Dams are the latest global warming culprits, according to researchers at Washington State University. The reservoirs created by dams are hotbeds for methane gas-producing life. When engineers lower water levels through drawdowns, methane release increases 20-fold. 鈥淩eservoirs have typically been looked at as a green energy source,鈥 says聽Bridget Deemer, a doctoral student at Washington State University, Vancouver. 鈥淏ut their role in greenhouse gas emissions has been overlooked.鈥 concluded that reservoir emissions could shave off a quarter of the terrestrial ecosystem鈥檚 ability to soak up greenhouse gas emissions. But by timing drawdowns for colder months, engineers might be able to limit the amount of methane released into the environment.
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