Reservoirs Tagged as Global Warming Source

Reservoirs Tagged as Global Warming Source

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.