Long waitlists for rain barrels as drought, water restriction concerns loom over Calgary
Calgary Herald
“Awareness is there that we need to collect our rainwater so that we are able to water our plants and not use (tap water), understanding how valuable our tap water is.” Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Brazil floods: Dam collapses and death toll rises in Rio Grande do Sul
BBC News
A hydroelectric dam has collapsed in southern Brazil after days of heavy rains that triggered massive flooding, killing more than 30 people. Click here to continue reading
Ontario Ministry of Health promises to continue public testing of private well water
Cottage Life
After weeks of questions from opposition critics and public health units surrounding an Auditor General’s report that noted a possible discontinuation of public testing of well water, the Ministry of Health says it intends to keep free well water testing in the province. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Oil palm plantations are driving massive downstream impact to watershed
Phys.org
While many studies have shown the loss of biodiversity when rainforests are converted to oil palm plantations, researchers at the University of Massachusetts of Amherst are the first to show far-reaching and wide-ranging disturbances to the watersheds in which such plantations occur. Because many Indigenous peoples rely on water downstream from the plantations for their daily needs, the marked decrease in water quality has the potential to exacerbate public health issues in Indigenous communities. Click here to continue reading
Lawn watering restrictions begin today in Metro Vancouver
Vancouver Sun
Lawn watering restrictions are now in effect throughout Metro Vancouver. The regional district is reminding residents and businesses that they may only water their lawns one morning a week to conserve drinking water ahead of what is expected to be a hot and dry summer. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Morocco’s farming revolution: Defying drought with science
Phys.org
By 2040, Morocco is poised to face “extremely high” water stress, a dire prediction from the World Resources Institute, a non-profit research organization. Looking to maximize production, farmers are experimenting with planting times and judicious irrigation. Even a scant 10 millimeters of water, carefully applied, transformed barren soil into thriving fields. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management
Phys.org
Death and destruction have also occurred in the capital, Nairobi, a stark reminder of the persistent failure to keep abreast of the city’s rapid urbanization needs. Sean Avery, who has undertaken numerous flood and drainage studies throughout Africa, unpacks the problems and potential solutions. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Precipitation may brighten Colorado River’s future, says modeling study
Phys.org
The Colorado River’s future may be a little brighter than expected, according to a new modeling study from CIRES researchers. Warming temperatures, which deplete water in the river, have raised doubts the Colorado River could recover from a multi-decade drought. The new study fully accounts for both rising temperatures and precipitation in the Colorado’s headwaters, and finds precipitation, not temperature, will likely continue to dictate the flow of the river for the next 25 years. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Big River Watch: public to monitor UK and Irish rivers for pollution
The Guardian
People in Britain and Ireland are being asked to monitor their local rivers for pollution so a leading water charity can measure the scale of the sewage crisis. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Severe Drought in Southern Africa
NASA Earth Observatory
A prolonged dry spell in southern Africa in early 2024 scorched crops and threatened food security for millions of people. The drought has been fueled in large part by the ongoing El Niño, which shifted rainfall patterns during the growing season.From late January through mid-March, parts of Southern Africa received half or less of their typical rainfall, according to researchers at the Climate Hazards Center. Precipitation would normally be highest from December through February. Click here to continue reading