The Balkan nations have poor waste management programs, and tons of garbage routinely end up in rivers, including the occasional washing machine or computer screen. A broken barrier this week caused a massive buildup of garbage on the Drina that has threatened Bosnia’s Visegrad dam. Officials say that between 6,000 and 8,000 cubic meters of
Carraízo reservoir in Puerto Rico has fallen victim to two of the world’s most invasive aquatic plants: water lettuce and water hyacinth. Often found together, the invasive plants grow at exponential rates, obstruct waterways, clog hydropower plants, and prevent sunlight from penetrating the water’s surface, reducing water quality. The Aqueduct and Sewer Authority began its
Ninety-eight percent of Malawi’s electricity supply comes from five hydro plants on the Shire River. An increase in floating aquatic weeds and debris caused serious operational problems at the stations and resulted in millions of dollars spent on repairs. For example, the intake structures at one plant were so blocked by accumulated weeds, water could not