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Archive for February 22nd, 2016
How farmers are trying a new kind of flooding to save Calif agriculture
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 22nd, 2016
Christian Science Monitor: El Niño’s winter rains couldn’t have come soon enough for George Goshgarian and his family’s orchards.
It's not that his crops are failing. Far from it. Instead, he's looking to the future. The storms are providing an opportunity for Mr. Goshgarian and a handful of other growers in California's San Joaquin Valley to test a new approach to stanching the loss of their most precious resource: groundwater.
Groundwater is the reservoir of last resort in a drought, after rivers and surface reservoirs...
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India bee populations collapsing under environmental strain
Posted by Climate Home: Pramila Krishnan on February 22nd, 2016
Climate Home: A lethal combination of climate change and human interference is helping to wipe out colonies of the giant honeybees on which many plants and trees in India depend for their survival.
The precise cause of colony collapse disorder (CCD) is not known, but researchers say that the loss of the bees will become disastrous for the whole ecosystem if it is not tackled.
The giant rock bee (Apis dorsata) is in sharp decline in one of its strongholds in the Nilgiris mountain range in southern India....
Southeast Asian crops suffer as rains fail
Posted by Climate Home: None Given on February 22nd, 2016
Climate Home: The boat moves sluggishly up the Ayeyarwaddy, the river formerly known as the Irrawaddy. Every so often it comes to a halt as the ferryman dips a bamboo pole in the shallow waters, checking for sandbanks. Even though it is the dry season, water levels in the Ayeyarwaddy – Myanmar’s main river, and one of Southeast Asia’s principal waterways – are unusually low. The ferry is carrying passengers and goods from the ancient temple site of Baganto the city of Mandalay. “The journey is taking longer...
Replacement of Flint’s Lead Water Pipes Underway
Posted by Environment News Service: None Given on February 22nd, 2016
Environment News Service: Work on replacing high-risk lead service lines in Flint is under way as state and city leaders focus on removing pipes in priority areas while analyzing the city's water pipe network to maximize efficiency, said Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.
The state last week came to an agreement with Rowe Professional Services, a Flint-based engineering firm, to update recent analysis of water pipes in the city and boost efforts to protect the health and safety of city residents.
"We're immediately targeting...
Australia to start register of foreign ownership of water rights
Posted by Reuters: Byron Kaye on February 22nd, 2016
Reuters: The Australian government said on Monday it plans to start a register of foreign ownership of water rights, redoubling its efforts to appease voters concerned about the amount of farming assets being sold offshore. Nine months after the government said it would force foreign owners of farmland to register, Treasurer Scott Morrison said the government plans to introduce laws to create a separate register of foreign ownership of water rights by Dec. 1. "Our agricultural land and water resources are...
Senate to examine BP’s plans to drill for oil in Great Australian Bight
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 22nd, 2016
Guardian: A Senate inquiry will investigate BP’s plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight and examine how a spill could be dealt with.
The company’s application to drill four exploratory wells was knocked back last year by National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, but details of why were not made public. BP quickly vowed to reapply.
The Wilderness Society South Australia director, Peter Owen, said BP should wait until after the inquiry had reported in May...