Water

New research finds that the seasonal filling and emptying of reservoirs in India can cause measurable deformation of the surrounding rock, reducing the strength of nearby faults and potentially triggering earthquakes. Reservoir filling accounts for 23% of the total number of earthquakes caused by human activity.

In a move promising future hyrdomet benefits with the better use of satellite technology, African leaders, the WMO and other stakeholders have signed the Abidjan Declaration. The declaration facilitates the use of satellite data by meteorological services to improve space-based monitoring of weather and climate and to ensure access and exploitation of climate data.

Even though Cape Town's drought persists, the city has announced a marginal reduction in consumption restrictions. In Cape Town, as in other cities, resilience challenges are opportunities for transformative growth. Since joining the 100RC Network, Cape Town has prioritized the long-term resilience of both its water system and urban ecosystem.

Research shows that monsoons in the southwest United States have already become less common but more extreme in nature, posing new challenges for water managers eager to capture crucial runoff. The Colorado River is experiencing another drought year, so groundwater recharge from monsoons could become a much more important water supply in the long term.

Policy efforts that weaken environmental protections at national, state or local levels make the operations of disaster management more difficult. Because of coal ash storage regulations, North Carolina faces large-scale drinking water contamination caused by Hurricane Florence's flooding.

Farmers in arid parts of Karnataka have adapted to climate change by switching from water-intensive rice, sugarcane and maize cultivation to various types of drought-resistant millets. Millets are small-seeded grasses that grow well in dry zones as rain-fed crops under marginal conditions of soil fertility and moisture.

Human health is influenced by environmental factors, social disparities, and climate change. Environmental changes have undone decades of investment in infectious disease control, while inequality influences people’s exposure to vector-borne diseases and environmentally sensitive infections. Climate change destabilizes food security by affecting weather patterns.

While Hurricane Matthew affected two million Haitians, it also filled a restored lake with water. By using the lake's water, residents are able to grow food on the once arid surrounding land. Much of the farmland is now back in production, providing sustenance for local families.