The Stream, July 26: Glaciers, Lakes, and Criticisms Heating Up

Beijing Flooding
Beijing mayor Guo Jinlong resigned Wednesday, in what some media say is likely a routine political reshuffling, but which comes amid public questioning of Beijing authorities’ handling of last weekend’s flood disaster. Others have suggested that Guo may be trying to escape further blame for the damage caused by the deluge, according to The Wall Street Journal’s China Real Time Report.

The flood disaster has also unleashed a torrent of criticism in China, as many Chinese citizens are questioning the quality of Beijing’s drainage infrastructure and pointing to the lack of efficient early flood warning system in the city. Others are looking ahead toward future solutions, the BBC reported.

Rising Temperatures
NASA satellite imaging showed that between July 8 and July 12 the percentage of melting surface area on Greenland’s ice sheet increased at an unprecedented rate — from 40 percent to 97 percent — heightening concerns about the potential speed of climate change in the region, the Guardian reported.

At an average of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, Lake Superior is the warmest it’s been in more than a hundred years, according to Climate Central.

Rainwater Harvesting
Amid drought, Andean farmers in Peru are using Incan water harvesting techniques, such as cocha pond reservoirs, to store rain, AlertNet reported.

Similarly, the Indore Municipal Corporation and city officials in India are promoting rainwater harvesting as a means to stop the decline of the region’s groundwater levels. Meanwhile, the Pune Municipal Corporation is thinking about making harvesting compulsory before borewell digging could occur, according to The Times of India.

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.