Alaska's Rivers Of Rust.

[Sytes]

Interesting recent studies related to similar events of the past now longer duration and more potential of increased hazards for fish, etc...

"Poulin, whose expertise is in water chemistry, thought the staining looked similar to what happens with acid mine drainage, except no mines are near any of the impaired rivers, including along the famed Salmon River and other federally protected waters."

"While O'Donnell first noticed a change in 2018, satellite images have turned up stained waters dating back to 2008.

"The issue is slowly propagating from small headwaters into bigger rivers over time," he said. "When emergent issues or threats come about, we need to be able to understand them."

Alaska's rusting waters: Pristine rivers and streams turning orange

Dozens of Alaska's most remote streams and rivers are turning from a crystal clear blue into a cloudy orange, and the staining could be the result of minerals exposed by thawing permafrost, finds new research in Communications Earth & Environment.

phys.org

 

[Salmonchaser]

Alaska is the canary in the coal mine. The climate changes since we moved there 65 years ago have been significant. I'm not all doom and gloom but denying change regardless the cause, well those folks just haven't spent enough time watching.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Not ideal by any means.

Didn't see much on it, but I'd be curious if this had already caused a decline in salmon population in these select rivers? Thinking outloud, maybe kings are more susceptible to the minerals and that's been another part of their major decline?

 

[Flynarrow]

A lot of Alaska's streams have flows influenced by melting permafrost each summer so future lack of permafrost will influence those streamflows. Mass wasting of stream banks into the rivers is already occurring as well. Combined with warming oceans, the long term outlook for salmon is not positive.

 

[glass eye]

Gore said “Oceans are boiling “

 

[theat]

Gore said “Oceans are boiling “

Might not be boiling, but the ocean water off Florida and the Bahamas last summer got to temps over 100 degrees. I’ve been going down to one of the outer islands in the Bahamas for a couple weeks each winter lately. The change in the coral and quantity of ocean wildlife over the past few years is dramatic and not in a good way. Lots of areas that previously had healthy coral and tons of fish are now a zone of death. The coral is dead and covered in algae. There is about a quarter as many fish and almost no lobster in these areas.

Florida ocean records ‘unprecedented’ temperatures similar to a hot tub | Florida | The Guardian

The 90-100F readings add to previous warnings over warming water putting marine life and ecosystems in peril

amp.theguardian.com

 

[Bambistew]

Its an interesting situation and will be even more interesting to see how it plays out over time.

ARD is a complex beast and just because we are seeing this now doesn't mean it won't flush out and stabilize at a much lower level. On the flip side it could increase depending on the source until it finally stabilizes. Predicting how the ground will thaw is very challenging.

Many of those streams are in NW AK flow through highly mineralized rock. There is also water/rock that will naturally neutralize the ARD which is likely also melting out of the permafrost at a similar rate.

Very few people understand the complexity of these type of systems, including the chemistry and biology involved. Is it climate driven? Likely, but its also been naturally occurring for ever. These same type anomalies created sediment deposits which can be found in areas where permafrost has retreated/thawed since the end of last ice age. The last ice age had permafrost dipping into the L48. As it retreated, the exact same thing happened and progressed north over the last 20k years. There was a study done on Lake Coeur d'Alene, during the super fund cleanup from the mining and smelting activity which occurred up stream of the lake. What they found was large deposits of naturally occurring ARD type sediment below the sediments from mining activity, multiple layers actually, and as I recall some of the layers were thicker than the mining impacted layer.

Its definitely going to impact aquatic life. The Wullik and Kobuk rivers will likely have see significant impacts. I really want to fish them before its no too late. Bucket list spot for me.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Some points to remember, the planet has warmed and cooled before. In the long run she healed herself, after a fashion.

 

[R.K.]

Some points to remember, the planet has warmed and cooled before. In the long run she healed herself, after a fashion.

And the wound was 90% of species dying off. Not an ideal scenario from my perspective.

 

[seeth07]

And the wound was 90% of species dying off. Not an ideal scenario from my perspective.

Yes but a bunch of organisms came back. Life continued.

Pretty interesting series about all of that.

 

[R.K.]

Yes but a bunch of organisms came back. Life continued.

Pretty interesting series about all of that.

A lot of Life comes back, but it can take a million years. And it typically looks very different from what was there before. Last time I checked- I don’t have a million years.

 

[atlas]

I think we're losing a lot more, a lot faster from development and overharvest than any emissions. Not that the emissions aren't bad, but if there isn't food in the ocean or habitat to move into its all gonna go.

 

[glass eye]

Hard to take scientist seriously when everything is linked to climate change. A couple days ago a plane experienced severe turbulence and guess who was to blame.

 

[Gerald Martin]

The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast: 447. Nuclear Power Is Safer Than Wind and Solar | James Walker on Apple Podcasts

Show The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Ep 447. Nuclear Power Is Safer Than Wind and Solar | James Walker - May 9, 2024

podcasts.apple.com

Seems to me that the in the whole “is man caused global warming real?” debate a practical solution that both sides should be able to agree is a better alternative to fossil fuels than wind and solar is overlooked. Why aren’t there more serious national conversations taking place about implementing more nuclear energy from both an environmental and economic standpoint? I found the attached podcast very interesting.

 

[Sytes]

It will be interesting to read the conclusion of the three year study.
I'm a proponent of nuclear energy and hydrogen energy. Both hold enormous value from very small footprints to provide electricity to a much greater population than turbine/solar/O&G.

The world is constantly evolving. Humans are merely ants in the grand scale of universe "time".

Ebb and flow of earth as a single planet amongst an ungodly amount of planets.... Earth was here long before humans and will be long after.

 

[Schism]

The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast: 447. Nuclear Power Is Safer Than Wind and Solar | James Walker on Apple Podcasts

Show The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Ep 447. Nuclear Power Is Safer Than Wind and Solar | James Walker - May 9, 2024

podcasts.apple.com

Seems to me that the in the whole “is man caused global warming real?” debate a practical solution that both sides should be able to agree is a better alternative to fossil fuels than wind and solar is overlooked. Why aren’t there more serious national conversations taking place about implementing more nuclear energy from both an environmental and economic standpoint? I found the attached podcast very interesting.

I listened to the podcast and also found it very interesting.

 

[lynlan1819]

Oh man,wonder what the Asians are going to do when the seafood starts seriously going bye bye.

 

[R.K.]

Oh man,wonder what the Asians are going to do when the seafood starts seriously going bye bye.

They have living survivors of the last famines. I think they’ll figure something out (again).