Nation’s largest reservoirs see record low water levels, coral cells consume algae, mammoth goldfish plague Minnesota, surfing for cleaner beaches…

[View in your browser]( [ecowatch]( Top Posts [ ​In Today's Eco Update - Record low water levels in nation's largest water reservoirs. - Coral cells can swallow algae. - Dumped goldfish are growing and disrupting ecosystems. And learn more about surfing for cleaner beaches. – summaries below written by [Angely Mercado]( [post_image]( [Reservoirs at Record Low Water Levels]( The U.S. federal government may soon declare a first-ever water shortage in the Colorado River basin by 2022 at the latest. Declaring a water shortage would mean having mandatory water cuts in the Lower Basin States as two reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have hit record lows after a 21 year decline in the water levels. The Colorado River, which flows through these states, is more than 1,400 miles long and serves about 40 million people across the West. Farmers and Indigenous tribal nations have been hit the hardest by the lower water levels after years of struggling to secure their share of the river's water. But residents out West don't just get drinking water from the Colorado River, it also powers hydroelectric dams. That includes the Hoover Dam, which produces roughly 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power which is enough to serve 1.3 million people. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=Reservoirs at Record Low Water Levels&body= [post_image]( [Scientists Observe Coral Cells Swallowing Algae for First Time]( Coral and algae exist side by side— coral provides shelter, and the algae provides energy and color. However, scientists recently observed a never seen before moment when coral sells began to consume single-celled algae as the beginning of that mutually beneficial relationships. A study that was recently published in [Frontiers in Marine Science]( described how researchers saw the coral cells enveloped the algae. Coral cells are notoriously difficult to culture, which is why scientists have been unable to closely observe parts of the coral to algae relationship in the past. They've had to previously observe species with similar cells to corals like sea anemones. But this past April, a Japanese research team announced that they had successfully cultured a stony coral in a lab. That same species was later used to simulate the naturally occurring coral and algae relationship in a lab setting. Both the coral and the algae were added to a petri dish. About 40 percent of the corals formed finger-like appendages that reached out and "swallowed" the algae within 30 minutes. Within 24 hours, about half of the coral cells had engulfed the algae cells. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=Scientists Observe Coral Cells Swallowing Algae for First Time&body= [post_image]( [Pet Goldfish Dumped in Minnesota Lakes Are Disrupting Ecosystems]( Pet goldfish are being dumped into Minnesota's local waterways and growing to be the size of footballs. Releasing unwanted pet fish is called "illegal fish stocking," and it is hurting Minnesota's natural fish communities and ecosystems. The sci-fi sized fish are contributing to poor water quality for native species by "mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants," according to the the City of Burnsville. To tackle the presence of the football-like goldfish the city is working with Carp Solutions, a company that develops technology to control carp populations. Like carp, goldfish can survive on low levels of oxygen and easily reproduce in different waterways. Officials and researchers have tried to raise awareness for the damage dumped goldfish have caused native species and different ecosystems. Last November Minnesota officials removed about [50,000 goldfish]( from local waters, and researchers have also found thousands of goldfish in Nevada's Lake Tahoe. The species is also currently wreaking havoc in Canada, Australia, and even across Europe. Officials are urging people to learn how to humanely put them down or give them up for adoption instead of dumping them into local waters. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=Pet Goldfish Dumped in Minnesota Lakes Are Disrupting Ecosystems&body= [post_image]( [How You Can Surf the ‘Clean Wave’ Against Beach Pollution]( 10 days, 1,200 miles, countless surf breaks, 15 popular beaches to clean up — and you. All these things are coming together under the auspices of a new movement to combat [plastic pollution]( and raise awareness for ocean conservation. Catch a Clean Wave is the brainchild of Kona Brewing Co., a Hawaiian-born beer brand. The journey began this week when professional surfer Anna Gudauskas and water photographer Sarah Lee hit the water in their bid to surf for change. Now, they and Kona are inviting you to join in and Catch the Clean Wave, too. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png](  [twitter](  [linkedin](  [email](mailto:?subject=How You Can Surf the ‘Clean Wave’ Against Beach Pollution&body= All rights reserved. [facebook](  [twitter](  [instagram]( [Unsubscribe]( {EMAIL} [Update Profile]( [about our service provider]( Sent by contact@ecowatch.com