Daily Roundup: August 16, 2011

Losing Lifelines: As drought-stricken regions of the U.S. continue to get above average temperatures, crucial water pipes are exploding from increased demand. ThinkProgress

With Great Power... Japan will transfer the duty of regulating its nuclear power plants from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to the Ministry of the Environment. Reuters

Still Life: A three-year, seven-country mammal study has captured 50,000 camera-trap images of some of the world's most threatened species. CNN

The Catch: Shell stated that seepage from the primary leak in its North Sea pipeline has declined to one barrel a day. Meanwhile, a second leak point has been discovered. BBC News

Grisly Proposition: Montana's grizzly population has increased four-fold since 1975. But the bears are becoming a nuisance to farmers, prompting the Fish and Wildlife Service to consider downgrading their "threatened" status. New York Times

--Colin Griffin