Reservoirs Tagged as Global Warming Source

Reservoirs Tagged as Global Warming Source

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Reservoirs behind dams have been identified as new culprits in global warming, releasing greenhouse gases as water levels go up and down, U.S. researchers say.

Researchers at Washington State University-Vancouver measured dissolved gases in the water column of a reservoir in Clark County and found methane emissions jumped 20-fold when the water level was drawn down, the school reported. Methane can trap 25 times more heat in the Earth’s atmosphere than carbon dioxide, the researchers said.