Global flash droughts expected to increase in a warming climate
Researchers have published new findings on how our warming climate will affect the frequency of flash droughts and the risk to croplands globally.
View ArticleExtreme precipitation in Northeast US to increase 52% by the end of the century
With a warmer climate creating more humid conditions in the Northeast, extreme precipitation events -- defined as about 1.5 or more inches of heavy rainfall or melted snowfall in a day -- are projected...
View ArticleCave excavation pushes back the clock on early human migration to Laos
Fifteen years of archaeological work in the Tam Pa Ling cave in northeastern Laos has yielded a reliable chronology of early human occupation of the site. The team's excavations through the layers of...
View ArticleFlooding tackled by helping citizens take action
Scientists have developed a new method that empowers citizens to identify solutions to climate change threats.
View ArticleSalinity changes threatening marine ecosystems
A groundbreaking study reveals the critical yet severely understudied factor of salinity changes in ocean and coastlines caused by climate change.
View ArticleWhat causes mudslides and floods after wildfires? Hint: It's not what...
Scientists once assumed that flooding and mudslides after wildfires were linked to the waxy coating that builds up on charred soil, preventing water absorption. Researchers found that water flow came...
View ArticleSaltwater or freshwater? Difference is large for the climate when we flood...
Researchers find large methane emissions: 'Do not flood low-lying areas with freshwater'. Their studies find that freshwater lakes emit much more methane than saltwater lagoons, bogs and wet meadows.
View ArticleClimate science is catching up to climate change with predictions that could...
In Africa, climate change impacts are experienced as extreme events like drought and floods. It has now been possible to predict and monitor these climatic events, providing early warning of their...
View ArticleCalifornia's winter waves may be increasing under climate change
A new study uses nearly a century of data to show that the average heights of winter waves along the California coast have increased as climate change has heated up the planet.
View ArticleClearcut logging leads to more frequent flooding, including extreme floods
Loss of forest cover is associated with more frequent extreme flooding, as well as more frequent floods of any size, according to new research. While it's widely thought that loss of forest cover is...
View ArticleStudy examines Earth and Mars to determine how climate change affects the...
The study investigated why the paths of meandering rivers change over time and is a step toward understanding what the hydroclimate on Mars was like when there was still surface water.
View ArticleDeath tolls from climate disasters will 'balloon' without investment in...
Investment in 'hydromet systems' using technologies from AI to SMS would provide a nine-to-one ROI in saved lives and assets across African nations.
View ArticleNew study examines historical drought and flooding on the Amazon River
Despite the rapid increase in severe flooding, a new article indicates recent floods and droughts in the Amazon River Basin may have not yet exceeded the range of natural hydroclimatic variability.
View ArticleMillions of carbon credits are generated by overestimating forest...
Study analyses 18 major carbon offset projects, and compares their conservation claims with matched sites that offer a real-world benchmark for deforestation levels. Over 60 million carbon credits came...
View ArticleEmphasizing the need for energy independence could change the views of...
Emphasising the need for energy independence and environmental stewardship could help to change people’s minds about the climate crisis, a new study says.
View ArticleDisparities in who dwells behind crumbling US levees
In the United States, tens of millions of people live behind levees, but historically disadvantaged groups are more likely to live behind subpar levees and have fewer resources to maintain critical...
View ArticleStudy reveals human destruction of global floodplains
A hydrologist's study provides a global estimate of human destruction of natural floodplains. The study can help guide future development in a way that can restore and conserve vital floodplain...
View ArticleNew super-fast flood model has potentially life-saving benefits
Researchers have developed a new simulation model, which can predict flooding during an ongoing disaster more quickly and accurately than currently possible.
View ArticleNew rivers in the North? Scientists identify how the dissection of Arctic...
New research shows that amplified global warming in the Canadian High Arctic drove a profound shift in the structure of a river network carved into a permafrost landscape in only 60 years.
View Article100-year floods could occur yearly by end of 21st century
Most coastal communities will encounter '100-year floods' annually by the end of the century, even under a moderate scenario where carbon dioxide emissions peak by 2040, according to a new study. And...
View ArticleMicroplastics are found in cave water and sediment
Researchers report finding high concentrations of microplastics present in a Missouri cave system that had been closed to human visitors for 30 years.
View ArticleFlooding that closed Alaska's Dalton Highway also caused widespread ground...
The massive 2015 flooding of the Sagavanirktok River in northern Alaska had immediate impacts, including closure of the Dalton Highway for several days, but it also contributed to longer-term ground...
View ArticleRising seas will tighten vise on Miami even for people who are not flooded,...
A new study that examines both the physical and socioeconomic effects of sea-level rise on Florida's Miami-Dade County area finds that in coming decades, four out of five residents may face disruption...
View ArticleResearchers study one of the world's darkest rivers
They set out to study the Congo Basin's carbon cycle and in the process have become aware of one of the world's darkest blackwater rivers: the Ruki. In the first study on this major jungle river, an...
View ArticleNew method to analyze implications of large-scale flood adaptation
In a test of their new analysis tool, researchers show where 'moving up' or 'moving over' may make the most sense for those affected by the 2022 Pakistan flood, and what costs it would entail.
View ArticleHow mega-floods can be predicted
Extreme flood events are extraordinary outliers that were not considered possible on the basis of local data. However, if one considers the entire European continent, these local surprises are no...
View ArticleIdai vs. Impalas: New study shows in real-time what helps mammals survive a...
After a massive cyclone transformed the ecosystem of Gorongosa National Park, researchers studied the immediate and knock-on impacts to garner lessons for wildlife managers around the world.
View ArticleCoastal river deltas threatened by more than climate change
Worldwide, coastal river deltas are home to more than half a billion people, supporting fisheries, agriculture, cities, and fertile ecosystems. In a unique study covering 49 deltas globally,...
View Article600 years of tree rings reveal climate risks in California
The San Joaquin Valley in California has experienced vast variability in climate extremes, with droughts and floods that were more severe and lasted longer than what has been seen in the modern record,...
View ArticleBeing prepared for storm surges on the Baltic Sea coast
The record storm surge in October 2023 caused severe damage to the German Baltic coast. Effective adaptation scenarios to rising sea levels are therefore becoming increasingly urgent. In two recent...
View ArticleThree decades of data in Bangladesh show elevated risk of infant mortality In...
A new study estimates 152,753 excess infant deaths were attributable to living in flood-prone areas in Bangladesh over the past 30 years. The findings begin to unspool the long term public health...
View ArticleGenetic sequencing uncovers unexpected source of pathogens in floodwaters
Researchers report that local rivers and streams were the source of the Salmonella enterica contamination along coastal North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 -- not the previously suspected...
View ArticleFrom NYC to DC and beyond, cities on the East Coast are sinking
Major cities on the U.S. Atlantic coast are sinking, in some cases as much as 5 millimeters per year -- a decline at the ocean's edge that well outpaces global sea level rise, confirms new research....
View ArticleRecord heat in 2023 worsened global droughts, floods and wildfires
Record heat across the world profoundly impacted the global water cycle in 2023, contributing to severe storms, floods, megadroughts and bushfires, new research shows.
View ArticleBeaches and dunes globally squeezed by roads and buildings
Beaches and dunes globally squeezed by roads and buildings. Beaches and dunes are becoming increasingly trapped between rising sea levels and infrastructure. Researchers found that today, when dropped...
View ArticleNew tool predicts flood risk from hurricanes in a warming climate
A new method predicts how much flooding a coastal community is likely to experience as hurricanes evolve due to climate change. Using New York as a test case, the model predicts Hurricane Sandy-level...
View ArticleResearchers advocate for sustainable logging to safeguard against global...
It's time to recognize the power of healthy forests in managing global growing flood risk, and to shift towards more sustainable forestry practices and policy.
View Article2020 US rule dramatically deregulated wetlands, streams and drinking water
New research used machine learning to more accurately predict which waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act. The analysis found that a 2020 Trump administration rule removed Clean Water Act...
View ArticleCompounding risks of atmospheric river storms
When storms hit back-to-back, the flooding -- and economic damages -- are even worse than expected.
View ArticleResearchers shed light on river resiliency to flooding
Researchers have completed one of the most extensive river resilience studies, examining how river ecosystems recover following floods. They developed a novel modeling approach that used data from...
View ArticleSinking land increases risk for thousands of coastal residents by 2050
A new study provides a new comprehensive look at the potential for flooding in a combined 32 cities along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts. It predicts as many as 500,000 people will be affected...
View ArticleIndia's water problems set to get worse as the world warms
Winter storms known as western disturbances that provide crucial snow and rainfall to northern India are arriving significantly later in the year.
View ArticleWhat if the heavy rain would have fallen 50 kilometers away?
Floods affect more people worldwide than any other natural hazard, causing enormous damage that is expected to increase in a warming world. However, people and decision-makers in vulnerable regions are...
View ArticleLand under water: What causes extreme flooding?
If rivers overflow their banks, the consequences can be devastating -- just like the catastrophic floods in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate of 2021 showed. In order to limit flood...
View ArticleTesting environmental water to monitor COVID-19 spread in unsheltered...
To better understand COVID-19's spread during the pandemic, public health officials expanded wastewater surveillance. These efforts track SARS-CoV-2 levels and health risks among most people, but they...
View ArticleShy sea anemones are more likely to survive heatwaves
A study shows that sea anemones that react more slowly to change can survive a heatwave better than individuals that change their behavior quickly.
View ArticleA smarter city skyline for flood safety
With climate change and rising urbanization, the likelihood and severity of urban flooding are increasing. But not all city blocks are created equal. Researchers investigated how urban layout and...
View ArticleHidden threat: Global underground infrastructure vulnerable to sea-level rise
As sea levels rise, coastal groundwater is lifted closer to the ground surface while also becoming saltier and more corrosive. A recent study compiled research from experts worldwide showing that in...
View ArticleFlorida Wildlife Corridor eases worst impacts of climate change
Florida is projected to lose 3.5 million acres of land to development by 2070. A new study highlights how Florida can buffer itself against both climate change and population pressures by conserving...
View Article'Sunny day flooding' increases fecal contamination of coastal waters
A new study finds that 'sunny day flooding,' which occurs during high tides, increases the levels of fecal bacteria in coastal waters. While the elevated bacteria levels in the coastal waters tend to...
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