Underwater Ecosystem Inundated by Sediment Plume, Elwha River
Scuba-diver scientists from the U.S.G.S, with support teams from the U.S. EPA, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and Washington Sea Grant, are returning to the mouth of Washington’s Elwha River this week to explore and catalogue the effect of released sediment on marine life following the nation’s largest dam removal effort.
Army Corps Set to Begin Dune Restoration Project in Willapa Bay
In an effort to preserve Native American cultural lands, mitigate flood risks and improve coastal habitat for a threatened species, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, is reconstructing a sand dune in Willapa Bay.
Rock Drilling ‘Threatens’ Scotland’s Geology
Irresponsible drilling of holes into rocks to extract samples threaten to “annihilate” geological features in Scotland, with the general public experiencing defaced outcrop in every setting imaginable – remote beaches and islands, mountain tops, and, lamentably, classic geological sections within statutory protected areas.
Scientists find Grand Canyon-sized rift under Antarctic ice
Scientists have discovered a rift the size of the Grand Canyon hidden under the Antarctic ice sheet, which they say is contributing to ice melt and a consequent rise in the sea level.
Caffeinated Coastal Waters
A new study finds elevated levels of caffeine at several sites in Pacific Ocean waters off the coast of Oregon, though not necessarily where researchers expected.
Red Tide Species Is Deadlier Than First Thought
Scientists have discovered that a species of tiny aquatic organism prominent in harmful algal blooms sometimes called “red tide” is even deadlier than first thought, with potential consequences for entire marine food chains.
Satellites See Unprecedented Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Melt
For several days this month, Greenland’s surface ice cover melted over a larger area than at any time in more than 30 years of satellite observations. Nearly the entire ice cover of Greenland, from its thin, low-lying coastal edges to its two-mile-thick center, experienced some degree of melting at its surface.
Rise in Temperatures and CO2 Follow Each Other Closely in Climate Change
In the present day, mankind has caused the CO2 content in the atmosphere to rise as much in just 150 years as it rose over 8,000 years during the transition from the last ice age to the current interglacial period and that can bring the Earth’s climate out of balance…
BP “Missed Big Hazards” Before Gulf Oil Spill
US government panel criticises oil firm’s approach to safety on contracted rigs prior to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.