Posts Tagged ‘irene’

Morning Read: Was the response to tropical storm Irene misguided?

April 30th, 2012 by Brian Mann

The Burlington Free Press has published a provocative article about the science of and the response to tropical storm Irene that should be required reading for community leaders on both sides of Lake Champlain.

Two key takeaways caught my eye. The first was the idea that storm-events approaching this magnitude could be far more common than we like to think. This from Candace Page's article:

“Irene was the third catastrophic flood to devastate the southern half of Vermont in the 38 years since 1973, a frequency of once every 13 years,” Mike Kline, head of the state’s river management program, told the audience.

Global warming raises the likelihood of extreme weather events — warmer air, for example, can hold more moisture — added Pat Parenteau, a former Vermont commissioner of environmental conservation and a professor at the law school.

“Was Irene the storm of the century?” he asked. “More likely the storm of the decade.”

The second argument laid out here is that much of the "river management" response to Irene has been misguided, not because dredging and straightening rivers is environmentally questionable, but because it could make rivers less safe.

“Dig it out, make it fast and straight and deep, and we’ll be fine,” Kari Dolan of the state’s Ecosystem Restoration Program said, summing up one strain of public opinion.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, Kline and a suite of national experts told the conference: A river pushed around by man only becomes more dangerous.

Page's article suggests that as much as 40% of the river dredging response to tropical storm Irene on the Vermont side of the lake "made our risk and vulnerability greater."

Check out the full article here and chime in below. Comments welcome.

Tags: adirondacks, irene, politics
Posted in Uncategorized | 23 Comments »

Morning Read: NY won't replace famous Duck Hole dam in Adirondacks

November 17th, 2011 by Brian Mann

One of tropical storm Irene's biggest body blows was to trails and infrastructure in the High Peaks backcountry. The storm blew out dams at Marcy Dam and Duck Hole.

No decision has been made yet about replacing the Marcy Dam structure, but DEC officials told the Adirondack Explorer on Wednesday that Duck Hole won't be replaced.

This from Phil Brown's Explorer blog:

DEC spokeswoman Lisa King said today that the department has no plans to repair the dam.

“At this time, DEC does not anticipate the repair or replacement of the Duck Hole dam in the High Peaks Wilderness Area,” she told the Explorer in an e-mail. “By leaving it as is, the affected backcountry in this area can return to a more natural state. This is in keeping with DEC’s responsibilities for care, custody and control of Forest Preserve lands under the state constitution.”

The department’s guidelines for dams in the Forest Preserve favor removing dams in Wilderness Areas “when they become unsafe or are otherwise in need of replacement, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation.” Nonetheless, such dams may be rehabilitated to preserve fish and wildlife habitat, protect scenic vistas, or maintain a waterway’s navigability, among other purposes.

Spokesmen for the environmental groups Adirondack Council and Adirondack Wild said they opposed rebuilding the dam.

“It’s deep in the wilderness,” remarked David Gibson of Adirondack Wild. “It’s just as much a wilderness experience after Irene as it was before Irene.”

So what do you think? A good think to leave the spot in its wild state, as shaped by Irene? Or is the loss of an iconic backcountry pond unacceptable?

Comments welcome.

Tags: adirondacks, irene, outdoor recreation
Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

On newstands now: The storm that changed the Adirondacks

November 8th, 2011 by Martha Foley

I’m just leafing through our hard copy of the latest Adirondack Explorer magazine, (cover story: The storm that changed the Adirondacks) looking at some pictures of the Irene flooding that are pretty familiar, and many that I’m seeing for the first time, including aerial views of the former Duck Hole Pond and the former Marcy Dam Pond, and views of (and from) new slides on Wright Peak, Saddleback, Mt. Colden, Avalanche Pass and Cascade.

The magazine’s coverage combines the backcountry side of the incredible force of the flash flooding, as well as the human side of the damage to homes and businesses in the communities that took the brunt of the water.

Besides the great photos, the Explorer staff has mapped Irene’s track, and provided a sort of blow-by-blow account, with photos and another map, of the progressive devastation. There are updates on community recovery, and as well as stream restoration. And, of course, there’s a “how you can help” list of places to donate to continuing recovery efforts.

So the November-December issue is a keeper just for the Irene coverage. And then you can page through and read the REST of the magazine, as ever filled with hikes, excursions and controversies.

Tags: adirondacks, irene
Posted in Uncategorized | 18 Comments »

DEC official acknowledges stream damage from post-Irene clean-up

October 4th, 2011 by Brian Mann

For the first time, an official with the state Department of Environmental Confirmation has acknowledged that post-Irene clean-up efforts have caused damage to Adirondack waterways.

Speaking with the Adirondack Explorer magazine, Chris Amato, the DEC's assistant commissioner for natural resources, said “there are areas where some of the work that has been done has adversely affected fish habitat.”

According to Amato, the state plans to do restoration and reconstruction work to repair the damage, but he said local officials and clean-up crews weren't to blame.

“It’s not surprising that when people are working to save lives and property, protecting trout habitat is not their first priority,” he said in an interview with the Explorer.

But now that the emergency is over, he said, DEC will assess the work and come up with a plan to repair damaged habitat. Amato said DEC will employ established stream-restoration techniques to recreate natural features such as gravel beds, pools, riffles, bends, and shoreline vegetation.

“We will re-establish the variety of habitat that naturally occurs in streams,” Amato said.

The impact of dredging, gravel removal and straightening of streams has been increasingly controversial in the weeks following Irene, though some local government officials feel that the issue has been overblown by the media.

Read the Explorer's full article here.

Tags: environment, irene
Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments »

Environmentalists step up complaints about Irene response

September 22nd, 2011 by Brian Mann

The Adirondack Council issued a letter Thursday afternoon, urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to direct Park residents and local governments to "stop bulldozing rivers."

The photo shown here, taken by an Adirondack Council staff-member, shows Roaring Brook, which the group says has been converted into "a draining ditch."

"A lot of environmental damage is taking place in the name of public safety," said the Council's Brian Houseal, in a statement.

Along with the release, the Council issued a series of photographs, which it said showed unnecessary damage to Adirondack waterways.

Local government leaders in the Park, and state Senator Betty Little, have urged the state to quickly survey the rivers and approve more dredging, to prevent flooding this winter as ice jams develop.

Governor Cuomo suspended most environmental rules and regulations in the Park, including scenic river and wetland protections administered by the Adirondack Park Agency, so that emergency work could proceed without delay.

During a visit to St. Huberts last week, he said he was proud of the decision and believed it had accelerated the recovery.

Tags: adirondacks, environment, irene
Posted in Uncategorized | 54 Comments »

Irene leaves Pumpkin void in some areas

September 19th, 2011 by Julie Grant

Pumpkin growers are popular this time of year. But in some areas of the state, pumpkin crops were wiped out by recent flooding.

The Glens Falls Post Star reports that growers in Washington, Saratoga and Warren counties are filling the void for those who lost their pumpkins.

Wet weather hit farmers on both sides. Some had to plant late because wet fields were tough to get in, and had to be harvested a week early because wet conditions could lead to fungus. Some even hired mules to get into the fields because it was too wet for tractors.

Tags: agriculture, irene
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FEMA disaster recovery centers will be open this weekend in Clinton and Essex counties

September 16th, 2011 by Nora Flaherty

Here's the information, direct from the state and FEMA. In a nutshell, the centers in Essex County are longer-term and they'll be open until further notice–the center in Mooers, in Clinton county, is only there until Monday.

"Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Clinton, Westchester and Dutchess counties will be open from Friday, September 16, through Sunday, September 18, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. After Sunday, September 18, the mobile DRCs will be deployed to other locations, but will return to each county at a date yet to be determined. Counties will be notified once future dates are set."

The Essex and Clinton County centers locations are:

Clinton County

Mooers Town Hall/Fire Station, 2508 Rt. 11, Mooers, NY

Essex County (2)

Community Center, 11 School Lane, Ausable Forks, NY 12912

and

Moriah Fire Station, 630 Tarbell Hill Road, Moriah, NY 12960

A press release from FEMA and the New York State Office Emergency Managment also said this:

"The centers are staffed with disaster-recovery specialists who can provide information and answer questions about hurricane-related assistance, according to FEMA and state officials.

"Before visiting a recovery center, I strongly recommend people seeking assistance, to register with FEMA beforehand," said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Philip E. Parr. "Having spoken with or contacted state or local officials does not count. You must register with FEMA in order to apply for help."

Registration is quick and simple, Parr said. By phone, call the FEMA registration line at 800-621-3362. For those with speech or hearing disabilities, use the TTY number, 800-462-7585. Applicants can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or with any web-enabled mobile device or smartphone at m.fema.gov.

Information needed when registering with FEMA includes the address of the damaged property, names of those living in the household, a general description of the damage, the Social Security Account number of any family member living in the home, the extent of insurance coverage and certain other information needed to expedite the process.

New York state agencies will join FEMA to provide services to the public at the centers. These include, but are not limited to: information about state disaster aid and help for unemployed persons and displaced workers as the result of the hurricane; information for senior citizens about state-funded programs; access to forms and services pertaining to motor-vehicle issues; coordination and assistance with any needs for daycare services; and access to MyBenefits pre-screening tool. Representatives of these and other agencies will participate as determined by need.

Also on hand at the Disaster Recovery Centers will be specialists from the Small Business Administration (SBA) who can explain the low-interest loan packages available to individuals, nonprofits and businesses of any size. These loans are for the repair or replacement of real estate and/or personal property damaged by the storm and related flooding, officials said. People who register with FEMA will be sent a loan application from the SBA. No one is obligated to take out a loan, according to the SBA. Applicants have six months after approval to decide whether to accept the loan.

FEMA's temporary housing assistance and grants for transportation, medical and dental, and funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. Applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement and moving and storage expenses."

Tags: irene
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Irene brings another unwelcome passenger…Late Blight

September 14th, 2011 by Nora Flaherty

I'm not a gardener but when I presented the information to Martha yesterday that Late Blight had returned to the North Country, she was somewhat aghast. After reading about it I can see why.

Late Blight decimated North Country tomato crops a few years ago, and this year, Irene brought the fungal infection’s spores up the coast. Now they’re affecting tomato and potato plants. Cornell cooperative extension in St. Lawrence County has confirmed cases, and Jefferson county’s awaiting results, as reported in the Watertown Daily Times.

Early signs of infection on tomatoes are brown spots on stems that quickly grow…with white fungal growth developing under moist conditions, that leads to soft rot collapsing the stem.

The most visible symptoms are nickel-sized or larger olive green to brown spots on leaves, and slightly fuzzy white fungal growth on the underside.

The Cooperative Extension is advising gardeners to harvest what’s left of their tomato crop—even if some fruits aren’t yet ripe.

And if you see signs of infection on tomatoes, the extension told north country now that vines should be either piled and securely covered with a tarp—in a sunny area—or bagged and sealed until all green plant material has blackened. You shouldn’t compost infected plants.

Affected potato plants should be cut off at the base, and treated like tomato plants. The potatoes can be left a week or two to harden up and then harvested as usual—although you should take extra care not to damage them.

A really excellent primer on Late Blight is here–along with much more detailed instructions on what to do about it–from Cornell Cooperative Extension. Good luck with this one–it's nasty.

Tags: environment, garden, irene
Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

Morning Read: The next post-Irene fight is mold

September 14th, 2011 by Brian Mann

As more families and businesses put their lives back in order following tropical storm Irene, the Albany Times-Union looks at the dangers of mold infestation triggered by the high water.

Tracks of greenish-black mold are streaking across walls and spreading into the fabric of clothes and furniture of homes damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. That is the visible part.

The real trouble hides behind walls, under carpets and even in the air where spores float around looking for new places to propagate.

The article includes plenty of practical advice: what to keep, what to throw out, and when to call a professional to help deal with the ick.

Tags: health, irene
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Speaking of the weather…

September 13th, 2011 by Martha Foley

Curt Stager has the latest in a series of blogposts triggered by the incredible flood damage from the high waters of Irene.

The dance at the Whallonsburg Grange to raise money for neighbors who lost their homes when the Boquet River flooded.

Curt's been up and down the Adirondack river valleys that were trashed by the power of the water. He's talked with volunteers and officials, and he and Kary Johnson have taken some of the most dramatic photographs we've seen.

This post in his Save the Carbon blog asks the question: "The Weather of 2011: waste or wake-up call?"

Yes, it takes us back to extreme flooding this spring, and to extreme rainfall records going back to 1900. It includes more pictures, charts and graphs showing the trend toward more extreme rain, his thoughts on preparadeness and the recovery so far.

He closes:

Remember, just because it's not on national TV now doesn't mean that this story is over yet. Far from it; lots of people still need help.

Two ways to help… join our effort today: send a donation to

Town of Jay Irene Relief Fund
P.O. Box 730
Ausable Forks, NY 12912

OR:

Keene Flood Recovery Fund

The Adirondack Community Trust
P.O. Box 288
Lake Placid, NY 12946

(Checks should be made payable to ACT/ Keene Flood Recovery Fund.)