Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Timelapse: Low Water Crossing
EDIT: Whoops....it won't let us embed the actual video, so take a look at it over here......it's well worth it! Here's some pics to give you a bit of an idea....
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Video Blog: Stormwater, Impervious Surface, and Stream Health
We thought that a 1-year hiatus from the blog was quite long enough. So, here's to many new updates and goodies from th IECA Great Rivers Chapter area, as well as some great stuff from across the country and beyond! Look for regular updates to the blog page, and follow us via Facebook or by using the RSS Feed feature on this page. It's good to have you back!
Up first, here's a really good video blog recently produced by USGS titled "Stormwater, Impervious Surface, and Stream Health". Urban development is associated with an increase in impervious surfaces, that is, surfaces such as rooftops, sidewalks, and streets that prevent precipitation from infiltrating into the groundwater. Impervious surfaces increase the volume and energy of stormwater that reaches streams and can lead to adverse physical and water quality impacts, including erosions and increased nutrient runoff. In this video USGS scientist Tom Cuffney and Tom Schueler, director of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, discuss the effects of impervious surfaces on stream health.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Summer Newsletter 2009
- An Omaha consulting firm's new sustainable landscape feature
- Chapter President Tom Wells' Mid-Summer Blues
- Researcher's Corner: Water Environment Research Foundation
- Meet Your Board Member: Shirley Morrow
- The Sediment Stops Here: Erosion Control Blankets
Click the page below and enjoy!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Dave Derrick - Duck Creek Bank Stabilization Video in Davenport
IECA Instructor Dave Derrick of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, MS talks about the different techniques employed on a particularly tough stretch of Duck Creek on some parks ground in Davenport, IA. This particular phase of construction was done in the summer of 2008.
Highlighted stream restoration techniques/BMP's in this video include:
- Longitudinal Peakedstone Toe Protection
- Self-Launching Stone
- Locked Logs
- Bendway Weirs
- Live Staking
- Keyways/Living Dikes
Speaking from a non-engineer's perspective, geomorphology and stream restoration really need to be experienced in the field for a quality learning experience. Seeing different techniques in action is really where the learning begins. If you've never had the opportunity to hear David give a presentation, or participated in one of his many in-field learning opportunities, you definitely want to try and catch one. He's one of the very best!
(Video courtesy of BlinkWorks, and the City of Davenport, IA)
David Derrick - Duck Creek Bank Stabilization from BlinkWorks -James Swirsky on Vimeo.
Friday, May 1, 2009
BlinkWorks Creates Great Training Videos for Minnesota
Here's the prestigious (and quite fictitious) "Minnesota Parks & Recreation Training Academy" video on Rain Garden Maintenance, made for the Washington County, MN Soil & Water Conservation District in Stillwater (Catch District manager/IECA Instructor Jay Riggs in his on-screen debut, robbed of his hot dog!). Pure Genius.
I've always marveled at how difficult it can be sometimes to make this kind of stuff fresh and exciting to the layperson. This is as close as I've seen to hitting that mark. Kudos to all involved!
Parks & Recreation - Raingarden Maintenance from BlinkWorks -James Swirsky on Vimeo.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
EC10: IECA's Call for Abstracts!
- Increase the visibility of your project
- Extend the life of your work
- Demonstrate your knowledge and skill
- Assist your colleagues with E/SC/SW issues
- Help others in the industry learn techniques that will improve their work and our environment
Completing your Presentation includes a four step process:
- Writing a “Paper or Outline”
- Converting a paper into a “Presentation” and creating handouts
- Presenting your “Presentation” at the conference
IECA accepts content submittals throughout the year. But only those submitted by conference deadlines will make the Environmental Connection 2010 conference in Dallas. Technical Sessions and Course submittals will adhere to the following timeframe: