The Stream, August 9: Liquid Water on Mars?

The effects of a nine-month drought in Texas extend far beyond water restrictions into bursting water pipelines, buckling house foundations and splitting asphalt roads, The Texas Tribune reported.

New photos by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggest that there could be liquid water flowing on Mars, according to The Economist. Space.com explains why the discovery could be significant.

Opposition to hydrofracking is growing in South Africa’s Karoo region, a semi-desert known for its stark beauty and indigenous plants, Yale Environment 360 reported. The worry is that the Karoo will become the arid twin to another drilling center, the Niger Delta in Nigeria – where foreign oil companies and years of conflict have contaminated the land and the water.

Guinea and China International Water & Electric Corp. are in discussions to build a hydroelectric dam as the country — the world’s biggest bauxite exporter — seeks to invest in projects to boost its electricity output, Bloomberg reported.

Here’s a photo essay of the drought and hunger in the Horn of Africa that’s affecting nearly 12 million people.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.