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Archive for July 24th, 2012
Great Lakes Water Temperatures At Record Levels
Posted by Climate Central: Andrew Freedman on July 24th, 2012
Climate Central: Looking to escape to the beach this summer? Well, before you book that trip to Cape Cod or the Outer Banks of North Carolina, you might want to consider an unorthodox option -- the shores of Lake Superior. The lake, which is the northernmost, coldest, and deepest of the five Great Lakes, is the warmest it has been at this time of year in at least a century, thanks to the mild winter, warm spring, and hot, dry summer.
A comparison between Lake Superior's average water temperature this year so far...
Africa’s groundwater must be harnessed for communities
Posted by AlertNet: John Thomas, Cristina Rumbaitis Del Rio, Robert Marten on July 24th, 2012
AlertNet: Groundwater rarely earns a place among news headlines.
But a recent study by Alan MacDonald of the British Geological Survey captured global imagination by the sheer magnitude of its conclusions: it estimates Africa's groundwater storage capacity at 660,000 km3, or 100 times the continent's annual renewable freshwater resources, and 20 times the freshwater stored in African lakes.
This new information has wide implications: currently more than 300 million in Africa lack access to safe drinking...
Thirsty South Asia’s river rifts threaten water wars
Posted by Reuters: Nita Bhalla on July 24th, 2012
Reuters: Pakistan Line of Control, July 23 (AlertNet) - As the silver waters of the Kishanganga rush through this north Kashmir valley, Indian laborers are hard at work on a hydropower project that will dam the river just before it flows across one of the world's most heavily militarized borders into Pakistan.
The hum of excavators echoes through the pine-covered valley, clearing masses of soil and boulders, while army trucks crawl through the steep Himalayan mountain passes.
The 330-MW dam is a symbol...
Obama declares disaster in West Virginia after storms
Posted by Charleston Gazette: Paul J. Nyden on July 24th, 2012
Charleston Gazette: President Obama issued a "major disaster declaration" for West Virginia late Monday afternoon. The declaration will generate federal funds to help local communities recover from the damages caused by "severe storms and straight-line winds" between June 29 and July 1. The counties designated for federal financial help include 45 of the state's 55 counties: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha,...
US corn belt crisis threatens to drive up global inflation
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 24th, 2012
Guardian: From Williamsport, Ohio, a first-hand account of the worst drought to grip the corn belt of America since 1956: Scott Metzger told Reuters on Friday that it had rained for about 45 minutes on his farm that day, producing 1.3 inches of rain. Respite, but not much. Since 13 May the farm has only had 2.1 inches of rain. While some parts of the UK have been recording that in a single day, more than 70% of the midwestern corn belt – breadbasket of the world – is gripped by a catastrophic drought. Little...
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on US corn belt crisis threatens to drive up global inflationJamaica minister: Sustainable land management key to stemming degradation
Posted by Jamaica Observer: None Given on July 24th, 2012
Jamaica Observer: MINISTER of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill has described sustainable land management as an integral component of the Government's efforts to reduce land degradation.
Speaking at a sustainable land management (SLM) stakeholders' workshop at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, Kingston, on Friday, Minister Pickersgill said some of the benefits to be derived nationally include: enhanced agricultural productivity; improved rural development strategies; protection of watersheds;...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Jamaica minister: Sustainable land management key to stemming degradationUnited States: President issues a disaster declaration
Posted by Register Herald: None Given on July 24th, 2012
Register Herald: President Barack Obama issued a major disaster declaration Monday that will make federal aid available to West Virginia to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and straight-line winds during the period of June 29 to July 1.
Federal funding through FEMA is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe...
Stubbornness can be lethal in St. Louis heat wave
Posted by St. Louis Post-Dispatch: BLYTHE BERNHARD on July 24th, 2012
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Marvin Flanigan wouldn't leave his longtime south St. Louis home. Not when the air conditioner broke down and temperatures soared above 100 degrees in early July. And not to join his wife, Diane, who escaped the suffocating heat to stay with relatives.
The retired Marine had survived much worse than another summer heat wave. Despite the pleas of family members, he stayed in his home.
On July 8, he became the 18th person to die from heat-related illnesses in the St. Louis area this summer. ...
Water use up with sizzling, record-threatening temperatures across St. Louis
Posted by St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Tim O'neil on July 24th, 2012
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Mike Beckman spends his days on the golf greens.
"It's brutal," Beckman said.
He's not talking about his putting.
Beckman is superintendent at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course in Alton, which has doubled its daily water use during the heat wave to keep greens and fairways from withering in triple-digit heat. In more pleasant weather, he said, the course runs its irrigation systems three or four times weekly.
"We're at it seven days a week," Beckman said. "We lose a quarter-inch of moisture...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Water use up with sizzling, record-threatening temperatures across St. LouisCanada: British Columbia demands fair share of pipeline revenue, sparking showdown with Alberta
Posted by Vancouver Sun: Jonathan Fowlie on July 24th, 2012
Vancouver Sun: British Columbia will not even consider the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline unless the province gets a much greater share of the economic benefits, Environment Minister Terry Lake announced Monday.
“British Columbians are fair and reasonable but they have to have confidence that a fair share of benefits would come to this province before we would consider supporting any such proposal,” Lake told reporters.
The announcement came as the B.C. government unveiled five requirements that must...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Canada: British Columbia demands fair share of pipeline revenue, sparking showdown with Alberta