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August 4, 2009

River in Rain Forest

A river running through a rain forest.

Rapid deforestation in many tropical regions of the world is causing increased erosion and silt buildup in rivers. This added silt can lead to flooding, because there are no trees to slow the runoff. Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) study the hydrological cycle and other phenomena that connect the Earth's surface and it's atmosphere.

NCAR is supported by the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies to provide facilities and support for a wide range of studies in the atmospheric and related sciences. NCAR is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of universities that grants Ph.D.s in fields related to atmospheric science. UCAR's primary function is managing NCAR. To learn more, visit the NCAR website, Here.

Credit: ©University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; photo by Patrick Zimmerman

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