A new study from the academic journal 'Frontiers of the Ecology and the Environment' reports that US waters are warming.
The warming waters were shown to be correlated with urban areas. Parking lots, pavement and roads retains and let off more heat than soil. Additionally, the lack of tree cover in urban centers may add to the warming (see urban heat islands).
Samples were taken from major streams to large rivers such as the Hudson and the Colorado.
The Delaware River, near Philadelphia, was found to be warming the quickest.
Although the warming is marginal, is it estimated at about .02 to .14 degrees Fahrenheit (0.009-0.077 Celsius) per year depending on the area, it could cause a significant drop in aquatic plant and animal life who need certain conditions to survive. It could also increase invasive algae and affect the toxicity level of some water.
Dr. Sujay Kaushal, the study's main author, recommends that cities start thinking about tactics to cool down water. This might include planting more trees along rivers and streams, reusing and recycling more water to prevent used water from entering back into water bodies and most importantly (and the most difficult), to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to curb climate change.
The warming waters were shown to be correlated with urban areas. Parking lots, pavement and roads retains and let off more heat than soil. Additionally, the lack of tree cover in urban centers may add to the warming (see urban heat islands).
Samples were taken from major streams to large rivers such as the Hudson and the Colorado.
The Delaware River, near Philadelphia, was found to be warming the quickest.
Although the warming is marginal, is it estimated at about .02 to .14 degrees Fahrenheit (0.009-0.077 Celsius) per year depending on the area, it could cause a significant drop in aquatic plant and animal life who need certain conditions to survive. It could also increase invasive algae and affect the toxicity level of some water.
Dr. Sujay Kaushal, the study's main author, recommends that cities start thinking about tactics to cool down water. This might include planting more trees along rivers and streams, reusing and recycling more water to prevent used water from entering back into water bodies and most importantly (and the most difficult), to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to curb climate change.
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