The Stream, April 26: Kenya Fights Floods and Drought

Flooding
Kenya is struggling to help the 90,000 people displaced by spring floods, which have also destroyed crops, AlertNet reported. The country’s cycle of floods and droughts have spurred calls for better disaster management at the national level.

Months after monsoon floods hit southern Pakistan, displaced residents face a difficult road to recovery in 2013, IRIN News reported. Approximately 1.2 million people are still feeling the effects of the floods, and many are unable to grow crops on their waterlogged fields.

Monsoon Predictions
New research is tracking climate anomalies over the Pacific and Indian Oceans, like the development of El Niño conditions, in order to predict the Asian monsoons months in advance, UPI reported. The technique could improve the reliability of monsoon forecasting.

Tracking Water Quality on Farms
Farmers in the United States are getting a new tool that will enable them to estimate the quality of water runoff flowing from their fields, according to the USDA. The web-based Water Quality Index for Agricultural Runoff tool calculates water quality based on input variables like soil type, field slope, and tillage practices.

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.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek