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Tracking Flooding in Coastal Communities During Hurricanes Helene and Milton
A web-based application that gathers crowdsourced data to identify flooding and inform policy in coastal communities provided scientists with essential data from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
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Why Building More Big Dams Could Be a Costly Gamble for Future Water Security and the Environment
Climate change and biodiversity loss are mounting threats to Australia’s water security. So we often hear calls for more dams. But is that the answer?
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First Tidal Turbine in the Pacific Northwest Signals Wave of the Future
New tidal turbine tested at PNNL-Sequim showcases the lab’s growing role as a regional center for marine energy research.
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New AI Model Could Make Power Grids More Reliable Amid Rising Renewable Energy Use
As renewable energy sources such as wind and solar become more widespread, managing the power grid has become increasingly complex. An AI model that can address the uncertainties of renewable energy generation and electric vehicle demand, making power grids more reliable and efficient.
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Climate Change Threatens Bridges, Roads: Research Helps Engineers Adapt Infrastructure
Across America, infrastructure built to handle peak stormwater flows from streams and rivers have been engineered under the assumption that rainfall averages stay constant over time. As extreme weather events become more frequent, these systems could be in trouble.
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Mexico Is Offering Water to South Texas. But There’s a Catch Farmers Aren’t Happy About.
Farmers say they want the water, but not if it goes against the allotment they need for the spring planting season.
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Accelerating Clean Energy Geothermal Development on Public Lands
Geothermal energy is one of our greatest untapped clean energy resources on public lands. Replenished by heat sources deep in the Earth, geothermal energy generates electricity with minimal carbon emissions. Interior Department announces new leases and pioneering project approval, and proposes simplified permitting.
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Navigating Uncharted Waters: ASU Drives Solutions for Water Resilience
The Southwest has grappled with an ongoing megadrought since 2000, the driest period in the last 1,200 years. In a place already known for extreme heat and an arid climate, a secure water supply is especially crucial in order for humanity to thrive.
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The Fate of Thousands of U.S. Dams Hangs in the Balance, Leaving Rural Communities with Hard Choices
Dams across the country are aging and facing intensifying floods wrought by climate change. But the price tag to fix what’s broken is estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
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Coastal Cities Have a Hidden Vulnerability to Storm-Surge and Tidal Flooding − Entirely Caused by Humans
Today, 80% to 90% of estuaries – areas where rivers meet the sea – such as New York Harbor, San Francisco Bay and Miami’s Biscayne Bay has been built over. The result has been the loss of buffer zones that helped protect cities from storm surge and sea-level rise. And below the surface of many of the remaining waterways, another form of urbanization has been slowly increasing the vulnerability of coastlines to extreme storms and sea-level rise.
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Efforts to Build Wildfire Resilience Are Heating Up
Stanford’s campus has become a living lab for testing innovative fire management techniques, from AI-powered environmental sensors to a firebreak-creating “BurnBot.”
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Hurricane Helene Brought Devastation — and an Opportunity — to Appalachia’s Power Grids
As recovery efforts continue, utilities in the region need to rethink their approach to electricity in the face of climate change.
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Reducing Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise in Virginia
As the climate changes and sea levels rise, there is concern that sinking coastlines could exacerbate risks to infrastructure, as well as human and environmental health in coastal communities. The Virginia Coastal Plain is one of the fastest-sinking regions on the East Coast.
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Why Fracking Matters in the 2024 U.S. Election
The fracking boom has transformed the United States into the world’s leading producer of oil and gas. With presidential candidates Harris and Trump clashing on climate and energy policy, the practice is once again in the spotlight.
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Is Tampa Prepared for the Devastating Impact of Hurricane Milton?
As Hurricane Milton barrels toward central Florida, disaster recovery experts say residents should expect extensive destruction from the storm and its surge — particularly if Tampa is hit directly.
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The long view
America Is Losing Its War Against Wildfire
Over the past decade, so-called megafires — characterized not only by their size, often bigger than 100,000 acres, but by their severity, speed, and impact — have become more common. Wildland firefighting is increasingly facing an intractable reality: We’re stuck in a vicious cycle. A doom loop.
Why Nuclear Energy Is Making a Global Comeback
Nuclear energy is gaining momentum as countries seek reliable, low-emission power sources to meet increasing electricity demand and climate goals amid uncertainty in fossil fuel markets. Its revival renews long-standing debates over safety and nuclear proliferation.
Protecting the Grid from Wildfires
As devastating wildfires continue to burn across the western U.S. and Canada this summer, they’re taking a serious toll on the electrical grid. Every year, wildfires, some sparked by birds or even high winds, cause significant damage to grid infrastructure.