Fire Island, the New York barrier island and popular resort, was hard-hit by Hurricane Sandy, losing more than 100 homes and much of its beach. Sand dunes up to 20 feet tall were almost completely washed away during the storm.
But most of the buildings on the island survived, and many residents are thanking the dunes for that; if they hadn’t provided protection and taken the worst of the storm surge, the damage to buildings and other infrastructure would undoubtedly have been much worse.
The relative lack of damage is another argument in favor of beach nourishment—the expensive process of adding sand to preserve a beach, even in the knowledge that the beach may continue to erode or, more dramatically, be lost to a single storm. In fact, some Fire Island residents and business owners are anxious to get the dunes back, and to get temporary protection in place in the meantime. Property taxes pay, in part, for maintaining the dunes, and residents also expect to receive federal funding after Sandy.
As this article discusses, however, islanders and politicians—even the governor—are also discussing whether it makes sense to rebuild everything that was lost, and whether development should be restricted in high-risk areas along the shore.
StormCon Abstracts Are Due December 5
StormCon, the North American Surface Water Quality Conference and Exposition, is now seeking abstracts for presentations at StormCon 2013. The conference will take place August 18 – 22, 2013, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Presentations are 30 minutes each. Abstracts are due December 5, 2012.
We are seeking abstracts in six conference tracks plus the Coastal Protection Symposium. The six conference tracks are:
* BMP Case Studies
* Green Infrastructure
* Stormwater Program Management
* Erosion and Sediment Control
* Water-Quality Monitoring
* Advanced Research Topics
The Coastal Protection Symposium takes place concurrently with StormCon and focuses on infrastructure protection in coastal cities in the face of sea level rise and potential shoreline changes.
More information on the conference and the individual tracks is available at www.StormCon.com, along with an online abstract submittal form.
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FORESTER UNIVERSITY - UPCOMING CLASSES
What Designers and Reviewers Need to Understand and Complete
Module 5 of the Sediment & Erosion Control Master Class
Presenters:
Jerald S. Fifield, Ph.D., CISEC, CPESC
Tina R. Evans, PE, CISEC
HydroDynamics Incorporated
Wed., Dec. 5th @ 2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST
How effective is your sediment and erosion control plan? Join Jerald S. Fifield Ph.D., PH, CISEC, CPESC and Tina R. Evans, PE, CISEC for the fifth installment of our advanced Sediment and Erosion Control Master Class Series and the first part of our Effective S&EC Plans 2-part mini-series, What Designers and Reviewers Need to Understand and Complete, exploring the problems and challenges of sediment and erosion control plans, and how to develop, review and implement effective sediment and erosion control plans that not only meet local regulations, but are effective in meeting performance goals.
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Watershed Restoration Analysis and Integration with Urban Planning
Presenter:
Paul Crabtree, P.E., CNU-A
President, Crabtree Group Inc.
HydroDynamics Incorporated
Thurs., Dec. 6th @ 2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST
Don’t assume … assess! Optimize your urban planning efforts by studying the watershed first! Join Paul Crabtree, P.E., CNU-A, to explore the importance of conducting a watershed restoration analysis prior to planning, as well as how to design, implement, and assess this analysis to identify comprehensive and effective strategies and solutions for integrating rainwater practice with capital improvement plans and urban planning.
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Determining Performance Goals and Assessing the Effectiveness of S&EC Plans
Module 6 of the Sediment & Erosion Control Master Class
Presenters:
Jerald S. Fifield, Ph.D., CISEC, CPESC
Tina R. Evans, PE, CISEC
HydroDynamics Incorporated
Wed., Dec. 12th @ 2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST
Are you meeting your performance goals? Join Jerald S. Fifield Ph.D., PH, CISEC, CPESC and Tina R. Evans, PE, CISEC for the sixth and final installment of our advanced Sediment and Erosion Control Master Class Series and the second part of our Effective S&EC Plans 2-part mini-series, Determining Performance Goals and Assessing the Effectiveness of S&EC Plans, exploring the calculation of performance goals (PG) at major discharge points using the results of RUSLE2, as well how to calculate effectiveness (EFF) of sediment and erosion control plans before implementation.
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Getting Started in Green Infrastructure—Ten Keys to Jumpstart Your Green Infrastructure Program
Presenter:
Andy Reese, P.E., LEED AP
Vice President,
AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
Tues., Dec. 18th @ 2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST,
Jumpstart your green infrastructure program! Join Andy Reese as he draws from his experience assisting some of the leading practitioners of Green Infrastructure and his 35 years as a leading consultant in municipal Stormwater management to explore key technical and institutional aspects of successful programs, ultimately building a framework and roadmap for the local municipality looking to step into Green Infrastructure.
[Read full description.]