The Stream, February 24: India Builds Artificial Glaciers for Water

The Global Rundown

Several communities in northern India are building artificial glaciers to boost water supplies. Cambodia promised to delay construction of a major, and strongly opposed, hydropower dam. More radioactive water leaked from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, and earthquakes that could be linked to wastewater wells are on the rise in Oklahoma. The U.S. Supreme Court resolved a water conflict between Kansas and Nebraska.

“From now until 2018, there will be no permission to build [the dam]. Now I beg you to stop talking about it.”–Cambodia prime minister Hun Sen, commenting on plans to construct a large hydropower dam in the country’s southwestern region. The dam has faced strong opposition from environmental groups, including one founded by a Spanish activist who was deported from Cambodia on Monday. (Guardian)

By The Numbers

585 earthquakes Number with a 3.0 or higher magnitude in Oklahoma last year, nearly three times the number in California. Scientists say wastewater injection wells from oil and gas drilling should be more closely monitored to reduce earthquake risks. Bloomberg

70 times greater Radiation levels, compared to normal, detected in water that flowed into the sea from Japan’s damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. The contamination levels eventually tapered off, and officials are still unsure what caused the spike. AFP

Science, Studies, And Reports

Engineers in India’s northern Jammu and Kashmir state are building artificial glaciers that could eventually supply more than 1 billion liters of water in a steady flow during the dry summers. Natural glaciers in the area have been shrinking, causing droughts. Guardian

On The Radar

Nebraska will need to pay Kansas $US 5.5 million for taking more than its share of water from the states’ shared Republican River, according to a U.S. Supreme Court decision. The court, however, also ordered that the states change the formula for measuring water consumption to make it fair. Associated Press

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