Norwalk - Wilton Tree Festival - Sat. May 21, 2011 11 AM - 3PM

Hope you can make it!  This looks really cool!

Norwalk-Wilton Tree Festival

Saturday, May 21 11 AM - 3PM

Cranbury Park - Grumman Avenue, Norwalk, CT

Free Admission and Refreshments

Door Prizes

Fun for the Entire Family - Rain or Shine

Tree Rope Climb

Face Painting

Scavenger Hunt

Seedling Giveaway

Door Prizes

Tree Pruning Demos

Tree Spade Replanting

Trees - to - Boards sawmilling

Tree Identification Contest

And More!

Sponsored by:  

Norwalk Tree Alliance

City of Norwalk

Town of Wilton

Wilton Garden Club

For more information: 203-854-3200

Norwalk Tree Alliance

Wilton Garden Club

Quick Stormwater Calculators

If you need to do some quick calculations and need to understand how stormwater is going to impact your project, you may want to check out these stormwater calculators.  


Predictive models and stormwater calculators on the EPA website


The UC Davis Stormulator


Green Values National Stormwater Calculator


Portland Bureau of Environmental Services

Of course you will want to have an engineer review your site and confirm your calculations.

TerreKleen Low Impact Development Protector

Putting in a rain garden?  Worried about sediment, trash, debris, or oils getting into and blinding your rain garden?  Perhaps you would consider installing our newest product, the TerreKleen LID Protector. 


The TerreKleen LID protector was designed in response to concerns of several of our large city clients who are installing rain gardens.  Their concerns include: cost, ease of maintenance, sediment, debris, and oils getting into their rain gardens, blinding the rain gardens and killing the plants.  In response to concerns about budget and lack of manpower, the TerreKleen LID protector was designed.


This small vault system was designed to capture sediment, trash, debris, and oils, and as a shallow vault, a central maintenance location makes makes $en$e and can easily be performed with a shovel.

TerreKleen LID Protector

Lengthen the life of your rain garden!  If you are interested in learning more about the TerreKleen LID protector, give us a call!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - it is time to think of roof runoff as an asset. Discounted Rainbarrel Program - sponsored by Aquarion, Connecticut

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - it is time to think of roof runoff as an asset.


I was just looking at the USGS seasonal drought predictions.  It is eye opening to look at the map of the US and notice the large red and yellow sections which anticipate drought conditions persisting and intensifying in a large part of the south - through June.  


We, in the Northeast, are very lucky to have had a lot of snow this winter and it seems right now we are in a good position with our water resources for the next several months.  However, we really do not know what is ahead.  Why not take this opportunity to maximize your water resources by investing in a rain barrel for your home?


Aquarion Water is sponsoring again this year a discount rainbarrel program.  The rain barrels are designed to hold 55 or 60 gallons of water, they attach directly to your down-spout and fill automatically when it rains.  They even come with brass attachments, a hose and a screen which prevents insects from making your rainbarrel their home.


Captured rain can be used for lawn watering and car washing or other outdoor chores.  It really is baffling to understand why one would need treated water for these activities.  In fact, I think my garden grows better with roof runoff!


Here is the link to Aquarion's rainbarrel program
You must order by May 31st for pick-up in Trumbull, CT on June 4th.

It is time for smart water

I was listening to WNPR radio show "Fresh Air" this morning and heard Terri Gross' interview of Charles Fishman the author of a new book called The Big Thirst, The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water.  I had to agree with Mr. Fishman's point of view that the golden age of water  (defined as: cheap, abundant and safe water)  is coming to an end here in the US and that it is time to get creative on ways to save and re-use this limited natural resource as well as take a fresh look at ways to maximize our water resources for the future.  


Especially interesting to me were several examples of US cities and industry who have focused on stretching their water resources:


1- City of Las Vegas, NV - Homeowners are incentivized to remove their turf lawns to the tune of $40,000/acre because it is cheaper to pay the homeowner to remove their lawn and re-plant using xeriscaping (native plants that use minimal water resources)  than it is to capture and treat for re-use water that would be used for lawn watering in a city that was built in a dessert.


2- Orlando, FL - 25 years ago, Orlando, Florida mandated a that gray water systems be installed in new construction.  Orlando uses almost as much gray water as potable water, but have not had to pay to treat the gray water that is used for lawn watering and car washing.


3- IBM Corporation - Vermont.  Over the past 10 years, IBM evaluated their factory building and costs associated with heating/air conditioning systems.  After careful study, they re-plumbed their building to maximize the efficiency of their manufacturing process by coordinating the needs of the building and manufacturing processes with change in water temperatures as the water flows through the building.  The money they have saved by re-plumbing their building adds to their ability for their products to be competitive. 


It is time to take a fresh look at how we do things so that we can maximize our water resources.

Westchester County Engineering Expo 2011- SUCCESS

Sunday, April 3, 2011, we participated in the 8th Annual Lower Hudson Valley Engineering Expo.  This expo was designed to show middle and high school students what a career in engineering can be.  The expo took place at White Plains High School in White Plains, NY.


We had many different engineering disciplines represented - chemical, solar, civil, stormwater, marine, motion picture, structural, computer, municipal, and more.  In addition, we have numerous college and universities represented to discuss with students and their parents college engineering programs.


It was a great opportunity to learn about careers in engineering!  Stand by for 2012 details!

This is one of the gyms at White Plains HS

Second gym at White Plains High School

Robotics!!!

Improving Stormwater runoff at Ausable River, in a NYS DOT right of way- 3 part post

Wilmington, NY.  The Ausable River in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York is known for its world-class trout fishing.

This is the site of our first TerreKleen hydrodynamic separator installation in upstate NY.  The TerreKleen hydrodynamic separator is being installed to capture sediment, trash, oils and debris and prevent its flow into the Ausable River.  

This project is a collaborative effort between Essex County Soil and Water Conservation District and NYSDOT.  The installation of the TerreKleen is in a NYSDOT right of way.

This is a picture of the Ausable River from the site.

Difficult installation site conditions include:
Re-routing traffic on this section of Route 86 until installation complete, small site footprint, excessive low hanging power lines. 

(This is a 3 part post click on stormwaterworks banner at top of page to view additional 2 postings)

This is a look at sediment on this site.

This is an overview of the site as the TerreKleen 
arrives.  This part of Route 86 has been closed for installation.

New York State limits water intake at a number of industrial facilities

This article written by Ken Moran appeared in the New York Post April 7, 2010
Here is the link to the actual article : A move in the right direction

In a move that could save millions of fish and their eggs, New York State has curtailed water intake at a number of power plants and other industrial facilities.

The DEC's proposal calls for power plants and other facilities that use water for cooling purposes to recycle and reuse that water through a process known as "closed cycle cooling" technology. This will greatly reduce the amount of water withdrawn from New York's rivers or other water bodies such as Long Island Sound and minimize the amount of fish, fish eggs and larvae destroyed in the process.

The federal Clean Water Act and state regulations require that decisions on what type of cooling-water-intake system to employ at a specific facility be based on the best technology available for minimizing environmental impacts.

NOAA holding public listening sessions to guide new aquaculture policy

Thought this was really cool!  NOAA is looking for recommendations from the public to help develop a new national policy for sustainable aquaculture.  First date is in New England in Narragansett, RI coming up April 14th, 2010. 

Here is the link for the NOAA webpage.

NOAA will hold six listening sessions in April and May to hear recommendations from the public that will help the agency develop a new national policy for sustainable marine aquaculture. Marine aquaculture is the cultivation of marine organisms, such as shellfish and finfish, for food and other products.

Dates for the listening sessions with NOAA officials are as follows:

• April 14 in Narragansett, Rhode Island
• Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
• Location: University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay Campus, Coastal Institute Building, Hazard Room, 1st floor
• Address: 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882
• April 19 in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
• Location: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District Building
• Address: 7400 Leake Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118
• Note: You must present a U.S. government-issued photo ID to enter this building.

• April 22 in Seattle, Washington
• Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
• Location: Seattle Aquarium
• Address: 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101

• April 27 in Honolulu, Hawaii
• Time: 2:00 – 4:30 p.m.
• Location: Ala Moana Hotel
• Address: 410 Atkinson Drive Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

• April 29 in Menlo Park, California
• Time: 2:00 – 4:30 p.m.
• Location: U.S. Geological Survey Visitors Center Conference Room
• Address: 345 Middlefield Rd., Menlo Park, California 94025
• Note: You must present a U.S. government-issued photo ID to enter this building.

• May 6 a national call-in hosted by NOAA
• Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern)
• Note: A toll-free call-in number will be posted closer to the date.

Beginning April 6, the agency also will accept public comment through the Web. Instructions for submitting comments electronically will be posted on this website.

After the listening sessions, NOAA will analyze the public input and develop a draft national policy for review and public comment. Once that process is complete, the agency will issue the new NOAA aquaculture policy. NOAA’s goal is to issue a new national policy that will enable sustainable marine aquaculture within the context of the agency’s multiple ocean stewardship missions and broader social and economic goals.

Enter to win the 2010 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize - win cash for your ideas

A while ago we attended a meeting on energy conservation that was hosted by Conoco Phillips.  We have been on their mailing list ever since.  They have announced an opportunity to enter the 2010 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize.  If your ideas are good enough, win a cash prize!  Below are the details:


+++

Because of your involvement in creating a dialogue about ways we can work together to solve our energy challenges, we thought you’d be interested to know more about the 2010 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize sponsored by ConocoPhillips and Penn State. The program, now in its third year, will award up to $300,000 for the best concepts that promote advances in energy diversity, improve energy efficiency, or combat climate change.

The ConocoPhillips Energy Prize will accept entries through May 21 and is open to all U.S. residents who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. Entrants must submit a comprehensive proposal via the Internet at www.conocophillips.com/energyprize or by mail.

We hope you will let your friends and colleagues know about the ConocoPhillips Energy Prize by encouraging them to visit www.conocophillips.com/energyprize. It is our hope that by fostering innovation no matter where inspiration may strike, we can create a path to a more secure and environmentally conscious energy supply.  


+++
Good Luck!

Meet us at the NYS Conservation District Employee Training and Tradeshow

We hope you will meet us at the NYS Conservation District Training and Tradeshow.  We are going to be showing the TerreKleen hydrodynamic separator, the TerreBox - box culvert with patent pending water-tight seal and the TerreArch - storm water infiltration arches. 

Come visit us at the show

NYS Conservation District Employee Training and Tradeshow
Binghamton, NY
March 9, 2010

Mysteries of the Great Lakes - IMAX movie at American Museum of Natural History

Yesterday I went to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC and saw the IMAX movie "Mysteries of the Great Lakes".   Honestly, I had not spent a lot of time thinking about the Great Lakes but because of my interest in water, it was eye opening in many ways - not only seeing how big the Great Lakes are , but to be made aware of their natural beauty.  In focusing on water, it was most interesting to me to learn that The Great Lakes contain 20% of the world's fresh water supply and that it takes a drop of water 400 years to travel from the headwaters of Lake Superior to the edge of Lake Ontario.  Looking at the map was helpful.  

I was also most interested in the focus on wildlife that survives on life in the Great Lakes - including Eagles, Caribou and Sturgeon.  The segments on Sturgeon were amazing as they had been tracking this species' population for the past 20 years and had been tracking/studying a specific female sturgeon for the past 20 years.  Amazingly, the one scientist could identify her simply from the markings on her head.  At her most recent capture/release event her age was 120 years old!  Through their research they learned how to look at the scales or fins (can't remember which one) and, like reading rings in a tree trunk, scientists learned how to read the environmental conditions of the Great Lakes.  

Sturgeon of the Great Lakes had thrived by the millions for millions of years but had significantly declined in numbers due to over-fishing and pollution.   During the film, several pictures were shown from long ago ( maybe 100 years ago?) where the subjects of the pictures were proud of their businesses and lives and could display their most recent abundant catch of sturgeon.  From a 2010 perspective, it was hard to get beyond the waste and destruction, the man-hours and work dedicated to improving the environmental conditions of the Great Lakes and  reviving the sturgeon population.   It seems there are still 42 "hot spots" - where lake quality is highly degraded due to pollution coming from industrial waste and waste water treatment plants.  Hopefully clean-up in the lake can continue and we can learn to make better environmental choices.

This was a great movie and I encourage you all to see it.  Here are the showtimes for the IMAX showings at the New York Museum of Natural History.  You might want to check out some of the exhibits including the  Silk Road Exhibit.  One word of advice for the Silk Road, enjoy the journey, but don't get caught up in stamping your "passport".

Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice - EPA Video Competition

The EPA is sponsoring the "Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice" video competition

Videos must be 30 or 60 seconds long and focus on these themes:

• Reducing/reusing
• Recycling
• Composting
• Consumption and environmental footprint

Videos due February 16, 2010

Hey, you can even win some CASH! How cool is that?

Click here for full details

GOOD LUCK!

Trash control - an $11.5 billion dollar problem and a major contaminant for stormwater

Stormwater contaminants are, for the most part, usually the same. The issues that we typically see in our business center on: heavy metals, hydrocarbons, phosphorous, and sediment loading. Another MAJOR issue our clients have is TRASH CONTROL.

It might not be an issue that you have thought about, but I spent some time this afternoon looking to see if anyone had calculated the amount of trash and debris that finds its way into Long Island Sound. While I didn't find information specifically targeted for Long Island Sound, I did find a nation-wide study funded by the non-profit organization, Keep America Beautiful, detailing the volume of trash/litter found in the US, the toll it takes on the American economy and behaviors that contribute to littering. The results of their survey were released on December 3, 2009.

Some shocking key findings from their report:

Litter conservatively costs our nation $11.5 billion per year. These are direct costs, including cleanup and prevention programs, and are carried largely by businesses and taxpayers. Not included in this figure are significant indirect costs:

• Decreased property values. 93% of homeowners, 55% of real estate agents and 90% of property appraisers surveyed stated that a littered neighborhood would decrease their assessment of a home’s value
• "Opportunity Costs” such as decreased commerce and tourism in blighted areas
• Health effects and related costs of littered environments

The study concludes that at least 51.2 billion pieces of litter are left on roadways in the U.S.; an average of 6,729 pieces of litter per mile.

Cigarette butts comprise 38% of all items littered on the highways, streets, parks and playgrounds (in urban, suburban and rural areas of America).

The Keep America Beautiful Report detailed littering behaviors, identified factors that encouraged littering and made suggestions on how to reduce litter. I think it is an important report and encourage you to read their findings in full. For executive summary and full report, click here.

More on trash control tomorrow.

Easy retrofit solution for stormwater systems and trash control

One of our municipal clients here in CT contacted us one day because he was often called by a local resident with complaints about trash, bottles, cans and other debris which had been thrown out car windows and would travel through the storm water system and end up in this resident's wetlands/backyard. The area is more of a suburban almost rural area, so you can imagine that all of this trash was even more visible and a real eyesore to anyone driving by. The resident was just plain tired of cleaning up after everyone else and the town needed a long term solution, extremely low maintenance solution to correct the problem. What could we suggest?

After a quick survey of the area, we saw the offending storm structure and realized the best alternative in this case would be our self-cleaning, stainless steel, wedgewire screen and orifice place.

If you are not familiar with wedgewire screens, they are very cool and have a wide range of applications - not only as trash and debris screens at hydro plants around the world, but also as fish exclusion in ponds/streams and another common use is in detention ponds to prevent trash/debris and small animals from getting into the system.

In this case, sediment, trash and debris would be prevented from entering the system, yet water could still flow through the system at high flow rates. It was an easy fix for this problem and the complaints stopped!

The top picture shows the screen after the first major rain storm. You can see the leaves stuck to the screen. When the system dries out, the leaves will fall off. The system is constantly working.

The picture of the red grate is the top of the structure and if the water gets high enough, it will flow into the system this way.

Our screens are highly engineered and designed for site specific applications.

Public comment period for NYS storm water manual has been extended to Feb. 3

The NYS DEC invites public comments for their storm water manual which is currently being updated. The public comment period has been extended until February 3rd. Here is the link

Sustainable Strategies for Stormwater Planning and Design Workshop and Tradeshow

We hope you will meet us next week at the Sustainable Strategies for Stormwater Planning and Design Workshop and Tradeshow.

This workshop is sponsored by the Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District / Dept of Planning and New York City Soil and Water Conservation District.

Meet us:
December 2, 2009
Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY
Cost $95.00
Educational Credits: 5.25
Register is Lisa Vasilakos from Westchester Dept of Planning: 914-995-3780

Stop by and see us!

Stormwater vault installation to improve storm water runoff that goes into Long Island Sound

We had our second installation of the TerreKleen Water Quality Treatment Vault get installed in Stamford this week.

The TerreKleen is unique in that this hydrodynamic separator utilizes stacked inclined plates to assist sediment to fall out. The first chamber is designed to capture large sediment, trash/debris, and contain oil. The second chamber contains stacked inclined plates. Stacked inclined plates have been widely used in the drinking water industry for the past 80 years. This technology has been adapted to the storm water industry.

The installation went smoothly and quickly. Here are a few pics...

This picture shows the hole where it will be installed. The markings show the positioning where the unit will go.



TerreKleen is made of 3 pieces. The TerreKleen is assembled in-place as each piece stacks on top of each other.

In this picture, you see the "working section" of the TerreKleen hoisted off the flat bed truck with a crane. The first section of the installation is getting positioned over the hole and being aligned for installation.

The site is being re-developed. The building behind will be re-furbished.

The second section, the riser, has been lifted off the tractor trailer and is getting positioned into place. It will install directly on top of the first section. Each of the three sections are designed to "interlock" together.

The lines attached to the crane's lifting chains assist in the alignment.






The riser section installs very quickly right on top of the working part of the TerreKleen.

TerreKleen can be easily sized for any size project. The installation is the same for any unit. While this picture shows the smallest TerreKleen unit (approx. 4'W X 6'L in size), available, TerreKleen is easily sized for any size project. No matter the size of the project, the TerreKleen takes advantage of the efficiency of the stacked inclined plates to maximize sedimentation surface area in the smallest unit footprint.

One more piece and the installation will be done.






Better not blink, the top is quickly installed!

This client requested manhole covers for the top. Other clients prefer manhole grates.










Installation complete and lifting rings are removed. Contractor will connect all of the inlet and outlet pipes and backfill around the unit. Then, unit is ready to work.

If you have any questions about this installation or any of the other storm water products in our line, give us a call. Click here to get to our website.

Invasive Plants Banned in CT

I go to a lot of environmental shows and was just going through some old documents today and found this list of plants that are banned in CT. I just copied the list that was typed up and thought I would post it. Also helpful, the link on the CT DEP site detailing invasive aquatic plants in CT.

Below is the copy of the list of banned invasives:

Plants Banned in Connecticut
By Public Act 04-203

As of October 1, 2004, no person shall import, move (except for the purposes of eradication), sell, purchase, transplant, cultivate or distribute any of the following invasive plants:

1	Curly leaved pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)	23	Perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium)
2	Fanwort (Cabomba Caroliniana)	24	Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
3	Eurasian Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum Heterophyllum)	25	Mile-a-Minute vine (polygonum Perfoliatum)
4	Variable Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum Heterophyllum)	26	Fig Buttercup (Ranunculus Ficaria)
5	Water Chestnut (Trapa Natans)	27	Coltsfoot (Tussilago Farfara)
6	Egeria (Egeria Densa)	28	Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium Vimineum)
7	Hydrilla (Hydrilla Verticillata)	29	Common Reed (Phragmites Australis)
8	Common Barberry (Berberis Vulgaris)	30	Sycamore Maple (Acer Pseudoplatanus)
9	Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus Umbellata)	31	Princess Tree (Paulownia Tomentosa)
10	Bell's Honeysuckle (Lonicera Xbella)	32	White Poplar (Populus Alba)
11	Amur Honeysuckle (lonicera Maackii)	33	False Indigo (amorpha fruticosa)
12	Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera Morrowii)	34	Russian Olive (Eleagnus Angustifolia)
13	Common Buckthorn (Thamnus Cathartica)	35	Wineberry (Rubus Phoenicolasius)
14	Multiflora Rose (Rosa Multiflora)	36	Kudzu (Pueraria Montana)
15	Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus Orbiculatus)	37	Canada Thistle (Cirsium Arvense)
16	Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata)	38	Jimonsweed (Datura Stramonium)
17	Narrowleaf Bittercress	39	Crested Late-summer mint (Elsholtzia Ciliata)
18	Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Biebersteinii)	40	Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia Cyparissias)
19	Black Swallow-Wort (Cynanchum Louiseae)	41	Slender Snake Cotton (Froelichia Gracilis)
20	Pale Swallow-wort (Cynanchum Rossicum)	42	Ground Ivy (Glechoma Hederacea)
21	Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia Esula)	43	Giant Hogweed (heracleuym Mantegazzianum)
22	Dame's Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis)	44	Japanese Hops (Humulus Japonicus)
45	Ornamental Jewelweed (Impatiens Glanulifera)	54	Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum Dulcamara)
46	Common Kochia (Kochia Scoparia)	55	Garden Heliotrope (Valeriana Officinalis)
47	Ragged Robin (Lychnis Floscuculi)	56	Hairy Jointgrass (Artharaxon Hispidus)
48	Scotch Thistle (Onopordum Acanthium)	57	Drooping Brome-Grass (Bromus Tectorum)
49	Bristle Knotweed (Polygonum Caespitosum)	58	Japanese Sedge (Carex Kobomugi)
50	Giant Knotweed (polygonum Sachalinense)	59	Reed Managrass (Glyceria Maxima)
51	Sheep Sorrel (Rumex Acetosella)	60	Canada Bluegrass (Poa Compressa)
52	Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea)	61	Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus Altissima)
53	Cup Plant (Silphium Perfoliatum)

As of October 1, 2005, no person shall import, move, sell, purchase, transplant, cultivate or distribute any of the following invasive plants:

1	Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum Salicaria)	11	Yellow Floating Heart
2	Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis Scorpiodes)	12	Onerow Yellowcress (Rorippa Microphylla)
3	Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica)	13	Watercress (Rorippa Nasturtium-aquaticum) except for watercress sold for human consumption without its reproductive structure;
4	Goutweed (Aegopodium Podagraia)	14	Giant Salvinia (Salvinia Molesta)
5	Flowering Rush (Butomus Umbellatus)	15	Yellow Iris (Iris Pseudacorus)
6	Pond Water Starwort (Callitriche Stagnalis)	16	Water Lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes)
7	European Waterclover (Marsilea Quadrifolia)	17	Border Privet (Ligustrum Obtusifoliuim)
8	Parrotfeather (myriophyllum aquaticum)	18	Tatarian Honeysuckle (Lonicera Tatarica)
9	Brittle Water-nymph (Najas Minor)	19	Dwarf Honeysuckle (Lonicera Xylosteum)
10	American Water Lotus (Nelumbo Lutea)	20	Gargen Loosetrife (Lysimachia Vulgaris)

Croton Reservoir

We went yesterday to the Croton Reservoir - what a great place to see.

I took some amazing pictures on the most beautiful day in the summer.

I also checked out Croton Point Park - GREAT!!!

Kudos to team Westchester County Parks!!! Thank you!