Wounded Waters

The report details how U.S. power plants impact water resources through massive withdrawals and the discharge of heated, chemically treated water. It highlights the ecological damage caused by once-through cooling systems—such as fish impingement and entrainment—and the risks of toxic chemical leaks from coal ash ponds. The document argues for a transition to closed-cycle and dry-cooling technologies to mitigate these effects and ensure power system reliability during droughts. It also critiques the current state-led enforcement of the Clean Water Act, calling for more consistent federal standards and cumulative impact assessments.

• The U.S. electricity generation industry withdraws approximately 15 percent of the total annual freshwater flow in the United States, which is more than half the volume of Lake Erie.
• Once-through cooling is the most prevalent technology in the U.S., accounting for about 52 percent of generation, but it causes severe aquatic damage through the impingement and entrainment of fish and shellfish.
• Dry-cooling technology, used by only about one percent of U.S. plants, significantly reduces water demand and allows for more flexible plant siting away from ecologically sensitive waters.
• Thermal discharges from power plants can create temperature deltas exceeding 25°F, which can destroy vegetation, deplete oxygen, and cause 'cold shocks' to species during plant shutdowns.
• The use of Tributyltin (TBT) as a biocide in cooling towers is highly toxic to aquatic environments, persistent in sediments, and has been linked to the masculinization of female fish.
• Coal combustion waste disposal can lead to severe groundwater contamination; in Pines, Indiana, residential wells were found to have manganese, arsenic, lead, boron, and molybdenum levels far exceeding drinking water standards.
• Drought conditions threaten power system reliability by lowering water levels below intake structures and increasing the temperature of receiving waters, which can lead to plant curtailments or shutdowns.
• The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program is criticized for a lack of predictability and guidance, with over 10 percent of Clean Water Act violations categorized as 'significant non-compliance'.

APA

Baum, E. (2004). Wounded Waters. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093532/Wounded_Waters.pdf

Chicago

Baum, Ellen. Wounded Waters. Clean Air Task Force, 2004. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093532/Wounded_Waters.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Baum |first1=Ellen |title=Wounded Waters |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=February 2004 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093532/Wounded_Waters.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{baum2004wounded, author = {Baum, Ellen}, title = {{Wounded Waters}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2004}, month = feb, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093532/Wounded_Waters.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }