When it comes to water shortages in the American west, places like Arizona, Nevada or even Colorado probably come to mind – places with typically arid landscapes fed by increasingly scarce rivers. What probably doesn’t come to mind is Alaska. Alaska is home to lush temperate rainforests, rivers full of migrating salmon, and plenty of rain, so water shortages seem unlikely in our northernmost state. But despite conceptions about the state, there have been some serious water shortages among some communities in Alaska. Recently a summer drought like none other on record has hit southern Alaska hard. The US Drought monitor lists most of the southern part of Alaska as being in abnormally dry conditions to an extreme drought. As of September 3, more than 5% of Alaska was in a severe drought, the most extreme drought in Alaska in 20 years. On September 9, KTOO Public Mediareported that Seldovia the community reservoir held enough water for only 16 days. To view the full article visit Earth.com.
