Drop In U.S. Underground Water Levels Has Accelerated:USGS

Drop In U.S. Underground Water Levels Has Accelerated:USGS

By Environment Correspondent Deborah Zabarenko

(Reuters) - Water levels in U.S. aquifers, the vast underground storage areas tapped for agriculture, energy and human consumption, between 2000 and 2008 dropped at a rate that was almost three times as great as any time during the 20th century, U.S. officials said on Monday.

The accelerated decline in the subterranean reservoirs is due to a combination of factors, most of them linked to rising population in the United States, according to Leonard Konikow, a research hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey.

The big rise in water use started in 1950, at the time of an economic boom and the spread of U.S. suburbs. However, the steep increase in water use and the drop in groundwater levels that followed World War 2 were eclipsed by the changes during the first years of the 21st century, the study showed.

As consumers, farms and industry used more water starting in 2000, aquifers were also affected by climate changes, with less rain and snow filtering underground to replenish what was being pumped out, Konikow said in a telephone interview from Reston, Virginia.

Depletion of groundwater can cause land to subside, cut yields from existing wells, and diminish the flow of water from springs and streams.

Agricultural irrigation is the biggest user of water from aquifers in the United States, though the energy industry, including oil and coal extraction, is also a big user.

The USGS study looked at 40 different aquifers from 1900 through 2008 and found that the historical average of groundwater depletion - the amount the underground reservoirs lost each year - was 7.5 million acre-feet (9.2 cubic kilometers).

From 2000 to 2008, the average was 20.2 million acre-feet (25 cubic kilometers) a year. (An acre-foot is the volume of water needed to cover an acre to the depth of one foot.)

One of the best-known aquifers, the High Plains Aquifer, also known as the Oglala, had the highest levels of groundwater depletion starting in the 1960s. It lies beneath parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, where water demand from agriculture is high and where recent drought has hit hard.

end of excerpt

Also See:

Ogallala Aquifer In Texas Panhandle Suffers Big Drop

Wow, a 19 foot drop in one year! This is totally unsustainable. Irrigation practices as well as what is being grown is also key in conserving water. And this is part of the problem we see in the US with farmers also now having to fight corporations for water for fracking. Fracking needs to be BANNED. There is nothing good about it.

For Farms in the West, Oil Wells Are Thirsty Rivals

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If you think this is only happening in Africa, Asia and the Middle East you are mistaken. We here in the U.S. are just as vulnerable to water scarcity and its effects as anyone else on this planet. Millions living in developing countries have been dealing with this for decades. Does it have to happen to the US before anything gets done?

How much hydro fracking will be allowed in the US when coming to the choice of having energy or food? Will solar panels look better when bread costs 20 dollars a loaf and our entire water supply is toxic as our climate has truly reached the point of no return?

There is one main message here beyond climate change, mismanagement, old infrastructure, political stalemate, privatization, pollution, etc...

WE HAVE GOT TO CONSERVE WHAT WE HAVE OR WE WON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE.

You can only dig so deep.







The Midwest Drought that is now in its third year has subsided a bit in some areas but is still extreme in states over the Ogallala aquifer as shown by the drought map above. This is a serious issue that we should be seeing on our news and on every front page of every newspaper. This concerns not only the present but the future of our national water supply and our ability to feed ourselves and the world! In twenty years time or perhaps even sooner this aquifer will be dry.

Millions of people will be without drinking water or water for agriculture. No food, no economy, no life. It is a fool's errand to continue thinking that with a rising population added to the reality of climate change that is part of what is now happening in the Midwest which is worse now than the dustbowl (because we are also not seeing replenishing of snowpack particularly in the Rockies that feed rivers) that we can use this water at its current pace living only in the here and now.

We all know this is real and that it needs to be addressed. Above all the graphs and technical jargon however, it comes down to us to have the foresight and vision as people who care about the present and future to have the moral courage to do what is right. Make no mistake about it, this does touch all of us economically, socially, and spiritually.

What will we do when the well runs dry? We won't need to find out if we act now.

* Conserve

* Call for Sustainable Agriculture practices to be employed with an end to subsidies to industrial agriculture that strips land and force feeds us GM monoculture seeds and chemicals that strip soil nutrients

* Demand political will on all levels to address this as it should be addressed in supporting biodiversity and climate change initiatives

* Support alternative energy initiatives to wean us off fossil fuels that use huge amounts of water

. And, work with nature and listen to the land. We as a species have become arrogant in our pursuit to dominate nature when we are just one part of her. When we remember this and put that respect into action we can make it whole again. But we are running out of time and water to wake up to our own participation in this crisis.

Without Water, Revolution

Without Water, Revolution

By Thomas Friedman

Excerpt:

"You can’t imagine the war here continuing for another year, let alone five. But when you feel the depth of the rage against the Assad government and contemplate the sporadic but barbaric sect-on-sect violence, you can’t imagine any peace deal happening or holding — not without international peacekeepers on the ground to enforce it. Eventually, we will all have to have that conversation, because this is no ordinary war.

THIS Syrian disaster is like a superstorm. It’s what happens when an extreme weather event, the worst drought in Syria’s modern history, combines with a fast-growing population and a repressive and corrupt regime and unleashes extreme sectarian and religious passions, fueled by money from rival outside powers — Iran and Hezbollah on one side, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar on the other, each of which have an extreme interest in its Syrian allies’ defeating the other’s allies — all at a time when America, in its post-Iraq/Afghanistan phase, is extremely wary of getting involved.

I came here to write my column and work on a film for the Showtime series, “Years of Living Dangerously,” about the “Jafaf,” or drought, one of the key drivers of the Syrian war. In an age of climate change, we’re likely to see many more such conflicts.

“The drought did not cause Syria’s civil war,” said the Syrian economist Samir Aita, but, he added, the failure of the government to respond to the drought played a huge role in fueling the uprising. What happened, Aita explained, was that after Assad took over in 2000 he opened up the regulated agricultural sector in Syria for big farmers, many of them government cronies, to buy up land and drill as much water as they wanted, eventually severely diminishing the water table. This began driving small farmers off the land into towns, where they had to scrounge for work.

Snip

"Then, between 2006 and 2011, some 60 percent of Syria’s land mass was ravaged by the drought and, with the water table already too low and river irrigation shrunken, it wiped out the livelihoods of 800,000 Syrian farmers and herders, the United Nations reported. “Half the population in Syria between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers left the land” for urban areas during the last decade, said Aita. And with Assad doing nothing to help the drought refugees, a lot of very simple farmers and their kids got politicized. “State and government was invented in this part of the world, in ancient Mesopotamia, precisely to manage irrigation and crop growing,” said Aita, “and Assad failed in that basic task.”

Young people and farmers starved for jobs — and land starved for water — were a prescription for revolution. Just ask those who were here, starting with Faten, whom I met in her simple flat in Sanliurfa, a Turkish city near the Syrian border. Faten, 38, a Sunni, fled there with her son Mohammed, 19, a member of the Free Syrian Army, who was badly wounded in a firefight a few months ago. Raised in the northeastern Syrian farming village of Mohasen, Faten, who asked me not to use her last name, told me her story.

She and her husband “used to own farmland,” said Faten. “We tended annual crops. We had wheat, barley and everyday food — vegetables, cucumbers, anything we could plant instead of buying in the market. Thank God there were rains, and the harvests were very good before. And then suddenly, the drought happened.”

What did it look like? “To see the land made us very sad,” she said. “The land became like a desert, like salt.” Everything turned yellow.

Did Assad’s government help? “They didn’t do anything,” she said. “We asked for help, but they didn’t care. They didn’t care about this subject. Never, never. We had to solve our problems ourselves.”

So what did you do? “When the drought happened, we could handle it for two years, and then we said, ‘It’s enough.’ So we decided to move to the city. I got a government job as a nurse, and my husband opened a shop. It was hard. The majority of people left the village and went to the city to find jobs, anything to make a living to eat.” The drought was particularly hard on young men who wanted to study or marry but could no longer afford either, she added. Families married off daughters at earlier ages because they couldn’t support them.

Faten, her head conservatively covered in a black scarf, said the drought and the government’s total lack of response radicalized her. So when the first spark of revolutionary protest was ignited in the small southern Syrian town of Dara’a, in March 2011, Faten and other drought refugees couldn’t wait to sign on. “Since the first cry of ‘Allahu akbar,’ we all joined the revolution. Right away.” Was this about the drought? “Of course,” she said, “the drought and unemployment were important in pushing people toward revolution.”

end of excerpt.

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In this article Thomas Friedman gets to the heart of the Syrian people and the plight they face. This article intertwines all of the main crises we see globally that we ignore at our peril. At the core, our reticence to give the proper attention to the environmental factors that have catapulted Syria into this civil war.

As we continue to move further away from addressing the root causes of these crises we will see the Earth plunged deeper into this chasm.

The greatest outrage of this is that it did not have to happen. However, this is an all too familiar tale on the global stage where you see the intersection of politics, greed, globalization, terrorism and climate change.

Political leaders need to be aware of one stark truth: People when pushed to the brink because the very essence of their lives is taken from them, WILL rightfully revolt.

To see such suffering amongst the Syrian people or any people because they are denied water, land, food, education is a human rights abuse and in this case a war crime. All parties to this civil war that continue to escalate the downfall of Syria based solely on profit motives and political/religious hatred are also war criminals.

In this age of more frequent drought where water and food are going to be strained as population increases our perceptions and priorities need to shift in order to survive the world we are making. We are leaving an entire generation of world citizens behind and continuing to perpetuate the cycle of war and hatred by placing hegemony over humanity.

These are the stories we need to see regarding this civil war. This is also the reality of climate change.

However, notice the US government also makes no mention of this in their talk of what is happening here. No mention of the drought. The water. Climate change at all. That is because these countries involved in one way or another regardless of what "side" they are on seek the same thing... control of the resources that bring them power and profit at the expense of all of us with the Syrian people now as pawns. The people of Syria deserve better and honestly at this point if revolution is all that is left to make this truth known, then I support it.

Also see:

Syrian Refugees Hit 1 Million

These people are climate refugees.

Edit:

I found this, and hope this is still going on in Syria: Water For People And Peace

I also recently posted about a reported seizure by "rebels" of the largest hydropower dam in Syria. Hard to assess at this point as well what "rebel" really means. It is obvious water is being used as a weapon in this war and that to me in unconscionable.

Rebels Seize Syria's Largest Hydropower Dam

Scientists find oldest water on Earth

Billion Year Old Water Could Hide Clues To Life On Earth And Mars

A UK-Canadian team of scientists has discovered ancient pockets of water, which have been isolated deep underground for billions of years and contain abundant chemicals known to support life.

This water could be some of the oldest on the planet and may even contain life. Not just that, but the similarity between the rocks that trapped it and those on Mars raises the hope that comparable life-sustaining water could lie buried beneath the Red Planet's surface.

The findings, published in Nature today, may force us to rethink which parts of our planet are fit for life, and could reveal clues about how microbes evolve in isolation.

Researchers from the universities of Manchester, Lancaster, Toronto and McMaster analysed water pouring out of boreholes from a mine 2.4 kilometres beneath Ontario, Canada.

They found that the water is rich in dissolved gases like hydrogen, methane and different forms -- called isotopes -- of noble gases such as helium, neon, argon and xenon. Indeed, there is as much hydrogen in the water as around hydrothermal vents in the deep ocean, many of which teem with microscopic life.

The hydrogen and methane come from the interaction between the rock and water, as well as natural radioactive elements in the rock reacting with the water. These gases could provide energy for microbes that may not have been exposed to the sun for billions of years.

The crystalline rocks surrounding the water are thought to be around 2.7 billion years old. But no-one thought the water could be the same age, until now.

Using ground-breaking techniques developed at the University of Manchester, the researchers show that the fluid is at least 1.5 billion years old, but could be significantly older.

NERC-funded Professor Chris Ballentine of the University of Manchester, co-author of the study, and project director, says:

'We've found an interconnected fluid system in the deep Canadian crystalline basement that is billions of years old, and capable of supporting life. Our finding is of huge interest to researchers who want to understand how microbes evolve in isolation, and is central to the whole question of the origin of life, the sustainability of life, and life in extreme environments and on other planets.'

Before this finding, the only water of this age was found trapped in tiny bubbles in rock and is incapable of supporting life. But the water found in the Canadian mine pours from the rock at a rate of nearly two litres per minute. It has similar characteristics to far younger water flowing from a mine 2.8 kilometres below ground in South Africa that was previously found to support microbes.

Ballentine and his colleagues don't yet know if the underground system in Canada sustains life, but Dr Greg Holland of Lancaster University, lead author of the study says:

'Our Canadian colleagues are trying to find out if the water contains life right now. What we can be sure of is that we have identified a way in which planets can create and preserve an environment friendly to microbial life for billions of years. This is regardless of how inhospitable the surface might be, opening up the possibility of similar environments in the subsurface of Mars.'

end of excerpt.

~~~~~~~

This is an incredible find. The liquid that built all life on Earth discovered which can answer so many questions about where we came from. I posted here previously about the origins of life on Earth in regards to water:

Where Did Earth's Water Originate?

I also covered the environmental and ethical issues involved in drilling in Lake Vostok:

Lake Vostok

I have the same concerns regarding this find. I have seen pictures of those who discovered this not using gloves or other protective gear. They say this water may well support life, yet we do not know exactly what life that may be. Is it composed of microbes not yet familiar to Earth? There are precautions that need to be taken in the handling of this water. There is much knowledge contained in its molecules that could potentially answer age old questions about how this planet came to be and with it, us.

I also have concerns about us being the invasive species in cases like this. We always start out with the best of intentions and wind up commercializing the find or destroying the pristine nature of it in our zeal to show we are the dominant species. I hope due diligence will be employed in handling this water and in the subsequent care of it... Unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised if fracking drills were heading there now.

Please, let us for once bask in the awesome nature of what has been discovered in the mindset that we are all part of a world much bigger than ourselves and respect that.

Ocean Acidification Poised To Radically Affect Arctic

If it isn't enough to now see the Arctic's sea ice melting at an unprecedented pace thus changing the face of a beautiful ethereal segment of our planet as well as our climate balance we now see a new threat emerging with potential far reaching effects for marine life and other species that depend on the intricate yet simple ecosystems of the Arctic to survive. According to a new report released by AMAP (Arctic Monitoring And Assessment Program) Arctic marine waters are "experiencing widespread and rapid ocean acidification." The report also goes on to state "the primary driver of ocean acidification is uptake of carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere by human activities."

Arctic Ocean Acidification Assessment -Key Findings

Ocean acidification results from the transformation of rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere converting into carbonic acid in the oceans. This lowers the PH balance of the water making it harder for shellfish to form their shells and can also impair fish reproduction and other functions. With sea ice in the Arctic also melting rapidly the cold water absorbs the CO2 more readily than warm water which makes the Arctic extremely vulnerable to the effects of acidification.

The AMAP report revealed that the average acidity of surface ocean waters worldwide was now about 30% higher than at the start of the industrial revolution. "Arctic marine waters are experiencing widespread and rapid ocean acidification." "Ocean acidification is likely to affect the abundance, productivity and distribution of marine species, but the magnitude and direction of change are uncertain."

The Arctic had record breaking sea ice loss in 2012 and has started the current melt season briskly, surpassing 2012 melt at this time in the melt season. It is important to monitor these changes as we have also already seen 400PPM of CO2 registered in the Arctic in 2012. There is also now 40% more CO2 in the atmosphere than before the industrial revolution began which is linked to the burning of fossil fuels as corroborated by 97% of climate scientists who publish peer reviewed papers.

These effects also are seen in calcification rates, changes in food supply, pace of organism growth and changes in the food chain. This also then effects the culture, traditions and socio economic status of the indigenous people who have lived there for centuries. The report lays out ten key findings:

1: Arctic marine waters are experiencing widespread and rapid ocean acidification:

2: The primary driver of ocean acidification is uptake of CO2 emitted to the atmosphere by human activities:

3: The Arctic ocean is especially vulnerable to ocean acidification:

4: Acidification is not uniform across the Arctic Ocean:

5. Arctic marine ecosystems are highly likely to undergo significant change due to ocean acidification:

6. Ocean acidification will have a direct and indirect effect on Arctic marine life:

7. Ocean acidification impacts must be assessed in the context of other changes happening in Arctic waters:

8. Ocean acidification is one of several factors that may contribute to alteration of fish species composition in the Arctic:

9. Ocean acidification may affect Arctic fisheries:

10. Ecosystem changes associated with ocean acidification may affect the livelihoods of Arctic peoples:





AMAP also put out this informative video on Arctic acidification:

The report also goes on to explain that while some sea grasses may actually do better with acidification, other species may not, especially smaller fish as well as effects on the food chain as we see migration of species and perhaps even extinction of others. It is clear that we are now seeing rapid earth changing events taking place in he Arctic that will be irreversible if we do not step up to the task before us.



We need to now see politicians regardless of party working to address this rather than taking advantage of it and citizens holding them responsible regardless of party. Partisanship on this will solve nothing. However, as reports have also stated, countries such as the U.S., Canada, Russia, Norway, et.al are already staking their claim to the precipitously melting Arctic in order to exploit the vast resources that lay beneath it. This is not a solution to the climate change, pollution and acidification that now threaten not only the food chain of this fragile beautiful top of our world but ourselves and the other species we share our world with. This too is about humanity.

This is also a moral imperative and they must respond. Anything less is nothing short of a betrayal to us and our planet.

See more on ocean acidification:

Water Is Life: Ocean Acidification

Deniers/skeptics/people/politicians in the employ of fossil fuel companies, etc. get all verklempt as well with articles like this because they cannot refute it. It shows them for what they are- accomplices in the destruction of this planet due to greed and selfishness. The truth must prevail to take our planet back from them.

We Must Reclaim Our Humanity To Save Our water

The state of water in our world currently is endangered. Pollution, privatization, waste, climate change effects and lack of attention to this most crucial life crisis is bringing us to the brink as a species. And we have no one to blame but ourselves. In trying to assess in my own mind why something so basic and necessary to our lives is given such little attention it is frustrating to say the least. Epecially in this age of technology when we see through our modems and other devices so much more information than ever before being shared on this and so many other global crises.

When you look at the world as a whole and realize that 3/4 of it live in poverty and that the majority of those areas also do not have access to potable water/sanitation, the corrolation is obvious. Yet, we as a species even in the 21st century are failing at even providing the basic necessities of life to ourselves and others. Why? Why is water so unimportant to so many even though they know they cannot live without it? Is it ignorance? Arrogance? Or is it because there are those who have been made to believe that we will always have what we need because money can buy you anything even at the expense of taking it from others.

Just look at the levels of pollution in our global waterways. Industry and nitrogen fertilizer rich agriculture alone have managed to kill some of the major river systems of the world and made dead zones devoid of the oxygen marinelife needs to survive. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and other destructive land uses (fracking, tarsands extraction, strip mining, mountain top removal) are culminating to push our atmosphere and water to the tipping point. We are now seeing more extreme events (storms, floods, droughts) around the world which are the results of human forcings on the natural cycles of the planet to the point where we have actually affected the hydrologic cycle. And this is now being touted as the "new normal."

This has already resulted in billions of dollars of lost agriculture to the world, most recently in Thailand where much of their rice crop has been destroyed from unprecedented floods that are also happening globally simultaneously, as well as extreme droughts on both sides of the world. This then has a domino effect regarding food prices and the ability to live. And with predictions of these events (extreme floods and droughts) becoming more severe with rainfall patterns changing, the entire way the world grows food is being challenged. And in the process more fall into poverty, illness, war and hopelessness as those with more green paper think it buys them rights to the resources of Earth that belong to all mankind.

So for me there can only be one main reason why this has happened. We have strayed from our humanity. We have allowed materialistic manmade forces to infiltrate our consciousness and perceptions of life on this Earth and those skewed perceptions are now killing us and in the process destroying this Earth for future generations.

And it is the hope of changing those perceptions and bringing a paradigm shift in thinking that is now bringing people out into the streets worldwide calling for justice and equality. Calling for accountability for those who have stripped this Earth of all that was once good in exchange for a world of their making that can sustain no one, not even themselves. The false illusion of money's worth in comparison to the limitless value of this Earth coupled with delusions of grandeur built on sand in failing to understand the true meaning of humanity and its true purpose must now be challenged. And that right now is the hope we have as a species... awareness, awakening, gnosis.

The inate instinct that tells us as humans that we are one with this planet and that to destroy her destroys us. This is the lesson we must learn. This is the perception we must impart to others. We are at the brink, but we don't have to go over. There are ways to heal her and ourselves. We can join globally with likeminded individuals who know the stakes and make this shift happen with our thoughts and our actions. We can reclaim our humanity and in the process save ourselves. It won't be easy. However, the alternative is simply not an option.

Water is life, it is our life, it is the blood of Earth.
And it is worth fighting for.

NOAA: 2012: Waters Off Northeast US Coast Were Warmest In 150 Years

NOAA: Waters Off Northeast US Coast Were Warmest In 150 Years

The advisory reports on conditions in the second half of 2012.

"Sea surface temperature for the Northeast Shelf Ecosystem reached a record high of 14 degrees Celsius (57.2°F) in 2012, exceeding the previous record high in 1951. Average SST has typically been lower than 12.4 C (54.3 F) over the past three decades.

… The temperature increase in 2012 was the highest jump in temperature seen in the time series and one of only five times temperature has changed by more than 1 C (1.8 F).'

~~~

But of course it was purely coincidental that six months ago the Northeast was hit by the “largest hurricane in Atlantic history measured by diameter of gale force winds (1,040mi).”



Climate scientists have long predicted that about 90% of total human-made global warming would go into heating the oceans and that’s exactly what’s been happening and this effects not only the oceans but the species within them.

Distinctive Climate Signals In Reanalysis Of Global Ocean Heat Content

~~

When this blog was begun my emphasis was on reporting to you chiefly about water scarcity and the mechanisms in place by corporations and governments to control this resource. I have never been more concerned about this as I am now and reading about what is taking shape due to the effects of global warming should bring this concern home to all of us. We are now seeing the beginnings of what scientists have long predicted: warming oceans effecting the global hydrologic cycle which effects the ferocity of storms as well as sea level rise, salt water intrusion and more frequent and prolonged drought.

Yesterday was the milestone of six months since Superstorm Sandy. I experienced Sandy up close and personal and I can tell you from that experience that we must never allow it to leave our consciousness. Sandy will not be the only visitor to our shores and the next one may be much worse. Atmospheric CO2 as registered at Mauna Loa April 29, 2013, shows us at 399.50 PPM. The alarm is ringing but people sit as if it is silent!

There is no doubt we may reach 400PMM this month and for me I thought it would take longer. I am not going to mince words any longer: This planet is in a state of bio distress that needs us to act now. If you look at the events as they have unfolded over the past several years and the trends over the last decade or more it is undeniable. CO2/greenhouse gas pollution is amplifying natural processes and have now taken us to a new plateau. We must reduce carbon emissions much more radically in sync with the same radical increase in renewable energy use besides a major reforestation effort to assure the survival of the species of this planet.

The Arctic continues its death spiral, storms continue to get more intense and droughts more severe and prolonged as the effects of these events are now critically effecting agriculture, water, social systems, ecosystems and the very biodiversity of this planet. How much clearer does the warning have to be?

I know for many this is the unthinkable. This is what many don't want to think or focus on because to them it signifies an ending and a recognition of moral responsibility. Please, you must think about it and you must speak out and act. Can you imagine another storm the ferocity of Sandy or even worse hitting this shore again this year? How much more can Haiti and the Caribbean take? The reality is the probability of that happening is increasing and it is already devastating poorer areas of the world.

What headlines will our grandchildren be reading?

Also See:

Historic Snowfall Potential For Omaha To Minneapolis

The Arctic, Humanity's Barometer

As Sea Ice Melts Storm Surges Batter Arctic Coast

"As each Arctic summer brings less sea ice, two new studies warn of major changes, from devastating storm surges to huge increases in shipping.

Rising temperatures in the Arctic — a result of global climate change — are bringing bigger and stronger storms, with hurricane-equivalent winds, previous research shows. And the region's dwindling sea ice cover (Sept. 2012 saw a record summer sea ice low, NASA reported) means storms can charge across the ocean without restraint.

Thick summer sea ice once slowed down Arctic storm winds, stopping them from generating high storm surges, the bulge of water that builds up ahead of a storm that can batter and flood a coastline.

One of the new studies tracked 400 years of storm surges in Canada's Mackenzie River delta, and found the wave-borne floods are becoming stronger and more frequent.

"I think it's another piece of the puzzle that suggests the Arctic is changing very rapidly and these changes are related to what’s going on with respect to climate change," said study co-author Michael Pisaric, a biogeographer at Brock's University in Ontario, Canada.

"Storms are growing larger and stronger, and there's so much more open water for these storms to blow across. These two [factors] combined are creating new conditions for the Arctic that when you put increasing infrastructure and exploration for hydrocarbons, that's starting to create a recipe for disaster," Pisaric told OurAmazingPlanet. Hydrocarbon exploration in the Arctic includes floating and fixed oil and gas wells. [8 Ways Global Warming Is Already Changing the World]>br>
The findings were detailed online Jan. 25 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

end of excerpt.

~~

In previous entries I have written about Arctic amplification and its causation to extreme weather in the mid latitudes. I have also previously written about the carbon debt we as a species have now amassed and our moral duty to reconcile it for ourselves and future generations. I am continuing to focus on the Arctic in this entry because the Arctic is now the centerpiece in the climate crisis and because the events unfolding there are a reading of humanity's barometer. Yes, the Arctic is the center point of humanity's actions. It is not any distraction on tv, no piece of celebrity gossip, nor is it the other myriad wedge issue circle jerks we see in Washington DC backed by a very willing media in covering it while ignoring this Earth and life changing event. What is taking place here now, in this time, while you are alive will change this planet and how we live on it for all time.

You may not be aware of this but the stability of the Arctic region now effects your very survival. The rapid and excessive melting beyond conservative estimates of the IPCC and other bodies has now put into motion events that are effecting livelihoods, economies, communities, cultures, traditions and the biodiversity of ecosystems that will have repurcussions up and down the food chain and the entire web of life.

Case in point:



This is the crux of the crisis taking shape in the Arctic that is now changing its entire makeup and the ecosystems there as well as effecting our weather/climate here. This is also why it is so important for people to stand up against the Keystone XL (a million comments have been sent to the State Dept. already, mine one of them) but also against the Utah tarsands, any Arctic drilling and the current policy of this administration that calls for more fracking which is now being used as the latest ruse by the fossil fuel companies to keep their profits on track at the expense of this planet and us.

And yes, there is more investment in solar and wind with countries like India, Germany, Mexico, Australia, China, etc. moving towards more sustainable solutions (for China they now have no choice as the environmental toll for their progress is staggering) but the rapid changes we are now seeing taking place are happening faster than we can keep up with them. Keeping the oil in the ground is really the first order of business and with politicians on all sides in the pockets of the oil and gas industry it is illogical to state they should not be held accountable for their contribution to this. The only other illogical thing about all of this is the denial. I also see this as one reason why action on this from DC is not happening because companies and countries are already eyeing the resources of the melting Arctic. They do not see the moral and human implications of their greed. They only see false choices. They do not see through their blindness that to take the life of this planet is taking our own...

A Drastically Greener Arctic To Come

New Models Predict Drastically

Greener Arctic in Coming Decades

Mar. 31, 2013 — New research predicts that rising temperatures will lead to a massive "greening," or increase in plant cover, in the Arctic. In a paper published on March 31 in Nature Climate Change, scientists reveal new models projecting that wooded areas in the Arctic could increase by as much as 50 percent over the next few decades. The researchers also show that this dramatic greening will accelerate climate warming at a rate greater than previously expected.

"Such widespread redistribution of Arctic vegetation would have impacts that reverberate through the global ecosystem," said Richard Pearson, lead author on the paper and a research scientist at the American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity and Conservation.

In addition, the researchers investigated the multiple climate change feedbacks that greening would produce. They found that a phenomenon called the albedo effect, based on the reflectivity of Earth's surface, would have the greatest impact on the Arctic's climate. When the sun hits snow, most of the radiation is reflected back to space. But when it hits an area that's "dark," or covered in trees or shrubs, more sunlight is absorbed in the area and temperature increases. This has a positive feedback to climate warming: the more vegetation there is, the more warming will occur.

end of excerpt.

~~

Some would say this is good for the most part. However, in this region when you factor in the Albedo Effect, the rate of decreasing reflectivity of the sun will overpower the sequestration effect of the vegetation. This will ultimately bring about greater feedbacks to the climate system here than anticipated and that does not bode well for the species there that depend on the ice for survival, nor the indigenous communities that have lived there for centuries. You see, this is not just about the graphs, there are people and species represented and effected by them.

Melting of sea ice also contributes to erosion which is also effecting indigenous communities in the Arctic and their way of life.

"Coastal erosion and warming temperatures — record high temperatures extended across Greenland and the Canadian Arctic last summer — could exacerbate global warming by releasing gas hydrates contained in the permafrost. Gas hydrates are ice-like crystals composed of water and gases, often methane, a greenhouse gas like carbon dioxide; however, the implications of the release of gas hydrates aren't fully understood, according to Rachold.

The human dimension

Permafrost sediments are often flat and low-lying, making them good locations for settlements. Unfortunately, in some places, erosion can vary up to 33 to 98 feet (10 to 30 meters) per year. Storms are a particularly potent cause of erosion, according to the second report, The State of the Arctic Coast 2010. Both reports were prepared by teams of international scientists.

Many Arctic communities have a history of dealing with retreating land. Even so, some are in dire situations."

end of excerpt.

~~



Image on NSIDC

The changes to sea ice which have now seen half its mass gone with only 5% of the Arctic covered in older ice when the percentage was 25% just twenty years ago are changes that go beyond just the science. They speak to who we are as humans. Our actions are the barometer by which tomorrow will be measured. As has been mentioned earlier as well, what happens in the Arctic does not stay there either:

In A Warming World Storms May Be Fewer But Stronger

"All of these weather events have happened as the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has been rising higher than it has been for at least 100,000 years. Scientists are nearly certain that the buildup of carbon dioxide has already sparked changes in Earth’s atmosphere and ecosystems. The lowest layer of the atmosphere (the troposphere) has warmed markedly, especially at high latitudes. So have the world’s oceans. Heat waves and droughts have grown more likely and more extreme. Arctic ice is melting at a record pace, and the snowy landscapes of the far north have started melting earlier each year. snip

Historically, research on tornadoes, hurricanes, and other types of storms has focused on short-term forecasting, not on understanding how storms are changing over time. Reliable, long-term records of storms are scarce, and the different reporting and observing methods have left many scientists and meteorologists feeling skeptical. But the study of storminess and climate has begun to mature, says Del Genio, and a consensus is emerging: for several types of storms, global warming may prime the atmosphere to produce fewer but stronger storms."

end of excerpt.

~~

Arctic amplification and the loss of sea ice being precipitated by anthropogenic global warming is now showing us that hubris is deadly. How many Hurricane Sandys will it take? I still hear the wind from her in my head and remember and see the devastation she left behind. Hurricane Sandy visited my home and left a stark message for all of us and it was that none of us are exempt from what we have sown. Arctic amplification has now also been linked to Sandy's strength:

Cornell University Study

We still have time however to work to slow down the most catastrophic effects of continuing to amplify and add to what we have already put into motion. That requires work by us and also by politicians we vote for to do the moral thing. Republicans, Democrats, they are all at fault if one side does nothing but place roadblocks in front of action while the other enables them. In years to come future generations will look back on this and see the events as they unfolded and weigh them against the response. What will they see? It's in our hands now.

Major Loss In Arctic Sea Ice Volume- It Does Affect You

Cryosat 2 Reveals Major Arctic Sea Ice Loss

"Here's the press release from the National Environment Research Council:

CryoSat-2 mission reveals major Arctic sea-ice loss

Arctic sea ice volume has declined by 36 per cent in the autumn and 9 per cent in the winter between 2003 and 2012, a UK-led team of scientists has discovered.

Researchers used new data from the European Space Agency's CryoSat-2 satellite spanning 2010 to 2012, and data from NASA's ICESat satellite from 2003 to 2008 to estimate the volume of sea ice in the Arctic.

They found that from 2003 to 2008, autumn volumes of ice averaged 11,900 km3. But from 2010 to 2012, the average volume had dropped to 7,600 km3 - a decline of 4,300 km3. The average ice volume in the winter from 2003 to 2008 was 16,300 km3, dropping to 14,800 km3 between 2010 and 2012 - a difference of 1,500 km3.

"The data reveals that thick sea ice has disappeared from a region to the north of Greenland, the Canadian Archipelago, and to the northeast of Svalbard," says Dr Katharine Giles, a NERC-funded research fellow at the Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling (CPOM) at UCL (University College London), who co-authored the report, published online in Geophysical Research Letters.

The findings confirm the continuing decline in Arctic sea-ice volume simulated by the Pan-Arctic Ice-Ocean Modelling & Assimilation System (PIOMAS), which estimates the volume of Arctic sea ice and had been checked using earlier submarine, mooring, and satellite observations until 2008.

Other satellites have already shown drops in the area covered by Arctic sea ice as the climate has warmed. Indeed, sea-ice extent reached a record minimum in September 2012. But CryoSat-2, launched in April 2010, differs in that it lets scientists estimate the volume of sea ice - a much more accurate indicator of the changes taking place in the Arctic.

"While two years of CryoSat-2 data aren't indicative of a long-term change, the lower ice thickness and volume in February and March 2012, compared with same period in 2011, may have contributed to the record minimum ice extent during the 2012 autumn," says Professor Christian Haas of York University, Canada Research Chair for Arctic Sea Ice Geophysics, co-author of the study and coordinator of the international CryoSat sea ice validation activities."

end of excerpt.



~~



Another video showing huge decline in ice volume between 1979-2012. I am sure the countries looking to exploit this for profit are happy. The species there maybe not so much.

~~

As this current report explains Arctic sea ice loss in volume is now accelerating. This is very important because the amount of volume in comparison to ice extent truly shows the extent of this crisis. As I reported previously in my entry on Arctic sea ice loss and it's amplification of the greenhouse effect the changes taking place in the Arctic which are stunning though not being reported by the mainstream media are something we must be concerned with. This is not something to be relegated to only those who understand the terms in this report. This must be understood by all of us because the implications of it for our present and future survival are imperative to know. If you look on this page on the side panel you will see the current PPM of CO2. We are edging closer and closer to the 400PPM which was already read in the Arctic last year. Scientists have stated that in order to keep our atmosphere a level comfortable for human habitation 350PPM is the limit and 450PPM is the threshold of the tipping point.

This in concert with the carbon budget are the two guidelines we must adhere to in order to preserve this planet for ours and other species continued existence. It really is not rocket science. CO2 emitted into the atmosphere in ever increasing amounts will trap more of the sun's rays creating a greater radiative forcing holding more heat and more moisture resulting in what we now see taking place: Greater and more frequent droughts, floods, storms and the subsequent damage to agriculture, water supplies and the social structures that count on them for their livelihoods.

There can be no greater and more urgent call than the one our Earth is now giving us! The Arctic is now the central point in seeing the effects of our consumption and hubris. And this report is a mirror into a world we are creating and have created for ourselves and specifically for those to come that will not be kind to us. When you push hard enough on a force eventually it will either break or push back. The smart thing to do is to realize the signs of the results of that excessive force and pull back in order not to break or force the opposing side to push back so hard that the entire system is broken. We continue to push our climate system thinking the force we are exerting on it will not push back. It is physics and it is now working against us.

To also see these changes taking place not just so rapidly but so early in the Arctic is a sign that warming there continues at a pace far quicker than predicted. These rapid changes are also affecting the climate and weather events of mid latitudes as currently noted by the excessive snowfalls from the US to Europe and Asia. We have placed 4-7% additional moisture into our atmosphere due to the continued burning of fossil fuels. This report is then not something to be seen as far away from us. It is about us.

However, those interests that seek to pump billions into misinformation through media campaigns and infiltration of other mediums are banking on you not understanding these reports and their implications for your life. Time to prove them wrong. The Arctic is not waiting.

Also see:

Frozen Spring Tied to Arctic Ice Loss

"Arctic sea ice loss- Melting sea ice, exposing huge parts of the ocean to the atmosphere, explains extreme weather both hot and cold"

crack is bad for you and sea ice

March 22, World Water Day

Every year on March 22, World Water Day is celebrated to bring awareness of the beauty of water and also the urgency of the global water crisis. Today more than ever we need people to become conscious of the urgency of the state of our global water supply which is shrinking and under assault by pollution, privitization, lack of access and climate change.

Some would say we don't have a water crisis per se but a water management crisis. I think we have both. And while I usually do not recognize just one day to celebrate water, I still think it is imperative to have at least one day where water is brought into the global consciousness of those who take it for granted the other 364 days.

The state of our global water is not sound and it is going to take many more people to become involved in the fight to preserve this the most important lifeblood of our planet.

If you have not yet, take time to reflect on all that water gives you, and then reflect on those who do not have it. Then, make a pledge to conserve it and to work towards protecting it for generations to come. It will be the greatest investment in the future you will ever make.

Happy World Water Day,

WATER IS LIFE.

Water can bring us peace.

Make Our National Parks Bottled Water Free

Make Our National Parks Bottled Water Free

To me it is a travesty that companies like Coke, Pepsi and other multinationals that make their profits from polluting this planet have now infiltrated our national parks to commoditize them and make more profit. This is a petition to sign if you agree with making our national parks in America bottled water free. There is also a factor of waste involved as well. Please, read the petition and sign it to keep our national parks the treasures they are free of corporate exploitation.

Thank you.