National Indicators reflect the range of estimated probabilities (expressed as a frequency of occurrence) of a species occurring in wetlands versus non-wetland across the entire distribution of the species. A frequency, for example, of 67%-99% (Facultative Wetland) means that 67%-99% of sample plots containing the species randomly selected across the range of the species would be wetland. When two indicators are given, they reflect the range from the lowest to the highest frequency of occurrence in wetlands across the regions in which the species is found. A positive (+) or negative (-) sign was used with the Facultative Indicator categories to more specifically define the regional frequency of occurrence in wetlands. The positive sign indicates a frequency toward the higher end of the category (more frequently found in wetlands), and a negative sign indicates a frequency toward the lower end of the category (less frequently found in wetlands). A question mark (?) following a National Indicator denotes a tentative assignment based on the botanical literature and not confirmed by regional review
read more from this site and much more on your erosion site when you subscribe for pennies per day
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion is a problem for those who live near coasts and for marine organisms living along the coast in bays, estuaries, and shallow waters. We have seen that beaches change with the seasons, and that tsunamis and storm surges can erode coasts. How important is coastal erosion? Are we making it better or worse? What causes erosion? Can it be prevented? Or do we want to allow erosion as a natural process?
Read this and more in your Coastal Erosion category
Read this and more in your Coastal Erosion category
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
New page of erosion articles
EPA Targets Construction-Site Pollution
WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule Monday aimed at reducing pollution from construction sites, saying that it will significantly improve the quality of water nationwide.
The rule will be phased in over four years, starting in February, and when it is fully in effect, the EPA estimates there will be four billion fewer pounds of sediment discharged from construction sites each year.
Visit your newest erosion article page to read this and many more
WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule Monday aimed at reducing pollution from construction sites, saying that it will significantly improve the quality of water nationwide.
The rule will be phased in over four years, starting in February, and when it is fully in effect, the EPA estimates there will be four billion fewer pounds of sediment discharged from construction sites each year.
Visit your newest erosion article page to read this and many more
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Hydromulch - Cure for the Afterburn
Watch this fascinating video of a true result / method of man's ingenuity to combat the aftereffect of wild fires
If you know of similar actions please contact us and the result (s) will be posted for all to share
Click here
If you know of similar actions please contact us and the result (s) will be posted for all to share
Click here
Monday, September 28, 2009
Erosion and Sedimentation Program
Erosion and Sedimentation Mission: To allow development within our State while preventing pollution by sedimentation
Visit your newest addition
Visit your newest addition
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Aerial Hydromulching Questions and Answers
What is hydromulch?
The hydromulch consists of wood mulch, recycled paper, water and a tackifier, which is guar gum based and binds the ingredients together. Green dye helps the pilots monitor application, but the hydromulch will turn gray after a few days on the ground.
How does hydromulching help the burned area recover?
The hydromulch hardens a few days after application and binds to the soil on the hillside to minimize soil movement. The mixture traps moisture and creates an environment in which seeds can sprout. Eventually, the new vegetation takes over its natural role in stabilizing the soil.
Read more about erosion after wildfires
The hydromulch consists of wood mulch, recycled paper, water and a tackifier, which is guar gum based and binds the ingredients together. Green dye helps the pilots monitor application, but the hydromulch will turn gray after a few days on the ground.
How does hydromulching help the burned area recover?
The hydromulch hardens a few days after application and binds to the soil on the hillside to minimize soil movement. The mixture traps moisture and creates an environment in which seeds can sprout. Eventually, the new vegetation takes over its natural role in stabilizing the soil.
Read more about erosion after wildfires
Monday, July 13, 2009
Asbestos Contaminated Soils Up-Date
Asbestos Testing and Treatments in Soils.
When we hear the word "asbestos" you often think back on the controversy of the late 1970’s when it became common knowledge that asbestos was indeed a human health hazard. Asbestos however, is still a relevant hazard today in a number of different capacities. While most asbestos containing products were banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, unfortunately it still exists in hundreds of older products as well as in trace amounts in newly manufactured products. Among new products that may still contain asbestos are soil retention enhancers, particularly vermiculite.1
Asbestos is a term used for several naturally-occurring fibrous minerals.
Asbestos most commonly occurs in ultramafic rock that has undergone partial
or complete alteration to serpentine rock, and often contains chrysotile asbestos.
Another form of asbestos, tremolite, can be found associated with ultramafic rock,particularly near faults.
Asbestos fibers are released from rock when it is crushed or broken and through natural weathering processes. The fibers are tiny and may be invisible to the naked eye. Since this rock may be present in the soils around your home, or may have been used in the past on your driveway or walkway, there is a potential for asbestos exposures where you live. This could happen through routine activities that crush asbestos-containing rock or create dust in soils that contain asbestos fibers.
Over the last five to ten years, the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated property, commonly called "brownfields," has become more prevalent, in part due to both federal and state legislation which makes remediation of contaminated property easier, and provides additional liability protections for those undertaking cleanups.
A "brownfield" is generally defined as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant."
Risk Assessment has become the essential tool for site investigations as the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) Part IIA requires a risk based approach to be used when assessing potentially or actually contaminated sites. This risk based approach is also required as part of the planning process for new developments.
Asbestos is a routine analyte in contaminated land investigations and is a potential contaminant for a range of historic land uses due to its widespread use as described in CLR 8: Potential Contaminants for the Assessment of Land and historic Department of Environment Industry Profiles.
Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) includes fibrous minerals found in certain types of rock formations. (NOA) can take the form of long, thin, separable fibers. Natural weathering or human disturbance can break NOA down to microscopic fibers, easily suspended in air.
There is no health threat if (NOA) remains undisturbed and does not become airborne. When airborne (NOA) is inhaled, these thin fibers irritate tissues and resist the body's natural defenses. Asbestos, a known carcinogen, causes cancers of the lung and the lining of internal organs, as well as asbestosis and other diseases that inhibit lung function. Covering (NOA) with clean soil or planting grass reduces exposure.
Often soil and vermiculite material will contain asbestos fibers either as naturally occurring asbestos in rock, such as serpentine, or as contamination from asbestos removal activities. The need to identify the presence of asbestos fibers in & of these materials may often be necessary prior to alteration, remediation, or removal of such material.
Serpentine rock is often a component of road material, parking lots, playground surfaces, waste piles, and general excavation and construction sites.
Workplace exposure to asbestos is heavily legislated and a clear regime of guidance exists for contamination on land via the EA's CLR/CLEA publications.3
But there is no standard remedial level for asbestos in soils or for airborne monitoring for asbestos in the environment.
Once free, asbestos fibers may stay in the soil or remain airborne for a long time.2
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ...
Some examples of these activities are:
For construction, paving, school, development, excavation, mining, and other related companies, the CARB 435 method4 allows clients to check for asbestos with accuracy before they excavate
These technical and regulatory guidelines were developed to provide all stakeholders(technology users, technology developers, the regulated community, and the public) with some degree of predictability and consistency in technology deployment from state to state.
States reserve the right to go beyond these guidelines, but should have a rationale for doing so.5
Health Hazard
This health consultation has been prepared in response to the request made by the City of Nashau to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services(DHHS) for assistance in evaluating the health hazard associated with potential exposure to asbestos contaminated soils excavated during a public works project in the City of Nashua. Specifically, this document evaluates the soil and air sampling data that was collected to evaluate the potential release of asbestos fibers to the community during removal activities at the Sargeant Avenue and Broad Street sites.
This health consultation has been prepared by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community and Public Health, Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health (DHHS) through a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).6
The concept of reducing soil contamination through the use of soil washing and particle size separation is based on the finding that most organic and inorganic contaminants tend to bind preferentially to clay, silt, and organic soil particles.
In the washing process, the fine clay and silt particles are separated from the coarser sand and gravel soil particles. The separated fines and contaminants are dewatered into a dry filter cake suitable for off-site disposal. Additional treatment of the sand and gravel fractions maybe incorporated into the process as needed. The cleaned sand and gravel fraction can be returned to the site.
From a feed stream of basically granular soils, the product streams would include contaminated coarse organics, clean coarse and sand products, contaminated fine organics and contaminated silts and clays. Water used within the system is continuously recycled as part of the process.
Contaminants treatable by soils washing include
Mr. Groenendijk continues "The effectiveness of soil washing is based on separation of contaminants in a water based process. In principle asbestos can be separated from the soil in the washing process depending on the physical form of the asbestos and soil type. The optimal remediation and soil treatment approach for each site depends on project specific conditions and is determined in a technical feasibility study."
Because of the wide variability among states, these guidelines do not include any emission criteria for air, or cleanup criteria for soil or water.
A Work in Progress 7
Work is ongoing at the former Vospers shipyard (Woolston Riverside, Southampton) to develop a solution for contamination issues that include asbestos in soils. CampbellReith12, on behalf of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), has implemented a series of trials and research experiments to help clarify the level of risk presented by varying levels and types of asbestos in soils.
Asbestos-contaminated soil cleanup guidance8
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division (the Division) has established specific management requirements for asbestos-contaminated soil under Section 5.5 of the Regulations Pertaining to Solid Waste Disposal Sites and Facilities (6 CCR 1007-2), effective April 30, 2006.
Fungi iron-out asbestos pollution
Bioremediation might make fibre-contaminated soil safer.
"Fungi may help decontaminate asbestos-polluted soils," say Silvia Perotto and co-workers at the University of Torino. They have found a fungus that takes the toxic bite out of asbestos fibres.9
References
Spokane Being Tested for Asbestos
As a result of the public health emergency declared in Libby, Montana in June, which resulted from former vermiculite mining, a Spokane (Washington) neighborhood is now undergoing asbestos testing.
Digg It | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Reddit
When we hear the word "asbestos" you often think back on the controversy of the late 1970’s when it became common knowledge that asbestos was indeed a human health hazard. Asbestos however, is still a relevant hazard today in a number of different capacities. While most asbestos containing products were banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, unfortunately it still exists in hundreds of older products as well as in trace amounts in newly manufactured products. Among new products that may still contain asbestos are soil retention enhancers, particularly vermiculite.1
Asbestos is a term used for several naturally-occurring fibrous minerals.
Asbestos most commonly occurs in ultramafic rock that has undergone partial
or complete alteration to serpentine rock, and often contains chrysotile asbestos.
Another form of asbestos, tremolite, can be found associated with ultramafic rock,particularly near faults.
Asbestos fibers are released from rock when it is crushed or broken and through natural weathering processes. The fibers are tiny and may be invisible to the naked eye. Since this rock may be present in the soils around your home, or may have been used in the past on your driveway or walkway, there is a potential for asbestos exposures where you live. This could happen through routine activities that crush asbestos-containing rock or create dust in soils that contain asbestos fibers.
Over the last five to ten years, the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated property, commonly called "brownfields," has become more prevalent, in part due to both federal and state legislation which makes remediation of contaminated property easier, and provides additional liability protections for those undertaking cleanups.
A "brownfield" is generally defined as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant."
Risk Assessment has become the essential tool for site investigations as the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) Part IIA requires a risk based approach to be used when assessing potentially or actually contaminated sites. This risk based approach is also required as part of the planning process for new developments.
Asbestos is a routine analyte in contaminated land investigations and is a potential contaminant for a range of historic land uses due to its widespread use as described in CLR 8: Potential Contaminants for the Assessment of Land and historic Department of Environment Industry Profiles.
Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) includes fibrous minerals found in certain types of rock formations. (NOA) can take the form of long, thin, separable fibers. Natural weathering or human disturbance can break NOA down to microscopic fibers, easily suspended in air.
There is no health threat if (NOA) remains undisturbed and does not become airborne. When airborne (NOA) is inhaled, these thin fibers irritate tissues and resist the body's natural defenses. Asbestos, a known carcinogen, causes cancers of the lung and the lining of internal organs, as well as asbestosis and other diseases that inhibit lung function. Covering (NOA) with clean soil or planting grass reduces exposure.
Often soil and vermiculite material will contain asbestos fibers either as naturally occurring asbestos in rock, such as serpentine, or as contamination from asbestos removal activities. The need to identify the presence of asbestos fibers in & of these materials may often be necessary prior to alteration, remediation, or removal of such material.
Serpentine rock is often a component of road material, parking lots, playground surfaces, waste piles, and general excavation and construction sites.
Workplace exposure to asbestos is heavily legislated and a clear regime of guidance exists for contamination on land via the EA's CLR/CLEA publications.3
But there is no standard remedial level for asbestos in soils or for airborne monitoring for asbestos in the environment.
Once free, asbestos fibers may stay in the soil or remain airborne for a long time.2
Some examples of these activities are:
- Driving over areas surfaced with
ultramafic or serpentine rock - Rototilling, plowing the ground, or using a shovel
- Riding horses or moving livestock
- Construction activities, such as pool installationUsing a leaf blower to clean sidewalks
For construction, paving, school, development, excavation, mining, and other related companies, the CARB 435 method4 allows clients to check for asbestos with accuracy before they excavate
These technical and regulatory guidelines were developed to provide all stakeholders(technology users, technology developers, the regulated community, and the public) with some degree of predictability and consistency in technology deployment from state to state.
States reserve the right to go beyond these guidelines, but should have a rationale for doing so.5
This health consultation has been prepared in response to the request made by the City of Nashau to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services(DHHS) for assistance in evaluating the health hazard associated with potential exposure to asbestos contaminated soils excavated during a public works project in the City of Nashua. Specifically, this document evaluates the soil and air sampling data that was collected to evaluate the potential release of asbestos fibers to the community during removal activities at the Sargeant Avenue and Broad Street sites.
This health consultation has been prepared by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community and Public Health, Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health (DHHS) through a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).6
The concept of reducing soil contamination through the use of soil washing and particle size separation is based on the finding that most organic and inorganic contaminants tend to bind preferentially to clay, silt, and organic soil particles.
In the washing process, the fine clay and silt particles are separated from the coarser sand and gravel soil particles. The separated fines and contaminants are dewatered into a dry filter cake suitable for off-site disposal. Additional treatment of the sand and gravel fractions maybe incorporated into the process as needed. The cleaned sand and gravel fraction can be returned to the site.
From a feed stream of basically granular soils, the product streams would include contaminated coarse organics, clean coarse and sand products, contaminated fine organics and contaminated silts and clays. Water used within the system is continuously recycled as part of the process.
Contaminants treatable by soils washing include
- Petroleum
- Hydrocarbons
- Cyanides
- PAH
- Organotins
- Heavy Metals
- Pesticices
- PCB
Mr. Groenendijk continues "The effectiveness of soil washing is based on separation of contaminants in a water based process. In principle asbestos can be separated from the soil in the washing process depending on the physical form of the asbestos and soil type. The optimal remediation and soil treatment approach for each site depends on project specific conditions and is determined in a technical feasibility study."
Because of the wide variability among states, these guidelines do not include any emission criteria for air, or cleanup criteria for soil or water.
Work is ongoing at the former Vospers shipyard (Woolston Riverside, Southampton) to develop a solution for contamination issues that include asbestos in soils. CampbellReith12, on behalf of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), has implemented a series of trials and research experiments to help clarify the level of risk presented by varying levels and types of asbestos in soils.
Asbestos-contaminated soil cleanup guidance8
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division (the Division) has established specific management requirements for asbestos-contaminated soil under Section 5.5 of the Regulations Pertaining to Solid Waste Disposal Sites and Facilities (6 CCR 1007-2), effective April 30, 2006.
Bioremediation might make fibre-contaminated soil safer.
"Fungi may help decontaminate asbestos-polluted soils," say Silvia Perotto and co-workers at the University of Torino. They have found a fungus that takes the toxic bite out of asbestos fibres.9
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Soil Organic Carbon Pools
The amount of carbon locked away in frozen soils in the far Northern Hemisphere is double previous estimates and rapid melting could accelerate global warming, a study released on Wednesday says.
Large areas of northern Russia, Canada, Nordic countries and the U.S. state of Alaska have deep layers of frozen soil near the surface called permafrost. Global warming has already triggered rapid melting of the permafrost in some areas, releasing powerful greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane.
"Massive amounts of carbon stored in frozen soils at high latitudes are increasingly vulnerable to exposure to the atmosphere," said Pep Canadell, executive director of the Global Carbon Project at Australia's state-funded Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Read more
Large areas of northern Russia, Canada, Nordic countries and the U.S. state of Alaska have deep layers of frozen soil near the surface called permafrost. Global warming has already triggered rapid melting of the permafrost in some areas, releasing powerful greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane.
"Massive amounts of carbon stored in frozen soils at high latitudes are increasingly vulnerable to exposure to the atmosphere," said Pep Canadell, executive director of the Global Carbon Project at Australia's state-funded Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Read more
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Erosion Control News
Libby Montana: EPA Ordered Cleanup and Intervention is Dramatic 180 Degree Turn in Policy | The Moderate Voice
The Obama administration has a new take on the duties and budgets of the EPA, not only different, but startlingly so, from previous admins who used the stalling technique for decades to deal with citizens very real chargers re
* Agent Orange exposure during Nam
Black Lung out of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and more
* >Radiation exposure deaths in Utah, New Mexico, Arizona
* Water contamination of cadmium and other heavy minerals, Brownsville
* Land contamination by uranium heaps, Rocky Flats, Colorado
* Johns Manville, asbestos contamination
* Trailer industry, formaldehyde contamination
* Libby Montana, asbestos contamination.
Read this and many more erosion control news
The Obama administration has a new take on the duties and budgets of the EPA, not only different, but startlingly so, from previous admins who used the stalling technique for decades to deal with citizens very real chargers re
* Agent Orange exposure during Nam
Black Lung out of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and more
* >Radiation exposure deaths in Utah, New Mexico, Arizona
* Water contamination of cadmium and other heavy minerals, Brownsville
* Land contamination by uranium heaps, Rocky Flats, Colorado
* Johns Manville, asbestos contamination
* Trailer industry, formaldehyde contamination
* Libby Montana, asbestos contamination.
Read this and many more erosion control news
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Clean up Great Lakes
Barack Obama pledges $475 million for next year
Cleaning up toxic substances and "areas of concern": $146.9 million, or 31 percent. The EPA will control most of the spending ($113.9 million), reducing toxins, including PCBs, mercury, dioxin and pesticides. The Army Corps of Engineers will get another $10 million for this task, and with other agencies will help remove contaminated sediment and other industrial pollution that hampers places like the Cuyahoga and Ashtabula rivers and Lake Erie harbors.
Read this and more erosion news
Cleaning up toxic substances and "areas of concern": $146.9 million, or 31 percent. The EPA will control most of the spending ($113.9 million), reducing toxins, including PCBs, mercury, dioxin and pesticides. The Army Corps of Engineers will get another $10 million for this task, and with other agencies will help remove contaminated sediment and other industrial pollution that hampers places like the Cuyahoga and Ashtabula rivers and Lake Erie harbors.
Read this and more erosion news
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Coastal Erosion
This site was just added to our expanding library of coastal erosion control websites
Save Our Sand: The Inlet Solution > About Terminal Groins
A terminal groin is a sediment management structure that reduces beach erosion by retaining a predetermined amount of sand before it reaches the inlet. ...Save Our Sand: The Inlet Solution > About Terminal Groins
A terminal groin is a sediment management structure that reduces beach erosion by retaining a predetermined amount of sand before it reaches the inlet. ...
Enjoy!
Save Our Sand: The Inlet Solution > About Terminal Groins
A terminal groin is a sediment management structure that reduces beach erosion by retaining a predetermined amount of sand before it reaches the inlet. ...Save Our Sand: The Inlet Solution > About Terminal Groins
A terminal groin is a sediment management structure that reduces beach erosion by retaining a predetermined amount of sand before it reaches the inlet. ...
Enjoy!
Monday, May 4, 2009
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Regarding
PART 91, SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL (SESC),
of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA),
1994 PA 451, as Amended
Why is erosion and sediment control important?
Sediment is the greatest pollutant by volume impacting our lakes, streams, and wetlands. Sediment is the product of uncontrolled erosion. Everyone in Michigan is affected by erosion and off-site sedimentation. Erosion and sedimentation result in: loss of fertile topsoil, filling of lakes and streams, increased flooding, damage to plant and animal life, and structural damage to buildings and roads.
Read these frequently asked questions and many more from across the globe
PART 91, SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL (SESC),
of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA),
1994 PA 451, as Amended
Why is erosion and sediment control important?
Sediment is the greatest pollutant by volume impacting our lakes, streams, and wetlands. Sediment is the product of uncontrolled erosion. Everyone in Michigan is affected by erosion and off-site sedimentation. Erosion and sedimentation result in: loss of fertile topsoil, filling of lakes and streams, increased flooding, damage to plant and animal life, and structural damage to buildings and roads.
Read these frequently asked questions and many more from across the globe
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Project will help property owners make erosion prevention decisions
While the latter has been the traditional method of stabilizing shorelines, more natural "green" approaches such as natural buffers and wetland restoration have been touted as more environmentally-friendly, longer-term options.
A project getting under way in North Carolina will help coastal property owners along its sounds and mainland shorelines make more informed decisions about the methods they choose to use.
The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology has awarded a $717,000 grant to the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and the NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research to examine different methods of erosion prevention.
Read full story and many more erosion articles
A project getting under way in North Carolina will help coastal property owners along its sounds and mainland shorelines make more informed decisions about the methods they choose to use.
The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology has awarded a $717,000 grant to the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and the NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research to examine different methods of erosion prevention.
Read full story and many more erosion articles
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Pollution a Major Problem
Some of these pollutants also come from natural sources. For example, forest fires emit particulates and VOCs into the atmosphere. Ultrafine dust particles, dislodged by soil erosion when water and weather loosen layers of soil, increase airborne particulate levels. Volcanoes spew out sulfur dioxide and large amounts of pulverized lava rock known as volcanic ash. A big volcanic eruption can darken the sky over a wide region and affect the Earth’s entire atmosphere. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, for example, dumped enough volcanic ash into the upper atmosphere to lower global temperatures for the next two years. Unlike pollutants from human activity, however, naturally occurring pollutants tend to remain in the atmosphere for a short time and do not lead to permanent atmospheric change.
Read the whole soil erosion article and many more on your newest erosion control blog
Read the whole soil erosion article and many more on your newest erosion control blog
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Erosion's Frequently Asked Questions of Erosion and Sediment Control
Here are a few erosion & sediment control topics that should help you find more solutions to soil, water & wind erosion, regulations, technical papers and other global environmental organizations responsible for environmental cleanup and waste management.
What is water quality trading?
Water quality trading is a voluntary option that regulated point sources can use to meet their NPDES permit limits. Trading can accelerate water quality improvement and reduce compliance costs. Through water quality trading, facilities that face higher pollutant control costs to meet their regulatory obligations can purchase pollutant reduction credits from other sources that can generate these reductions at lower cost, thus achieving the same or better overall water quality improvement. In most cases, trading takes place on a watershed level under a pollutant cap (the total pollutant load that can be assimilated by a waterbody without exceeding water quality standards) developed through the Total Maximum Daily Load process or a similar type of water quality analysis that produces information on pollutant loadings and resulting water quality conditions. Water quality trading is focused on nitrogen and phosphorus though other pollutants may be considered for trading on a case-by-case basis
Visit more of Erosion's Frequently Asked Questions
What is water quality trading?
Water quality trading is a voluntary option that regulated point sources can use to meet their NPDES permit limits. Trading can accelerate water quality improvement and reduce compliance costs. Through water quality trading, facilities that face higher pollutant control costs to meet their regulatory obligations can purchase pollutant reduction credits from other sources that can generate these reductions at lower cost, thus achieving the same or better overall water quality improvement. In most cases, trading takes place on a watershed level under a pollutant cap (the total pollutant load that can be assimilated by a waterbody without exceeding water quality standards) developed through the Total Maximum Daily Load process or a similar type of water quality analysis that produces information on pollutant loadings and resulting water quality conditions. Water quality trading is focused on nitrogen and phosphorus though other pollutants may be considered for trading on a case-by-case basis
Visit more of Erosion's Frequently Asked Questions
Saturday, March 28, 2009
UN plans guide to fighting climate-change disasters
OSLO, March 24 (Reuters) - A proposed U.N. study of climate extremes will be a practical guide for tackling natural disasters and fill a gap in past reports focused on the gradual effects of global warming, experts said.
Floods, mudslides, droughts, heatwaves or storms are often the main causes of destruction and human suffering tied to climate change, rather than the creeping rise in average temperatures blamed on a build-up of greenhouse gases.
Read this erosion article and more here
Floods, mudslides, droughts, heatwaves or storms are often the main causes of destruction and human suffering tied to climate change, rather than the creeping rise in average temperatures blamed on a build-up of greenhouse gases.
Read this erosion article and more here
Monday, March 16, 2009
Newest Erosion Articles Page
www.erosioncontrolforum.com specifies erosion control products for a wide range of projects, which is why your erosion blog informs you of news, product information, and articles about this topic regularly. This reference provides an index of relevant associations, events, resources, and articles about erosion control.
View Erosion Articles
View Erosion Articles
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ecosystem Featured Website
The degradation of the world's ecosystems and the services they provide is creating a range of risks and opportunities for companies (see map). The ESR is a promising approach for preparing managers for this new business landscape.
Visit this ecosystem website
Visit this ecosystem website
Soil erosion articles
Wetlands erosion raises hurricane risks
The very technology that protects New Orleans from flooding has backfired, environmental experts say.
They say the levees that ring the city have led to the rapid decay of nearby wetlands during the past century, removing a crucial buffer zone that once protected the area from hurricanes.
Read this and more on your new erosion article page found here
The very technology that protects New Orleans from flooding has backfired, environmental experts say.
They say the levees that ring the city have led to the rapid decay of nearby wetlands during the past century, removing a crucial buffer zone that once protected the area from hurricanes.
Read this and more on your new erosion article page found here
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Buy High Sell Low
Press Release 09-019
Could Sea Level Rise to the Steps of the U.S. Capitol?
Global warming raises the specter of melting glaciers and ice sheets at both ends of the globe. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet, roughly the size of Texas, extends over both land and water west of Antarctica's Transantarctic mountains. Even partial melting of this vast ice sheet would cause a significant rise in sea level.
But that sea level rise would not happen uniformly around the globe, according to an article in Science magazine. The authors show that when physical and gravitational factors are applied to projections of sea level rise, the impact on coastal areas is dramatically worse in some parts of the world than predicted so far.
Even partial melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would have serious consequences, unevenly felt around the world
Oregon State University glacial geologist Peter U. Clark, along with University of Toronto professor of geophysics Jerry X. Mitrovica and graduate student Natalya Gomez, discusses the variation in sea-level rise around the world that would result from melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of $6.06 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to over 1,900 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 45,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes over 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $400 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
Credit: University of Toronto, Oregon State University, and National Science Foundation
Could Sea Level Rise to the Steps of the U.S. Capitol?
Global warming raises the specter of melting glaciers and ice sheets at both ends of the globe. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet, roughly the size of Texas, extends over both land and water west of Antarctica's Transantarctic mountains. Even partial melting of this vast ice sheet would cause a significant rise in sea level.
But that sea level rise would not happen uniformly around the globe, according to an article in Science magazine. The authors show that when physical and gravitational factors are applied to projections of sea level rise, the impact on coastal areas is dramatically worse in some parts of the world than predicted so far.
Even partial melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would have serious consequences, unevenly felt around the world
Oregon State University glacial geologist Peter U. Clark, along with University of Toronto professor of geophysics Jerry X. Mitrovica and graduate student Natalya Gomez, discusses the variation in sea-level rise around the world that would result from melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of $6.06 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to over 1,900 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 45,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes over 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $400 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
Credit: University of Toronto, Oregon State University, and National Science Foundation
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Erosion Articles on the Web | Enhance Students' Ecological Awareness
Here are a few more erosion articles that will help you discover solutions to soils' erosion, regulations, technical papers and others at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
In addition, these erosion articles link back to your Erosion Website.
Quickly find Best Management Practices for Erosion's products, equipment, and services.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
EPA releases report on sea level rise
The US Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with other agencies, has released a report that discusses the impacts of sea level rise on the coast, coastal communities, and the habitats and species that depend on them. The report, Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region, examines multiple opportunities for governments and coastal communities to plan for and adapt to rising sea levels. Sea-level rise can affect coastal communities and habitats in a variety of different ways, including submerging low-lying lands, eroding beaches, converting wetlands to open water, intensifying coastal flooding, and increasing the salinity of estuaries and freshwater aquifers. It is caused by a number of natural and human-induced factors and can vary by region. Some impacts of sea-level rise can already be observed along the U.S. coast.
The primary causes of global sea-level rise are the expansion of ocean water due to warming and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. Locally, sea-level rise is also influenced by changes to the geology of coastal land, making coastal elevation mapping an important area of future study. The Mid-Atlantic region, the focus of this report, is one of the areas in the U.S. that will likely see the greatest impacts due to rising waters, coastal storms, and a high concentration of population along the coastline.
EPA led the development of the report with significant contributions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The report is one of 21 climate change synthesis and assessment products commissioned by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP). CCSP was established in 2002 to provide the U.S. with science-based knowledge to manage the risks and opportunities of change in the climate and related environmental systems. The program is responsible for coordinating and integrating the research of 13 federal agencies on climate and global change.
The US Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with other agencies, has released a report that discusses the impacts of sea level rise on the coast, coastal communities, and the habitats and species that depend on them. The report, Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region, examines multiple opportunities for governments and coastal communities to plan for and adapt to rising sea levels. Sea-level rise can affect coastal communities and habitats in a variety of different ways, including submerging low-lying lands, eroding beaches, converting wetlands to ...
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Friday, January 23, 2009
Is this to be our legacy?
I am 56 years old with a vivid memory of my Dad[1].
He is a WW2 vet with 4 years tenure from D–day plus 3 days and 4 years of Germany war experiences, Battle of the Buldge etc.
He never talks of his experience.
One thought that stays in my mind dates back when I was 7–8 years old. We would go hiking and camping in the Adirondack Mts. Dad would stress as we cleaned up our campsite that it was to be left as clean or cleaner than found.
As the years pass, I think how sage is this advice, apropos to today’s histrionics.
The worldwide challenge of remediating the Earth’s increasing inventory of contaminated soils and eliminating toxicity in polluted soils is a daunting one.
Issues such as The PCB Mess in Bloomington, Indiana is but one example.
After about 30 years of manufacturing PCB—filled capacitors and processing defective ones at its Bloomington, Indiana, plant, Westinghouse Electric exited the Big 11 college town, population 74,000. It left behind eight Superfund sites. Westinghouse, however, hasn't finished with Bloomington–it plans to make the town the home of the world's first incinerator to burn municipal solid waste plus hazardous waste–contaminated soil and sewage sludge.
As of 2/5/2009 the contaminated soil remains.
In these extraordinary and challenging times, we must move beyond divisive rhetoric and work together toward a solution that protects our environmental resources and ensure responsible development.
Nature Conservancy scientists say the best course of action is to help nature help us. We can protect and restore habitats that limit and disperse floods, capture carbon emissions and prevent damaging soil erosion.
We must promote environmental stewardship, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improve energy efficiency.
One solution we might explore is green remediation. Green remediation is a elatively new approach to environmental cleanup; beyond the traditional methods through the addition of best management practices(BMPs) and a series of new criteria for decision making.
EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is working with private and public partners to promote the use of BMPs for green remediation at contaminated stes throughout the United States.
Rainwater running off construction sites and sand and gravel operations can carry sediments, oil and various other pollutants into nearby streams, ponds and rivers, according to the EPA. Erosion from a one—acre construction site could discharge as much as 20 tons to 150 tons of sediment in one year, if not properly managed. Sediments reduce the storage capacity of drains and waterways, causing flooding, and adversely affect water quality and fish habitat. Sediments and chemicals can also contribute to fish deaths, toxic algae blooms, contaminated shellfish beds and closed swimming beaches.
N—SPECT is a complex yet user–friendly geographic information system (GIS) extension that helps coastal managers and local decision makers predict potential water–quality impacts from nonpoint source pollution and erosion.
Undeveloped land absorbs rainfall like a sponge and slowly releases it. As we build our homes, schools, office buildings and highways, though, we drastically change this natural pattern. When rainfall hits paved or "impervious" surfaces, it carries waste, chemicals, nutrients and sediment to our waterways. Stormwater runoff also erodes streams and increases flooding.
Less development along the water’s edge prevents runoff,erosion, and diminished water quality and fosters healthier
environments for fish, water mammals, birds and insects. This undisturbed border also prevents contaminants, such as fertilizer and herbicide, from lakeshore lawns from running directly into the water body. Ranchers are also encouraged to fence their pastures several yards away from these shoreline zones to prevent overgrazing and siltation due to livestock usage.
We must move forward from our traditional regulatory role to one of pro—active involvement in watershed management programs.
Wetlands and their importance are now recognized for their many contributions to enhancing water quality, providing valuable wildlife habitat and contributing to public safety and welfare.
The first and primary mission of federal and state agencies charged with National Wetlands Inventory is simply to stop the loss of these valuable resources through the implementation of "No Net Loss" programs, with the objective of having the wetlands replaced and replicated on—site or as close to on—site as possible.
Tools such as the The Wetlands Mapper integrates digital map data with other resource information to produce timely and relevant management and decision support tools.
Habitat improvement is an important concern for those looking to advance the preservation of watchable wildlife and game species alike. Along with the prevention of pollution and water quality improvement, these goals can be accomplished by simple and relatively inexpensive projects that all landowners and sportsmen can take part in.
Further Environmental Protection Agency studies revealed that non–point sources, such as stormwater runoff from construction sites, were significant contributors to polluting streams–primarily with sediments. Beginning with raindrops breaking down the soil structure and dislodging particles, the runoff carrying the soil particles becomes sheet erosion. This eventually forms rills and larger gullies.
Less development along the water’s edge prevents runoff, erosion, and diminished water quality and fosters healthier environments for fish, water mammals, birds and insects. This undisturbed border also prevents contaminants, such as fertilizer and herbicide, from lakeshore lawns from running directly into the water body. Ranchers are also encouraged to fence their pastures several yards away from these shoreline zones to prevent overgrazing and siltation due to livestock usage.
Footnote
My Dad died 2 days ago (2.19.2009).
In many ways, to his kids he was a precurser environmentalist before it became the "In" way to be.
I only hope he finds time to read this in between passing time with old friends.
He is a WW2 vet with 4 years tenure from D–day plus 3 days and 4 years of Germany war experiences, Battle of the Buldge etc.
He never talks of his experience.
However:
One thought that stays in my mind dates back when I was 7–8 years old. We would go hiking and camping in the Adirondack Mts. Dad would stress as we cleaned up our campsite that it was to be left as clean or cleaner than found.
As the years pass, I think how sage is this advice, apropos to today’s histrionics.
The worldwide challenge of remediating the Earth’s increasing inventory of contaminated soils and eliminating toxicity in polluted soils is a daunting one.
Issues such as The PCB Mess in Bloomington, Indiana is but one example.
After about 30 years of manufacturing PCB—filled capacitors and processing defective ones at its Bloomington, Indiana, plant, Westinghouse Electric exited the Big 11 college town, population 74,000. It left behind eight Superfund sites. Westinghouse, however, hasn't finished with Bloomington–it plans to make the town the home of the world's first incinerator to burn municipal solid waste plus hazardous waste–contaminated soil and sewage sludge.
As of 2/5/2009 the contaminated soil remains.
In these extraordinary and challenging times, we must move beyond divisive rhetoric and work together toward a solution that protects our environmental resources and ensure responsible development.
Nature Conservancy scientists say the best course of action is to help nature help us. We can protect and restore habitats that limit and disperse floods, capture carbon emissions and prevent damaging soil erosion.
We must promote environmental stewardship, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improve energy efficiency.
One solution we might explore is green remediation. Green remediation is a elatively new approach to environmental cleanup; beyond the traditional methods through the addition of best management practices(BMPs) and a series of new criteria for decision making.
EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is working with private and public partners to promote the use of BMPs for green remediation at contaminated stes throughout the United States.
Rainwater running off construction sites and sand and gravel operations can carry sediments, oil and various other pollutants into nearby streams, ponds and rivers, according to the EPA. Erosion from a one—acre construction site could discharge as much as 20 tons to 150 tons of sediment in one year, if not properly managed. Sediments reduce the storage capacity of drains and waterways, causing flooding, and adversely affect water quality and fish habitat. Sediments and chemicals can also contribute to fish deaths, toxic algae blooms, contaminated shellfish beds and closed swimming beaches.
N—SPECT is a complex yet user–friendly geographic information system (GIS) extension that helps coastal managers and local decision makers predict potential water–quality impacts from nonpoint source pollution and erosion.
Undeveloped land absorbs rainfall like a sponge and slowly releases it. As we build our homes, schools, office buildings and highways, though, we drastically change this natural pattern. When rainfall hits paved or "impervious" surfaces, it carries waste, chemicals, nutrients and sediment to our waterways. Stormwater runoff also erodes streams and increases flooding.
Less development along the water’s edge prevents runoff,erosion, and diminished water quality and fosters healthier
environments for fish, water mammals, birds and insects. This undisturbed border also prevents contaminants, such as fertilizer and herbicide, from lakeshore lawns from running directly into the water body. Ranchers are also encouraged to fence their pastures several yards away from these shoreline zones to prevent overgrazing and siltation due to livestock usage.
We must move forward from our traditional regulatory role to one of pro—active involvement in watershed management programs.
Wetlands and their importance are now recognized for their many contributions to enhancing water quality, providing valuable wildlife habitat and contributing to public safety and welfare.
The first and primary mission of federal and state agencies charged with National Wetlands Inventory is simply to stop the loss of these valuable resources through the implementation of "No Net Loss" programs, with the objective of having the wetlands replaced and replicated on—site or as close to on—site as possible.
Tools such as the The Wetlands Mapper integrates digital map data with other resource information to produce timely and relevant management and decision support tools.
Habitat improvement is an important concern for those looking to advance the preservation of watchable wildlife and game species alike. Along with the prevention of pollution and water quality improvement, these goals can be accomplished by simple and relatively inexpensive projects that all landowners and sportsmen can take part in.
Further Environmental Protection Agency studies revealed that non–point sources, such as stormwater runoff from construction sites, were significant contributors to polluting streams–primarily with sediments. Beginning with raindrops breaking down the soil structure and dislodging particles, the runoff carrying the soil particles becomes sheet erosion. This eventually forms rills and larger gullies.
Less development along the water’s edge prevents runoff, erosion, and diminished water quality and fosters healthier environments for fish, water mammals, birds and insects. This undisturbed border also prevents contaminants, such as fertilizer and herbicide, from lakeshore lawns from running directly into the water body. Ranchers are also encouraged to fence their pastures several yards away from these shoreline zones to prevent overgrazing and siltation due to livestock usage.
"Sometimes even Mother Nature needs a hand"
Footnote
My Dad died 2 days ago (2.19.2009).
In many ways, to his kids he was a precurser environmentalist before it became the "In" way to be.
I only hope he finds time to read this in between passing time with old friends.
Friday, January 16, 2009
New article page just published
Overview
USGS scientists recently completed a quantitative analysis, published in the July 2007 issue of Geology, documenting effects of accelerated coastal land loss and thermokarst lake expansion and drainage along a section of the Alaska North Slope coastline
Check out this article re: Alaska Coastal Erosion on your newest erosion article page 6 found here
Thank you for subscribing
Spread the word
Cheers
USGS scientists recently completed a quantitative analysis, published in the July 2007 issue of Geology, documenting effects of accelerated coastal land loss and thermokarst lake expansion and drainage along a section of the Alaska North Slope coastline
Check out this article re: Alaska Coastal Erosion on your newest erosion article page 6 found here
Thank you for subscribing
Spread the word
Cheers
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Modifying urban rivers to increase biodiversity
Urban rivers are typically heavily-engineered and polluted with degraded habitats. They are therefore a priority for biodiversity restoration. Research suggests that relatively simple modifications to river walls may potentially encourage biodiversity by significantly improving habitats for plants and animals. The EU's Water Framework Directive requires good ecological status in surface waters by 2015, and as such it is important to encourage biodiversity in rivers and waterways. One way of achieving this is to alter the structure of a river. Naturalistic landscape features, such as meanders, ...
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Sunday, January 4, 2009
Erosion Website Up-dates
We are developing new systems and approaches to erosion and sediment control
This page of your erosion contol website presents the latest product updates.
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