Entries by Kayla Ritter

The Stream, February 19: Great Barrier Reef at Risk of Bleaching Due to Freshwater Plumes from Queensland Flooding

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The Global Rundown The Great Barrier Reef is at risk of coral bleaching in the wake of the Queensland, Australia, floods. Independent testing finds lead levels in Flint, Michigan, are below the federal action level. The Sea of Galilee reaches a 2-year high amid a rainy winter in Israel. Eight miners are found alive following […]

HotSpots H2O: Palm and Sugarcane Plantations Strip Guatemalan Farmers of Land, Water Access

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As global demand for biofuel increases, plantations are crowding out traditional farming in Guatemala,which has spurred land and water quarrels

The Stream, February 15: U.S. EPA Pushes PFAS Draft Regulations to End of 2019

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The Global Rundown The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it will issue draft regulations on PFAS contamination by the end of 2019. Several gold panners are likely dead in Zimbabwe after floods swept through two mines. Los Angeles County decided to dissolve the Sativa water district, which has served tainted water to customer for […]

The Stream, February 14, 2019: Toxic Mud from Brazil Dam Collapse Poisons Indigenous Water Source

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The Global Rundown Mining waste from last month’s dam collapse in Brazil taints the Paraopeba river, the main source of food and water for the Pataxo indigenous tribe. New California Governor Gavin Newsom voices support for a single tunnel traversing the California Delta. Flint, Michigan, agrees to use scientific modeling to verify which homes have […]

The Stream, February 13, 2019: Puerto Rico Faces Water Rationing as Dry Conditions Spread

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The Global Rundown Seven municipalities in Puerto Rico face water rationing as drought grips the territory. Eighteen million trees died in California over the past year, according to the U.S. government. Australia’s Adani mining company admits to releasing contaminated water into the Caley Valley wetlands during recent flooding. Arizona uses less water today than it […]

The Stream, February 12, 2019: Extreme Flooding Kills an Estimated 500,000 Cattle in Drought-Stricken Queensland, Australia

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The Global Rundown Hundreds of thousands of cattle in drought-stricken areas die as severe flooding strikes Queensland, Australia. Fourteen children die in Barcelona, Venezuela, due to contaminated food and water. A new report finds that lakes in Tasmania are among the most contaminated in the world. Negotiations over PFAS contamination in western Michigan grow increasingly […]

HotSpots H2O: Despite Peace Deal, Water Scarcity Worse Than Ever in South Sudan

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The number of South Sudanese citizens facing food and water insecurity continues to grow following a five-year civil war.

The Stream, February 8, 2019: Violent Storm Sparks Landslides, Washes Away Buses in Rio de Janeiro

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The Global Rundown Severe storms deluge Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, leaving six people dead. Phoenix, Arizona, boosts its alternative water supplies in the face of Colorado River shortages. Wine production in South Africa’s Cape region is expected to be the lowest in years due to drought. An Idaho town asks neighboring cities for water after […]

The Stream, February 7, 2019: Rare Wet Winter Eases Drought in California

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The Global Rundown Heavy precipitation eases dry conditions in California. Researchers struggle to assess the origins and impacts of PFAS across the globe. Scientists verify that 2018 was the fourth-hottest year in recorded history. Bosnia declares a state of emergency after severe flooding swamps homes and damages roads. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency halts efforts by Washington […]

The Stream, February 6, 2019: Eight People Found Dead in Mexico Over Possible Water Dispute

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The Global Rundown Mexican authorities are investigating the deaths of eight people in a possible water dispute. A study finds that thousands of lakes in the Northern Hemisphere will stop reliably freezing over in coming decades. Groundwater pumping causes land subsidence in northern California, with one town sinking two feet in nine years. A tailings […]

The Stream, February 5, 2019: Torrential Rains Force Deliberate Flooding of 2,000 Homes in Queensland, Australia

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The Global Rundown Heavy rainfall in Townsville, Queensland, forces officials to open a dam and flood 2,000 homes. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says California and Arizona failed to fully complete Colorado River drought plans before the January 31 deadline. A study warns about dangers to rivers and crops in Asia as Himalayan glaciers melt. […]

HotSpots H2O: Resource Conflicts Rattle Nigeria in Lead-Up to Elections

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Conflict between farmers and herders over water and pasture shook Nigeria in recent years, leaving more than 1,500 people dead in 2018.