The latest news from Eawag

A sudden drop in temperature in Lake Geneva over the Whitsun weekend is leaving swimmers feeling chilly: within a few days, the surface water temperature near the city of Geneva fell by around 8 degrees. This is due to a natural phenomenon that can be observed impressively on the Alplakes platform.

Tyre abrasion gets from the road into adjacent soils and affects soil organisms. A joint study by the Ecotox Centre, the aquatic research institute Eawag and the EPFL now shows that earthworms avoid soil that is heavily contaminated with tyre particles. However, the particles had no negative effects on the survival and reproduction of the animals.

The year 2024 was very warm and very wet, especially in early summer. This led to a welcome replenishment of groundwater reservoirs and record hydropower production, but also to severe flooding. In Bern, the focus was on the further expansion of hydropower and the pollution of water resources by pesticides and the "eternal chemicals" PFAS.

The diversity of whitefish species in Swiss lakes is unique and plays a central role in lake ecosystems. A comprehensive Eawag report now summarises the results of 150 years of research on these fish. They make it clear that the mechanisms and environmental conditions that have contributed to their development must be taken into account in order to preserve this species diversity. Last but not least, protecting whitefish diversity helps to preserve the natural yield potential of lakes as a source of food for humans.

To contain the spread of the invasive quagga mussel, Eawag researchers recommend swift action based on comprehensive prevention, early detection and containment.

To predict toxic algal blooms, researchers from Eawag recommend a combination of species identification and chemical measurements. Now, a new study confirms that there is no magic formula and that, instead, specific indicator molecules are needed for each lake.