"Behold the tiny oyster. No, not on the half-shell, with a squirt of lemon, but in its watery habitat, the Choptank River. Out there on a reef with many other oysters, the bivalve is awesome, a janitor that helps remove pollution with incredible efficiency."

"Recent flooding of the 263-mile-long Grand River led to runoff issues, sewage overflows, and an increased awareness of the river’s significance to the region."

"The Obama administration has agreed by July 1 to map out areas to protect nesting beaches for endangered loggerhead sea turtles as part of a legal settlement with conservation groups."

"By taking sophisticated instrument readings of the snow depth and reflected sunlight, researchers hope to improve the accuracy of runoff forecasts."

"The founders never expected to live in the desert; the Constitution's primary mechanism for divvying up shared water doesn't work."

"Scientists say waste-treatment plants must follow subways and power stations in being protected against climate change."

"A federal jury didn't hear from prosecutors about toxic chemicals in the drinking water of south suburban Crestwood. Or about higher-than-normal cancer rates in the working-class village. But on Monday, the jury ensured that the only public official to stand trial in the tainted water scandal will be held accountable for a more than 20-year scheme to conceal the secret use of a Crestwood well — crimes uncovered by a 2009 Tribune investigation."

"Flood-weary residents of North Dakota bracing for a possible record inundation got their first touch of good news on Wednesday when officials said the swollen Red River would crest at lower than anticipated levels next week."