SC Water for People & Environment: Impacts of Desalination on Marine Ecosystems
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Sierra Club: Water for People & Environment
Virtual: Impacts of Seawater Desalination on Marine Ecosystems in Texas
Monday, June 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Link to register: June Water for People & the Environment Committee: Seawater Desalination In TX
This is the Water for People & Environment Committee's meeting for all Texans interested in water issues, advocacy, organizing and networking.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Jim Tolan, former Marine Biologist at Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Join us for a discussion on the impacts of seawater desalination on coastal ecosystems in Texas. While conversations around desalination often focus on brine discharge and salinity, this presentation will explore another side of the issue that receives far less attention: seawater intake and its potential effects on plankton and the broader marine ecosystem.
With 8 state-funded and at least 3 privately funded seawater desalination proposals currently in Texas, understanding the ecological impacts of seawater intake is becoming increasingly important. This discussion will explore why bays and estuaries are especially sensitive environments and highlight the potential impacts of intake systems on plankton, fish eggs, larvae, and other early life stages of marine species that support our unique coastal ecosystems.