Explore the causes and effects of water contamination, including microplastics, chemicals, and stormwater runoff. Learn how to protect lakes, rivers, and freshwater resources.
Water hyacinth is often seen as a serious problem in lakes and rivers around the world. The fast-growing invasive plant can clog waterways, block sunlight, reduce oxygen levels, and harm native wildlife. Managing large infestations is difficult and expensive, especially in tropical and subtropical regions where the plant spreads quickly. Now, researchers are exploring whether
A new invasive type of water hyacinth, Salvinia spp., has been discovered in Lake Victoria. It reproduces rapidly, doubling its biomass within 8 days due to high nutrient levels caused by human activities such as improper waste disposal and deforestation. Over 36 tons have already been removed, but the plant continues to spread, threatening fish
Milwaukee, a city steeped in history and industry, is emerging as a global leader in addressing one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: water. As the world faces growing concerns over water scarcity, contamination, and climate resilience, Milwaukee has positioned itself at the forefront of innovative solutions. Through strategic investments, world-class institutions, and a commitment to
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency released new information regarding its ongoing efforts to determine what caused a massive fish kill in Duluth’s Tischer Creek in August. MPCA Communications Specialist Beverly Godfrey says the city of Duluth drained an estimated 1.7 million gallons of chloraminated water into the creek from the Woodland Reservoir over a 15-hour
Although many people might think oceanside cities bear the responsibility to keep plastic and trash out of the water, the Mississippi River can act as a funnel for that trash from the heart of the country to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River drains more than 40% of the continental U.S. – just how
Funded by a variety of groups including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Massport, the City of Boston, and the Eastern Salt Company, organizers say the program is working and the harbor is cleaner than ever. The program is The Boston Harbor Association’s Marine Debris Cleanup Program, the boat and its two crew members, armed with
With heavy rains this summer, Scott Cassavant and his crew of the Lynyrd Skymmr have been scooping up debris eight hours a day from rivers around the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “When there is a heavy rain with a lot of current flow, what is a living, thriving tree will become uprooted and ends up
Bioengineering is defined by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as “using a combination of native planting and natural, or biodegradable materials to provide shoreline protection.” It also is often referred to as softshore engineering or lakescaping. Many shorelines use seawalls. These are a hard surface, such as wood, metal or concrete, that is installed
Hydrilla and water hyacinth, two of the worst aquatic weeds, have taken over the surface of Tapi River in India just above the pumping stations. This phenomenon of summer, which creates problems in the pumping of water from the pumping stations to Surat city, has occurred this time of the year for the first time.
Heavy metal poisoning is a growing concern in many parts of the country. A new method for removing chromium-6, a highly toxic heavy metal, from waste water has been developed by a group of scientists from India and Ethiopia. They claim it to be low-cost and safe. The new method uses water hyacinth, a weed