Water
Why Are Alaska’s Rivers Turning Orange?
Streams in Alaska are turning orange with iron and sulfuric acid. Scientists are trying to figure out why
Water76 articles archived since 1845
Public Health
PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Freshwater Fish, Yet Most States Don’t Warn Residents
Staggering amounts of toxic “forever chemicals” have been found in freshwater fish, but there is no federal guidance on what is a safe amount to eat
Weather
First-Ever Flood Forecasting Maps Show Houses and Roads at Risk
The National Weather Service has launched the first flood forecasting system with precise, real-time data showing spots that are at imminent risk of inundation
Natural Disasters
Dangerous ‘Fill and Build’ Floodplain Policy Should Be Scrapped, Experts Say
A FEMA 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
Climate Change
‘Air-Conditioning’ Rivers and Streams Could Save Overheated Fish
Warming waters pose a danger to Atlantic salmon. A new effort aims to lower the temperature in waterways used by the fish to spawn
Water
Depleted Groundwater Could Be Refilled by Borrowing a Trick from Solar Power
In many places around the world, groundwater is being pumped out faster than nature replenishes it. A new model points to a possible solution
Water
Climate Change Is Making Saltwater Intrusion Worse in Coastal Areas
A hydrogeologist explains the shifting balance between fresh and salt water at the coast as sea levels rise
Water
Here’s Why Salt Water Is Invading the Mississippi and Whether It Will Happen More Often
Raging floods, intensifying drought and rising seas could affect saltwater intrusion
Pollution
Maui Fires Could Contaminate the Island’s Waters
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...
Climate Change
City Sewers Can’t Handle Climate Change’s Intense Rains
A Federal Emergency Management Agency analysis of New York City’s inadequate storm drainage system shows that many urban areas can’t handle more intense rainfall
Water
Rampant Groundwater Pumping Has Changed the Tilt of Earth’s Axis
Human depletion of groundwater has shifted the global distribution of water so much that the North Pole has drifted by more than four centimeters per year
Water
Found: Giant Freshwater Deposits Hiding under the Sea
Researchers are discovering freshwater reservoirs below the coastal seafloor that might someday save dry regions from drought
Water
Study Summary: Is Submarine Groundwater a Sustainable Drinking Water Solution?
Tapping undersea reserves could combat water scarcity
Water
Study Summary: Unlocking Offshore Groundwater’s Potential
How geologic activity—and climate change—can alter and threaten coastal freshwater reserves
Water
Study Summary: How to Find Hidden Freshwater Reserves beneath the Ocean
Coastal cities could benefit from newfound reserves of water
Water
Study Summary: Massive Offshore Aquifer Discovered on U.S. Atlantic Coast
A hidden freshwater reserve could be an important future resource
Water
The First Two Botanists Who Surveyed, and Survived, the Colorado River
In an interview with Scientific American, author Melissa Sevigny discusses her book Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon...
Water
We Need 50 More Years of the Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that has fundamentally changed water pollution in the U.S., is under attack when it should be strengthened instead
Water
Ongoing Development Is Part of the Colorado River Problem
Using “slow water” methods can make the Colorado River Basin and its people more resilient
Water
Dismantling the PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Legacy [Sponsored]
More sustainable ways of removing persistent chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the environment are on the horizon.
