In 1994, researchers published the results of an experiment in concrete-lined canals in California and Arizona. Lining the canals helped conserve water, but it also eliminated habitat used by fish and other aquatic organisms. Their solution was innovative: build artificial habitat from discarded automobile tires.

And it appeared to work.

Areas containing the tire reefs had three times the density of aquatic invertebrates and 20 times the density of fish compared with typical sections of the canals. At the time, discarded tires seemed to solve two problems at once: keeping waste out of landfills while restoring lost aquatic habitat.

More than 30 years later, however, we know considerably more about what happens when tires spend years in an aquatic environment.

What We Didn’t Know About Tires

Tires aren’t simply rubber. They contain chemicals and metals that can make their way into the environment as tires wear and break down. Research has since found that some tire-related chemicals and particles can be harmful to aquatic life.

And the concerns aren’t limited to chemistry. During the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, hundreds of thousands of tires were intentionally placed in waters off Florida to create artificial reefs. Over time, many broke loose, becoming marine debris and damaging natural habitat. Today, projects are underway to remove thousands of these legacy tires.

The people who created these reefs weren’t trying to harm the environment. Quite the opposite. They were trying to improve it. They simply didn’t have decades of additional research available to them.

When Our Understanding Changes

Tires aren’t the only example of how environmental practices can change as we learn more. Herbicides once approved for controlling aquatic weeds were later removed from use after concerns about their potential effects on human health and the environment.

We have seen the same evolution with chemicals used in Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. What was once widely used was later linked to serious health and environmental concerns, leading to restrictions and discontinued uses.

The point isn’t that everything we use today will eventually prove harmful. It’s that science continues to evolve. What seems acceptable based on what we know today may look very different when we have decades of additional research to consider.

Managing With What We Know Today

There is rarely one answer for managing a lake or waterway. Chemical treatment, mechanical harvesting, biological controls, physical removal and sometimes simply leaving an area alone can each have a place depending on the waterbody, the species involved and the management objective.

That’s why asking “What are we trying to accomplish?” can be just as important as asking “What should we use?”

The 1994 tire reefs are a fascinating reminder of how environmental management evolves. Researchers saw a problem, developed a solution and measured real benefits. They weren’t necessarily wrong about what they observed. We simply know things today that they couldn’t have known then.

Good environmental stewardship means continuing to learn, asking questions and being willing to change our approach when new information gives us a reason to do so.

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In the Southwest, three major reservoirs now sit closer to “dead pool” than any others in the country. A reservoir reaches dead pool when its water level falls so low that water can no longer flow downstream through the dam’s outlets. At that point, water deliveries can be disrupted and the dam may no longer be able to generate hydropower.

Elephant Butte Nears Empty

One of the most striking examples is Elephant Butte Reservoir, the largest reservoir in New Mexico. Located along the Rio Grande, the reservoir plays an important role in a region where water is already a precious resource.

As of mid-July 2026, Elephant Butte had fallen to just 2–3% of capacity. The consequences of such low water levels extend well beyond the reservoir itself. Elephant Butte provides irrigation water for hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in New Mexico and Texas and supplies a portion of El Paso’s water.

Low reservoir levels can also affect recreation and local communities that depend on visitors coming to the lake. As shorelines retreat, boat ramps and marinas can become difficult or impossible to use, changing how people are able to access and enjoy the water.

Lake Powell and Lake Mead Remain Critically Low

Elephant Butte isn’t alone. Lake Powell and Lake Mead, two of the largest and best-known reservoirs in the United States, also remain at historically low levels.

Both are part of the Colorado River system, a water source relied upon by approximately 40 million people and more than five million acres of agricultural land.

In July, Lake Powell was at roughly 27% of capacity. Its water level was about 70 feet above the elevation at which Glen Canyon Dam would no longer be able to generate hydropower.

Farther downstream, Lake Mead was also around 27% full. The reservoir stores water used by communities, farms and businesses in Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico, while Hoover Dam uses water released from Lake Mead to generate electricity.

Years of drought, combined with the enormous demand placed on the Colorado River, have left both reservoirs far below the levels they once routinely reached.

The Effects Reach Beyond the Southwest

Drought isn’t only a concern in the desert Southwest. This summer’s conditions across other parts of the country are another reminder of how closely our communities are tied to reliable water supplies.

Lower water levels can affect agriculture, drinking water, hydropower and recreation, but they can also change the waterways themselves. Reduced flows and shallower water can lead to warmer water temperatures and changes in water quality and aquatic habitat. Fish and other aquatic organisms may have less suitable habitat available, while recreational access can become more difficult.

Reservoirs are designed to capture water during wetter periods and make it available when conditions turn dry. But when drought continues year after year, even enormous reservoirs have limits.

The conditions at Elephant Butte, Lake Powell and Lake Mead offer a striking reminder that the health and availability of our water resources cannot be taken for granted. Whether it’s a massive reservoir in the Southwest or a lake or river closer to home, reliable water supplies are essential to communities, agriculture, recreation, wildlife and healthy aquatic ecosystems.

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The risks of using glyphosate go beyond immediate environmental concerns. Studies suggest that its residues in waterbodies can accumulate over time, affecting not just fish but also amphibians and other organisms. In sensitive habitats, such as those with crocodiles or endemic species, these chemicals may alter reproductive cycles and hinder growth, leading to population declines. Furthermore, introducing glyphosate without addressing pollution sources, such as sewage inflow, only provides a temporary fix. Experts emphasize the need for thorough environmental assessments and long-term monitoring before opting for chemical interventions. Sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives, such as biological control using weevils or mechanical removal, offer safer solutions to protect India’s vulnerable aquatic ecosystems.

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The newly discovered Salvinia spp. in Lake Victoria likely entered the lake through contaminated fishing gear, boats, or water currents connecting nearby ecosystems. Unlike the regular water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), which forms thick mats on the surface, Salvinia spp. spreads faster and is more resilient under varying environmental conditions. It depletes oxygen more aggressively, suffocating aquatic life and reducing biodiversity. This variant poses a greater ecological threat and requires immediate control measures.

The species negatively impacts fishing, tourism, and water supply, making urgent action necessary.

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The cleanup effort aimed to improve water quality and restore the lake’s ecosystem, which had been impacted by excessive vegetation. This significant environmental effort highlights the importance of preserving natural water bodies and ensuring sustainable ecosystems. Unlike chemical treatments, harvesters provide an eco-friendly method of managing vegetation with immediate results.

Aquatic weed harvesters play a crucial role in maintaining healthy water ecosystems by removing excessive vegetation. Without intervention, this vegetation eventually dies and decomposes, releasing nutrients into the water that can fuel harmful algae blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen levels, harm aquatic life, and diminish water quality, making weed harvesters an effective, environmentally-safe solution to prevent such environmental issues.

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The process will make the lake easier to navigate for fishermen and other boaters, and should improve the fishing there as well, state experts say.

“It will improve the habitat of the lake,” said project manager Ed Hayes, a biological scientist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “This is preventative maintenance,”

The project will help not only fish, but also the birds and turtles that call the lake home.

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But, goldfish are the ultimate survivor of difficult conditions. They feed on blue-green algae blooms that native species cannot—blooms that appear with increasing frequency in Hamilton Harbour, due to pollution and warming water. What’s more, the creature’s bottom-grazing uproots vegetation and increases the water’s murkiness, both of which make life still tougher for other inhabitants. The goldfish, meanwhile, are rapidly reproducing. Without management, experts say, they’ll squeeze out their native competitors and take over.

Read More  https://macleans.ca/society/the-goldfish-invasion-in-hamilton-harbour/

A decade later later, the aquatic invasive species made its way to New York and now stretches fro Long Island, inland to the Hudson River Valley and up to Lake Champlain and is spread throught the Finger Lakes.

The water chestnut most directly impacts aquatic ecosystems by blocking sunlight from penetrating the water and preventing other aquatic vegetation from photosynthesizing. At the same time, the water chestnut photosynthesizes at the surface, restricting oxygen exchange under its cover. Other aquatic life, particularly fish, can be sensitive to low-oxygen environments. For the recreationist, water chestnuts make boating, fishing and swimming a crowded feat.

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Phosphorus in the soil flushed out of agricultural soils into wetlands and local bodies because of the erosion. The excess of nutrients harms the aquatic plant and animals.

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Dr. Tyrone Hayes of the University of California- Berkley has been slammed in the media for being a scientist turned activist; of which he is proud. He did not set off to be an activist, but trusts what one man said, “Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act.” ~ Albert Einstein

Dr. Hayes interest in frogs began as a child at his grandmother’s home. He was particularly interested in frog hormones which are similar to human hormones. After being asked to join a panel of experts conducting studies for Novartis (later Syngenta) on the herbicide atrazine, Dr. Hayes made a surprising discovery. Developing male African clawed frogs and leopard frogs exhibited female characteristics after exposure to atrazine.

Since that discovery and additional research, Dr. Hayes has become an advocate for banning atrazine. For those that don’t know, atrazine is an herbicide that is most often used in corn fields and on lawns. 76 million pounds of it are applied each year and it is one of the most widely used herbicides in the U.S., second to glyphosate. Atrazine is also the most commonly detected pesticide contaminating drinking water.

Hayes as well as well as other scientists studying atrazine in North and South America, Europe and Japan has found links between atrazine exposure and abnormal male hormone levels in fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Co-author professor Val Beasley says at least 10 studies found that exposure to atrazine feminizes male frogs, sometimes to the point of sex reversal.

While human experiments aren’t possible a study shows that men with .1 parts per billion of atrazine in their urine have low sperm counts. Atrazine applicators have 24,000 times that amount in their urine that is known to “chemically” castrate frogs. Dr. Hayes questions what those applicators reproductive health is like.

Listen to Dr. Hayes Story https://youtu.be/_OHd2rPrtuE?si=yEuq9FADmE7FWvuf