10 US Cities Most Immune to Natural Disasters
Posted: June 29, 2011 Filed under: Cities, Guest Post, Urban Studies Leave a comment »Guest Post by Tim Handorf
America’s abundant natural resources have enabled us to flourish as the world’s most powerful country. Our susceptibility to just about every conceivable natural catastrophe, however, is quite humbling. In an instant, an entire region can be ravaged by an uncontrollable force of nature, leaving thousands of people homeless and hopeless. While things such as insurance can provide comfort after the fact, some people find that it’s best to avoid those regions altogether, as they know they’ll never stop Mother Nature from unleashing her fury. The following big cities rankas the least likely to experience tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis and/or earthquakes. Their locations away from Tornado Alley, The Gulf Coast and the West Coast ensure they’re the safest.
- Phoenix, Arizona: If you don’t mind the dry heat and lack of precipitation, Phoenix is the place to live for mostly uneventful weather. Located in the Sonoran Desert, the city’s largest natural threat historically has been the lack of water resources. But, with decades of planning and the implementation of an efficient plan, the city is able to consistently meet the 400 million-gallons per day demand from residents — 250 million gallons of wastewater is treated each day on average during the year — during the hottest months of summer. Phoenix proves that it’s better to have too little water than too much water.
- Cleveland, Ohio: According to the 2010 Census, Cleveland lost 81,588 people from 2000 to 2010 (17 percent of its population), falling to a 100-year low. Its years-long decline has corresponded with the national economy’s de-emphasis on manufacturing, as opposed to the onslaught of natural disasters, which one might think would cause such a significant change. An issue many residents may have with the city’s weather is the frequency at which it snows. Receiving 59.3 inches each year, only Denver gets more of the white stuff on average. The Snow Belt actually begins on the eastern side of the city, extending all the way to Buffalo. Even with the cold weather, many Clevelanders are content with the predictability of the climate in which they live.
- Detroit, Michigan: Like Cleveland, the latter half of the 20th century has kicked Detroit in the butt. Many parts of the city, which were thriving six decades ago, resemble an eerie scene from a post-apocalyptic film due to the abandonment of office buildings and manufacturing hubs. As the city attempts to transform itself into something newer and more aesthetically pleasing, it will only have to worry about the time setbacks caused by the cold weather, though it annually receives almost 20 inches less snowfall than Cleveland. Subzero temperatures occur about six times per year, and, as with other Midwestern cities, temperatures above 90 degrees aren’t unusual during the summer.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Aside from variances in snowfall, the climates of the major Midwestern cities are essentially the same. Milwaukee, like the others, has cold and snowy winters, warm and humid summers, and consistent lake breezes from March to June. The MetroMilwaukee website boasts that the city is the No. 1 lowest risk for natural disasters, which certainly helps make it an attractive choice for prospective residents and businesses.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Extreme weather conditions have wreaked havoc on the U.S. in recent years, and Philly hasn’t entirely been spared. During the 2009-10 season, it experienced its snowiest winter on record, receiving 78.7 inches. The very rare occasions in which it endured a natural disaster include The Great October Gale of 1878, and most recently, Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, which dropped 10 inches of rain over the city. In May, businesses in northeast Philly suffered damages as a tornado with 75 mph winds passed through the area. Fortunately, the region hardly bears the brunt of horribly inclement weather, save for the blizzards.
- Las Vegas, Nevada: Both Phoenix and Las Vegas benefit from the steady climate of the desert. Of course, the most extreme conditions involve the heat and lack of precipitation. July and August are the city’s hottest months, averaging 104.1-and 101.8-degree heat respectively. For the entire year, it receives a meager 4.5 inches of precipitation, the least of any major city in the country. Cooling down and managing water resources are the primary concerns of residents.
- Chicago, Illinois: See the Milwaukee write-up. During the winter, Chicago’s biggest concern is the major storm that passes through the area once every three years, dropping more than 10 inches of snow. The city isn’t overly susceptible to lake-effect snow because of its position in relation to the prevailing westerlies that absorb moisture from Lake Michigan. During the summer, temperatures routinely reach the 90s — the hottest official temperature on record is 105 degrees in 1934 — which can be difficult to endure given the presence of humidity. The biggest weather-related tragedy to hit the city was the 1995 Heat Wave, which caused 750 deaths in just five days.
- Denver, Colorado: A tame city in nature, Denver experiences all four seasons, lots of snow and little threat of violent weather — hail and the occasional tornado cause the most damage. Although it’s not in danger of suffering a massive earthquake, it has been shaken before. In 1967 and 1968, more than 1,500 quakes affected city, the largest of which measured 5.3 on the Richter scale, damaging more than $1 million-worth of property. In 1882, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in the northern Front Range west of Fort Collins damaged a power plant in Denver. Colorado has two major fault lines, and seismologists think one could cause a similarly-powered quake, but the threat pales in comparison to what Californians potentially face, for example, with the presence of the San Jacinto and San Andreas Faults.
- San Antonio, Texas: Flooding is considered a natural disaster, but because it occurs so frequently in a number of places throughout the country, we chose not to include it with the big four (tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes). Nevertheless, it’s San Antonio’s biggest threat due to the incredibly fast rainfall rates that occur over the Balcones escarpment. Other than that, the city is too far south to experience major tornadoes and too far inland to be affected by hurricane force winds, the two natural disasters most commonly faced in Texas.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: The Twin Cities metro area rests just above Tornado Alley, so it does endure its fair shares of tornadoes. The area’s most destructive twisters occurred in 1891 and 1965, with the latter killing 13 people and injuring more than 600. In May, two deaths and 18 injuries were reported after a tornado hit Minneapolis. Derechos, large long-lasting windstorms that accompany showers and thunderstorms, also impact the region — most notably, one caused $1.5 million in damage in May 1998. These problems, as evidenced by the random years they occurred, are infrequent, especially compared to what cities in the Lower Midwest encounter.
25 Science Novels Worth Reading
Posted: June 26, 2011 Filed under: books, Guest Post 1 Comment »Guest Post by Preity Smith
- Silent Springby Rachel Carson: Introduce students to the core tenets of environmentalism and ecology with this undeniable classic. Rachel Carson heavily influenced the green movement by exposing the myriad abuses different companies heap upon the planet.
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes: Although science-fiction, Flowers for Algernon still packs a heavy punch in its depiction of more terrestrial themes — specifically, ethics. The story of a mentally handicapped man receiving a controversial intelligence implant will certainly spark engaging classroom discussions about human experimentation.
- The Botany of Desire by Michel Pollan: Watch human history and society ebb and flow thanks to the influence of four different featured plants — potatoes, marijuana, apples and tulips. Journalist Michael Pollan also peers into the way in which society’s intervention has come to impact the botanicals in turn.
- Mendel’s Dwarf by Simon Mawer: The eponymous scientist, a descendant of Gregor Mendel himself, absorbs himself in discovering the genetics behind his condition. As the author actually holds a degree in zoology and worked as a biology teacher, his background pours into the fictitious narrative accessibly, informatively and provocatively.
- E=MC2: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis: Introduce physics students to Albert Einstein’s highly influential formula through this easy-to-understand popular science novel. Not only does it open up knowledge of the relationship between energy and mass, but also how the equation has come to impact humanity for good and for ill.
- Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam: Homer Hickam’s lauded memoir takes readers to a depressed West Virginia coal town and introduces them to his teenage self. With Werner von Braun as his inspiration, the young man took to making and launching homemade rockets with the hope of building a life for himself outside the dying city.
- The Double Helix by James D. Watson: Learn all about the politics and peoples leading to the discovery of DNA’s structure through the eyes of one Nobel Prize winner behind it. As a memoir, history and popular science novel, The Double Helix has plenty to offer biology students both novice and seasoned.
- As She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem: Another science-fiction masterpiece that remains largely grounded and explores philosophical and personal issues as they relate to physics. Here, a professor who studies other professors slowly loses the love of his life to a mysterious, bizarre phenomenon known as “Lack.”
- The Call of the Wild by Jack London: Appropriate for younger and older students alike, Jack London’s fictional tale of a kidnapped dog and his struggle between domestication and pure instinct. The author strove to reflect canine behavior and resilience as well as he possibly could, also reflecting some intriguing overlaps with more human tropes.
- Carbon Dreams by Susan M. Gaines: Spice up lessons in ecology, environmental science, geology or climatology with the story of a geochemist’s quest for scientific truth — and love. Global warming and its impact on agriculture and humanity take center stage, however, so the book does have a place in science class.
- The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells: In this haunting science-fiction classic, horrifically vivisected creatures challenge anyone perusing their narrative to think about experimental ethics. While H.G. Wells’ fantastical creations don’t have much footing in reality (yet), their creator certainly dredges up some moral and philosophical questions all science students should explore.
- Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson: Cyberpunk master Neal Stephenson tries his hand at the high-tech espionage thriller genre, packing his kinetic read with his signature blend of math and computer science. History and cryptography come crashing into the mix as well, resulting in an excellent, informative mashup with plenty to discuss.
- The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe: Read the compelling true story behind test pilots, astronauts, mission control specialists and their family members through one of the most notable New Journalism novels. The author hoped this read would challenge anyone picking it up to deeply contemplate the nature of heroism and the willingness to sacrifice oneself in the name of science.
- Gut Symmetries by Jeanette Winterson: Love, metaphysics and physics overlap in Jeanette Winterson’s lush narrative about the growing relationship between two scientists — one of whom happens to be married. Using physics as a metaphor for deep romantic emotions renders this read helpful to both literature and science students.
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle: Undoubtedly the “hardest” piece of science-fiction listed here, A Wrinkle in Time frequently serves as a gateway drug for imaginative young readers. Madeline L’Engle packed her beloved young adult novel with plenty of very real math and physics concepts.
- Wonderful Life by Stephen Jay Gould: Read the biography of an absolutely incredible natural marvel, one with some amazing connections to today’s living organisms. The Burgess Shale, nestled in a British Columbian mountainside, serves as sort of genetic Rosetta Stone helping scientists unlock evolutionary mysteries.
- Dirt by David R. Montgomery: David R. Montgomery works as a geomorphologist and pulls from his training and experience to dish the dirt on…well…dirt. This humble substance perhaps unsurprisingly played a major role in shaping human history and culture, which the author compellingly discusses here.
- A Hole in Texas by Herman Wouk: Satire meets science in this parody of the Superconducting Supercollider, shut down thanks to a lack of funding. A physicist finds himself in an absurdist race against time to discover the legendary Higgs Boson before his Chinese rivals.
- Gold Bug Variations by Richard Powers: Richard Powers provides an incredibly complex, multilayered read tossing subjects as diverse as art history and genetics into the twisty narrative. Despite the simple love story at the core, the intertwining themes and educational concepts give readers plenty to talk about.
- Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver: Mix things up in environmental science class by introducing a fictional portrayal of very real ecological issues. Tobacco, herbicides and subsistence farming comprise some of the core themes The Poisonwood Bible author Barbara Kingsolver explores.
- Starlight Nights by Leslie Peltier: Introduce astronomy and physics students to the romance and wonder of stargazing through this beautiful memoir. Leslie Peltier made a name for himself as the discoverer of 6 novae and 12 comets, pulling from his observational experience to pen a love letter to all things astronomical.
- Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson: Galveston, Texas felt the ravages of one of the deadliest hurricanes ever recorded in 1900, and this lauded work of creative nonfiction explores both the human cost and scientific phenomena behind the tragedy. Eponymous Weather Bureau climatologist Isaac Cline, stationed in the doomed city, serves as the story’s central figure.
- Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman: Thirty little vignettes reflect hypothetical dreams by the acclaimed scientist, relayed with provocative whimsy by an MIT professor. As both a physicist and a writer, Alan Lightman hopes to blur lines between fiction and nonfiction, science and the humanities.
- Galileo’s Daughter by Dava Sobel: Surprisingly enough, Galileo Galilei’s eldest daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, is not the central figure of this historical work. Rather, Dava Sobel focuses a little bit on their relationship and frequently delves into the famed scientist’s struggles between the faithful and natural realms.
- Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond: History and a plethora of “hard” and “soft” sciences converge into an incredibly popular narrative about human evolution and experience. Its multidisciplinary nature makes Guns, Germs and Steel a compelling read in many different classroom settings, perfectly illustrating how science often converges with other fields.
Spatial data should be integrated:NATMO
Posted: June 25, 2011 Filed under: map making, opinions, Remote Sensing 101, Satellites Leave a comment »
There should be an agency in India to bring all spatial data like census maps, wetland maps, geological maps, etc together. It is important to deal with emerging threats like terrorism, observed Dr. Prithvish Nag, Director, National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO), India. He acted as the chairperson of the plenary session, National Mapping Policies: Implementation, Challenges and Way Forward, during Geointelligence Asia 2011 in New Delhi, India.
read it here
Loktak lake:Largest Freshwater Lake of India and Only Floating Lake in the World
Posted: June 20, 2011 Filed under: water Leave a comment »
Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in India, also called the only Floating lake in the world due to the floating phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matters at various stages of decomposition) on it, is located near Moirang in Manipur state, India.The etymology of Loktak is Lok = “stream” and tak = “the end”.The Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is the last natural refuge of the endangered sangai or Manipur brow-antlered deer (Rucervus eldi eldi), one of three subspecies of Eld’s Deer, covering an area of 40 km2 (15 sq mi), is situated in the southeastern shores of this lake and is the largest of all the phumdis in the lake.
Phumdis are a series of floating islands, exclusive to the Loktak Lake in Manipur state, in northeastern India. They cover a substantial part of the lake area and are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter, in different stages of decay. The largest single mass of phumdi is in the southeastern part of the lake, covering an area of 40 km2 (15.4 sq mi). This mass constitutes the world’s largest floating park, named Keibul Lamjao National Park. The park was formed to preserve the endangered Eld’s Deer subspecies, called Sangai in the Manipuri language, indigenous to this area.
Phumdis in Loktak Lake
Phumdis are used by the local people for constructing their huts for fishing and other livelihood uses, and are inhabited by about 4000 people. Athapums are artificial circular phumdis, built by the villagers as enclosures for fish farming; aquaculture has caused proliferation of the phumdis in the lake.
This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. The lake is also a source of livelihood for the rural fisherman who live in the surrounding areas and on phumdis, also known as “phumshongs”. Human activity has led to severe pressure on the lake ecosystem. 55 rural and urban hamlets around the lake have a population of about 100,000 people.
A rich biodiversity with habitat heterogeneity has been recorded during a scientific survey carried out between January 2000 and December 2002 in different habitat patches of the lake. The lake’s rich biological diversity comprises 233 species of aquatic macrophytes of emergent, submergent, free-floating and rooted floating leaf types.
read more at source
Indian Wetlands Under Threat
Posted: June 16, 2011 Filed under: Ecosystem, opinions Leave a comment »
Wetlands are defined as transitional between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water .
Wetlands have been categorized both as biomes and ecosystems. A patch of land that develops pools of water after a rain storm would not be considered a “wetland” though the land is wet. Wetlands have unique characteristics: they are generally distinguished from other water bodies or landforms based on their water level and on the types of plants that thrive within them. Specifically, wetlands are characterized as having a water table that stands at or near the land surface for a long enough season each year to support aquatic plants. Put simply, wetlands are lands made up of hydric soil.
Wetlands have also been described as ecotones, providing a transition between dry land and water bodies. Mitsch and Gosselink write that wetlands exist “…at the interface between truly terrestrial ecosystems and aquatic systems, making them inherently different from each other, yet highly dependent on both.”
An ecotone is a transition area between two adjacent but different patches of landscape, such as forest and grassland. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local (the zone between a field and forest) or regional (the transition between forest and grassland ecosystems).An ecotone may appear on the ground as a gradual blending of the two communities across a broad area, or it may manifest itself as a sharp boundary line.
The word ecotone was coined from a combination of eco(logy) plus -tone, from the Greek tonos or tension – in other words, a place where ecologies are in tension.
Wetlands are under severe threat from the real estate lobby and industry as they are easy to lease out, said Jairam Ramesh, Environment Minister, Government of India. Ramesh was at the Space Application Centre (SAC) at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) campus in Ahmedabad to deliver an address on ‘National Wetland Inventory and Assessment Project’ (NWIA).
“Wetlands have ecological and social value. But a large area of wetlands in India is under threat from real estate lobby and industries such as highways, cement plants and power plants. Now, with a database on the inventory of wetlands being available with the help from the SAC, the Centre can take action on its own to designate important wetlands in the country based on the satellite images,” added Ramesh.
The NWIA project findings noted that the total wetlands area in the country is estimated at 15.26 million hectares, 4.63 per cent of the total geographic area of the country. Of this, Gujarat holds the largest area under wetland with over 3.47 million hectares of area, about 18 per cent of the state’s total geographic area. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra are some of the other states having more than one million hectares of area under wetlands.
Biodiversity At Shekha Jheel
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally. Such areas may also be covered partially or completely by shallow pools of water.Wetlands include swamps, marshes, and bogs, among others. The water found in wetlands can be saltwater, freshwater, or brackish. The world’s largest wetland is the Pantanal which straddles Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay in South America.
Wetlands are considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems. Plant life found in wetlands includes mangrove, water lilies, cattails, sedges, tamarack, black spruce, cypress, gum, and many others. Animal life includes many different amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects, and mammals.
In many locations, such as the United Kingdom, Iraq, South Africa and the United States, wetlands are the subject of conservation efforts and Biodiversity Action Plans.
Shekha Jheel in Aligarh,UP,India
The Sheikha Lake in the Aligarh District of Uttar Pradesh is a perennial lake alongside an irrigation canal that is surrounded by farmland on all sides. Every year during winters the lake is thronged by thousands of ducks, geese, terns and waders traversing from wide ranges. It is situated at the distance of 17 kilometers from Aligarh City.
Links and Sources:
read here
Conservation of wetlands of India – a review(Paper)
Japan Prepares Environmental Map
Posted: June 12, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Geospatial Information Authority (GSI), Japan, prepared an environment map of world. It shows digital geographic data sets of the whole globe with unified specifications developed in close collaboration with national mapping organisations around the world, FutureGov reported. The map accurately describes present status of the global environment.
Global mapping project aims to contribute to the planning of countermeasures on global environmental problems such as global warming and climate change. The project intends to develop a unified specification of digital geospatial information to the whole land area of the earth. Currently, 181 countries and regions around the world are promoting data development in collaboration with the world’s National Surveying and Mapping Organisations.
At present the GSI plays a role as the Secretariat of the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping and is also responsible for the management of the progress of the Global Map development as well as the data validation submitted from each country.
Links and Sources:
Nearby Galaxy Boasts Two Monster Black Holes
Posted: June 12, 2011 Filed under: News, Space Leave a comment » 
A study using NASA’s Swift satellite and the Chandra X-ray Observatory has found a second supersized black hole at the heart of an unusual nearby galaxy already known to be sporting one. The galaxy, which is known as Markarian 739 or NGC 3758, lies 425 million light-years away toward the constellation Leo. Only about 11,000 light-years separate the two cores, each of which contains a black hole gorging on infalling gas.
Read Here
Epic Solar Flare Reported
Posted: June 11, 2011 Filed under: News, Space Leave a comment »
Discovery reports our nearest star put on a show that won’t be forgotten for a long, long time. Under the ever-watchful eyes of an armada of solar observatories, the sun unleashed an M2-class solar flare. Keep in mind that an M2 flare, although powerful, is still only classed as a “medium” explosion. But there was nothing medium about this event.
There’s little cause for concern however. As dramatic at the explosion looks, it’s only predicted to cause some minor interference to communications, satellites and potentially power grids if we do get hit. NASA states that the CME’s impact is expected to be “fairly small.”
read here
Waste Heat Recovery:New Hope For Energy Conservation
Posted: June 9, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 Comment »
Waste heat is heat, which is generated in a process by way of fuel combustion or chemical reaction, and then “dumped” into the environment even though it could still be reused for some useful and economic purpose. Large quantity of hot flue gases is generated from Boilers, Kilns, Ovens and Furnaces. If some of this waste heat could be recovered, a considerable amount of primary fuel could be saved.
Waste heat recovery employs a process that has been around since the 1960s called the organic Rankine cycle (ORC), which easily integrates into existing manufacturing infrastructures. ORC units capture heat that is currently being released into the atmosphere and converts it into useable CO2-free electricity. This technology has a small footprint, approximately the size of a tractor trailer flatbed and interest in systems that use this energy generating skid is on the rise as companies look to maximize the efficiency of existing investments and infrastructures.
ORC employs environmentally benign refrigerants in a closed-loop system that turn waste heat into useable electricity. Given its relative simplicity, carbon neutrality and diminutive physical footprint, ORC is one of the most inexpensive sources of renewable power generation. Also, its high utilization rate (95%) far eclipses the 25-35% utilization rates seen in other renewable technologies, such as solar and wind.
A wave of new project development activity has occurred as a result of rising energy costs and growing environmental concern. Recent improvements in the ORC manufacturing process have made the systems modular, customizable, and easily deployed. Also, the rise of independent project managers has also hastened adoption; allowing customers to focus on energy savings while project managers design, engineer, construct and operate the plants.
Waste heat recovery delivers a win-win clean energy solution. By tapping into existing but unused energy sources companies reduce energy spending, reduce carbon footprints and reduce dependence on non-renewable sources of energy. And that’s why waste heat is about to become a lot more relevant.
Benefits:
Recovery of waste heat has a direct effect on the efficiency of the process. This is reflected by reduction in the utility consumption & costs, and process cost.
Reduction in pollution: A number of toxic combustible wastes such as carbon monoxide gas, sour gas, carbon black off gases, oil sludge, Acrylonitrile and other plastic chemicals etc, releasing to atmosphere if/when burnt in the incinerators serves dual purpose i.e. recovers heat and reduces the environmental pollution levels.
Reduction in equipment sizes: Waste heat recovery reduces the fuel consumption, which leads to reduction in the flue gas produced. This results in reduction in equipment sizes of all flue gas handling equipments such as fans, stacks, ducts, burners, etc.
Reduction in auxiliary energy consumption: Reduction in equipment sizes gives additional benefits in the form of reduction in auxiliary energy consumption like electricity for fans, pumps etc..
Links and Sources:
ENN ,
Bureau of Energy Efficiency(Click to Download in PDF)
Rain Gardens: Natural Solution to Urban Water Pollution
Posted: June 7, 2011 Filed under: Ecosystem, pollution, rain, Urban Studies, water Leave a comment »
Rain gardens are also known as recharge gardens.A rain garden is a planted depression that allows rainwater runoff from impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, parking lots, and compacted lawn areas the opportunity to be absorbed. This reduces rain runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground (as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters which causes erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater).They can be designed for specific soils and climates. The purpose of a rain garden is to improve water quality in nearby bodies of water. Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%.
In urban areas, generally the natural depressions are filled in. The surface of the ground is leveled or paved, and water is directed into storm drains. This causes several problems. First of all, streams that are fed by storm drains are subjected to sudden surges of water each time it rains, which contributes to erosion and flooding. Also, the water is warmer than the groundwater that normally feeds a stream, which upsets the delicate system. Warmer water cannot hold as much dissolved oxygen (DO). Many fish and other creatures in streams are unable to live in an environment with fluctuating temperatures. Finally, a wide variety of pollutants spill or settle on land surfaces between rain events.
Rain gardens are improve water quality by filtering runoff, provide localized flood control, aesthetically pleasing, and provide interesting planting opportunities. They also encourage wildlife and biodiversity, tie together buildings and their surrounding environments in attractive and environmentally advantageous ways, and provide significant partial solutions to important environmental problems that affect us all.
The first rain gardens were created to mimic the natural water retention areas that occurred naturally before development of an area.A rain garden provides a way to use and optimize any rain that falls, reducing or avoiding the need for irrigation. They allow a household or building to deal with excessive rainwater runoff without burdening the public storm water systems. Rain gardens differ from retention basins, in that the water will infiltrate the ground within a day or two. This creates the advantage that the rain garden does not allow mosquitoes to breed.
A Word of caution
If built incorrectly, rain gardens can accumulate standing water or increase erosion. These problems can be avoided by following published design guides.
Link and Sources:
Download A Good Presentation on the Subject
Read more Here
Traditional Water Harvesting Systems in India
Related articles
- Free Community Sustainability Workshops (growfoodlocally.wordpress.com)
- In the Garden Wet with Rain (irisbowen.wordpress.com)
- Watery rain gardens (franklinmatters.org)
- Rain gardens: a solution to pollution (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
