How does climate change affect some of the not-so-obvious programs, such as decisions made at remediation sites or sizing decisions for stormwater?By the way, the new stormwater manual, put out by the Stormwater Steering Committee, has a chapter (PDF) on unified stormwater sizing criteria.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Will climate change change stormwater?
At the water issues meeting on April 27, MPCA Peter Ciborowski (Air Assessment & Environmental Data Management--and resident expert on climate change) provided a thorough and engaging presentation to a packed audience on potential impacts of climate change on water resources. As a follow-up, the Water People will hold a meeting on May 11 (internal) to discuss it:
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Unrelated story
Last night I was in a serious car accident, but no one was hurt seriously. In fact, all four carpool passengers are back at work in St. Paul this morning. I'm a little sore.
It was raining hard and we were headed north on 35W in the right lane, when a 1989 Cadillac dropped its left tires onto the softened shoulder, lost control, then careened into the side of our 2003 Buick LeSabre. Our car was turned to the left and we shot across the left lane, down into the grassy median--sideways--then north onto the southbound passing lane. Our driver, my mother-in-law, was able to steer the car back into the median before we were met by any traffic.
No one was seriously hurt--apparently the drivers of the Cadillac are OK, too. The drivers' side, side-airbag probably saved our driver's shoulder, but the woman on the left in the back seat was taken for X-rays as a precaution. Only one window shattered, but there was glass and mud everywhere inside. Both passengers in the back seats found glass later in their hair and clothing--even in their nose and ears.
We're thankful to be alive and I thank God for saving us. He's faithful.
'What does this have to do with stormwater?' you're asking yourself, right? None, really, except that rain contributed to the accident and a stormwater blogger has only a crick in his neck after what could have been a major disaster.
-Dan
It was raining hard and we were headed north on 35W in the right lane, when a 1989 Cadillac dropped its left tires onto the softened shoulder, lost control, then careened into the side of our 2003 Buick LeSabre. Our car was turned to the left and we shot across the left lane, down into the grassy median--sideways--then north onto the southbound passing lane. Our driver, my mother-in-law, was able to steer the car back into the median before we were met by any traffic.
No one was seriously hurt--apparently the drivers of the Cadillac are OK, too. The drivers' side, side-airbag probably saved our driver's shoulder, but the woman on the left in the back seat was taken for X-rays as a precaution. Only one window shattered, but there was glass and mud everywhere inside. Both passengers in the back seats found glass later in their hair and clothing--even in their nose and ears.
We're thankful to be alive and I thank God for saving us. He's faithful.
'What does this have to do with stormwater?' you're asking yourself, right? None, really, except that rain contributed to the accident and a stormwater blogger has only a crick in his neck after what could have been a major disaster.
-Dan
Monday, May 01, 2006
Hard soil
It rained all weekend, but we still managed to get some trees and plants in the ground. We ordered trees through the local conservation district--they were delivered this weekend so there wasn't any choice. Meanwhile, I was dead-set on getting gutters and a rain barrel set up, but it didn't work out. I had planned to get up on a ladder even if it was raining. (Watching the water drip away was disappointing.) But the lawn was thirsty and I think it should go green as soon as the sun comes back.
One thing though ... while digging holes for new trees, we found gravel-ly dirt right under the grass. Aha! that's what I thought: They rolled out the sod on top of unprepared soil.
I've learned that while it is beneficial to a city's storm sewer system to have gutters drain onto lawns instead of going directly to the street ... soil under lawns in new developments is too compact to receive much water. Construction equipment used to build the house compact it down hard.
-Dan
One thing though ... while digging holes for new trees, we found gravel-ly dirt right under the grass. Aha! that's what I thought: They rolled out the sod on top of unprepared soil.
I've learned that while it is beneficial to a city's storm sewer system to have gutters drain onto lawns instead of going directly to the street ... soil under lawns in new developments is too compact to receive much water. Construction equipment used to build the house compact it down hard.
-Dan
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