The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Water Forum (GWF) has issued a discussion paper titled “Bark Beetle Infestations Affect Water Quality in the Rocky Mountains of North America,” by Eric Dickenson, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and Reed Maxwell, John McCray, Jonathan Sharp and Kristin Mikkelson, Colorado School of Mines.
12 February 2013: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Water Forum (GWF) has issued a discussion paper titled “Bark Beetle Infestations Affect Water Quality in the Rocky Mountains of North America,” by Eric Dickenson, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and Reed Maxwell, John McCray, Jonathan Sharp and Kristin Mikkelson, Colorado School of Mines.
The paper highlights outcomes from a study, which found that water treatment plants in watersheds with bark beetle infestations are subject to carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and total organic carbon (TOC) levels of 300% more than non-infestation watersheds on average. Such infestations increase with warming temperatures and drought, both of which are increased by climate change. The study highlights that infestations cause changes in forest biogeochemistry and solute transport, which in turn affect water quality. The authors emphasize that whether this water quality deterioration only occurs in Colorado watersheds or is present in other beetle-infested watersheds is unknown.
GWF was established in 2010 as an initiative of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance in order to present knowledge and insight from leading water researchers and practitioners. [Publication: Bark Beetle Infestations Affect Water Quality in the Rocky Mountains of North America]