Water News for January 2026
Scientists warn of alarming growth of huge mats of seaweed in the oceans
Scientists have warned of a potential “regime shift” in the oceans, as the rapid growth of huge mats of seaweed appears to be driven by global heating and excessive enrichment of waters from farming runoff and other pollutants.
Over the past two decades, seaweed blooms have expanded by a staggering 13.4% a year in the tropical Atlantic and western Pacific, with the most dramatic increases occurring after 2008, according to researchers at the University of South Florida.
A harmful algae bloom in Lake Erie
Scientists warn of an ecosystem out of balance because of lethal algae blooms that could darken the waters below, changing their ecology and geochemistry, and also accelerate climate breakdown. The Guardian
A single bluefin tuna was sold for $3.2 million
A Pacific bluefin tuna the size and weight of a grizzly bear sold for a whopping $3.2 million at auction last week inside a popular Japanese fish market. Smithsonian.
With Rainfall Far Below Average, Water Scarcity in Northwestern Turkey has Reached a Critical Point
Water scarcity in northwestern Turkey has reached a critical point after the Kadıköy Dam, a key drinking water source for the town of Keşan, effectively ran dry, according to Daily Sabah. Authorities suspended all water withdrawals after reservoir levels dropped below what is known as “dead storage,” and intensifying droughts linked to rising temperatures are pushing vital water systems to the brink. The Kadıköy Dam supplies drinking water to Keşan. The reservoir, designed to hold 56 million cubic meters of water, has dropped to below 1% capacity. Prolonged drought, extreme summer heat and increased evaporation have driven the decline. According to the Turkish government, rainfall was 26% below the long-term average last year. Yahoo News.
“The World Is Entering a Situation of Water Bankruptcy. Water May Soon Be More Valuable than Gold”
What is water bankruptcy?
We are using up water sources faster than they can be replenished, essentially putting us in water debt. In “many basins and aquifers, long-term water use has exceeded renewable inflows and safe depletion limits,” said a report by the United Nations. Other water sources, including rivers, lakes, wetlands, soils and glaciers, have been “damaged beyond realistic prospects of full recovery.”
Like financial bankruptcy, water bankruptcy happens gradually. We “pull a little more groundwater during dry years. We use bigger pumps and deeper wells. We transfer water from one basin to another. We drain wetlands and straighten rivers to make space for farms and cities,” said Kaveh Madani, the director of the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health and author of the report. After that, the costs begin to pile up. “Lakes shrink year after year. Wells need to go deeper. Rivers that once flowed year-round turn seasonal. Salty water creeps into aquifers near the coast. The ground itself starts to sink.” The Week.
Forest Service Research Underlines the Importance of Forests for Drinking Water Quality
Across the United States, forests play a major role in protecting our drinking water supply. A U.S. Forest Service analysis found that 89% of public surface drinking water supplies receive at least some surface water from forested lands.
That means forests help filter the drinking water of roughly 150 million Americans. Some western cities, like Portland, Oregon, receive up to 90% of their drinking water from nearby national forests.
In other words, preserving forests helps keep our water clean and reliable. Environment America
