Mini-artificial islands mimic wetlands and help filter Missouri's lakes and ponds

Researches off the coast of western Australia are harnessing power from the ocean's waves in a new pilot project involving buoys. In their current state, the buoys are able to generate a small percentage of electricity for a nearby military base as well as aid in powering a desalination plant.

The Great Lakes contain 84 percent of the surface freshwater in North America—a staggering 21 percent of the surface freshwater worldwide. To manage the resource sustainably, all eight lake-bordering states, Congress, and Canadian provinces created the Great Lakes Compact in 2008, which has regulated and curbed water use. An evaluation of the agreement ten years later shows promising yet mixed results. And critically, it asks whether strong policies can withstand a future of growing water scarcity.

A unique partnership between environmental groups and governments in the United States and Mexico has led to the resurrection of wetlands and forests in the long-dry Colorado River Delta. Since the waters were dammed and diverted in the 1900s, estuaries dried up and vegetation was lost. The two nations agreed to rewet the delta via a planned flood. Even though there isn’t enough water available to restore a flowing river, these restoration projects on parts of the delta have shown promise. Challenges, including limited funds and hotter, drier conditions due to climate change, remain for its longterm success.

The state of Pennsylvania set to plant 86,000 hectares of riparian buffers, the practice of planting trees and shrubs along a river or stream to filter water. Other benefits of riparian buffers include things like restoring the soil and cooling the water. In order to meet their goal, the state scientists used a bottom approach, enlisting the help of local farmers by offering them grants to plant trees and showing farmers how they can profit off of riparian buffers. While the state is behind its goal, the state is planting about 1,000 to 2,000 hectares a year.

The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, a collaboration between multiple nonprofits and government agencies, is restoring wetlands in an area previously covered with man-made salt ponds to recreate habitat for native species, maintain flood protection, and improve the ecosystem.

Scientists are testing if adding alkaline substances to seawater can allow oceans to absorb more carbon dioxide emissions. Early tests suggest this could be a potential way to combat climate change, but there are still many questions about how this can scale, how it impacts the natural ecosystem, and if it’s cost effective to implement.

In France, some members of the shipping industry are using sailing ships run on wind power to deliver cargo in an effort to reduce fuel use, pollution, and carbon emissions.

Beavers and the dams they build have been found to be tools against climate change as the planet’s temperature continues to rise. Dams slow water down and allow it to seep into the Earth, providing groundwater for humans, and also cools down both water and air temperatures. Beaver dams also create wetland ecosystems that are practically resistant to wildfires.

Amidst water scarcity and increased waterborne diseases, community members are using sand dams, an innovative water management system, to conserve rainwater for daily use. Sand dams offer extended water storage capabilities, lasting up to a year, ensuring community members have consistent access to clean water for farming, cooking and general hygiene. There are currently six sand dams in the community serving 600 households.

To combat water contamination, Athens County established three pet waste stations equipped with waste bag dispensers and trash bins to give pet owners the supplies they need to properly dispose of their pet’s waste. Simple practices like these are leading to improved water quality, as the county’s environmental protection agency found bacteria were removed from 18 waterways after the dispensers had been installed.