Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

In Brief: Water levels down in world's biggest rivers
22 Apr 2009 13:42:48 GMT
DAKAR, 22 April 2009 (IRIN) - Water levels have declined over the past 50 years in some of the world's largest rivers – including those serving large populations in China, West Africa and India – according to the US-based National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). http://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2009/flow.jsp

NCAR scientists link the decline to lower rainfall, more evaporation and higher water use.

http://www.irinnews.org/IndepthMain.aspx?IndepthId=73&ReportId=78246

In the study of 925 rivers, about three-quarter's of the world's streams, those where water levels are falling outnumbered those with rising levels by 2.5 to one. Water flows increased in sparsely populated areas near the Arctic Ocean, where snow and ice are rapidly melting.

Freshwater that flows from rivers to oceans help regulate the global climate, according to NCAR, which recommends close monitoring of oceans' freshwater content.

pt/np

© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  IRC: Focus on Piracy Must Not Divert Attention From Massive Humanitarian Needs of Somalis
International Rescue Committee

•  Supporting Rehab Programs in China
Project HOPE - USA

•  Improving the wells improves community health in flood-prone parts of El Salvador
Oxfam America

•  Three months in rubble
DanChurchAid - Denmark

•  G8 neglect of child nutrition puts millions of lives at risk
Save the Children - India

MORE >>

Latest news

•  In Brief: Water levels down in world's biggest rivers

•  Pakistan accuses India, Afghans, of Baluch meddling

•  Sri Lankan war in endgame, 95,000 escape rebel zone

•  India Maoists briefly hijack train ahead of poll day

•  China faces stability threat from aging -report

MORE >>

Related articles

Breaking stories
 In Brief: Water levels down in world's biggest rivers (1 minute ago)

Pakistan accuses India, Afghans, of Baluch meddling (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
 Are G20 commitments for poor countries enough? (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
 IRC: Focus on Piracy Must Not Divert Attention From Massive Humanitarian Needs of Somalis (1 minute ago)

Blogs
 Matt Dillon on Supporting South Sudan (1 minute ago)

Maps
 Tropical storm Bijli (1 minute ago)


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-22T133458Z_01_DHA008_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA008.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-22T133226Z_01_DHA007_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA007.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-22T132831Z_01_DHA004_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA004.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-22T132514Z_01_DHA005_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA005.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-04-22T132030Z_01_DHA001_RTRIDSP_2_BANGLADESH_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA001.htm

A mother comforts her child who is affected by diarrhoea at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research Bangladesh (ICDDRB) in Dhaka April 22, 2009. A spreading diarrhoea epidemic caused ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Wed Apr 22 13:43:39 2009