The Stream, March 13: Rio Grande Irrigation Water Delayed

Drought
Farmers in areas of New Mexico and Mexico have agreed for the second year to delay their irrigation water deliveries from the Rio Grande until June due to an ongoing drought, the El Paso Times reported. The city of El Paso is also preparing for water conservation measures and could supplement its water supply with groundwater if snow runoff that usually supplies the system is insufficient.

The government in Pakistan failed to send humanitarian aid to drought-hit areas in the southern part of the country soon enough, according to some nongovernmental organizations, the Guardian reported. At least 132 children have died in Sindh province, and the deaths have been attributed to malnutrition and a lack of investment in health care in the region.

India
The Brahmaputra River in India is eroding farmland at an alarming rate, with some areas losing about 60 hectares of land each year, AlertNet reported. The erosion problem has been exacerbated by extensive deforestation, severe weather and changes to the river’s hydrology.

Africa
Oil pollution in the Niger Delta has forced some communities to relocate due to the contamination of fish, crops and water wells, Bloomberg News reported. An average of 240,000 barrels of oil leak into the delta each year.

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