Alaskan rivers turning orange due to climate change, study finds

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🗞️ Driving the news: Dozens of rivers and streams in Alaska are turning rusty orange due to thawing permafrost, a new study reveals
• As the permafrost melts, minerals like iron are exposed and seep into waterways, changing their color
• This phenomenon poses risks to wildlife and water quality

🔭 The context: The Arctic is warming faster than any other region, causing previously frozen ground to thaw and release minerals into rivers
• This process, known as weathering, increases water acidity and dissolves metals such as zinc, copper, cadmium, and iron
• Researchers have observed these changes since 2018 in northern Alaska’s Brooks Range

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The altered water chemistry threatens drinking water supplies and the health of fisheries in the Arctic
• The presence of dissolved metals in rivers can severely impact aquatic ecosystems, including fish populations and the broader food web

⏭️ What's next: Scientists aim to understand the long-term impacts of these changes in water chemistry on Arctic regions with continuous permafrost
•  This includes collaborations with local communities to monitor and respond to the environmental changes

💬 One quote: “It’s an unforeseen impact of climate change that we’re seeing in some of the most pristine rivers in our country,” said Brett Poulin, assistant professor of environmental toxicology at University of California Davis

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