The Stream, October 29: Hurricane Sandy Batters East Coast

Forecasters are predicting a “devastating landfall” for Hurricane Sandy within 100 miles of New York City. Flooding has already begun in New York, Virginia and elsewhere, The New York Times reported, as “One of the biggest storms of our lifetimes is unfolding right now,” anchor Kelly Cass said on the Weather Channel.

Elsewhere, the world of water news churns on.

Water-Food Nexus

U.S. growers are irrigating less to protect underground aquifers. Some wells connected to the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world’s largest, are going dry, The Wall Street Journal reported, forcing farmers to reckon with the potential end of bumper crops in the arid high plains region.

Water losses in the Dead Sea continue at a record rate. Industrial use, especially from fertilizer makers, and evaporation are to blame, Bloomberg News reported.

Water-Energy Nexus

A Duke University professor found high levels of pollutants in coal-ash residue and wastewater discharges from coal-fired power plants. Anver Vengosh wrote in the Des Moines Register that those contaminants spread to lakes and rivers across North Carolina.

Urban Infrastructure

Utah will require US$ 13.7 billion in infrastructure upgrades and expansion to keep pace with water demand over the next 20 years. State officials, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, are pushing for investment now to avoid shortages later.

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.