From England to Southeastern U.S., changing climate is leading to devastating and deadly droughts that threaten to wreak social and ecological mayhem. In Britain's south the worst drought in 100 years has caused streams to vanish, once lush vegetation to die and reservoir levels to plunge. In Arizona the longstanding drought has been raised to a "red alert". These human caused droughts are just the tip of the iceberg (wait, those are being lost too). Humanity's climate changed future looks precarious indeed, with water shortages and excess being the first deadly incarnation of global ecological collapse.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A federal judge delivered a stinging defeat Monday to the Bush administration over its decision to reduce flows on the Klamath River, which has been blamed for devastating fish kills and putting the commercial salmon season in jeopardy. Aquatic habitats have been the most devasted by human activities of any ecosystem. Rectifying the imbalance will require supporting fish/natural water systems over agriculture in areas where it is not practible. It is time to start looking after water ecosystems as if our life depends upon it. It does.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

More than 62 percent of industrial and municipal facilities across the United States discharged more pollution into U.S. waterways than their Clean Water Act permits allowed. Perhaps this should come as no surprise given the Bush Administration's trouncing of environmental law. But it is still shocking given our complete dependence upon these waters for life.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A global assessment has determined that farming poses the greatest threat to fresh water resources. Water use in agriculture is commonly underpriced and undervalued. Agriculture is responsible for 70 percent of freshwater used globally, and only 30 percent of this is returned to the environment. Agriculture's massive use and waste of water can be dramatically improved with simple technologies like drip irrigation.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The global crisis in drinking water availability is now one of the main causes of extreme suffering around the world. Some 1.1billion people have no access to safe water, 2.6 billion do not have basic sanitation and water borne disease fills half the world's hospital beds. In the hyper-abundant rich world one can only imagine the horror that is life without water. The situation is indicative of collapsing ecosystems and human civilization.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The United Kingdom is getting a taste of climate change impacts as a major severe drought racks Southern Britain. The Environment Agency and water firms are asking for the public's help to beat the region's drought crisis. Three firms have asked the government for powers to ban non-essential water use such as watering parks. The last time such orders were in place in Britain was in 1991.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Eliminating water waste and mismanagement on farms -- rather than building dams or diverting rivers -- would go far toward alleviating the world's water crisis. Farming accounts for 70 percent of the water consumed and a majority of its waste. Mismanagement of resources leads to a lack of safe drinking water for one-fifth of the world's population.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 8:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)