A handful of new studies analyze the depletion and contamination of groundwater, as well as the effects of climate change—and how communities are responding.
water pollution
Posted inNews
When Rivers Are Contaminated, Floods Are Only the First Problem
As floods increase in frequency and intensity, chemicals buried in river sediments become “ticking time bombs” waiting to activate.
Posted inNews
Lake Erie Sediments: All Dredged Up with Nowhere to Grow
Agriculture is a key contributor to the algae mats that plague Lake Erie. With so many fertilizers entering the lake, could sediment from the lake floor be used to grow crops instead?
Posted inNews
Below Aging U.S. Dams, a Potential Toxic Calamity
Documents suggest that in more than 80 U.S. locations, the failure of an aging dam could flood a major toxic waste site.
Posted inNews
Pharmaceuticals Pollute the Ganges
Scientists report a cocktail of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and personal care products found near two pilgrimage cities along the river.
Posted inNews
Sinking Fish May Fast-Track Mercury Pollution to the Deep Sea
Isotopic analysis indicates that mercury found in deep-sea organisms may have an origin in carrion from near the surface.
Posted inNews
Urbanization, Agriculture, and Mining Threaten Brazilian Rivers
Harder to analyze and quantify, diffuse pollution is often overlooked when it comes to water quality assessments.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tracking Trace Elements in the Ganga River
Levels of dissolved trace and heavy metals, which can be toxic, are highly variable across the river basin, concentrating in urban areas with high pollution but diluted by inflow from tributaries.
Posted inNews
Taking an Aerial View Underground
Wisconsin geologists are testing using drones equipped with thermal cameras to measure shallow soil depths in areas prone to groundwater contamination.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Arsenic Pollution in Bangladesh is Catching Up with Deeper Wells
Inhabitants of Bangladesh have deepened drinking water wells to avoid extracting arsenic-rich groundwater from shallow aquifers, but these may not be free from pollution either.