In the USA hot water is getting into some rivers due to rise in heat waves. A new analysis shows that the heat waves in the river and stream are on the rise. Similar to marine heat waves, riverine heat waves occur when water temperatures climb above their normal range for five or more days.
Researchers used 26 years of United States Geological Survey data to calculate how many days each site in the United States experienced a heat wave per year. The team reported in October that the average number of heat wave days per river increased from 11 to 25 from 1996 to 2011.
Tassone says that most heat waves with temperatures in the highest above-average range occurred outside of the summer months between December and April.
The University of Virginia’s Spencer Tassone says that the study is the first assessment of heat waves in rivers across the country.
Overheat wave days, he and his colleagues recorded nearly 4,000 heat wave events, jumping from 82 in 1996 to 198 in 2021. The researchers found that there was an increase in the occurrence of extreme heat at sites above the dam and in free-flowing conditions, but not below the dam.
Reasons behind the heat wave in rivers
Human-caused global warming plays a role in riverine heat waves, with heat waves partially tracking air temperatures, but other factors are also driving the trend The study says that the warmer the water in the river, the easier it is to warm it up.
How this research can be used in the future?
Increasing shade cover from trees is one of the ways that the research can be used to help mitigate heat waves. The promise of reducing water temperatures is shown in some rivers.
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https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/lol2.10284