Tag Archive for Rivers

Oyster aquaculture could significantly improve Potomac River estuary water quality

Oyster aquaculture in the Potomac River estuary could result in significant improvements to water quality, according to a new NOAA and U.S. Geological Survey study published in the journal Aquatic Geochemistry.

Potomac River. Oyster aquaculture in the Potomac River estuary could result in significant improvements to water quality.

Potomac River. Oyster aquaculture in the Potomac River estuary could result in significant improvements to water quality.

All of the nitrogen currently polluting the Potomac River estuary could be removed if 40 percent of its river bed were used for shellfish cultivation, according to the joint study. The researchers determined that a combination of aquaculture and restored oyster reefs may provide even larger overall ecosystem benefits. Oysters, who feed by filtering, can clean an enormous volume of water of algae which can cause poor water quality. Read more

5 Documentaries You Must See to Understand the Water Crisis

There’s a lot to know about the world’s water crisis–as you can tell from the month of posts we’ve been doing on just this one topic. But if you’re new to the discussion, catch up in one weekend with these five documentaries. From in-depth background on the political, social, and economic factors that are causing the crisis to personal stories from people affected by it, you’ll understand the problem in a whole new way.

water-documentaries-you-must-seeWater Voices

This seven-episode set (don’t worry: each is only about 22 minutes) highlights the way the water crisis affects everyday life in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Kiribati, Philippines, Thailand, and Tonga. Watch as a community joins together to rescue a coral reef in Fiji, as women in India fight shortages by finding new ways to transport water, and as a handful of other men, women, and children stand up to claim enough clean, safe water for themselves and their neighbors. Read more

Did you know…? Facts and figures about the Walawe River Basin (Sri Lanka)

  • The Walawe River basin, located in the southeast, has an area of 2,500 km2 and covers 4% of the total landmass of the Sri Lanka, it is one of the nation’s biggest basins.
  • Recent water resources development has linked some adjacent small river basins to the Walawe basin. Thus, the total area covered in this study is 3,300 km2 and includes the Malala Oya, Kachchigal Oya and Karagan Oya. Read more

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