WATERSHED DOWN: Local experts are calling the collapse of two dams at a Brazilian mining site along the Rio Doce an environmental catastrophe, with indefinite repercussions to inhabitants and wildlife. The dam failure released an estimated 187 oil tankers worth of orange water laden with arsenic, mercury, and other chemicals into the valley.

DRY WITH A CHANCE OF BLEAK: On Friday, California Govenor Jerry Brown extended water restrictions first imposed this April. The order will also assist in making the best use of predicted El Niño rainfall and could continue until October 2016.

SEAFOOD FOR THOUGHT: The first genetically modified organism has been approved by the FDA for human consumption—a fast-growing Atlantic salmon. The developers say the modifications will create more food with less stress on the environment, but the fish will not be required to be labeled as a GMO product when they hit the shelves.

NEW SIERRA TO VISIT: On Monday, Peru announced the creation of a 3.3 million acre national park called Sierra del Divisor, which will protect thousands of species and completes a 67 million acre Andes-to-Amazon conservation corridor into Brazil. The president cited the land’s value as a massive carbon sink and repeated the country’s pledge to climate change mitigation.

NEIGHBORLY DUTY: The improving relationship between America and Cuba is now benefiting marine life. On Wednesday, the two nations signed a historic environmental agreement to jointly protect and study the fragile ecosystems located in the waters between them.