Entries by Codi Kozacek

Big Toxic Algal Bloom Again in Forecast for Lake Erie

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Lake continues trend of harmful and unsightly effect of nutrient pollution. Photo courtesy of Tom Archer / Michigan Sea Grant An algal bloom spreads across Lake Erie near Point Pelee, Ontario. State and federal researchers forecast an above-average bloom in 2014. Click image to enlarge. By Codi Kozacek Circle of Blue Water plant managers and […]

The Stream, July 8: French Cities Follow Paris in Ditching Privatized Water

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Europe More cities in France are starting to return to public water supplies, pressuring private water firms that control 60 percent of the country’s water market, Reuters reported. The trend follows Paris’ decision to ditch its private water system five years ago, and is allowing cities to negotiate for better prices with their private suppliers […]

The Stream, July 7: Researchers Quantify ‘Virtual Water’ Flows in China

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Water Scarcity New research has quantified the amount of water being virtually exported from and imported to Chinese provinces, confirming that arid regions are sending huge amounts of water to more water-rich areas in the form of agricultural products, Reuters reported. The research, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, found that this imbalance […]

The Stream, July 3: Water & Land Shortage to Increase Egypt’s Food Imports

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Water Scarcity A growing population and Egypt’s food subsidy programs are pushing farmers to grow more wheat, but land and water constraints will likely mean that imports of the staple crop will increase, Reuters reported. Agriculture accounts for the use of 85 percent of Egypt’s water supply, the vast majority of which comes from the […]

The Stream, July 2: Concerns About Energy During California Drought

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California Drought As much as 1,150 megawatts of energy production could shut down if water supplies for power plants in drought-hit California are not secured, according to the state’s grid operator, Bloomberg News reported. Several of the state’s energy agencies have warned that the drought could threaten grid reliability, though current restrictions on water use […]

The Stream, July 1: Kiribati Buys Land in Fiji as Safeguard Against Rising Sea Levels

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Pacific The island nation of Kiribati became the first country to purchase land outside of its own territory in response to climate change, buying 20 square kilometers on an island in Fiji, the Guardian reported. Due to rising sea levels—which in some areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans are increasing 1.2 centimeters a year—Kiribati […]

The Stream, June 30: Iran Begins Efforts to Restore Lake Urmia

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Water Scarcity Agricultural diversions, dams and climate change have led to the loss of 85 percent of the water in Lake Urmia, a lake that once covered 5,000 square kilometers, Bloomberg News reported. Iran’s president said the country is initiating efforts to restore the lake, which are expected to take 10 to 15 years to […]

The Stream, June 27: 71% of Global Population Satisfied with Water Quality

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Satisfaction rates with local water quality have stayed consistent for the past five years, with 71 percent of people surveyed worldwide saying that they were satisfied in 2013, according to a newly released Gallup poll. One area of the world where satisfaction rates have not improved is sub-Saharan Africa, where only 50 percent of respondents […]

The Stream, June 26: Hydropower Still Large Part of Chile’s Plans for Energy Future

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Energy Chile’s president has reiterated her commitment to boosting the country’s energy supplies, including the addition of 865 megawatts of generation capacity from large-scale hydropower projects in the next four years, Reuters reported. However, the permit for Chile’s largest hydropower project was recently cancelled due to environmental and societal concerns. In reaction to a large […]

The Stream, June 25: Human Rights Groups Ask UN to Stop Detroit Water Shutoffs

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Human rights groups have sent a report to the United Nations arguing that water shutoffs by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department are violating the human right to water, the Detroit News reported. Half of the city’s water accounts are overdue, and the city has so far shut off 4,500 of the 46,000 customers that […]

Scrubbing Rocks, and Other Things Scientists Do

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Basic scientific research is not glamorous. Photo Codi Kozacek / Circle of Blue Researchers take gas samples from the water column in Toolik Lake, a repetitive but necessary process.Click image to enlarge. Finding myself with a relatively open schedule yesterday, I spent my breakfast asking around the dining hall for any projects I could help […]

The Stream, June 24: Water Scarcity to Create Conflict in Middle East and Africa

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Water Scarcity Political instability and conflict between countries could develop as a result of water scarcity and competing water demands in major river basins like the Nile and the Tigris-Euphrates, according to the president of the World Water Council, Bloomberg News reported. Development of the Grand Renaissance Dam in the Nile basin and crop irrigation […]