The Stream, June 12: Egypt and Ethiopia Agree to Settle Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Dispute

The Global Rundown

Egypt and Ethiopia vow to settle their disagreements over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Steady rains continue to ease drought in Cape Town, South Africa. A U.S. crop report finds improved moisture conditions from North Dakota to Ohio. India and China resolve their dispute over sharing data on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers. Years of intense drought force Australian farmers to send starving cows to slaughter.

“We can’t get over a string of really hot summers. With the sheer consistency of extreme temperatures, the rate of evaporating is so high. We don’t have any surface water left on our property.” –Margaret Fleck, a cattle rancher in New South Wales, Australia, in reference to prolonged drought in the region. As the extreme weather depletes water and vegetation, many farmers are being forced to slaughter their cows. The Guardian

Latest WaterNews from Circle of Blue

What’s Up With Water – June 11, 2018 – “What’s Up With Water” condenses the need-to-know news on the world’s water into a weekly snapshot. Coverage this week includes: Turkey’s postponement of filling the Ilisu Dam, rising water prices in Egypt, and changes in the speed of tropical cyclones.

HotSpots H2O, June 11: Over 200,000 Rohingya Refugees At Risk from Monsoon Flooding, Landslides – After fleeing brutal attacks in Myanmar, the Rohingya face another threat: monsoon season.

By The Numbers

78 percent Proportion of U.S. corn crops, along with 75 percent of U.S. soybean crops, that are in good or excellent condition. After several dry weeks, plants from North Dakota to Ohio are beginning to experience adequate moisture. Reuters

31.5 percent Current dam levels in Cape Town, South Africa, compared to just 21 percent at this time last year. A week of steady rains has helped bolster water reserves in the city, which nearly ran out of water earlier this year. The New York Times

In context: Circle of Blue’s coverage of Cape Town.

Science, Studies, And Reports

After a year of tensions over the issue, China has resumed sharing hydrological data for the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers with India. Last year, China abruptly stopped data-sharing, claiming that floods had destroyed the country’s hydrological data gathering sites. China and India discussed the issue in March, and data sharing resumed in recent weeks. The Hindustan Times

On The Radar

In talks over the weekend, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vowed to settle their difference over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Ahmed swore to Sisi that the dam will “never harm” Egypt, which fears that the dam will deplete its supply of the Nile River. Reuters

In context: HotSpots H2O, March 5: Spotlight on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter