Jan 22
Using a three-zone buffer system around a stream can dramatically improve water quality. Zone in on this: When we destroy the ecosystem along a stream, we threaten water quality, displace wildlife, and increase the risk of flooding. Robert Tjaden of the University of Maryland says that a three-part buffer between the water and adjacent land …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/protecting-a-streams-comfort-zone/
Jan 20
A community’s perception of their river had to be changed before they believed it was worth the effort to clean it up. Tune in to the tale: The Lackawanna River in Pennsylvania was once a dumping ground for coal waste and sewage. Mcgurl: “Oh, it was a dirty place! It was not some place you …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/water-treatment-2/the-tale-of-the-lackawanna-river/
Jan 17
A “sound” strategy for learning about fish: Aaron Rice, of Cornell’s Bioacoustics Research Program, tracks fish populations and behavior. He does it using sound. Rice: “The advantage of using sound as a survey method is that with digital recording technology that’s available now you can take a hydrophone, connect it to a essentially waterproof computer …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/water-and-energy/bioacoustics-in-the-great-lakes/
Jan 15
Floating gardens in the Chicago River provide new habitat for wildlife: For many years, Chicago’s rivers have been used for transportation and commerce… Damato: “…But now they should be used for habitat and interaction.” That’s Zachary Damato of the nonprofit Urban Rivers. His group is installing man-made floating wetlands in the Chicago River. They’re essentially …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/green-infrastructure/floating-urban-islands/
Jan 13
Hellbender salamander populations are declining because of poor water quality. Bend your ears to this: At more than one-foot long, the Hellbender salamander is the largest in North America. Flat, brown, and wrinkled, it has lived at the bottom of streams and ponds for millions of years. But that legacy is threatened, as hellbender populations shrink Conservationist …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/marine-debris/a-salamander-hell-bent-on-clean-water/
