WaterWired

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 23 January 2023

My Ten Cents: Remembering Groundwater Giant John D. Bredehoeft https://bit.ly/3ZQCaKp #groundwater

Enjoy!

*****************************************************************************************

Here are Elaine's BBs as PDF and Word documents:

PDF: Download EJH_Bulletin_WW_Boards_23Jan2023-3

Word: Download EJH_Bulletin_WW_Boards_23Jan2023-3

Note: If a link does not work, try pasting the URL into your browser.

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.

******************************************************************************************

Geoscience Bulletin Board - 23 January 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Significant instability” of Pacific Coast Highway in California – rockslides reported and potential for more

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/highway-1-significant-instability-caltrans-005113635.html

Recognizing complex interaction of factors affects rate of melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet

• https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/runaway-w-antarctic-ice-sheet-145116099.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-35471-3

Canada nearing decision on selecting site for spent nuclear fuel waste – sometime in next 2 years? – stockpile of 3.1M spent nuclear fuel bundles so far

• https://thebulletin.org/premium/2023-01/final-countdown-to-site-selection-for-canadas-nuclear-waste-geologic-repository/

Czech Republic updating plans for deep geological repositor for nuclear waste

• https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsczech-republic-updates-plans-for-deep-geological-repository-10524972

Application filed for license of or the planned Centre Industriel de Stockage Géologique (Cigéo) deep geological disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste.

• https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Application-lodged-for-construction-of-French-repo

Capturing geologic and regional history of Jordan in sand art

• https://www.afar.com/magazine/in-jordan-a-sand-artist-captures-the-regions-geology-and-history

Torvants – “living rocks” of Romania appear to grow, move and spawn others

• https://www.iflscience.com/the-living-rocks-of-romania-appear-to-grow-move-and-spawn-others-67129

New geological model for Empire Mine copper-gold-iron mineralization

• https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/coast-copper-s-new-geological-model-targets-near-surface-multiple-stacked-thrust-horizons-over-1-km-x-5-km-area-826531576.html

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

• https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/grand-story-grand-canyon-yellowstone

A plethora of mudslides in California

• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-california-is-tackling-the-increasing-threat-of-mudslides

Distinguishing between sinkholes and caverns due to engineering failures in San Mateo County, California

• https://www.hmbreview.com/news/geologists-say-void-in-highway-92-not-technically-sinkhole/article_9273ebca-9393-11ed-84ec-3f0b0fc972e0.html

Geological processes revealed by “superdeep” diamonds

• https://www.mining.com/superdeep-diamond-reveals-new-info-on-earths-geological-processes/

M7.0 Earthquake in eastern Indonesia

• https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/70-magnitude-earthquake-hits-eastern-indonesia-us-geological-survey-1182197.html
• USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000j553/executive

Plate tectonics in the 21^st century

• https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/976555
• Link to download paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11430-022-1011-9

Rare fossilized feathers revealed in Cretaceous hot spot

• https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-728844
• Paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.1020594/full

Broad mineralized lithium claystone system defined at Clayton Ridge Property in Esmeralda County, Nevada

• https://www.streetinsider.com/Newsfile/USCM+Defines+Broad+Mineralized+Lithium+Claystone+System+at+Clayton+Ridge+Lithium+Property/21073705.html

Human-generated noise disrupts dolphin communication & social behaviors

• https://www.abc57.com/news/human-made-noise-makes-it-harder-for-dolphins-to-work-together-study-finds
• Paper: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdfExtended/S0960-9822(22)02000-0

Tracking ocean waves caused by extratropical cyclones

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/tracking-ocean-waves-from-extratropical-cyclones-on-global-scale

Southeastern Alps thrust region is still seismically active

• https://eos.org/research-spotlights/scientists-decipher-the-seismic-dance-of-the-southern-alps
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022TC007522

Visualizing 25 years of lithium production by country – need 6-fold increase for future demand

• https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-25-years-of-lithium-production-by-country/

Retrospective on the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption of January 2022 – multiple magma sources

• https://theconversation.com/a-year-on-we-know-why-the-tongan-eruption-was-so-violent-its-a-wake-up-call-to-watch-other-submarine-volcanoes-175734

Airbourne dust from Namibian Coast found in Southern Ocean & peripheral East Antarctic Plateau

• https://phys.org/news/2023-01-southern-africa-antarctica-thousand-years.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00464-z

Ocean Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) recorded in preserved planktonic microfossils

• https://phys.org/news/2023-01-malformed-seashells-ancient-sediment-clues.html

Paper:  https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00641-0

Environmental Science Bulletin Board - 23 January 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Wyoming introduces legislation to ban sales of EVs by 2035

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/wyoming-moves-to-ban-sales-of-new-electric-vehicles-by-2035/ar-AA16nEgM

Want to catch the XBB.1.5 variant – get vaxxed

• https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/omicron-subvariant-xbb-1-5-134145679.html

Flawed “methodology & key conclusions” in two studies the formed basis of modern pediatric trans medicine – “a penchant for exaggerating what is known…while downplaying serious health risks & uncertainties”

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/methodologically-flawed-key-studies-that-inspired-trans-medicine-don-t-hold-up-doctors-argue/ar-AA16nwBb

Plan to restore a 1905 flooded region known as Salton Sea when irrigation canal was breached – conditions exacerbated by bad irrigation practices - $250M to start – human error caused the Sea to form so why does it now need to be “saved” from collapse?

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/an-ambitious-plan-could-help-repair-one-of-california-s-biggest-ecological-catastrophes/ar-AA16oCrf
• https://theconversation.com/human-actions-created-the-salton-sea-californias-largest-lake-heres-how-to-save-it-from-collapse-protecting-wild-birds-and-human-health-196469

Keys to soil Taxonomy 13^th Edition

• https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/keys-to-soil-taxonomy
• Keys: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/Keys-to-Soil-Taxonomy.pdf

NRCS requesting public comment on proposed changes to Technical Note 430-SS-2 “Soil Color Contrast’

• https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFARMERS/bulletins/3433eb2
• Proposed changes:https://nrcs.app.box.com/s/185k9guvdyyf92btipa1zivtt9acxscv/file/1107649820133

Fearmongering yet again – conflating contagious with virulence – still pushing vaxx

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/xbb-1-5-latest-covid-113042528.html

Al Gore goes on another “unhinged” rant on mythical dangers of man-made global warming

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/al-gore-goes-on-unhinged-rant-about-rain-bombs-boiled-oceans-other-climate-threats-at-davos/ar-AA16udWn

US BLM issued trespassing notice to Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge of unauthorized use of Tiehm’s Buckwheat habitat

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/blm-issues-trespass-notice-to-mining-company/ar-AA16u8z0

IPCC climate models grossly exaggerate “man-made global warming” – enforcing Net Zero Emissions will lead to tragic consequences

• https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.americanthinker.com%2Farticles%2F2023%2F01%2Fipcc_climate_models_grossly_exaggerate_global_warming.html

Arizona governor promises to revise Groundwater Management Act as development plans to exceed resources – demand will exceed resource by 4.4M acre-feet of water over the century

• https://insideclimatenews.org/news/17012023/arizonas-katie-hobbs-groundwater-policy-buckeye-scottsdale/
• https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3810846-arizona-report-says-development-plans-outstrip-water-resources/
• Arizona DWR Reports:https://infoshare.azwater.gov/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-21714/Document-45688

Cyber threat to energy substations and attacks may prompt new energy security rules – like government rules will solve the problem as FERC & power sector collaborate on disclosing components of grid software

• https://www.utilitydive.com/news/substation-attacks-may-lead-to-new-energy-security-rules-in-2023-experts-s/640138/

Ohio & other states look for money sources to replace lost gas tax - $600M shortfall in Washington State

• https://www.thecentersquare.com/ohio/ohio-looking-at-options-to-replace-gas-tax/article_55138084-9360-11ed-b066-d7c7131e2ce4.html
• https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/washington-department-of-transportation-faces-600m-projected-shortfall/article_9bd8fe90-96d5-11ed-bf1e-035a8fcb7e84.html

Laser-induced filaments may provide means to “steer” lightning bolts

• https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3815449-scientists-guide-lightning-with-lasers-fired-at-thunderclouds/
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41566-022-01139-z

Oil & Gas drilling rigs by the numbers

• https://www.ogj.com/drilling-production/article/14288295/canada-rig-count-posts-another-doubledigit-increase

Human activity and only slight increase in rainfall causing lakes in African Rift in Kenya to rise – “there is little that humans can do to intervene” and reduce risks to local populations who built in floodplain

• https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/kenyas-rift-valley-lakes-rising-152245552.html
• Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581821000860?via%3Dihub
• Report: https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/123456789/22854/Rising%20Water%20Levels%20in%20Kenya%e2%80%99s%20Rift%20Valley%20Lakes....pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Coastal GasLink 490 km pipeline marks 80% completion

• https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/16012023/coastal-gaslink-80-overall-completion/

“Advanced” technologies of pyrolysis and gasification for plastics are costly & damaging to the environment – plastic was never designed to be recycled

• https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19012023/plastic-advanced-recycling-cost-environmental-impact/
• Paper: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c05497

Measuring airborne mercury

• https://phys.org/news/2023-01-milestone-airborne-mercury.html

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board - 23 January 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Impact of high surf on beaches (video)

• https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/local-geologist-explains-impact-of-high-surf-on-beaches/

Not all models for forecasting coast storm wave heights are equal

• https://www.ucf.edu/news/offshore-and-coastal-risk-analyses-may-misrepresent-wave-storms-from-extreme-weather-like-bomb-cyclones/
• Paper: https://www.ucf.edu/news/offshore-and-coastal-risk-analyses-may-misrepresent-wave-storms-from-extreme-weather-like-bomb-cyclones/

Pilot Eco Wave onshore wave energy technology unveiled

• https://www.powermag.com/pioneering-u-s-wave-energy-power-plant-unveiled/

$34.4B Texas Coastal Barrier funding & $1B widening of Houston Ship Channel dependent on federal funding

• https://communityimpact.com/houston/pearland-friendswood/government/2023/01/18/landmark-bay-area-projects-seek-federal-support-through-the-coastal-texas-program/

NOAA awards $20.5M for coordinated management of ocean & coastal resources

• https://www.kinyradio.com/news/news-of-the-north/noaa-awards-20-5-million-for-ocean-and-costal-resource-management/

Reconciling coastal protection & water management

• https://phys.org/news/2023-01-coastal.html

The costs of coastal development in North Carolina – not always beneficial

• https://coastalreview.org/2023/01/exclusive-carova-showcases-costs-of-coastal-development/

The Undercliff Walk from Brighton Marina to Saltdean has been temporarily closed – falling chalk blocks

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-64308164

Using fire as part of $8M Ocean Ranch enhancement project on Eel River Wildlife Area

• https://www.ducks.org/conservation/wr/using-fire-to-restore-a-coastal-wetland

Residents fear “hideous” and expensive ($5B) seawalls will block waterfront views in Miami, Florida

• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/13/us-cities-ugly-seawalls-climate-crisis-miami

Marsh bothering to reconstruct past sea levels

• https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/marsh-bothering/

 

"It's not that we have a short time to live but that we waste a lot of it."- Seneca

My Ten Cents: Remembering Groundwater Giant John D. Bredehoeft

I heard some sad news a few days ago. Legendary hydrogeologist John D. Bredehoeft died on New Year's Day 2023. He was 89. He was a remarkable scientist, one who wanted to figure things out. Here is the citation written by Lenny Konikow, one of his mentees at the USGS, at John's reception of the Robert E. Horton award from AGU in 1997. The Groundwater Project wrote this tribute, that includes a recent picture and a brief list of publications.

I cannot top the accolades composed in his honor. In fact, I did not know John personally very well. Not so for his publications and interests - 'eclectic' is a word I would use to describe them. I also knew him from his close connection with my first employer, Burke Maxey, the renowned hydrogeologist at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, NV. John's PhD thesis at the University of Illinois dealt with the Humboldt River basin in Nevada. 

My first meeting with John occurred in September 1974 at the GSA Penrose Conference in Aspen, CO. The theme of the conference was 'Mass and Energy Transport in Porous and Fractured Media' (John was one of the organizers) and it attracted big names - among them Shlomo Neuman, Paul Witherspoon, George Pinder (his PhD student). A certain number of grad students were invited and I was one of them. Talks were informal; my compartment model of the Edwards Aquifer was one of them. My University of Arizona PhD advisor, Dr. Gene Simpson, also attended.  

Did John and I have a deep discussion on fluid flow through cavernous limestones? Well, not quite. After a few 'hellos' in the hall, we would end up at the same dinner table. There, John started talking about downhill skiing. I knew nothing about the topic. John kept talking about all the 'black diamond' runs at the Colorado resorts, I was smart enough to realize that those were the tough, expert-only trails. So I thought  I would show my chops. I recalled my conversations with the golfers I had caddied for in the NH summers. The avid skiers among them had tackled the dangerous Tuckerman Ravine, a glacial cirque on the south side of Mt. Washington, the highest mountain in the Northeast. I dropped that into the conversation, stating that 'nothing in Colorado could touch that. Well, John shot me a look and the table went silent. He then proceeded to put me in my place vis-a-vis
Colorado ski runs.

But he did say my compartment model was 'interesting'.

That was my introduction to John.

Next stop: the early 1980s at DRI in Reno. I stumbled upon this publication:

This publication floored me. I had read Theis's 1940 paper and Richmond Brown's 1963 report. But this one had a real impact me. It made so much sense to me but I did not encounter many hydrogeologists or water managers who seemed to be aware of the implications. So I took it upon myself to photocopy about 10 copies and ship them to the Nevada State Engineer with a note describing its significance and closed it with: 'Make sure all your groundwater hydrologists read and understand this paper.' It was the 'and understand' that raised the hackles in Carson City. Suffice it to say that the DRI President read me the riot act but when I explained the paper, he understood. 'Next time, leave out those two offensive words.' I like to think that John would have been happy and would have said. 'You mean they hadn't read those publications? WTH?

   Fast forward to the end of the century. John was working in private industry. I had been an officer in the Scientists and Engineers Division (S&E) of the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). Although the S&E were the most populous division the Contractors (well drillers and pump installers) ran the show. John got on the S&E Board and we welcomed him. The NGWA was agonizing over the fact that pumping wells could deplete streamflow and was looking for a reason to downplay that. John offered to write a letter to come from our S&E BoD. We thought that was great because we knew how thorough he would be. Well, after a few weeks we got John's 18-page single-spaced letter (with references) detailing the hazards of excessive pumping. He was not saying it should be banned but that it would have an effect. The letter worked and all was well with the NGWA leadership.

I might add that when John me met at the NGWA meeting he noted that I looked somewhat familiar. Where had we met? In Colorado, many years ago. He looked puzzled. Then he smiled and inquired 'When was the last time you skied Tuckerman Ravine?'. 'Quite a while ago,' I replied. 'You up for it?' was his rejoinder. We both smiled. 1974 seemed an eternity ago,  

As I close this I am thinking of the seminal Rangely EQ experiments, contaminant transport modeling, deep fluid flow, California SGMA, GW budget myths, and so much more.   

Yes, I hardly knew him, but boy, do I miss him!        .      

"These concepts must be kept in mind to manage groundwater resources adequately. Unfortunately, many of our legal institutions do not adequately account for them." -- J. D. Bredehoeft et al., 1982, p 57