Orange rivers and melting glaciers: federal report shows rapid change in the Arctic

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Source: feeds.npr.org
The orange tributary of the Kugororuk River in Alaska is an example of a "rusting river." These rivers are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska, the result of thawing permafrost. The orange color is caused by naturally occurring iron, but it can also indicate elevated levels of heavy metals.

This year's Arctic Report Card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finds that the northernmost part of the Earth is warming faster than the global average, leading to melting glaciers, shifting fish populations, and rivers running orange.

(Image credit: Josh Koch)

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