A new report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Washington Department of Ecology concludes that existing studies fail to show conclusively that nitrogen from septic systems, fertilizers and other human sources have caused Hood Canal’s oxygen levels to drop by 0.2 milligrams per liter — the threshold for legal enforcement. OCEAN‘s Jan Newton is quoted; read more here.
Read more »Snow depth on sea ice: critical for ringed seals - UW News
As sea ice in the Arctic continues to shrink during this century, more than two thirds of the area with sufficient snow cover for ringed seals to reproduce also will disappear, challenging their survival, scientists report in a new study. Read about this study here; ATMOS‘ Cecilia Bitz and Paul Hezel, co-authors, are quoted.
Read more »Earthquake monitors on Mt. Rainier - Seattle Times
An array of volcano-monitoring equipment on Mount Rainier is all serviced and ready for the big one, after maintenance work at high altitude. Learn more about these sensors here; Also check out this interview and photo collection by Jon Connolly, of the PNW Seismic Network, who got to work on the equipment last week.
Read more »Volunteer this Saturday at the Center for Urban Horticulture! - UW News
This Saturday hundreds of volunteers from the ranks of contractors, developers, craft workers and construction-service providers in Western Washington will upgrade and put a shine on parts of the Center for Urban Horticulture on the University of Washington campus. Learn more, and join them! [googlemaps width=250 height=250]
Read more »Op-ed: Antarctic is warming, contributing to sea-level rise - The Guardian
Eric Steig, professor in ESS, discussed his research through The Guardian last week, sharing his perspective on the state of Antarctic warming. Read his op-ed here.
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