The Stream, November 18: Groundwater Dwindles in Mexico’s Chihuahua State

The Global Rundown

Farmers in Mexico’s Chihuahua state are seeing their groundwater dry up, and some are moving out of the area. South Africa’s abandoned gold mines pose a serious health threat to nearby communities and waterways. Residents of a town in Colombia are suing the government over long-term water contamination. A new study found that the political climate in U.S. cities significantly affects their climate change preparations.

“I can see a point, in my lifetime, when the water here is finished.”–Luís Armando Portillo, a farmer in Mexico’s Chihuahua state, on dwindling groundwater reserves in the area. Water scarcity is prompting Mennonite farmers to leave the region in search of more fertile farmland in other countries. (The New York Times)

By The Numbers

24,000 people Number living near Medellín, Colombia, who filed a lawsuit against the government last week over two decades of water contamination. UPI

Science, Studies, And Reports

How well a city prepares for climate change is shaped by its political climate and public involvement as well as the level of risk it experiences, according to a study of six cities in the United States. Even cities at significant risk, like Tampa, Florida, are not necessarily planning for climate change when the other two factors are at odds with action, the study found. Yale Environment 360

On The Radar

Abandoned gold mines in South Africa pose a growing threat to the country’s water and the health of nearby communities. At the same time, mining operations are generating more waste per ounce of gold as the metal becomes harder to find. Yale Environment 360

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek