Tag: nature

Heat Waves Are Becoming More Frequent and Intense in Rivers

Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense across the U.S., so perhaps this summer you took a dip in a river to cool off. However, according to new research it might not have been as refreshing as it once was. 

Credit: Dillon Groves/Unsplash

A new study from Penn State found that heat waves are happening in rivers too, and they’re accelerating faster than and lasting nearly twice as long as the heat waves in the air. It’s a surprising finding, given that many rivers are fed by snowmelt and underground streams, but the team found that periods of abnormally high temperatures in rivers are becoming more common, more intense, and longer-lasting than they were 40 years ago. Lead author Li Li (李黎) wrote in The Conversation that the increased heat puts stress on aquatic ecosystems and can also raise the cost of treating drinking water. 

The team collected river data at nearly 1,500 sites in the contiguous United States between 1980 and 2022. They found that temperatures rose above 59 °F (15 °C)—a threshold that can stress many species—at 82 percent of study areas for an average of 11.6 days per year. The places where the waters warmed the fastest were in the Northeast, the Rocky Mountains, and Appalachia.

The authors say climate change is driving river heat waves, as rising air temperatures affect water conditions. Changing precipitation patterns with global warming are shrinking winter snowpacks, leaving less meltwater to support river health. Low, slow-moving water warms more easily and holds less oxygen, creating dangerous conditions for aquatic life and increasing the chances of large-scale die-offs. The study adds that human activities, such as dams and agriculture, play a secondary role in shaping how and where rivers are most vulnerable to these impacts.

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

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https://h2oradio.org/this-week-in-water/your-dogs-carbon-paw-print

Alaska’s Salmon River Once Ran Pure and Clear. Now, It’s Orange Because of Climate Change.

In 1977, author John McPhee wrote his nonfiction classic “Coming into the Country.” It describes how he and a group of men canoed the Salmon River in the Brooks Range of Alaska to assess its potential for Wild and Scenic status—a designation that would provide long-term federal protection. On their trip, they found abundant Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)—and as McPhee writes, “the clearest, purest water I have ever seen flowing over rocks,” which allowed them to “see down 15 feet in pools.”

In Alaska’s Brooks Range, rivers once clear enough to drink from now run orange and hazy with toxic metals.  |  Credit: Taylor Roades

Not anymore. These days, the Salmon River runs orange—contaminated with toxic metals. Not because of acid mine drainage—although the water has the same ocher color—but because of climate change. According to new research from the University of California, Riverside, permafrost—the frozen Arctic soil that has locked away minerals for thousands of years—is beginning to thaw with a warming planet. As it thaws, water and oxygen creep into the exposed soil, triggering the breakdown of sulfide-rich rocks and creating sulfuric acid that leaches naturally occurring metals like iron, cadmium, and aluminum from rocks into the river, which poisons fish and damages ecosystems. 

According to a press release, the team’s analysis confirmed that thawing permafrost was unleashing geochemical reactions that oxidize sulfide-rich rocks like pyrite, generating acidity and mobilizing a wide suite of metals, including cadmium, which accumulates in fish organs and could affect animals like bears and birds that eat fish. The authors say that levels for several of the metals exceed EPA toxicity thresholds for aquatic life. Additionally, the cloudy water reduces the amount of light reaching the bottom of the river and smothers insect larvae that salmon and other fish eat.

According to the study, the Salmon River is not alone. A recent inventory in the same mountain range identified 75 streams that have recently turned orange and turbid. The authors say it’s likely happening across the Arctic. Wherever there’s the right kind of rock and thawing permafrost, the process can start. Unfortunately, co-author, Tim Lyons, said once it starts, it can’t be stopped, calling it “another irreversible shift driven by a warming planet.”

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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https://h2oradio.org/this-week-in-water/a-high-five-for-the-high-seas

Experts Say Urgent Action to Cut Water Use Is Needed in the Colorado River Basin

According to experts, water policy makers and water users in the Colorado River Basin need to get their acts together to substantially cut amounts they take from the river.

At Lees Ferry where river trips, both recreational and scientific, launch.  |  Credit: public domain

In a new analysis, six experts—Jack Schmidt, Anne Castle, John Fleck, Eric Kuhn, Kathryn Sorensen, and Katherine Tara—released a report saying that immediate action is needed, especially if this dry year is repeated next year. They estimate that consumptive use will exceed the flow of the river by no less than 3.6 million-acre feet, and the two main reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, would absorb the bulk of that shortfall, causing them to be depleted and reduced to dangerous levels. Last winter’s snowpack was miserable, and the forecast for the coming season is for less precipitation and warmer temperatures.

However, leaders in the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming, have been unable to agree with their lower basin neighbors of California, Arizona, and Nevada on how to cut water usage along the river.  The two basins have been discussing how to allocate the shortages when the current rules expire next year. The experts who wrote the report are urging the federal government to impose cutbacks along the river, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The animosity between the Upper and Lower Basins appears to have torpedoed the Trump administration’s nomination of Ted Cooke to be the commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation charged with managing the river. Cooke had been a water manager in Arizona for more than 20 years, which was viewed as disturbing in the Upper Basin states, and would make him biased in favor of the Lower Basin, according to KUNC. 

The White House asked him to withdraw his nomination, which he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was based on vitriol the likes of which he had never seen. He said that officials from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico had urged members of Congress to oppose his nomination.

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https://h2oradio.org/this-week-in-water/a-high-five-for-the-high-seas

The Red Sea that vanished and the catastrophic flood that brought it back

KAUST researchers find the Red Sea experienced a massive disruption 6.2 million years ago completely changing its marine life.

Source:King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)

Summary:Researchers at KAUST have confirmed that the Red Sea once vanished entirely, turning into a barren salt desert before being suddenly flooded by waters from the Indian Ocean. The flood carved deep channels and restored marine life in less than 100,000 years. This finding redefines the Red Sea’s role as a key site for studying how oceans form and evolve through extreme geological events.Share:

    

FULL STORY

When the Red Sea Became a Desert
Around 6.2 million years ago, the Red Sea completely dried up before a monumental flood from the Indian Ocean refilled it in less than 100,000 years. Credit: Shutterstock

Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have provided conclusive evidence that the Red Sea completely dried out about 6.2 million years ago, before being suddenly refilled by a catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean. The findings put a definitive time on a dramatic event that changed the Red Sea.

Using seismic imaging, microfossil evidence, and geochemical dating techniques, the KAUST researchers showed that a massive change happened in about 100,000 years – a blink of an eye for a major geological event. The Red Sea went from connecting with the Mediterranean Sea to an empty, salt-filled basin. Then, a massive flood burst through volcanic barriers to open the Bab el-Mandab strait and reconnect the Red Sea with the world’s oceans.

“Our findings show that the Red Sea basin records one of the most extreme environmental events on Earth, when it dried out completely and was then suddenly reflooded about 6.2 million years ago,” said lead author Dr. Tihana Pensa of KAUST. “The flood transformed the basin, restored marine conditions, and established the Red Sea’s lasting connection to the Indian Ocean.”

How the Indian Ocean Flooded the Red Sea

The Red Sea was initially connected from the north to the Mediterranean through a shallow sill. This connection was severed, drying the Red Sea into a barren salt desert. In the south of the Red Sea, near the Hanish Islands, a volcanic ridge separated the sea from the Indian Ocean. But around 6.2 million years ago, seawater from the Indian Ocean surged across this barrier in a catastrophic flood. The torrent carved a 320-kilometer-long submarine canyon that is still visible today on the seafloor. The flood rapidly refilled the basin, drowning the salt flats and restoring normal marine conditions in less than 100,000 years. This event happened nearly a million years before the Mediterranean was refilled by the famous Zanclean flood, giving the Red Sea a unique story of rebirth.

Why the Red Sea Matters Geologically

The Red Sea formed by separation of the Arabian Plate from the African Plate beginning 30 million years ago. Initially, the sea was a narrow rift valley filled with lakes, then became a wider gulf when it was flooded from the Mediterranean 23 million years ago. Marine life thrived initially, as seen by the fossil reefs along the northern coast near Duba and Umlujj. However, evaporation and poor seawater circulation increased salinity, causing the extinction of marine life between 15 and 6 million years ago. Additionally, the basin was filled with layers of salt and gypsum. This culminated in complete desiccation of the Red Sea. The catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean restored marine life in the Red, which persists in the coral reefs to the present.

All in all, the Red Sea is a natural laboratory for understanding how oceans are born, how salt giants accumulate, and how climate and tectonics interact over millions of years. The discovery highlights how closely the Red Sea’s history is linked with global ocean change. It also shows that the region has experienced environmental extremes before, only to return as a thriving marine ecosystem.

“This paper adds to our knowledge about the processes that form and expand oceans on Earth. It also maintains KAUST’s leading position in Red Sea research,” said co-author KAUST Professor Abdulkader Al Afifi.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251007081831.htm

Local News

Water restored in Novi area after transmission line break, many still under boil water advisory

By Paula Wethington,

 Nick Lentz

Water service was restored by Friday morning to the communities affected by a massive water main break Thursday morning in and near Novi, Michigan, the Great Lakes Water Authority says. 

But disruptions to daily routines, including boil water advisories, school closures and the road closing along 14 Mile Road continue for thousands of people who live, work or go to school in Commerce, Walled Lake and parts of Novi. The Great Lakes Water Authority has sent water trucks into the affected neighborhoods to help provide residents and businesses with water, and in some cases, businesses arranged for water bottles and portable toilets as a temporary step.

Repairs continue 

Great Lakes Water Authority, which is the regional water system in charge of the 42-inch transmission line that broke on 14 Mile Road, said utility crews worked all day Thursday and into the night to pressurize a 24-inch line and get water service restored. 

Service was returned to all affected communities by Friday morning, GLWA said, although utility crews will remain on site until repairs are complete on the 42-inch transmission line.

The City of Novi said its residents should be noticing improved water pressure, although it may not yet be at full strength. “The system is stable, but it’s a good idea to fill your bathtub or other containers with water as a backup supply in case service is interrupted again,” the city of Novi said Friday morning. 

City officials say it will take several weeks for repairs to be finished. Crews completed isolating the broken water main on Friday afternoon and are now flushing the system before water quality testing can start. 

Once flushing is complete, Great Lakes Water Authority crews will begin collecting water samples. Per state regulations, two consecutive clean samples must be taken 24 hours apart before a boil water advisory can be lifted. Novi officials said the first sample could be collected on Sunday “if all goes as planned.” 

Officials said on Saturday that it’s hopeful the advisory can be lifted on Tuesday, but asked residents to be prepared for it to remain in place until Wednesday in case more testing is needed. 

Currently, 14 Mile Road between Welch Road and M-5 will remain closed to through traffic. 

Boil water advisories 

The Great Lakes Water Authority lifted a boil water alert that was issued as a precaution for the City of Wixom late Thursday. 

boil-water-map-0926.jpg
The city of Novi, Michigan, posted this map of a boil water advisory region on Sept. 26, 2025, the day after a massive water main break on 14 Mile Road.City of Novi, Michigan

But the boil water advisories for Walled Lake and the Novi neighborhoods that lost water remain in effect until further notice. The city of Novi said Friday morning that it expects the boil water advisory for its residents to remain in effect until Sunday.

Outdoor water use 

An outdoor water use restriction was posted for Novi and for nearby West Bloomfield, with residents asked to turn off irrigation systems to help ease water demand in the region.

GLWA didn’t specifically mention outdoor water use in its Friday morning report, but the water authority is asking all residents in the affected communities “to conserve water resources over the weekend to limit any additional stress on the system.”

School closures

Several schools in the affected communities were closed Thursday. The announcements for Friday include:

  • Novi Christian Academy announced it will be closed Friday. 
  • Detroit Catholic Central High School will be in session, but students are asked to bring their own water bottles.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/water-main-break-novi-michigan-day-2/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

Local News

Shedd Aquarium study on fish reproduction in Chicago River indicates continuing recovery from pollution

By Adam Harrington

A new study by the Shedd Aquarium has found that the Chicago River system continues to recover from pollution, as evidenced by the fish species that have been spawning in the river system.

A report on the study, “Larval fish community of the urbanized Chicago River,” was published Wednesday. It was authored by Dr. Austin Happel, a research biologist at the Shedd Aquarium who focuses on freshwater ecosystems.

The study analyzed the species of fish that spawn in the Chicago River to sustain resilient and biodiverse fish communities, the Shedd explained in a news release. Using light traps at 10 locations in the river between 2020 and 2022, researchers collected 2,211 larval fish — and their DNA found the fish belonged to 24 different species.

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A light trap on the South Branch of the Chicago River to capture fish larvae.Shedd Aquarium

“This research represents the first documentation of larvae from fish species occurring within the Chicago River, indicating that recovery and restoration efforts allow at least 24 species to successfully spawn and reach the larval stage,” Happel said in the news release. “Our previous studies showed that improvements to water quality in the river increased biodiversity, and now we have more positive news as populations are proliferating locally within the river.”

The Chicago River: A history of pollution

The reversal of the flow of the Chicago River is a point of Chicago pride that youngsters learn in history classes at local schools. On Jan. 2, 1900, the Sanitary District of Chicago — a predecessor to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District — completed the massive undertaking by digging the 28-mile Sanitary and Ship Canal heading southwest out of the city.

Before the reversal, human and industrial waste would flow from the river right into Lake Michigan — the source of Chicago’s drinking water, then as now. The oft-repeated story that 90,000 people died of cholera and typhoid fever after a storm in Chicago sent sewage into the lake in 1885 has been debunked, but nevertheless, the flow of disgusting material from the river into the lake was a monumental public health hazard.

However, while the reversal of the flow of the river away from Lake Michigan protected the lake itself and the city’s drinking water, the Chicago River system remained polluted, neglected, and smelly as the city grew and developed.

As explained by Friends of the Chicago River, the city went on treating the river system like an alley — dumping trash and sewage and damaging conditions for people and wildlife alike.

“After more than 100 years of this abuse, the Chicago River and the others were so polluted that when the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, officials were convinced no one would ever want to fish or swim here — and set the standards incredibly low,” Friends of the Chicago River wrote.

But for half a century now, efforts have been under way to clean up the river. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago set up the Deep Tunnel system to reduce flooding and improve waterway quality. Meanwhile, Friends of the Chicago River — founded in 1979 — undertook habitat restoration and long-range planning efforts for river improvement, with efforts ranging from planting wetlands vegetation to encouraging river-friendly land development.

Conditions on the Chicago River have improved to the point where a Chicago River Swim is set for this coming Saturday — the first such event in 95 years. The Shedd Aquarium study documents that the diversification of fish species in the river is also evidence that things are on the right track.

brh-5931.jpg
Chicago RiverBrenna Hernandez

Signs of hope in the Chicago River fish community

The fish community in the Chicago River has been rising in both numbers and species diversity since the 1970s as conditions in the river have improved, the Shedd Aquarium study said.

The study found species now reproducing in the Chicago River include popular sport fish like the black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass, and forage fish like the gizzard shad, golden shiner, and spotfin shiner. Larvae of brook silverside and mimic shiner were also found — which the Shedd found to be a pleasant surprise, as these fish were believed to be intolerant of pollution, the Shedd Aquarium said.

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Ten fish species found on the Chicago RiverShedd Aquarium

The peak abundance of fish larvae was found in July, as water temperatures reached the low 70s, the aquarium said.

The study also compared the fish larvae species found in the North Branch of the Chicago River versus the South Branch.

The North Branch of the River generally follows its historical path flowing southeast, though the North Shore Channel was dug between 1907 and 1910 to ensure further that sewage flowed into the river system and away from Lake Michigan. Before the flow reversal of 1900, the South Branch of the river flowed northeast into the Main Branch and on to Lake Michigan, but since the reversal, the South Branch has flowed southwest into the Sanitary and Ship Canal.

The Shedd Aquarium study found that species considered less tolerant of pollution were more common in the South Branch, while species more tolerant of pollution were seen more in the North Branch.

The finding indicates that “some combination of suitable substrate, submerged vegetation, and water quality and flow are most likely present in the South Branch.”

The study said these areas on the South Branch that may be favorable to the spawning of pollution-intolerant fish species could include backwater areas such as barge slips that are no longer used in Bubbly Creek. Bubbly Creek is the terminal South Fork of the river’s South Branch that was infamously once a dump site for animal remains from the Union Stockyards, but the study said the old barge slips may now be effective fish nursery habitats that offer both abundant food and protection from predators.

larval-sampling-north-side-jun-8-2020-1.jpg
Dr. Austin Happel studies fish larvae on the Chicago River.Shedd Aquarium

Happel is also researching how floating wetlands — which the Shedd Aquarium and the nonprofit Urban Rivers have been installing on the river system over the past several years — could also be affecting fish reproduction.

“As people continue to care about and conserve this critical freshwater ecosystem, we hope to see increases in the number of fish spawning in the system,” Happel said in the Shedd Aquarium news release. 

The aquarium said the study could be taken as a sign of hope for other heavily modified urban waterways, and insights on how to support fish communities to spawn and grow.

The study also demonstrates how restoration can return wildlife to a waterway, the aquarium said, emphasizing that healthy fish populations mean healthier aquatic environments overall.

The study was published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/shedd-aquarium-study-fish-reproduction-chicago-river/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

Local News

Florida’s springs face pollution, climate threats as iconic waters risk losing natural beauty

Seen from the air, a Florida freshwater spring is a bit of liquid heaven, luring humans and wildlife to enjoy its aquamarine cool. With at least 1,000 of them — more than any other state — the springs serve as beaches for large swaths of central and northwestern Florida far from the ocean, with teenagers backflipping from docks and snorkelers peering into the crystalline depths.

But these treasures are under threat from agricultural pollution, rapid development and climate change.

Florida’s fragile freshwater springs under growing strain

Some places, such as fast-growing Zephyrhills in west-central Florida, have paused some construction as it struggles to stay within limits on the drinking water it can withdraw from a vast underground aquifer. Zephyrhills is home to Crystal Springs, source of the bottled water named after the town and several other brands.

“We really had to do something,” said Steven Spina, a member of the town council. “A lot of residents thought it was a good thing. People were happy to see us take a breath.”

The Floridan Aquifer: lifeline for 90% of the state’s drinking water

Covering an estimated 100,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometers), the underground Floridan Aquifer is the source of 90% of Florida’s drinking water. Because of the porous nature of the state’s bedrock, millions of gallons of water find their way to the surface in the form of clear, clean springs that, in turn, feed into rivers.

The highest concentration of springs are in central and northern Florida, including most of the 30 “first magnitude” springs — those that discharge at least 65 million gallons of water every day. All but four of them are considered polluted.

“We just have too much pollution going into the ground and too much water coming out of the ground,” said Ryan Smart, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Springs Council. “And when you get that combination, you end up with springs that are no longer blue and vibrant and full of life.”

Runoff, farming and algae blooms choke spring ecosystems

In rural Florida, runoff from fertilizers and pesticides used in farm fields is a major part of the problem. Fertilizers containing phosphates and nitrogen promote algae blooms that can suffocate a spring. Livestock waste contributes, too.

“When that algae covers everything, then you lose all of the seagrasses. The seagrasses are the forests of the water,” Smart said. “Then you begin to lose the biodiversity. And it even puts our drinking water at risk.”

Development and tourism add pressure to Florida’s springs

Elsewhere in Florida, rampant development is the threat. With over 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, more housing subdivisions are sprouting, along with the roads, strip malls, restaurants, golf courses and everything else that comes with them.

That means more paved surfaces that keep rainwater from percolating down into the aquifer and more pollutant-laden runoff from lawn fertilizers, parking lots, ever-widening roads and sometimes septic tanks. It also means more and more people, many of whom enjoy tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking and swimming in the springs.

It gets so busy in summer at some springs located in state and local parks that entry is halted by late morning. At Ichetucknee Springs State Park north of Gainesville, the daily limit of 750 tubers on the upper river is often reached within an hour after the park opens.

Kaelin Gibbs, on vacation in June with his family from Georgia, was swimming in the Blue Hole Spring along the Ichetucknee River.

“This is simply incredible; the water is cool and clear,” said Gibbs. “We’ve been to Florida’s beaches and to Orlando. There is no comparison to how beautiful this spring is.”

But that’s in peril, said Dennis Jones, a Republican former legislator deeply involved in springs issues. He said the volume of permits being issued for water use isn’t sustainable.

“You cannot keep taking water out of the aquifer because it’s not an endless supply,” Jones said.

Mining, climate change and saltwater intrusion worsen threats

Phosphate mining has also taken a toll on springs. Their operations require a great deal of water, which reduces water pressure available for springs. Some have died almost completely from mining and other factors, including White Sulphur Springs in north Florida, which was a sacred place for Native Americans and later a tourist resort that attracted famous visitors such as Henry Ford and Theodore Roosevelt.

A more subtle threat to the health of springs involves Earth’s changing climate. It is altering rainfall patterns around the globe, threatening the balance that feeds Florida’s springs.

In addition, some springs along the coasts are facing an intrusion of salt water, according to the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Four major springs are becoming increasingly brackish because of sea level rise and declining rainfall.

“As a result, freshwater vegetation has a hard time surviving in this saltier environment and unwanted vegetation moves in,” the district said in a website post.

State funding, lawsuits and grassroots activism aim to save springs

Florida spends billions every year on water quality projects, including about $800 million this year for Everglades restoration work. State funding for springs runs about $50 million a year, according to state documents.

Two state efforts at improving springs’ quality, both around a decade old, remain bottled up in court and administrative challenges. One would strengthen rules for permits to draw water from the major springs. The other would enhance rules to reduce the amount of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphates that goes into springs that are considered impaired.

Jones, the former legislator, said lobbying by powerful agricultural interests and related political pressures have blocked progress on the nitrogen reduction plan that was expected to take about 20 years.

“We’ve burned up almost 10 years and they haven’t got on stage one. We got more nitrates now than when we started,” Jones said.

In Congress, U.S. Rep. Randy Fine recently filed a bill that would create a Florida Springs National Park across several counties, centered around the Ocala National Forest. Fine said in a statement the designation would protect the springs and increase funding. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country,” Fine said.

It costs bottling companies just $115 for a permit allowing them to withdraw millions of gallons of water in perpetuity. But they do pay local taxes.

Blue Triton, the company that bottles Zephyrhills water, pays about $600,000 a year in taxes for things like schools, public safety and so forth, said Spina of the city council.

“They are one of our largest taxpayers,” he said.

Though they have challenges, Florida’s freshwater springs have energetic friends, too.

Michelle Jamesson loves the springs; she grew up swimming in one and is determined to help protect them for future generations. She volunteers for SpringsWatch Citizen Science Program, coordinating and working with other volunteers for monthly tests on the Wekiva River, north of Orlando.

They test water quality, take photos of underwater vegetation, count birds and more, seeking to spot any big changes that may require action. The Wekiva is fairly stable, she said, though it carries a lot of excess nutrients.

“The wildlife and the ecology, and all of it — it’s so full of life,” Jamesson said.

___

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-springs-water-pollution-climate-change-report/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

Chesapeake Bay pollution down, but water quality still short of goals, CBF says

By Christian Olaniran

Chesapeake Bay pollution down, but water quality still short of goals, CBF says

Pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay has dropped, but water quality remains below restoration targets, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

In 2023 nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment levels were significantly lower than the previous year, according to the CBF. Nitrogen fell 21.7%, phosphorus 26% and sediment 15.5%. These three pollutants are the leading contributors to the bay’s poor health.

The largest reductions came from the Pamunkey, Patuxent, Potomac and Susquehanna rivers. By contrast, nitrogen rose in the Appomattox, Mattaponi and Rappahannock rivers, where excess levels can trigger algae blooms that sap oxygen and threaten fish and crabs.

How pollution progress is measured

Researchers measure progress through the Bay TMDL Indicator, which uses modeled data to track how far pollution reductions move the bay toward a healthier ecosystem. To meet water quality goals, nitrogen must be cut by about 145 million pounds per year and phosphorus by about 9 million pounds.

Since 2009, projects such as tree planting, wastewater treatment upgrades and improved farming practices have reduced roughly 82 million pounds of nitrogen and 1.6 million pounds of phosphorus. 

Those efforts are expected to cut an additional 27 million pounds of nitrogen and 4 million pounds of phosphorus annually in the years ahead, according to the CBF. 

Despite these reductions, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a “C” in its 2024 annual report, down from a C+ the previous year. 

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources also reported last month that underwater grasses in the state’s portion of the bay declined slightly in 2024. Both measures are considered key indicators of water quality.

Restoration efforts underway

Maryland continues to invest in bay improvements. In December, nearly $400,000 in federal grants went to five Maryland-based projects focused on environmental, cultural and historical conservation in the watershed.

Oyster restoration is also progressing. Oysters filter up to 50 gallons of water per day and provide habitat for small fish, worms and other prey species.

The Chesapeake Bay Program said in July it is on track to meet its 2025 goal of restoring oyster reefs in 10 tributaries, as set by the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Maryland’s restoration work includes Harris Creek, the Little Choptank, Tred Avon, Upper St. Mary’s and Manokin rivers. Virginia has completed restorations in its five tributaries and an additional site, while Maryland is finishing work in the Manokin.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/chesapeake-bay-pollution-water-quality-cbf-goals/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

The shocking reason Arctic rivers are turning rusty orange

Ice doesn’t just freeze, it fuels hidden chemistry that could turn rivers rusty as the planet warms.

Source:Umea University

Summary:Researchers found that ice can trigger stronger chemical reactions than liquid water, dissolving iron minerals in extreme cold. Freeze-thaw cycles amplify the effect, releasing iron into rivers and soils. With climate change accelerating these cycles, Arctic waterways may face major transformations.

    

FULL STORY

Why Arctic Rivers Are Turning Rusty Orange
An aerial view of the rust-colored Kutuk River in Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska. Thawing permafrost is exposing minerals to weathering, increasing the acidity of the water, which releases metals like iron, zinc, and copper. Credit: Ken Hill / National Park Service

Ice can dissolve iron minerals more effectively than liquid water, according to a new study from Umeå University. The discovery could help explain why many Arctic rivers are now turning rusty orange as permafrost thaws in a warming climate.

The study, recently published in the scientific journal PNAS, shows that ice at minus ten degrees Celsius releases more iron from common minerals than liquid water at four degrees Celsius. This challenges the long-held belief that frozen environments slow down chemical reactions.

“It may sound counterintuitive, but ice is not a passive frozen block,” says Jean-François Boily, Professor at Umeå University and co-author of the study. “Freezing creates microscopic pockets of liquid water between ice crystals. These act like chemical reactors, where compounds become concentrated and extremely acidic. This means they can react with iron minerals even at temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius.”

To understand the process, the researchers studied goethite – a widespread iron oxide mineral – together with a naturally occurring organic acid, using advanced microscopy and experiments.

They discovered that repeated freeze-thaw cycles make iron dissolve more efficiently. As the ice freezes and thaws, organic compounds that were previously trapped in the ice are released, fuelling further chemical reactions. Salinity also plays a crucial role: fresh and brackish water increase dissolution, while seawater can suppress it.

The findings apply mainly to acidic environments, such as mine drainage sites, frozen dust in the atmosphere, acid sulfate soils along the Baltic Sea coast, or in any acidic frozen environment where iron minerals interact with organics. The next step is to find out if the same is true for all iron-bearing ice. This is what ongoing research in the Boily laboratory will soon reveal.

“As the climate warms, freeze-thaw cycles become more frequent,” says Angelo Pio Sebaaly, doctoral student and first author of the study. “Each cycle releases iron from soils and permafrost into the water. This can affect water quality and aquatic ecosystems across vast areas.”

The findings show that ice is not a passive storage medium, but an active player. As freezing and thawing increase in polar and mountain regions, for the impact on ecosystems. and the natural cycling of elements could be significant.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250922074938.htm

Gulf corals still suffering more than a decade after Deepwater Horizon oil spill, scientists report

Exposure to oil — and possibly the chemicals used to clean up oil spills — has made corals prone to breaking and showing signs of high stress, even today

Source:American Geophysical Union

Summary:Deep-water corals in the Gulf of Mexico are still struggling to recover from the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, scientists report at the Ocean Science Meeting in New Orleans. Comparing images of more than 300 corals over 13 years — the longest time series of deep-sea corals to date — reveals that in some areas, coral health continues to decline to this day.Share:

    

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Deep-water corals in the Gulf of Mexico are still struggling to recover from the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, scientists report at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in New Orleans. Comparing images of more than 300 corals over 13 years — the longest time series of deep-sea corals to date — reveals that in some areas, coral health continues to decline to this day.

The spill slathered hundreds of miles of shoreline in oil, and a slick the size of Virginia coated the ocean surface. Over 87 days, 134 million gallons of oil spilled directly from the wellhead at a depth of 1520 meters (nearly 5000 feet) into the Gulf. While the spill was most visible at the surface, negative ecological impacts extended hundreds of meters into the ocean.

In a presentation on Tuesday, 20 February, scientists will show that deep-water corals remain damaged long after the spill. Over 13 years, these coral communities have had limited recovery — some even continuing to decline.

“We always knew that deep-sea organisms take a long time to recover, but this study really shows it,” said Fanny Girard, a marine biologist and conservationist at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa who led the work. “Although in some cases coral health appeared to have improved, it was shocking to see that the most heavily impacted individuals are still struggling, and even deteriorating, a decade later.”

The findings can help guide deep-water restoration efforts following oil spills.

Delicate and damaged 

A few months after the Deepwater Horizon well was capped, an interdisciplinary team of researchers surveyed the ocean floor 6 to 22 kilometers (3.7 to 13.7 miles) from the wellhead to record the damage. About 7 miles away and at 1,370 meters (4,495 feet) depth, they found a dense forest of tree-like Paramuricea corals that looked sickly.

“These corals were covered in a brown material,” Girard said. Testing showed the sludge contained traces of a combination of oil and chemical dispersants. A few months later, the researchers found two additional coral sites at 1,580 meters and 1,875 meters (4921 and 6233 feet, respectively) deep that were similarly damaged.

Deep-sea corals are suspension feeders and may have ingested contaminated particles, leading to the observed health impacts, the researchers said. Direct exposure to toxic chemicals contained in the mixture of oil and chemicals may have also damaged coral tissue. However, to date, scientists still do not exactly know how the oil and dispersant affected these vulnerable organisms.

Every year from 2010 to 2017, scientists visited those three sites to monitor damages, measure growth rates and note any recovery of the corals, as part of a large initiative aiming to better understand ecosystem impacts and improve our ability to respond to future oil spills. They used a remotely operated vehicle to take high-resolution photographs of corals at all three impacted sites and two far-removed reference sites, tracking more than 300 corals overall.

The researchers visited these sites again in 2022 and 2023 as part of the Habitat Assessment and Evaluation project, one of the projects funded through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment settlement. The images allowed the team to measure changes to coral health over time, including noting any breaks along the delicate branches of the coral caused by exposure to oil pollution.

Still suffering after all these years

The scientists found that even by 2022, the affected corals continued to show signs of stress and damage from the oil spill. The brown coating they had first observed was long gone, but upon closer inspection, the corals were weak and prone to breaking. The scarred spots where branches fell off were leaking mucus, and some corals whose skeletons were exposed had been colonized by other, parasitic coral species.

“Not only were some of these corals not recovering, but some of them seemed to be getting worse,” Girard said. She added that if the impacts are too heavy, ecosystems can struggle to recover at all, especially given the onslaught of climate change-related stressors like ocean acidification. “It’s really important to prevent damage in the first place, and the way to do that is through protection measures.”

Girard notes that their work is being used to inform restoration strategies, including trying to grow deep-sea corals for coral propagation from transplants, deploying artificial anchoring sites for recolonization or protecting the deepwater communities and letting nature heal itself. In the coming years, the team will continue to monitor to corals, looking for signs that they’re getting better — or worse.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240220144632.htm