Streams are abruptly acidifying and turning orange or milky-white across vast regions of North America’s northwest.
Streams are abruptly acidifying and turning orange or milky-white across vast regions of North America’s northwest. This is caused by permafrost thaw — an outcome of a warming climate that has immediate consequences for water and wildlife.
Stream acidification is driven by the weathering of naturally occurring sulphide minerals, which release acid, sulphate and toxic metals into groundwater and streams. This is known as acidic drainage. Water can become “rusty” for several kilometres downstream as iron and aluminium minerals enter streams.
Thawing permafrost means acidic groundwater can seep through the soil and react with water, oxygen and soils or bedrock containing sulphide minerals. The chemical reactions resulting from this interaction produce springs containing acid and metals.
Read More at: McMaster University
An acidifying body of water in Yukon. Acidification is driven by the weathering of rocks, which release acid, sulphate and toxic metals into groundwater and streams. (Photo Credit: Elliott Skierszkan)
