Watershed Texas

http://tinyurl.com/z85v97f

The Guardian reports on a just-published paper in the scientific journal Nature. The new data suggest sea level rise could be twice that predicted for the next century–2 meters instead of 1.  Doesnt sound like much?  Think again. This means that development going in today at 20 feet above sea level,  in 100 years, maybe less, will be at 14 ft elevation. A very large change when you think about storm tides from just moderate storms. 20ft is low, but it would take a pretty big storm to cause major inundation at that elevation. But 12-14 feet is a whole ‘nother story!

See the photo below, from Google Earth, of new development going in at about 20-25 ft elevation along I-45, just where the Lowry expressway takes off. Probably not much thought about sea level rise went into this project. How would buyers react if they knew how things might change. Well, mortgages only go for 30 years, and most people stay in a house for only about 5 or so. So maybe the developer is making a good bet.

But what about the dikes and levees being proposed for storm surge protection?  These dikes will be built for today’s conditions. Unlike houses, dikes are a very serious investment, and we should expect a working dike well past 100 years.  Are dikes the most logical investment for our future?

There is a lot of clamoring for our area TO DO SOMETHING! BEFORE THE BIG ONE HITS!  And it is all about structural solutions. What about planning? Are we building in the right kinds of places? Are we building the right kinds of places–places we really do want to defend, and that might be worth building tough enough to weather the storms?  We need to expand the conversation. Sea level is expanding it for us where we like it or not!

Read Full Post »

Today we have a special guest blog for you by Emily Seldomridge and Jennifer Walker. They are both part of the Texas Living Waters Project.

There’s no better time to reevaluate your outdoor water use than during Smart Irrigation Month. As the month draws to a close, temperatures remain on the rise, but your water use doesn’t need to follow suit. In Texas, outdoor water use, particularly lawn watering, accounts for almost one third of annual residential water use, and can be much higher during hot, dry summers. Instead of following this trend, let’s learn from the drought and continue to limit outdoor watering to no more than twice per week. This commonsense water saving strategy can result in significant water savings.

(more…)

Read Full Post »

The Texas Coastal Watershed Program (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension/Texas Sea Grant) seeks a part time WaterSmart Program Assistant. The Successful candidate will: Organize volunteer workdays, recruit and supervise volunteers, work with volunteers in the field to install and maintain WaterSmart landscapes. Plan and execute outreach events including informational booths and presentations. Work as part of the project team to create short “how to” videos on landscaping, outdoor water conservation, and water quality topics. Manage the WaterSmart Program social media program to share information and raise awareness of projects and WaterSmart landscaping principles. Assist with workshop planning, preparation and execution.  Perform other job related duties as required. Bachelor’s degree or higher in horticulture, biology, natural resources, landscape architecture, agriculture or related field required or equivalent combination of training and experience. Skills & Abilities: Excellent English language verbal and written communication skills; Excellent communications and public speaking; Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others; Ability to supervise and direct small groups of volunteers; excellent computer skills including utilization of Word, basic web page management and editing, and social media platforms; Knowledge of gardening, irrigation, and native plants; Knowledge of organic landscaping practices, irrigation installation, rain water harvesting and rain gardens. Direct inquiries to: cyork@tamu.edu.

Read Full Post »