WEEKLY WATER NEWS

DATASTREME WES WEEK THREE: 6-10 February 2006

Water in the News

(Thurs.) Hurricane transformation process captured by satellite -- Scientists at Florida State University and the Naval Research Laboratory used data obtained by sensors onboard NASA's TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission) satellite to monitor how tropical cyclones (atmospheric low pressure systems that form over tropical ocean and include tropical storms and hurricanes) can undergo several transformations in structure. One of the tropical cyclones studied was Hurricane Ophelia last September. [NASA GSFC]
(Thurs.) Data from several satellites help solve Hurricane Lili puzzle -- Researchers from Mississippi State University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research used data obtained by a variety of NASA and NOAA satellites to determine why Hurricane Lili underwent an unexpected and rapid weakening as it was about to make landfall along the Louisiana Gulf coast in 2002. These satellite data, along with data from aircraft, appear to indicate that dry air was entrained in the low levels of the hurricane. [NASA GSFC]
(Thurs.) Historic hydroelectric dams are decommissioned -- Several electric utilities in Washington State and Oregon are decommissioning hydroelectric dams that had been considered engineering marvels when built 100 years ago to harness the rivers flowing off the Cascade Mountains. [US Water News Online]
(Thurs.) Seabirds along South American coast succumb to pollution -- A team of scientists, including those from the University of Washington and the Argentine research center Centro Nacional Patagónico, recently report that years of chronic oil pollution of Atlantic Ocean waters offshore of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina have had an adverse affect upon seabirds, such as the Magellanic penguin. [EurekAlert!]
(Thurs.) Norwegians should prepare for possible oil spill -- With increased oil tanker traffic from northwest Russia plying the Barents Sea, the environmental group WWF-Norway is urging the Norwegian government to become better prepared to handle a potential oil spill in the Barents Sea, claimed to be Europe's last large, clean and relatively untouched marine ecosystem. [ENN]
(Tues.) Images showing impact of Hurricane Katrina available on Google Earth-- Aerial images taken of the Gulf Coast between New Orleans, LA and Panama City, FL before and after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina by NASA and the US Geological Survey can now be viewed on the Internet using the software of Google Earth. [NASA Earth Observatory]
(Tues.) Comet's surface contains water ice -- Scientists studying data obtained from NASA's Deep Impact mission that collided with and sampled the comet Temple 1 last July report that water ice was detected on the surface of this comet. [CNN]
(Tues.) Hot springs bacteria maintain two metabolic identities -- Researchers at the Carnegie Institution have found that photosynthetic bacteria living in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park maintain photosynthetic activity during the daytime despite water temperatures near the boiling point, but then switch to a different metabolic activity that involves nitrogen fixation at night. [EurekAlert!]
(Tues.) China pledges greater wetlands aid -- The official Chinese news agency recently reported that the government is planning to place more wetlands under state protection and increase investment in wetlands protection. [ENN]
Bolivia suffers from flooding -- Recent torrential rains caused flooding and avalanches that took several dozen lives and destroyed crops, homes and roads in eastern sections of Bolivia. The Bolivian president, who toured some of the worst hit sections, has asked for international assistance. [Periodico26]
Tragic ferry disaster occurs in the Red Sea -- An Egyptian ferry sank in the Red Sea last Friday with the loss of approximately 1000 passengers and crew. Nearly 400 people from the sunken ferry were rescued. An onboard fire may have been the cause for the sinking. [CNN]
Monitoring a volcano by satellite -- The ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) sensor onboard NASA's Terra satellite recently captured an image of the steam and ash plume that has been ejected for nearly one month from Augustine Volcano along side Alaska's Cook Inlet, to the southwest of Anchorage. The color-enhanced image indicates water ice in the plume. [NASA]
Satellite radar unit helps monitor a variable sea surface -- Approximately 100 researchers from 20 nations met recently in Italy to discuss how data obtained from Synthetic Aperture Radar instruments on board the European Space Agency's Envisat and ERS-2 satellites can be used in various research projects to determine local sea state and to track prevailing surface winds and ocean currents. [ESA]
Undersea technology on display -- The undersea technology employed by various underwater research and ocean exploration projects operated by NOAA are described in an online magazine article. Such technology includes research vessels, underwater vehicles/submersibles and diving techniques. [NOAA Magazine]
A mile run through forest improves water quality -- In a experiment in western North Carolina, researchers at the US Forest Service's Southern Research Station found that the quality of the water in streams that passed through even one mile of forested land improved significantly. [US Forest Service]
Plenty of snow, but drought may not be over yet -- While relatively abundant precipitation has produced the greatest snow packs across the mountains of Idaho since the start of the Western drought in 2000, state water resource officials and hydrologists were guarded in their assessment that the drought across the Gem State was over. [US Water News Online]
Oil spill in Alaskan waters -- An ice floe struck an oil tanker loading fuel oil along the shore of Alaska's Cook Inlet, sending the tanker adrift and then to run aground, resulting in a small oil spill according to officials from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the oil refining company. [ENN]
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.

Concept of the Week: Great Lakes Water Levels

In recent years, Great Lakes water levels declined significantly to near historic lows. In late 2000, Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie experienced their lowest water levels in 35 years with serious implications for lake-based activities. Over the past year or so, however, changes in weather conditions in the Great Lakes watershed appear to have somewhat reversed the decline in water levels, but they still remain below long-term averages.

From 1997 to 2001, Lakes Michigan and Huron dropped by 104 cm (40.8 in.) and Lake Erie dropped by 96 cm (37.6 in.), encompassing the greatest three-year drop in lake levels since continuous records began in 1860. This dramatic decline in lake level was due to a combination of weather conditions in the Great Lakes watershed. Rainfall, snowfall, and air temperature during winter and spring govern water levels of the Great Lakes in spring and summer. Spring melting of the winter snow pack in the watershed is an important contributing factor as is air temperature that ultimately governs evaporation rates. During 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000, lower than normal precipitation and higher than normal temperatures reduced the winter snow pack, decreased discharge on rivers flowing into the lakes, and accelerated lake evaporation. Although input of water into the Great Lakes was above the long-term average in Fall 2001, lake levels remained well below average because of less than the usual snow melt in the Spring of 2001 and less than normal winter ice-cover in 2001-02. (More open water translates into greater winter evaporation.)

Great Lakes water levels showed signs of recovery during 2002, but in early 2003, all the lakes were lower than the long-term average for that time of year. A cool wet summer in the eastern Lakes region, but dry summer weather across the west meant that lake levels for the upper lakes continued to remain below average, while the lower lakes had levels that returned to near average. The cool summer of 2004 was very similar to 2003, with below average precipitation across the western Lakes and above average rainfall over the eastern Lakes. By mid September 2004, Lakes Erie and Ontario had water levels that were above the long-term monthly average. However, following a dry spring and summer of 2005, lake levels fell below long-term averages. As of early February 2006, Lake Superior is approximately 6 cm (2 in) below the both the long-term averages and levels of one year ago. Lakes Michigan and Huron are about 37 cm (14 in) below the long-term average at the start of February 2006, but only 18 cm (7 inches) below early February 2005. (The Straits of Mackinac that link Lakes Michigan and Huron are so wide and deep that the levels of these two lakes are essentially the same.) Levels on Lakes Erie and Ontario were slightly above the long-term averages, with the level of Erie being 6 cm (2.4 in) above the long-term average and on Ontario 18 cm (7 in) above. However, these levels were below last year, with Erie 24 cm (10 in) below and Ontario 9 cm (4 in) below.

Low lake levels adversely impact commercial navigation, marinas, recreational boaters, and electric power facilities. Shallower than usual water requires expensive and environmentally damaging dredging to keep shipping channels navigable and ports open. Even with more dredging, some channels cannot accommodate the draft of heavily laden freighters. Reduced carrying capacity impedes transport of grain, coal, ore, and other raw materials to processing facilities and markets. In 2000, Lake Carriers transported 5% to 8% less cargo, sending prices higher. If storm winds cause near-shore water levels to fall, marinas, docks, and boat ramps may be temporarily inaccessible. The Great Lakes supply most of the potable water for lakeshore communities and cooling water for coal-fired and nuclear electric power plants located along their shores. A drop in water level may require costly repositioning of intake pipes. On the positive side, lower lake levels translate into broader beaches and wetland habitats and less shoreline erosion.

For more information on past, current, and anticipated Great Lakes water levels, go to http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/, a web site maintained by the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL). Records of Great Lakes water levels constitute one of the longest high quality hydrometeorological data sets in North America, dating back to about 1860. Lake level measurements are collected and archived by NOAA's National Ocean Service.

Concept of the Week: Questions

With rising temperatures, the rate of evaporation of water [(increases)(decreases)].
A trend toward snowier and colder winters and springs is likely to cause levels of the Great Lakes to [(rise)(fall)].

Historical Events

6 February 1856...A lee-shore snowburst at Oswego, NY on Lake Ontario dropped an estimated 6 feet of snow. (Intellicast)
6-8 February 1885...A severe blizzard buried parts of Nova Scotia under 16 inches of snow. Train traffic was disrupted as only trains with snowplows attached were able to push through. (The Weather Doctor)
6 February 1933...The highest reliably observed ocean wave was seen by crew of the US Navy oiler, USS Ramapo, in the North Pacific during the night on its way from Manila to San Diego. The wave was estimated (by triangulation) to have a height of 112 feet. Average winds at the time were 78 mph. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar) (See additional discussion on highest ocean waves)
6 February 1985...The French mineral water company, Perrier, debuted its first new product in 123 years. The new items were water with a twist of lemon, lime, or orange.
6 February 1987...Brownsville, TX was deluged with seven inches of rain in just two hours, and flooding in some parts of the city was worse than that caused by Hurricane Beulah in 1967. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
7 February 1920...A great four-day snow and sleet storm came to an end over New England and southeastern New York. Accumulations of 15 to 20 inches of ice, sleet, and snow were common, stalling traffic for weeks. (Intellicast)
7 February 1978...The worst winter storm of record struck coastal New England. The storm produced 27.5 inches of snow at Boston, and nearly 50 inches in northeastern Rhode Island. The fourteen-foot tide at Portland, ME was probably the highest of the century. Winds gusted to 79 mph at Boston, and reached 92 mph at Chatham, MA. A hurricane-size surf caused 75 deaths and 500 million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
8 February 1905...A cyclone hit Tahiti and adjacent islands killing some 10,000 people.
8 February 1987...A powerful storm produced blizzard conditions in the Great Lakes Region. Winds gusted to 86 mph at Janesville, WI and Cleveland, OH received 12 inches of snow. North winds of 50 to 70 mph raised the water level of southern Lake Michigan two feet, and produced waves 12 to 18 feet high, causing $7 million damage along the Chicago area shoreline. It was the most damage caused by shoreline flooding and erosion in the history of the city of Chicago. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
8 January 2001...The log-carrying ship, Leo Forest, lost much of its cargo as over 2300 logs went overboard approximately 400 miles north of Adak, AK. The ship lost power in waves that were greater than 35 feet and the loss of the logs caused the ship to list 10 degrees to port (left) with the bow three feet down. Fortunately, the ship made safe passage to Dutch Harbor for repairs. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
9 February 1994...A long-duration overrunning snowstorm combined with ocean effect snow resulted in big snowfall accumulations across east-coastal Massachusetts. Boston checked in with a two-day total of 18.7 inches for its greatest single storm snowfall since the great blizzard of 1978. 27.7 inches were recorded at Manchester-by-the-Sea and 24 inches fell at South Weymouth. Farther to the southwest, a foot of snow blanketed Newark, NJ. (Intellicast)
10 February 1940...USCGC Bibb and Duane made first transmissions as weather stations. (USCG Historian's Office)
11-22 February 1986...A series of storms dropped heavy snow on northern and central California; Bucks Lake had a storm total of 49.6 inches. The resultant flooding and mudslides killed 13, injured 67, and caused the evacuation of 50,000 people. Property damage was an estimated $400 million. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
11 February 1999…Tahtsa Lake, BC reported 57 inches of snow, which set a new 24-hour snowfall record for Canada, eclipsing the old record of 46.5 inches of snow that fell at Lakelse, BC on 17 January 1974. This former record replaced a 44.0 inch summertime snowfall on 29 June 1963 at Livingston Ranger Station, AB. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
12 February 1997...A combination of heavy surf and high winds contributed to the overturning of a U.S. Coast Guard motor life boat (MLB 44363) on a search and rescue mission when responding to a distress call from the sailing vessel Gale Runner in the stormy North Pacific Ocean off Washington State's Quillayute River Bar. Three of four crewmembers lost their lives in the first fatal sinking of this type of ship in its 35-year history. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar) (USCG Historian's Office)