National Geographic News: Water Crisis

Scientists Race to Save World's Rice Bowl From Climate Change

Ker Than — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:09:37 -0400

More frequent floods and droughts expected in Southeast Asia.

Warm Spring May Mean Drought and Wildfires in West

Paul McRandle — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:34:25 -0400

Decreased snowpack in the Rocky Mountains may compound problems for Colorado, Arizona, California, and other Western states.

Climate Change Linked to Waterborne Diseases in Inuit Communities

Ker Than — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:46:39 -0400

A recent study may warn of more widespread threats to water quality.

Massive Hindu Pilgrimage Melting Sacred Glacier

Rebecca Byerly — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:31:56 -0400

Hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir are polluting, and melting, an important glacier, scientists say.

Artificial Glaciers Water Crops in Indian Highlands

Ker Than — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:31:04 -0400

Villagers discover that it is easier to store water in ice than in a reservoir, and less is lost to evaporation.

Reclaimed Wastewater for Drinking: Safe But Still A Tough Sell

Ker Than — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:43:11 -0400

A new report highlights advancements in recycling technology and predicts growth in treatment programs, if people can get beyond ick factor.

Raiding the Bread Basket: Use and Abuse of the Mississippi River Basin

Sally Deneen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:25:20 -0400

Industrial agricultural has significant socioeconomic and environmental costs in the Mississippi River Basin, although scientists are bringing solutions.

Melting Glaciers Mean Double Trouble for Water Supplies

Rick Lovett — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:51:09 -0400

New research shows that as ice disappears, overall evaporation speeds up.

Africans Adapt to Rainfall Shortages in Warming World

Ker Than — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:39:36 -0400

Climate change will call for more flexible solutions to water challenges.

Real Christmas Trees Save Water

Ker Than — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:47:35 -0400

Real Christmas trees end up using less water than artificial ones, and they have other environmental benefits, especially when these tips are followed.

Google Earth Animation Shows How Dams Could Worsen Climate Change

Ker Than — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:18:57 -0400

A project of two NGOs, using Google Earth technology, highlights far-ranging effects of dams.

India Stems Tide of Pollution Into Ganges River

Dan Morrison in Allahabad, India — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:11:07 -0400

Recent legal rulings block several development projects in bid to enhance water quality.

Spectacular Time Lapse Video of Historic Condit Dam Removal

Brian Clark Howard — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:40:42 -0400

The Condit Dam in Washington State has been dramatically dismantled, to restore a salmon stream for the first time in a century.

Short Life of British Mayfly Halved by Climate Change

James Owen — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:31:33 -0400

New research suggests that mayflies in a UK trout river are getting through their lifecycle in double-quick time in response to warming temperatures.

India and Pakistan at Odds Over Shrinking Indus River

William Wheeler — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:33:31 -0400

Irrigation and hydroelectric projects in the Indus River Valley are draining the river's flow, while glaciers are melting in Kashmir; the resulting water scarcity is straining international relations.

Fishers of Nation’s Largest Salmon Run Fight Proposed Mine

Steve Fisher — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:30:11 -0400

Locals and indigenous people worry that the proposed Pebble Mine will harm their remote southwestern Alaskan community.

Largest U.S. Dam Removal to Restore Salmon Runs

Brian Clark Howard — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:54:24 -0400

The three-year, $351 million effort to remove two dams on the Elwha River has gotten underway, with the goal of restoring an influx of salmon into Olympic National Park.

Largest U.S. Dam Removal to Restore Salmon Runs

Mason Inman — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:57:22 -0400

Environmentalists worry that a diluted bitumen, or dilbit, spill from the proposed Keystone XL pipeline could threaten groundwater in the U.S., especially the massive Ogallala Aquifer.

Largest U.S. Dam Removal to Restore Salmon Runs

Ker Than — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:05:18 -0400

The deconstruction of two obsolete dams in the U.S. Pacific Northwest will restore rivers and benefit more than a hundred species, experts say.

Could Seawater Solve the Freshwater Crisis?

Ker Than — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:42:11 -0400

To make much needed fresh water, just de-salt saltwater? Experts weigh in on what needs to be done to make it as easy as it sounds.

Gulf Spill's Effects Unknown For Years?

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:56:50 -0400

More than a year after the Deepwater Horizon spill, scientists say it could take a decade to figure out how the oil affected the Gulf of Mexico's environment. Video.

Will Dam Removal in the West Restore Salmon?

Anne Minard — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:57:27 -0400

A controversial plan to remove four dams from the Klamath River to save endangered salmon has brought unlikely allies together.

Ethiopia Moves Forward with Massive Nile Dam Project

Ker Than — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:29:11 -0400

Ethiopia has announced that it will construct a controversial multibillion-dollar Nile River dam that could supply more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity for itself and its neighbors, including newcomer South Sudan.

How Gulf Spill Estimates Got It So Wrong

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:55:34 -0400

How much oil spilled into the Gulf last year? An engineer explains how he caused estimates to rise sharply practically overnight. Video.

Warming to Blame for Water Crisis in U.S. West?

Tasha Eichenseher — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:56:45 -0400

Heat, not lack of precipitation, is shrinking the Rockies snowpack—a water source for 70 million Americans—a new study says.