Browse Water Stories - Page 9

The smell of foul odors as well as the sight of brown or red, slimy substances or an oily sheen on the surface of streams and wetlands has some people concerned about water quality. Solid, rust-colored particles are actually a naturally occurring result of iron bacteria. It doesn't pose any human health risks, but the red, slimy sludge can clog pipes and pumps when using well water.

Thanks to technology and manufacturers’ attempts to please the ever-demanding consumer, washing machines have become more “intelligent” and able to detect soil levels and water needs. Before buying a new one, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension home experts suggest asking yourself a few very important questions.

Ann M. Steensland, deputy director for the Global Harvest Initiative, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Sixth Annual International Agriculture Day reception. The event will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, at the Georgia Museum of Art. Hosted by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Global Programs, the talk and reception are free and open to the public.

With warmer temperatures around the corner, Georgia’s mosquito season won’t be far behind. This year the remote chance of a southeastern U.S. outbreak of Zika — a mosquito-borne virus now prevalent in parts of South America — has university and public health officials doubling down on their message of how to control the pest.

After a record-setting warm December 2015, January 2016 in Georgia was slightly cooler and drier than normal. While El Niño conditions mean a continuation of slightly cooler-than-normal conditions in February, it should also mean a wetter-than-normal month.

The University of Georgia is world renown for its turfgrass breeding program so much so that the cultivars of grass produced by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are used in high profile sporting arenas and golf courses worldwide. This weekend, millions of viewers will see one of the college's most accomplished turfgrasses in action, as the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers play in Super Bowl 50.

Spring water from springs scattered across north Georgia may taste better than tap water, but that doesn’t mean it is safe to drink. The truth is that these spring water sources are not tested or treated.

This year’s peanut yields in Georgia was among the state’s highest, but University of Georgia peanut agronomist Scott Monfort fears that next year’s crop will be vulnerable to increased disease pressure.

Eggplant producers should consider decreasing their current irrigation usage, according to University of Georgia research horticulturist Juan Carlos Díaz-Pérez. Doing so saves water and money.

After ending 2015 with some record-breaking warm and wet weather, Georgia’s fruit and tree nut farmers are concerned that the lack of chill hours and soggy soil could damage their crops.