Improving Atmospheric Forecasts with Machine Learning
An efficient, low-resolution machine learning model can usefully predict the global atmospheric state as much as three days out.
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Self-Assembling Traps Capture PFAS
University at Buffalo chemists have shown that self-assembling molecular traps can be used to capture PFAS — dangerous pollutants that have contaminated drinking water supplies around the world.
The traps are made from iron-based and organic building blocks that connect, like Legos, to form a tetrahedral cage. Experiments showed that these structures bind to certain PFAS (short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and a lab analysis revealed how this happens. As it turns out, the PFAS stick strongly to the outside of the cages instead of getting caught inside, researchers say.
Cadiz Finds New Focus
Downtown-based water infrastructure company Cadiz Inc. has codified through a management reorganization a shift in focus for its massive Mojave Desert land holding.
Conservative States Defend Water Rule From California-Led Suit
A coalition of conservative-leaning states went to court Monday to defend the Trump administration’s water jurisdiction rule.
Klamath Farmers Protest Early Water Cutoff
In two weeks or less, farmers and ranchers near the California-Oregon border will see their water supplies run dry, after operators of the federal Klamath Water Project unexpectedly cut allocations in response to concerns about protected fish.
Mexico Poised to Breach 75-Year Water Treaty with US
Mexico is at risk of breaching a 75-year old water treaty with the US if it does not come up with a new strategy to deliver 457,800 acre-feet (565 million cubic meters – Mm3) of water to its northern neighbor by October 24.
That amount represents 350,000 acre-feet of water that the Latin American country is expected to deliver annually under the US-Mexico water treaty of 1944, in addition to making up for the delayed delivery of around 108,000 acre-feet that it has postponed during the 2015-20 cycle.
San Diego and Tijuana’s Shared Sewage Problem has a Long History
In January, President Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) into law, replacing the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new trade pact is set to go into full effect July 1. Thanks to House Democrats from Southern California, the legislative act governing its implementation in the United States will provide $300 million for infrastructure to stop the chronic flow of sewage across the international border from Tijuana, Mexico — an ecological peril highlighted on a recent episode of “60 Minutes.”
U.S. EPA Moves to Curb State Powers to Deny Permits for Energy Projects
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler signed on Monday a rule limiting state powers to block energy infrastructure projects, setting up a fight with some Democratic governors who say Washington is stripping their ability to protect their states’ interests and combat climate change.
Officials Worry About Wildfires as More People Enjoy Nature After Coronavirus Lockdowns
Parts of the West are already in extreme drought ahead of wildfire season, and officials in some areas are worried about an uptick in fire action as more people emerge from coronavirus-related lockdowns and resume outdoor activities like hiking and camping.
Boise Joins International Study To Test Coronavirus Levels In Wastewater
One of the biggest unknowns about coronavirus is how it spreads within a community, especially with asymptomatic carriers and minimal testing capabilities. In a new international effort, the City of Boise in partnership with the lab Biobot, has started sampling the city’s wastewater system to collect data on community levels of COVID-19.
