Entries by Codi Kozacek

The Stream, February 26: Protests, Investigations Continue About North Carolina Coal Ash Spill

Pollution Protesters have been demonstrating and signing petitions against coal ash ponds in front of the corporate headquarters of Duke Energy, the North Carolina-based company responsible for spilling millions of gallons of coal ash into the state’s Dan River, CNN Reported. The United States federal government is conducting a criminal investigation of the spill, and […]

The Stream, February 25: Water Rationed Near Malaysia Capital

A drought in Malaysia has drawn down reservoir levels in the state of Selangor, putting water supplies in “critical condition” and forcing water rationing near the nation’s capital, Bloomberg News reported. Extended drought conditions could have negative consequences for oil palm plantations in the region, but the current dry spell began in early February. South […]

The Stream, February 24: China’s Natural Disasters Becoming Costlier

Natural Disasters The annual economic cost of natural disasters in China nearly doubled in 2013, costing the country $US 69 billion, Reuters reported. The most expensive disasters were floods and mudslides, followed by earthquakes and droughts. An extended period of heavy rainstorms and floods in the United Kingdom has taken a toll on the country’s […]

Great Lakes Ice Cover Most Extensive in 20 Years

Covering about 88 percent of the lakes on February 13, the ice has implications for water levels, shipping and fisheries. Photo ©J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue Wind and waves have created otherworldly ice formations along the shores of Lake Michigan near Leland, Mich. Click image to enlarge. By Codi Kozacek Circle of Blue […]

The Stream, February 21: El Niño Becoming More Likely in 2014, Bringing Drought and Floods

Weather It is becoming more likely that an El Niño weather pattern will form this year, potentially bringing severe drought to places like Australia and India while bringing heavy rains and floods to the Midwest United States and Brazil, Reuters reported. El Niño is caused when surface water temperatures increase in the Pacific Ocean. Hydropower […]

The Stream, February 20: FAO Says Food Security in Near East and North Africa Threatened by Water Scarcity

Water Scarcity Food security in the Near East and North Africa region will be strained as the availability of fresh water could decline 50 percent by 2050 and the regional population continues to grow, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN News Centre reported. The UN has formed […]

The Stream, February 19: China to Spend $US 330 Billion on Water Pollution

Water Pollution China plans to spend $US 330 billion addressing polluted water supplies, more than it is planning to spend on air pollution, Reuters reported. The money will go to efforts to prevent pollution, such as wastewater treatment upgrades, and aims to improve water quality 30 to 50 percent. Coal ash released in a spill […]

The Stream, February 17: Pakistan Plans 13,000 Megawatts of Hydropower Development

Hydropower Pakistan aims to develop hydropower dams capable of producing 13,000 megawatts of electricity, which would increase the country’s hydropower output by almost eight times, AlertNet reported, citing government officials. Pakistan currently experiences frequent power outages due to demand outstripping supply, and the country’s industrial sector has suffered as a result. A drought in Sri […]

The Stream, February 14: A Comprehensive Look at UK’s Record-Breaking Floods

Europe The United Kingdom has been suffering a deluge of heavy rainstorms for months, leading to record-breaking floods that have inundated thousands of homes and businesses. In this comprehensive summary report of the floods, the Guardian examines how they might affect the country’s water management and the implementation of climate change adaptation measures. Exploration projects […]

The Stream, February 13: Coal Slurry Spills Into West Virginia River Near Charleston

Little more than a month after a chemical spill shut off drinking water for West Virginia’s state capital, approximately 100,000 gallons of coal slurry has spilled into a creek and another of the city’s rivers, the Charleston Gazette reported. The spill is downstream of drinking water intakes, but it could severely damage the creek and, […]

The Stream, February 12: Australian Nickel Refinery Releases Wastewater Into the Great Barrier Reef

Pollution Australian government records show that a nickel refinery illegally discharged wastewater into the Great Barrier Reef marine park, introducing hundreds of tons of nitrogen into the environment, the Guardian reported. The company was not penalized, and said the releases were necessary to prevent overflow from the refinery’s tailings ponds during heavy rains. Environmental officials […]

The Stream, February 11: Uranium Exposure From Contaminated Water, Soil a Growing Concern Near Johannesburg

Gold mining operations in South Africa have left rivers and soil near Johannesburg with elevated levels of uranium, raising concerns about the long-term health effects for approximately 400,000 residents in the area, Bloomberg News reported. Water samples taken from rivers west of the city showed uranium levels that could reach 4,000 times natural levels, and […]