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News Clips |
Green roofs are a stormwater management Best Management Practice (BMP) that reduce stormwater volumes and peaks, reduce noise and air pollution, increase biodiversity, and last longer (and are more economical) than a traditional roof. This article details research conducted on Sedum, the plants commonly planted on green roofs.
ScienceDaily, September 4, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903163940.htm
Pike County Two-Year Water Study
A 2-year study of Pike County, PA watersheds and ground water shows good quality and quantity. However, 75% of the testing wells showed radioactive radon exceeding normal levels. Radon is the second-leading cause of cancer. Sixty percent of homes in Pennsylvania have Radon over normal levels.
By Tom
Kane, The River Reporter, Volume XXXV No. 36, September 3-9, 2009
http://www.riverreporter.com/issues/09-09-03/news-pike.html
Humans Causing Erosion Comparable To World’s Largest Rivers And Glaciers, Study Finds
Research shows that large-scale farming has the potential to cause erosion comparable to the world’s largest rivers and glaciers. It also shows that rivers are as powerful as glaciers, and they both are capable of eroding land by more than one centimeter per year. Humans have a significant role in shaping our world, specifically speeding erosion in low-lying areas. We are losing land at an unsustainable rate.
ScienceDaily, September 7, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902112105.htm
Climate Change Makes River Restoration More Important Than Ever, Paper Concludes
Restoring rivers and riparian buffers will be increasingly important as climate change impacts our ecosystems. Providing restored ecosystems will enhance the ability of plants, fish and wildlife to adapt. Restoration strategies should also be focused on preparing for uncertain conditions that might arise.
World Wire, September 1, 2009
http://world-wire.com/news/0909010001.html
To view the Report, visit
http://er.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/27/3/330
Big Threat to a Little Turtle – Mysterious Bog Turtle Disease
In addition to being on the federal threatened list and endangered in Pennsylvania, bog turtles are now facing a new threat. Within recent months, dead bog turtles have been found in PA, NY, MA, and NJ. In some cases, there has been no obvious cause of death. Other cases report living turtles covered in a film, missing claws, skin lesions, and/or sloughing skin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a bog turtle disease alert in August.
By Ad
Crable, Outdoor Trails, Lancaster Online.com, Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster
New Era, September 8, 2009
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/241955
Water Quality Improves After Lawn Fertilizer Ban, Study Shows
Some municipalities are banning the use of phosphorous-containing lawn fertilizers. Phosphorous washes into streams and can kill fish and produce algae blooms. A new study suggests that phosphorous levels in the Huron River (Michigan) dropped an average of 28% after an ordinance was adopted in 2006.
ScienceDaily, August 27, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090817190741.htm
Conowingo Dam’s Ability to Trap Sediment, Phosphorus Nearing Capacity
Known as the largest nutrient and sediment control device in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, the Conowingo Dam will likely not function within the next 15 to 20 years. This would cause a large increase in the amount of pollution entering the Upper Bay. The reservoir behind this 100-foot-high dam is being filled at an average rate of approximately 1.5 million to 2 million tons of sediment annually. It has approximately 30 million tons of storage capacity left.
By Karl
Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal, September Issue
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3650
'Green Clean:' Researchers Determining Natural Ways to Clean Contaminated Soil
Research is being conducted at North Carolina University on utilizing trees to remove pollutants from the environment or render them harmless. The process is called phytoremediation. They planted approximately 3,000 trees on a 5-acre site contaminated with aircraft fuel. The process slows the movement of contaminated groundwater and uptakes the pollutants.
ScienceDaily, September 24, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917170912.htm
Hormone-Disrupting Herbicide Widespread in U.S. Drinking Water
A report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council states that Atrazine, a common herbicide known to impact wildlife reproductive health, has contaminated waters throughout the United States, It states that all watersheds monitored by the EPA and 90% of sampled drinking water has been contaminated.
Environment News Service, ENS, August 25, 2009
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2009/2009-08-25-091.asp
Chloride Found At Levels That Can Harm Aquatic Life In Urban Streams Of Northern US
A study released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows that levels of Chloride, a component of salt, are above recommended federal criteria in over 40% of urban streams that were tested. Chloride can slow plant growth, affect reproduction, and reduce species diversity. Sources include salt used for deicing roads, wastewater treatment, septic systems, and farming.
ScienceDaily, September 17, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090916123513.htm
Philadelphia Stormwater Management Improvements
Approximately $1.6 billion has been set aside for Philadelphia to improve their stormwater management over the next 20 years. The city will install rain gardens, green roofs, porous pavement, plant trees, and install other Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff entering the storm sewer system. Currently, during rain events, the storm sewer system is overloaded and dumps untreated water into the Schuylkill, Delaware, Tacony, Pennypack and Cobb Creeks.
By Sandy Bavers, Philadephia Inquirer,
www.philly.com, September 27, 2009
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20090927_Breaking_ground_with_a__1_6_billion_plan_to_tame_water.html?viewAll=y