Weekly Water News

DATASTREME WES WEEK ONE: 5-9 September 2005

Water in the News:

(Thur.) New Orleans water hazard -- Katrina's legacy may be the devastation of fish and wetlands areas in the lower Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain as the floodwaters in New Orleans are pumped out. The toxic brew could also prove a biological hazard. [CNN]
Aquarium also a victim -- Most of the fish were in the New Orleans aquarium were lost when power to the oxygenating pumps failed. There were 10,000 individuals representing 530 species. [CNN]
(Thur.) Wetlands could be a protection -- Scientists urge the renewal of coastal wetlands in the Mississippi River delta as a protective barrier against future storms like Katrina. [CNN]
(Thur.) Water detected in Martian sand dunes -- The gamma ray spectrometer on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft has detected water in the Martian sand dunes. They also take shapes that resemble earthly dunes where water's surface tension holds the grains of sand in sculpted forms. [BBC News]
(Thur.) Vegetation may quickly change Arctic albedo -- A study by the US Army Cold Regions Research Lab and Colorado State University's Engineering Lab showed that in recent years, the loss of ice has encouraged green plant growth in Arctic regions. The darker plants in turn increase the absorptivity of the area leading to further warming. This plant feedback mechanism is thought to enhance higher latitude warming. [EurekAlert!]
(Thur.) Road salt affecting water supplies -- Scientists has noted the increase of salinity in freshwater drinking supplies across the Northeast. The continuing use of road salt is reaching aquifers and may soon make some unusable. [EurekAlert!]
(Thur.) Florida doing coral reef inventory -- The State of Florida is conducting an inventory of the coral in surrounding waters to determine the number and species of coral and the extent of any bleaching. The tourism industry in Florida, much of which depends on the attractive corals, is a $1 billion per year business. [ENN]
(Tues.) Typhoon Nabi smashes Japan -- Typhoon Nabi hit Kyushu and the southwestern island of Shikoku where 21,000 were evacuated. Several were missing and 15 injured as heavy rain is expected to follow. Nabi is continuing on toward Korea. Earlier, Typhoon Nabi had been responsible for 84 deaths in eastern China. [USA Today]
(Tues.) Tracing water interactions -- Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have been monitoring the interactions between the flow of freshwater and saltwater into and out of an estuary along Cape Cod to understand how dissolved chemicals in groundwater are affected by seasonal changes in the flow of coast water. [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution]
(Tues.) Water and organic material yields hydrogen fuel -- A research team headed by a chemist at Purdue University is developing a fuel cell that generates hydrogen from water and organic material at temperatures that make the fuel cells more economical than previous designs. [Purdue University News]
(Tues.) Legal battle takes shape in Arizona -- The state of Arizona is preparing to fight a legal battle in an effort to protect its current allocation of water from the Colorado River. [US Water News Online]
(Tues.) Additional Katrina views -- The US Geological Survey has posted a variety of images of the damage caused to the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina based upon their hurricane investigations involving Scanning Airborne Laser (Lidar), Oblique Aerial Video and Still Photography, along with ground surveys. [USGS]
More news on Hurricane Katrina
- NOAA posted images of the eyewall of Hurricane Katrina taken by the pilot of a NOAA P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft when Katrina was a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale a day before striking the north central Gulf Coast. [NOAA News]
- A statistician at the University of Central Florida along with a research director for a Georgia company have used a prediction model that they developed and report that approximately 86 percent of the oil production and 59 percent of the natural gas output in the Gulf of Mexico has been disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. [EurekAlert!]
- The National Weather Service reported that based upon the minimum barometric pressure readings, Hurricane Katrina ranks as the third most intense hurricane to make landfall in the US since records began in 1851. Only the "Labor Day Hurricane" of 1935 in the Florida Keys and Hurricane Camille that hit the Gulf Coast in 1969 not too far from where Katrina made landfall had deeper central pressures and therefore considered more intense. [USA Today]
- Putting Hurricane Katrina in perspective, historians point to the 15 hurricanes that either hit or brushed by New Orleans since 1722, only a few years after the Big Easy was founded. [USA Today]
- Rescuers in the New Orleans metropolitan area have finally begun to gather and count the corpses after initially focusing their efforts at finding and rescuing survivors from Hurricane Katrina. Some experts think the death toll from Katrina could range between 1000 and 2000. [USA Today]
- Health experts warned that the lack of clean, potable water across coastal Louisiana and Mississippi appears to be the most immediate health threat across the region, as the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for the entire Gulf region. [ENN]
- A team of scientists from Harbor Branch and other institutions continued their Deep Scope expedition on the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico after they dodged Hurricane Katrina [EurekAlert!]
Deadly typhoon hits southeast China -- Typhoon Talim (the western Pacific counterpart of a hurricane) brought torrential rain to southeastern coastal China at the end of last week, resulting in flooding and mudslides that killed at least 10 people and leaving 15 people missing. [USA Today]
Traditional lifestyles of arctic peoples threatened -- Scientists and arctic experts are warning that rising temperatures have been responsible for the retreat of many glaciers and the melting of permafrost across the Arctic, resulting in major changes in the traditional lifestyles of the native inhabitants of the region. [ENN]
Too many demands for Colorado River water -- Officials and water experts attending the Western Water Workshop were told that increasing water demands placed on the Colorado River will continue to cause a shortfall in water, even after the effects of the current drought end. [US Water News Online]
Clean water critical to fight poverty -- Water ministers of Uganda, Ethiopia and Lesotho recently warned that better sanitation and safe potable water are critically needed to help fight poverty, disease and hunger in Africa. [US Water News Online]
Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes -- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, including drought, floods and storms during the current month. [NCDC]
Global Water News Watch -- Other water news sources can be obtained through the SAHRA Project at the University of Arizona [SAHRA Project]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD --

Linda Wygoda, DataStreme LIT leader in Lake Charles, Louisiana, reports that "We do not have any destruction in our area, but are feeling the initial strain of the evacuees. We have close to 10,000 here. They are housed throughout the community...in civic centers, stadiums, churches, VFW halls, private homes, etc. Community support is very high, but we are hoping our resources are not overburdened too much. School enrollment has suddenly grown by an additional 1,000 students. And, we don't really know how long many will stay here, so planning for additional classrooms/teachers isn't easy. I've heard that No Child Left Behind requirements will be ignored for much of the state."
Claire Waites, LIT leader near Mobile, Alabama, reported she got power back after 2 days. They had some flooding and much tree damage but were surviving.

A request:If you have some water-related experience that you would like to share with other DataStremeWES participants, please send them to the email address appearing at the bottom of this document for possible inclusion in a News file. Thank you. EJH

Concept of the Week: Touring the WES Homepage

NOTE: This Concept for the Week is a repeat of that which appeared in last week's Weekly Water News.

Welcome to DataStreme Water in the Earth System (WES)! You are embarking on a unique teacher-enhancement experience that focuses on water and energy flow in the global water cycle from an Earth system perspective. Throughout this learning experience, you will be accessing the WES website frequently to obtain and interpret a variety of environmental information, including the latest observational data. The objective of this initial Concept of the Week is to explore features of the WES website.

On Monday of each week of the course, we will post the current Weekly Water News that includes Water in the News(a summary listing of current events related to water), Concept of the Week (an in-depth analysis of some topic related to water in the Earth system), and Historical Events (a list of past hydrologic events such as major floods). When appropriate, Supplemental Information will be provided on some topic related to the principal theme of the week.

You will use the WES website to access and download the second part of weekly Investigations A & B (plus supporting images) that begin in your WES Study Guide. These materials should be available by noon (Eastern Time) on Tuesday and Thursday. Click the appropriate buttons to download and print these electronic components of the investigations as well as your Chapter Progress and Investigations Response forms.

The body of the WES website provides links to the Earth System, Atmospheric, Oceanic (Inland Seas), and Terrestrial Information, and extras--glossaries of terms, maps, educational links, and WES information. Following each section is a link to other sites that examine the various subsystems of the Earth system. Let's take a quick tour to become more familiar with the WES website.

Under Atmospheric Information, click on Water vapor (WV) Satellite. This is the latest satellite depiction of atmospheric water vapor at altitudes generally between 3000 and 7000 m (10,000 to 24,000 ft). Press your "back" button and then click on Latest WV Animation to view the movement of water vapor and clouds in the atmosphere. Although water vapor is an invisible gas, satellite technology makes it possible for us to "see" and follow the flow of water vapor in the atmosphere as part of the global water cycle. Bright white blotches are clouds; black indicates areas of very little or no water vapor and, at the other extreme, milky white signals a relatively high concentration of water vapor. Use the "back" button on your viewer to return to the WES website.

The flow and transformations of energy are fundamental aspects of the global water cycle. Heat flows within the Earth system from where it is warmer to where it is colder. In this regard, it is useful to monitor temperatures remotely, by satellite. For a global view of the satellite-derived pattern of sea-surface temperatures, click on Sea Surface Temperatures under Oceanic (and Inland Seas) Information. Note that the color scale at the bottom is in degrees Celsius and temperatures are averaged over a 7-day period. (Depending on your browser, you may have to place your mouse cursor on the slide bar to the right and scroll down to view the entire image.) Return to the WES website.

As part of the global water cycle, precipitation that reaches the ground vaporizes back into the atmosphere, runs off into rivers and streams, seeps into the ground, or is stored in lakes or glaciers. Under Terrestrial Information, click on River Flood Conditions for the recent status of river levels monitored at various gauging stations around the nation. Note that in the Map Legend, river stage heights are compared to flood stage values. Now return to the WES website.

Extras include color photographs arranged by week (chapter) to supplement your study of the WES textbook. For example, click on Chapter 1 and then click on the first thumbnail for an enlarged image with the caption, "Water in Three Phases."

Take a few minutes when you have time to browse the other data and information sources available via the WES website. You may want to "bookmark" this page on your computer. Return frequently to get into the flow of DataStreme WES!

Concept of the Week: Questions

The latest WV Animation indicates that clouds and water vapor generally move from [(west to east)(east to west)] across the nation.
In the tropical Pacific, the highest sea-surface temperatures occur in the [(western)(eastern)] portion of the ocean basin.

Historical Events

6 September 1667...A "Dreadful hurricane" hit Virginia with 12 inches of rain. It overturned houses, stripped the fields of crops and pushed tides 12 feet above normal. (Intellicast)
6 September 1992 (date approximate)...A downpour of rain near Bombay, India caused stampede of worshippers at a temple dedicated to Varuna, god of rain. Eleven people died. (Accord Weather Calendar)
7 September 1970...A lightning bolt struck a group of football players at Gibbs High School in Saint Petersburg, FL, killing two persons and injuring 22 others. All the thirty-eight players and four coaches on the field were knocked off their feet by the lightning discharge. (The Weather Channel)
7-9 September 1992...Heavy rain swamped northern Pakistan, resulting in phenomenal flooding. On the 9th, 6.72 inches of rain fell in 20 hours at Islamabad. The rain and flooding led to the collapse of 2.8 million homes, with at least 1184 deaths and roughly 4 million made homeless. Rivers in Punjab widened to 20 miles. (Accord Weather Calendar)
8 September 1900...The greatest weather disaster in U.S. records occurred when a hurricane struck Galveston, TX. Waves fifteen feet high washed over the island demolishing or carrying away buildings, and drowning more than 6000 persons. The hurricane destroyed more than 3600 houses, and total damage was more than $30 million. Winds to 120 mph, and a twenty-foot storm surge accompanied the hurricane. Following the storm, the surf was three hundred feet inland from the former water line. The hurricane claimed another 1200 lives outside of the Galveston area. (8^th-9^th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
Editor's note: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) posted a webpage commemorating the Galveston, TX hurricane of 1900. This page contains links to historic photos and excerpts of an eyewitness description of storm by Isaac Cline, the chief forecaster of the Galveston U.S. Weather Bureau Office.
9 September 1921...A dying tropical depression unloaded 38.20 inches of rain upon the town of Thrall in southeastern Texas killing 224 persons. The 36.40 inches that fell in 18 hours represents a record for the United States. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
10 September 1900...Elk Point, SD received 8.00 inches of rain that set a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the state. (NCDC)
10 September 1919...A hurricane struck the Florida Keys drowning more than 500 persons. (David Ludlum)
10-11 September 1963...A 24-hour rainfall record for the northern hemisphere was set at Paishih, Taiwan, as 49.13 inches of rain fell as the result of Typhoon Gloria. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
10 September 1965...Hurricane Betsy slammed Louisiana with wind gusting to 130 mph at Houma, resulting in 58 deaths and over 17,500 injured. The storm surge and flooding from torrential rains made Betsy the first billion-dollar hurricane with losses exceeding $1.4 billion.
10 September 1976...Kathleen was the first tropical cyclone to hit southern California since 1939. A wall of water cut a 700-foot wide gap some 40-foot deep at the Myer Creek Bridge on I-8. The 4 to 6 foot wall of water also destroyed 70% of the homes in Ocotillo. Five people were killed and more than 160 million dollars in damage were sustained. (Accord Weather Calendar)
11 September 1900...The remnants of the Great Galveston Hurricane move across southern Ontario. In the Niagara Peninsula and along the Lake Erie shore, apples, pears and peaches ready for harvest are ripped from the trees; half the crop, about $1,000,000 in value, is destroyed. (The Weather Doctor)
11 September 1961...Very large and slow moving Hurricane Carla made landfall near Port Lavaca, TX. Carla battered the central Texas coast with wind gusts to 175 mph, and up to 16 inches of rain, and spawned a vicious tornado (F4 on the Fujita tornado intensity scale) which swept across Galveston Island killing eight persons and destroying 200 buildings. A storm surge of up to 18.5 feet inundated coastal areas and Bay City was deluged with 17.1 inches of rain. The hurricane claimed 45 lives, and caused $300 million damage. The remnants of Carla produced heavy rain in the Lower Missouri Valley and southern sections of the Upper Great Lakes Region. (David Ludlum) (Storm Data) (Intellicast)
11 September 1970...A steam yacht on the Gulf of Venice in Italy was sunk by a tornado near the Isle of Santa Elena. Of the 60 on board, 36 died. The same tornado destroyed a campsite on the lagoon border in Iesolo, with 11 deaths. (Accord Weather Calendar)
11 September 1976...Up to five inches of rain brought walls of water and millions of tons of debris into Bullhead City, AZ via washes from elevations above 3000 feet. Flooding caused more than $3 million in damage. Chasms up to forty feet deep were cut across some roads. (The Weather Channel)
11 September 1997...An all-day rain with 0.4 inches in 9 minutes fell over the Boise Mountains in Idaho. A 15-foot high wall of mud and debris breached six flood-control dams and washed over a golf course in the north end of Boise. Most of the damage was to roads and the golf course, with some damage to 12 homes. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
11-12 September 1976...Japan's 24-hour rainfall record was set as 44.80 inches of rain fell at Hiso in Tokuhima Prefecture as a result of Typhoon Fran, which also was responsible for 167 deaths in Japan. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)