Inventory of Municipal Wastewater Discharges to California Coastal Waters
417 billion gallons of treated municipal wastewater were discharged from treatment plants at fifty-seven locations directly into California coastal waters. Engineering feasibility and financial considerations will be significant factors in determining the viability of using existing coastal wastewater discharges for increasing recycled water production.
Microplastics found deep in sand where turtles nest
Scientists found an average of 5,300 particles of plastic per cubic metre at depths of 60cm (2ft) on beaches in Cyprus used by green turtles and loggerheads. These beaches in Cyprus are located far from industrial practices and aren’t visited by large numbers of people. The findings support the theory that beaches act as a “sink” for marine micro plastics.
Back from the brink: the global effort to save coral from climate change
Underwater nurseries offer glimmer of hope for endangered ecosystems, encouraging growth of coral fragments on fibreglass structures anchored to the seabed.
Dramatic videos capture the moment a massive iceberg breaks away from a glacier
Scientists from New York University captured breathtaking video of a 4-mile-long iceberg breaking off Helheim Glacier in eastern Greenland. While captivating, the researchers see the video as an alarming look at global sea-level rise.
Beach rebuilding efforts won’t stave off climate change impacts forever
Supplemental sand may have saved a North Carolina beach from Hurricane Florence, but some say the projects aren’t worth it.
Underwater walls could stop glaciers from melting, scientists say
Barriers of sand and rock positioned at the base of glaciers would stop ice sheets sliding and collapsing, and prevent warm water from eroding the ice from beneath, according to new research.
Satellite image shows Florence’s floodwaters polluting the Atlantic
As the Carolinas’ swollen rivers crest, their “polluted floodwaters” are dumping out into the Atlantic, visibly discoloring the water offshore, federal experts have noted.
Climate change modifies the composition of reefs
Corals devastated by climate change are being replaced naturally by other species such as gorgonians, which are less efficient in acting as a carbon sink. A study has analyzes for the first time why gorgonians are more resistant than corals to human impacts and global climate change.
Before-and-after aerial photos show destruction, beach erosion on North Carolina coastline
Aerial images captured the destruction Hurricane Florence inflicted on the North Carolina coastline, from lines of houses shorn of their shingles to sand-covered streets.