No quick fix

Lakes and streams in Europe’s highlands may not become acid-free in the near
future even though power stations are cutting their sulphur dioxide emissions by
up to 90 per cent under a Europe-wide agreement. A report by the Institute of
Hydrology in Oxfordshire on how chemicals flush through Welsh river catchments,
especially after flooding, suggests that even such draconian cuts will not have
an immediate effect. The report says that underground reservoirs of acid built
up over many years may keep on pumping acid into streams for decades to
come.