The Stream, September 29: U.S. Flood Patterns Exhibit Nuanced Shifts

The Global Rundown

The frequency and severity of floods in the United States have changed over the past seven decades, but only in certain regions, a new study found. Community leaders in Pakistan said they will continue to stop work on the Dasu hydropower dam until the government meets their demands for compensation. A significant amount of oil produced in the Amazon — the source of protests over pollution and indigenous rights — is refined in the United States. The arrival of Typhoon Megi in China triggered a landslide that left dozens of people missing. A judge in Argentina will soon decide whether to reopen the Veladero gold mine after operations were suspended earlier this month over a cyanide spill.

“We are ready to sacrifice our land, our houses, the graves of our forefathers and the sources of the livelihood for the sake of the country, but the government must give us enough compensation so that we can settle in new areas. Otherwise, we will not allow the construction of the Dasu Dam.” –Members of the Dasu Dam Action Committee, a group of community leaders in Pakistan’s Kohistan region. The group has halted work on the 2,160-megawatt Dasu hydropower project on the Indus River to protest the terms of the government’s plan to resettle and compensate communities flooded by the dam’s reservoir. (The Third Pole)

By The Numbers

27 people Number that are missing after a landslide on Wednesday hit the town of Sucun in China’s Zhejiang province. The landslide was triggered by rains from Typhoon Megi, and sparked criticism of government preparations for landslides and floods. Reuters

230,293 barrels Amount of crude oil produced in the Amazon that is processed each day by refineries in the United States, according to a report by California-based Amazon Watch. Oil development in the Amazon has raised concerns about water pollution, deforestation, and indigenous rights. Guardian

Science, Studies, And Reports

Flood patterns in the United States have changed in some regions of the country over the past 70 years, but the shifts were not uniform or detectable nationwide, according to a study by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and the Vienna University of Technology. The study found that floods in the Great Plains region are now larger and last longer, but occur less frequently than they did between 1940 and 1970. In New England, floods are occurring more regularly, but are less severe. Reuters

On The Radar

A report on repairs at the Veladero gold mine in Argentina will be delivered to a judge by the end of the week, potentially paving the way for the mine to resume operations following a court-ordered suspension earlier this month. The suspension stemmed from a leak of cyanide solution reported on September 15. Reuters