The Stream, April 22: India Predicting Normal Monsoon Despite El Niño

India’s government is predicting a normal monsoon season this year, with rains at 96 percent of a 50-year average, Bloomberg News reported. The possibility of an El Niño weather pattern forming this summer is not expected to affect the rains, though it has caused droughts in the past.

China
The quality of groundwater in China was very poor or relatively poor in approximately 60 percent of monitoring wells in 2013, according to a new report, Xinhua reported. This is an increase of 2 percent over the results from 2012.

China plans to spend $US 3.35 billion on water projects in Heilongjiang province in an effort to improve water conservation, Bloomberg News reported. Projects will include improved agricultural irrigation and flood protections.

New additions to China’s environmental laws will help the country achieve its “war on pollution”, Reuters reported. The amendments, now pending approval by parliament, would prioritize environmental protection, allow officials to confiscate polluting equipment, and protect whistleblowers.

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