Western fires take toll on water supplies

Erosion a huge factor as burned areas grow Staff Report The growth of wildfires in the West could double the amount of sediment moving through the region’s rivers, U.S. Geological researchers found in a new study. Increased sediments can affect both water quality and the amount of water available for communities. The USGS scientists analyzed

Trump’s EPA cuts threaten Colorado environment

EDF report details risks to clean air, water programs Staff Report The Trump administration’s attempted dismantling of the EPA could have far-reaching consequences for Colorado, according to a new report issued by the Environmental Defense Fund. The organization warns that the proposed 30 percent budget cut would affect public health and environmental cleanups by reducing

Eastern U.S. most vulnerable to future harmful algal blooms

New modeling shows where global warming will increase cyanobacteria Staff Report Scientists say it’s all but certain that global warming will increase potentially threatening outbreaks of freshwater algae that can produce toxins dangerous to people and animals. A team lead by Tufts University researcher Steven C. Chapra has developed a modeling framework showing harmful algal

Study tracks startling salinization trend in U.S. lakes

Road salt, development blamed for spiking chloride levels Staff Report Lakes from New England to the Midwest are getting saltier from the massive use of chemicals to melt ice on roads, as well as from urban development. Under the current trend,  many North American lakes will surpass EPA-recommended chloride levels in 50 years, spelling trouble

Coal ash pollution poisoning fish in North Carolina

Trump’s proposed Cuts to federal regulations likely to lead to more environmental woes Staff Report Coal ash waste is poisoning fish in North Carolina lakes, scientists said this week announcing findings from a new study supported in part by the EPA. The research by scientists from Duke University showed that potentially harmful levels of selenium

USGS study tracks Great Lakes microplastic pollution

New website highlights the widespread problem of plastic debris Staff Report Microplastic pollution is widespread in many rivers flowing into the Great Lakes, according to U.S. Geological Survey scientists who recently took water samples from 29 Great Lakes tributaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and New York. The researchers found microplastics in all those

Study tracks amphetamine pollution in Baltimore streams

Illegal drugs harming stream aquatic ecosystems Staff Report As if toxic waste from chemical manufacturing and other industrial processes weren’t enough, scientists say some streams are also being fouled by remnants of amphetamines — in some cases at high enough levels to alter the base of aquatic food chain. A new study, published in the

Florida harbor dredging threatens corals

Activists plan lawsuit to win more environmental protection Staff Report Even with coral reefs around the world under the global warming gun, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking approval for a controversial Florida dredging project that could smother parts of the only coastal barrier reef in the continental United States. But a coalition

Pharmaceutical pollution widespread in Southeast U.S. streams

Many streams are at risk from pharmaceutical pollution Staff Report Traces of pain-relieving substances, diabetes drugs and allergy medicines are widespread in small streams across the Southeast, especially in urban zones like Raleigh, North Carolina, the U.S. Geological Survey found in a new study. The USGS in 2014 sampled 59 small streams in portions of

Study eyes climate threat to Crater Lake

Warming temps could affect clarity, quality of famed Oregon lake Unique climatic conditions that combine to make Oregon’s Crater Lake one of the clearest bodies of freshwater in the world are expected to become more rare as the Earth gets warmer. The changes could impair the lake’s clarity and health, scientists said in a new