used in disaster zones
Science Daily
Scientists have developed a new method that converts seawater into drinking water that could be useful in disaster zones where there is limited electrical power. The most popular method for removing salt (sodium chloride) from sea water is reverse osmosis, which uses a porous membrane that allows water molecules through but not salt. Click here to continue reading
Extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains
Science Daily
A groundbreaking study, published today in Science, has provided new insights into the extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains across the world, with an estimated 23 million people believed to be affected by potentially dangerous concentrations of toxic waste. Click here to continue reading
Predicting the sustainability of a future hydrogen economy
Science Daily
As renewable energy sources like wind and solar ramp up, they can be used to sustainably generate hydrogen fuel. But implementing such a strategy on a large scale requires land and water dedicated to this purpose. Click here to continue reading
New development model for the world’s third-longest river
Science Daily
A new research paper published in Science Advances reveals how changes in the size of the Yangtze River watershed may have led to the carving of deep canyons. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: What to Know About the Saltwater Threat to Louisiana’s Drinking Water Supply
Time
A long-lasting drought in Louisiana is impacting the drinking water in the Mississippi River, posing a risk for the state’s near 5 million residents, and particularly those in the New Orleans area. Click here to continue reading
Restoring the flow: Tsleil-Waututh’s race to save salmon habitat in drought stricken southwest B.C.
The Narwhal
When tens of thousands of pink salmon became stranded in the Indian River during September’s unrelenting drought, the nation raced into action, continuing their work to rehabilitate culturally significant spawning streams crippled under the twin pressures of climate change and industrial development. Click here to continue reading
Riddle of varying warm water inflow in the Arctic now solved
Science Daily
In the ‘weather kitchen,’ the interplay between the Azores High and Icelandic Low has a substantial effect on how much warm water the Atlantic transports to the Arctic along the Norwegian coast. But this rhythm can be thrown off for years at a time. Experts finally have an explanation for why. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Drought sparks drinking water concerns as saltwater creeps up Mississippi River
The Guardian
Drought across the midwestern and southern US has left the Mississippi River with such low water levels that saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico is creeping upriver in Louisiana, which could affect the drinking water of thousands of residents in the next few weeks. Click here to continue reading
Monitoring dairy cows’ water use has benefits
The Western Producer
Small changes can pay dividends in water use on dairy farms, financially and in preserving water quality and supply. Determining where to make those changes takes careful monitoring and investigation. Click here to continue reading
Alta. irrigators survived ’23 but ’24 remains dire
The Western Producer
Irrigators were able to get through the 2023 season but not without getting bounced around in what has been a year marked by drought conditions, a quick melting mountain snowpack and little precipitation. The situation facing irrigators is best summed up by the latest bulletin from the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Severe plankton bloom off Thailand creates marine ‘dead zone’
The Guardian
An unusually dense plankton bloom off the eastern coast of Thailand is creating an aquatic “dead zone”, threatening the livelihood of local fishers who farm mussels in the waters. Click here to continue reading
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and its partners confirm the arrival of Zebra Mussels in New Brunswick
Water Canada
Since last summer’s detection of Zebra Mussels in Lake Temiscouata, Quebec, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and its provincial, municipal, non-governmental and Indigenous partners have been closely monitoring New Brunswick’s lakes and rivers for any new presence of the aquatic invasive species (AIS). Click here to continue reading
Canada and Saskatchewan invest in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades
Water Canada
The Narrow Hills Provincial Park will also benefit from upgrades to its water system. The existing systems will be consolidated into a single water treatment and distribution facility to improve efficiency. This will include the construction of a new water treatment plant, potable water treatment equipment, and a new backup well. The new system will make sure a safe and reliable drinking water supply remains available for generations to come. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: California orders bottled water firm to stop drawing from natural springs
The Guardian
California has ordered the company that owns Arrowhead bottled water to stop using some of the natural springs it has utilized for more than a century, following a years-long campaign by environmentalists to stop the operation. Click here to continue reading
Extreme weather shows need for early warning systems, says Spanish minister
The Guardian
The latest spate of natural disasters – from the floods in Libya, Greece and Spain to the wildfires in Hawaii and Canada – has further underscored the need for early warning systems to help the world cope with the realities of the climate emergency, Spain’s environment minister has said. Click here to continue reading
Laser-based ice-core sampling for studying climate change
Science Daily
Researchers have developed a new laser-based sampling system for studying the composition of ice cores taken from glaciers. The new system has a 3-mm depth-resolution and is expected to help reconstruct continuous annual temperature changes that occurred thousands to hundreds of thousands of years ago, which will help scientists understand climate change in the past and present. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: UN warns of potential ‘second devastating crisis’ from contaminated water in wake of Libya floods
CBC News
Officials warned Monday that a disease outbreak in Libya’s northeast, where floods have killed thousands, could create “a second devastating crisis” as diarrhea spread among those who drank contaminated water. In a statement, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya said it was particularly concerned about water contamination and the lack of sanitation after two dams collapsed during Mediterranean storm Daniel, sending a wall of water gushing through the eastern city of Derna on Sept. 11. Click here to continue reading
The BoM has finally declared an El Niño. What does it mean – and why did it take so long?
The Guardian
The Bureau of Meteorology has declared that Australia is now in the grip of an El Niño climate pattern. The US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had made its own declaration that El Niño was under way in June, followed by a similar warning from the World Meteorological Organization, the UN’s weather agency, in July. It foreshadowed a “surge in global temperatures and disruptive weather and climate patterns” around the planet. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Property over people? New York City’s $52bn plan to save itself from the sea
The Guardian
New York’s topography, which includes lengthy river and ocean coastlines, and its dense urban development, as well as the constrained capacity of the city’s sewer system (which floods sewage into the harbour in heavy rains), are hard issues to overcome with a single solution. Click here to continue reading
Huron Clean Water Project is accepting funding applications
Water Canada
The Huron Clean Water Project is a fund that supports water quality projects in Huron County. There is a total of $500,000 in available funds for water quality projects by Huron County residents, landowners, and community groups. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Global heating made Greece and Libya floods more likely, study says
The Guardian
Global heating made the levels of rainfall that devastated the Mediterranean in early September up to 50 times more likely in Libya and up to 10 times more likely in Greece, according to a study from World Weather Attribution that used established methods but had not yet been peer-reviewed. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As extreme downpours trigger flooding around the world, scientists take a closer look at global warming’s role
The Conversation – US
After severe flooding on almost every continent this year, including mudslides and flooding in California in early 2023 and devastating floods in New York and Vermont in July, it can seem like extreme rainfall is becoming more common. So, what role does global warming play in this? And importantly, what can we do to adapt to this new reality? Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Road Hazard: Evidence Mounts on Toxic Pollution from Tires
Yale Environment 360
Researchers are only beginning to uncover the toxic cocktail of chemicals, microplastics, and heavy metals hidden in car and truck tires. But experts say these tire emissions are a significant source of air and water pollution and may be affecting humans as well as wildlife. Click here to continue reading
Polar experiments reveal seasonal cycle in Antarctic sea ice algae
Science Daily
Results provide the first measurements of how sea-ice algae and other single-celled life adjust to the dramatic seasonal rhythms in the Southern Ocean. The results provide clues to what might happen as this ecosystem shifts under climate change. Click here to continue reading
What a circular water system could mean for Alberta
CBC News
A University of Alberta researcher is receiving $1.4 million over seven years to support the creation of a circular water system. The end goal is a holistic approach to water reuse, incorporating engineering, environment, science and the social aspects of bringing water into a resilient circular water system. Click here to continue reading
The Mackenzie River is a lot lower than normal. Those who rely on it wonder if it’s an anomaly
CBC News
The Mackenzie, one of the longest rivers in Canada, runs from Great Slave Lake through the Northwest Territories before eventually emptying out into the Arctic Ocean. It is used as a highway to transport goods to remote communities along the river and in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the high Arctic. But early this season, territorial officials knew that it would not be business as usual. Click here to continue reading
Now a post-tropical storm, Lee moves into Gulf of St. Lawrence
CTV News
Thousands remained without power Sunday as post-tropical storm Lee gradually moved out of the Maritimes, leaving a trail of downed trees and coastlines damaged by pounding surf.
By midday the storm had moved past Prince Edward Island and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence where it was to pass west of the Magdalen Islands and reach northern Newfoundland in the evening hours. Click here to continue reading
Libyan flood survivors face twin risks of landmines and water shortages, UN report says
CBC News
People whose homes were swept away by flooding in Libya’s eastern city of Derna a week ago faced the dilemma on Sunday of whether to stay despite a lack of fresh water or flee through areas where landmines have been displaced by the torrents. Click here to continue reading
Study: Disrupting the myth of water abundance in Ontario
Water Canada
Ontario may seem to be a water secure region, but new research out of the University of Waterloo challenges the myth of water abundance in the Great Lakes watershed. Using a first-of-its-kind risk analysis, researchers connected water quality, quantity, regulations and public concern to obtain a more comprehensive picture of water security at the local level. The novel approach revealed that at least half of the studied watersheds had a moderate to high potential for risk. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Libya dam collapse: engineering expert raises questions about management
The Conversation – Africa
More than 11,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands are missing following the catastrophic collapse of two dams in the eastern Libyan city of Derna. The dam collapse came after an extreme storm, Storm Daniel, slammed into the north African country. The Conversation Africa’s Moina Spooner asked water resources and engineering expert Nadhir Al-Ansari, who has researched the design and safety of dams, to provide insights into the disaster. Click here to continue reading
The grim reality of drought and farming
CBC News
Due to the drought conditions, many farmers had their crops in the bin early, even though there wasn’t much to harvest. We talked to one farmer during the last few swaths of the field about how challenging the last few years have been. Click here to continue reading
Device that monitors Red Deer River for oil spills was installed on Taylor Bridge this week
Red Deer Advocate
Traffic on Taylor Bridge in Red Deer was inconvenienced for a good environmental cause on Thursday. City of Red Deer workers took a northbound lane out of commission for the installation of a new $50,000 hydrocarbon detector. The pipe-like device is now hanging down one side of the bridge and constantly scanning water flow in the Red Deer River. Click here to continue reading
Lacombe County seeking funding for wetland initiative
Red Deer Advocate
Cellphone photographers could help track changing lake landscapes if Lacombe County is successful in getting funding for a wetlands preservation project. In its pitch for funding, the county says it plans to set up fixed-point photography sites at Gull, Sylvan, Buffalo and Lacombe Lakes. They involve a post topped with a guide frame allowing photographers to place their cellphones in exactly the same spots. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: What are medicanes? The ‘supercharged’ Mediterranean storms that could become more frequent
The Guardian
The flash flood that has killed thousands of people in Libya this week followed a “medicane”, a rare but destructive weather phenomenon that scientists believe will intensify in a warming world. The term is an amalgamation of the words Mediterranean and hurricane. Used by scientists and weather forecasters, it is less well known to the wider public. Click here to continue reading
Five amazing ocean sites to make the first protected high seas areas
The Guardian
From 20 September, the UN’s high seas treaty will at last be open for signatures – an important moment that starts the process for nations to ratify it into their own laws. At least 60 countries must do so for the treaty to come into force. Scientists hope that it will finally allow marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas to be established. Click here to continue reading
New project in Saskatoon’s Churchill Park will significantly reduce neighbourhood flooding
Water Canada
Devastating floods are less of a concern for dozens of property owners in the Adelaide/Churchill Park neighbourhood, thanks to a new project in the north end of Churchill Park. The new dry storm pond is the second of nine flood mitigation projects to be completed under the Flood Control Strategy (FCS) by 2027. The FCS was approved by Saskatoon City Council in 2018. Click here to continue reading
Genetically modified bacteria break down plastics in saltwater
Science Daily
Researchers have genetically engineered a marine microorganism to break down plastic in salt water. Specifically, the modified organism can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic used in everything from water bottles to clothing that is a significant contributor to microplastic pollution in oceans. Click here to continue reading
Oceans could be used for carbon capture on a big scale
CBC News
Scientists have said we’re poised to overshoot the 1.5 C warming target enshrined in the Paris Agreement, and that in order to return to 1.5 C by 2100, we would need to remove vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon capture from smokestacks or the air, using technology and tree planting, has received a lot of attention and funding. But last week, a few hundred scientists around the world argued that more attention should be paid to carbon capture in the ocean. Click here to continue reading
Edmonton Libyan community fundraising to help those affected by deadly flood back home
CTV News
Libyan Edmontonians are working to get supplies to family and friends who have been affected by flooding in the eastern part of their home country. Heavy rains from the Mediterranean storm Daniel caused the collapse of two dams on Monday, sending water several metres high gushing through the port city Derna. Click here to continue reading
County of Stettler hears it’s facing historic levels of heat, lack of moisture
East Central Alberta Review
It’s certainly no secret to any agricultural producer in the County of Stettler, but the municipality is facing historic levels of heat and lack of moisture according to one expert at the Government of Alberta. The Agriculture Service Board (ASB) heard a provincial update on drought at its regular board meeting Aug. 23. Click here to continue reading
Climate change is reducing global river water quality
Science Daily
A review of almost 1000 studies on the effects of climate change and extreme weather events on rivers around the world has found an overall negative effect on water quality in rivers globally. An international team of experts sourced from every continent, conducted between 2000-2022. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge, AB begins mitigation of aquatic invasive species in lakes and storm ponds
Water Canada
The City of Lethbridge has begun the process of removing goldfish and koi out of Chinook Lake and Elma Groves storm pond. Goldfish and koi are non-native species introduced into lakes and storm ponds that cause problems for the native species and the habitat. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: UK government defeated over plan to relax water pollution rules to boost homebuilding
Reuters
The British government’s plan to relax rules around water pollution to enable the construction of thousands of new homes was defeated by the upper house of parliament on Wednesday. (See earlier story from September 5, 2023, for more detail.) Click here to continue reading
Fall snow levels can predict a season’s total snowpack in some western states
Science Daily
Research found that, in some western states, the amount of snow already on the ground by the end of December is a good predictor of how much total snow that area will get. Click here to continue reading
New super-fast flood model has potentially life-saving benefits
Science Daily
A new simulation model that can predict flooding during an ongoing disaster more quickly and accurately than currently possible has been developed by University of Melbourne researchers. Click here to continue reading
Toxic algae blooms seem to occur earlier, more often: Ducks Unlimited Canada
CTV News
One of North America’s biggest conservation groups says toxic algae blooms seem to be happening earlier and more often. Ducks Unlimited Canada says it’s putting additional effort into protecting Alberta wetlands from nutrient-rich runoff that can help trigger blue-green algae blooms. Click here to continue reading
Slow-moving Hurricane Lee set to bring wind, rain to Maritimes
CBC News
While some uncertainty remains about the exact path Hurricane Lee will take through the region this weekend, there’s little doubt that the storm will impact the Maritimes. The large-scale and slow-moving storm is looking likely to bring rain, gusty winds and pounding surf, as well as the potential for storm surge. The latest guidance continues to weaken Lee as it tracks northward over the next few days into an area of increasing wind shear and cooler ocean temperatures. Click here to continue reading
Wastewater monitoring underway for opioids and other lethal drugs
Water Canada
Providing additional data of the abundance of COVID-19 and its emerging strains proved to be a beneficial public health tool. That same detection system has been revised to look for 48 substances connected to the use of illicit drugs. Click here to continue reading
Study: Permafrost melting and landscape change in the Canadian High Arctic
Water Canada
Accelerating global warming may be driving permafrost melting and profound environmental change in the Canadian High Arctic, suggests a paper based on fieldwork data from the region published in Nature Communications. The findings are based on a 60-year reconstruction of landscape evolution for a region of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Environment Agency failing to monitor water firms in England, data suggests
The Guardian
The Environment Agency is failing to regularly audit water companies to check they are telling the truth about pollution and illegal sewage dumping in England, the Guardian can reveal. The audits contribute to the star rating companies are given for environmental performance by the watchdog. Some companies are being given top ratings, even though the FoI data suggests the EA has not audited them for several years. Click here to continue reading
Efforts underway to save salmon trapped in B.C. lake due to drought
CBC News
Biologists are lending a helping hand to salmon in the B.C. interior that are struggling to make it to their spawning grounds due to severe drought conditions. More than 80% of B.C.’s water basins are experiencing level 4 or 5 drought conditions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Project to liberate part of Somerset river hailed as ‘squelchy’ success
The Guardian
It does not have the sense of order associated with the National Trust’s manicured stately homes, nor the grandeur of many of the wild places that the organisation manages. But a muddy piece of land in west Somerset was unveiled with a fanfare on Wednesday by the conservation charity, which sees this unassuming-looking plot as a pioneering project that could revolutionise the way some rivers are managed. Click here to continue reading
Floating sea farms: A solution to feed the world and ensure fresh water by 2050
Science Daily
The sun and the sea — both abundant and free — are being harnessed in a unique project to create vertical sea farms floating on the ocean that can produce fresh water for drinking and agriculture. Click here to continue reading
Hybrid catalyst produces critical fertilizer and cleans wastewater
Science Daily
Synthetically produced fertilizer urea supports half of global population. Using pure metals, researchers develop hybrid catalyst with capacity to convert waste nitrogen and carbon dioxide to urea. The process could denitrify wastewater and runoff while creating a new revenue stream for water treatment facilities. Click here to continue reading
Hot summer air turns into drinking water with new gel device
Science Daily
Researchers have focused on the moisture present in the air as a potential source of drinking water for drought-stressed populations. They reached a significant breakthrough in their efforts to create drinkable water out of thin air: a molecularly engineered hydrogel that can create clean water using just the energy from sunlight. Click here to continue reading
Workers to pump water into Cowichan River amid drought
CTV News Vancouver Island
A crew from Catalyst Paper is installing 18 pumps along the company’s weir on the Cowichan River. The weir’s floodgates are fully open and that has some water flowing into the river but with no substantial rain in the forecast, that won’t be the case for long. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: At least 2,000 dead and 10,000 believed missing in Libya as ‘catastrophic’ flooding breaks dams and sweeps away homes
CNN
At least 2,000 people have died and 10,000 are believed missing after Storm Daniel dumped so much rain on Libya’s northeast that two dams collapsed sending water flowing into already inundated areas. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Faster disaster: climate change fuels ‘flash droughts’, intense downpours and storms
The Conversation – Australia
We know climate change underpins some of the more extreme weather we’re seeing. But is it also pushing these extreme events to happen faster? The answer? Generally, yes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: What Arizona and other drought-ridden states can learn from Israel’s pioneering water strategy
The Conversation – United States
Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S., with an economy that offers many opportunities for workers and businesses. But it faces a daunting challenge: a water crisis that could seriously constrain its economic growth and vitality. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Water hookups come to Alaska Yup’ik village, and residents are thrilled to ditch their honey buckets
CBC News
Many Alaska villages don’t have running water and flushing toilets. Instead of using a bathroom, people retire to a room in a house, pull a curtain and use a honey bucket — typically a five-gallon bucket with a toilet seat on top and a plastic bag inside. Instead of showers, they rely on steam baths or sponge baths. Water for drinking and washing has to be hauled in. Click here to continue reading
Study reveals human destruction of global floodplains
Science Daily
A hydrologist’s study provides a global estimate of human destruction of natural floodplains. The study can help guide future development in a way that can restore and conserve vital floodplain habitats that are critical to wildlife, water quality and reducing flood risk for people. Click here to continue reading
B.C. drought brings increased flood risks, far-reaching damage, experts warn
CBC News
As severe drought conditions have helped usher in British Columbia’s most devastating wildfire season on record, experts and elected officials are warning of increased flooding risks and lingering damage even after wetter weather returns. Click here to continue reading
22 Acres of riparian lands donated to Fort Erie
Water Canada
In May 2022, an environmentally friendly settlement regarding the Harbourtown Development was reached between the developer and Fort Erie Community Voices. The settlement included an increase in environmentally protected lands while creating three vernal ponds for amphibian breeding. The additional 22 acres of riparian lands will help expand and preserve the environmentally protected areas connected with Waverly Beach Park. This donation will protect part of our significant natural sites for wildlife to prosper and residents to enjoy. Click here to continue reading
Artificial intelligence technology behind ChatGPT was built in Iowa — with a lot of water
The Associated Press
The cost of building an artificial intelligence product like ChatGPT can be hard to measure. But one thing Microsoft-backed OpenAI needed for its technology was plenty of water, pulled from the watershed of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers in central Iowa to cool a powerful supercomputer as it helped teach its AI systems how to mimic human writing. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: From Carbon Sink to Source: The Stark Changes in Arctic Lakes
Yale Environment 360
For millennia, lakes in Greenland’s dry tundra have locked up huge loads of carbon in their sediment. But as the region becomes warmer and wetter, scientists believe these lakes are becoming sources of carbon, which could have major consequences for the world’s climate. Click here to continue reading
Some fish species are shrinking, scientists say, probably due to global heating
The Guardian
A global analysis of thousands of animal and plant sizes has found that species are shrinking, an effect most clearly found by researchers in changes to the body size of fish, which are getting smaller. Species such as the thorny skate, a north Atlantic fish that can grow up to a metre in length, have become smaller, while smaller-bodied species such as mackerel are growing in abundance, according to the researchers, changing the composition and functioning of ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Alta. irrigators watch river levels
The Western Producer
Late August rains in parts of southern Alberta are providing relief but river levels remain far below historical averages. That has caused irrigation districts to post early shut-off notices. Flow rates for the Oldman and Bow rivers, which converge to form the South Saskatchewan just upstream from Medicine Hat, have been stifled all season as a sudden spring heat wave saw mountain headwaters melt quickly while precipitation remained elusive all season. Click here to continue reading
Calgary marks completion of downtown flood barrier
Global News
Ten years after flooding devastated the city, Calgary’s downtown and Eau Claire neighbourhoods have more protection now that the flood wall is complete. The downtown flood barrier runs 1.39 kilometres long along the south bank of the Bow River, and consists of steel sheet piles, earthen berms, concrete walls and stop log openings designed to resist a one-in-200-year flood event. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Intense rainfall drenches Hong Kong, causes widespread flooding
CBC News
Torrential rain deluged Hong Kong on Friday leading to widespread flooding across the densely packed city, submerging streets, shopping malls and metro stations, as authorities shut schools and asked workers to stay at home. Click here to continue reading
Bursting air bubbles may play a key role in how glacier ice melts
Science Daily
New research has uncovered a possible clue as to why glaciers that terminate at the sea are retreating at unprecedented rates: the bursting of tiny, pressurized bubbles in underwater ice. Click here to continue reading
Weather tracker: Omega block brings torrential rain to Greece and Spain
The Guardian
An Omega block has been in place over Europe this week, leading to some extreme weather for many. An Omega block is a synoptic setup consisting of a high-pressure region sandwiched between two low-pressure regions, creating a shape resembling the Greek letter omega. Click here to continue reading
Stantec chosen to design next phase of Toronto’s Basement Flooding Protection Program
Water Canada
The City of Toronto has selected Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, to provide engineering services for Phase 5 of the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program (BFPP). This multiyear program, which began in 2006, helps reduce the risk of flooding through improvements to the sewer system and overland drainage routes, which can face increased pressure with heavy rainfalls. Click here to continue reading
Multidisciplinary initiative to track influenza, other viruses in wastewater
Water Canada
Recognizing Western’s excellence in developing robust systems to track and fight global health threats, the government of Ontario has renewed and expanded the university’s wastewater surveillance project to track COVID-19, influenza and other emerging viruses until March 2024. The expansion is part of an additional boost of $18.7 million in provincial funding for Ontario’s COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance initiative. Click here to continue reading
Rubber plumbing seals can leak additives into drinking water
Science Daily
As drinking water flows through pipes and into a glass, it runs against the rubber seals inside some plumbing devices. These parts contain additives that contribute to their flexibility and durability, but these potentially harmful compounds can leak into drinking water, according to a small-scale study. The authors report that the released compounds, which are typically linked to tire pollution, also transformed into other unwanted byproducts. Click here to continue reading
Researchers develop highly efficient and stable photoelectrode for water splitting using organic semiconductors
Science Daily
The production of green hydrogen using solar energy involves splitting water into its constituent elements through charges generated in semiconductors that absorb sunlight. Previous studies primarily focused on utilizing inorganic semiconductors for constructing photoelectrodes. However, organic semiconductors offer several advantages such as lower costs, various process methods, and easier large-scale production. Click here to continue reading
Bit by bit, microplastics from tires are polluting our waterways
Science Daily
Urban stormwater particles from tire wear were the most prevalent microplastic a new study has found. The study showed that in stormwater runoff during rain approximately 19 out of every 20 microplastics collected were tire wear particles with anywhere from 2 to 59 particles per liter of water. Tire rubber contains up to 2500 chemicals with the contaminants that leach from tires considered more toxic to bacteria and microalgae than other plastic polymers. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Utah officials sued over failure to save Great Salt Lake: ‘Trying to avert disaster’
The Guardian
The largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere has been steadily shrinking, as more and more water has been diverted away from the lake to irrigate farmland, feed industry and water lawns. A megadrought across the US south-west, accelerated by global heating, has hastened the lake’s demise. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘They’re sentient beings’: a new way of raising fish – and vegetables – in New York
The Guardian
Oko Farms is New York City’s first outdoor aquaponics farm, combining aquaculture (growing fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) into one recirculating ecosystem. It’s an ancient technique once practiced by the Incas, as well as in Mexico, Peru, Japan and Egypt, that’s now seeing a resurgence in the US, particularly in urban areas since it doesn’t require soil and can increase crop production thanks to faster plant growth and year-round production, if done indoors. Click here to continue reading
Testing the waters: what we can all learn about protecting our Prairie lakes
CBC News
When the water in your lake is 100 years old and has few opportunities to replenish itself, you want to take steps to keep it clean. Here’s what advocates at Wabamun Lake have learned, and how that knowledge could help protect other Prairie lakes. Click here to continue reading
Important wetlands and forests in Essex County, ON now protected
Water Canada
More than 25 years ago, Orfeo Lucchese purchased a rural farm and woodlot property in Essex County, near Harrow, Ontario. With great effort and insightful vision, he transformed it into a vibrant forest, meadow and wetland sanctuary. Now, these restored ecosystems will be protected forever. Click here to continue reading
3D-printed ‘living material’ could clean up contaminated water
Science Daily
A ‘living material,’ made of a natural polymer combined with genetically engineered bacteria, could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water. Researchers developed their living material using a seaweed-based polymer and bacteria that have been programmed to produce an enzyme that transforms various organic pollutants into harmless compounds. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria hit by fatal flash floods
The Guardian
At least 11 people have died in Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria as flash floods from torrential rainstorms turned rivers into torrents, swept away bridges and inundated streets, homes and public buildings. Click here to continue reading
Prince Rupert council approves borrowing for infrastructure replacement
Water Canada
Prince Rupert is edging closer to having the funds needed for an ambitious plan to replace the most critical 26 km of our water and sewer infrastructure. Now that the deadline has passed for the Alternative Approval Process with 47, and 48 respondents (respectively for the two bylaws) of the over 1000 required to register their opposition to borrowing, Council passed final readings of two borrowing bylaws last night. Click here to continue reading
Nova Scotia seeks input on Protected Areas Strategy
Water Canada
Nova Scotians are invited to help shape the approach for protecting 20 per cent of the province’s land and water by 2030. The input will be used to develop the Nova Scotia Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy, which will outline how the Province will achieve its 2030 land and water conservation goal and identify next steps. Click here to continue reading
P.E.I. salmon streams get boost from new watershed project
CBC News
A watershed group on P.E.I. hopes it will be smoother swimming for salmon returning to spawn this fall, thanks to a new pilot project run in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife and the Atlantic Salmon federations. The Souris and Area Branch of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation is leading the project, which builds on work that’s already been done in Western Canada while adapting it to the unique conditions in the province. Click here to continue reading
Water-quality risks linked more to social factors than money
Science Daily
When we determine which communities are more likely to get their water from contaminated supplies, median household income is not the best measure. That’s according to a recent study that found social factors — such as low population density, high housing vacancy, disability and race — can have a stronger influence than median household income on whether a community’s municipal water supply is more likely to have health-based water-quality violations. Click here to continue reading
Ontario mayor calls for coordinated action on coastal resilience from province, feds
CBC News
Tecumseh and other municipalities such as Lakeshore and Chatham-Kent have completed studies detailing the expensive efforts needed to protect people who have property along an eroding shoreline that’s being pounded by destructive storms. Click here to continue reading
World Water Week Participants Promote Clear Business Case for Nature-Based Solutions
UN Environment Programme
Drought is an increasingly urgent and systemic problem. More than a quarter of the global population live in countries facing extremely high water stress, exacerbated by climate change, with expected shocks to food and energy security, water availability and ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Groundwater depletion rates in India could triple in coming decades as climate warms, study shows
Science Daily
A new study finds that farmers in India have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation. If the trend continues, the rate of groundwater loss could triple by 2080, further threatening India’s food and water security. Reduced water availability in India due to groundwater depletion and climate change could threaten the livelihoods of more than one-third of the country’s 1.4 billion residents and has global implications. Click here to continue reading
Antarctica’s ice shelves are thinner than we thought. Here’s what that means for sea levels
CTV News
New research has found that previous studies on the Antarctic ice shelves may have overestimated their thickness, an important factor for scientists to determine how fast sea levels could rise. Researchers from Ohio State University say in a study published in the Journal of Glaciology last month that previous estimates were off by almost six per cent on average, amounting to a difference of about 17 metres. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: State-backed disinformation fuelling anger in China over Fukushima water
The Guardian
Japan began its release of more than 1m tonnes of water on 24 August. The process, which is expected to take decades, has been approved by the UN atomic watchdog and mirrors similar wastewater releases by other countries including China. However, several countries have expressed concerns or objections, with China and Hong Kong announcing bans on importing Japanese seafood. Click here to continue reading
‘Significant rain’ in Hay River, N.W.T., expected to reduce fire activity for next 2 days
CBC News
Significant rainfall and favourable winds are expected to reduce the fire risk around Hay River, N.W.T. for the next few days. After two days of gusting winds and heat that whipped up the wildfire burning around the community, rain began to fall in Hay River Saturday night. N.W.T. Fire said Sunday around 8 p.m. that about 20 millimetres of rain fell in the last 24 hours. Click here to continue reading
Crews battling Okanagan fires are in it for the ‘long haul’ as heat, drought continue: wildfire service
CBC News
British Columbia’s wildfire service says fire activity could pick up in the Okanagan Valley in the short term and crews are preparing for a “long haul” to contain the destructive McDougall Creek blaze amid ongoing dry, warm weather. Click here to continue reading
WSA launching infrastructure crossing replacement program
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is launching a new $500,000 cost-sharing pilot program that will assist rural municipalities (RMs) and irrigation districts with the cost of replacing aging infrastructure. RMs and irrigation districts replacing infrastructure like bridges or culverts that cross WSA channels are eligible for 50/50 cost sharing. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Why the UK government is relaxing rules for river pollution
The Conversation UK
The UK government has announced plans to enable the delivery of 100,000 new homes by 2030 that are currently being held up by a controversial EU law designed to protect water bodies from pollution. To re-start many of those stalled applications, the government is proposing an amendment to the law. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: As the Mississippi Swerves, Can We Let Nature Regain Control?
Yale Environment 360
After the lower Mississippi began pouring through and enlarging Neptune Pass in 2019, sediment began flowing into a sand-and-silt-starved Delta bay. Now the Army Corps of Engineers — breaking with tradition — is considering letting at least part of the river have its way. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: El Nino should benefit South American crops
The Western Producer
South American crop production should benefit from the El Nino weather phenomenon that is expected to be in place through the northern hemisphere winter, says an analyst. It will be a welcome reprieve from three consecutive years of La Nina, especially in Argentina, which is still recovering from the worst drought in 60 years. Argentina’s corn production fell 31 percent year-on-year in 2022-23, while its soybean output plummeted 43 percent. Both crops are expected to rebound in 2023-24. Click here to continue reading
Coastal fisheries show surprising resilience to marine heat waves
Science Daily
New research found that marine heat waves — prolonged periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures — haven’t had a lasting effect on the fish communities that feed most of the world. The finding is in stark contrast to the devastating effects seen on other marine ecosystems cataloged by scientists after similar periods of warming, including widespread coral bleaching and harmful algal blooms. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Residents return to find homes gone, towns devastated in path of Idalia
CTV News
Hurricanes and tropical storms are nothing new in the U.S. South, but the sheer magnitude of damage from Idalia shocked Desmond Roberson as he toured what as left of his Georgia neighbourhood. Roberson took a drive through Valdosta on Thursday with a friend to check out damage after the storm, which first hit Florida as a hurricane and then weakened into a tropical storm as it made its way north, ripped through the town of 55,000. Click here to continue reading
Himalayan avalanches are increasing risk for climbers in warming climate
The Guardian
Avalanches in the Himalayas are causing an increasing number of deaths and threatening the safety of climbers, research suggests. While high-altitude mountaineering comes with an inherent avalanche risk, global heating is exacerbating the danger during the climbing season in the Himalayan mountain range, experts warn. Click here to continue reading
Saskatchewan communities can now apply for Flood Damage Reduction Program
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is offering a cost-sharing rebate to help communities implement proactive flood damage prevention and reduction measures. The Flood Damage Reduction Program (FDRP) supports cities, towns, villages and hamlets at risk of recurrent flood damage. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Maui Fires Could Contaminate the Island’s Waters
Scientific American
Researchers in Hawaii are studying the effects of the deadly blazes on its island of Maui, including how they have impacted drinking-water quality and might affect local marine ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: China vs. Japan: Tension over Fukushima’s radioactive ocean dump | About That
CBC News
Japan is dumping treated radioactive wastewater from the ruined Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. China has responded by instituting a seafood ban that could create billion-dollar losses for Japan. Click here to continue reading
Can this forest survive? Predicting forest death or recovery after drought
Science Daily
How long can trees tolerate drought before the forest dies? Researchers from UC Davis can now predict which forests could survive despite future drought. Their new method links precipitation to tree growth, and it can help people decide where to put their resources as climate change affects patterns of snow and rainfall that impact the health of forests. Click here to continue reading
What’s in Floodwaters?
Scientific American
As water accumulates in a region, whether the cause is a storm’s effects, a dam failure or any other reason, it picks up a host of threats to human health, including bacteria, viruses, chemicals, debris, downed power lines and even wild animals. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Hurricane Idalia batters south-eastern US causing storm surges and power outages
The Guardian
Federal officials warned of “catastrophic and life-threatening” flooding across the south-eastern US on Wednesday after Hurricane Idalia crashed ashore in Florida with 125mph winds, torrential rains and surging seawater. Later in the afternoon the storm made its way up the coast to Georgia and the Carolinas. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: New EPA rule weakens protections for wetlands after supreme court ruling
The Guardian
The Biden administration weakened regulations protecting millions of acres of wetlands on Tuesday, saying it had no choice after the supreme court sharply limited the federal government’s jurisdiction over them. The rule would require that wetlands be more clearly connected to other waters like oceans and rivers, a policy shift that departs from a half-century of federal rules governing the nation’s waterways. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Rare blue supermoon could raise tides to exacerbate Idalia storm surge
The Guardian
A rare blue supermoon could raise tides above normal just as Hurricane Idalia smashes its way across Florida’s west coast, exacerbating flooding from the storm. The moon will be closest to the Earth on Wednesday, the day Idalia made landfall in Florida. While a supermoon can make for a spectacular backdrop in photos of landmarks around the world, its intensified gravitational pull also makes tides higher. Click here to continue reading
Heavy precipitation, glacier runoff forces trail closure in Nunavut’s Auyuittuq Park
CBC News
Parks Canada has closed a popular hiking route in Nunavut’s Auyuittuq National Park amid concerns over heavy precipitation, glacier runoff, and an increased risk of flooding and landslides. The closure last week meant that some hikers already in the park had to be retrieved by helicopter, while others had to rethink their travel plans. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Foreign ownership of Australia’s water rights on the rise
The Guardian
Foreign interests hold almost 12% of all water entitlements in the Murray-Darling Basin and the level of foreign ownership in water is increasing, a new report shows. Foreigners own or have a significant share in 4,503GL of Australian water entitlements, which is 11.3% of all the entitlements across the country, the Australian Taxation Office’s report says. Click here to continue reading
Why Alberta researchers are monitoring wastewater for opioids, lethal drugs
CTV News
A Calgary researcher is flagging the importance of monitoring Alberta’s wastewater for the presence of opioids and other lethal drugs, saying it could save lives. Dr. Monty Ghosh has been monitoring wastewater for a research study and says the use of carfentanyl, a synthetic opioid used in veterinary medicine to tranquilize large animals, rose dramatically in June when drug overdoses in the province spiked. Click here to continue reading
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
Early harvest another side effect of drought for many Alberta farmers
CBC News
It’s yet another symptom of the drought conditions plaguing Western Canada this year. The harvest in south and central Alberta is progressing ahead of schedule, according to provincial data, with the crops having matured faster than usual in the hot, dry conditions. Click here to continue reading
Canada’s lakes are becoming less blue — but that could be good for fish
CBC News
If you drive the Icefields Parkway through the Canadian Rockies, you’ll pass multiple turquoise-coloured lakes that are popular with tourists for taking photos. The lakes get their iconic colour from rock flour, which is similar in appearance to baker’s flour used for making bread. Rock flour is made from glaciers grinding rocks into powder, which can take thousands of years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Climate crisis means quarter of European ski resorts face scarce snow
The Guardian
A quarter of European ski resorts will have scarce snow every other year with 2C of global heating, a comprehensive analysis has found. It calls into question whether such resorts have a future as the climate crisis intensifies. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Rewetting peatland is good for the climate. Here’s why Europe is very slow at it
Euro News
Rewetting drained land could help in the fight against climate change but the EU’s agricultural subsidies scheme currently favours the use of drained land. Click here to continue reading
Visualizing the Global Population by Water Security Levels
Visual Capitalist
Most of the world’s population today lives in countries facing critical water security issues. Dealing with issues such as declining freshwater availability, demand from growing populations, insufficient infrastructure, or flawed water governance can impact how easily a country’s population can access water. A combination of multiple factors quickly makes problems with water security a lived reality. A recent Global Water Security Report by the United Nations University assessed the water security of different countries across the world. Click here to continue reading
B.C. crop yields up in the air amid drought
The Western Producer
Crops in British Columbia have gone from bad to worse as a grave wildfire situation compounds drought problems. B.C. Premier David Eby called a state of emergency for the entire province last week. B.C.’s Peace Country near the Alberta border, has dealt with fire and drought this year, but cereal, pulse and oilseed crops are being harvested, according to B.C. Grains spokesperson Jennifer Critcher. Click here to continue reading
Return of El Nino and a warmer ocean bring uncertainty
The Western Producer
Weather extremes in recent months have so far had limited impact on global crop production but the prospects for the coming year are uncertain as the world faces the return of El Nino, coupled with exceptionally warm ocean temperatures. El Nino and La Nina are the two ends of the Pacific Ocean oscillation and we know their usual impacts. Click here to continue reading
‘Double-whammy’ of wildfires and low river levels disrupting barge travel to N.W.T. communities
CBC News
Extremely dry conditions in the Northwest Territories is causing havoc both on land and in its waterways. Amidst wildfires that have forced the evacuation of more than two-thirds of the N.W.T.’s residents, low water levels in the Mackenzie River have caused problems for barges that supply fuel and cargo to some northern communities. Click here to continue reading
Brock University researchers analyzing toxic algae blooms in local waterway
Water Canada
A team of Brock researchers is gathering samples at the Wignell Drain in Port Colborne this summer as part of a study on factors contributing to algae blooms, which can be toxic to humans. Vaughn Mangal, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, and Kelly Biagi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, are collaborating with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and local residents on the project. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Indonesia’s tropical Eternity Glaciers could vanish within years, experts say
The Guardian
Two of the world’s few tropical glaciers, in Indonesia, are melting and their ice may vanish by 2026 or sooner as an El Niño weather pattern threatens to accelerate their demise, the country’s geophysics agency has said. Click here to continue reading
Reefs made from trees could help restore biodiversity, study finds
The Guardian
Reefs made from sunken trees can help restore biodiversity in degraded marine habitats, scientists have found. It is estimated that coral reefs support about 25% of all marine life. They provide housing, food and areas to spawn for millions of marine species and are the backbone of maintaining the aquatic life cycle. Click here to continue reading
Epcor tackles flooding mitigation as climate change challenges Edmonton’s water supply
CBC News
Edmonton’s utility company, Epcor, plans to start building a concrete wall and berms around parts of its water treatment plants at Rossdale and E.L. Smith — both in the North Saskatchewan River floodplain — to help protect the region’s water supply. Construction on the flood mitigation project is slated to start next year with a budget of $65 million, with about $22 million coming from the federal and provincial governments. Click here to continue reading
Stormwater biofiltration increases coho salmon hatchling survival
Science Daily
A relatively simple, inexpensive method of filtering urban stormwater runoff dramatically boosted survival of newly hatched coho salmon in an experimental study. That’s the good news for the threatened species. The bad news: unfiltered stormwater killed almost all of them. Click here to continue reading
Wet and humid P.E.I. summer has left some grain growers in ‘lots of hurt’
CBC News
Grain growers on Prince Edward Island have seen better years, but some haven’t seen very many worse than this one. At Meadowbrook Farms in Winsloe, David Mol was using the sunshine on Thursday to cut a field of Helena milling wheat ahead of another torrential weather system forecast for Saturday and Sunday. Click here to continue reading
City of Lethbridge lowers lake to prepare for goldfish mitigation
CTV News
A portion of Ermineglen Road was closed Wednesday in order to lower the water at Chinook Lake. There will be no through traffic between 122 and 163 Emineglen Road, which is the intersection leaving Ermineglen Road through to Kodiak Boulevard, until September 15. The closure is because the city is preparing to mitigate the goldfish population, which is an invasive species that has been introduced into Alberta lakes, ponds and waterways. Click here to continue reading
Wetaskiwin water bills show estimation correction
The Wetaskiwin Times
Wetaskiwin residents have been wondering what’s been going on with their water bills. While not all customers were impacted, several Peace Hills Utilities Inc. customers saw an increase or decrease in their water consumption on the July bills. Click here to continue reading
Stettler county council says AgriRecovery program will fight drought
East Central Alberta Review
The County of Stettler is calling on the Government of Alberta to bring back a popular and effective agriculture program that the municipality feels will address the effects of drought on its producers. The discussion was held at the Aug. 9 regular meeting of council. Click here to continue reading
Solar powered irrigation: A game-changer for small-scale farms in sub-Saharan Africa
Science Daily
A new study finds that standalone solar photovoltaic irrigation systems have the potential to meet more than a third of the water needs for crops in small-scale farms across sub-Saharan Africa. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: China bans Japanese seafood after Fukushima wastewater release
The Guardian
Japan has begun discharging more than 1m tonnes of tainted water into the Pacific Ocean from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in a move that has prompted China to announce an immediate blanket ban on all seafood imports from Japan and sparked anger in nearby fishing communities. Click here to continue reading
Alta. irrigators cautioned as water levels worsen
The Western Producer
Alberta is elevating its water shortage rating to Stage 4 of its five-level conservation and management system as municipalities and irrigation districts are stressing the need not to waste any of the resource because of the conditions along the South Saskatchewan basin. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Southern California’s ‘water doctor’ pushes for transformation to adapt to climate change
Los Angeles Times
As general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Hagekhalil is responsible for ensuring water for 19 million people, leading the nation’s largest wholesale supplier of drinking water. He says that with climate change upending the water cycle, the three existing aqueducts will no longer be sufficient. Click here to continue reading
Microplastics now pervasive in Great Lakes, with 90% of water samples surpassing safe levels for aquatic wildlife: new studies
International Institute for Sustainable Development
However, if Canada and the United States act together soon, we can develop systems to monitor and reduce the risks that these pollutants pose to the health of these critical ecosystems. Click here to continue reading
Heavy rain aids in tempering B.C. wildfires in Shuswap, Okanagan regions
CTV News
Firefighters in British Columbia’s southern Interior continue to battle a number of major blazes, having been aided by ample rainfall that fell Wednesday over the Okanagan and Shuswap regions. Click here to continue reading
Canadian hydroelectric megaproject completes earthfill dam
Ground Engineering
Canadian electric utility BC Hydro announced the completion of the Site C earthfill dam at the end of last month. The 60m tall structure is 500m wide at its base and stretches more than 1km across Peace River in north east British Columbia. Site C will form a third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the river. Once completed in 2025, it will provide 1,100MW of capacity and produce about 5,100GWh of electricity each year. Construction on the project began in 2015. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Murray-Darling Basin Plan to be extended under a new agreement, without Victoria – but an uphill battle lies ahead
The Conversation – Australia + New Zealand
It was clear too much water was being taken out of the system and everyone would suffer if Basin states could not find a better way to share. But it has been much harder to strike the right balance than first hoped. Click here to continue reading
Reusing some household water can help with drought. Here’s why that’s tricky in Canada
CBC News
For a while, every time Caetano Dorea’s kids took a bath, he used a bilge pump to save the water and pour it on his plants outside. As a University of Victoria engineering professor specializing in wastewater treatment, Dorea knows more than the average person about how much water the average household uses in Canada. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Coastal squeeze:’ Massive loss of U.S. coastline tidal flats over 31 years
Science Daily
The entire contiguous U.S. has experienced massive urban expansions and the Atlantic Coast shows outstandingly high rates. Urban expansion has substantially squeezed the space of tidal flats and affected surrounding environments. In new urban areas, tidal flats have undergone considerable degeneration with more significant patterns as they get closer to new urban locations. Tidal flats protect against the ocean’s destructive powers such as hurricanes. Without some inland spaces to move around, they will likely disappear, which will have dire consequences for beachfront communities. Click here to continue reading
Highway between Banff and Jasper reopens after being washed out by river
CTV News
A road closure that shut down travel on Highway 93 has been cleared, officials said Tuesday afternoon. Officials said earlier in the day that Highway 93 was closed in both directions between Saskatchewan River Crossing and Parker Ridge because the river had washed out the road. Click here to continue reading
Red Deer County gravel pit not source of water well contamination: report
Red Deer Advocate
A Red Deer County-operated gravel pit was not responsible for contaminating a nearby water well with aluminum and lead concluded an Alberta Parks and Protected Places investigation. Click here to continue reading
Thinning ice sheets may drive sharp rise in subglacial waters
Science Daily
A new study shows that water underneath glaciers may surge due to thinning ice sheets — a dangerous feedback cycle that could increase glacial melt, sea level rise, and biological disturbances. Click here to continue reading
Saskatchewan government to offer $70 million to help drought-stricken producers
Ponoka News
The funds are to provide farmers with up to $80 per head to maintain breeding stock for beef cattle, bison, elk, deer, sheep and goats. The money was triggered through AgriRecovery, a federal-provincial framework that’s used to help producers recover from natural disasters, like drought. Click here to continue reading
Calgary sees ‘noticeable decrease’ in water use amid restrictions: city
Global News
A week into restrictions imposed by the City of Calgary on outdoor water use, city officials are noting a “noticeable decrease” in water demand. According to the city’s water services department, Calgarians reduced their daily water use between 57 million and 87 million litres during the hot and dry days following the declaration of Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Japan set to release water from Fukushima nuclear power plant into ocean later this week
CBC News
Japan said on Tuesday it will start releasing radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug. 24, putting into motion a plan that has drawn strong criticism from China. The plan, approved two years ago by the Japanese government as crucial to decommissioning the plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), has also faced criticism from local fishing groups, who fear reputational damage and a threat to their livelihood. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Water harvesting in Death Valley: Conquering the arid wilderness
Science Daily
Death Valley desert represents one of the world’s hottest and most arid regions. With persistently elevated temperatures reaching 40 degrees even at midnight, soaring to a scorching 57 degrees during day, and a relative humidity below 7%, the area experiences exceptionally dry conditions. Click here to continue reading
Why beaver-like dams can protect communities from flooding – new research
The Conversation – UK
Low cost, human-made river barriers, similar to those built by beavers, can protect communities at risk of flooding. Our new research has found that such natural barriers intentionally increase water levels upstream to slow down river flow. These flood barriers are made of materials like logs, branches, mud and leaves. They reduce downstream water levels by deliberately blocking the river and storing the water. They then slow down the river flow during a storm. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Escaping PFAS is nearly impossible’: Nearly half of US tap water tainted with forever chemicals
Euro News
Almost half of America’s tap water could contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS, according to government data. Testing by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that water for as many as 26 million people in hundreds of communities across the country had measurable levels of PFAS. Click here to continue reading
Blue-green algae advisory issued for Pigeon and Wizard lakes
Global News
Health advisories have been issued for two popular lakes in the Edmonton region. Alberta Health Services issued blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) advisories for both Wizard Lake and nearby Pigeon Lake, both located south of Edmonton in Leduc County and County of Wetaskiwin. Click here to continue reading
Marmot Basin sees August snowfall
CTV News
While central and north-central Alberta are soggy, it’s snowing hard at higher levels through the mountains near Jasper. Marmot Basin webcams from Friday afternoon show several centimetres of snow accumulation on the upper mountain and although there’s not much snow on the ground mid-mountain, snowflakes are falling. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Hurricane Hilary threatens ‘catastrophic’ flooding in Mexico and California, now in a state of emergency
CBC News
Hurricane Hilary roared toward Mexico’s Baja California peninsula late Saturday as a downgraded but still dangerous Category 1 hurricane likely to bring “catastrophic” flooding to the region and cross into the southwestern U.S. as a tropical storm. Click here to continue reading
Dwindling water supply leaves some southern Alberta farmers dry
CBC News
Record-breaking high temperatures across southern Alberta, a lack of rain and evaporation in reservoirs have led to more than 30 water shortage advisories across the province. Farmers, ranchers, rural municipalities, cities, towns and villages have been told to cut back on water use. Click here to continue reading
Helpful hints to tend to your garden during a heat wave and drought
CBC News
Tending to your vegetable garden should be a relaxing endeavour but it might become stressful if your plants are parched and are suffering from the intense heat. Click here to continue reading
Farmers in B.C. brace for fish-protection water restrictions
The Western Producer
The crop situation in British Columbia is dire as drought and fire continue to plague much of the province and rivers that provide irrigation are drying up, according to the executive director of B.C. Agriculture Council. Click here to continue reading
Farmers play the thunderstorm lottery
The Western Producer
From May until early August, almost all rain that fell on southern Manitoba came from thunderstorms. There hadn’t been a widespread rain for months — until the weekend of Aug. 12. The rain’s arrival is too late for crops like wheat and oats, but the precipitation should provide a boost for corn and soybean yields in Manitoba. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Drinking water of millions of Americans contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’
The Guardian
Drinking water consumed by millions of Americans from hundreds of communities spread across the United States is contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic chemicals, according to testing data released on Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Click here to continue reading
Cleaning water with ‘smart rust’ and magnets
Science Daily
Pouring flecks of rust into water usually makes it dirtier. But researchers have developed special iron oxide nanoparticles called ‘smart rust’ that actually makes it cleaner. The magnetic nanoparticles attract different pollutants by changing the particles’ coating and are removed from water with a magnet. Now, the team is reporting a smart rust that traps estrogen hormones, which are potentially harmful to aquatic life. Click here to continue reading
Collecting clean water from fog
Science Daily
Researchers have demonstrated the use of a specially coated metal mesh to harvest water from fog and simultaneously remove pollutants. People living in foggy areas with low rainfall should benefit from this technology. Click here to continue reading
City of Lethbridge asking residents to conserve water
Global News
Southern Alberta has been experiencing dry, hot weather and it’s taking a toll on water supplies in the region. The city is now asking for voluntary action from residents to help prevent the need for mandatory restrictions in the coming days and weeks. Click here to continue reading
Low water and high temperatures threaten fish and other wetland species
CTV News
The long, hot summer and exceptionally low water levels have combined to leave some Alberta rivers dry or so warm that trout and other aquatic species are struggling to survive. Lesley Peterson, a biologist with Trout Unlimited Canada, says field teams are finding stretches of tributary rivers and streams that have gone completely dry. Click here to continue reading
Bragg Creek beaver problem be damned! Groups turn flood risk into coexistence opportunity
CBC News
From the gravel on Mountain Road you can see the beaver’s work. There’s pools of water held back by stacks of twigs and branches. And headed into the thick of the woods, more of these animal-made dams. It’s a pretty sight cast against the West Bragg Creek scenery. The beavers really settled into the region after the 2013 flood. When these well-meaning engineers move in, they start working. Beavers are a bit compulsive: they hear flowing water, and have to block it up. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Coral are going to die’: Maui wildfires take toxic toll on marine ecology
The Guardian
Layers of charred soils and toxic contaminants were left among the wreckage, where thousands of buildings and blackened cars lie in smoldering ruins. The conflagration that claimed more lives than any other US wildfire in the last century burned to the shoreline, littering underwater habitats with scorched boats and debris. The ashen aftermath could end up wreaking more havoc if allowed to slip into the aquatic environment. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Scientists lament Southern Ocean ‘data desert’, just as climate crisis brings frightening changes
The Guardian
A chronic shortage of observations of the vast ocean surrounding Antarctica is hindering more accurate forecasts of the consequences of the climate crisis, a meeting of 300 scientists has concluded. Click here to continue reading
Investing in Alberta’s wetlands and watersheds
Government of Alberta
This year, Alberta’s government is providing $3.5 million to fund 22 projects in rural and urban communities through the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program. The funding is helping restore riverbanks and wetlands, protect streambanks and improve natural drainage among other projects. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: 25 Countries, Housing One-quarter of the Population, Face Extremely High Water Stress
World Resources Institute
New data from WRI’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas show that 25 countries — housing one-quarter of the global population — face extremely high water stress each year, regularly using up almost their entire available water supply. And at least 50% of the world’s population — around 4 billion people — live under highly water-stressed conditions for at least one month of the year. Click here to continue reading
Lacombe tackling water loss
Red Deer Advocate
Billions of litres of treated drinking water are being lost in Canadian communities every year. The City of Lacombe is among those municipalities trying to get a handle on the problem and find ways to stem the flow of losses. Click here to continue reading
Our oceans are the warmest in recorded history. This is why it’s so concerning
CBC News
Our oceans are running a fever. And just like when we run a fever, it’s indicative that something is very wrong. On Monday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that July ocean temperatures were the hottest they’ve ever been. Click here to continue reading
Blue-green algae advisory issued for Alix Lake
Red Deer Advocate
Blue-green algae has been found in Alix Lake and prompted an advisory from Alberta Health Services. AHS issued the advisory on Monday, telling visitors and residents to the lake that they should avoid all contact with blooms, avoid swimming or wading where blooms are visible and avoid giving fish from the lake to pets. Click here to continue reading
90% of Great Lakes water samples have unsafe microplastic levels – report
The Guardian
About 90% of water samples taken over the last 10 years from the Great Lakes contain microplastic levels that are unsafe for wildlife, a new peer-reviewed paper from the University of Toronto finds. Click here to continue reading
Water conservation plan initiated in Lethbridge and area
CTV News
The City of Lethbridge is asking residents and business owners to cut down on their water usage in the midst of drought-like conditions. Officials announced the measures on Thursday as “extended dry, hot weather conditions” are having an impact on southern Alberta’s water supplies. All of the rules are voluntary, the city said, and will work to prevent a mandatory conservation plan in the future. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Water Quality in Coal Creek Following the 2021 Marshall Fire
Natural Hazards Center
The Marshall Fire was the largest of multiple fires that spread through Boulder County on December 30, 2021, destroying over 1,000 structures and raising concerns regarding the water quality and ecosystem health of Coal Creek. This stream and wetland habitat play a crucial role in supporting sensitive species and are important for recreation and agriculture within the affected region. This study was designed to monitor the impacts of the fire on water quality at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where constituents (some of which may be contaminants) can enter the stream from both wildland and urban sources. Click here to continue reading
City of Calgary declares Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions
City of Calgary
The quality of The City’s drinking water remains high; this is an issue of quantity, not quality. These restrictions apply to all customers that use water from The City of Calgary including all Calgary residences, businesses and City operations. Calgarians can still use water outdoors during Stage 1; however, there are restrictions on how and when water can be used as outlined in the Water Utility Bylaw. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Extreme water stress faced by countries home to quarter of world population
The Guardian
Twenty-five countries that are home to a quarter of the world’s population are facing extreme water stress, according to new research. Data from the World Resources Institute suggests these countries are regularly using 80% of their water supplies each year. WRI’s Aqueduct water risk map reveals demand for water is increasing around the world and has more than doubled since 1960. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Great Lakes gets its first wind farm – but some fear environmental fallout
The Guardian
With a surface water area larger than the entire UK, the five Great Lakes might seem like an obvious location for offshore wind. The US Department of Energy says that the lakes collectively boast the potential to provide 700 gigawatts of offshore electricity – enough to power millions of homes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: United Utilities fined £800,000 for taking 22bn litres of water from aquifer
The Guardian
United Utilities has been fined £800,000 after illegally abstracting 22bn litres of water in Lancashire, causing damage to an important aquifer that will take years to recover. The illegal removal of water from the Fylde aquifer, which happened during a period of dry weather in 2018, is likely to have negatively affected river flows. Click here to continue reading
Flood insurance could soon be available to all property owners in Canada
CBC News
As Nova Scotia continues to clean up after last month’s destructive flooding, the federal government and the Insurance Bureau of Canada are working on a way to make insurance coverage for that kind of damage possible. Currently, standard insurance policies generally do not cover storm surge and overland flooding because it is considered too high risk. Click here to continue reading
Firefighters hoping for rain for ‘reprieve’ in battling wildfires in Alberta-N.W.T.
Sylvan News
Evacuations have been ordered for Fort Smith, Enterprise, Jean Marie River and Hay River. Many highways have been closed by the fires and the territory is mounting what officials have called the largest airlift in its history. Canadian Forces personnel are helping firefighters and flying evacuees out on Hercules aircraft. Click here to continue reading
Green lawn paint makes it easy to be the envy of the neighbourhood amid water restrictions in B.C.
CTV News
Despite water restrictions, a house in Surrey’s Fraser Heights neighbourhood has a lush-looking lawn – but it’s not because the owners ran their sprinklers illegally. Instead they hired a company to paint their parched brown grass green. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Irrigating more US crops by mid-century will be worth the investment
Science Daily
With climate change, irrigating more crops in the United States will be critical to sustaining future yields, as drought conditions are likely to increase due to warmer temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns. Yet less than 20% of croplands are equipped for irrigation. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: We can’t allow our right to water to go down the drain
Euronews
Europeans are still finding their access to water under threat and measures taken to protect this fundamental human right might not be bold enough. Click here to continue reading
Long delays at Panama Canal after drought hits global shipping route
The Guardian
Commercial ships are facing long queues and delays to travel through the Panama Canal as a lengthy drought in the Central American country has led to a cut in the number of vessels able to pass through one of the world’s most important trading routes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: China’s oldest water pipes were a communal effort
Science Daily
A system of ancient ceramic water pipes, the oldest ever unearthed in China, shows that neolithic people were capable of complex engineering feats without the need for a centralized state authority, finds a new study. Click here to continue reading
Water restrictions in place for some southern Alberta communities as temperatures soar
CTV News
The Town of Pincher Creek is currently under a stage 2 water restriction, meaning residents can only water their lawns once a week and all watering activities are restricted to the hours of 6 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 11 p.m. Click here to continue reading
Irrigation to end early in southern Alberta
Global News
Irrigation has been the only thing keeping some southern Alberta farmers going the past couple of years, but the stream of water will be shutting off earlier than usual this year. According to the Raymond Irrigation District (RID) extremely low reservoir levels have led to the decision to shut off water earlier than normal. Click here to continue reading
New research offers solutions to improve drinking water access in developing countries
Science Daily
New research examines the critical problem of drinking water access in rural areas of developing countries and recommends optimal locations to build new water projects. Click here to continue reading
More than 300 million litres of sewage water poured into Ottawa River during storm
Ottawa Citizen
Last week’s severe thunderstorm overwhelmed Ottawa’s new, purpose-built sewage and stormwater storage tunnel, sending 316 million litres of contaminated water pouring into the Ottawa River. It was the worst overflow since the $232 million Combined Sewage Storage Tunnel (CSST) went into service in 2020. Click here to continue reading
A Pacific marine heat wave has arrived in B.C. waters. Here’s what it means for ocean life
CBC News
A warm water mass heating up Pacific waters for months has arrived in British Columbia — raising alarms about what impact those temperatures could have on marine life native to the coast. The Pacific marine heat wave started forming about 1,600 kilometres off the coast in May, but in recent weeks has migrated east toward B.C. and Oregon. The warm water mass, about four million square kilometres in size, was predicted to wash up on B.C. shores by mid-August. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Creating ‘sponge cities’ to cope with more rainfall needn’t cost billions – but NZ has to start now
The Conversation – Australia + New Zealand
The “sponge city” concept is gaining traction as a way to mitigate extreme weather, save lives and even make cities more pleasant places to live. This is particularly important when existing urban stormwater infrastructure is often already ageing and inadequate. Auckland has even been cutting spending on critical stormwater repairs for at least the past two years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: 300,000 residents left without reliable water sources as drought ravages southern France
Euro News
As Europe continues to experience recording breaking heatwaves, southern France has been hit by severe drought. Following the country’s hottest year ever in 2022, France is once again struggling to handle the heat. High temperatures and low rainfall have resulted in issues with fresh water supply across the country. This week, over 300,000 commune inhabitants have had their water supplies disrupted. Some 67 communes are now receiving water by tanker and 18 by bottles. Click here to continue reading
‘Train Wreck’ Feared as BC Water Use Rules Begin to Bite
The Tyee
With large parts of British Columbia in drought this summer, the province is beginning to cut groundwater access to unlicensed water users. But critics like BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau say users losing access to water — including farmers — are victims of a botched government attempt to transition to a new licensing system. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: As Armenian Fish Farming Expands, a Pristine Aquifer Is Drying Up
Yale Environment 360
In recent decades, aquaculture has proliferated in Armenia’s Ararat Valley. The heightened use of water, combined with a warming climate and increased drought, has led to groundwater reserves shrinking by two-thirds, once-bountiful farms withering, and wells going dry. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Oil drilling threatens the Okavango River Basin, putting water in Namibia and Botswana at risk
The Conversation Africa
The Namibian and Botswana governments may be risking their water resources for oil and gas revenue. They have licensed a Canadian firm, ReconAfrica, to prospect for oil in the Cubango Okavango River Basin, in an area covering 34,000km². Click here to continue reading
Even treated wastewater affects our rivers
Science Daily
Wastewater treatment plants are undoubtedly a great achievement. After all, they have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of natural waters. A study shows, however, that substances still manage to enter the water cycle that have an impact on the composition of the organisms living in it. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘An utter disgrace’: 90% of England’s most precious river habitats blighted by raw sewage and farming pollution
The Guardian
More than 90% of freshwater habitats on England’s most precious rivers are in unfavourable condition, blighted by farming pollution, raw sewage and water abstraction, an Observer investigation reveals. None of the approximately 40 rivers with protected habitats in England are in overall good health, according to an analysis of government inspection reports. These include the River Avon in Hampshire, the Wensum in Norfolk and the Eden in Cumbria. Click here to continue reading
Amid drought, several Metro Vancouver cities are inviting residents to show off their brown lawn — for a prize
CBC News
Amidst new water restrictions, several Lower Mainland municipalities are encouraging residents to flaunt their dehydrated lawns with pride. Municipalities including Port Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack are asking residents to submit photos of their well-maintained, albeit brown lawns to win a prize. Click here to continue reading
‘The saving grace for agriculture’: Farmers look to irrigation amid climate woes
CBC News
Sean Stanford’s wheat farm just south of Lethbridge, Alta. falls within the far left corner of Palliser’s Triangle — an expanse of prairie grassland encompassing much of southeast Alberta, a swath of southern Saskatchewan, and the southwest corner of Manitoba. The area is named for explorer Capt. John Palliser, who in 1857, famously declared the entire region a wasteland — so hot and arid that no crops would ever grow. Click here to continue reading
Drought can have an impact on soil test results
The Western Producer
The direct damage from drought is obvious, but the real hurt might lie deeper in the soil and affect next year’s crop. The crop-killing drought that’s hanging prairie crops out to dry will have an impact on residual nutrients this fall. What can producers expect to see in their soil tests? Click here to continue reading
Drones put to work tracking down water stress relationship
The Western Producer
A University of Saskatchewan researcher is using drones to study the correlation between the thermal temperature of a plant and water stress, which typically means a shortness of water. Click here to continue reading
Return of El Niño raises risk of hunger, drought and malaria, scientists warn
The Guardian
The return of El Niño against the backdrop of the climate crisis will hurt people’s health in many parts of the world, scientists have warned. The hot natural weather pattern is back after three years of its cooler sister, La Niña, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed last month. As it grows stronger, scientists fear it will raise the risk in some countries of hunger, drought and malaria. Click here to continue reading
Mix of rain, hot weather present challenge for farmers in central Alberta
CTV News
Spring and summer have brought plenty of heat and rain, but it’s not all good news for farmers. Scott Jespersen says it’s created a unique situation. Click here to continue reading
Sask. RM declares ag disaster despite irrigation
The Western Producer
The council of the Rural Municipality of Rudy declared a drought disaster late last month even though it’s in the heart of Saskatchewan’s main irrigation area. The RM said drought and grasshopper infestations created the agricultural disaster. Less than 25 millimetres of rain have fallen in much of the region around Outlook. Click here to continue reading
Irrigators test direct seeding to prevent erosion
The Western Producer
Irrigation in southern Alberta has proven transformational to the ability to grow crops in the region, but although it has delivered water to the dusty plains, it hasn’t tamed the wind. Direct seeding is a piece in the puzzle to stem wind erosion in the area known for gales that can make it hard to keep a vehicle on the road, let alone valuable topsoil on the ground. Click here to continue reading
Drought another threat to beef herd
The Western Producer
The situation comes at a time of record demand for beef along with positive market signals for the industry. But to take advantage of the situation, changes are needed to business risk strategies. Alberta triggered the AgriRecovery program assessment process earlier this summer. Producers are now waiting for the results from the federal government. If successful, that program could provide stability to cattle inventories, depending on the shape the initiative takes. Click here to continue reading
VIDEO: River levels run low in Alta.
The Western Producer
Watershed council directors who manage two of the largest waterway systems in southern Alberta say the Bow and Oldman rivers will struggle to provide water to irrigators if present conditions persist. They said the rivers can currently deal with the lowest water levels seen in two decades, but there are limits. Water shortage advisories have gone out for 11 tributaries for that feed into the Bow and Oldman. Click here to continue reading
The desperate race to create a protection zone around the rapidly melting Arctic
The Guardian
The ice once protected the Arctic ocean from threats – but as it melts it exposes the sea to fishing, shipping, mining and pollution. Would a marine protected area help secure this fragile ecosystem or is it too late? Click here to continue reading
Microplastics found embedded in tissues of whales and dolphins
Science Daily
Microscopic plastic particles have been found in the fats and lungs of two-thirds of the marine mammals in a graduate student’s study of ocean microplastics. The presence of polymer particles and fibers in these animals suggests that microplastics can travel out of the digestive tract and lodge in the tissues. Click here to continue reading
Hamilton tenants went 12 weeks without running water. Internal city emails reveal what went wrong
CBC News
Tenants at a downtown apartment building had been without running water for two days after pipes froze and burst. The landlord had yet to make any repairs. Within minutes of the CHCH news segment airing, the mayor sent an email to top staff, including city manager Janette Smith who oversees all divisions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Norway prepares for more evacuations as river levels keep rising
CBC News
Authorities were on standby to evacuate more people in southeastern Norway on Friday, where huge amounts of water, littered with broken trees, debris and trash, thundered down the usually serene rivers after days of torrential rain. The level of water in swollen rivers and lakes continued to grow despite two days of dry but overcast weather, with houses abandoned in flooded areas, cars coated in mud and camping sites swamped. Click here to continue reading
Watch where you step: Tourists voice concerns after slipping into holes on icefield glacier
CBC News
When Richard Strandquist and his family stepped off a glacier sight-seeing tour on the Columbia Icefield last month, the safe zone wasn’t yet marked. Strandquist said staff told guests to stay in the plowed area until a perimeter was established. As Strandquist walked on what he thought was solid ice, his left leg suddenly plunged into a water-filled ice hole. Click here to continue reading
Water monitoring group finds 16 invasive crayfish in Nose Creek in less than 60 seconds
CBC News
A record number of invasive northern crayfish has been counted in one of Calgary’s northeast water bodies this past week by a volunteer advocacy group, Save Nose Creek. The group has been testing Nose Creek each week since June for water quality, chemicals and invertebrates, as part of their training with CreekWatch Alberta. Click here to continue reading
Lack of snow shuts down Haig Glacier training in Alberta for the first time in program history
CBC News
Reliable access to summer snow, groomed trails, simple alpine huts to rest your head after a long slosh on skis — all perched atop a mountain in Alberta’s Peter Lougheed Provincial Park near Haig Glacier. The Beckie Scott High-Performance Training Centre has given athletes an edge for decades. A chance for bonding, conditioning in high altitudes and off-season practice, but not this year. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Water wars: meet the guardians of one of Europe’s most vital wetlands
The Guardian
In the heart of Spain’s Doñana national park, a battle is being waged to safeguard one of the most important wetlands in Europe. Doñana, with its impressive landscapes and extraordinary biodiversity, hosts an estimated 6 million migratory birds every year. But its fate hangs in the balance. Click here to continue reading
Risk management options are available for drought relief
The Western Producer
At the end of June 2023, 83 percent of the prairie region was classified as abnormally dry or in moderate drought, including 90 percent of the region’s agricultural landscape. With no end in sight to higher-than-normal temperatures, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to look into risk management options. Click here to continue reading
Feed tests especially important during drought
The Western Producer
Several areas in Western Canada are suffering from drought again this year. Drought creates many difficulties for ranchers, who must struggle with the immediate and long-term problems that can arise from not having enough forage for their cattle. Click here to continue reading
Growing more crop per drop
The Western Producer
As irrigation water allocations become more scarce, irrigation farmers battle each other and government regulators for water rights. Some parties have expressed concern about the long-term sustainability of irrigation farming. Click here to continue reading
Province confirms poor water quality in Washington state river is coming from B.C.
CBC News
The province has confirmed water of poor quality flowing through the Nooksack River in Washington state is coming from multiple sources in B.C. This comes a month after Washington farmers and officials called upon B.C. to investigate and address high levels of fecal bacteria coming from the Canadian side of the border. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Sydney’s drinking water quality under threat from climate crisis, report finds
The Guardian
Sydney’s drinking water is unlikely to remain healthy unless the effects of the climate crisis are mitigated, according to a report handed to the New South Wales government. Click here to continue reading
Fears over Antarctic sea ice as yearly ozone layer hole forms ‘very early’
The Guardian
The hole in the ozone layer has begun to form early this year, prompting warnings that a larger-than-average hole may further warm the Southern Ocean while the level of Antarctic sea ice is at a record low. Satellite data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts suggests the hole has already begun to form over Antarctica. Click here to continue reading
Touring water infrastructure south of the border
Government of Alberta
Representatives from several southern Alberta communities will also attend the tour. The trip will include a visit to the St. Mary Canal and the repaired Drop 5 infrastructure, which helps divert water from the St. Mary River to the Milk River. During the tour, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss water security in the region and new areas for collaboration. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Public could receive hundreds of millions as water firms face sewage lawsuit
The Guardian
The public could receive hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation in the first class action against water companies which are alleged to have failed to reveal the true scale of raw sewage discharges, and abused their position as privatised monopolies. Click here to continue reading
Why B.C.’s lakes inspire legends and myths of monsters
CBC News
Travel to a popular lake in British Columbia, and chances are you’ll encounter a beach, some boats — and a tale about some sort of unidentified creature that lurks beneath the surface. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Hoodies sell out in Tonga as El Niño brings wintry chill
The Guardian
Tonga is bracing for more chilly weather as the Pacific nation shivers through one of its coldest winters ever, sparking a rush for jackets and heating units. The island has experienced unusually cold weather through July and Tonga Meteorological Services (TMS) recorded a low of 9.3 degrees Celsius at the Lapaha village weather station at the end of the month. The country’s record low of 8.7C was set in September 1994. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: More than 1m acres of Indigenous land flooded by dams, new study finds
The Guardian
More than a million acres of tribal land – an area larger than the state of Rhode Island – have been flooded by dams, compounding centuries of land seizures and forced displacement by settler colonials and the US government, new research has found. Click here to continue reading
Protecting nature at the Massé Stream in Montérégie, part of $6.7 million in national habitat protection
Water Canada
The project aims to improve the ecological functions of riparian buffer zones and the water quality of the Massé Stream, and will educate and raise community awareness of issues affecting natural biodiversity. As part of these efforts, Ciel et Terre will identify priority areas for intervention, clean up shorelines, plant riparian buffer strips, remove invasive exotic species, and deliver education and awareness campaigns. Click here to continue reading
Extreme weather: glacial flooding, wildfires and hailstorms cause havoc across the world – video
The Guardian
Countries across the globe are facing a range of extreme weather events. In Germany, snowploughs were deployed in the middle of summer to shift ice from roads after a hailstorm. Severe flooding has affected parts of Europe including Sweden and Slovenia, with hundreds of houses submerged. Human-caused climate change is supercharging extreme weather across the world, driving more frequent and more deadly disasters, from heatwaves to floods to wildfires. Click here to continue reading
Special Areas farmers battle drought, grasshoppers and crop failures
East Central Alberta Review
Special Areas declared an agricultural disaster on July 12 for Special Areas No. 2, 3 and 4 due to prolonged drought conditions. According to information prepared by the Special Areas agricultural fieldmen, this year’s drought conditions have worsened due to the increased amount of grasshoppers they are seeing. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Then vs. now: Did the Horn of Africa reach a drought tipping point 11,700 years ago?
Science Daily
If climate models predict that much of tropical Africa will become wetter with a warming climate, then why does it keep getting drier in the Horn of Africa? Click here to continue reading
Measuring the extent of global droughts in unprecedented detail
Science Daily
While some parts of the world suffer extreme heat and persistent drought, others are being flooded. Overall, continental water volumes vary so much over time that global sea levels fluctuate significantly too. By combining the hydrological model WaterGAP with GRACE satellite data, a team of geodesists have come up with a new set of data that shows how the total distribution of water over the Earth’s land surfaces has changed over the past 20 years more accurately than ever before. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Heavy rains cause partial dam collapse, flooding in Norway
CBC News
Storm Hans battered Norway with heavy rains Tuesday and Wednesday. Flooding of the Braskereidfoss power dam control room prevented the hatches from opening, causing a partial collapse and flooding downriver. The heavy rains provoked mudslides and swollen rivers which swept away some structures and flooded towns, requiring the evacuation of more than 3,000 people and isolating others. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: An £800 million legal challenge against six water utilities begins
Global Water Intelligence
Professor Carolyn Roberts has instructed the law firm Leigh Day to instigate a collective legal action against six English water companies to claim compensation on behalf of customers on the basis that the companies have under-reported sewage discharges and that Ofwat should have lowered their tariffs as a consequence. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: California Waves Have Grown a Foot Taller because of Climate Change
Scientific American
A new study, published Tuesday in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, finds that average winter wave heights have grown by as much as a foot in the last 50 years. And between 1996 and 2016, the number of extreme wave events — when they are taller than 13 feet — doubled from the period between 1949 to 1969. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: 15 Million People Are at Risk from Bursting Glacial Lakes
Scientific American
At least 15 million people worldwide live in the flood paths of dangerous glacial lakes that can abruptly burst their banks and rush down mountainsides. Click here to continue reading
Help for Alberta farmers impacted by wildfire and drought
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The AgriStability program has reopened for late participation so producers affected by wildfires and drought can consider enrolling to manage business risks. Alberta producers can sign up for AgriStability until September 29. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: China floods: at least 14 killed after torrential rain in north-east
The Guardian
At least 14 people are dead after torrential rain hit China’s north-eastern Jilin province, state media has reported, in the latest fatalities from more than a week of weather-related disasters across the country. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Japan to start Fukushima water release within weeks – report
The Guardian
Japan plans to start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as soon as late August, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun daily reported on Monday, citing unnamed government sources. Click here to continue reading
Current estimates of Lake Erie algae toxicity may miss the mark
ScienceDaily
A new study analyzing toxins produced by Microcystis, the main type of cyanobacteria that compose the annual harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Lake Erie, suggests that the toxicity of the bloom may be overestimated in earlier warm months and underestimated later in the summer. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: In the Utah desert, can golf justify itself?
High Country News
The struggle for water is straining St. George, Utah, where golf – and grass – are sacred cows. Click here to continue reading
Putting Indigenous knowledge at the forefront of water research in Canada
University of Saskatchewan
In an attempt to create a better water future for everyone, Indigenous water experts and Knowledge Keepers have created a protocol that puts co-generation of research at the forefront, and promote its use across Canada in future water research projects. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Mussel-inspired membrane can boost sustainability and add value to industrial wastewater treatment
ScienceDaily
Engineers have developed a new kind of membrane that separates chemicals within wastewater so effectively that they can be reused, presenting a new opportunity for industries to improve sustainability, while extracting valuable by-products and chemicals from wastewater. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Ocean surface hits highest ever recorded temperature and set to rise further
The Guardian
The surface temperature of the world’s oceans has hit its highest ever level as climate breakdown from burning fossil fuels causes the oceans to heat. Global average daily sea surface temperatures (SST) hit 20.96C this week, breaking the record of 20.95C reached in 2016, according to the Copernicus climate modelling service. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Aftermath of Typhoon Doksuri brought Beijing floods, meteorologists explain
The Guardian
According to reports, almost a million people have been evacuated in the region. Rescue and recovery crews searched flooded streets in rubber dinghies for any trapped behind. Hundreds of flights were either delayed or cancelled at the city’s two major airports. Click here to continue reading
Clearcut logging leads to more frequent flooding, including extreme floods
Science Daily
Loss of forest cover is associated with more frequent extreme flooding, as well as more frequent floods of any size, according to new research. While it’s widely thought that loss of forest cover is strongly linked to increased flooding, most studies have suggested that the impact is limited to smaller floods. But the study, focused on two snow-dominated regions in British Columbia, the Deadman River and Joe Ross Creek watersheds, argues otherwise. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Expert panel calls for urgent rethink on Great Barrier Reef management amid ‘unremitting’ climate crisis
The Guardian
Leading national experts on the Great Barrier Reef have called for an urgent reassessment of the way the world’s biggest reef system is managed, saying current approaches are too inflexible in the face of “unremitting global warming.” Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Chemical companies’ PFAS payouts are huge – but the problem is even bigger
The Guardian
When the chemical giant 3M agreed in early June to pay up to $12.5bn to settle a lawsuit over PFAS contamination in water systems across the nation, it was hailed by attorneys as “the largest drinking water settlement in American history”, and viewed as a significant win for the public in the battle against toxic “forever chemicals”. Click here to continue reading
More than $662,000 invested in lagoon upgrade at Saskatchewan’s Meadow Lake Provincial Park
Water Canada
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, and Saskatchewan’s Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport Laura Ross have announced the completion of the Lac Des Isles Sewage Lagoon Upgrade in Meadow Lake Provincial Park. The Government of Canada contributed $315,000 toward the upgrade, and the Government of Saskatchewan contributed $347,000. The project was completed in mid-May 2023. Click here to continue reading
A floating sponge could help remove harmful algal blooms
Science Daily
In the peak heat of summer, beachgoers don’t want their plans thwarted by harmful algal blooms (HABs). But current methods to remove or kill toxin-producing algae and cyanobacteria aren’t efficient or practical for direct applications in waterways. Now, researchers have coated a floating sponge in a charcoal-like powder, and when paired with an oxidizing agent, the technique destroyed over 85% of algal cells from lake and river water samples. Click here to continue reading
Alberta announces $45 million to fund hydrogen innovation
Edmonton Journal
Alberta is investing $45 million in projects by researchers, companies or industry associations that will advance the province’s hydrogen fuel technologies. The funding will be funneled through two competitions that will select a proposal in its early stages of development and another that is closer to completion. Click here to continue reading
Oldest species of swimming jellyfish discovered in 505m-year-old fossils
The Guardian
The oldest species of swimming jellyfish ever recorded has been discovered in 505m-year-old fossils, scientists have said. The fossils were found at Burgess Shale in Canada, an area known for the number of well-preserved fossils found there. Click here to continue reading
Temporary water stations for pedestrians and pets to be set up in and around downtown Calgary
CTV News
Calgary pedestrians and their pets will have six extra places to cool off and hydrate this summer, courtesy of city hall. The City of Calgary is installing six temporary water stations in downtown and downtown-adjacent locations. You can hit up the first spot already, on the sidewalk along Riverfront Avenue S.E., just west of the 4th Avenue overpass. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘The cruelty Olympics’: Texas workers condemn elimination of water breaks
The Guardian
Austin and Dallas are the only places in Texas where such protections exist, requiring 10-minute breaks every four hours for workers at a construction site. Marroquin says that the mandated breaks vary from site to site, and from her experience, locations within Austin city limits tend to follow the ordinance precisely. Those just outside the city limits are not required to follow the rule. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Heavy rain hits China around Beijing – in pictures
The Guardian
Heavy rain has hit China after Typhoon Doksuri, which has caused flooding that has destroyed roads, uprooted trees and knocked out power. Torrential rain in areas around Beijing has killed at least 20 people and left 27 missing. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Climate crisis: Australia must ready for ‘devastating’ regional disruption, MPs told
The Guardian
Australia must prepare for “devastating” climate-fuelled disruption in the Asia Pacific, including failed states, forced migration and regional conflicts over water shortages, a stark briefing for federal politicians warns. Click here to continue reading
Site C dam builder fined $1.1 million for discharging contaminated wastewater
The Narwhal
The contractor building the Site C hydro dam in northeast B.C.’s was fined $1.1 million this week after pleading guilty to discharging more than three million litres of contaminated wastewater into the fish-bearing Peace River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Researchers find evolutionary adaption in trout of Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains
Science Daily
Scientists found that trout from lakes stocked decades ago in the Wind River Mountains have higher numbers of gill rakers, which are bony or cartilage structures in the gullets of fish that act as sieves to retain zooplankton and nourish the trout. The difference is likely a result of the trout adapting to the food sources of the once-fishless high-mountain lakes — a change that has taken place in a relatively short period of time and at a rate that is generally consistent with the historic timing of stocking for each of the lakes. Click here to continue reading
Sask agency makes water, vacant land available for ag use
The Western Producer
Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency has announced it will make water and vacant land available to farmers and livestock producers during the drought. The agency owns and manages land across the province and those who live near these lands can contact it to see if under-used or vacant land is available. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Australian climate science projects in Antarctica put on ice due to budget cuts
The Guardian
Dozens of crucial climate science projects including studies of record low sea ice and rapidly declining penguin populations are set to be cancelled, delayed or restricted due to budget pressures at the Australian Antarctic Division. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Airport submerged as widespread flooding continues in China – video report
The Guardian
At least 11 people have been killed in Beijing after four days of torrential downpours, according to Chinese state media. A further 27 people have been reported missing since Typhoon Doksuri triggered widespread flooding in the north of the country. Click here to continue reading
High levels of arsenic detected in 112 wells across N.L. — and hundreds more could be at risk
CBC News
More than 100 households in Newfoundland and Labrador have learned their well water contains dangerous levels of arsenic — and hundreds more across the province may be drinking the toxin without knowing it. The Department of Environment recently released the first batch of results from its free testing program for private wells it announced last year. Click here to continue reading
Disaster Financial Assistance for Nova Scotia’s July 2023 Floods
Water Canada
The Province’s Disaster Financial Assistance Program is designed to help Nova Scotians, municipalities, small businesses and not-for-profit organizations get back on their feet after a major storm or natural disaster. Not all disasters are covered by private insurance, and this program helps those whose losses are not insurable. Types of losses can include flood damage and damage to uninsurable items like household appliances, such as washers, dryers and furnaces. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government announces new tiered municipal water and wastewater investment framework
Water Canada
The Municipal Water and Wastewater Investment Framework establishes investment tiers for the province to clarify funding mechanisms, procurement approaches, and partnership opportunities for municipalities. The Manitoba government will structure its review and support for projects using the new framework that is informed by input from partners. This approach will categorize water and wastewater projects into three tiers according to cost, project type and scale, and potential to utilize alternative delivery and financing approaches. Click here to continue reading
Meteorologist says national flash flood warning system would save lives
CBC News
A week after floods in Nova Scotia contributed to the deaths of four people, including two children, some people are asking why more wasn’t done to warn residents of possible flash floods. Some provinces that have historically had higher flood risks, like Ontario and Quebec, have their own flood forecasting programs, but Nova Scotia does not. Click here to continue reading
Finding ways to grow crops with limited moisture
The Western Producer
In the areas suffering from consecutive years of serious drought, soul searching is underway on what can be done differently to make better use of whatever moisture is available. Troy LaForge, a well-known agronomist from southwestern Saskatchewan, believes stripper headers on combines are going to become increasingly popular. LaForge farms near Cadillac and uses a stripper header. Click here to continue reading
More moisture still needed for farmers, says latest Alberta Crop Report
Red Deer Advocate
Central Alberta farmers still need more moisture to allow crops to finish growing, according to the provincial government’s latest crop report. Further moisture is “required” for crop yields to reach their current potential, according to the Alberta Crop Report, which was released Thursday, July 27 features conditions as of Tuesday, July 25. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Swimmers avoiding the water over fears of raw sewage on UK beaches
The Guardian
Almost a quarter of the UK’s sea swimmers may not take a dip in the ocean this year because of sewage dumping by water companies, according to a poll. Sewage was dumped into waters near England’s most celebrated beaches for nearly 8,500 hours last year, analysis shows. A separate review earlier this year found there were 1,504 discharges in 2022 on beaches supposed to be free from such pollution. Click here to continue reading
Low water in N.W.T. means less hydro power, more use of diesel generators
CBC News
A drop in water levels in the southern N.W.T. means hydro generators are producing less electricity for Yellowknife and its surrounding area — and diesel generators are helping to meet the need. Click here to continue reading
Tools for wetland classification: research contributes to major win in Manitoba wetland conservation
Water Canada
Wetlands face an ever-increasing threat worldwide, despite their value in providing essential services like carbon storage, water purification, wildlife habitat, and more. Wetlands play a crucial role in supporting local biodiversity. And these vital ecosystems are our allies in the pursuit of sustainability and climate resiliency. Click here to continue reading
New Kootenay Lake Visualization Tool helps understand water levels
Water Canada
A new web-based tool provides information to better understand the complexities, competing interests and physical limitations in the management of Kootenay Lake’s water levels. You can access the Kootenay Lake Visualization Tool on the International Kootenay Lake Board of Control (IKLBC) website at static.ijc.org/klv/app.html. Click here to continue reading
The Government of Canada invests to protect Tuktoyaktuk from coastal erosion
Water Canada
Arctic communities in the Beaufort Region have become more vulnerable to the effects of climate change with declining sea ice, warmer temperatures, and increased frequency and intensity of storms. Due to its geographical location, the Inuvialuit Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk is particularly affected by rapid coastal erosion of up to one metre each year, flooding, and permafrost thaw. Inuvialuit and residents are at great risk of losing the very land where they live, work and play as well as the services on which the Hamlet relies, such as the health care centre and the local college. Click here to continue reading
Water quality advisory issued for Shorncliffe Lake
East Central Alberta Review
Due to elevated levels of fecal bacteria currently present in the water of Shorncliffe Lake, located nearby Czar, Alta. approximately 40 km. west of Provost, Alta. Health Services (AHS), AHS is advising the public not to swim or wade at the lake’s beach, effective immediately. Click here to continue reading
City of Calgary reduces water use amid drought conditions
CBC News
The City of Calgary says it has moved its drought monitoring dial to dry from normal. It says the decision is based on tracking of precipitation levels, reservoirs and lake levels, stream flow rates in the rivers and water demand. Click here to continue reading
Rains bring some relief in B.C.’s record wildfire season, but barely affect drought conditions
CBC News
Recent rains have offered some reprieve in British Columbia’s record wildfire season, but several blazes still threaten communities and officials caution there could still be tough times ahead. Most regions in the province have only received 40-80 per cent of their usual rainfall for this time of year, the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says. Click here to continue reading
Turning down the taps: City restricts its water use while more Calgarians choose xeriscaping
CTV News
The City of Calgary is restricting its water use and encouraging residents to do so as well after assessing the current drought risk. And a growing yard trend is helping people cut back. The city moved its drought monitoring dial from “normal” to “dry” conditions based on its ongoing monitoring of precipitation levels, reservoirs and lake levels, stream flow rates in rivers and water demand. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government commits additional $1.5M for safe drinking water in Northern Affairs communities
Water Canada
The Manitoba government continues to take concrete action to improve the safety of drinking water in Northern Affairs communities, Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Eileen Clarke announced today. Click here to continue reading
Research: More algal blooms likely in Lake Erie as deep-water oxygen levels continue to drop
Water Canada
Researchers at York University went searching for the fossilized remains of small insect larvae called chironomids, found in sediment in Lake Erie, to find a history of deep-water oxygen deprivation in the lake that continues today. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Why Uzbekistan is hoping gravity will help solve its irrigation issues
EuroNews.next
Uzbekistan is modernising its regional irrigation system to improve water supply to the agricultural sector. In South Karakalpakstan, gravity is now being used instead of electric pumps to irrigate the fields. A recent major infrastructure project is also drastically reducing the loss of a major resource – water. Click here to continue reading
Shoal Lake 40 files lawsuit against federal government, Winnipeg over water diversion
The Toronto Star
An Anishinaabe community in northwestern Ontario is suing the federal government and the City of Winnipeg, claiming it hasn’t been compensated for a diversion to supply Manitoba’s capital with clean water a century ago that resulted in it being cut off from road access. Click here to continue reading
Some Lake Erie anglers consider algae blooms helpful — but what are the health implications?
CBC News
Despite often being described as smelly and not nice to look at, Eric Hirzel and Matthew Hehn say they find algae blooms helpful when it comes to catching more fish in Lake Erie. Both are longtime charter fishing captains who patrol the lake’s western basin, primarily pulling walleye (pickerel) and yellow perch from the water. Algae blooms are caused when algae grow quickly in water systems from excess nutrient run-off, like phosphorus or nitrogen from fertilizer. Click here to continue reading
Resolution to Iqaluit’s water crisis still ‘years’ away: Nunavut MLA
CTV News
In April, the city of about 7,700 people, as of the 2016 census, said its water treatment plant would return to service after shutting down due to fuel contamination. Although the federal government last year announced $214 million to fix the city’s water infrastructure, Lightstone says it will still take time for that project to finish. Click here to continue reading
Buffalo Lake faces concerning decline in water levels amid heatwave
East Central Alberta Review
As Alberta endures an unrelenting heatwave and dry conditions this summer, Buffalo Lake is grappling with a concerning decline in water levels, hovering near the lower end of the normal range for this time of year, according to Jason Penner, communication advisor for Alberta Environment and Protected Areas. Click here to continue reading
Paintearth county’s farmers persevere through challenging drought
East Central Alberta Review
The farming community in the County of Paintearth is facing an unprecedented crisis as the region grapples with a severe drought that has led to substantial crop damage and threatened the livelihoods of local producers. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Waters off the coast of Florida as hot as a hot tub, and more heat news from around the world
CBC News
The water temperature off southern Florida has been about 38 C two days in a row: that’s as hot as a hot tub, as hot as the maximum recommended heat for a baby’s bath, and hotter than what’s usually recommended for a pregnant woman. It’s also, meteorologists say, possibly the hottest seawater ever measured. Click here to continue reading
Automated analysis of microplastic concentrations
Science Daily
How high are concentrations of microplastics in the environment, in our drinking water or in foods? Researchers have developed an automated analysis method for the identification and quantification of particles. Click here to continue reading
A crucial system of ocean currents is heading for a collapse that ‘would affect every person on the planet’
CTV News
A vital system of ocean currents could collapse within a few decades if the world continues to pump out planet-heating pollution, scientists are warning – an event that would be catastrophic for global weather and “affect every person on the planet.” Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Tennessee residents unable to drink or use tap water following diesel fuel spill
The Guardian
A diesel fuel spill that contaminated the water supply system of Germantown, Tennessee, has left residents unable to drink their tap water as the city’s public works crew rush to flush out the contaminated water. Click here to continue reading
Irrigators asked to drop straw, feed livestock
The Western Producer
The largest irrigation district in Saskatchewan is encouraging members to drop straw this harvest season. The South Saskatchewan River Irrigation District No. 1 said July 26 it asks all irrigators to drop straw to help feed livestock this winter. SSRID’s office will co-ordinate the process to get feed where it needs to go. Click here to continue reading
County of Stettler talks culling herds, writing off crops as drought disaster deepens
East Central Alberta Review
At their regular council meeting July 12 the County of Stettler’s assessment of the agriculture disaster facing not just the municipality but the province in general was depressing if not heartbreaking, as the topics of culling herds, shutting down operations, and writing off crops were all mentioned. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Colorado River has lost 10tn gallons of water since 2000 due to climate crisis
The Guardian
The climate crisis has caused the ailing Colorado River basin, a system relied upon by 40 million people in the US west, to lose more than 10tn gallons of water in the last two decades, new research has found. Click here to continue reading
Kahnawà:ke’s bay restoration hailed as an example of Indigenous-led conservation
CBC News
When Cody Diabo recently learned that the bay restoration project on Kateri Tekakwitha Island was near complete, he took his family for a walk there to see its transformation from a dry, rocky shore into a marsh teeming with life. Click here to continue reading
City of Calgary reducing water use due to drought conditions; we can all be water wise this summer
City of Calgary
The City of Calgary is formally moving our drought monitoring dial from Normal to Dry conditions, due to drier weather and higher temperatures. This decision is based on our ongoing monitoring of precipitation levels, reservoirs and lake levels, stream flow rates in rivers, and water demand, among others. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: City Sewers Can’t Handle Climate Change’s Intense Rains
Scientific American
A series of new reports by the Federal Emergency Management Agency says that most urban drainage systems “were not built to handle the amount of runoff from increasingly intense storms.” In addition, most cities with urban flooding “do not regulate” development in the vulnerable areas, FEMA said, drawing a contrast with development restrictions in areas vulnerable to coastal or river flooding. Click here to continue reading
Renewable solar energy can help purify water, the environment
Science Daily
Using electrochemistry to separate different particles within a solution (also known as electrochemical separation) is an energy-efficient strategy for environmental and water remediation: the process of purifying contaminated water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Thames Water has failed to install any smart meters yet in £70m green scheme
The Guardian
Thames Water has admitted it has failed to install a single smart water meter under a flagship £70m programme to fit hundreds of thousands of the devices to support the UK’s “green economic recovery” from Covid-19. The company has told regulators and investors that it is yet to begin installing the 204,700 smart water meters promised in the Thames Valley region, which are due to be fitted by the end of March 2025. Click here to continue reading
Investments in drinking water infrastructure for town and county of Antigonish, NS
Canadian Water
This investment will enable the expansion of the St. Joseph’s water system, with the addition of a 51,000 gallon (US) storage tank and the construction of approximately 3.6 kilometres of distribution line. This expansion will provide access to drinking water for approximately 40 additional properties, which includes over 650 acres for development. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: How well-managed dams and smart forecasting can limit flooding as extreme storms become more common in a warming world
The Conversation
The arduous task of cleaning up from catastrophic flooding is underway across the Northeast after storms stretched the region’s flood control systems nearly to the breaking point. As rising global temperatures make extreme storms more common, the nation’s dams and reservoirs – crucial to keeping communities dry – are being tested. California and states along the Mississippi River have faced similar flood control challenges in 2023. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: It’s Scorching in Iran, and There’s Less and Less Water to Help
The New York Times
As groundwater and reservoirs dry up, droughts intensify and climate change pushes temperatures higher. Iranians in rural areas are increasingly unable to afford the trucked-in or store-bought water on which they must rely. Water shortages fueled protests in the historic city of Isfahan and in Khuzestan Province in 2021, and more discontent with the government is brewing over its failure to address the blistering heat. Click here to continue reading
Drought conditions threatening B.C. salmon as river levels drop
CBC News
Under a hot sun, lifelong fishermen Travis Heathman crosses an overpass above the Chilliwack River to scope out what’s usually a popular fishing hole — but the water isn’t flowing as quickly or as deep as it usually does at this time of year. Click here to continue reading
Marine heatwave off north-east Australia sets off alarm over health of Great Barrier Reef
The Guardian
A marine heatwave has broken out along more than 2,000km of the Queensland coast, raising concerns for the health of corals on the Great Barrier Reef and other ocean life. Satellite data managed by the US National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) shows the heatwave started to emerge at the end of June. Click here to continue reading
Prairie farmers already struggling with drought now dealing with damaging grasshoppers
CBC News
Producers in some parts of southern Saskatchewan are already struggling with drought this summer. Now grasshoppers can once again be added to the list of woes. The situation is so severe south of Saskatoon that the RM of Dundurn has declared an agricultural disaster. Click here to continue reading
Summer village on Lac St. Anne plots attack plan on pervasive blue-green algae
Global News
A summer village on Lac St. Anne, 50 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, is looking for a way it can attack the lake’s blue-green algae problem. Kim Hanlan, chief administrative officer of the summer village of Yellowstone, said the blue-green algae is affecting people’s enjoyment of the lake. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Indigenous art unites Australians in a common cause: abuse of the ocean
The Guardian
Megan Cope calls it the “first mining boom”, one that drove Australia’s oyster reefs to near extinction. First, British colonists raided the enormous piles of shells and animal bones Indigenous people had gathered after feasting and ceremony, mixing these middens with water into a lime slurry for building the new colony. Click here to continue reading
Experts say ‘cocaine sharks’ may be feasting on drugs dumped off Florida
The Guardian
Move over, Cocaine Bear. Here come cocaine sharks. In what could be the plotline for the next cheesy marine-themed disaster movie, scientists think crazed and hungry sharks could be feasting on bales of hallucinatory drugs dumped off the Florida coast. Click here to continue reading
Long-term changes in waves and storm surges have not impacted global coastlines
Science Daily
Changes in ocean wave and storm conditions have not caused long-term impacts on sandy coastlines in the past 30 years, a new study has found. Published today in Scientific Reports, the study draws on data from 30 years of global satellite and model studies to investigate whether changes in ocean wave conditions will have an impact on the stability of coastal environments. Click here to continue reading
Alberta Health Services encourages people to enjoy water activities safely
Red Deer Advocate
As weather continues to stay warm, Alberta Health Services is encouraging people around the province to stay safe when participating in recreational water activities. Click here to continue reading
‘A tough couple months’: Flood forces 750 Halifax residents from their homes
CBC News
As flooding forces hundreds of people in the Halifax-area from their homes, some are taking refuge at a comfort centre in Dartmouth, N.S. “I was standing in the middle of my driveway, up to my knees in water. Our basement is fully flooded. Our neighbours are flooded out,” said Melanie McWhirter, who lives on Hammonds Plains Road in Bedford. Click here to continue reading
Coast guard floats new solution to widespread B.C. problem of abandoned boats
CBC News
The Canadian government’s inventory of wrecked, abandoned or hazardous boats includes a U.S. warship, a former floating McDonald’s known as the McBarge, a human-smuggling ship and an old B.C. Ferries vessel rotting on the Fraser River. But the most problematic aren’t the well-known vessels with colourful histories — it’s the fleet of mystery craft that have dogged the Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada for years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Mexico steps up rain-making project amid intense heatwave and drought
The Guardian
Amid a historic heatwave and months of drought, Mexico’s government has launched the latest phase of a cloud seeding project it hopes will increase rainfall. The project, which began in July, involves planes flying into clouds to release silver iodide particles which then, in theory, will attract additional water droplets and increase rain or snowfall. Click here to continue reading
Funding for SRD ecosystem restoration planning
Water Canada
The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has received $1,150,052.62 through the 2023 Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Adaptation grant program to fund five unique ecosystem restoration initiatives. First Nations and local governments throughout the regional district will benefit from funding to help strengthen resilience against climate-related hazards, such as flooding, drought, wildfires and heat. Click here to continue reading
Showers for much of B.C., but evacuation orders, alerts grow in drought-ridden south
Sylvan Lake News
For the first time in more than a month, showers and cooler weather are reaching parched sections of British Columbia, potentially bringing some respite for crews battling hundreds of wildfires. Environment Canada says about 20 millimetres of rain should dampen Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver. Click here to continue reading
Sask. irrigation interrupted due to concerns over pump
The Western Producer
Pumping capacity from Lake Diefenbaker was restored along Saskatchewan’s main irrigation canal last week after mechanical issues at the Eastside pumping station. Irrigators agreed to not water their crops from about July 7-10, leaving at least 48,000 acres without water, so that the Water Security Agency could fix the problem. Click here to continue reading
Prairie crops in trouble
The Western Producer
Crops in southern and central Alberta and western Saskatchewan are in particularly rough shape because of drought. There are good crops in eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but even in those regions yields will be down from last year and closer to the long-term average. Click here to continue reading
Have we reached peak fish?
The Guardian
Humans are eating more seafood than ever, and we are removing fish from the ocean at a far greater rate than they can replenish. What can be done? Click here to continue reading
Ontario investing $6M in local projects to protect the Great Lakes
Water Canada
The Ontario government is investing $6 million to support 30 multi-year projects to help protect, conserve and restore the Great Lakes. These investments will help reduce plastic litter, excess nutrients and road salt entering lakes, rivers and streams, advance climate resiliency, and make significant progress on restoring environmentally degraded areas of the Great Lakes. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government $8M investment in Winnipeg wastewater projects
Water Canada
The Manitoba government is supporting the City of Winnipeg by providing approximately $8 million for wastewater infrastructure projects to help protect Manitoba’s precious freshwater resources, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein has announced. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: NOAA’s 1-in-100 year flooding can now be expected every 8 years
Smart Water Magazine
First Street Foundation released their peer-reviewed precipitation model that captures climate-driven changes in heavy rainfall events for the United States and describes the implications for flood risk across the Nation in their report, The 8th National Risk Assessment: The Precipitation Problem. Click here to continue reading
Alberta hail seeding operation protects against severe storm damage
CTV News
When massive storm clouds build, pilots at the Springbank and Red Deer airports scramble into action in their twin engine King Air C90 cloud seeding aircraft. The teams are supported by meteorologists on the ground at the Didsbury/Olds Airport who monitor the building storms on their radar. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government invests $40M in Rivers Dam
Water Canada
The heavy rainfall event in the summer of 2020 caused record flooding on the Little Saskatchewan River, impacting the dam at Rivers. During the rainfall, the water level at the dam reached record-high levels, affecting surrounding communities including Brandon, Riverdale and Whitehead. Approximately 83 people had to evacuate from their homes in the Rivers Dam flood zone area. Click here to continue reading
Meters will improve water conservation in Strathcona, B.C.
Water Canada
New automatic water meters will help residents in Strathcona monitor and reduce their water consumption, limit water waste and support the sustainability of local ecosystems. The Province invested $2.8 million to support the project. Click here to continue reading
City of Fredericton launches interactive flood risk map
Water Canada
With $100,000 in financial support from Intact Public Entities (IPE) and Intact Financial Corporation, the City of Fredericton has launched an interactive Neighbourhood Flood Risk Map. This will allow residents to learn more about the current flood risk to their properties, actions they can take around their home and lot to reduce the risk, and capital projects by the City to make their neighbourhood more flood resilient. Click here to continue reading
Cost of adding fluoride to Calgary’s water triples as project timeline delayed
CBC News
Resuming fluoridation in Calgary’s water supply is going to be a longer and more costly process than originally expected. The plan was set in motion after a council vote and decision to reimplement fluoridation of the drinking water system in November of 2021 and was initially expected to be complete by June of 2024. Click here to continue reading
Polynesian canoe expedition circumnavigating Pacific Ocean makes stops in B.C.
CBC News
The expedition is being operated by the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS). The society says the traditional Polynesian canoe — which has been named Hōkūleʻa, after the guiding star also known as Arcturus — will travel an estimated 43,000 miles around the Pacific Ocean and stop at more than 300 ports, 36 countries and archipelagoes and nearly 100 Indigenous territories along the way. Click here to continue reading
Saltwater or freshwater? Difference is large for the climate when we flood low lying areas
Science Daily
Researchers find large methane emissions: ‘Do not flood low-lying areas with freshwater’. Their studies find that freshwater lakes emit much more methane than saltwater lagoons, bogs and wet meadows. Click here to continue reading
Study: Freshwater systems not immune to microplastic accumulation
Water Canada
The study looks at plastic debris in surface water samples collected across 38 lakes and reservoirs located in 23 countries, across six continents, with varying population densities and environmental conditions. One of the main findings from the study, which is published in Nature, is that microplastic concentrations are equally, if not more, prevalent in freshwater systems compared to the marine (ocean) environment. Click here to continue reading
Thames Water suffers £1.4bn drop in value after its largest investor slashes the value of its stake
This is Money
Thames Water’s owner could be worth £1.4billion less than before after its largest investor slashed the value of its stake. The Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (Omers), which owns a third of the troubled supplier through multiple funds, significantly reduced the value of its investment last year, according to The Financial Times. Click here to continue reading
Found: Giant Freshwater Deposits Hiding under the Sea
Scientific American
Back in the 1960s the U.S. Geological Survey had drilled a series of vertical boreholes off the New Jersey coast, looking for sand deposits and other resources. They unexpectedly struck fresh water, which was baffling. Years later researchers obtained water samples from the same location and analyzed the chemistry, finding to their surprise that the liquid was a mix of recent rainwater and seawater. Rainwater, 65 kilometers (40 miles) out to sea—under the seafloor? Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Wildfires rage around Athens for third day as water bombers join effort
The Guardian
The battle to douse wildfires raging for a third day around Athens has intensified as water bombers flown in from Italy and France joined the operation to extinguish flames often fanned by strong winds. Click here to continue reading
‘Scary situation’ in Alberta’s drought-stricken fields raises questions about farming’s future
CBC News
The president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) says a dire situation has emerged for various municipalities, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the province. “There’s just not enough time, if we did have the moisture required, and just too late germination. So it’s a pretty scary situation,” Paul McLauchlin said. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: One in five New Yorkers may be drinking lead-contaminated water, report finds
The Guardian
One in five New Yorkers may be drinking lead-contaminated water, a new report has found. Roughly 900,000 households – or 21% of the city’s residents – live in properties with lead or possible lead service lines, the pipes that provide city water to individual properties. Lead can leach into the water from the pipes as the water travels through them. Click here to continue reading
Water safety demonstration in Edmonton as search for missing swimmer resumes
Global News
The City of Edmonton demonstrated proper lifejacket fittings, basic swimming skills and required safety equipment Tuesday as part of National Drowning Prevention Week. The third week of July tends to be the most common time for a drowning across Canada, according to Jonathan Kusyanto, executive director of the Lifesaving Society. Click here to continue reading
Sask. government asks feds for relief assessment to help livestock producers deal with drought
CBC News
The continued lack of rain and warm temperatures in many parts of western and southeastern Saskatchewan has the province tapping the federal government for more assistance to help livestock producers. Click here to continue reading
B.C. strengthens community preparedness for climate-related disasters
Water Canada
The Province is providing more than $44 million through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), which will go to more than 70 projects in 63 communities under the Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation program stream. These investments also support the Province’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, which outlines a broad range of actions until 2025 to address climate impacts and build resilience across B.C. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: California ghost town disappears again as lake fills after three-year drought
The Guardian
The town had most recently re-emerged in September 2022 amid a three-year drought that brought California’s lakes and reservoirs to record low levels and fueled wildfires and megablazes. Then came California’s historically wet and cold winter that left the state with a massive snowpack. Click here to continue reading
Raw fish and rainwater: Sailor and his dog survive 3 months adrift in Pacific
CBC News
An Australian sailor who had been adrift at sea with his dog for three months has been rescued by a Mexican tuna boat in international waters, the fishing vessel’s owner said Monday. Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, 54, was aboard his incapacitated catamaran Aloha Toa in the Pacific Ocean about 1,900 kilometres from land when the crew of the boat from the Grupomar fleet spotted them, the company said in a statement. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: NSW warned of bushfire dangers as dry El Niño looms after ‘prolific’ vegetation growth
The Guardian
New South Wales residents have been urged to prepare for the impending bushfire season, with three wet years and high vegetation growth possibly giving way to a dry El Niño summer. Click here to continue reading
Province announces $6 million for Great Lakes conservation projects
The Whig Standard
The Ontario government announced a new, $6-million investment in projects to protect, conserve and restore the Great Lakes as part of its Great Lakes Program during a news conference in Napanee on Monday morning. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: The UK’s water pipe upgrade has made it harder to detect leaks – now the race is on to discover new ways to find them
The Conversation (UK)
The UK is losing a staggering 3 billion litres of water each day through leaky pipes. The issue is not limited to the UK alone. Globally, almost 90 billion litres of water are lost daily, accounting for up to half of all the water pumped around the world. Click here to continue reading
Vancouver hands out more than $71,000 in water restriction fines as drought intensifies
Vancouver Sun
The city has also issued 395 warnings or letters to residents to advise them of unnecessary water usage. Hundreds of Vancouver residents have violated water restrictions, despite a conservation warning from the B.C. government as drought conditions intensify. Click here to continue reading
Southern Alberta drought putting pressure on residential water supply
Global News
The drought in southern Alberta has triggered a water restriction for the Town of Claresholm, the Hamlet of Granum, and the entire M.D. of Willow Creek. The area is under a Stage 2 water shortage response plan. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Drought leaves millions in Uruguay without tap water fit for drinking
The Guardian
More than half of Uruguay’s 3.5 million citizens are without access to tap water fit for drinking, and experts say the situation could continue for months. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: How a Saudi firm tapped a gusher of water in drought-stricken Arizona
The Washington Post
Lax rules let the foreign-owned company pump water from state land to grow alfalfa for the kingdom’s cattle. After almost a decade, the deal is in jeopardy. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Asia floods: Death toll climbs in severe monsoon season
BBC News
More than 100 people have died across Asia this month as the vast region experiences an intense monsoon season. The past fortnight has seen extreme rain that has caused floods and landslides across several countries including India, China and Japan. Click here to continue reading
It just kind of crept up on us
The Western Producer
The use of irrigation in Alberta’s Eastern Irrigation District has had a transformational effect on the landscape since the Canadian Pacific Railway first began the project of bringing water to the parched landscape of southeastern Alberta in the early 20th century. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Climate change is increasing stress on thousands of aging dams across the US
The Conversation (US)
There are more than 91,000 dams across the U.S. The average dam age is 60 years and more than 8,000 dams are over 90 years old. The most recent American Society of Civil Engineers’ report card for the nation’s infrastructure gave U.S. dams an overall “D” grade and estimated that more than 2,300 high hazard potential dams (those whose failure could cause loss of life or serious property damage) lacked emergency action plans. Click here to continue reading
Drought conditions at highest level in parts of B.C. as province warns of tightening water restrictions
CBC News
Two-thirds of the province’s water basins are now at Level 4 or 5 drought. Leaders in British Columbia are sounding the alarm about looming water scarcity and future use restrictions as drought levels in parts of the province have been elevated to the most severe end of the scale. Click here to continue reading
Receding water levels a concern for Gull Lake, Alta.
Global News
Residents of Gull Lake, Alta., are concerned about drastically receding water levels and are trying to come up with creative solutions to refill the popular lake. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Meltwater is hydro-fracking Greenland’s ice sheet through millions of hairline cracks – destabilizing its internal structure
The Conversation (Global)
As glacial meltwater funnels into moulins, it bores a complex network of tunnels through the ice sheet that extend many hundreds of meters down to the ice sheet bed. When it reaches the subglacial drainage system it has major consequences for the thermodynamics and flow of the overlying ice sheet. A 2022 study found that even if atmospheric warming stopped now, at least 27 centimetres of sea level rise is inevitable because of Greenland’s imbalance with its past two decades of climate. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: 920 million people could face conflict over the world’s rivers by 2050: what our study found in Africa
The Conversation (Africa)
Africa has 66 transboundary river basins. Hundreds of rivers are shared between two or more countries. Sharing waters can be a source of cooperation or conflict. This depends on economic, cultural and institutional conditions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Removing dams from the Klamath River is a step toward justice for Native Americans in Northern California
The Conversation (Canada)
Historically, the Klamath was the third-largest Pacific salmon-producing river on the West Coast. But dams and irrigation systems built before the 1960s – along with other pressures, such as logging, mining and overharvesting – have separated fish from their spawning habitats and Indigenous cultures from sacred fish. Recognizing this harm, state, federal and tribal agencies now are removing four of the Klamath’s six dams to let fish migrate farther upstream to historical habitats. Click here to continue reading
Rural municipalities declare ag disaster in Alta.
The Western Producer
More counties are expected to make the declaration as the impact of extremely dry weather continues to affect producers. A swath of Alberta continues to experience extremely dry conditions during what is traditionally the wettest time of year. Rainfall hasn’t fallen at all along an area of the southern portion of the province since the beginning of June. Click here to continue reading
Canada’s Crawford Lake chosen as ‘golden spike’ to mark proposed new epoch
CBC News
Scientists have picked the bottom of Crawford Lake in Ontario as the “golden spike” to mark the start of a new proposed geological epoch — the Anthropocene. The announcement was made at a media conference in Berlin Tuesday by a group of scientists called the Anthropocene Working Group — more on them later. Here’s why the lake was chosen and what evidence it provides that humans have made such big changes to the Earth that we may be in a new geologic time period. Click here to continue reading
Gull Lake Watershed Society hopes increasing membership will push government to address dropping water levels
Ponoka News
Members of the Gull Lake Watershed Society (GLWS) are hoping to have their concerns heard by increasing their voices along with their membership. GLWS membership director Henry Brander says the water level of Gull Lake is nearly at crisis level, and the society wants the government to consider their suggestions on how to safely pump more water into the lake. Click here to continue reading
Canada calls for halt to deep-sea mining amid fears of ecological devastation
The Guardian
Canada has joined a growing list of nations calling for a pause on deep-sea mining in international waters amid fears the nascent, untested industry could cause ecological devastation without further study and clear safeguards. Click here to continue reading
Study: Water temperature found to not impact blue-green algae blooms
Water Canada
Even if most cyanobacteria blooms in Canada’s lakes happen during the hottest periods of summer, water temperature seems to have little to no impact on the development of these potentially toxic bacteria better known as blue-green algae. Details of this discovery made by an international research team including scientists from Université Laval were published in the journal Harmful Algae. Click here to continue reading
Newmarket’s pilot leak detection program works at saving water
Water Canada
Newmarket’s Water Meter Replacement Program is continuing with great success to replace and upgrade all water meters in Town. The aim is to replace or upgrade all water meters (residential and businesses) across Town to increase efficiencies and provide even better services to residents. To date, the Town and its contractor WAMCO have upgraded or replaced 30 per cent of the Town’s water meters. Click here to continue reading
Plastic pollution on coral reefs gets worse the deeper you go, study finds
The Guardian
No part of the planet is free of plastic waste, and coral reefs are no exception, but scientists have now made the discovery that the deeper the reef, the more plastic debris it is likely to have. A study published in Nature found that not only is every coral reef encumbered with plastic, but almost three-quarters of the larger items were from “ghost gear” – fishing paraphernalia such as ropes, lines and nets. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Australian trial of seaweed cow feed fails to achieve hoped-for methane cuts
The Guardian
One of the world’s longest commercial trials of a seaweed supplement that the global meat industry hopes could slash methane from beef cattle has recorded much lower reductions in the potent greenhouse gas than previous studies. Click here to continue reading
Pesticides from farming leach into world’s waterways at rate of 710 tonnes a year, UN research shows
The Guardian
Agricultural pesticides leach far from their original sources into the world’s waterways, according to new research which finds pesticides exceed safe levels in 13,000km of rivers globally. Click here to continue reading
World’s oceans changing colour due to climate breakdown, study suggests
The Guardian
Earth’s oceans are changing colour and climate breakdown is probably to blame, according to research. The deep blue sea is actually becoming steadily greener over time, according to the study, with areas in the low latitudes near the equator especially affected. Click here to continue reading
After heavy rains, floodwaters begin to recede in parts of Quebec
CBC News
Residents who left their homes amid the threat of flooding in southern Quebec are returning home on Wednesday, but the extent of the damage caused by diluvial rains is yet unclear and public officials are warning about the risk of landslides. Click here to continue reading
‘Heartless’: Edmonton’s removal of two public water fountains during heat wave harmful, says advocate
Edmonton Journal
Two recently-installed public water stations Downtown have been quietly and suddenly disconnected, a move one advocate called a “heartless” decision by the city amid temperatures so hot it prompted a heat warning in Edmonton this past weekend. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Aerial video shows buildings swamped by deadly floods and landslides in Japan – video
The Guardian
The Japan meteorological agency warned residents of Kyushu – one of the country’s four main islands – to stay alert for more landslides, a common hazard in mountainous areas after heavy rainfall. Japan has been hit by unusually heavy rain and powerful typhoons in recent years, raising fears about its vulnerability to the climate crisis. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘It’s pillage’: thirsty Uruguayans decry Google’s plan to exploit water supply
The Guardian
A plan to build a Google data centre that will use millions of litres of water a day has sparked anger in Uruguay, which is suffering its worst drought in 74 years. Water shortages are so severe in the country that a state of emergency has been declared in Montevideo and the authorities have added salty water to the public drinking water supplies, prompting widespread protests. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government announces action plan for water resources
Water Canada
The Manitoba government has released its initial water strategy action plan—a focused guide to specific actions to ensure sustainability of the province’s valuable water resources for current and future generations of Manitobans, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein and Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced today. Click here to continue reading
Ducks Unlimited Canada to deliver 40 wetland projects in Southern Ontario
Water Canada
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is preparing to restore or enhance 40 wetlands across southern Ontario thanks to renewed investments in the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program, (WCPP). At a recent news conference, David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks renewed the Government of Ontario’s commitment to fund wetland projects in the Great Lakes Region. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Vermont flooding leads to state of emergency declaration for entire state
CBC News
A storm that dumped up to two months of rain in two days in Vermont and other parts of the U.S. northeast brought more flooding Tuesday in communities marooned by water, where a dam just upstream was threatening to overflow. If water pours over the dam on the Winooski River that flows through the state capital Montpelier, it could surge through downtown blocks where the floods were already waist-high. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Massachusetts drinking water may contain unsafe levels of manganese
Science Daily
A new study has found that concentrations of manganese in a Massachusetts community’s drinking water often surpassed the maximum recommended levels of manganese stated in current guidelines. The findings also suggest that the observed manganese levels may be high enough to pose a risk to children and other vulnerable communities who are exposed. Click here to continue reading
Summer storms raise flood risk, force evacuations in Quebec
CBC News
Officials ordered the evacuation of some 220 homes in Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval, Que., near Quebec City, amid fears that heavy rains and rising water levels could lead to flash flooding. City manager Marc Proulx says 70 millimetres of rain fell over a few hours north of the town and that the water level of the Montmorency River is rising rapidly and the evacuation was ordered to ensure residents can leave safely. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: US faces deadly floods in north-east and longer heatwaves in south and west
The Guardian
Flash flood warnings were still in place in parts of Vermont on Tuesday morning, as the state capital Montpelier’s downtown was under water and officials fear a local dam could fail for the first time since it was built, threatening further inundation. Click here to continue reading
High beef prices a bright spot for Alberta producers coping with prolonged drought
CBC News
High prices on beef at the grocery store may be a pain for consumers, but it’s providing some relief for Alberta’s cattle farmers when they badly need it. Drought, wildfires, flooding. It’s already been a tough year for Alberta’s cattle farmers. Multiple counties in Alberta have declared agricultural disasters due to droughts, wildfires, and floods. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Some cities are digging up water mains and leaving lead pipe in the ground
Toronto Star
Around the country, utilities have been leaving lead pipe in the ground even when it is easiest to remove during water main work. Worse, they have been removing sections, disturbing the pipe and leaving the rest, which can spike lead levels, causing harm that will last a lifetime, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. Click here to continue reading
Lethbridge launches drinking water stations to help beat the heat
CTV News
Four new drinking water stations have opened as part of a pilot project by the City of Lethbridge to help keep residents hydrated. The four drinking water stations are part of a budget initiative launched by Lethbridge city councillor Nick Paladino. Click here to continue reading
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation mandate letter
Government of Alberta
In her letter, the Premier outlines her expectations that Alberta continues to be the economic and job creation engine of Canada and asks Minister Sigurdson to deliver on a platform commitment to expand the Feeder Assistance Loan Guarantee to $3 million to support Alberta producers as they feed the country and compete in the global economy. Click here to continue reading
Many central Alberta crops have improved but more rain needed
Red Deer Advocate
However, the amount of rain has varied considerably across the county. Some land is so wet farmers are having a hard time getting in to spray, but others have seen very little moisture. The eastern part of the county appears drier than other areas. Click here to continue reading
Sask. irrigators left without water for weekend
Western Producer
Saskatchewan irrigators who use the Broderick reservoir won’t have access to water for three days because of low water flows at the Eastside pumping station on Lake Diefenbaker. The Water Security Agency confirmed July 7 that flows along the M1 canal into the reservoir were low, although lake levels were described as sufficient. Click here to continue reading
As Quebec gets wetter because of climate change, risks of landslides increase
Ponoka News
Climate change is likely to increase the frequency of weather events that cause landslides in Quebec, like the one that killed two people a week ago in the Saguenay—Lac-St-Jean region, said a researcher who studies natural risks. Click here to continue reading
Rescue in Calgary’s Confederation Park prompts concerns about flood mitigation work
Global News
The city is installing a debris screen across Confederation Creek to mitigate the flooding that had been occurring in the last several decades due to the clogging of debris at the downstream outfall. The area would be flooded for a long period of time because city crews could not safely get under the water to remove the debris. The city says this was a serious public safety issue. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: India floods: monsoon rains leave 22 dead in north as Delhi sees wettest July day in decades
The Guardian
Torrential rain across northern India has killed at least 22 people, causing landslides and flash floods in the region, with Delhi receiving the most rainfall in decades, reports and officials have said. Schools in Delhi were closed after heavy rains lashed the national capital over the weekend, and authorities in the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand asked people not to venture out of their homes unless necessary. Click here to continue reading
Northwest Angle No. 33 First Nation completes a new water treatment plant and lifts three long-term drinking water advisories
Water Canada
The new centralized water treatment plant will provide reliable access to safe and clean drinking water for 100 residents. The water treatment plant meets the community’s current needs and has the capacity to support future population growth over the next 20 years. This community-led project includes the construction of a water treatment plant, raw water intake and distribution system upgrades. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) provided approximately $19 million for the project to ensure clean drinking water for community residents. Click here to continue reading
Water Security Agency expanding support for channel clearing and drainage project maintenance
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is expanding its support to help rural landowners, communities and local governments complete channel clearing and drainage project maintenance in Saskatchewan. Up to $1 million is available as part of a cost share rebate for individual landowners, rural and small urban municipalities, conservation and development area authorities (C&Ds) and watershed associations. Click here to continue reading
Regenerative agriculture and drought
Sylvan Lake News
Considering the drought challenges of the last few years in Central Alberta, it’s worth looking at strategies to improve drought resilience on farms and ranches. Regenerative agricultural practices contribute significantly to building drought resistance. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Extreme flooding hits parts of N.Y. state
CBC News
Heavy rain sparked major floods in Orange County, N.Y., and surrounding areas over the weekend. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Tomato crisis hits India as rain ravages crops and prices rise 400%
The Guardian
Listening to the chatter at Delhi’s vegetable markets, only one question is on everyone’s lips: just how much will a tomato cost today? Prices of tomatoes, a staple of Indian cooking, have soared by more than 400% in recent weeks as the country has been gripped by a nationwide shortage. Click here to continue reading
Antarctic ice levels see ‘massive decrease,’ global climate researcher says
Global News
Antarctic sea ice levels reached record lows last month, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday, a development climate change experts described as worrisome. WMO said that Antarctic sea ice levels last month — the hottest June ever recorded — were at their lowest since satellite observations began, at 17 per cent below average. Click here to continue reading
Microbial predators cause seasonal fluctuations in wastewater treatment
Science Daily
In wastewater treatment plants, a precisely coordinated interaction of different microorganisms takes place in order to effectively treat wastewater. However, a large part of the microorganisms involved in water treatment is still unknown. In addition to the beneficial bacteria that are responsible for purifying wastewater, many of their predators can also be found in the bioreactors. However, little is known so far about whether and to what extent these predators influence wastewater treatment. Click here to continue reading
Low water levels highlight system’s limitations
The Western Producer
Nearly $1 billion in funding for irrigation expansion in southern Alberta has been announced during the past two years with the potential to boost the region’s acres under pivot by 15 percent. However, this season’s reductions in water allocations due to low river levels, has cast doubt on what the impacts will be of potentially adding more than 200,000 acres to the irrigation system. Click here to continue reading
Asian clams’ spread in Columbia River warns of worse invaders
Science Daily
The invasive Asian clam is more common in the lower Columbia River than its native habitat of southeast Asia, according to a study of the clam’s abundance in the river. The findings don’t bode well for potential future invasions by the even more destructive quagga and zebra mussels. So far, the Columbia is one of the only major U.S. rivers to remain free of these notorious ecology-destroying, equipment-clogging bivalves. Click here to continue reading
At least 50 dead in Pakistan monsoon floods since end of June
The Guardian
At least 50 people, including eight children, have been killed by floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains that have lashed Pakistan since last month, officials have said. The summer monsoon between June and September brings 70-80% of south Asia’s annual rainfall every year. It is vital for the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security in a region of about 2 billion people – but it also triggers landslides and floods. Click here to continue reading
Chlorination and filtration is selected as the preferred water treatment option for manganese removal, Quesnel, B.C.
Water Canada
The City of Quesnel has hired drinking water engineers to create a water treatment system design to remove manganese from the drinking water. They have completed conceptual designs and are now furthering the design phase. Chlorination and filtration using pyrolusite media is selected as the preferred treatment option. Click here to continue reading
Water management program turns on taps for more B.C. farms
Water Canada
The program will support more efficient water management, including the use of leading-edge technology in water-scarce and drought-prone areas, so available water can be maximized for agricultural uses, such as irrigation and livestock watering. Support for additional water infrastructure will also be considered if there is high potential for farmland expansion or if the increase in water supply will lead to more agricultural production. Click here to continue reading
There are thousands of tonnes of methane emissions being released by melting glaciers: study
CTV News
Our current projections for fighting climate change are based on the greenhouse gas sources that we already know about — but we could be dangerously underestimating, according to a new study looking at a greenhouse gas source that has, up until this point, been hidden under ice. Click here to continue reading
Extreme weather causes flash floods, hail and power outages in Calgary
Global News
Flash floods were reported across many major roads in Calgary. Some affected roads were Stoney Trail, John Laurie Boulevard, 16th Avenue, and Crowchild Trail. Calgary police confirm that there were no injuries but officers did assist in checking on a number of people who were stuck in their vehicles waiting for help. Click here to continue reading
Seeking a safe place for one of Canada’s most endangered freshwater fish
CBC News
The effort to save one of Canada’s most endangered freshwater fish now involves electronic tracking of specimens bred in captivity and released into the Nova Scotia watershed that holds the world’s only remaining wild population. Last week, a final batch of 30 tagged Atlantic whitefish were released in the Petite Rivière system behind the town of Bridgewater on the province’s South Shore. Click here to continue reading
Plants can shed light on how best to clean wastewater
The Western Producer
Industrial and urban wastewater is often a jumbled mixture of contaminated liquid, minerals, metals and nutrients — all valuable resources. Much of Canada’s wastewater is urban effluent that has been treated and discharged into sewer systems. Industrial wastewater must be managed under federal regulations. But if the minerals, metals and nutrient resources in wastewater could be extracted in a pure form, they would be invaluable for use in other industries such as agriculture, aquaculture, battery recycling and desalination. Click here to continue reading
Ukrainian farmers prepare for desert’s arrival
The Western Producer
Until recently, Ukrainians were proud that the only desert in Europe existed here — Oleshkiv Sands in the southern Kherson region. This tiny desert was formed after the last ice age and emerged 100 years ago when vegetation was reduced due to overgrazing by sheep. It became an example of the misuse of natural resources. Unfortunately, in a few years, farmers in the area fear the entire Kherson region will turn into a desert, along with neighbouring regions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Ofwat boss denies water industry badly regulated as he predicts higher bills
The Guardian
Water companies will be seeking big bill rises as they face huge infrastructure investment demands, the chief executive of the water regulator, Ofwat, has said. David Black denied that the water industry was badly regulated and defended Ofwat’s role in an industry saddled with debt and facing public anger over poor performance, high dividends, executive pay and sewage pollution. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: China floods: Xi Jinping urges action as rains kill 15 and displace thousands
The Guardian
Heavy rain has displaced thousands of people in the centre of China, and destroyed bridges and other property. Video captured one building in southwest Chongqing crumbling into a raging torrent, and the national broadcaster reported a railway bridge collapsed after it was weakened by flood waters in the same region. Click here to continue reading
Selkirk, Manitoba says goodbye to fossil fuels in water treatment plant
Water Canada
The City of Selkirk’s water treatment plant is now heated and cooled with a geothermal system, and it joins the wastewater treatment plant as the second utility to operate without fossil fuels. One half of the building – the original side, built in 1961 – was converted to the geothermal system first and the second half was completed this year. Click here to continue reading
Fish mercury peaks in winter and near spawning, and reduces after growing season, study suggests
Science Daily
Fish consumption has long been associated with numerous health benefits. However, it is also the main dietary source of toxic mercury in humans. A year-round study from a boreal lake shows that mercury concentration in some fishes is significantly higher in winter and near spring spawning and lowest in autumn. Click here to continue reading
The depths of Canada’s chronic Indigenous community water problems start at the top, say experts
Northern Ontario Business
Access to clean, drinkable water is a widely acknowledged basic human right. But Canada seems to be running on two different sets of standards when it comes to executing on sewer and water treatment projects in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, according to one expert panel this week. Click here to continue reading
Alberta Health Services issues blue-green algae advisory for several lakes
Global News
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has issued blue-green algae advisories for 13 lakes across the province. Jay White, an Alberta biologist, said advisories come when algae floats to the surface and looks like a paint-coloured stain on the water. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Watermelon snow’ cloaks mountains of US west with mysterious color
The Guardian
High up in the mountains, amid pinyon pine and quaking aspen trees, the remaining remnants of the winter’s snow is dotted with hues of pinks, purples and oranges. Hikers, campers and church youth groups journeying by grasp it in their palms and liken it to flavored snow cones, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, pink lemonade, dissolved blood or if passersby conducted an art project using red food coloring. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: EPA begins to clean up black globs of asphalt from Yellowstone River train derailment
The Guardian
Globs of asphalt binder that spilled into Montana’s Yellowstone River during a bridge collapse and train derailment could be seen on islands and riverbanks downstream from Yellowstone National Park a week after the spill occurred, witnesses report. Click here to continue reading
‘Tar-like substance’ seeping out of ground among environmental concerns at Alberta park
CBC News
The Alberta government is trying to identify the risks and liabilities of continuing to operate an Edmonton-area park in the river valley, tender documents show. The province recently posted a request for proposals (RFP) for a Phase 2 environmental assessment of the Strathcona Science Provincial Park, just east of Edmonton. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Stay out of the water’: what lurks below California’s zombie lake?
The Guardian
There are portions of California’s Tulare Lake, with its blue water that stretches for miles and birds bobbing around the shoreline, where it can be easy to forget that a few months ago, none of this was here at all. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Taps run dry on Thai island as tourism boom worsens water shortage
The Guardian
Authorities on Koh Samui are working to tackle a water shortage that has left taps running dry often for months, saying they do not want the Thai island to become a “disaster zone”. A lack of rain and a resurgence in tourism has put intense pressure on supplies, prompting Sutham Samthong, a deputy mayor of Koh Samui, to urge the public to use supplies sparingly. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: UK holds crisis talks as top water supplier seeks cash
Reuters
The British government has held emergency talks over the fate of the country’s biggest water supplier, Thames Water, and said it is ready for any outcome, including temporary state ownership, as the company buckles under huge debts. Click here to continue reading
Rain helps but much of the Prairies remain dry
The Western Producer
Spring rain that usually hits the Prairies in May came about a month later, and while the situation improved, southern Alberta producers continue to experience dry conditions. “It’s been wild,” Laura Richard, Agriculture Canada agroclimate analyst, said of this spring. Leading into the last week of spring, Richard said several record 24-hour rainfall events hit Alberta. But the volume and speed in which the precipitation fell may have not allowed for soil infiltration. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Agriculture moves through the eras on the Mississippi
The Western Producer
The canal today is a silted-in wetland, home to a community of songbirds, bugs, marsh plants and hardy riparian weeds that have found a home along the stone and brickwork of the broken wharf. Rising above it are the ruins of Minneapolis mills, the broken walls, rusting iron and half-hidden arches providing mute testimony to the time when the city was known as the “Flour Milling Capital of the World.” Click here to continue reading
Alta. irrigation taps turned back on, but questions remain over the issue
The Western Producer
The water is flowing again through the canals of the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District, but questions percolate over why one of Alberta’s major irrigation systems has been unable to provide early season water to its stakeholders for the second straight year. Click here to continue reading
Foothills County latest to declare agricultural disaster as drought grips areas of Alberta
CBC News
A lack of early season moisture, unseasonably high temperatures and varying winter snowpack have led to poor growing conditions throughout Foothills County, south of Calgary, prompting the municipal district on Wednesday to declare a municipal agricultural disaster. Click here to continue reading
A failed sewer installation has left this Alberta village millions of dollars in debt
CTV News
The summer village of Ma-Me-O Beach on Pigeon Lake is facing a bill for millions of dollars as a result of a failed attempt to install a sewage system in the community. “In many ways it has divided our community,” Mayor Christine Holmes told CTV News Edmonton. “It has been a very big topic for a number of years. Going into our hundredth anniversary this year it’s tough to see that we’re not concluded yet.” Click here to continue reading
Blue-green algae advisory issued for Isle Lake west of Edmonton
Edmonton Journal
Keep an eye out for the blue-green stuff if you have plans at Isle Lake this Canada Day long weekend. Alberta Health Services says Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, has been seen in the waters of the lake about 80 kilometres west of Edmonton. Click here to continue reading
Flooded streets, power outages reported in Calgary after storm passes through
Global News
A summer storm passed through Calgary on Thursday evening resulting in some streets and underpasses being flooded while downed power lines were seen in other areas. Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the city at 6:43 p.m. and said its meteorologists were tracking “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing very strong wind gusts, up to nickel-sized hail and heavy rain.” Click here to continue reading
Study: Recycling phosphorus from wastewater to grow better crops
Water Canada
Researchers are helping close the loop on the sustainability cycle with research into nutrient-enhanced biochar — a charcoal-like material made by heating recycled biomass in the absence of oxygen (a process called pyrolysis). Biomass is any living or once-living material – including plants, trees, and animal waste – that can be used as a source of energy. Click here to continue reading
Sinkholes close road in northwest Calgary
CTV News
A massive storm in Calgary on Thursday evening brought intense hail, strong winds and also enough rain to flood plenty of roads. Several small sinkholes opened up in the road at 10 Street and 13 Avenue N.W. in the wake of the storm, prompting city crews to block off the road for repairs. No one appears to have been hurt and no vehicles were damaged when the sinkhole opened up. Click here to continue reading
Mountains vulnerable to extreme rain from climate change
Science Daily
As the world warms, extreme weather events grow — and they also change. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) found that climate change is shifting snowfall to rainfall on mountains across the Northern Hemisphere. Those surges of liquid water bring a distinct set of dangers, including floods, landslides, and soil erosion. Click here to continue reading
Pace of blue-green algae blooms in Alberta lakes so far ‘a little bit concerning,’ researcher says
CBC News
Edmonton resident Jill Hunter was surprised to find visible blooms of blue-green algae along the shore when she arrived at Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park on Wednesday. “This seems really early,” Hunter said, after canoeing at the popular swimming and recreation area 60 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Rolf Vinebrooke, a professor of fresh water ecology at the University of Alberta, agrees. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government working with municipalities to streamline legacy drainage compliance
Water Canada
The Manitoba government is responding to feedback from municipalities to help take a co-ordinated approach on bringing unlicensed drainage works into compliance and achieve best value from the licensing system, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein announced today. Click here to continue reading
Proactive monitoring ensures high quality drinking water, Coquitlam
Water Canada
Thirsty in Coquitlam? Skip the bottled water and filters and enjoy top quality drinking water right from the tap. According to an annual report on the City’s drinking water, Coquitlam’s diligent and proactive monitoring and maintenance of its water system is continuing to produce safe, clean and excellent quality drinking water. Click here to continue reading
Big Lake water quality advisory ended after 5 months
Global News
Alberta Health Services announced Wednesday that it has lifted the water quality advisory issued Jan. 19 for the water of Big Lake in the Edmonton area. The lake is connected to the Sturgeon River northwest of Edmonton and west of St. Albert, bordering Parkland and Sturgeon County. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Saved by seaweed: nuns and Native women heal polluted New York waters using kelp
The Guardian
The sisters are a part of a unique collaboration: situated on the edge of a bay, they have helped a group of women from the Shinnecock, a local Indigenous tribe, start a kelp farm in the hopes of cleaning up the pollution in their shared backyard. Click here to continue reading
Don’t wait, desalinate: A new approach to water purification
Science Daily
A water purification system separates out salt and other unnecessary particles with an electrified version of dialysis. Successfully applied to wastewater with planned expansion into rivers and seas, the method saves money and saps 90% less energy than its counterparts. Click here to continue reading
Fast transition could indicate a strong El Nino
The Western Producer
It could evolve into a strong and persistent El Niño weather pattern or it might be moderate and short lived — It’s too early to tell. However, some forecasters think it could become a powerful El Niño. In the simplest terms, El Niño is when “surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific… become warmer than average,” says the Environment Canada website. Click here to continue reading
Woodlands County assessing flood damage as all evacuation orders end
CTV News
All Woodland County evacuation orders caused by flooding are over as of Tuesday. Parts of the county northwest of Edmonton were evacuated last week after days of rain, and the damage from it is now being assessed. Click here to continue reading
Study of deep-sea corals reveals ocean currents have not fueled rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide
Science Daily
Pioneering analysis of deep-sea corals has overturned the idea that ocean currents contributed to increasing global levels of carbon dioxide in the air over the past 11,000 years. The study, led by the University of Bristol in the UK and Nanjing University in China, examined historic deep-sea corals to shed intriguing new light on the history of ocean chemistry. Click here to continue reading
Nose Creek Watershed Partnership wins Alberta Emerald Award for Environmental Leadership Governance
Water Canada
The Nose Creek Watershed Partnership, comprised of the City of Airdrie, City of Calgary, Rocky View County, Town of Crossfield, Calgary Airport Authority and the Bow River Basin Council, has been honoured with an Alberta Emerald Award in the Government category. This award showcases organizations that demonstrate exemplary commitment to addressing environmental and climate change issues and highlights the efforts undertaken by the Partnership to support healthy and resilient watersheds. Click here to continue reading
Emulating how krill swim to build a robotic platform for ocean navigation
Science Daily
Picture a network of interconnected, autonomous robots working together in a coordinated dance to navigate the pitch-black surroundings of the ocean while carrying out scientific surveys or search-and-rescue missions. Click here to continue reading
Orca calf spotted near Tofino, B.C., an apparent new addition to an endangered pod
CTV News
A baby orca has apparently been born to an endangered killer whale population in the Pacific Northwest, scientists reported. The Center for Whale Research announced the baby orca Friday on Facebook, saying the organization received photos showing what appears to be a new calf in L pod, part of the population known as the southern resident orcas, near Tofino, British Columbia. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Call for Thames Water inquiry after children fell ill after swimming in river
The Guardian
Thames Water customers have called for an urgent inquiry into the company’s finances after children became seriously unwell from swimming in the river and homes were left without water during a drought. Campaigners have expressed astonishment that the company may be bailed out by the taxpayer after it failed to invest appropriately in infrastructure to stop sewage spills and leaks. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘It gets worse every day’: why are sea lions and dolphins dying along California’s coast?
The Guardian
The culprit is an algae named pseudo-nitzschia, which produces an amino acid that can act as a neurotoxin. A similar outbreak last year sickened dozens of sea lions and other marine life, but many think this year’s outbreak is even worse. Sam Dover, a co-founder of CIMWI and its director of veterinary medicine, notes that “in 35 years of doing this work, the current crisis is just unprecedented”. Click here to continue reading
City of Red Deer loses appeal to get provincial disaster relief for residents
Red Deer Advocate
Provincial disaster relief funding for private property owners in Red Deer, who were impacted by flooding last June, has been denied on appeal. Last fall the city submitted an application to the province for an estimated $4.5 to $6 million on behalf of about 300 residents and property owners. Click here to continue reading
Lacombe County fishing for boat launch funding
Red Deer Advocate
Lacombe County is testing the waters to see if there is any provincial or federal funding available to build new boat launches on Sylvan or Gull Lakes. Boat launches have been on the county’s radar screen for well over two decades. A number of studies have been done over the years to narrow down the best locations. Click here to continue reading
Alberta regulator issues clean-up order to Cenovus after diesel spill in northern Alberta lake
CBC News
Cenovus Energy Inc. has been issued a clean-up order by the Alberta Energy Regulator after more than 1,000 litres of diesel spilled into a northern Alberta lake. The non-compliance order issued by the regulator last week says Cenovus was operating a temporary diesel generator earlier this month near Rainbow Lake as a result of the loss of electricity infrastructure due to wildfire. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘We could lose our status as a state’: what happens to a people when their land disappears
The Guardian
Small island nations would rather fight than flee, but rising sea levels have prompted apocalyptic legal discussions about whether a state is still a state if its land disappears below the waves. Click here to continue reading
Making waves: SAIT students dive into real-world water solutions
Water Canada
Water, water everywhere! It’s a compound we can’t live without. Yet, as much as we rely on water for our survival, it can also be a source of damage — with flooding wreaking havoc on crops and communities, and scarcity impacting health and survival. Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (SAIT) Integrated Water Management students are starting local with solutions to tackle the threat of flooding damage as well as increasing conservation in landscape use. Click here to continue reading
CBRM advancing plans to establish a UARB-regulated water/wastewater commission
Water Canada
Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Council has moved a step forward in the establishment of a new governance and operational structure for water and wastewater in CBRM. The CBRM Water Utility and CBRM Wastewater Department are in process of becoming a Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB)-regulated commission named the CBRM Water and Wastewater Commission. Click here to continue reading
Wastewater surveillance continues to show persistent levels of SARS-CoV-2 as society reopens, February to December 2022
Water Canada
Statistics Canada, in partnership with the National Microbiology Laboratory from the Public Health Agency of Canada, continues to collect the Canadian Wastewater Survey (CWS) to better understand the levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the wastewater of five Canadian municipalities (Metro Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montréal, and Halifax). Click here to continue reading
After the flood: Alberta communities assessing damage as water levels recede
CBC News
West-central Alberta communities are assessing damage and making repairs as flood waters recede. In the town of Edson, 100 kilometres west of Edmonton, a state of local emergency ended Monday after a tumultuous two weeks of fire and flood. Flooding prompted the emergency declaration on June 19, just days after town residents had been given the green light to go home after six days under wildfire evacuation orders. Click here to continue reading
‘It’s absolutely guaranteed’: the best and worst case scenarios for sea level rise
The Guardian
Not only is dangerous sea level rise “absolutely guaranteed”, but it will keep rising for centuries or millennia even if the world stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow, experts say. Rising seas are one of the most severe consequences of a heating climate that are already being felt. Since the 1880s, mean sea level globally has already risen by 16cm to 21cm (6-8in). Half of that rise has happened over the past three decades. Click here to continue reading
Rain gardens could save salmon from toxic tire chemicals
Science Daily
Specially designed gardens could reduce the amount of a toxic chemical associated with tires entering our waterways by more than 90 per cent, new research shows. The chemical 6PPD-quinone can form when car tires interact with the atmosphere. It enters rivers and streams when rain runs off roads into waterways. It is toxic to coho salmon, rainbow trout and some other fish. Click here to continue reading
Potentially harmful blue-green algae found at Twin Valley Reservoir north of Claresholm
CTV News
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is warning people to avoid the water at the Twin Valley Reservoir, north of Claresholm, Alta., due to the presence of blue-green algae. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is naturally occurring but can potentially produce toxins that are harmful to people and pets. Click here to continue reading
‘Scary moment’ as orcas disrupt ocean boat race in latest display of puzzling behaviour
CBC News
A pod of killer whales bumped one of the boats in an endurance sailing race as it approached the Strait of Gibraltar, the latest encounter in what researchers say is a growing trend of aggressive interactions with Iberian orcas. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods caused coal mine wastewater to run into environment: regulator
Global News
An environmental group is calling for stronger action from Alberta’s energy regulator after it announced heavy rain had caused flooding and excessive surface runoff at energy sites, including coal mines. The Alberta Energy Regulator posted on its website Tuesday that some coal mines in the Hinton and Grande Cache areas reported wastewater being discharged into the environment. Click here to continue reading
Antarctic ice shelves experienced only minor changes in surface melt since 1980
Science Daily
Antarctic ice shelves have experienced only minor changes in surface melt rates over the past four decades, unlike the rapid increase in surface melt experienced by Greenland’s glaciers during the same time period, according to new research. The news is not cause for celebration just yet, though — the researchers expect Antarctic ice shelf surface melt rates to increase substantially in the coming decades due to rising global air temperatures. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods: Rivers receding west of Edmonton, some evacuation orders dropped
Global News
Rivers that had burst their banks west of Edmonton are starting to recede, though some danger still remains, according to the Alberta government. The Athabasca, McLeod, Pembina and North Saskatchewan rivers were high west and northwest of Edmonton after heavy rainfall across the province over the past week. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Texas governor signs bill rescinding water breaks as deadly heat grips state
The Guardian
Amid a dangerous heatwave that has brought blistering temperatures across Texas, the state’s governor signed a law this week eliminating local rules requiring water breaks for workers. Click here to continue reading
How wildfires can have a devastating, long-term impact on nearby water supplies
CBC News
Monica Emelko arrived in Fort McMurray, Alta., in June 2016 to help study the impact of the wildfires. She says the devastation to people’s homes and lives she witnessed changed her as a person. Emelko, the Canada Research Chair in water science, technology and policy at the University of Waterloo, was there to help ensure the drinking supply was safe for consumption as people readied to return to their homes. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Freight train carrying hot asphalt, molten sulfur plunges into Yellowstone River as bridge fails
CTV News
A bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River in Montana collapsed early Saturday, plunging portions of a freight train carrying hazardous materials into the rushing water below.
The train cars were carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur, Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services said. Officials shut down drinking water intakes downstream while they evaluated the danger after the 6 a.m. accident. An Associated Press reporter witnessed a yellow substance coming out of some of the tank cars. Click here to continue reading
Food security increases with improved Fraser Valley flood resiliency
Water Canada
The new $20-million Fraser Valley Flood Mitigation program, delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC, will increase the province’s food security. The program will support flood resiliency on individual farms as well as larger, community-scale projects that reduce flood risks for the broader community and support shared values like fish habitat and ecological diversity. Click here to continue reading
Waterfront homes tap into lakes for cheaper geothermal heating
CBC News
Heating and cooling your home with a ground-source heat pump is climate-friendly and very efficient. But it can require expensive digging or drilling. Waterfront home or cottage owners have a cheaper shortcut: pond or lake geothermal (or geoexchange) heating and cooling. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: 3M to pay at least $10.3B to settle ‘forever chemical’ drinking water lawsuits in U.S.
CBC News
Chemical manufacturer 3M Co. will pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over contamination of many U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds used in firefighting foam and a host of consumer products, the company said Thursday. Click here to continue reading
Vastly more sustainable, cost-effective method to desalinate industrial wastewater
Science Daily
While desalination through reverse osmosis has made tremendous strides — allowing for salt removal from seawater for less than a penny per gallon — it still falls short in eliminating saline in wastewater from industries like mining, oil and gas and power generation and in inland brackish water. The industrial brines are currently injected into deep geological formations or transferred to a evaporation ponds, and both disposal methods are facing more regulatory and environmental challenges. Click here to continue reading
Mississauga council approves new stormwater master plan
Water Canada
Mississauga council has approved the City’s first Stormwater Master Plan, Build Beautiful. The long-term plan will be used to refine the City’s stormwater program, stormwater management systems and infrastructure. Click here to continue reading
City of Winnipeg and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ unveil tribute to Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and source of Winnipeg’s drinking water
Water Canada
The City of Winnipeg and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ unveiled a tribute to the community of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation during a ceremony at the newly refurbished Broadway Centennial Fountain, located on the boulevard along Broadway at Donald Street. Mayor Scott Gillingham, Councillor Sherri Rollins, and Kate Fenske, CEO of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, were joined by Chief Kevin Redsky and members of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation in honouring the community’s contributions to the City of Winnipeg. Click here to continue reading
Nunavut Planning Commission submits territory-wide land use plan for approval
CBC News
After 16 years and four drafts, Nunavut is one step closer to having a territory-wide land use plan. The 129-page document, released late on Tuesday, is the largest plan of its kind in the world, covering one fifth of Canada’s land mass. The latest draft, in 2021, was the subject of hearings across the territory last year. Work on the plan started in 2007. Click here to continue reading
‘Water comes crashing in’: The science behind the ‘catastrophic implosion’ that killed 5 on the Titan
CTV News
Parts of the Titan submersible, the subject of a massive search this past week, were found scattered across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Officials from the U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday the “debris field” was discovered 500 metres from the wreckage of the Titanic, and is likely due to an implosion. Click here to continue reading
4 river valley trails closed due to high water levels
CTV News
A number of North Saskatchewan River valley trails were closed on Wednesday after water levels grew. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods: Part of Whitecourt evacuation order lifts Wednesday
Global News
Some residents of Whitecourt, Alta., were allowed to return home Wednesday as a flood evacuation order lifted in the afternoon. Both the Athabasca and McLeod rivers overflowed their banks Tuesday, prompting the evacuation orders and the town to declare a state of local emergency. Click here to continue reading
Flash floods prompt evacuations northwest of Edmonton
CTV News
Areas northwest of Edmonton were evacuated late Wednesday afternoon due to flash floods. Woodlands County issued several evacuations order throughout the afternoon and evening. Click here to continue reading
First Nation on Vancouver Island declares marine protected area
CBC News
The Tsawout First Nation, located 20 kilometres north of Victoria, B.C., has declared an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) for 155 kilometres of ocean in its traditional waters. The area will be called QEN’T Marine Protected Area. QEN’T — pronounced “qwant” — means “to be looking after,” “caring for,” or “protecting something or someone” in SENĆOŦEN. Click here to continue reading
Elnora resident appeals to council for water access
East Central Alberta Review
An Elnora resident spoke to council during their regular June 13 meeting regarding getting water to his property. Doug Mose is trying to get water to his property to ensure that there is water for the horses on his acreage. There is currently no water line going to Mose’s property. He said he does not need a lot of water on the property but it would be something he would like to have. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government highlights positive results from first meeting of City of Winnipeg wastewater infrastructure task force
Water Canada
Representatives from the Manitoba government and the City of Winnipeg held the first meeting of the City of Winnipeg Wastewater Infrastructure Task Force on June 1 to lay the groundwork for a collaborative approach to addressing Winnipeg’s wastewater infrastructure needs, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein said today. Click here to continue reading
Agreements address Columbia River Treaty impacts on Indigenous Nations
Water Canada
The Ktunaxa, Secwépemc and Syilx Okanagan Nations and their members will benefit from new interim agreements that share revenue generated from the Columbia River Treaty. Through the three separate interim agreements, the Ktunaxa Nation, Secwépemc Nation and Syilx Okanagan Nation will each receive 5% of the revenue generated through the sale of Canada’s share of downstream power benefits under the treaty, otherwise known as the Canadian Entitlement. The proposed interim agreements will share this revenue over four years. Click here to continue reading
How will Lake Huron’s shoreline look in 100 years? Here’s the map
CBC News
Shoreline change is a problem plaguing many communities on the Great Lakes, as locals watch sections of it slip into the water. Now, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority in southwestern Ontario has created urgently needed maps showing the huge impact of these shifts in temperatures and weather — large swaths of Lake Huron’s shoreline could be under water in 100 years, including cottages, waterfronts and a marina. Click here to continue reading
Water flow in Alberta is ‘exceptionally low’ this year and could pose challenges for fish
CBC News
Lorne Fitch, a longtime fisheries biologist and former adjunct professor at the University of Calgary, is often out on a boat, checking out the headwaters of the Oldman River. “It’s been an interesting view of a year that doesn’t seem to follow anything that resembles a normal pattern,” Fitch said. In Alberta, June typically brings high levels of rain, which hasn’t been the case this year. Click here to continue reading
Flash droughts can pose risk to crop production
The Western Producer
David Phillips, Canada’s best known weatherman, says flash droughts are becoming more common in Canada and around the world. It’s not an everyday term; most people are likely more familiar with flash floods. However, parts of the eastern Prairies may have endured a flash drought this spring. From May 25 until June 6, Brandon recorded seven days with temperatures above 30 C. Click here to continue reading
Water crisis deepens for southern Alta. irrigators
The Western Producer
Liner repairs to the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District’s canal system continue, but shortage becoming desperate. The situation for those using water supplied by the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District in southern Alberta is becoming desperate. The latest information from LNID does not bode well for irrigation farmers, as emergency repairs continue on a liner that feeds the canal system. It runs from west of Fort Macleod to east of Picture Butte. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: U.S. corn crop hits headwinds as dry conditions persist
The Western Producer
There are some early-season concerns about the U.S. corn crop. An estimated 45 percent of the crop was in the D1 to D4 drought categories as of June 6. As well, 61 percent was rated good to excellent as of June 11, which is unusually low. Click here to continue reading
Ukraine dam: Satellite images reveal Kakhovka canals drying up
BBC News
One of Europe’s largest reservoirs is drying up after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine. Satellite images, analysed by BBC Verify, show four canal networks have become disconnected from the reservoir. The UN says drinking water supplies could be affected for more than 700,000 people, mostly in Russian-occupied areas. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods: Whitecourt area rivers peak, evacuation orders expand
Global News
Two rivers in the area of Whitecourt, Alta., about 150 kilometers northwest of Edmonton, are experiencing high water levels and causing overland flooding, prompting evacuation orders for several areas along the rivers. Click here to continue reading
Dryness gets serious in cattle country
The Western Producer
The Canadian Cattle Association is monitoring dry conditions that have affected beef producers across the country, which might hasten shrinkage in the national herd that is already at its lowest since 1990. “When you’re looking at food security and you’re looking at the lowest number since 1990, and the economic side of things and potential trade and where everything lies, we really need to emphasize on getting this situation corrected,” said CCA president Nathan Phinney. Click here to continue reading
New study reveals irrigation’s mixed effects around the world
Science Daily
Trajectory of irrigation water use in many regions is unsustainable, but practice is vital in managing climate change and future agricultural development, researchers conclude. The analysis, which appears in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, also points to ways to improve assessments in order to achieve sustainable water use and food production in the future. Click here to continue reading
Rainy weather necessitates more mosquito control measures in Red Deer and area
Red Deer Advocate
Rainy weather is welcome in Central Alberta after an unusually hot and dry spring. But several days of non-stop precipitation will likely produce a “significant uptick” of nuisance mosquitoes this summer, said Ken Lehman, ecological services operations coordinator for the City of Red Deer. Click here to continue reading
‘It was devastating’: Medicine Hat reflects on 2013 flood
CTV News
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the 2013 floods that devastated Calgary. However, Calgary wasn’t the only city affected by what’s been called the worst flood in Alberta’s history. Click here to continue reading
‘We were actually shocked’: How a June snowfall impacted Jasper and its tourists
CTV News
Tour buses got stuck in snow and some campers were stranded, the park’s resource conservation manager told CTV News Edmonton. Six people were removed from Fisherman’s Bay by boat, and a helicopter rescued a group of hikers from Skyline Trail after their tent collapsed. Click here to continue reading
North Saskatchewan River rising rapidly, some Edmonton trails closed
Global News
The North Saskatchewan River has risen several metres in a matter of days, prompting the City of Edmonton to close river valley trails near the water Wednesday. On average, the city said the river level generally sits between three to four metres. Click here to continue reading
‘How dangerous the ocean can be’: Canadian city rallies for Titan rescue
The Guardian
Shortly after sunrise on Friday, a hulking icebreaker departed the protected waters of St John’s, Newfoundland, and ventured into the unpredictable vastness of the north Atlantic Ocean. Onboard the ship was an array of scientific monitoring equipment, cameras and a sleek, 22ft-long submersible named Titan. Click here to continue reading
Calgary more flood-resilient than in 2013, but remains vulnerable on Bow River
Global News
Ten years after the Bow and Elbow rivers spilled their banks, causing devastating impacts to Calgary, the city is halfway to being fully protected against a flood of similar scale. However, questions remain over protections on the Bow River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Orca rams into yacht off Shetland in first such incident in northern waters
The Guardian
An orca repeatedly rammed a yacht in the North Sea off Shetland on Monday, in a concerning development following previous interactions between the cetaceans and vessels in the strait of Gibraltar and Portugal. Click here to continue reading
Atlantic students help Canada’s first Indigenous Water and Wastewater Utility get off to a successful start
Water Canada
When it comes to caring for natural resources like water, Indigenous Elders share that they’re taught to think of rivers as great grandmothers. It’s an approach that’s at the foundation of the Atlantic First Nation Water Authority (AFNWA), the first-of-its-kind Indigenous water utility formed to serve First Nations communities across the Wabanaki territory (Atlantic Region), and one that’s now being taught to local students to ensure the AFNWA’s success. Click here to continue reading
‘June-uary’ brings snow in B.C., Alberta while Ontario, Quebec battle wildfires
CTV News
Environment Canada issued multiple weather warnings and statements across Canada on Monday. From air quality advisories to upwards of 30 cm of snow, June in Canada is a mixed bag of weather. For most of the month, communities from B.C. to Quebec have been battling wildfires, as pressing dry temperatures blanketed most of the northern Canada and the Prairies. Click here to continue reading
Central Alberta records ‘tremendous’ amounts of rain; flooding a concern
Global News
Edmonton saw nearly half of the average amount of rain it usually sees for all of June in just one day. As of 6 p.m. Sunday, the city had recorded up to 38 millimetres of rainfall. For Edmonton, the June average is 77 mm. Click here to continue reading
Energy company fined $225K for ‘produced water’ release near Drayton Valley, Alta.
CTV News
Calgary-based ARC Resources Ltd. has pleaded guilty to violating Alberta environmental rules and been ordered to pay $225,000 in fines. Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) made the announcement Monday. The guilty plea concerns a “discharge of produced water” on a pipeline right-of-way about five kilometres west of Drayton Valley, Alta., in December 2020. Click here to continue reading
Flood watch issued for McLeod and Athabasca rivers in Whitecourt
Global News
A flood watch has been issued for the McLeod and Athabasca rivers in Whitecourt on Monday evening. In a release on Monday evening, the Town of Whitecourt issued the watch due to anticipated high levels of water. Residents of Sagitawah RV Park and Westview Mobile Home Park were made aware of the flood watch and possible evacuation of both parks may be needed. Click here to continue reading
It’s been 10 years since the Big Flood. How the changing climate is shaping life in Calgary
CBC News
In the decade since the Big Flood of 2013, Calgary has seen a number of extreme weather events and scorching, smoky summer days. Four Calgary disasters are included in the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Top 10 list of costliest years for insured losses in Canada — three since the flood, the fourth occurring the year before. Click here to continue reading
Mayor explains why Calgary is still waiting for flood mitigation on the Bow River
CBC News
It’s been 10 years since flooding on the Bow and Elbow rivers devastated many parts of Calgary and southern Alberta. Work continues on mitigation projects in hopes of preventing a repeat. Between the city expanding the Glenmore Reservoir’s capacity by installing new dam gates and the province building an off-stream storage reservoir in Springbank, the Elbow River’s ability to cause damage in riverside communities will soon be tamed. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods: Those in hamlet of Peers ordered to shelter in place
Global News
Yellowhead County issued a shelter-in-place alert Tuesday for the hamlet of Peers due to the heavy rain, rising water and a compromised bridge. All residents in the south part of the hamlet were told to shelter in place, the county said. Emergency responders will assist in getting people out of the area, the county added. Click here to continue reading
Dryness puts Alta. crops behind the eight ball
The Western Producer
A welcome downpour of rain did not fix mounting problems with Alberta’s crop, says an analyst. Derek Squair, president of Exceed Grain Marketing, recently completed an extensive crop tour of the province. Crop development is poor south of Red Deer, where it continues to be extremely dry. Click here to continue reading
10th anniversary of the 2013 floods: Minister Schulz
Government of Alberta
Today is a sombre anniversary for many Albertans. It has been 10 years since floodwaters tore through southern Alberta. What was supposed to be the start of the summer for Alberta families was instead a time of hardship, grief and loss. Click here to continue reading
‘We’re gonna have a flood’: Naheed Nenshi recalls 2013 flood, 10 years later
CTV News
On June 20, 2013, three weather systems combined to bring a massive volume of rain to the Calgary region and the Rocky Mountains to the west. Approximately 220 millimetres of rain fell there, dissolving a heavy spring snowpack and leading to a deluge of water and debris. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods: 10 years later
Global News
It’s been 10 years since the historic floods of southern Alberta that were deadly, expensive and resulted in the first ever declaration of a State of Provincial Emergency in Canadian history. Click here to continue reading
Whitecourt declares state of local emergency due to flooding, issues evacuation orders
CTV News
The Town of Whitecourt, approximately 180 km northwest of Edmonton, has declared a state of local emergency due to flooding. A flood watch is also in effect for the McLeod and Athabasca rivers. Click here to continue reading
How the 2013 floods left a lasting impact and sparked a legacy
City of Calgary
Ten years ago on a grey and gloomy Thursday morning, racing rivers upstream of Calgary, angry and swollen from days of torrential downpour carving away at melting snowpack, sped towards Calgary. It was the largest recorded flood in our city since 1897. The impact resulted in more than 80,000 people being evacuated from 26 communities; the closure of LRT stations, bridges and turning the power off to a number communities and businesses. Click here to continue reading
Edson, Yellowhead County struggle with flooding after wildfire: ‘One extreme to the next’
Global News
The town of Edson continued to face localized flooding Tuesday after heavy rainfall across west-central Alberta Sunday and Monday. More than 105 millimetres of rain fell in Edson in the span of just 48 hours — more than the region would typically see for the entire month of June. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: South African taps run dry after power shortages
BBC
The peace of a normally tranquil suburban road near South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, is being shattered by the sound of drilling. These are not prospectors looking for a new source of the country’s mineral wealth, but workers digging for an arguably more precious resource: water. Private boreholes – like this one being excavated in Garsfontein – are springing up across the wealthier neighbourhoods in the country’s economic heartland, where taps have been running dry. Click here to continue reading
Are You Ready for ‘Extreme’ Water Recycling?
WIRED
In downtown San Francisco, in a cavernous garage that was once a Honda dealership, a gleaming white-and-blue appliance about the size of a commercial refrigerator is being prepared for transport to a hotel in Los Angeles. There, this unit, called a OneWater System, will be installed in the basement, where its collection of pipes will take in much of the hotel’s gray water—from sinks, showers, and laundry. The system will clean the water with membrane filtration, ultraviolet light, and chlorine, and then send it back upstairs to be used again for nonpotable uses. Click here to continue reading
As Projects Decline, the Era of Building Big Dams Draws to a Close
Yale Environment 360
The end of the big dam era is approaching. Numerous recently published reports reflect this planet-altering fact. One study, conducted by scholars at the United Nations University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health, found that construction of large dams globally fell from a late-1970s peak of about 1,500 a year to around 50 a year in 2020. “There will not be another ‘dam revolution’ to match the scale of the high-intensity dam construction experienced in the early to middle 20th century,” the 2021 study concluded. Click here to continue reading
Walls along River Nile reveal ancient form of hydraulic engineering
Phys Org
An international team of researchers who discovered a vast network of stone walls along the River Nile in Egypt and Sudan say these massive “river groins” reveal an exceptionally long-lived form of hydraulic engineering in the Nile Valley, and shed light on connections between ancient Nubia and Egypt. Click here to continue reading
‘Drought is on the verge of becoming the next pandemic’
The Guardian
Freshwater shortages, once considered a local issue, are increasingly a global risk. In every annual risk report since 2012, the World Economic Forum has included water crisis as one of the top-five risks to the global economy. Half of the global population – almost 4 billion people – live in areas with severe water scarcity for at least one month of the year, while half a billion people face severe water scarcity all year round. Click here to continue reading
Recent rain may not be enough to halt the shrinking of Canada’s cattle herd
CTV News
Anxious Alberta ranchers praying for rain got their wish this week, but it may not be enough to stop the ongoing decline in Canadian cattle production. The moisture that fell on parts of drought-parched Alberta came as a welcome reprieve to the hundreds of cattle farmers who have seen their pastures wither and their water supplies dry up this June. Click here to continue reading
No problems on Red Deer River from recent rain
Red Deer Advocate
Red Deer River is flowing at a faster rate through the city after this week’s rain, but hasn’t risen to a level of concern for city officials. The flow on the Red Deer River was at about 54 cubic metres per second on Friday morning compared to 25 cubic metres per second at 9 p.m. on Thursday, according to river basin data available online from Alberta Environment and Parks at rivers.alberta.ca. Click here to continue reading
‘Million-dollar rain’ brings moisture to dry fields in Edmonton area
CTV News
This week’s rain has brought Edmonton-area farmers back from the brink, according to one official. The latest Alberta Crop Report released on Tuesday stated that sporadic showers haven’t given producers ideal conditions to boost crops. But to the relief of farmers, rain came to the capital region on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Click here to continue reading
Recent rain helped some crops but more needed
Red Deer Advocate
Only 23 per cent of central region crops were rated good or excellent ahead of Wednesday’s rain, according to the Alberta Crop Report. Crop conditions up to last Tuesday are included in the latest report by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation and Agriculture Financial Services Corporation. A year ago, nearly 80 per cent of major crops were excellent or good. The five-year average is about 82 per cent and the 10-year average is 74 per cent. Click here to continue reading
Sunnyside community marks 10 years since the big flood
CBC News
In 2013, Christie Page found herself scrambling to evacuate with her family after she heard a flood warning on the radio. Page, a resident of the Sunnyside community in northwest Calgary, called her husband immediately and they made a decision — it was time to evacuate with their baby and head to a safe location. Click here to continue reading
Rebuilding Ukraine’s ruined Nova Kakhovka dam pits history against economic reality
CBC News
Amid the spoiled farmland and destroyed crops, the waterlogged homes and ruined lives, the now slow-motion tragedy that is the draining of the Kakhovka reservoir is also peeling back time on an almost forgotten aspect of Ukrainian history. The receding water has revealed the remains of an ancient settlement that people living nearby on the edge of the artificial lake refer to as the “Cossack Meadow.” Click here to continue reading
Heavy rainfall in north and central Alberta brings much-needed moisture, but also complications
Global News
Heavy rainfall in north and central Alberta will bring much-needed moisture for the wildfire fight in the province, but the situation may be more complicated. Environment Canada issued heavy rainfall warnings for most of the area on Sunday, including Edmonton and Edson, where a wildfire is burning just 1.5 kilometres away from the town. It is more than 300,000 hectares in size as of Saturday, which is four and a half times the size of Edmonton according to Alberta Wildfire officials. Click here to continue reading
To boost supply chains, scientists are looking at ways to recover valuable materials from water
Science Daily
For many materials critical to supply chains that will help enable America’s decarbonization transition, resources are limited. Traditional mining is fraught with challenges, so advancing clean energy depends on finding new ways to reliably access critical materials. Click here to continue reading
Heavy snowfall warning issued on Alberta mountain highway
CBC News
Despite being three days away from the official start of summer, some parts of Alberta are slated to see snow — and a lot of it, according to Environment Canada. At around 3:50 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, the weather agency issued a snowfall warning for Highway 93 in Banff National Park from Lake Louise, Alta., to Saskatchewan River Crossing, Alta., and from Jasper, Alta., to Saskatchewan River Crossing. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Unheard of’ marine heatwave off UK and Irish coasts poses serious threat
The Guardian
An “unheard of” marine heatwave off the coasts of the UK and Ireland poses a serious threat to species, scientists have warned. Sea temperatures, particularly off the north-east coast of England and the west of Ireland, are several degrees above normal, smashing records for late spring and early summer. The North Sea and north Atlantic are experiencing higher temperatures, data shows. Click here to continue reading
‘Nervous anticipation’: Flashbacks of 2013 flood in southern Alberta come every June
CTV News
Every June, many Calgarians who live near the Bow and Elbow rivers start to worry. Some watch the weather forecasts more closely. Others take a weekend drive to the Rockies, an hour west, to see what’s left of the winter snowpack high in the mountains. They’re haunted by the days in 2013 when the rivers breached their banks, triggering floods that brought widespread devastation to city residents and businesses. Click here to continue reading
Central Alberta experienced moderate to extreme drought conditions in May
Ponoka News
Parts of the province experienced moderate to extreme drought conditions in May, but the situation is not yet dire for producers. A preliminary assessment of May’s drought conditions showed a degradation of soil moisture levels from the month prior throughout much of Alberta, said Trevor Hadwen, an agroclimate specialist from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Click here to continue reading
If you think this week’s rain means relief for Alberta farmers, think again
CBC News
Alberta farmers have been facing down a disquieting start to the season this year, not that far removed from devastating drought conditions two years ago that saw multiple provincial municipalities declaring agricultural disasters. Click here to continue reading
Alberta irrigation springs a leak
The Western Producers
For the second consecutive year, farmers and ranchers in a southern Alberta irrigation district face uncertainty regarding their ability to access water for crops and livestock. The canals of the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District would usually run full bore during a spring that has seen persistent dry conditions permeate the southern half of the province. But it’s only been able to provide a trickle of what’s needed this year, following a major leak in its canal system. Click here to continue reading
Warning to stay away from North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton’s creeks as water levels rise
Global News
Albertans are advised to be careful around the North Saskatchewan River and its tributaries in the coming days. The City of Edmonton said due to the continuous rain, the river and its shorelines, along with the city’s creeks, may make nearby trails unsafe. Click here to continue reading
This salty gel could harvest water from desert air
Science Daily
MIT engineers have synthesized a superabsorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air, even in desert-like conditions. As the material absorbs water vapor, it can swell to make room for more moisture. Even in very dry conditions, with 30 percent relative humidity, the material can pull vapor from the air and hold in the moisture without leaking. The water could then be heated and condensed, then collected as ultrapure water. Click here to continue reading
Salmon are dying in dried-up river beds in northern Yukon
CBC News
Yukon River chinook and chum salmon in the Old Crow region of the territory are being hit with the perfect storm — not only are this year’s runs expected to be dismal, but the life cycle of the salmon is being broken. Over the last several years, lower numbers of chinook and chum salmon have made the long journey from the ocean to creeks and streams at the mouth of the Porcupine River, spawned, and then died. The small fry would then make their way back to the Bering Sea in spring. Click here to continue reading
Recent rain may not be enough to halt the shrinking of Canada’s cattle herd
Ponoka News
Anxious Alberta ranchers praying for rain got their wish this week, but it may not be enough to stop the ongoing decline in Canadian cattle production. The moisture that fell on parts of drought-parched Alberta came as a welcome reprieve to the hundreds of cattle farmers who have seen their pastures wither and their water supplies dry up this June. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Thousands of tonnes of rock break off summit of Austrian mountain
The Guardian
Thousands of tonnes of rock have broken off the summit of a mountain popular with climbers and tumbled into a valley in Austria, in an incident blamed by geologists on melting snow and thawing permafrost. Click here to continue reading
Is Canada ready for a fiery future? We tallied up all of its water bomber planes to find out
CBC News
The worst Canadian wildfire season of the century has tested the country’s airborne firefighting capacity, revealing that one of the most forested countries in the world may be ill-equipped to control fires raging simultaneously from coast to coast. The country is likely to see more fire seasons like 2023. Climate changes means more unpredictable weather. Some summers could be unusually wet, while others are likely to be like this one — unusually dry and windy — the perfect wildfire recipe. Click here to continue reading
Marine environment at risk due to ship emissions
Science Daily
Researchers used four different types of port environments to investigate the levels of contaminants emitted from five different sources. They found that the combined emissions of metals and environmentally hazardous substances is putting the marine environment at risk. Ninety per cent of the harmful emissions came from ships fitted with scrubbers, whose purpose is to clean their exhaust gases. Click here to continue reading
3 debris fields left after downpour, rockslides at Waterton Lakes National Park
Global News
Parks Canada staff have been able to survey the damage at Waterton Lakes National Park after more than 50 millimetres of rain fell in a two-hour period Sunday night. There are at least three debris fields covering Akamina Parkway along Crandell Mountain, the federal agency said Tuesday. Click here to continue reading
Part of Waterton Lakes National Park reopens following flooding concerns
CTV News
A large portion of Waterton Lakes National Park has reopened, though closures remain in place for several trails due to the risk of rockslides. Parks Canada had issued a bulletin on Monday announcing the closure of hiking trails and backcountry areas in Waterton due to flooding, with the exception of Townsite Kootenai Brown Trail and Townsite Lakeshore Trail. At the time, Parks Canada also warned that the Red Rock and Akamina parkways were closed, as well as backcountry campgrounds. Click here to continue reading
LNID’s farmers nearly out of water and hope for their crops this season
Global News
Before the 2023 water season, the Main Headworks Canal, located in the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID), was shut off so Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation could repair a liner that had been leaking for a few years. The district said when it was turned on in late-April, construction-related leaks were discovered extending the shutdown indefinitely, leaving farmers with just a fraction of their normal irrigation. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: River in ‘wettest place in England’ in Lake District almost completely dry
The Guardian
The upper River Derwent in Borrowdale in the Lake District – famous for its reputation as the wettest place in England – is almost completely dry, leading experts to warn of “disastrous conditions for wildlife”. Click here to continue reading
Klir unveils ChatGPT integration powered by Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI Service for its Unified Water Management Platform
Water Canada
Klir, the integrated water platform that helps the world’s water utilities make water safer, today announced the launch of its new generative AI capabilities now available though the latest iteration of its platform, Klir Comply. Using Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI service to provide access to powerful language models – including ChatGPT4 – Klir is the first-ever water management software powered by ChatGPT. Click here to continue reading
Rainy forecast not enough to reverse course on Alberta’s wildfire season, cautions meteorologist
CBC News
As rain falls in communities across Alberta Wednesday, federal meteorologists caution the incoming storms will not be enough to reverse course on a devastating wildfire season. Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the heavy rains forecasted in the days ahead will not dampen the wildfire risk for long. Meanwhile the incoming storms also bring the risk of high winds that could fan the flames of existing fires and lighting strikes that could ignite new ones. Click here to continue reading
Water restrictions in place in Wetaskiwin County
The Wetaskiwin Times
In addition to reinstating a fire ban, Wetaskiwin County has put in water restrictions in the communities of Cavallo Ridge, Sunset Harbour and Village Lane Condos until further notice. Click here to continue reading
St. Albert resumes regular water consumption after reservoir levels recover
Global News
The city of St. Albert, Alta., is returning to regular water consumption after its reservoirs were replenished Tuesday. The city had originally asked residents and business owners to conserve water Monday, saying that the reservoirs were at “near critical” levels, but they are now at “normal levels.” Click here to continue reading
‘It’s a mess’: Canal leaks causing problems for farmers
CTV News
Before the 2023 water season, contractors hired by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation made repairs to Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID) canal’s lining that had be leaking for several years. But after the repairs were made and the water turned on in April, it was discovered more leaks had been created by the repair work. Click here to continue reading
Canmore water ban lifted, Epcor fixing leaks
Global News
The ban on non-essential water use in Canmore and the surrounding area has been lifted, allowing residents to resume normal water use. On Wednesday afternoon, the Town of Canmore and Epcor thanked residents for complying with the ban that had been in place since Friday. Click here to continue reading
County of Stettler declares agricultural disaster
Red Deer Advocate
Because of an ongoing heat wave and light snowpack with no-run off, the County of Stettler has declared an agricultural disaster. In a release Wednesday, county council said due to drought-like conditions, they made the decision to make the declaration. The county is the first municipality to declare an agricultural disaster in Alberta this year, due to drought. Click here to continue reading
20% of Kherson remains underwater after dam breach, says UN
CBC News
A CBC News team is on the ground in the Kherson flood disaster zone in southern Ukraine, where floodwaters are receding, but much of the city remains underwater amid widespread ecological damage. Click here to continue reading
4,000 square kilometres of land has burned near Sambaa K’e. What does that mean for fish?
CBC News
After a wildfire tore through the forest around Kakisa, N.W.T., in 2014, Lloyd Chicot began noticing changes in the lake: the pickerel grew fatter, and the pelicans moved in. Chicot, the chief of Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation, attributes the change partly to climate change and partly to runoff from the fire, which brought nutrients and debris into the lake. Click here to continue reading
Dry weather leads to low water levels near Edmonton, residents asked to conserve
Global News
Businesses and people living west of Edmonton are being asked to limit water use amid hot, dry weather. The City of St. Albert, Alta., asked residents and business owners to conserve water Monday. The three reservoirs that store water for community use and fire protection are at “near critical” levels, according to the city. Click here to continue reading
Non-essential water ban extended for Canmore area
Global News
A ban on non-essential water use in the Alberta mountain town of Canmore and surrounding area was extended Monday afternoon, Epcor announced. The ban was declared Friday for Canmore, Harvie Heights and Deadman’s Flats, where residents and businesses were asked to restrict their water use until at least Monday because an increase in water demand led to the water level in the Grassi Reservoir falling below 50 per cent. Click here to continue reading
Hot and dry conditions could produce ‘catastrophic’ situation for Alberta ranchers
Global News
Southern Alberta ranchers have hit a crisis point due to the continued hot and dry conditions this spring, according to the vice chair of the Alberta Beef Producers. By mid-June, Darwin Randle’s fields east of High River should be filled with green barley. This year, they’re dusty. Many seeds haven’t even germinated. Click here to continue reading
Northwest Calgary sinkhole leaves community association without water
Global News
A community association in northwest Calgary is out of water after a sinkhole appeared on Friday. The crater along Silver Ridge Close N.W. opened up Thursday and snagged the front end of a SUV. On Monday, the Silver Springs Community Association said the building will be closed on Tuesday due to a water main break from the sinkhole. All fitness programs and classes were cancelled. Click here to continue reading
Parks Canada closes trails in Waterton Lakes National Park due to flooding
Global News
Parks Canada closed off hiking trails and backcountry campgrounds in Waterton Lakes National Park due to flooding concerns. In a bulletin posted on Monday, all hiking trails in Waterton Lakes National Park were closed with the exception of Townsite and Kootenai Brown Trail along with Townsite Lakeshore Trail. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Visitors warned away from Texas beach after thousands of dead fish wash up
The Guardian
Tens of thousands of dead fish washed up on the Gulf coast of Texas over the weekend, covering the shoreline with rotting carcasses and leading local officials to warn visitors to keep away. Waves from the Gulf of Mexico pushed in dead fish “by the thousands” on Friday in Brazoria county, which is more than 40 miles (64km) south of Houston, local officials said. Click here to continue reading
‘Everything Will Die’: A Dam Blast Imperils Ukraine’s Vital Lifeline
The New York Times
Built 75 years ago, the Kakhovka Reservoir, the largest body of fresh water in Ukraine, is the life and livelihood of communities across a huge region. Its water feeds everything from small homes to large industries, with gardens, vineyards, shipping businesses and steel plants all reliant on the reservoir. Now, all are under threat. The towns and villages that grew up around the reservoir face hardship, even extinction, endangering a critical pillar of Ukraine’s economy. Click here to continue reading
Blue-green algae found in Pine Lake
Red Deer Advocate
The heat wave has triggered a blue-green algae bloom in Pine Lake. Blue-green algae thrives in warm, slow-moving water and in central Alberta frequently follows a prolonged spike in temperatures. Alberta Health Services (AHS) is warning residents to avoid all contact with the algae. If coming in contact wash those areas with clean water immediately. Click here to continue reading
Farmers need rain — and soon
Red Deer Advocate
Persistent dry conditions through May and into June has farmers hoping for a repeat of last year’s last-minute reprieve. The Alberta Crop Report released Friday said the central and south regions and portions of the Peace Region, and northeast and northwest Alberta are experiencing drier-than-normal conditions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Concern over Loch Ness low water levels amid UK dry spell
The Guardian
Concern has been raised about the water levels of Loch Ness and the River Ness amid the protracted dry spell affecting Scotland and the rest of the UK. Brian Shaw, the director of Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, said there had been a dramatic shrinkage in the size of the River Ness. Click here to continue reading
Canmore, Alta., under non-essential water ban as hot temperatures cause low reservoir
CBC News
Residents and businesses in Canmore, Harvie Heights and Deadman’s Flats are facing a mandatory non-essential water ban, according to the Town of Canmore. As of Friday at 11:45 a.m., the town said Epcor is advising all residents and businesses in the three areas to stop non-essential water use. This ban includes watering lawns, gardens, trees, or shrubs, washing cars, sidewalks, driveways, or houses with water, doing laundry, and filling hot tubs or swimming pools. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘A portion of paradise’: how the drought is bringing a lost US canyon back to life
The Guardian
Record dryness has restored an ecosystem under Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir. Is it time to see it as ‘a national park rather than a storage tank’? Click here to continue reading
Ecological consequences of dam collapse in southern Ukraine will be generational, experts say
CBC News
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam was a fast-moving disaster that is swiftly evolving into a long-term environmental catastrophe affecting drinking water, food supplies and ecosystems reaching into the Black Sea. The short-term dangers can be seen from outer space — tens of thousands of parcels of land flooded, and more to come. Experts say the long-term consequences will be generational. Click here to continue reading
Extremely dry spring leaves southern Albertan farmers on the road to ‘zero production’
Global News
Crops in southern Alberta that should be green are turning brown. With little to no measurable precipitation since mid-April in areas south of Calgary, some farmers are already predicting crop losses. According to the June 6 Agricultural Moisture Situation update a warm, dry fall and spring has failed to recharge soil moisture leaving many areas facing once in 50-year lows for this time of year. Click here to continue reading
How eDNA technology is changing the game for protecting ocean species
The Guardian
Over the past decade, the use of environmental DNA – known as “eDNA” – to monitor biodiversity has surged. As animals move through their environment, they shed fragments of genetic material: skin cells, waste products and other body fluids. By extracting these minute traces of DNA from samples of water, soil or air, scientists can determine the presence and diversity of species with unprecedented accuracy, providing a snapshot of the intricacies of an ecosystem. Click here to continue reading
Richmond, B.C., unveils west coast’s first river trash skimmer
Water Canada
The City of Richmond is taking its own steps to reduce the amount of waste in waterways with the installation of a new trash skimmer in the Fraser River – the first device of its kind to be installed on the west coast of North America. Click here to continue reading
River Valley Planning Modernization Survey
City of Edmonton
We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas to help the project team REFINE the future program and opportunities for the River Valley. This survey will take 15-20 minutes to complete and will close on July 4 at 11:59pm. Click here to continue reading
Industry knew about risks of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ for decades before push to restrict them, study says
CBC News
Governments in Canada and the U.S. are now cracking down on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of more than 9,000 human-made chemicals produced since the 1940s. They have unique properties that make them heat-resistant, oil- and water-repellent and friction-resistant, and are found in products from cosmetics and take-out boxes to non-stick cookware and fire suppressants. Click here to continue reading
Dam collapse a global problem as waters may poison Black Sea, Zelenskiy says
The Guardian
The Ukrainian president said the flood waters raging through the lower Dnipro River valley brought with them sewage, oil, chemicals and possibly anthrax from animal burial sites. Click here to continue reading
Experts worry about Canadian water bomber expertise with rising demand, aging fleets
The Calgary Herald
Aviation experts say Canada is losing expertise in the manufacturing of water bombers — just as demand for them is increasing. The Canadair CL-415, a purpose-built water bomber, was last produced in 2015. That plane and its predecessor — the CL-215 — are the only water bombers used in Quebec and play major roles in the fleets of other provinces. Click here to continue reading
Volunteers mark World Ocean Day with cleanups
CBC News
World Ocean Day is celebrated every year on June 8. It was first proposed by two Canadian organizations at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992 as a way to celebrate our shared oceans, and to raise awareness about the important role it plays and how people can help protect it. Take a look at how people are marking the ocean today. Click here to continue reading
Lacombe Lake water levels have become contentious
Red Deer Advocate
Two groups of Lacombe Lake users are at odds over how high the water level should be. In May, representatives of the Lacombe Lake Watershed Stewardship Society came before Lacombe County council with concerns that falling lake levels threaten water quality and will promote algae and weed growth and hurt fish habitats. On Thursday, a group of residents with property on the lake took an opposite stance. They argued the lake is at historically high levels and is destroying the shoreline and killing trees. The water should be lowered at least a foot, they told council. Click here to continue reading
‘Exercise extreme caution’: Lethbridge officials issue summer water safety reminder
Global News
The Oldman River in Lethbridge, Alta., often turns into a popular destination for sun seekers during the hotter months. But as community members take to the water in their swim trunks, on floats or other devices, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services is advising the importance of safety. Click here to continue reading
Medicine River water sampling project underway
Red Deer Advocate
Water sampling has begun to get to the bottom of Medicine River’s distinctive brown colour and to assess its health. Medicine River Watershed Society recently received a $4,250 watershed stewardship grant to help fund the project and presentations to show the public the results later in the year. Click here to continue reading
Experts express concerns over less rainfall, early snowmelt in Alberta
CBC News
As Alberta continues to fight wildfires and deal with extreme heat warnings, climate experts are wondering what the next few months will look like for the province in terms of adequate water supply. Click here to continue reading
From hoses and shovels to water bombers: how wildfires are being fought across Canada
CTV News
The techniques used to put out the wildfires that are burning across Canada vary somewhat depending on geography, but ultimately they depend on people on the ground with hoses and shovels digging out hot spots one by one, experts say. As of midday Thursday, there were 430 fires burning across Canada, including 235 that were out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Click here to continue reading
Vancouver Island road closed, campfire bans, as drought raises wildfire risks in B.C.
Sylvan Lake News
A small but aggressive wildfire on Vancouver Island is burning beside the only major highway linking Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet to the rest of British Columbia. The route is closed until further notice as the nearly one-square-kilometre blaze spreads in steep terrain south of Cameron Lake, not far from Cathedral Grove, home to some of Canada’s oldest and tallest trees. Click here to continue reading
In summer, it’s all about thunderstorms
The Western Producer
It’s thunderstorm season, so let’s take a look at the topic. Summer has moved in, so weather discussion across the Prairies turn to one of two topics: drought or thunderstorms. It’s too early to talk about drought, but with heat and humidity moving back into our region, thunderstorms become possible. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Dry run: Australia’s ski season kicks off without snow and El Niño may be to blame
The Guardian
Australia’s ski season will start with no skiing, no snowboarding, no snow – and a drying El Niño may be to blame. Due to a “lack of snow,” Thredbo Resort has closed its mountain to skiing and snowboarding this long weekend, a spokesperson said – just as it kicks off its official winter season. Click here to continue reading
Maps show how Kakhovka dam collapse threatens Ukraine’s bread basket
The Guardian
The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam has led to fears that a depleted reservoir will leave three critical regions in Ukraine’s bread basket without a key water supply. This has led to warnings about the region and wider world’s food supply, with Ukraine accounting for 40% of global trade in sunflower meal, 35% of sunflower oil, and 5% of wheat, barley and corn exports. Click here to continue reading
Largest Estuary Restoration Project on Vancouver Island starts work to revitalize crucial estuarine habitat
Water Canada
The Cowichan Estuary Restoration Project is the largest estuary restoration project to ever occur on Vancouver Island, aiming to restore vitally important estuary habitat and enhance estuary resilience against rising sea-levels. The project will rejuvenate habitat crucial for the survival of key fish and wildlife species, including wild Pacific Salmon, migratory and breeding birds as well as species-at-risk. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Wild horse deaths in California sierra show a delicate ecosystem off balance
The Guardian
East of Yosemite national park, Mono Lake is an ancient body of water, home to millions of brine shrimp and waterfowl and providing stunning views. It’s also home to a herd of more than 500 wild horses that began arriving in the area around 2015. This spring, as snow drifts from a record-setting winter storm began to melt, officials were surprised to find the horses turning up dead. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Panama Canal water levels are dangerously low because of a massive drought and it could mean bad things for global inflation
Fortune Magazine
If Gatun Lake levels keep falling as forecast, the market reaction will be higher shipping rates and a scramble to find alternative routes from Asia to the US, logistics experts said. The drought also risks undermining the Fed’s battle to get the rate of inflation closer to its 2% target. Click here to continue reading
Ukraine dam: Floods devastate tracts of rich farmland
BBC
The immediate humanitarian consequences, in flooded homes and displaced civilians, are dramatic enough. But Ukrainian officials are now warning of serious long-term consequences for agriculture across one of the country’s most fertile areas. The agriculture ministry on Wednesday predicted that fields in southern Ukraine could “turn into deserts as early as next year”, as vital irrigation systems, which depend on the vast Kakhovka reservoir, cease to function. Click here to continue reading
Dam breach could be Ukraine’s ‘worst ecological disaster since Chornobyl’
The Guardian
Ukrainian scientists are waiting for the water to subside before fully assessing the environmental impact of the Kakhovka dam breach, but one former minister warned it could prove the country’s worst ecological disaster since the Chornobyl nuclear meltdown. Click here to continue reading
Wheat prices jump following collapse of major dam in southern Ukraine
Sylvan Lake News
Global prices for wheat and corn soared Tuesday after a major dam in Ukraine collapsed, renewing market fears about the fragility of the country’s ability to ship food to Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia as it fights a war with Russia. Click here to continue reading
Calgary monitoring river levels amid below-average mountain snowpack levels
CTV News
Even along the continental divide, where winter snows historically lingered until July most years, there is very little, if any, snow left. It means rivers such as the Bow and the Elbow will get the majority of their volume from groundwater and any rain that falls. Click here to continue reading
Scuba divers in awe as deep-water shark ends up in shallow Vancouver Island waters
CBC News
A group of British Columbia scuba divers on Vancouver Island spotted a bluntnose sixgill shark on a recent dive in Alberni Inlet, capturing what they say is rare footage of the animal in shallow waters. Click here to continue reading
Zelenskyy calls for international aid as waters rise, Ukrainians flee homes after dam break
CBC News
Ukrainians abandoned their inundated homes as floodwaters crested across a swath of the south on Wednesday after the destruction of a vast dam on the front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces that each blamed on the other. Click here to continue reading
Cenovus fined after wastewater release from former Husky-owned pipeline
CTV News
Cenovus Energy is facing a fine over a release of wastewater into a wetland. In 2020, a pipeline then belonging to Husky Oil released about 206 cubic metres of produced water through a break in the line and into the surrounding wetland. Cenovus, which merged with Husky in 2021, has been assessed a $140,000 fine by the Alberta Energy Regulator after pleading guilty in provincial court. Click here to continue reading
‘We are terrified’: Calgary woman who fled Russian occupation helps victims of dam collapse in Ukraine
Calgary Herald
The collapse of a dam in southern Ukraine has unleashed a tsunami of water, triggering fears of an ecological catastrophe. Click here to continue reading
Lessons from ‘The Blob’ will help us manage fisheries during future marine heatwaves
Science Daily
In early 2014, a great anomaly descended upon the seas: A patch of warm water that manifested in the Gulf of Alaska. Scientists called it “The Blob.” The Blob was the largest marine heatwave on global record, and impacted the entire food web between Mexico and Alaska, from plankton to whales. A strong El Niño prolonged this marine heatwave through 2016. Click here to continue reading
Rain in Shelburne County allowing crews to attack fire more directly
CBC News
Crews finished the weekend “with smiles on their face at the end of the day” thanks to a heavy dousing of rain, says a Department of Natural Resources official. The fire, which has been burning since May 27, is still out of control and covers an area of 24,980 hectares, or about 250 square kilometres. Click here to continue reading
Agricultural trade to resume to Saudi Arabia
The Western Producer
A potential market for Canadian wheat and barley has been repaired with the stroke of a pen. Canada has restored diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia and the two countries will soon appoint new ambassadors, according to Reuters. That ends a political spat that started in 2018 and disrupted trade. Click here to continue reading
River diversions may cause microplastics to remain longer on land and in streams before reaching oceans
Science Daily
Diverting streams and rivers to irrigate crops or provide drinking water may significantly extend the time microplastics spend in river catchments before they flow into our oceans, a new study reveals. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in upgrades to wastewater treatment infrastructure in B.C. communities
Water Canada
In New Westminster, this investment will support the separation of combined sewers and related infrastructure upgrades to increase the City’s capacity to manage wastewater and treat or manage storm water. Project works will include the installation of 24 rain gardens, 8.4 kilometres of storm sewers, three permanent flow monitoring stations, as well as any necessary associated works and rehabilitation of roads impacted by the project. The combined sewer separation works will help improve the quality of storm water that enters the Fraser River. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Bureau of Meteorology puts Australia on ‘El Niño alert’
The Guardian
The Bureau of Meteorology has placed Australia on “El Niño alert”, warning there is now a 70% chance of the climate system developing before the end of this year. El Niño tends to reduce rainfall and push up daytime temperatures in winter and spring, increasing the risk of bushfires, heatwaves and coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. Click here to continue reading
Ukraine dam breached, unleashing floods as residents ordered to evacuate
CBC News
The fallout could have broad consequences: Flooding homes, streets and businesses downstream; depleting water levels upstream that help cool Europe’s largest nuclear power plant; and draining supplies of drinking water to the south in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed. Click here to continue reading
Feds warn 2023 on track to be the worst fire season ever seen in Canada
CTV News
Canada’s emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity. Click here to continue reading
‘We need wetlands’: Saskatchewan environmental groups concerned over drainage plan
Sask Today
Clint Blyth continues to see his stream banks erode each year. The southeastern Saskatchewan rancher says the degradation is caused by those upstream who illegally drain water, as every year huge gushes take chunks out of the banks. This year, it has forced him to move his fence line by about one metre. Click here to continue reading
What is Ukraine’s Nova Kakhovka dam?
CBC News
A huge Soviet-era dam on the Dnipro River that separates Russian and Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine was breached on Tuesday, unleashing floodwaters across the war zone. Ukraine said Russia had destroyed it, while Russia said Ukraine sabotaged it to cut off water supplies to Crimea and distract attention from a “faltering” counter-offensive. What is the dam, what happened — and what do we not know? Click here to continue reading
Too late now to save Arctic summer ice, climate scientists find
The Guardian
It is now too late to save summer Arctic sea ice, research has shown, and scientists say preparations need to be made for the increased extreme weather across the northern hemisphere that is likely to occur as a result. Analysis shows that even if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply reduced, the Arctic will be ice-free in September in coming decades. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Top US chemical firms to pay $1.2bn to settle water contamination lawsuits
The Guardian
DuPont and two related companies said they would pay close to $1.2bn to settle liability claims brought by public water systems serving the vast majority of the US population on Friday, just days before the start of a bellwether trial in South Carolina over PFAS contamination. Click here to continue reading
River to safety: Evacuees forced from Fort Chipewyan, Alta., find relief in Fort McKay
CBC News
As an out-of-control wildfire inched closer to the northeastern Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan, Dennis Shott spent the night leading evacuees to safety by water. Shott led the first convoy of boats south along the Athabasca River, helping others navigate the turbulent river to the docks of Fort McKay, as smoke drifted through the dark. Click here to continue reading
Seeding almost complete in central Alberta
Red Deer Advocate
In total, 96 per cent of major crops have been seeded, up 13 per cent from a week earlier. That is slightly behind the five-year average of 98.6 per cent and the 10-year average of 97.4 per cent. However, moisture remains a concern, says the report from Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation and Agricultural Financial Services Corporation. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Iraq’s oil boom blamed for worsening water crisis in drought-hit south
The Guardian
Water scarcity has already displaced thousands and increased instability, according to international experts, while Iraq is now considered the fifth most vulnerable country to the climate crisis by the UN. In the oil-rich but extremely dry south, wetlands that used to feed entire communities are now muddy canals. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Clumps of 5,000-mile seaweed blob bring flesh-eating bacteria to Florida
The Guardian
The alarming discovery by marine biologists at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) lends a dangerous new aspect to the brown seaweed onslaught, which is already threatening to spoil the state’s busy summer tourism season as coatings of decaying goop exude a pungent aroma akin to that of rotting eggs. Click here to continue reading
Officials declare Halifax-area wildfire largely contained as rain brings relief
Sylvan Lake News
A Halifax-area wildfire that forced thousands of residents from their homes over the past week is 85 per cent contained and no longer spreading, officials said Saturday morning. Click here to continue reading
Wildfire situation improving, Alberta no longer in state of emergency
CTV News
Alberta is no longer under a provincial state of emergency. The Emergency Management Act was invoked on May 6 to help mobilize firefighting and evacuee resources as 110 wildfires burned in the province. So far in the 2023 Alberta wildfire season, there have been 563 wildfires. Click here to continue reading
Boil Water Advisory lifted
City of Calgary
The precautionary Boil Water Advisory that went into effect for the communities of Silverado, Belmont and Yorkville has been fully lifted by Alberta Health Services. The advisory for the community of Silverado was lifted on June 3, with the remaining communities of Belmont and Yorkville lifted on June 4. Click here to continue reading
New accessible fishing dock now open in Lacombe
Red Deer Advocate
A new fully accessible fishing dock is now open at a Lacombe pond. There was a grand opening for the dock at the Len Thompson Trout Pond on Saturday ahead of the Lacombe Fish and Game Association’s annual Kids Can Catch event. Click here to continue reading
Record-breaking heat in N.W.T., Nunavut, has ‘scary’ implications for land users
CBC News
In fact, it was the hottest ever on record for the communities of Arviat, Baker Lake, and Rankin Inlet in Nunavut, as well as for Fort Liard, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife in the N.W.T. Taking a step back and looking at the entire meteorological spring, from the start of March to the end of May — it was the driest ever on record for Fort Liard. Click here to continue reading
Government of Canada invests in further protecting Canada’s waters from aquatic invasive species
Water Canada
Threats to biodiversity are being felt across Canada and the world. After habitat loss, invasive species are the second biggest threat to global biodiversity. Aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to Canada’s waters, economy and society. They can grow quickly, compete with native species and alter habitats. Click here to continue reading
Microplastics found in every sample of water taken during Ocean Race
The Guardian
Sailors testing the waters during the Ocean Race, which travels through some of the world’s most remote ocean environments, have found microplastics in every sample. Up to 1,884 microplastic particles were found per cubic metre of seawater in some locations, up to 18 times higher than in similar tests during the last Ocean Race, which ended in 2018. Scientists noted that the sensitivity of their instruments is now higher. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: 3M requests trial delay to settle PFAS water contamination lawsuit
The Guardian
3M was scheduled to face trial in South Carolina federal court on Monday in a lawsuit brought by the Florida city accusing the company of manufacturing PFAS, or per- and polyflouroalkyl substances, despite knowing for decades that the chemicals can cause cancer and other ailments. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Arizona limits future home-building in Phoenix area due to lack of groundwater
The Guardian
The state of Arizona has restricted future home-building in the Phoenix area due to a lack of groundwater, based on projections showing that wells will run dry under existing conditions. The action by the Arizona department of water resources on Thursday is set to slow population growth for the Phoenix region, the state capital, home to 4.6 million people and one of the most rapidly expanding areas of the United States. Click here to continue reading
Preparing for weather-related emergencies in Canada
Statistics Canada
In fall 2022, 1 in 5 Canadians were extremely or very concerned about the risk of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster affecting their household. Click here to continue reading
Calgary-based biosand filter organization celebrating 30 years of providing clean water
CTV News
The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) has 1.7 million of its biosand filters in communities all over the world. Taryn Meyers, senior manager of marketing and engagement, says they’re made with simple elements that can be found locally and consist mainly of concrete and filtered sand. Click here to continue reading
Government of Canada continues to monitor and invest in COVID-19 wastewater monitoring
Water Canada
On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization determined the current COVID-19 situation no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), however the Government of Canada recognizes that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still circulating across Canada and worldwide. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: The farmers dealing with water shortages even before historic Colorado River deal
The Guardian
In 2022, the Colorado River water allocated for farmers in central Arizona – the state’s tri-county urban and agricultural heartland – was cut by 65% overall, but most Pinal county farmers lost 80% or more. This year the allocation is virtually zero, as the river’s complex priority system means farmers in central Arizona currently bear the brunt of the state’s reduced allocation. Click here to continue reading
Government of Canada investing in preventing aquatic invasive species in Quebec’s waters
Water Canada
Aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to Canada’s waters, economy and society when species are introduced to areas outside their native environment, they can grow quickly, compete with other species and alter habitats, causing serious ecological harm in our waters. Click here to continue reading
An Alberta miner’s proposal to drill 7,200 wells near Winnipeg has rural residents on edge
CBC News
An Alberta mining company wants to drill thousands of wells in southeastern Manitoba to remove millions of tonnes of sand in an aquifer that serves as the source of drinking water for tens of thousands of people. Click here to continue reading
Bay du Nord on hold for 3 years, Equinor announces
CBC News
Canada’s first deep water oil project has been shelved for three years “in the face of challenging market conditions,” according to Norwegian oil giant Equinor. The company sent a news release shortly after noon on Wednesday, in the midst of the Energy N.L. Conference and Exhibition in St. John’s. Click here to continue reading
Earth’s health failing in seven out of eight key measures, say scientists
The Guardian
Human activity has pushed the world into the danger zone in seven out of eight newly demarcated indicators of planetary safety and justice, according to a groundbreaking analysis of the Earth’s wellbeing. Click here to continue reading
‘Unprecedented’ Nova Scotia wildfires expected to worsen, officials warn
The Guardian
Officials in the province of Nova Scotia say unprecedented wildfires that have forced thousands from their homes will keep growing despite the “water, raw muscle power and air power” deployed by fire crews. Click here to continue reading
Essex County, Ont., farmers hope for ‘million-dollar rain’ as region sees driest May since 1870
CBC News
Farmers in Essex County, Ont. are hoping for a “million-dollar rain” as the region faces its driest month of May on record in more than 150 years. Click here to continue reading
Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage
Alberta Views
This broad, shallow body of water 60 km west of Edmonton is called Wakamne (or “God’s Lake”) by the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, who live at the west end of the lake. According to Alexis oral history, a chief followed a vision and led his people to these shores. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Nevada fight over leaky irrigation canal and groundwater more complicated than it appears on surface
The Washington Times
Water conflicts are nothing new to the arid West, where myriad users long have vied for their share of the precious resource from California’s Central Valley to the Colorado and Missouri rivers. But few have waded into the legal question playing out in rural Nevada: To what extent can local residents, farmers and ranchers claim the water that is soaking into the ground through the dirt floor of an antiquated, unlined irrigation canal? Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: At least three killed in shooting at Iran-Afghan border
Al Jazeera
Two Iranian border guards and one Taliban fighter have been killed after shooting broke out near a border post between Iran and Afghanistan, sharply escalating rising tensions between the two countries amid a dispute over water rights. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Tracking water thieves in southern Spain
Euronews
Two thirds of Spain are under threat of desertification. The climate crisis is heating up. And conflicts linked to the use of water are multiplying. Doñana, one of Europe’s most outstanding nature reserves, is one of those places. Click here to continue reading
Canada invests in NL water and sewer upgrades to improve reliability and energy efficiency
Water Canada
This investment will support water, storm and sewage system upgrades along Brigus Road, including a new watermain, storm sewer ditching, culvert upgrades and replace an existing sanitary sewer lift station.These upgrades will improve the reliability and energy efficiency of the drinking water distribution, stormwater management and sewage treatment systems, helping to create a greener community and improve climate change preparedness. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in water infrastructure improvements
Water Canada
Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country, the Honourable Anne Kang, B.C. Minister of Municipal Affairs, and His Worship Jack Crompton, Mayor of the Resort Municipality of Whistler, have announced a joint investment of more than $16.1 million to support four water infrastructure projects across British Columbia. Click here to continue reading
Analysts struggle with El Nino rain predictions
The Western Producer
While it is difficult to predict El Nino’s influence on summer weather for most of North America, there is a strong correlation with temperature on the Canadian Prairies. It typically results in a hotter-than-normal summer, especially for the western half of the region, said John Baranick, DTN’s agricultural meteorologist. When it comes to precipitation, it is basically a coin toss. It is hard to predict whether it will be above or below normal, he said during DTN’s recent Ag Summit Series. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Dr Deep Sea’: the US professor living underwater for 100 days
The Guardian
More than 20ft below the surface of a Florida lagoon, one man is on a mission. Having already broken the record for the longest time living underwater, Dr Joseph Dituri is planning to spend 100 days in his subaquatic compound, to research the effects of hyperbaric pressure on the body. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Up to 70% of California beaches could disappear by end of the century
The Guardian
California is known for golden sands and endless waves, but much of the state’s famous shoreline could vanish in the future. That’s according to a new study, which found that between 25% and 70% of California beaches might be washed away by the end of the century, leaving only cliffs or coastal infrastructure in their wake. Click here to continue reading
Spring flood risks highlight lack of insurance for Canadian homeowners: experts
Ponoka News
As the spring season brings higher flood risk to Canadians, as seen in British Columbia recently, experts say many homeowners remain without adequate insurance to cover extreme weather’s damage to their homes. Click here to continue reading
Early snowmelt in Western mountains means drier summers, more wildfire risk: study
CTV News
Leaner snowpack in Western Canada and United States mountain ranges is causing drier summers and increasing wildfire risk, says a new study from the University of Colorado Boulder. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Venice authorities investigate after canal turns fluorescent green
CTV News
Venetian authorities are investigating after a patch of fluorescent green water appeared in the famed Grand Canal on Sunday morning. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘Unpredictability is our biggest problem’: Texas farmers experiment with ancient farming styles
The Guardian
In one of the toughest growing regions in the US, commercial farmers like Frank Machac are experimenting with a style of ancient agriculture more known for soil health than profit. Click here to continue reading
Niagara Region takes claim of Ontario’s Tastiest Tap Water for second year in a row
Water Canada
During this week’s celebration of National Public Works Week, Niagara Region is excited to share that is has once again claimed the top spot at the Ontario Water Works Association’s Annual General Meeting Taste Test Competition. Click here to continue reading
‘It’s ridiculously antiquated’: could robot boats transform marine science?
The Guardian
No one has yet been able to sail an autonomous boat across the Atlantic, but a young couple in Wales hope their craft will revolutionize ocean monitoring of temperatures, wildlife and more. Click here to continue reading
Meet the ‘gummy squirrel’ and thousands of other newly discovered deep-sea species – in pictures
The Guardian
A trove of biodiversity has been catalogued by scientists in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast area of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico, which has been targeted by deep-sea mining companies keen to exploit its mineral wealth. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Ancient books in northern Italy frozen to salvage them from flood damage
The Guardian
Ancient books and manuscripts, some dating back to the 16th century, that have been affected by devastating floods in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna are being stored in freezers in an effort to salvage them. Click here to continue reading
Castlegar, B.C. to initiate Liquid Waste Management Plan
Water Canada
The City of Castlegar is initiating a Liquid Waste Management Plan and is seeking community involvement. Liquid waste includes both sanitary sewage and stormwater. Proper management of the City’s liquid waste relies on built physical infrastructure to convey and treat it, and guidance from well-thought-out plans, policies, commitments, and budgets to ensure a broad range of impacts are considered as the City grows and changes. Click here to continue reading
Infrastructure funding supports water and wastewater system upgrades for Sioux Valley Dakota Nation
Water Canada
Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Chief Jennifer Bone and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations, marked a historic investment in a new water treatment plant to meet the community’s water infrastructure needs. Through the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada has provided total of $12 million to Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. Click here to continue reading
Spring flood risks highlight lack of insurance for Canadian homeowners: experts
CTV News
As the spring season brings higher flood risk to Canadians, as seen in British Columbia recently, experts say many homeowners remain without adequate insurance to cover extreme weather’s damage to their homes. Click here to continue reading
El Niño is on our doorstep, but not all are created equal. So what does it mean for Canada?
CBC News
A global weather phenomenon is coming. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting an El Niño within the next few months, with a 90 per cent chance that it will carry on into the northern hemisphere winter. Click here to continue reading
‘Here we are again’: Flood warning returns for Klondike River, evacuation underway
CBC News
A tactical evacuation is underway once again in the Rock Creek area near Dawson City, Yukon, as the Klondike River continues to run dangerously high. Officials have issued another flood warning for the area, a little more than a week after an earlier warning was downgraded to a flood watch. Click here to continue reading
Water damage behind sinkhole in southeast Calgary, councillor says
CBC News
Water damage is to blame for a massive sinkhole that opened in the southeast neighbourhood of Cranston Tuesday, the area city councillor says. Ward 12 Coun. Evan Spencer told CBC Wednesday that according to an email from officials, a drain valve had broken in a park near where the sinkhole formed. Click here to continue reading
How is the Canadian water sector evolving?
Water Canada
Water continues to be a significant issue in Canada. Challenges with water quality, infrastructure, and resources impact many communities across the country on an annual basis. Three of WSP Canada’s leading water experts share their thoughts on the solutions for the water issues impacting communities now, and the discussions that should be taking place about the water issues forecasted across the next decade. Click here to continue reading
Canada Water Agency: Keeping our waters clean, now and into the future
Water Canada
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has highlighted another step forward with the Budget 2023 investment to protect Canada’s freshwater supply by establishing a new Canada Water Agency. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Canada Water Agency will work with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, local authorities, scientists, and other partners to find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean, and well-managed for everyone. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: US supreme court shrinks clean water protections in ruling siding with Idaho couple
The Guardian
The scope of a landmark law to protect America’s waterways has been shrunk by the US supreme court, which has sided with an Idaho couple who have waged a long-running legal battle to build a house on wetlands near one of the state’s largest lakes. Click here to continue reading
Slowing ocean current caused by melting Antarctic ice could have drastic climate impact, study says
The Guardian
A major global deep ocean current has slowed down by approximately 30% since the 1990s as a result of melting Antarctic ice, which could have critical consequences for Earth’s climate patterns and sea levels, new research suggests. Click here to continue reading
Plastic waste puts millions of world’s poorest at higher risk from floods
The Guardian
A devastating 2005 flood that killed 1,000 people in the Indian city of Mumbai was blamed on a tragically simple problem: plastic bags had blocked storm drains, stopping monsoon flood water from draining out of the city. Now a new report, attempting to quantify this problem, estimates that 218 million of the world’s poorest people are at risk from more severe and frequent flooding caused by plastic waste. Click here to continue reading
Government of Canada taking next step in addressing “forever chemicals” PFAS
Water Canada
PFAS, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals”, are a large group of extremely persistent human-made substances used in a wide range of everyday products, such as food packaging, non-stick cookware, clothing, and cosmetics. They are also used in industrial products and specialized applications including firefighting foams, lubricants, and oil/water repellants. PFAS are found nearly everywhere in the environment, including in the air, groundwater, oceans, lakes, rivers, and soils, as well as in wastewater, landfill leachate, sewage sludge, and contaminated sites worldwide. Click here to continue reading
Expansion and upgrades to Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant turns waste gas into power and keeps Calgarians flushing for years to come
City of Calgary
We often take for granted that when our toilets flush, the waste just disappears, never to be seen again. However, the level of technical and specialized knowledge, skills and equipment that’s needed to operate and maintain a facility that takes care of our wastewater and protects the health of our rivers is immense, and exceptionally complex. That’s why The City is investing over $1 billion in a program of extensive upgrades and expansions to the Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant to protect the environment and accommodate our city’s future growth. Click here to continue reading
Alberta wildfire count decreases after spate of rain
CBC News
The Alberta wildfire count has decreased slightly after several days of sporadic rainfall offered a reprieve for firefighters. According to the provincial wildfire status dashboard around noon Wednesday, there were 71 wildfires burning across Alberta. In Alberta’s forest protection zones, there were 67 wildfires with 17 considered out of control. Click here to continue reading
How nature could help fix our flooding and sewerage problems
Discover Wildlife
With climate change and overloaded sewerage systems driving more and more extreme flooding events, engineers are increasingly turning to nature for solutions. Click here to continue reading
Edmonton bringing back public water bottle filling stations
CTV News
For the third summer in a row, the city is setting up water bottle filling stations to make sure Edmontonians have access to clean, safe drinking water. The stations are attached to fire hydrants and are located near public city washrooms wherever possible. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Italy cleans up following deadly floods
CBC News
Italy’s Emilia Romagna region will recover from the devastating floods that hit this week by taking from lessons learned from the 2012 earthquake, its governor said Friday, as the death toll from the disaster rose to 14. Click here to continue reading
‘A really sad time in our community’: Fort McPherson, N.W.T., faces devastation, loss
CBC News
The water in Fort McPherson, N.W.T., is receding, but the community continues to face devastation as homes near Eight Miles were destroyed and the recent deaths of three people from the hamlet has families and friends grieving. Click here to continue reading
Council approves budget adjustment to upsize the water main
Sylvan News
The Town of Sylvan Lake adjusted its budget to upsize a water main in the Grey Hawk subdivision from a 250 mm line to a 400 mm line. The town felt upgrading the line was necessary since it is more cost-effective to upgrade the water main during construction of the subdivision rather than having to upgrade the water main at a later date, communications officer Jared Waldo said. Click here to continue reading
Half of world’s largest lakes losing water
Science Daily
Fifty-three percent of the world’s largest freshwater lakes are in decline, storing less water than they did three decades ago, according to a new study. The study analyzed satellite observations dating back decades to measure changes in water levels in nearly 2,000 of the world’s biggest lakes and reservoirs. It found that climate change, human consumption and sedimentation are responsible. Click here to continue reading
Earlier snowpack melt in Western US could bring summer water scarcity
Science Daily
Mountain snowpack, typically seen as the water tower of the Western United States and Canada, is in decline, according to a new study. Researchers created the Snow Storage Index to assess snow water storage from 1950-2013 and found that storage has significantly declined in more than 25% of the Mountain West, in part because more snow is melting during winter and spring. Click here to continue reading
Heavy rain expected across northern, western Alberta: Will it be enough to dampen wildfires?
Global News
Enough rain to prompt a warning is expected in the next few days across Alberta’s foothills and to the north of Edmonton. It’s perhaps not enough to put out wildfires completely, but may help firefighters catch their breath during a record-breaking season of fires. Click here to continue reading
Fort McPherson, N.W.T., ends state of emergency as water levels continue to drop
CBC News
The community of Fort McPherson, N.W.T., has lifted the local state of emergency as floodwaters recede and the hamlet begins repairs to damaged roads. The hamlet of about 650 declared an emergency last Tuesday after flooding from the Peel River washed over both roads out of the community, blocking access to the airport as well as the hamlet’s source of clean drinking water. Click here to continue reading
How a drought affects trees depends on what’s been holding them back
Science Daily
Droughts can be good for trees. Certain trees, that is. Contrary to expectation, sometimes a record-breaking drought can increase tree growth. Why and where this happens is the subject of a new article. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Historic Colorado River deal not enough to stave off long-term crisis, experts say
The Guardian
A hard-fought agreement between California, Arizona and Nevada to slash the states’ use of the shrinking Colorado River is only a temporary salve to a long-term water crisis that continues to threaten the foundations of life in the American west, experts have warned. Click here to continue reading
‘Last dance vibe’: After 100 years, the International Ice Patrol is winding down N.L. iceberg flights
CBC News
The U.S. navy started the program in 1914 — soon after an iceberg collision sank the Titanic — to track icebergs off Newfoundland’s coast and deliver up-to-date information to ships trying to safely navigate the north Atlantic. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in District of Taylor’s Wastewater Treatment Plant
Water Canada
Through this funding, a concrete sludge management facility will be built at the plant. Work includes new valves, pipes and pumps, associated electrical work, and the installation of a centrifuge to separate different liquids to reduce sludge accumulation. These upgrades will create a more sustainable wastewater management system that will protect the health of the environment and residents. Click here to continue reading
Heavy rains in Canada offer relief from wildfires but could lead to flooding
The Guardian
Heavy rains have brought relief to western Canada, in what crews hope could be a “turning point” in a protracted fight against wildfires, but officials also warned the much-needed downpour could lead to catastrophic flooding – and fresh blazes from lightning strikes. Click here to continue reading
Canada urged to start national water dialogue
The Western Producer
Canada’s most valuable resource might be fresh water, a commodity so short in some parts of the world that it causes intense conflicts. Despite this, Canada treats water issues with inattention and disregard, some say. Now, leading water management experts hope to see that changed with a new federal water agency. Click here to continue reading
Intense rain, deadly torrents of mud destroy homes and farmland in northern Italy
CBC News
Rescue crews worked Thursday to reach towns and villages in northern Italy still isolated by heavy rains and flooding, as the death toll rose to 13 and authorities began mapping out cleanup and reconstruction plans. Click here to continue reading
Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area closed this summer
Red Deer Advocate
Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area will be closed this summer to support construction activities to upgrade the site. Alberta Forestry, Parks and Tourism recently announced the area will be closed from June 1, 2023 to June 2024 to reduce danger to the general public as contractors work in the area with heavy equipment and materials on land and near water, and to make construction more efficient. Click here to continue reading
More than half of the world’s lakes have shrunk in past 30 years, study finds
The Guardian
More than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s – chiefly because of the climate crisis and human consumption – intensifying concerns about water supply for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study has found. Click here to continue reading
Land use linked to water quality and quantity
Science Daily
Researchers recently published a study that focuses on the Sudbury-Assabet and Concord watershed in eastern Massachusetts, and which links hydrological changes, including floods, drought and runoff, to changing patterns of land use. Click here to continue reading
State of emergency declared in Kinngait, Nunavut, over water problems
CBC News
Water problems in Kinngait, Nunavut, have led the territorial government to declare a state of emergency in the South Baffin community of about 1,400. An electrical problem at the community’s water pumphouse is the root of the problem. It’s limiting the hamlet’s ability to distribute treated water. Click here to continue reading
Global heating has likely made El Niños and La Niñas more ‘frequent and extreme’, new study shows
The Guardian
Global heating has likely intensified a climate pattern in the Pacific since the 1960s that has driven extreme droughts, floods and heatwaves around the globe, according to a new study. Click here to continue reading
Stantec deepens partnership with Apache Junction Sewer District for water reclamation facility expansion
Water Canada
Stantec has been selected to lead the water reclamation facility (WRF) expansion design for Apache Junction Sewer District (AJSD) in Apache Junction, Arizona. AJSD, previously the Superstition Mountains Community Facilities District No. 1, provides wastewater collection and treatment services to more than 7,000 customers. Click here to continue reading
Brandon, MB modernizes access to water network data
Water Canada
The City of Brandon, in partnership with Esri Canada, recently implemented the geographic information system (GIS) software ArcGIS Utility Network (UN), which allows the City to see, manage and share vital information about its water network in real time. This leads to better network management. The project is part of the City’s strategy to modernize asset management. Click here to continue reading
Italy floods: emergency services continue rescue efforts in flood-hit region – video
The Guardian
Italian authorities are continuing rescue operations across the flood-hit northern Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Footage recorded by the Italian coastguard showed helicopters rescuing people from their roofs, including a pregnant woman and an elderly couple. At least nine people have been killed by the floods and close to 5,000 evacuated from their homes. Click here to continue reading
Opinion: Stop forcing farmers to choose between economic viability and wetland protection
Calgary Herald
The Alberta earth is greening again. Farmers are back on the land seeding their crops. In the skies above, pintail, teal, northern shoveler and mallard ducks wheel before dropping into temporary sloughs, key components of their territories for nesting season. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Devastating floods in Italy claim lives and leave thousands homeless
The Guardian
Eight people have died and thousands have been evacuated from their homes after heavy storms wreaked havoc in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, causing severe flooding and landslides. Click here to continue reading
Testing may shed light on Medicine River’s brown colour
Red Deer Advocate
Central Alberta’s Medicine River will be tested this summer to try to solve the mystery of its distinctive brown colour and whether agriculture plays a role. Medicine River Watershed Society volunteers undertook limited testing last year that appeared to show river quality had improved since the last extensive round of testing in 2006 and 2007, said society board member Dana Kreil. Click here to continue reading
Suspected Prussian carp found in Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake News
A suspected Prussian Carp specimen was found dead near the pier in Sylvan Lake on April 23. Fisherman Reuben Braitenback was told by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas that the fish, which was found his coworker, is the first ever suspected Prussian Carp specimen from Sylvan Lake. Click here to continue reading
Great Basin: History of water supply in one of the driest regions in the USA
Science Daily
An international team has reconstructed the evolution of groundwater in the Great Basin, USA — one of the driest regions on Earth — up to 350,000 years into the past with unprecedented accuracy. The results shed new light on the effects of climate change on water supply and provide important insights for the sustainable use of groundwater resources. Click here to continue reading
New pump station coming to Strathcona, City of Vancouver
Water Canada
Constructed in 1962, the existing pump station is beyond its useful service life and is undergoing a $7.8 million dollar replacement as part of the City’s Capital Plan which maps out significant investments in Vancouver’s infrastructure and amenities. Work will be underway until the fall of 2024. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Satellite images show California’s ‘ghost lake’ reappearing after sodden winter
The Guardian
New satellite images released from Nasa this week showcase the dramatic reappearance of California’s Tulare Lake after water swallowed swaths of land across the state’s agricultural center that had long been dry. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government waiving fees for private well, cistern water testing
Water Canada
The Manitoba government is providing additional support to flood-impacted private well and cistern owners by fully subsidizing costs associated with testing their water supply to ensure it is safe to drink, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein announced. Click here to continue reading
Revolutionizing water worker safety using innovative tech
Water Canada
The workers responsible for providing clean water to our communities and homes often work long hours and may work alone. They are exposed to various occupational hazards, including slips, trips, and falls, violence, assault, and mental health challenges. As a result, ensuring their safety can be a complex issue, but is achievable through careful planning, the implementation of appropriate safety policies, and leveraging the right technology. Click here to continue reading
City of Calgary ready for 2023 flood season
City of Calgary
Mid-May marks the start of Calgary’s river flood season, and The City of Calgary is ready. Annual flood preparations are complete and the 24/7 monitoring of river conditions, weather forecasts and the melting mountain snowpack is well underway. While recent rains and an early melting snowpack have resulted in higher river flows than normal for mid-May, Calgary’s chance of flooding this year is still considered normal. Click here to continue reading
‘Higher than normal’ flow rate on Calgary rivers, city says
CTV News
The risk of flooding in Calgary this year is considered “normal,” officials said Monday, but cautioned that forecasts could “change dramatically.” The City of Calgary says its flood preparations are complete ahead of the 2023 flood season, which began on Monday. Click here to continue reading
Alberta regulator monitoring death of more birds at Suncor tailings pond
Calgary Herald
The Alberta Energy Regulator said Sunday it was monitoring the situation after 27 waterfowl were found dead at one of Suncor Energy’s oilsands tailings ponds. The company informed the regulator on May 13 that the birds were found at its Syncrude Mildred Lake Settling Basin, AER said in a post on its website. Click here to continue reading
Soil erosion causes problems on irrigated land
The Western Producer
Soil erosion caused by stronger winds and drier winters is becoming an increasing problem in southern Alberta on irrigated land, as well as for root crops, said an expert. It is affecting some of the most expensive land in the province, with farmers permanently losing soil in a day that took hundreds, if not thousands, of years to build up, said Ken Coles, executive director of Farming Smarter. “I took pictures myself of fence lines completely covered, ditches completely filled up, so when it happens, it’s kind of a catastrophic event.” Click here to continue reading
Low Lacombe Lake water levels a concern
Red Deer Advocate
The lake, three kilometres long and 500 metres wide between Blackfalds and Lacombe is only three metres deep at its deepest point. As it grows more shallow natural nutrients become more concentrated and sunlight can penetrate further, causing more plant growth. As those plants and weeds decay they use up oxygen needed by fish. Click here to continue reading
Sask. allots funds for flood, drought preparation
The Western Producer
The Saskatchewan government is spending $2 million this year on flood mapping in at-risk communities. The Water Security Agency identified Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Regina, Weyburn, Tisdale and Melfort under the Flood Hazard Identification Mapping Program this year. Click here to continue reading
Alberta Energy Regulator warns Imperial Oil about more wastewater problems at Kearl oilsands mine
CBC News
The Alberta Energy Regulator has warned Imperial Oil about more wastewater problems at its Kearl oilsands mine in northern Alberta. The regulator has issued a notice of non-compliance to the company after chemicals associated with oilsands tailings were found at an off-site well at levels that exceed provincial guidelines. Click here to continue reading
Water management is another form of risk management
The Western Producer
In one of the driest and most unpredictable growing regions in the world, irrigation and water management could become the most important form of risk management farmers employ. That truth is becoming more obvious as farmers’ need for financial stability collides with others’ demands that farmers farm more sustainably and with fewer greenhouse gas emissions. But if governments and others want farmers to leap ahead in water management, they might have to pay for it. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Wheat market’s reaction to U.S. rain baffles grain sector
The Western Producer
Industry officials are flummoxed by recent wheat market behaviour. Hard Red Winter Wheat (HRWW) July futures tumbled 16 percent between April 18 and May 2. The freefall was due in part to a two-day rain during the last week of April that delivered up to 100 millimetres of moisture to parts of the southern U.S. Plains. Click here to continue reading
City of Toronto launches tunnel boring machine for stormwater tunnel and largest basement flooding prevention project
Water Canada
The City of Toronto marked a major milestone for the Fairbank Silverthorn Storm Trunk Sewer System project, launching a tunnel boring machine that will work to construct a new storm sewer that will collect, store and move stormwater from the Fairbank-Silverthorn area to Black Creek to help reduce the risk of basement flooding. This is the City’s largest basement flooding prevention project to date. Click here to continue reading
New report: Funding for Canadian’ prairies water infrastructure urgently needed, but nature offers innovative solution
Water Canada
Our prairie provinces’ water infrastructure—from pipes to treatment facilities—upon which millions of Canadians depend is aging and depreciating at an alarming rate. However, natural infrastructure (NI) can offer a practical and cost-effective solution, when scaled up and adopted across all levels of government. Click here to continue reading
Quebec City is enforcing tighter water restrictions
CBC News
With the return of warm weather, residents will be allowed to water their property one day a week only, for a maximum of two hours. The Marchand administration tightened municipal regulations for the first time last year, limiting lawn watering to two days a week with the aim of preserving its drinking water supply. It also tested the new measures during a pilot project last year. Click here to continue reading
Coastal GasLink hit with more stop work orders over water pollution concerns
CBC News
Coastal GasLink has been issued stop work orders on a stretch of pipeline construction for the second time in just over a week, the latest in a pattern of environmental violations for polluting sensitive waterways. The pipeline project crosses about 625 lakes, rivers, creeks, wetlands, and streams in northern B.C. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Barcelona’s beaches could vanish as authorities abandon ‘enhancement’
The Guardian
For the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona rediscovered the sea. It beefed up its beachfront using thousands of tons of sand, and the area is now packed with tourists and lined with beach bars. Barcelona’s beach may be partly artificial, but it’s big business. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Impact of warmer seas on fish stocks leads to rise in pirate attacks
The Guardian
Dwindling fish stocks caused by the climate crisis are leading to an increase in pirate attacks, according to a new study looking at two piracy hotspots over the past two decades. Warmer seas have negatively affected fisheries in east Africa, one of the world’s worst areas for piracy; while in the South China Sea, another hotspot for attacks, it has had the opposite effect: fish populations have risen. Click here to continue reading
Canada and New Brunswick invest in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements in St. Stephen and Nackawic-Millville
Water Canada
Funding will support the separation of combined sewers and upgrades to underground infrastructure along several main roads in the Municipal District of St. Stephen. The work will include constructing new storm sewers, replacing existing watermains, adding several catch basins and manholes, as well as renewing the asphalt on School Street and Union Street. Click here to continue reading
Health Canada warns about the dangers of water beads for kids
Vancouver Sun
Health Canada is warning parents and caregivers about the risks of water beads, a toy that can grow up to 1,500 times their size when placed in water. The product, also known as jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil, sensory beads or orb beads, can be fatal if swallowed or cause harm if put in the ears or nose, the agency said. Click here to continue reading
Water drops a bit near Dawson City, but flood advisories still in effect
CBC News
Yukon emergency officials said Tuesday the water had dropped slightly in the Rock Creek area near Dawson City, but a flood warning was still in effect for the Klondike River. A flood watch — less urgent than a warning — was also maintained on Tuesday for the Yukon River at Dawson City. Click here to continue reading
Red Deerians still waiting for disaster relief from last summer’s heavy rain
Red Deer Advocate
A Red Deer couple who lost the majority of their backyard in a landslide last July is still waiting for provincial funding in order to stabilize their property near Waskasoo Creek. Three landslides were reported in Red Deer on July 11 and 12, 2022 after excessive rainfall a month earlier which saturated the soil and caused some areas to drop. Click here to continue reading
Alix council wants to track visitors to its namesake lake
East Central Alberta Review
Alix village council wants to track visitors to its namesake lake and may be using a number of different methods to do it. The decision was made at the May 3 regular meeting of council. Councilors passed a resolution for staff to investigate methods to gather visitor input and present a report at a future meeting. Click here to continue reading
Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency investing in flood hazard mapping improvement
Water Canada
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is continuing to enhance and improve water management for the province with a key investment in the Flood Hazard Identification Mapping Program. As part of WSA’s 2023-24 budget, over $2 million is being invested to support flood mapping efforts throughout the province of Saskatchewan. Click here to continue reading
It seems patio season has been saved for Inglewood businesses facing water-main woes
CTV News
This year, the city needs to replace a water main under 9th Avenue S.E. in the community of Inglewood. It has known since 2017 the work was required but still hasn’t set a firm start date. That caused concern among businesses hoping to open on-street patios this spring and summer. Click here to continue reading
Irrigation underway in southern Alberta as LNID’s headworks canal remains under repair
Global News
Water is flowing through southern Alberta’s irrigation districts. “We’ve been moving water downstream, flushing our canals,” said St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) general manager David Westwood. “We’re now starting to fill some of our pipelines and we’re still moving water to the eastern part of our district.” Click here to continue reading
Yukon launches online Flood Atlas to strengthen public safety and provide information about potential flooding
Water Canada
The Government of Yukon has launched a new online Flood Atlas, making it simpler to access details on flood-related alerts and long-term flood preparation in the territory. The Flood Atlas website displays flood-related advisories and provides an overall picture of potential flood situations, along with information about the government’s official flood mapping initiative and links to resources about Yukon water science and flood preparedness. The Flood Atlas is also designed to streamline the process of issuing flood warnings to the public. Click here to continue reading
Alberta Wildfires: Rain offers relief as Alberta rallies to battle wildfires
Edmonton Journal
Amid a provincial state of emergency, firefighters in Alberta received cooler and humid weather that will help them battle dozens of out-of-control wildfires as nearly 30,000 residents have fled their homes, officials say. Click here to continue reading
Thousands forced to evacuate as wildfires ravage western Canada
The Guardian
By Friday, more than 13,000 people were under evacuation orders in Alberta, as 78 fires burned. Among the worst-hit areas was the Little Red River Cree Nation in the north of the province, where the 1,458-hectare Fox Lake fire consumed 20 homes and the police station. Click here to continue reading
Evacuation orders and highway impacts as officials forecast heavy rains for Friday, weekend
CBC News
Communities in B.C.’s southern Interior are bracing for the worst as officials warn heavy rainfall could worsen conditions that have already led to evacuation orders and highway closures throughout the region. Click here to continue reading