Webinar this week - 26 April 2023, 1 - 2 PM ET. John Matthews & Ingrid Timboe of AGWA. Register (can view later): tinyurl.com/5y9nakuf
If you can't see it live, register anyway because you will receive a recording in 7-10 days.
The first UN water conference in almost 50 years finished up in March. What was at stake? Who was there? What were the outcomes? Was it important or useful? In an ask me anything format moderated by Michael Campana, John Matthews and Ingrid Timboe will talk about their experiences in New York over the week, their impressions, and what might emerge in coming months and years.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the role of UN agencies to influence water policies globally
- Describe the current status of SDG 6 (focused mostly on WASH) vs other water issues
- Show relationships between global water issues to regional, national, and subnational water issues
Enjoy!
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Here are the BBs:
PDF: Download EJH_Bulletin_WW_24April2023Boards
Word: Download EJH_Bulletin_WW_24April2023Boards
The articles displayed herein are selected by Dr. Elaine J. Hanford. I do not necessarily agree with the viewpoints expressed and the article descriptions that precede each link.
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Geoscience Bulletin Board – 24 April 2023 – by Elaine J. Hanford
Earthquake-resilient building technology (seismic isolation) was effective during earthquakes in Turkey
Getting hands on with geology at Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve & UNESCO World Heritage Site
Bakken oil shale provides insight into Devonian mass extinction
What is and what is not a true sinkhole – sometimes that hole in the ground surface is simply erosion due to the collapse of human constructed infrastructure
The oldest plutonic rocks in Yellowstone
UK identifies prospective Rare Earth metals areas for further investigation
Five companies seek to capitalize on mineral potential in the Andes – gold, copper & tin
Geological activity at Mammoth Hot Springs
Estimating temperature & composition of shallow inland sea that promoted emergence of Paleo-proterozoic photosynthetic algae
- https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/986288
- Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009254123000566
Geology students win the 2023 Northern Start Treasure Hunt
Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility in Hawaii – 2023 Consent Order & Remediation Roundtable
- https://www.epa.gov/red-hill/red-hill-2023-consent-order
- CO: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA-R09-RCRA-2022-0970
- Download: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-R09-RCRA-2022-0970-0001
Human history is not separate and apart from natural history – geology & biology are connected processes
Tracking migration of marine life as it adapts to ever-changing climate over geologic time
Will the Earth last “forever” – nothing is forever, not even diamonds
Did you see the hybrid solar eclipse? Get ready as a penumbral lunar eclipse will occur in early May
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/solar-eclipse-australia_n_64410924e4b039ec4e7cf04c
- Map: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2023-april-20
- Images: https://www.sciencealert.com/breathtaking-images-show-the-sun-disappear-in-rare-hybrid-solar-eclipse
- Lunar eclipse in May: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2023-may-5
Photo Essay: Hiking the Cinder Cone Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park
3-D liquefaction hazard map presents liquefaction forecast in event of an earthquake based on borehole data
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-3d-liquefaction-hazard.html
- Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/22/11652
Quantitative relationships of formation of coals & evaporites with temperature & precipitation
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-quantifying-climate-conditions-formation-coals.html
- Paper: https://academic.oup.com/nsr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nsr/nwad051/7059225
Cretaceous plate tectonics in the Pacific & Atlantic created the Caribbean region
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-plate-tectonics-pacific-atlantic-cretaceous.html
- Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36419-x
Nullarbor plain in Australia is relic of Plio-Pleistocene drying between 2.4 and 2.7 myo
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230418101414.htm
- Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023GL102928
Recognizing a pollinating insect in the fossil record
Eocene fossil plant history of Burnaby Mountain in British Columbia, Canada
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230413154300.htm
- Paper: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/724156
Cretaceous symbiotic relationship between beetle larvae and non-avian dinosaur feathers
- https://www.sci.news/paleontology/cretaceous-dinosaur-feather-feeding-beetles-11846.html
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2217872120
New genus & species of Late Triassic hyperodapedontine rhynchosaur found in Wyoming
- https://www.sci.news/paleontology/beesiiwo-cooowuse-11831.html
- Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/4/544
Dates set in June for formally adopt the next high seas treaty to allow counties to ratify it
52 myo fossils identified as oldest known species of bats
- https://www.sci.news/paleo ntology/icaronycteris-gunnelli-11829.html
- Paper: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0283505
Vikings occupied southwest Greenland during transition from Little Ice Age to Medieval Warm Period
- https://www.sci.news/archaeology/greenland-viking-abandonment-11837.html
- Paper: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2209615120
Reduced sea ice in Barents-Kara Seas can increase snow cover in Eurasia – setting the stage for the next Ice Age
Deciphering the texts of Ptolemy
The geological heritage of Stonehenge
- https://www.brighton.ac.uk/news/2023/newly-surfaced-films-bring-stonehenges-geological-heritage-to-life
- Film collection: https://screenarchive.brighton.ac.uk/collection/1915/
Time lapse of 2022 earthquakes in San Francisco Bay area
Do not travel alert in anticipation of glacial outburst in Naran-Khagan
Book Review: “Where the Weird Things Are: An Ocean Twilight Zone Adventure”
Microbes in bedrock capture naturally-occurring uranium and remediate groundwater
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-subsurface-microbes-capture-toxic-uranium.html
- Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00767-9
Distinct modes of meltwater drainage & formation of erosional & depositional landforms beneath the last Barents Sea ice sheet about 15,000 years ago
- https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/2023/04/it-demonstrates-potential-enormity-problems-society-may-face-over-coming-centuries-uit
- Paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1111396/full
Ridgecrest faults increasingly sensitive to solid Earth tides prior to July 2019 earthquake sequence
Threat of landslides in Utah as snowpack melts
Mapping sinkholes in Missouri
Siwa Oasis in Western Desert of Egypt
Drilling progress at Ducros Ni-Cu-PGE project in Abitibi Greenstone Belt
No evidence for “nuclear winter” after Chicxulub meteor impact 66 myo
Exploring local geology in Western Colorado
Emission of gasses from permafrost is influenced by mineral binding processes
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230420135357.htm
- Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37766-5
Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 24 April 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford
America suffers from a “loss of spiritual connection” with our planet
- Hopi: https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/emissions-from-wa-gas-project-with-world-s-largest-industrial-carbon-capture-system-rise-by-more-than-50/ar-AA1a6Nt3
- Christian: https://www.crosswalk.com/family/career/why-christians-should-care-about-earth-day.html
Perspective: A decarbonized future as exemplified by California is not pretty – the pathway to brown outs
“Shelter in place” during fire at Pinova plastic resin plant in Glynn County, Georgia – 2nd fire in 5 months
- https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/04/15/no-injuries-reported-at-a-massive-fire-at-the-pinova-plant/
- https://abc7ny.com/pinova-plant-fire-chemical-brunswick-ga-evacuation-glynn-county/13134473/
- https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-fire-pinova-plastics-plant-georgia-evacuation-order-20230416-twtsqwnjfzef7jd6xtjtt7svu4-story.html
Orthopedic surgeon contracted Transverse Myelitis 7 days after being vaxxed – career ending
E-bike batteries causing rising number of explosions & injuries & deaths
Once again IPCC adjusts (i.e., fudges) temperature data in support of catastrophic man-made global warming claiming that “urbanization bias” is very small – rural data is consistent with trends in sea surface temperatures, tree rings and glacial length records, as well as solar activity
Consequences of decisions on the Colorado River Basin – interconnected causes of the crisis
US walks among the lowest percentage of overall trips and not as safely
- https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/04/14/exactly-how-much-less-america-walks-than-other-countries-in-five-charts/
- https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/114211
- Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/7/5719
UK bans new “smart” motorways over safety concerns
EPA has lots of power and responsibility but no leader & not even a nominee for OLEM
Increasing traditional ecological knowledge, youth engagement & farmer support help Tohono O’odham Nation
Latest issue of Grand Canyon Trust “Advocate” – 4 feature articles related to Walking
$177M to be spent for 17 new EPA Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Centers to “remove barriers & improve accessibility” – in other words: waste a lot of money to not accomplish very much
- https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-177-million-17-new-technical-assistance-centers
- https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers
“Green steel” just means sacrificing fresh water to produce “green hydrogen” to power the blast furnace – and that is not without adverse environmental impacts
Ongoing quest to seek engineering explanation for failure of West Seattle Bridge
Visualizing the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World – where are they now? Only the Great Pyramid of Giza has lasted the onslaught of time, natural forces and human destruction
Report on economic risk of earthquakes in the US – estimated $14.7B annually rising due to inflation
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-highlights-economic-earthquake-states.html
- FEMA Report: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-366-hazus-estimated-annualized-earthquake-losses-united-states.pdf
Warning against using PVC pipes for drinking water systems – human health risks
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/new-report-warns-about-human-health-risks-from-pvc-pipes-used-in-drinking-water-systems/ar-AA1a1NnU
- Report: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5eda91260bbb7e7a4bf528d8/t/643d59bef9624770e92d1068/1681742276435/BeyondPlastics-PVCReport-Web.pdf
It was a plandemic not a pandemic so unmask in health care settings
Second full meeting of 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will be held on 10 May 2023 – still looking for public comment ahead of livestreamed meeting – US obesity prevalence of 42% for adults & 20% for children
- https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2023/04/13/register-2025-dietary-guidelines-advisory-committees-second-meeting-may-10
- Adult obesity in US: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
- 2020 Edition Summary: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/DGA_2020-2025_ExecutiveSummary_English.pdf
- Link to 2020 Edition: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/
Orange County, California, boasts largest wastewater purification system for indirect potable use – GWRS
- https://abc7.com/amp/orange-county-water-districts-groundwater-replenishment-system-mehul-patel-katie-porter/13128506/
- https://www.ocwd.com/gwrs/
Urbanization increasing – US lost almost 1.9 million acres of farmland in 2022
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/the-us-lost-1-9-million-acres-of-farmland-in-2022-here-s-why-it-matters/ar-AA1a106a
- Paper: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-0793
Visualizing air pollution levels around the world
Emerging concern regarding risk of fires erupting in EVs – burn hotter & longer posing risk to first responders
Gen Zen members being fired shortly after hiring since more difficult to work with and less productive – need more training in communication and professional skills
Irony: No upper limit to government spending in Inflation Reduction Act for “climate & clean energy” programs
Duh! Eating healthy can “treat” or prevent a variety of chronic conditions and diseases
Hypoxia found in one in eight rivers across the world
- https://eos.org/articles/hypoxia-affects-one-in-eight-rivers-worldwide
- Paper: https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lol2.10297
Rewilding center opened in Dundreggan, Scotland
- https://www.treehugger.com/worlds-first-rewilding-center-opens-in-scotland-7481037
- Website: https://treesforlife.org.uk/dundreggan/
Fingerprinting tropical timber to fight illegal lumber trade
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-fingerprint-wood-illegal.html
- Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/acc81b
New hydrological connectivity classification system may improve water quality & wetlands restoration
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-collaboration-aims-nationwide-quality-wetlands.html
- Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-023-00057-w
650,000 new homes to be built in major earthquake zone in Turkey – setting up the next disaster
Colorado & Ohio Rivers now considered among “most endangered” rivers of 2023
- https://www.npr.org/2023/04/20/1170931581/the-colorado-and-ohio-rivers-are-among-the-most-endangered-in-america-heres-why
- Report: https://www.americanrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/v5_AR_2023-Most-Endangered-Rivers.pdf
- Colorado River drought crisis: https://theconversation.com/the-colorado-river-drought-crisis-5-essential-reads-203651
“Great Green Wall” project across sub-Saharan Africa is losing vision and ambition
India now saying heat waves will prevent reaching “sustainable development goals”
- https://phys.org/news/2023-04-climate-india-sustainable-goals.html
- Paper: https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000156
Distinction between water rights and water use on tribal lands in the Western US
The birthplace of the Canadian National Park System
Population of India to surpass China by the end of June as UN urges focus on reproductive rights rather than population numbers while “the world’s population is too big”
- https://www.terradaily.com/reports/India_population_to_surpass_China_mid-year_UN_999.html
- https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Focus_on_reproductive_rights_rather_than_population_numbers_UN_urges_999.html
- State of World Population 2023: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/state-world-population-2023-8-billion-lives-infinite-possibilities-case-rights-and-choices-enarru
Book Review: Toxic Exposure: The True Story behind the Monsanto Trials and the Search for Justice
Photo-essay: Nearly 8,000 families relocated in central Vietnam to areas less prone to erosion
Largest carbon capture scheme in the world at Gorgon site in Western Australia still failing to meet goal – emissions have increased by more than 50%
Failing US school system is about to get worse
Governor finally acknowledging fentanyl drug crisis in San Francisco Bay Area
“real world” range of EVs is massively overestimated as subsidies are increased
Maine jury overturned ballot initiative – construction of energy transmission line from Canada to New England can proceed – Maine Court ruled rights may have been violated because $450M had been spent – “huge” power capacity could supply between 2% and 10% of consumption
$2M pilot program to look for “root causes” of traffic accidents instead of solving the problems in Detroit – cause of accidents is easy: it is bad human behavior
Interior Secretary defends Willow Project & drilling – direct conflict with Biden policy pledge
$1B combined-cycle (natural gas & diesel-fired combustion turbines) power plant will not be built in central Pennsylvania – cannot overcome environmental opposition
Toxicity of pharmaceutical drugs in lakes & rivers may vary by several orders of magnitude depending on water acidity
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135423002993
Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board - 24 April 2023 -compiled by Elaine J. Hanford
Proposed legislation in Texas would support large-scale marine desalination, beneficial reuse of treated produced water & inter-state water purchases
Washington State Ferry “Walla Walla” ran aground in Rich Passage near Bainbridge Island
Coastal species persisting on Great Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230417142539.htm
- Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-01997-y
Legislation would replace Coastal Resources Management Coumcil with new Dept of Coastal Resources in Rhode Island
China records 94 mm rise in average sea level compared to 1993-2011 interval, highest since 1980
Estimating long-term coastal cliff loss in Del Mar, California
- https://news.stanford.edu/press-releases/2023/04/17/new-approach-estastal-cliff-loss/
- Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022JF006855
The value of kelp forests
Guam is not ‘tsunami-proof – focus on preparedness
Pristine deep-sea coral reefs in the Galápagos Marinw Reserve
94-foot luxury yacht crashed into the Hawaiian coastline coral reefs & damaged more reefs when it sank during towing back to Honolulu – impacted 101 coral colonies & 2,099 square feet of damage
CPRA approves 4th and final version of 50-year $50B plan to “protect” Louisiana coastline from hurricanes
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