I Speak for the Trees…and the Stormwater
By Jenny Molloy
Most people have a vague recollection, perhaps from a brief fourth grade poetry unit, of the opening lines to Joyce Kilmer’s poem Trees: “I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.” Less well remembered is Kilmer’s characterization of a tree as one “who intimately lives with rain.”
An often overlooked fact about trees is that they also do a great job of preventing and reducing stormwater runoff. Depending on the type of tree and the intensity of rain events, trees can intercept as much as 30% of total annual rainfall before it even reaches the ground.
When precipitation does reach the ground, trees’ extensive root systems drink it up. The transpiration rates of trees (or how much water evaporates from the trees) vary notably, but some of the thirstier species can transpire dozens or even hundreds of gallons per day.
That adds up. A New York City study estimated that one tree reduces stormwater runoff by 13,000 gallons per year. That means the 500,000 existing trees in the city reduce runoff by 6.5 billion gallons per year, and 300,000 new trees could remove another 3.9 billion gallons from the overburdened NYC sewer systems.
In Washington, D.C. a similar study estimated that simply using larger tree boxes could reduce annual stormwater runoff by 23 million gallons, and that increasing the use of trees could provide reductions of 269 million gallons per year.
Trees also provide other benefits: shading and cooling that ultimately provide energy savings; carbon sequestration; wildlife habitat; enhanced property values; air quality improvements; community health and safety. And of course, as Kilmer noted, there are aesthetic advantages as well.
Example output from the National Tree Benefit Calculator
Communities who do the math now see trees as a win-win in wet weather management. While trees require capital investment and maintenance, compared to other stormwater controls (which are costly to build and maintain but don’t provide benefits beyond stormwater), trees are often an obvious component of the solution.
The U.S. Forest Service public domain i-Tree family of tools now provides now standard approaches to quantifying the benefits. So for municipal planners, utility managers, regulators and anyone else with a role in controlling the consequences of wet weather, trees no longer need be considered supplemental or boutique elements. They are on the A-list of options.
You too can estimate the value of that oak or poplar in your yard with the National Tree Benefit Calculator: Enter your zip code, choose from a drop-down list of over 200 species, enter the tree diameter and voila! The calculator provides an estimate of overall annual value in dollars, and also breaks that down into specific benefits: stormwater, property value, electricity, natural gas, air quality and carbon dioxide.
Which brings to mind another childhood standard: Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, an allegory illustrating not only the multiple benefits of trees, but also conveying that with a little care those benefits can be realized for a very long time.
Jenny Molloy has been working in Clean Water Act wet weather programs at the state and federal level for nearly 20 years, and has been at EPA for the last 9. She was EPA’s first Green Infrastructure coordinator, and just completed a 2-1/2 year detail to Region III and the Chesapeake Bay Program Office focusing on the stormwater permitting program. She’s an active member of her son’s high school band program just so she can fulfill a life-long dream of being able to say “I’m with the band”.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Our Environment, Then and Now
By Christina Catanese
Have you ever wondered what the places around you looked like 40 years ago? Like, how long has that building been there? Has there always been this much trash in this river? Did there used to be more open space in this area? We’ve asked these questions, too.
From the Documerica Archives: “The Polluted Schuykill River and Center City In Background, September 1973.”
That’s why EPA is reviving Documerica, a photo documentary that captured American life and environmental conditions shortly after EPA’s creation in 1970. We’re not only bringing back the old photos, we’re giving you a chance to give it a modern twist.
In Documerica, photojournalists throughout the country photographed subjects of environmental concern, resulting in a collection of over 15,000 images that gave a snapshot of our environment in the 1970s.
Now, through a photo project called State of the Environment, you have an opportunity to get behind the lens and submit photos that document our lives and our planet today. You can try to match pictures taken 40 years ago with a current shot to mark the changes in your environment, or submit new photos that capture our current decade. Find out here how to participate in this challenge and submit your images through our Flickr page!
You can also check out a selection of the Documerica photos as well as some of the State of the Environment photos submitted so far in a traveling exhibit called Documerica Returns. There are a few places you can catch the exhibit in the southeastern Pennsylvania area in the next few weeks:
- Franklin & Marshall College, atrium of Steinman College Center, now through November 20th
- EPA Philadelphia Regional Office Public Information Center, 1650 Arch Street, November 26th-30th
- Amtrak’s 30th Street Station, December 3rd-14th
From the Documerica Archives: “Oil Spill On Schuykill River, July 5, 1972, Following Hurricane Agnes, Covered Greenery On River Bank, July 1972)”
I’m most curious to see photos of our waterways, then and now. In the Philly area, I’d love to see a match of the pictures of the Schuylkill River in this post.
What places inspire you to grab your camera and capture the state of our world today? What did you find when you browsed the Documerica archives of photos near you 40 years ago – were there any surprises?
About the Author: Christina Catanese has worked at EPA since 2010, in the Water Protection Division’s Office of Program Support. Originally from Pittsburgh, Christina has lived in Philadelphia since attending the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Environmental Studies, Political Science, and Hydrogeology. When not in the office, Christina enjoys performing, choreographing and teaching modern dance.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Gray is the New Green
By Elisa Hyder
Reduce, reuse and recycle. Did you know this common phrase referring to “green” or environmentally friendly practices applies to water?
Every day, water goes down the drain when taking a shower, washing dishes, or simply washing hands. This “gray water” generated from these domestic activities can be recycled for other uses. Gray water is different from tap water that is safe for drinking (white water), and the water from flushing a toilet (black water). Though not suitable for drinking, Gray water contains considerably lower level of contaminants than black water, making it easier to treat and recycle.
The cleaned gray water can be put back into the home for some domestic activities such as watering plants or suppling toilet water. Reusing just a gallon of gray water a day for a year can save enough water for up to 36 showers! And it reduces the amount of drinking water needing to be treatment for human consumption.
However, gray water is not perfect – definitely not safe to drink – and needs to be handled carefully.
- Gray water should only be stored for a limited time. The nutrients and organic matter in gray water start to break down after about 24 hours and can start to emit a foul odor!
- In some cases, the water should not be used unless it has been treated properly with a cleaning system or filter to prevent contamination. This treating process can be done in a variety of ways, some doable in the home or business place. There are both man-made filters and natural systems that gray water can go through for treatment, like distillation and membrane filtration.
- Local public health agencies may have requirements to follow when developing and implementing a gray water system, so make sure you check with local jurisdictions to fully understand local requirements if you’re interested in your own system.
- Check out these helpful FAQs for more on how to use gray water safely.
Learn more about water recycling and reuse here and here! Interested in even more detailed info? Check out EPA’s 2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse – Chapter 2.4.2.1 focuses on Individual On-site Reuse Systems and Graywater Reuse.
Some handy homeowners have installed diversion systems to reuse their own gray water, particularly in drought-prone and remote areas. Water reuse also gets larger buildings points in the LEED certification process; buildings like the Solaire residences in New York City use recycled water from the building for toilet flushing, landscape irrigation and cooling towers. There are even cases where wastewater treatment plants provide their treated water to local businesses for commercial or industrial use, such as Google’s data center in Douglas County, Georgia (check out the video!), irrigating golf courses, and others from a list of reuse projects in New Jersey.
Have you heard of gray water being reused near where you live? Would you try this at your house? Always take care to ensure that you are reusing gray water safely, and check with your local health department if you’re not sure.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
After Hurricane Sandy
By Christina Catanese
Today in Philadelphia, life is beginning to return to normal after Hurricane Sandy. Our buses, subways, and trains are up and running, most of the fallen tree branches have been cleared away from the streets and sidewalks, and the sun has even peeked through the clouds to help us all start to dry out. But our concerns remain with those in other parts of the northeast facing a more difficult recovery. Natural disasters are a reminder to all of us of the power of nature and the importance of being prepared.
Hurricane Sandy's approach to the Northeast United States. Photo courtesy of NASA.
After a storm like Sandy, there are a number of things you can do to stay safe when it comes to water.
- If you have concerns that your drinking water has been contaminated, don’t drink it. Drink bottled water if it is available and hasn’t been exposed to floodwaters. Otherwise, boil your water for one minute at a rolling boil to get rid of pathogens. Learn more about emergency disinfection here.
- Avoid contact with flood water, as it may have high levels of raw sewage or other hazardous substances.
- If you have a private well and it has been flooded, do not turn on the pump due to danger of electric shock. Do not drink or wash with water from the flooded well until it has been tested and deemed safe.
- If you have a septic system and it has been flooded, do not use the sewage system until water in the soil absorption field is lower than the water level around the house.
- For water and wastewater facilities, check out these suggested post-hurricane activities to help facilities recover.
Get more information on what you can do to protect health and the environment after severe weather and flooding.
About the Author: Christina Catanese has worked at EPA since 2010, in the Water Protection Division’s Office of Program Support. Originally from Pittsburgh, Christina has lived in Philadelphia since attending the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Environmental Studies, Political Science, and Hydrogeology. When not in the office, Christina enjoys performing, choreographing and teaching modern dance.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
What’s App? Two New Water Apps!
By Christina Catanese
Two new water apps have recently app-eared on the scene that will help make the health of local waterways more app-arent to citizens everywhere. It seems app-ropriate that both have been launched around the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act – yes, we’re still celebrating clean water!
App-ease your app-etite for data by checking out EPA’s new How’s My Waterway App. This app is a new tool that helps users find information on the condition of their local waters quickly using a smart phone, tablet, or desktop computer. This tool app-roximates your current location with GPS technology (or you can search for the zip code or city of your choice) and shows the assessment status and reported condition of the nearest streams. The app is designed to make water quality data available, and its meaning app-arent, to everyone, with plain-English terms and explanations. How’s My Waterway is app-licable anywhere, from the App-alachian Mountains to App-leton, CA. More background on the tool is available here.
What waterway is the app-le of your eye? What did you find when you looked up your waterway on this app? Was the water quality worth app-lause, or was it more app-alling?
The other new water app, RiverView, gives you a more active role in app-raising the health of your waterway. Developed in partnership with EPA by San Diego-based nonprofit Below the Surface, this app allows anyone to post and view photos of rivers and comment on them using social media, all shown on a map of rivers around the country. This fall, representatives from EPA hit the water (along with federal agencies, paddling and surfing groups, businesses and non-governmental organizations) to launch the app by paddling the entire length of the Anacostia River through Maryland and Washington D.C. With this app, everyone can app-ly themselves to documenting visual measurements of the recreational use of their waters. How app-ealing!
I app-solutely hope you’ll make an app-ointment to show your app-reciation for your local waters and check these apps out! Don’t be app-rehensive!
And, do you app-rove of my use app puns in this blog entry? It just seemed app-ropos.
About the Author: Christina Catanese has worked at EPA since 2010, in the Water Protection Division’s Office of Program Support. Originally from Pittsburgh, Christina has lived in Philadelphia since attending the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Environmental Studies, Political Science, and Hydrogeology. When not in the office, Christina enjoys performing, choreographing and teaching modern dance.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Make Some Noise: the Clean Water Act Turns 40!
By Jon Capacasa
There are all sorts of noises being made in celebration of today’s 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act.
Fire on Cuyahoga River Jun 29, 1969: The Cuyahoga River in Ohio becomes so polluted that it catches on fire. The fire helped spur an avalanche of water pollution control activities like the Clean Water Act by bringing national attention to water pollution issues.
Not the blaring type you typically hear on New Year’s Eve, but rather the noises associated with cleaner water – the squeals of young fishermen hauling in a fish from a local creek… the hum of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant… the crunch of shovels clearing ground for rain gardens and streamside tree buffers… the clang of a cash register ringing up a marine sale… the buzz of a family picnicking along the river.
That’s music to the ears of those of us who remember when we faced health and environmental threats in our waters that are almost unimaginable by our standards today.
Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has kept tens of billions of pounds of raw sewage, chemicals and trash out of our waterways, and we’ve doubled the number of waters that meet safety standards for swimming and fishing.
In my travels around the Mid-Atlantic Region, I’ve seen the impressive work we’ve done with watershed groups and many of our other partners to improve the quality of our waters. The number of folks engaged in cleanup efforts for their local waterway is at an all-time high. And the results have been overwhelming.
Black Water Falls, West Virginia
Migratory fish can now travel the full length of the Delaware River due to major increases in oxygen levels. A major interstate program is now place for restoring the Chesapeake Bay, including a landmark pollution budget. Green infrastructure techniques are sprouting up in our major cities and small communities as a cost-effective way to control stormwater pollution and improve community livability. And economic development along urban waterfronts has burgeoned, like the famous Baltimore Inner Harbor and along the Anacostia River in Washington D.C., driven by commitments to cleaner water.
In every corner of the region, we have initiatives underway to protect our most irreplaceable resource, producing environmental, economic, community and public health benefits.
We’ve come a long way. But there’s much more to do. And we need your help to continue the progress and take the next steps.
- Check out our recent blog on things you can do to protect and conserve water.
- Visit the Clean Water Act 40th Anniversary website at www.epa.gov/cleanwater40, join a special Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/EPAWaterIsWorthIt, and follow on Twitter @epawater to learn about anniversary events, to share your stories or to read more about the Clean Water Act.
- And try out EPA’s brand new How’s My Waterway mobile web tool to learn the condition of your local waters and the efforts underway to restore them.
So what does clean water mean to you? Let us know.
Author’s Note: Jon Capacasa is director of the Water Protection Division in EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
The Clean Water Act’s Big 4-0
By Tom Damm
The Clean Water Act is celebrating its 40th anniversary next week. Can’t think of the perfect gift? We’ve got some ideas.
- Save water around the home. Save water and protect the environment by choosing WaterSense labeled products and taking simple steps to conserve.
- Dig a rain garden or install a rain barrel. With a rain garden or a rain barrel, capture stormwater before it carries yard and street pollutants into sewer systems and out to local rivers and streams.
- Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed organization and volunteer to help. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community. If you can’t find a group to join or want to organize your own activity, check out the Watershed Stewardship Toolkit with eight things you can do to make a difference in your watershed.
- Pick up after your pet. Pet waste contains nutrients and bacteria that can wash into local waterways if left on the ground.
- Do a stormwater stencil project. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people “Dump No Waste – Drains to River” with the image of a fish. Stencils are also available for lakes, streams, bays, ground water and oceans, as well as the simple “Protect Your Water” logo with the image of a glass and faucet.
To celebrate this big milestone in the life of the Clean Water Act, get involved. We can all do something to build on the remarkable strides made in water protection over the past four decades.
You can check out more items on the Clean Water Act’s “gift registry” here. And let us know of other steps you’ve taken to further clean and safe water.
About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Water Treatment Ahead of its Time
By: Trey Cody
Fairmount Water Works, Photo courtesy of the National Parks Service
As in intern in EPA Region III’s Water Protection Division, there are always ample opportunities to learn about environmental protection. One of my most recent adventures was a trip to the Fairmount Water Works Interpretative Center in Philadelphia with other interns in my program.
The original Fairmount Water Works was considered at the time of its opening in 1815 to be a wonder of the world. After witnessing its magnificent architecture and design, I would argue that it still is today. During the trip we learned about how, with advanced technology for its time, the Water Works facility allowed Philadelphia to be the first municipality in the nation to take on the responsibility of distributing fresh drinking water to the public. This was done with the use of two steam engines which pumped water from the Schuylkill River to a 3-million-gallon reservoir to house it. In 1822, a 1,600-foot dam was built across the Schuylkill in order to direct water to three water wheels, which had replaced the steam engines. Another innovation for its time was the use of hydropower–the facility itself was powered by the river. And I learned that Fairmount Park was created to preserve open space to protect our water supply.
It is clear that the availability for clean drinking water has been a priority for centuries. I knew that Philadelphia gets its drinking water from both the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers, but it was nice to learn about the history behind this. It gives me pride to know that the Mid-Atlantic Region was home to a facility ahead of its time that is still to this day a model for drinking water facilities across the U.S.
Do you know how your drinking water is treated and which source it comes from? Do you have a similar story to a visit to a drinking water facility? Leave us a comment and tell about it!
About the Author: Trey Cody has been an intern with EPA’s Water Protection Division since graduation from high school in 2010. He is currently attending the Pennsylvania State University.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Embarking into the Christina River Basin
By Andrea Bennett
Flowing through rolling hills, forests and farms, small and big towns, the Brandywine, White Clay and Red Clay Creeks, and the Christina River constitute the watershed of the Christina River Basin, which then empties into the Delaware River. This beautiful watershed is historically significant as a site where Revolutionary battles were fought, as well as the area where one of America’s most famous painters, Andrew Wyeth, flourished. This watershed also provides over 100 million gallons of drinking water per day for over 500,000 people in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Barclay Hoopes Dairy Farm Before and After Restoration
Many nonprofit and governmental organizations are implementing projects and programs to protect the watershed and its sources of drinking water. Several years ago, these groups received an EPA Targeted Watershed Grant of $1 million to support the health of the watershed by restoring streams and installing agricultural and stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce runoff flowing into streams and groundwater.
I had the opportunity to see some of these BMPs in action recently on the annual Christina River Basin Bus Tour, sponsored by the Chester County Conservation District (CCCD), the Brandywine Valley Association, the Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. As we traveled through the watershed, Bob Struble, executive director of the Brandywine Valley Association, pointed out stream restoration and watershed protection projects.
At the Barclay Hoopes dairy farm, Mr. Hoopes showed us 1,500 feet of stream bank fencing installed to reduce manure loading to White Clay Creek. United Water Delaware and the City of Newark worked with the CCCD to install these fences to help prevent Cryptosporidium (a protozoan that can cause gastrointestinal illness) from entering the water.
We also stopped at the Stroud Water Research Center where we saw a brand new LEED-certified education building – the Moorhead Environmental Complex. The Center manages stormwater run-off through natural landscaping with porous surfaces, a green roof, and rain gardens with native vegetation. The new building has a plethora of energy efficient technologies, including radiant heating, natural ventilation, solar power, and high efficiency windows. Wherever possible, the center uses materials that were found locally, sustainably harvested, reclaimed, or recycled, and have low emissions of pollutants.
Kennett Square Golf Course Before and After Restoration
We visited the Kennett Square Golf Course and Country Club where Paul Stead, the Superintendent, gave us a tour of the stream bank and flood plain restoration of the section of Red Clay Creek, which flows through the golf course. Because Mr. Stead educated the club membership about the importance of protecting the watershed, this project was funded not only by a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Grant, but also by members of the golf club itself. The result is improved flood control, less impact to Red Clay Creek during storm events, and a more scenic golf course.
These are just some of the projects going on right now in the beautiful Christina River Basin. Not only do they help to protect sources of drinking water, they also ensure that the basin remains a wonderful place to visit. The basin is one of my favorite places to go kayaking, hiking, and birding, and it’s easy to see how the White Clay Creek was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River in 2000.
As I left Myrick Conservation Center that day, it was fitting that I saw a Bald Eagle, a national symbol of America’s environmental treasures. It’s one more reason to protect the waters of the Christina River Basin, so that eagles, as well as humans, have a clean and safe water resource today and in the future.
About the Author: Andrea Bennett has been with EPA for over twenty years as an Environmental Scientist in the region’s Water Protection Division. Prior to joining EPA, she conducted ornithological research and produced films. When outside of the office Andrea enjoys birding and playing the mandolin.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
On the way to wonderful…
By Maryann Helferty
Front of the Overbrook Environmental Education Center
During a summer drive along a busy commercial corridor in Philadelphia’s historic Overbrook section, I was transfixed by a vibrant mural lining the cinder block wall of a former cable manufacturing plant. The wall had been painted to show bees and flowers emerging over the cityscape just as the property’s new occupant, the Overbrook Environmental Education Center, has grown into a community asset from a former brownfields site.
Interpretive signs explained how stormwater systems in older cities are often routed in tandem with the sanitary sewer. During heavy rainfall, raw sewage can be discharged into waterways, causing a health concern. At this site, however, stormwater is managed with bio-retention basins, swales, green roof systems and pervious pavement. These techniques allow an amazing 90 percent of rainwater to be harvested on the 45,000 square foot site. Developers and contractors frequently visit to see these innovations in action.
The Center director, Mr. Jerome Shabazz, shared his vision for community-based urban outreach centers. “We create a third place beyond home and work, where everyone can meet and feel welcome.” How does creation like this happen? First, one listens to the home-owners and businesses to understand what strengths make Overbrook stable and connected. Then educational offerings build from the needs expressed by the community.
Overbrook Environmental Arts Orchard Planting
Today, like the bees on its mural, the former brownfields site hums with energy, offering environmental education initiatives, as well as nutrition, fitness, and literacy. Rising over the parking lot was the Penn State Extension High Tunnel Greenhouse; children are climbing a gym set under the trees; and a vibrant tile mosaic shows the creativity of residents from a Summer Youth project who designed the entrance that says: “On the way to wonderful find a place called alright.”
What are the strengths that make your neighborhood an alright place to be? How do you work in your community to make it wonderful? I’d love to hear from you.
About the Author: Maryann Helferty is a water quality scientist with the Mid-Atlantic Regional office of the EPA. She has worked on groundwater and watershed protection in both the rural Pacific Northwest and the urban corridors of the Atlantic. One of her passions is teaching urban youth about water through the poetry curriculum: River of Words.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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