March 10, 2026
Your weekly briefing on what’s happening in the world’s rivers and reefs.
River
Potomac River Update: According to the State of Maryland, bacteria levels dropped enough to lift “no contact” advisories in Prince George’s and Charles counties. Crabbing and fishing can resume, though post-spill monitoring continues (Maryland DNR).
Soil Saturation Data Sharpens Atmospheric River Flood Warnings: New NOAA model boosts West Coast flood predictions to 87% accuracy by factoring soil moisture. This factor allows better prep for river overflows (Phys.org).
The Grand Canyon Has a Water Crisis. How do the Feds Plan to Address It?. Proposed options for managing the Colorado River in the face of extreme drought. The water supply for seven states and 40 million people is at stake (Outside). See “Video of the Week” below for more background on the Colorado River.
Reef
Reef Health Update: The Great Barrier Reef sees rising heat stress but low bleaching and controlled crown-of-thorns. Early detection saves corals. Some cautious optimism amid concerning global trends. (GBRMPA)
The Journey Through Two Seasons of Coral Reef Monitoring: NCRMP divers surveyed 1,296 FL sites post-bleaching. Data shows restoration progress at iconic reefs. Includes a Story Map about the project and very cool data dashboard tools (NOAA Coastal Science).
Sustainable Travel
How Conservation Travel Protects Fiji’s Coral Reefs: Eco-dives fund COTS removal and MPAs at resorts. Travelers directly boost reef health. A possible blueprint for Keys or Hawaii trips (Oceanic Society).
Video of the Week
Video of the Week: Chasing Water (2011), is an award-winning short film that follows the Colorado River from source to sea. Includes gorgeous footage of the river basin and thoughtful discussion of the challenges it faces. Chasing Rivers (2014) follows up on Pete McBride’s 2011 work. Conditions have worsened since these films were released.
What did we miss? Share your news items for the week in the Comments.
