Entries by Andrew Maddocks

The Stream, June 14: Water Limiting China’s Shale Gas Growth

Water management will be the most limiting factor for China’s shale gas development, a consulting group confirmed. While water flows might be abundant, Bloomberg reported, the necessary clean water is harder to find. Read Circle of Blue’s 2012 coverage of water’s potential limits on shale gas development in China here. Pollution In Minnesota, federal regulators […]

The Stream, June 12: India Learns Water Management Tips from Israel

Israel has solved many of the same water quality and supply problems that India is facing. So, The New York Times reported, engineers and others are turning to their Israeli counterparts for advice, particularly related to drip irrigation and desalination. Klamath Battle Now that a historic confrontation over Upper Klamath Basin rights has ended, tribal […]

The Stream, June 10: Severe Flooding Continues in Europe

Rivers around Europe remain at record high levels, but floodwaters are slowly abating in some areas. Southern Germany’s water levels have stabilized, USA Today reported, wihile Northern Europe’s rivers are still swelling, and the Danube has yet to reach an expected record high. Investment in California California needs more water-infrastructure investment than any other state […]

The Stream, June 6: Floods Along Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Are Stark Contrast to Drought Times

Days of heavy rains have made the drought-like conditions earlier this year along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers feel like a distant memory. Flooding, USA Today reported, has inundated Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Public Health At least 450 garment workers fell ill during shifts at a Bangladeshi garment factory this week. A contaminated water supply […]

The Stream, June 3: Oyster Deaths and Ecological Collapse in Apalachicola Bay

The Apalachicola Bay is a budding ecological crisis, with a crashing oyster population after decades of reduced river-supply flows. Overharvesting and drought, The New York Times reported, are the two primary contributors, and despite restoration efforts, there is not enough fresh water for the oysters to rebound. Read Circle of Blue’s story about the region’s […]

The Stream, May 30: First Fatality in Sinagpore Dengue Epidemic

Authorities urged caution for people across Singapore as the dengue virus spread unusually quickly this year. A 20-year-old man died Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported, the first fatality after 8,000 infections so far this year. Fracking Data A gas industry group called the Marcellus Shale Coalition has critical information about water quality in thousands […]

The Stream, May 27: Great Lakes States’ Economic Hopes Rest on Water

A “blue economy” is developing across the Great Lakes region, as a network of industries develop water-related products and services in utilities, tourism, plumbing, and more. The goal, the Associated Press reported, is to retain and attract businesses with their relative abundance of freshwater as other regions struggle with scarcity. Namibian Drought An ongoing drought […]

The Stream, May 23: Texas Water Infrastructure Bill Funded

The Texas House of Representatives and Senate both agreed to fund major water infrastructure improvements in Texas. The House, StateImpact Texas reported, created two accounts to loan money from, and the Senate authorized $2 billion for a water bank from state’s rainy day fund. Flawed Filtration In Montreal, more than one million residents were told […]

The Stream, May 20: Drying Out the High Plains Aquifer

The High Plains Aquifer, a once-bountiful water source that covers broad swaths of the midwest United States, has been drained to dangerously low levels, especially in the south. The aquifer, The New York Times reported, no longer supports irrigation on hundreds of miles of farmland in Texas and Kansas. Superstorm Sandy Recovery Some beaches in […]

Washington Water Main, May 17: Moniz Confirmed as Next Energy Secretary, EPA Administrator Nominee Narrowly Passes Committee

MIT’s Ernest Moniz will become the next secretary of energy, but EPA administrator nominee Gina McCarthy still faces stiff Senate opposition.

The Stream, May 16: Life in 1.5-billion-year-old Water

Scientists discovered water trapped underground for more than 1 billion years north of Toronto, Canada. The water predates multicellular life on earth, NPR reported, but could contain microbes that offer insight to the earliest of Earth’s lifeforms. Depleted Cities More than half of all cities around the world with populations of 100,000 people or more […]