HOLLAND, MICH. — Fall comes early in these high latitudes. The trees are already splashed with little dabs of yellow, oranges, reds and purple. Although we are in middle America, we are at 43 degrees of latitude, as high as Boston on the map. Mornings are cold, sweaters part of our normal dress. We've come 2,481 nautical miles since leaving Port Aransas. Aimless, our 42-foot trawler, runs at 9 knots per hour (10 mph), so these distances take a while — 2 1/2 months in our case. Slow travel brings its rewards. You absorb the country, accents changing with the temperature. [read rest of article]
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
SA-EN: Hardbergers travel miles in boat called Aimless
Hardbergers travel miles in boat called Aimless By Phil Hardberger Special to the Express-News
Editor's note: After Phil Hardberger ended his term as San Antonio mayor, the veteran sailor and his wife, Linda, set off on a trip through middle America, from Port Aransas to the shores of Lake Michigan, finding solitude and friends along the way as they traveled upriver in a boat named Aimless.
HOLLAND, MICH. — Fall comes early in these high latitudes. The trees are already splashed with little dabs of yellow, oranges, reds and purple. Although we are in middle America, we are at 43 degrees of latitude, as high as Boston on the map. Mornings are cold, sweaters part of our normal dress. We've come 2,481 nautical miles since leaving Port Aransas. Aimless, our 42-foot trawler, runs at 9 knots per hour (10 mph), so these distances take a while — 2 1/2 months in our case. Slow travel brings its rewards. You absorb the country, accents changing with the temperature. [read rest of article]
HOLLAND, MICH. — Fall comes early in these high latitudes. The trees are already splashed with little dabs of yellow, oranges, reds and purple. Although we are in middle America, we are at 43 degrees of latitude, as high as Boston on the map. Mornings are cold, sweaters part of our normal dress. We've come 2,481 nautical miles since leaving Port Aransas. Aimless, our 42-foot trawler, runs at 9 knots per hour (10 mph), so these distances take a while — 2 1/2 months in our case. Slow travel brings its rewards. You absorb the country, accents changing with the temperature. [read rest of article]
SA-EN: Seeing Rio Grande as uniter, not divider
Seeing Rio Grande as uniter, not divider
By Colin McDonald - Express-News
By Colin McDonald - Express-News
GUERRERO VIEJO, Mexico — As soon as he stepped onto the mud shore below the church ruins, Eric Ellman could visualize the party.
The racers would storm across the Rio Grande, landing their kayaks and canoes to the cheers of fans lining the streets of this 200-year-old, half-sunken and abandoned town now exposed by a drought-lowered lake.
After an awards ceremony in front of the church’s cleaned-up facade, camps would be set up. A band would play. Where cows now stood, couples would dance under a star-studded sky.
The Rio Grande again would be a uniting element, not just a heavily patrolled boundary be tween two impoverished, semi-isolated populations. [read rest of article]
The racers would storm across the Rio Grande, landing their kayaks and canoes to the cheers of fans lining the streets of this 200-year-old, half-sunken and abandoned town now exposed by a drought-lowered lake.
After an awards ceremony in front of the church’s cleaned-up facade, camps would be set up. A band would play. Where cows now stood, couples would dance under a star-studded sky.
The Rio Grande again would be a uniting element, not just a heavily patrolled boundary be tween two impoverished, semi-isolated populations. [read rest of article]
NYT: Alternative Energy Projects Stumble on a Need for Water
Alternative Energy Projects Stumble on a Need for Water
By TODD WOODY, New York Times
AMARGOSA VALLEY, Nev. — In a rural corner of Nevada reeling from the recession, a bit of salvation seemed to arrive last year. A German developer, Solar Millennium, announced plans to build two large solar farms here that would harness the sun to generate electricity, creating hundreds of jobs.
But then things got messy. The company revealed that its preferred method of cooling the power plants would consume 1.3 billion gallons of water a year, about 20 percent of this desert valley’s available water. [read rest of article]
By TODD WOODY, New York Times
AMARGOSA VALLEY, Nev. — In a rural corner of Nevada reeling from the recession, a bit of salvation seemed to arrive last year. A German developer, Solar Millennium, announced plans to build two large solar farms here that would harness the sun to generate electricity, creating hundreds of jobs.
But then things got messy. The company revealed that its preferred method of cooling the power plants would consume 1.3 billion gallons of water a year, about 20 percent of this desert valley’s available water. [read rest of article]
Friday, September 25, 2009
Science News: Many U.S. schools dispense tainted water
Many U.S. schools dispense tainted water
By Janet Raloff
Marc Edwards of Virginia Tech has turned up widespread lead — some of it at clearly hazardous levels — contaminating drinking water supplies in schools from a host of big cities. A major Associated Press investigation now builds on his data. It reported yesterday that although lead remains a serious problem in school drinking water, it’s far from the only one. “The most frequently cited contaminant was coliform bacteria, followed by lead and copper, arsenic and nitrates,” AP found. [read rest of article]
By Janet Raloff
Marc Edwards of Virginia Tech has turned up widespread lead — some of it at clearly hazardous levels — contaminating drinking water supplies in schools from a host of big cities. A major Associated Press investigation now builds on his data. It reported yesterday that although lead remains a serious problem in school drinking water, it’s far from the only one. “The most frequently cited contaminant was coliform bacteria, followed by lead and copper, arsenic and nitrates,” AP found. [read rest of article]
Austin-A-S: Tougher water rules on way? LCRA reviewing drought plan
Tougher water rules on way? LCRA reviewing drought plan
Intensity of drought may push LCRA to act on management plan sooner.
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFFDespite rains that have raked Central Texas since the start of September, the Lower Colorado River Authority said this week that the intensity of the drought over the past two years could compel it to require its municipal and industrial customers to curtail water use earlier than called for in a state-approved drought plan. [read rest of article]
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Celebs to climb Kilimanjaro for clean water
Celebs to climb Kilimanjaro for clean water
NEW YORK — Actress Jessica Biel and other celebrities are joining singer and producer Kenna Zemedkun, also known as Kenna, for a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro in January as part of Summit on the Summit, an effort to raise awareness about the global clean water crisis. [read rest of article]
NEW YORK — Actress Jessica Biel and other celebrities are joining singer and producer Kenna Zemedkun, also known as Kenna, for a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro in January as part of Summit on the Summit, an effort to raise awareness about the global clean water crisis. [read rest of article]
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
SA Biz Jour: EAA eases water-pumping limits due to recent rainfall
EAA eases water-pumping limits due to recent rainfall
The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) has lifted stage-two water restrictions in the San Antonio area bit left in place stage one restrictions, however.
Under stage two, a groundwater permit holder is required to cut its annual authorized pumping level by 30 percent. Under stage one, a permit holder is still required to reduce its pumping level by 20 percent. Permit holders — which include municipal water systems and irrigators in a seven-county region — are still required to report their pumping totals to the Edwards Aquifer Authority on a monthly basis. [read rest of article]
The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) has lifted stage-two water restrictions in the San Antonio area bit left in place stage one restrictions, however.
Under stage two, a groundwater permit holder is required to cut its annual authorized pumping level by 30 percent. Under stage one, a permit holder is still required to reduce its pumping level by 20 percent. Permit holders — which include municipal water systems and irrigators in a seven-county region — are still required to report their pumping totals to the Edwards Aquifer Authority on a monthly basis. [read rest of article]
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Seattle PI: High-tech materials may boost geothermal appeal
High-tech materials may boost geothermal appeal
By ANNETTE CARY TRI-CITY HERALD
RICHLAND, Wash. -- New nanomaterials could provide the boost in efficiency needed to make heat beneath the earth's surface a practical source to generate nearly pollution-free electricity if research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory proves out.
Geothermal resources largely fell out of favor in the early '80s for power generation when few places proved to have hot enough rock close enough to the earth's surface to make geothermal power generation efficient and economical.
But Peter McGrail, a fellow at the Richland lab, thinks the nanomaterials may help make geothermal a more practical resource by allowing efficient energy production at lower temperatures.
"What we have is a new energy-producing cycle that will allow us to exploit these low-temperature geothermal sources for a more economical power production," McGrail said.
Geothermal already has several advantages. It's renewable and produces almost no pollution, including carbon dioxide. And unlike solar and wind power, it would be constantly available to provide the steady base load a power grid requires.
But in conventional geothermal use for power production, hot rock beneath the earth's surface needs to heat water driven into it to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or more typically hotter, to make electricity production efficient. [read rest of article]
By ANNETTE CARY TRI-CITY HERALD
RICHLAND, Wash. -- New nanomaterials could provide the boost in efficiency needed to make heat beneath the earth's surface a practical source to generate nearly pollution-free electricity if research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory proves out.
Geothermal resources largely fell out of favor in the early '80s for power generation when few places proved to have hot enough rock close enough to the earth's surface to make geothermal power generation efficient and economical.
But Peter McGrail, a fellow at the Richland lab, thinks the nanomaterials may help make geothermal a more practical resource by allowing efficient energy production at lower temperatures.
"What we have is a new energy-producing cycle that will allow us to exploit these low-temperature geothermal sources for a more economical power production," McGrail said.
Geothermal already has several advantages. It's renewable and produces almost no pollution, including carbon dioxide. And unlike solar and wind power, it would be constantly available to provide the steady base load a power grid requires.
But in conventional geothermal use for power production, hot rock beneath the earth's surface needs to heat water driven into it to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or more typically hotter, to make electricity production efficient. [read rest of article]
Friday, September 18, 2009
RESOURCE: Geology and Human Health
Geology and Human Health
This site contains a variety of educational and supporting materials for faculty teaching in the emerging field of geology and human health. You will find links to internet resources, books, teaching activities, and a group email list, as well as posters, presentations and discussions from the spring 2004 workshop on Geology and Human Health. These resources reflect the contributions of faculty members from across the country and the collections will continue to grow as materials are developed. Lots of material on water! From Carleton College.
AP IMPACT: Gov't stands by as mercury taints water
Gov't stands by as mercury taints water
NEW IDRIA, Calif. — Abandoned mercury mines throughout central California's rugged coastal mountains are polluting the state's major waterways, rendering fish unsafe to eat and risking the health of at least 100,000 impoverished people. [read rest of article]
NEW IDRIA, Calif. — Abandoned mercury mines throughout central California's rugged coastal mountains are polluting the state's major waterways, rendering fish unsafe to eat and risking the health of at least 100,000 impoverished people. [read rest of article]
Thursday, September 17, 2009
MSNBC: Tentative signs of water found on the moon
Tentative signs of water found on the moon
New orbiter’s detector indicates shadowed regions may have ice, hydrogen
By Andrea Thompson, Senior writer
New data and images from NASA's new moon orbiter — the first in more than a decade — have revealed tentative signs of lunar water ice, the space agency announced Thursday. [read rest of article]
New orbiter’s detector indicates shadowed regions may have ice, hydrogen
By Andrea Thompson, Senior writer
New data and images from NASA's new moon orbiter — the first in more than a decade — have revealed tentative signs of lunar water ice, the space agency announced Thursday. [read rest of article]
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
SA-EN: Drought-plagued marshes still feeling Ike effects
Drought-plagued marshes still feeling Ike effects
By Chris Duncan - Associated Press
PORT ARTHUR — First too much water, now not enough.
The Texas Gulf Coast's recovery from Hurricane Ike — which submerged the marshes in seawater, scouring away beaches, ruining thousands of acres of vegetation and wiping out much of the wildlife — is being stymied by the state's worst drought in 50 years.
The drought has deprived the land of the cleansing rains needed to purge salty residue left from the tidal surge Ike dragged in when it slammed into the Texas coast on Sept. 13, 2008. The toxic soil and contaminated ponds have kept plants from regrowing and animals from nesting, driving off some species altogether.
"We're very far behind in our rainfall, and that's made a bad problem even worse," said Jim Sutherlin, manager of the 25,000-acre Murphree Wildlife Refuge near Port Arthur. "We've not had nearly the rains we need to reverse the damage to the landscape." [read rest of article]
By Chris Duncan - Associated Press
The Texas Gulf Coast's recovery from Hurricane Ike — which submerged the marshes in seawater, scouring away beaches, ruining thousands of acres of vegetation and wiping out much of the wildlife — is being stymied by the state's worst drought in 50 years.
The drought has deprived the land of the cleansing rains needed to purge salty residue left from the tidal surge Ike dragged in when it slammed into the Texas coast on Sept. 13, 2008. The toxic soil and contaminated ponds have kept plants from regrowing and animals from nesting, driving off some species altogether.
"We're very far behind in our rainfall, and that's made a bad problem even worse," said Jim Sutherlin, manager of the 25,000-acre Murphree Wildlife Refuge near Port Arthur. "We've not had nearly the rains we need to reverse the damage to the landscape." [read rest of article]
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
WSJ: Utilities Face Stiffer Wastewater Rules
Utilities Face Stiffer Wastewater Rules
By SIOBHAN HUGHES, Wall Street Journal
WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it will start demanding utilities do more to remove heavy metals from wastewater discharged by coal-fired power plants, a decision aimed at preventing pollution of drinking water that also could compel power companies to install costly new treatment systems.The EPA hasn't changed the rules governing wastewater from coal-fired plants since 1982. On Monday, a group of environmental organizations including the Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club and the Environmental Integrity Project notified the EPA that they intend to take legal action. The groups say the agency's failure to limit the spread of wastewater toxins into rivers, streams and swamps could endanger drinking-water supplies and wildlife. [read rest of article]
Truthout: EPA to Take Closer Look at 79 Permits for Appalachian Surface Mines
EPA to Take Closer Look at 79 Permits for Appalachian Surface Mines
Friday 11 September 2009
by: Renee Schoof | McClatchy Newspapers
Washington - The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that 79 applications for surface coal-mine permits in Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee might violate the nation's Clean Water Act and require closer scrutiny.
Many of the 79 applications would remove mountaintops and dump debris in valley streams.[read rest of article]
Monday, September 14, 2009
Austin A-S: Water speculators fishing for profit amid drought scare
Water speculators fishing for profit amid drought scare
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, September 14, 2009
LEXINGTON — In a scorching cow pasture silent save the lowing of cattle, Terry Gilmore picks up a stick and draws in the sand a simple map: divots in the ground for a handful of water wells, then a long scratch for a pipeline to deliver water to Austin's eastern flank.About 2,000 feet below him sits an underground reservoir, known as the Simsboro formation, that he and others hope will fuel development everywhere from Georgetown to San Antonio.
Gilmore, 60, the chief investor in a water development company called Sustainable Water Resources, has spent millions of dollars to try to make his lines in the sand a brick-and-mortar reality.
Besides Gilmore, a handful of competitive water speculators are banking that the water beneath the largely rural area in Lee and surrounding counties is their crystal-clear gold. As anxieties about water supplies rise among the public and politicians, private speculators see an opportunity to tie up water rights and sell their goods to cities. But they have struggled to land big buyers. [read rest of article]
Sunday, September 13, 2009
AP: Space tourist uses $35M trip to back water issues
Space tourist uses $35M trip to back water issues
By MANSUR MIROVALEV (AP) – September 10, 2009
STAR CITY, Russia — The next paying traveler to the international space station wants to use his $35 million trip to highlight concerns about the world's water supply.
Guy Laliberte, the Canadian billionaire founder of the Cirque du Soleil, said Thursday that he aims to read a statement to the world about the planet's water problems after taking a Russian rocket to the space station. [read rest of article]
By MANSUR MIROVALEV (AP) – September 10, 2009
STAR CITY, Russia — The next paying traveler to the international space station wants to use his $35 million trip to highlight concerns about the world's water supply.
Guy Laliberte, the Canadian billionaire founder of the Cirque du Soleil, said Thursday that he aims to read a statement to the world about the planet's water problems after taking a Russian rocket to the space station. [read rest of article]
SF GATE: Environmentalists blast Mideast water projects
Environmentalists blast Mideast water projects
Howard Schneider, Washington Post Sunday, September 13, 2009
An acute water shortage has prompted Jordan and Israel to embark on audacious water-supply projects that supporters say will prevent an impending regional crisis but environmentalists have criticized as ill-advised attempts to rewire nature. [read rest of article]
Boston Globe: Amid drought, water shortage is crisis in Mexico
Amid drought, water shortage is crisis in Mexico
By Ken Ellingwood Los Angeles Times / September 13, 2009
MEXICO CITY - In the parched Mexican countryside, the corn is wilting, the wheat stunted. And here in this vast and thirsty capital, officials are rationing water and threatening worse cuts as Mexico endures one of the driest spells in more than half a century.
A monthslong drought has affected broad swaths of the country, from the US border to the Yucatan Peninsula, leaving crop fields parched and many reservoirs low. The need for rain is so dire that water officials have been rooting openly for a hurricane or two to provide a good drenching. [read rest of article]
A monthslong drought has affected broad swaths of the country, from the US border to the Yucatan Peninsula, leaving crop fields parched and many reservoirs low. The need for rain is so dire that water officials have been rooting openly for a hurricane or two to provide a good drenching. [read rest of article]
SAEN: Water helps fuel debate on the STP
By Anton Caputo, Express-News - and Asher Price, Austin American-Statesman
During the intense Southeast drought of 2007, when the region desperately needed to power its air conditioners, the Browns Ferry nuclear complex in Alabama had to shut down one of its reactors for more than a day and significantly reduce power from two more.
In the deadly European heat wave of 2003, many of the French nuclear plants were in a similar bind and were forced to power down as thousands were overcome by heat-related illnesses.
The culprit in both cases was a lack of water in the rivers used to operate and cool the reactors.
Situations like these have many questioning if there possibly can be enough water in fast-growing, drought-prone South Texas to meet the needs of two more nuclear reactors being proposed at the South Texas Project plant outside Bay City. [read the rest of the article]
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Korea Times: Pyongyang May Weaponize Water
North Korea Can Flood or Drain South
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
South Korea learned a bitter lesson from its northern neighbor's release of 40 million tons of water from a dam without prior notice last weekend. Water can be used as a weapon. [read rest of article]
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
South Korea learned a bitter lesson from its northern neighbor's release of 40 million tons of water from a dam without prior notice last weekend. Water can be used as a weapon. [read rest of article]
SAEN: Top Corporate Water Users in San Antonio
Interactive database in the San Antonio Express-News of top corporate water users for May, June and July, 2009.
NYT: Clean Water Laws Are Neglected, at a Cost to Health
In the past five years, companies and workplaces have violated pollution laws more than 500,000 times. But the vast majority of polluters have escaped punishment. [read in the New York Times]
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