Monday, December 9, 2013
Product to Reduce Stormwater Runoff Pollution
I have prepared a short presentation on a product to improve water quality within the Stroubles Creek Watershed. Pollution caused by stormwater runoff is a major problem, and it enters Stroubles Creek easily through our storm drains. This product, the Ultra-Drain Guard Catch Basin, acts as a filter on storm drains to reduce the amount of contaminants entering our waterways through runoff. This product appears to be quite simple and economical in terms of water quality. I think this product could be quite helpful in the Blacksburg area, especially when trying to meet VA and EPA stormwater standards.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Wikipedia Page
I've been working on creating a wikipedia page for Stroubles Creek. It is still a work in progress, but I have finally published the article. I will work on adding more information in the next few weeks, but if anyone has additional information about Stroubles Creek, please feel free to contribute to the page.
The article can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroubles_Creek
The article can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroubles_Creek
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Evaluating Natural Assets: Green Infrastructure
The past few weeks have been busy for me. On November 4, I went to Charlottesville for a Green Infrastructure Training Workshop sponsored by the Green Infrastructure Center, the VA Department of Forestry, and the University of Virginia. The title of the workshop was Evaluating and Conserving Natural Assets: planning for green infrastructure in the developing and urban landscapes.The workshop was very interesting.
EPA Stormwater Calculator
On October 23, I attended a free webinar hosted by the EPA on their National Stormwater Calculator (NSC). The NSC analyzes rainfall and runoff for individual sites anywhere in the US. More information on the NSC can be found on the EPA's website here.
I have used other programs for calculating stormwater runoff, such as Win TR-55 and ArcGIS. This program by far is the simplest that I have used. It only works for individual sites, where as the others can be used for large areas, but the NSC is very user friendly. Most of the data is provided for you or collected from multple databases by the program, so the amount of work required by the user is very little. It's also very useful because you can compare techniques to reduce runoff. There are a variety of tools that can be considered for reducing the runoff at the site, such as rain gardens or pervious concrete, and the NSC will calculate what size you need it to be based on the site and the reduction in runoff.
I have used other programs for calculating stormwater runoff, such as Win TR-55 and ArcGIS. This program by far is the simplest that I have used. It only works for individual sites, where as the others can be used for large areas, but the NSC is very user friendly. Most of the data is provided for you or collected from multple databases by the program, so the amount of work required by the user is very little. It's also very useful because you can compare techniques to reduce runoff. There are a variety of tools that can be considered for reducing the runoff at the site, such as rain gardens or pervious concrete, and the NSC will calculate what size you need it to be based on the site and the reduction in runoff.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Biophilic Cities Conference - New Ideas for Stroubles
On October 18, I had the opportunity to attend the first Biophilic Cities Conference, hosted by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The conference featured speakers from all over the world to speak about their cities, how they are biophilic, and any plans or management practices they have been using to maintain a biophilic environment.
For those of you that don't know, the term biophilia refers to "the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Innate means hereditary and hence part of ultimate human nature.” (Wilson, 1993, p.31). Biophilic cities are cities that incorporate an abundance of nature throughout their cities. They are concerned with protecting nature, restoring nature in an urban setting, and connecting humans with that nature. This typically involves biophilic designs, such as green infrastructure like rain gardens, green roofs, urban forestry, etc. It also involves community involvement and stewardship to maintain and increase the natural habitat within the city.
For those of you that don't know, the term biophilia refers to "the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Innate means hereditary and hence part of ultimate human nature.” (Wilson, 1993, p.31). Biophilic cities are cities that incorporate an abundance of nature throughout their cities. They are concerned with protecting nature, restoring nature in an urban setting, and connecting humans with that nature. This typically involves biophilic designs, such as green infrastructure like rain gardens, green roofs, urban forestry, etc. It also involves community involvement and stewardship to maintain and increase the natural habitat within the city.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Invasive Species
I have prepared a short presentation on five common invasive species within the Stroubles Creek Watershed. Invasive species can be plants, animals, or microorganisms. The species I have listed are all plants and one insect. Invasive species vary by location, and they can also vary by how harmful they are to the ecosystem. They are often difficult to remove from the ecosystem. I have provided a few informative facts about each species, as well as some information on how to remove them.
Monday, September 30, 2013
TDML Plan
In 2006, the VT Biological Systems Engineering department, VA Water Resources Research Center, VA Department of Environmental Quality, and VA Department of Conservation and Recreation worked together to create a TDML Implementation Plan for the Upper Stroubles Creek Watershed. The upper portion of the Stroubles Creek watershed is mostly located in Blacksburg and on the VT campus, but some of it is outside of city limits in Montgomery County, as shown in the map below.
TDMLs are total daily maximum loads of pollutants that a waterway can handle and still be healthy (aquatic life). These plans can be very dense and technical, but they are very useful when trying to reduce non-point source pollution to make an impaired stream healthier. The VA DEQ created a flier/fact sheet about Stroubles Creek and its TDML plan. It is very informative and to the point, so if you're not comfortable with the entire plan or you just want some basic information about the watershed and its plan, you should definitely check it out! Stroubles Creek TDML Flier
At the bottom of the flier, there is a link to the entire TDML plan with contact information. However, that link is no longer active, so here is the link for the final implementation plan document if you'd like to read the specifics. Implementation Plan Link
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| Taken from: http://www.tmdl.bse.vt.edu/outreach/C83/ |
At the bottom of the flier, there is a link to the entire TDML plan with contact information. However, that link is no longer active, so here is the link for the final implementation plan document if you'd like to read the specifics. Implementation Plan Link
Campus Photos of Stroubles Creek
When I was on campus looking for tree species, I thought I would take a few pictures of Stroubles Creek near the Duck Pond. Blacksburg and VT have made an effort to keep Stroubles clean, so you will often see signage of some sort related to Stroubles if you walk around the area.
These little guys are all over downtown Blacksburg and the VT campus. They are located directly in the concrete above storm water drains. I've seen versions of these in other locations too, that are just painted on. I really like this style because it's not paint, so it won't fade away. They really catch your eye when you're walking along. If you're not from this area, you may not realize that Stroubles Creek runs beneath the campus and downtown Blacksburg, so it's a great way to catch pedestrian attention.
These little guys are all over downtown Blacksburg and the VT campus. They are located directly in the concrete above storm water drains. I've seen versions of these in other locations too, that are just painted on. I really like this style because it's not paint, so it won't fade away. They really catch your eye when you're walking along. If you're not from this area, you may not realize that Stroubles Creek runs beneath the campus and downtown Blacksburg, so it's a great way to catch pedestrian attention.Saturday, September 28, 2013
Informative Video about Stroubles Creek
Here is an informative video created by Jed Grubbs and Leslie Tate for the Urban and Regional Planning department at VT. The video discusses the history and future of Stroubles Creek and provides photos of Stroubles Creek beneath downtown Blacksburg. Very interesting!
This video can also be found on Vimeo.
VT Campus Tree Inventory
A few years ago the Forestry Department at VT conducted a tree inventory on campus. Since the entire campus falls within the Stroubles Creek Watershed boundary, this information could be very useful. I provided some common species within the watershed, but this will give you an idea of how many trees are on campus and where they are actually located.
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/campus_trees/welcome.html
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/campus_trees/welcome.html
Stadium Woods
Stadium Woods is an old growth forest located on the VT campus near Lane Stadium. In 2010, VT began discussing plans to remove a portion of the Woods to build a new indoor athletics practice facility for the football team. This discussion did not go over well with the VT and Blacksburg communities and gained a lot of press. In response to this opposition, environmental studies were conducted on the Woods, and VT created a Management Plan Committee to explore alternative options. Additionally, Friends of Stadium Woods (check out their website and blog under Related Sites and Blogs) created a petition to save Stadium Woods, as well as other events to help save the Woods.
This past spring I took an Urban Forestry class, and we conducted our own study on Stadium Woods. As a class, we visited the Woods and took different measurements and observations in sample plot locations. We then used the i-Tree Eco tool created by the USDA US Forest Service to determine the ecosystem services provided by Stadium Woods. It was my job to create the final report, which will be submitted to the Stadium Woods Management Plan Committee. Here is a copy of that report: Stadium Woods Report
As of now, Stadium Woods is protected from development of an athletics practice facility, but the Woods have not been permanently protected from future development. Stadium Woods provides many ecosystem services in the Stroubles Creek Watershed. If this forest is ever removed, these services will be lost, and it is likely that more impervious services will be added to the watershed, which could impact the current impairment of Stroubles Creek.
This past spring I took an Urban Forestry class, and we conducted our own study on Stadium Woods. As a class, we visited the Woods and took different measurements and observations in sample plot locations. We then used the i-Tree Eco tool created by the USDA US Forest Service to determine the ecosystem services provided by Stadium Woods. It was my job to create the final report, which will be submitted to the Stadium Woods Management Plan Committee. Here is a copy of that report: Stadium Woods Report
As of now, Stadium Woods is protected from development of an athletics practice facility, but the Woods have not been permanently protected from future development. Stadium Woods provides many ecosystem services in the Stroubles Creek Watershed. If this forest is ever removed, these services will be lost, and it is likely that more impervious services will be added to the watershed, which could impact the current impairment of Stroubles Creek.
Common Trees in the Stroubles Creek Watershed
It can be very useful to know and understand the trees around you, so I went searching the VT campus looking for common tree species that are found within the Stroubles Creek Watershed. Many of these trees are native, but there are some non-native and/or invasive species within the watershed as well. This is likely due to the fact that the watershed is in an urban area, so many of the original trees were removed to allow for development. Because the watershed is mostly comprised of an urban forest (street trees, park trees, and private trees), you may notice many ornamental trees if you explore the area. Additionally, the old growth forest commonly known as Stadium Woods located on the VT campus is located within the watershed, so I will post some additional information on Stadium Woods in another post.
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| VTDendrology Fact Sheet Link |
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| VTDendrology Fact Sheet Link |
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| VTDendrology Fact Sheet Link |
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non-native, non-invasive
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| VTDendrology Fact Sheet Link |
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non-native, invasive
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Stroubles Creek Watershed
I am a graduate student studying Urban and Regional Planning and Natural Resources Management at Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus.
Blacksburg, VA and the Virginia Tech campus sit right in the middle of the Stroubles Creek Watershed. I first became interested in this watershed last fall when I was working in a Soil Chemistry Lab on campus with a PhD student that was conducting an experiment in the watershed. When we were taking soil samples one day, other students from another department joined us. I learned that several studies were being conducted within the watershed at that time, and it was studied by several departments on campus and had been for many years.
When you search for information about the Stroubles Creek Watershed, there are several sources you can choose from, including the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, various departments within Virginia Tech, and the Town of Blacksburg. However, all of the information cannot be attained from one single source. That is my goal for this blog: to provide an aggregate of information about the Stroubles Creek Watershed.
Blacksburg, VA and the Virginia Tech campus sit right in the middle of the Stroubles Creek Watershed. I first became interested in this watershed last fall when I was working in a Soil Chemistry Lab on campus with a PhD student that was conducting an experiment in the watershed. When we were taking soil samples one day, other students from another department joined us. I learned that several studies were being conducted within the watershed at that time, and it was studied by several departments on campus and had been for many years.
When you search for information about the Stroubles Creek Watershed, there are several sources you can choose from, including the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, various departments within Virginia Tech, and the Town of Blacksburg. However, all of the information cannot be attained from one single source. That is my goal for this blog: to provide an aggregate of information about the Stroubles Creek Watershed.
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| Taken from: http://www.bse.vt.edu/site/streamlab/watershed-information/watershed-info.html |
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