Drought-stricken Manitoba farmers hoping for rain
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New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Dry Taps, Empty Lakes, Shuttered Cities: A Water Crisis Batters Iran
Some of Iran's deepest reservoirs have shrunk to shallow ponds. Water pressure is so low in some cities that taps in apartment buildings run dry for hours on end. People desperately search for water tanks, and hoard every drop they can find. Temperatures are so high that one day last month a part of Iran saw a heat index of 149 degrees Fahrenheit, according to sites that track extreme weather, making it one of the hottest places on Earth. Iran is in the throes of an acute water crisis, on top of a monthslong energy shortage that has prompted daily scheduled power cuts across the country. Iranians still recovering from a 12-day war with Israel and the United States last month must now confront life without the basics. The government announced this week that many reservoirs, particularly those that supply the capital, Tehran, with drinking water, were drying out. Water supplies for Tehran are predicted to run out in just a few weeks, officials said, pleading with the public to reduce water consumption. 'The water crisis is more serious than what is being talked about today, and if we do not make urgent decisions today, we will face a situation in the future that cannot be cured,' President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a cabinet meeting on Monday, adding, 'We cannot continue this way.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Major concerns over Southern Water 'drought' plan which could close businesses
Major concerns have been raised over Southern Water's drought plans which could see water continue to be taken from the River Test as water levels fall, the Echo can reveal. Businesses could see sweeping restrictions, including the forced closure of certain swimming pools and car washes 'if necessary'. Major concerns have been raised on the effects the plan could have on the Test and Itchen's wildlife, with one Itchen river activist branding the move a "lethal cocktail" for wildlife. Southern Water itself was unable to rule out an 'adverse effect' on endangered salmon living in the area. Changes to Southern Water's current rules Currently, the utility company can take the equivalent of 80 million litres of water per day from the River Test, provided the overall flow of the river remains above 355 million litres per day. But the company now wants to lower this licensed limit, meaning it would be allowed to continue taking water until the flow drops to 265 million litres per day. READ MORE: 6 rules you need to follow during Hampshire hosepipe ban to avoid £1,000 fine Southern Water said they cannot simply stop taking water from the Test as it was "necessary" to ensure taps remain running, confirming to the Echo that the region is now "in drought". 'We follow a strict legal process, set by the government and regulators, to ensure we are taking the correct steps to both keep supplying water to our customers and to mitigate any negative environmental impact at the same time," a spokesperson told the Echo. Further restrictions would only be brought in if "absolutely necessary", Southern Water said, and would only be needed "if river flows fall below 355 million litres per day". Businesses could be restricted in upgraded hosepipe ban The change is part of the utility company's Drought Order, which has been submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) due to a 'threat of a serious deficiency in supplies of water'. While a hosepipe ban came into effect on Monday, it does not currently impact businesses. But part of the Drought Order means that a Non-Essential Use Ban (NEUB) could potentially be issued, which would see businesses forced to comply with 10 hosepipe restrictions. READ MORE: No discount for hosepipe ban, Southern Water confirms Southern Water said this will only be implemented 'if necessary', but its enforcement would see car wash businesses banned from using hosepipes to clean vehicles. Mechanic vehicle washers would also not be allowed under the Drought Direction 2011, and swimming pools that are only open to paying members may have to close. 'If river levels continue to drop and a NEUB is required, further information will be provided,' a spokesperson for Southern Water said. Potential "adverse effect" on protected River Itchen Gavin Millar from Friends of the Itchen Estuary, who branded potential plans a lethal cocktail. (Image: Friends of the Itchen Estuary) An environmental report conducted by the company concluded that an adverse effect on the River Itchen's Special Area of Conservation 'cannot be discounted'. Reduced flows in the Test could impact the Itchen's salmon population, the company said. Gavin Millar sampling river water. (Image: Friends of the Itchen Estuary) Speaking on behalf of the Friends of the Itchen Estuary, Gavin Millar said the impact of Southern Water's 'excessive water extraction' are evident in low levels, elevated water temperatures and long-term declining ecology. He branded this a 'lethal cocktail' for 'critically endangered chalk stream salmon'. This very rare sub-species of Atlantic salmon is only found in six habitats, two of which are the Rivers Test and Itchen. READ MORE: Work begins on £100m pipeline to boost Southampton's water supply 'Salmon have been swimming in the waters of the Test and Itchen for hundreds of thousands of years but are now at risk of being wiped out for good,' the Test and Itchen Association's director Paul Vignaux explained. He argued Hampshire 'urgently' needs new sources of water, like the Havant Thicket reservoir which is not expected to be operational until at least 2031. 'Until then we will have a shortfall of water in the county and it's our rivers that will be picking up the slack,' Paul said. Hampshire "urgently" needs "sustainable solutions", rivers trust argues Dave Rumble, chief executive of Wessex Rivers Trust. (Image: Wessex River Trust) Dave Rumble, chief executive of Wessex Rivers Trust, agreed that the county 'urgently' needs 'sustainable solutions' to reduce reliance on taking water from rivers. 'This Drought Order highlights just how close to the edge our freshwater environment already is,' he told the Echo. A spokesperson for Southern Water said it has proposed several monitoring, mitigation, and compensation measures to offset the potential effects of the Drought Order. 'These measures are a mixture of actions that are already in place and more that will be implemented over the next year,' the spokesperson continued. 'If we need to implement a Drought Order, we would monitor and react to environmental conditions as required.'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
How much rain did south-central Kansas get? Here are totals for Wichita, other spots
Some areas of Kansas saw heavy rains late Thursday and overnight Friday. Wichita saw a much lower amount than other areas of the state, with 0.64 inches falling since Thursday morning. About 0.16 inches of that fell since midnight. There were no reports of flooding in Wichita, which had been a concern in the forecast. One report near the area of the Ninnescah River that flows into Cheney Lake, where Wichita gets its water, saw 4.42 inches of rain during Thursday and Friday morning. 'That is definitely something of note,' said Scott Smith, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Wichita. Wichitans have had restrictions on water use during a drought. But levels at Cheney Lake have been rising because of recent rains. More rain is forecast Friday too. The effect of these rains on lake levels is not yet know. Cheney was 96.62% full at a measurement taken Monday. Here is a look at rainfall around the state on Thursday and overnight into Friday: A station in Butler County measured 3.65 inches of rain Thursday and then 0.42 inches since midnight Friday. A station 10 miles southwest of Hutchinson measured 2.34 inches of rain since midnight Friday and 0.04 inches on Thursday. There was some flooding in Rice County, Smith said. Quarter-sized hail was reported in Newton around 8:45 p.m. Thursday. So far this month, as measured at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, Wichita has had 3.86 inches of rain. Wichita has had 27.54 inches of rain so far this year compared to the normal 30-year running average of 20.64 inches, NWS data shows. Solve the daily Crossword
