Water science news, explainers, and statistics covering freshwater, hydrology, lakes, rivers, groundwater, ice, and Earth’s connected water systems.
A diplomatic effort to restore passage through the Strait of Hormuz now centers on a practical question: how could commercial ships move safely through a waterway that has become a flashpoint? The route is the sea exit from the Persian Gulf and a disruption there can quickly reach far beyond the two countries on its…
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Earth’s freshwater is always taking a journey. Water falls as rain or snow and seeps underground. It flows into streams, freezes at high latitudes and elevations and returns to the air. At any one moment, though, its location is very uneven. Most freshwater is stored as frozen water in ice caps, glaciers and permanent snow.…
Lake Michigan can be a good place to swim when the beach is open and the day’s conditions are calm enough for your ability. The answer can change quickly. Wind can build waves, waves can create dangerous currents and a local health department can post an advisory after water-quality testing. A sunny afternoon is only…
Which animal sits at the top of the ocean food chain? The answer changes with the place, the prey and the connections that make up a food web. Ocean food webs have many branches, so one predator can eat prey from more than one level. Its position can also shift during its life. Scientists examine…
