Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Researchers use open-access data to study climate change effects in 24,000 US lakes
Each summer, more and more lake beaches are forced to close due to toxic algae blooms. While climate change is often blamed, new research suggests a more complex story: climate interacts with human activities like agriculture and urban runoff, which funnel excess nutrients into the water. The study sheds light on why some lakes are more […]
Warming lakes and rivers may spread fish pathogens
Michigan's rivers and lakes were once cold enough that fish were protected from some infection-causing parasites. As the Great Lakes ecosystem warms, a Michigan State University researcher is investigating new pathogens that may become relevant to the fish that live here. Bartolomeo Gorgoglione, MSU assistant professor leading the Fish Pathobiology and Immunology Laboratory, or FPIL, […]
Research reveals how climate change threatens Asia’s water tower
Tibet is known as the "Water Tower of Asia," providing water to about 2 billion people and supporting critical ecosystems in High Mountain Asia and the Tibetan Plateau, where many of the largest Asian river systems originate. This region is also one of the areas most vulnerable to the compounding effects of climate change and […]
How hydropower dams impact the communities they’re built in
Over the last two decades, almost 1,000 hydropower dams have been built around the globe. And while these dams provide many benefits to farmers, wildlife and the climate, the costs of their construction on local communities where they are built has largely been left out of the conversation—that is, until now. Led by Dr. Peilei […]
What does groundwater have to do with lake algal blooms?
The source of troublesome lake algae is not always clear, but an interdisciplinary research project with two Michigan State University researchers found an answer may include colder groundwater that feeds some inland lakes. This finding could help predict the formation of harmful algal blooms to mitigate their impact on drinking water, tourism, fishing and fish […]
A model for understanding how sunlight breaks down contaminants in water
Michigan Tech researchers have developed a singlet oxygen model to calculate how particular chemicals break down in surface water. In addition to providing vitamin D, helping flowers grow and creating the perfect excuse to head to the beach, sunlight also helps break down chemicals in streams, lakes and rivers. While swimming pools use blue tiles […]
Adaptation, not irrigation recommended for Midwest corn farmers
A warming climate may not increase water demand for Midwest crops that may instead be adapted through soil management to changing air temperatures and moisture, say Michigan State University researchers helping farmers manage the challenge. “The Midwest supplies 30% of the world’s corn and soybeans,” said Bruno Basso, an ecosystems scientist and MSU Foundation Professor […]
Groundwater depletion in India could reduce winter cropped acreage significantly in years ahead
India is the world’s second-largest producer of wheat and rice and is home to more than 600 million farmers. The country has achieved impressive food-production gains since the 1960s, due in part to an increased reliance on irrigation wells, which allowed Indian farmers to expand production into the mostly dry winter and summer seasons. But […]
Study: Number of people suffering extreme droughts set to double worldwide
Michigan State University is leading a global research effort to offer the first worldwide view of how climate change could affect water availability and drought severity in the decades to come. By the late 21st century, global land area and population facing extreme droughts could more than double — increasing from 3% during 1976-2005 to […]