Archive for 2018
A Matter of Life and Death in the Gulf
Today, we take a look a bigger picture problem: The Gulf of Mexico. More specifically, the giant dead zone stretching through a large part of the Gulf of Mexico. A staggering 41% of North America drains through the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. The “Dead Zone†as it’s called stretches across 7,000 square…
Read MoreWhat’s in the Water?
Although stormwater management is important for helping to preserve the environment and valuable habitat from different types of pollution, we rarely think of the impact on human health. The reality is that storm drains carry whatever ends up in them throughout large interconnected water systems. Through storm drains, to ponds, to streams, into larger lakes…
Read MorePut a wrap on your slopes with riprap!
It goes by many other names; shot rock, rubble, rock armor, but it all serves a similar function. When we see places like shorelines, stream banks, or culverts lined with jagged rocks, a lot of times we don’t realize that it’s actually serving a purpose. The riprap is used to help stabilize areas that otherwise…
Read MoreCoastal Erosion: Where did the beaches go?
Florida is a state known for its beautiful sandy beaches. There are people that come from all over the world to partake in lounging around in the sand and the surf. Florida is also known for its torrential storms. For example, Miami-Dade County lost a staggering 170,000 Cubic yards of sand during Hurricane Irma. Beach…
Read MoreHow to Protect your Stream
When planning any kind of construction or industrial activity, it is important to consider the surrounding area. The natural vegetated areas that surround rivers, streams, lakes, or other waterways are known as riparian areas. These zones are very important to the waterbodies that they surround. They generally have high soil moisture, a high infiltration capacity,…
Read MoreYellow Curtains Are in Style this Year!
Water bodies will generally work towards naturally maintaining themselves and the organisms that rely on them. This can become an issue when the water body gets stirred up, by either natural processes such as large storms or floods, or unnatural processes, such as construction or industrial work. Sediment and other contaminants can make the water…
Read MoreNon-Structural BMPs
n the stormwater compliance industry, we use a lot of different tools to ensure that our waterways stay clean. We work with things like silt fence, filter fabric, gutter buddies, and strategically placed gravel on the regular to physically stop erosion at the site. But what about taking a more indirect route? This kind of…
Read More