Water News for August 2024
The Largest Dam Removal Project in U.S. History Is Almost Finished
The dismantling of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, which began in June 2023 and has involved hundreds of workers, is the largest dam removal effort in U.S. history. Full story. LA Times.
PFAS in River Fish
Scientists tested nine fish species from four northern Illinois rivers for contamination with per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, synthetic chemicals found in numerous industrial and commercial products and known to be harmful to human health. They found fish contaminated with PFAS in every one of their 15 test sites. Elevated levels of PFOS, one type of PFAS compound, were found in nearly all fish tested. Technology Networks.
Climate Change and Wastewater Systems
The Pacific Institute, Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN), and Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated (RCAP) released new research outlining how climate change impacts are leading to devastating consequences for water and wastewater systems in rural communities across the United States. Water Online.
Record Number of Heat Records Broken
A record 15 national heat records have been broken in 2024, as weather extremes grow more frequent and climate breakdown intensifies. The geographic range of all-time national records is staggering. Mexico tied its peak of 52C (125.6F) at Tepache on 20 June. On the other side of the world, the Australian territory of Cocos Islands tied its all-time high with 32.8C (91F) on 7 April for the third time this year. The Guardian.
Violence over Water On the Rise
Violence over water resources increased dramatically in 2023, continuing a steep growth trend of such incidents over the past decade. These events include attacks on water systems, unrest and disputes over the control of and access to water, and the use of water as a weapon of war. The number of events has risen rapidly in recent years, with 150% as many incidents in 2023 as those recorded in 2022 (347 events versus 231). In the year 2000, there were only 22 such incidents recorded.
“The significant upswing in violence over water resources reflects continuing disputes over control and access to scarce water resources, the importance of water for modern society, growing pressures on water due to population growth and extreme climate change, and ongoing attacks on water systems where war and violence are widespread, especially in the Middle East and Ukraine,” said Dr. Peter Gleick, Senior Fellow and co-founder of the Pacific Institute. Wateronline.
Amistad Struggling
Amistad reservoir in Texas reached record-low levels this summer, with images from space capturing the staggering scale of its decline. The Amistad reservoir, straddling the Texas-Mexico border on the Rio Grande, dropped to less than a quarter full in July this year, hitting a record low of 1,047.15 feet above sea level on July 17. The previous record low was seen in August 2022, when the reservoir hit 1,052.48 feet. This year, the reservoir has been below 1,052 feet since February. The Amistad was created with the construction of the Amistad Dam in 1969 and is a joint venture between the U.S. and Mexico to provide water and hydroelectric power to both countries. MSN.com.
AI and Water Consumption
AI is thirsty for water. ChatGPT gulps roughly a 16-ounce bottle in as few as 10 queries, according to calculations by Shaolei Ren, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at UC Riverside, and his colleagues.
AI Doesn’t Just Consume Tons of Energy. It’s a Water Hog as Well
“The growing carbon footprint of artificial intelligence (AI) models, especially large ones such as GPT-3, has been undergoing public scrutiny. Unfortunately, however, the equally important and enormous water (withdrawal and consumption) footprint of AI models has remained under the radar. For example, training GPT-3 in Microsoft’s state-of-the-art U.S. data centers can directly evaporate 700,000 liters of clean freshwater, but such information has been kept a secret. More critically, the global AI demand may be accountable for 4.2 — 6.6 billion cubic meters of water withdrawal in 2027, which is more than the total annual water withdrawal of 4 to 6 Denmark-sized countries or half of the United Kingdom. This is very concerning, as freshwater scarcity has become one of the most pressing challenges shared by all of us in the wake of the rapidly growing population, depleting water resources, and aging water infrastructures. To respond to the global water challenges, AI models can, and also must, take social responsibility and lead by example by addressing their own water footprint.” LA TIMES.
Microplastics in Human Organs
Microplastics are infiltrating brain tissue, studies show. Twenty-four brain samples collected in early 2024 measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight. A growing body of scientific evidence shows that microplastics are accumulating in critical human organs, including the brain. Studies have detected tiny shards and specks of plastics in human lungs, placentas, reproductive organs, livers, kidneys, knee and elbow joints, blood vessels and bone marrow.Given the research findings, “It is now imperative to declare a global emergency” to deal with plastic pollution, said Sedat Gündoğdu, who studies microplastics at Cukurova University in Turkey. Humans are exposed to microplastics – defined as fragments smaller than 5mm in diameter – and the chemicals used to make plastics from widespread plastic pollution in air, water and even food. Full article from The Guardian.
Dead Chickens in South Carolina River
A South Carolina riverkeeper reported finding hundreds of dead chickens floating in the water of Edisto River. Throwing animal bodies into a river is a crime and a threat to public health.
Federal Funds for Lead Removal in Schools
The schools and daycare centers in Georgia were awarded $1.5 million in additional federal funds to get lead out of water. This is one of several federal grants for water protection for schools announced this month.
A federal judge has slapped the son of Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice with a contempt of court citation for repeatedly failing to respond to a Clean Water Act lawsuit against a family-owned coal products firm.
Chinese scientists claim to have invented a way to extract water from the moon’s soil – a potentially vital step towards building a lunar research base.
A recent study from Utrecht University in the Netherlands warns that climate change and socio-economic transformations will exacerbate water scarcity, disproportionately affecting populations in South Asian countries. Countercurrents.org.
