http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler stories of landscapes, conservation, and people in and beyond the Rivanna Watershed Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:11:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 © lmiddleton@embarqmail.com () lmiddleton@embarqmail.com() stories of landscapes, conservation, and people in and beyond the Rivanna Watershed lmiddleton@embarqmail.com No no http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler 144 144 http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:00:51 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/12/11/115-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-stores-our-dirt-too/feed/ 0 5:23 December 11, 2008 There's a lot of different ways to look at our diminishing resources -- running out of clean water, clean air, and .... good ... December 11, 2008 There's a lot of different ways to look at our diminishing resources -- running out of clean water, clean air, and .... good dirt?nbsp; We might do well to look past the problem of the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir filling up with dirt -- and try to understand the causes of -- and consequences of losing dirt from the landscapes upstream. This show originally aired on December 11, 2008nbsp; on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. There is slow steady winter rain thatrsquo;s keeping temperatures hovering around forty degrees and the skies dark with winter gloom.nbsp; But the rain is good -- for our groundwater, for our reservoirs, and it is good for the plants and animals that need this most essential resource to survive.nbsp; This rain is also filling our rivers ndash; and I would wager ndash; sending a good amount of water into the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, along with a healthy amount of dirt. Now, that dirt is slowly but surely filling the reservoir ndash; each year, decreasing its capacity from 1 to 5 per cent since it was completed in 1969.nbsp; In another example of our human short-sightedness, like many public works installations of the era, the design life of this reservoir was only fifty years, at which time the reservoir would be filled to over 50% of its capacity. This was the "water supply plan" back then ndash; and it is, in part, this plan that has us where we are today, scrambling to find a way to maintain the usefulness of a reservoir that was poorly situated with an uncharacteristically large watershed from which to drain --nbsp; and one that, in the conventional wisdom of the day, was always expected to fill up with sediment.nbsp; Hence, the current discussions about dredging. Since the cost of disposal of the dredge material is generally agreed to be the most expensive part of any dredging operation, this got me thinking about the value of the sediment itself and whether we are, once again, missing the mark in the way we think about our natural resources ndash; letting the pocket book drive the decision without consideration for other factors that, because they are ecosystem benefits and difficult to quantify, don't often get put into the cost benefit analysis. There have been some creative responses by contractors interested in dredging the South Fork Reservoir ndash; and in most cases, we donrsquo;t know the ultimate destination of the sediment, it's just part of the economic equation upon which the offers are being built.nbsp; They range from a method of opportunistic, selective dredging of just sand and gravel when market makes it economically profitable ndash; to more complex projects proposed, including using the fill to extend the Airport's runway ndash; or to fill a nearby quarry, presumably for reuse later on. The US Army Corps of Engineers has been thinking about the use of dredged materials for years.nbsp; Charged with keeping our waterways clear for navigation, the Corps promotes the use of dredged materials for creating wetlands and improving fish and wildlife habitats, as well as the construction-related kinds of uses, such as land creation for runways, buildings, and other human strudtures.nbsp; And dredge materials can also be used to improve the soil structure of poor agricultural lands, creating topsoil or serving as the base structure for soil amendments. Dr. David Montgomery is a geo-moprhologist and a 2008 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, who has spent his career looking at the complex relationship between rivers and the soils that they transport ndash; historically tone of the primary land changing processes. His recent book, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization, provides a sobering description of the consequences of squandering "good dirt" ndash; the topsoil in which we grow our food, the topsoil that takes generations to create.nbsp; Montgomery's book look... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Geology,,Headwaters,,Ivy,Creek,,Rivanna,River,,Sediment,,Uncategorized,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/29/113-thanksgiving-for-drinking-water/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/29/113-thanksgiving-for-drinking-water/#comments Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:05:06 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/29/113-thanksgiving-for-drinking-water/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/29/113-thanksgiving-for-drinking-water/feed/ 0 5:14 November 27, 2008 Walking through the South Fork Rivanna Water Treatment Plant brings a new appreciation for what it takes to turn river water into potable, ... November 27, 2008 Walking through the South Fork Rivanna Water Treatment Plant brings a new appreciation for what it takes to turn river water into potable, safe drinking water. This show originally aired on November 27, 2007 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. In late 1620, the God-fearing and intrepid band of Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, first stepped on the outer shores of Cape Cod ndash; close, but not quite there, in their search for a home and religious freedom in the New World.nbsp; After an arduous 2-month voyage across the Atlantic, their stores of fresh water ndash; and more importantly, the cider and beer on which most people relied for drink -- were precariously low. It took several forays down the sandy arm of the Cape to find rivers that spilled fresh water hellip; and eventually, when they moved the Mayflower to what is now known as Plymouth Harbor, it was chosen as much for its protection from Cape Cod Bay as for thenbsp; fresh water flowing in to it from the Jones River and a "very sweet brook" that flowed beside the landing rock, a brook that William Bradford wrote had as "good water as can be drunk."nbsp; He describe the water as "sweet," perhaps an adjective hard for us to appreciate in our modern day, unless we remember that by the 1600s, many rivers ndash; and city streets in the Old World ndash; were already fouled by sewage and what we would today call gray-water from bathing and laundering -- and were anything but sweet or safe to drink. For our Thanksgiving gatherings today, perhaps the one thing on the table that costs little in money or time to prepare is the water that fills our drinking glasses.nbsp; As a City resident, I get my water from the tap, with a simple turn of the wrist.nbsp; I do pay a monthly bill for this service (so it is not exactly "free").nbsp; Ad because I recently had the privilege of touring the South Fork Rivanna Water Treatment Plant, I now know a little more of what goes in to making the water safe for me to drink and cook with. Our tour, led by David Golladay, deputy manager water operations for the RWSA, starts outside in the chill bright air that has us all hugging ourselves for warmth as we walk the various stations of treatment.nbsp; Raw water from the reservoir is pumped uphill to the treatment facility where it travels through a series of 100-foot long settling basins for processes that remove the organics and dirt that give it the dense green -brown color of raw.nbsp; It's a mini-lesson in chemistry, as we learn how aluminum sulfate and other compounds are added to encourage the unwanted particles to clump together like small gauzy patches of snow and settle to the bottom.nbsp; As the water moves to other basins, long vacuum units remove what is now called sludge and send it down the hill to a dewatering facility that wrings out every last bit of moisture.nbsp; Eventually, the partially treated water moves inside and under cover, where it is dosed a second time with lime to adjust the pH, and where small amounts of chlorine and fluoride are added for our health and inhibitors added to reduce corrosion from the various piping systems it will eventually travel.nbsp; The treated water takes a final pass through filter basins made of crushed stone, sand, and coal, to capture any remaining impurities.nbsp; The result is water that regularly exceeds the Federal safe drinking water standards. All of these processes are overseen by one water treatment operator at the plant aided by modern electronics that provide closed circuit TV, automated and electronically controlled actuators for mixing and for analyzing water quality, pressure head, and flow through the various stages of treatment.nbsp; This plant treats 12 million gallons a day and sends it into the vast distribution network that delivers the water, on demand, 24 ndash;7 to homes and businesses like... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Rivanna,River,,South,Fork,,Water,Conservation,,Water,Quality,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/06/110-here-comes-the-hydrilla-part-2/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/06/110-here-comes-the-hydrilla-part-2/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:05:46 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/06/110-here-comes-the-hydrilla-part-2/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/11/06/110-here-comes-the-hydrilla-part-2/feed/ 0
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5:04 November 6, 2008 Hydrilla may improve certain aspects of water quality, but it is an invasive aquatic weed that has caused numerous problems around the country.nbsp; ... November 6, 2008 Hydrilla may improve certain aspects of water quality, but it is an invasive aquatic weed that has caused numerous problems around the country.nbsp; The future maintenance of the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir will need to address this growing problem in the reservoir.nbsp; This show originally aired on October 30, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. Last week, we learned about the aquatic weed, hydrilla, an herbaceous, perennial freshwater herb originally imported from southeast Asian for aquariums and water gardens ndash; and a plant that has taken over millions of acres of shallow standing and moving water in the United States.nbsp; Unfortunately, it has taken rootnbsp; in our watershed, particularly in the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, but it has also been found in tributaries like the North Fork as well as the river itself downstream from the reservoir. Like many plants that are characterized as invasive, it is not unattractive.nbsp; It has delicate leaves organized in whorls of three to eight around a central stalk that rises to the surface in water that can be from a foot to fifteen feet deep.nbsp; The leaves are 2 to 4 millimeters wide and can be from six to 20 millimeters long ndash; and what distinguishes hydrilla from the native pondweed (elodea), as well as a another look-alike transplant, the Brazilian waterweed, is the presence of many sharp teeth along the margin of the leaves. Invasive species take hold in our local habitat through a variety of means.nbsp; Some terrestrial plants out-compete natives by emerging earlier in the season, or being resistant to the evolutionary system of ecological checks and balances, or by reproducing in a scale that overwhelms local species.nbsp; Hydrilla has its own set of tricks for flourishing in the places it is introduced, whether by boats traveling from one waterway to another, or on the wind, or using other aquatic species to hitchhike a ride.nbsp; Once in a waterbody, it spreads out and forms dense canopies that can shade out native vegetation ndash; and while these areas can provide protective nursery grounds for juvenile fish, it is not a major food source for aquatic species.nbsp; Fishermen on our reservoir report seeing larger fish taking cover in the hydrilla ndash; but it is hard to get to them without snagging a lure full of heavy weed. Hydrilla also alters water quality by raising the pH and decreasing oxygen as well as increasing temperature under the mats of weed.nbsp; In slow moving water, the stands that are rooted to the bottom can catch sediment and accelerate the process of filling in and creating islands, as has been seen along many stretches of the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir. And these clever hydrilla have more than one way of reproducing. The plants, such as those often found in the mid-Atlantic, can host both male and female flowers, making for an easy date between ovary and sperm.nbsp; Plants also produce rhizomes that root horizontally in bottom soils, sending up new shoots opportunistically.nbsp; If that weren't enough, the plants also produce turions, small tuber-like growths that grow between stem and leaf and breaking free in the fall and floating till they fetch up in another spot, ready to take root in the spring.nbsp; With all these reproductive mechanisms at work, it's easy to see how simply mowing down the plants, as is done in some areas to clear docks or swimming areas, is only a partial solution ndash; and how eradication, as well as prevention of its spread, is next to impossible. Though chemical agents can kill the plants, many localities have used grass carp ndash; also an imported species ndash; to control hydrilla, though this has its own risks. Grass carp will out-compete native fish species ndash; and are only recommended in enclosed water bodies.nbsp; Our reservoir is only a temporary impoundment... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Ecology,,Natural,History,,North,Fork,Rivanna,,Rivanna,River,,Rivanna,mainstem,,South,Fork,,Water,Quality,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/30/109-here-comes-the-hydrilla/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/30/109-here-comes-the-hydrilla/#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:11:35 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/30/109-here-comes-the-hydrilla/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/30/109-here-comes-the-hydrilla/feed/ 0
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5:07 October 30, 2008 While the Virginia Film Festival showcases movies about aliens from other countries, other lives, and other worlds, we need look no further than ... October 30, 2008 While the Virginia Film Festival showcases movies about aliens from other countries, other lives, and other worlds, we need look no further than out own watershed for invasives of the biological variety.nbsp; The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir is now infested with Hydrilla verticillata, an aquatic weed that has caused problems in lakes, rivers, and sounds in other parts of the country. This show originally aired on October 30, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. I was reading in the paper how Richard Herkowitz, director of the Virginia Film Festival, decided that the subject of aliens could have social, political, as well as entertainment value ndash; and now we are in the midst of the movies about topics that range from immigration to space invasions.nbsp; We use the word alien to describe something that is "not from here" and usually with the connotation that it has no business being here.nbsp; Many times, we ascribe to aliens the notion that they are "invading," and thus underscore the menacing potential. Well, these terms are also used in the biological world.nbsp; While an alien species is simply "one not native to an area," it may become invasive if it is able to out-compete similar but native species.nbsp; If it is able to overcome ndash; or even thrive ndash; within the ecological limits provided by other native organisms, the plants, insects, and animals that have evolved together in a healthy balance. While alien space invaders may be thrilling or scary to contemplate, it is usually much harder for any of us to have a similar reaction about an invasive plant species ndash; like the common reed, Phragmites, that is overwhelming wetlands across the eastern seaboard and changing the visual and ecological character of marshy areas.nbsp; Or the Zebra mussel, whose capacity for feeding and filtering has rendered waters from the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence Seaway stunningly clear, but biologically barren.nbsp; Usually, we first become aware of such invasions when they have an economic impact ndash; such as the need to keep water intakes from fowling with Zebra Mussels. But thanks to the focused attention of the South Rivanna Reservoir Task Force, we now know that we have an aquatic invasion in our watershed. Hydrilla verticillata, commonly known as hydrilla, is forming dense mats of growth along the margins of the reservoir, reducing access to rowing lanes, snagging fishermen's lures and stopping the strokes of boater's paddles. Those who row on the reservoir say its been a recent addition, only first noticed a couple of years ago, but dramatically increasing during this last growing season. Hydrilla came to the US through the nursery trade in the 1950's and has infested waters in coastal areas since the 1970's ndash; producing thick mats of vegetation on still and slow moving waters in Florida, Washington state, and now in the mid-Atlantic. Nearby in Louisa County, hydrilla management has been in effect for almost a decade to keep water intakes to the power plant unobstructed ndash; and simultaneously clearing the surface of the water for recreational boating. True to its invasive nature, hydrilla has multiple means of reproduction ndash; tubers at its roots, seeds from flowers, and turions ndash; those small seed-like growths at the axil of the plant stem.nbsp; These can survive ice, ingestion, and burial in bottom sediments for several years.nbsp; Mowing or chopping down plants only results in more aggressive growth. Other biological characteristics contribute to hydrilla's success.nbsp; Because it absorbs carbon from the water more efficiently than other plants and can store its own phosphorous, it thrives during summer months when these nutrients can be limited.nbsp; Because of this, some say that hydrilla improves water quality ndash; and though fisherman will say that it'... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Ecology,,Rivanna,River,,South,Fork,,Water,Supply,,Wetlands lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:24:26 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/16/107-south-fork-rivanna-reservoir-task-force/feed/ 0
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6:03 October 16, 2008 The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, built in 1966, is continuing to silt in from upstream erosion.nbsp; The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Task Force ... October 16, 2008 The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, built in 1966, is continuing to silt in from upstream erosion.nbsp; The South Fork Rivanna Reservoir Task Force is examining the condition of the reservoir and is seeking public input regarding its uses and fate. This show originally aired on October 5, 2006 and as an encore on October 9, 2008nbsp; on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. Almost twice a month for the last couple of months, a small group of citizens and representatives of various stakeholders has been meeting to discuss the fate of the South Fork Ravenna Reservoir.nbsp; The members of this task force represent the variety of uses and benefits that the reservoir now affords this community. Built in 1966 to augment the storage capacity at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir, it now also provides miles of flatwater for varsity and community rowers.nbsp; Fishermen come from surrounding counties to launch jon boats at all times of day and night.nbsp; Novice canoeists learn their first skills on its calm dark waters.nbsp; The upper reaches of Ivy Creek consistently offer sightings of beaver, green and great blue herons, turtles, and, sometimes even bobcats. The reservoir also provides an immutable kind of pleasure and solace that only an expanse of water can do ndash; one that can be appreciated looking upstream or down while crossing its bridges, or for the fortunate few who live along its shores, from livings rooms and decks.nbsp; Out of sight ndash; and out of the minds of most ndash; is what lies beneath, the remains of a small but thriving African American community at Hydraulic Mills which was vacated and submerged when the waters rose after the dam construction. The aesthetic, recreational, and ecological benefits were never the primary purpose of building this reservoir, but as the community contemplates its future, it is these very benefits that the Task Force has been asked to consider by the four chairs ndash; two of them elected, Charlottesville's Mayor, Dave Norris, and the Chair of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Ken Boyd ndash; and two appointed, the Chair of the Albemarle County Service Authority Board, Don Wagner, and the RWSA Board Chair, Mike Gaffney. The Task Force has been asked to determine what would happen to the reservoir if nothing is done to maintain it hellip; and to make recommendations about whether or not to maintain itndash; presumably by dredging.nbsp; And finally, if dredging is to be recommended, for what purpose?nbsp; Retain the ecologic benefits?nbsp; The recreational benefits?nbsp; The guidance was clear to the Task Force ndash; With the approved water supply as a given, lets turn our attention to the South Fork Reservoir. It may seem to some a no-brainer that, of course, we would maintain this piece of aging infrastructure ndash; one that in the 1960s was actually designed for a useful life of only fifty years.nbsp; That's the way it was done back then ndash; and we are not alone in this community in grappling what to do now that hindsight has caught up with us and our infrastructure, including dams, now demand attention. And you'd think that dredging the South Fork should obviously become the centerpiece of any future water supply plan ndash; but somehow, it didn't in this last go around.nbsp; How could that be so? There are a variety of reasons, some regulatory and some practical.nbsp; Foremost is the fact that simply dredging to the original volume will not get this community to the 50 year need, based on growth and water use predictions.nbsp; And there are other issues:nbsp; dredging requires permits from the Army Corp of Engineers, who carefully regulate all land-disturbing activity on river bottoms and who are especially watchful over the wetlands that provide multiple ecologic benefit. And the water supply plan must address other aspects of aging... Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Headwaters,,Ivy,Creek,,Moormans,River,,Rivanna,River,,Sediment,,South,Fork,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/07/97-street-work-what-lies-beneath/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/07/97-street-work-what-lies-beneath/#comments Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:39:49 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/07/97-street-work-what-lies-beneath/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/08/07/97-street-work-what-lies-beneath/feed/ 0 00:01:01 August 7, 2008 This show originally aired in August 7, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. ... August 7, 2008 This show originally aired in August 7, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net Replacing aging infrastructure is costly and disruptive to utility services, but watching the water lines being upgraded and replaced on my street helps me understand just why the price tag is so high.There are markings on the pavement in front of my house on Oxford Road. Day glow green circles, yellow dots and dashes like a Morse-code message from the underground. Red and green marks, too. Up the dense periwinkle that hugs the slope between the curb and our lawn are bright blue lines sprayed 2 inches wide ending at the round cast iron water-meter. If I didnrsquo;t know better, I'd think it was some new kids' game made permanent with the upgrade from chalk to spray paint. But I do know better, because for last couple of months the street in front of my house has been busy with special equipment from the City and its contractors who first and foremost must mind these marks of the Virginia Underground Utility Code. As I work at my desk inside, I've come recognize the sounds of dump trucks, and graders -- the clang of the backhoe bucket as it hits the pavement, the vibratory call of the jack-hammer. Oxford Road is being torn up and redone hellip; and it's making me think about how much lies beneath the roadway that I normally think of as simple conveyance for people and cars. We've all heard or seen the effects "aging infrastructure" and how many facilities ndash; from bridges to roads, sewers systems and reservoirs ndash; are facing costly upgrades and maintenance that has been neglected. The latest round of discussion about area drinking water has been driven in part by the desire to see that the function of the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir as storage for our drinking water ndash; is not lost to the siltation that has been as steady as the loss of trees and farmland to development upstream. Less evident, because it is mostly out of sight, is the state of our public utilities: that vast network of the water and sewer mains, pump stations, conduit and piping for gas, telephone, cable, and electricity. But tending to much of this infrastructure is the job of the City of Charlottesville's Utilities division, which has been working to keep pace with the loss of water to leaks and corrosion. The position created several years ago of Water Conservation Specialist is held now by Jennifer Watson. Though part of her job is to build awareness and promote public education, she's also busy planning and managing the system-wide repairs and upgrades so that little water is lost as it is conveyed to customers. Somehow, Oxford Road made it to the top of the work list, and it has been under siege since early spring. Jennifer explained to me that the schedule is based on whether there's been a repeated need for repairs in a given area and if existing water lines are the galvanized steel that are prone to longitudinal cracks and leaking. Sewer lines are also being replaced. In March, the Oxford Road sewer line was upgraded using a cure-in-place process that lined the existing pipes with a resin-hardened synthetic fabric. The repairs and upgrades are not cheap. Though the City usually spends about $3 million a year on water and sewer improvements, earlier this year it estimated that it will cost about $19 million dollars fort just water line repairs and upgrades over the next five years and half again as much to do the same for the city's share of sewer infrastructure. Watson estimates that our street alone will cost on the order of $360,000 to replace the main water line with a ductile iron pipe, to install additional fire hydrants at the required 600-foot intervals, and to replace and tie in about 35 lateral lines with copper for that final leg between water main and meter for each house. When they're done, sometime later t... Charlottesville,,Neighborhood,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/16/88-questions-about-the-water-supply-plan/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/16/88-questions-about-the-water-supply-plan/#comments Fri, 16 May 2008 23:19:54 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/16/88-questions-about-the-water-supply-plan/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/16/88-questions-about-the-water-supply-plan/feed/ 2 00:01:01 May 15, 2008 This show originally aired on May 15, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. ... May 15, 2008 This show originally aired on May 15, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. The community water supply plan that is under question has been permitted, as it must be, by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on February 11, 2008. That plan was approved unanimously by the City Council and Albemarle County Board of Supervisors in 2006. Because our area is not blessed by natural reservoirs, nor rivers whose flows are adequate at every time of the year to yield water for human use even at our present population, we rely on reservoirs to store water for times of scant rainfall and low flows. When our urban population was smaller in the late 1890's and early 1900's, the City of Charlottesville set aside land to create the first, and then subsequently expanded, Ragged Mountain Reservoir. This reservoir is unlike the South Fork in that it is not filled by a running river but rather by aging pipeline from the headwaters of the Rivanna, the North and South Forks of the Moormans River, now impounded by the Sugar Hollow dam. The Ragged Mountain reservoir has a watershed that is relatively small and does not appreciably contribute to the supply impounded in the reservoir. In addition, its slopes are completely forested except for I-64, which bisects the western portion of its watershed. The South Fork Reservoir was built in 1965 with no planning for periodic removal of sediment captured from upstream sources by some form of dredging. It is indeed a very good thing that the community is now waking up to a fact that residents adjacent to the South Fork, boaters and fishermen on its impounded waters, and watershed planners have long known: we have lost about a 1/3 of the storage capacity of this reservoir ndash;and annually this number is increasing and the storage capacity is decreasing. Mudflats impede UVA and community rowers in upstream bends in the river, every rain event brings another wedge of sediment laden water from up-watershed, attempts to travel up Ivy Creek by canoe from the Woodlands Road bridge can only take you so far before you are walking through soft mud. So people are asking ndash; why not just dredge the reservoir and restore its function to store the drinking water that we need? The answer depends upon whether or not you think that cost estimates from eager dredging companies are accurate enough on which to base a water supply. On whether or not you think that it is OK to chop down or inundate trees on land already set aside for the very purpose of storing water ndash; and that was timbered for profit by the City of Charlottesville as recently as the 1950s. Or whether or not we have any obligation to restore natural flows to the Moorman's River, a pristine, headwater stream known for its diversity of aquatic habitat. Or whether you question the numbers ndash; developed by engineers and planners and endorsed by the State of Virginia -- used to project human water usage for the next 50 years. Or whether you believe that dredging should be considered a maintenance task like the nutrient removal upgrades required for Moore Creek Treatment Plant, or other upgrades needed for O-Hill and South Fork water plants. Or whether you think ndash; or hope ndash; that our still growing population will find, collectively, the political and moral will to use water more smartly, and less, in the years to come, regardless of unpredictable changes in rainfall patterns wrought from climate change. Or whether perhaps this time ndash; some 50 years after the South Fork was built, we are entering a time of investment, much as our forebears found it necessary and unavoidable to do, and must plan for our and our children's future ndash; and knowing that it will be costly, we are still willing to bear that cost because it is the right thing to do. Albemarle,County,,Charlottesville,,Moormans,River,,Rivanna,River,,Sediment,,South,Fork,,Water,Conservation,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/17/84-groundwater/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/17/84-groundwater/#comments Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:55:05 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/17/84-groundwater/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/17/84-groundwater/feed/ 0 00:01:01 April 17, 2008 This show originally aired on June 27, 2007 and was aired again on April 17, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public ... April 17, 2008 This show originally aired on June 27, 2007 and was aired again on April 17, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. I was well into my adult years before I truly understood the nature and logic of water. I grew up on the Assabet River in Massachusetts, the one that Henry David Thoreau explored with his brother 100 years before me. Its floodplain and wetlands were my childhood playground. Upstream, there was a marshy inlet that froze into a skating pond in the winter. Downstream acres of soggy, skunk-cabbage filled wetlands provided interest for many an after school hour. In the summer, the waters moved slowly, revealing a shallow brown bottom, fish, turtles, and freshwater clams. In the winter, the river rose high, sloughing the ice from its banks. Springtime floods often crept up the bank towards the low foundation of our house. The riverrsquo;s cycle of the seasons was simply part of our lives ndash;and I did not question the way water works. I assumed that a river was filled by the tributaries that fed it, like our Assabet River joined the Sudbury to become the larger Concord River downstream ndash; and that these, in turn, were fed by smaller streams and springs ndash; and that the river flowed because the rain flowed over the land or into the river itself. Later, I encountered dry bed of the Ventura River as it approached the Pacific in a broad delta with windrows of cottonwood and willow marking the place where water, deep underground, was presumably still flowing.nbsp;nbsp; Curious, indeed. It was not until I moved to Charlottesville that I began to notice and wonder about the changing level of water in the Rivanna. There was something about this Piedmont River, so prone to change, flashing high with summer rains, then sinking low as soon as the trees sucked it dry in the growing season, the banks deep and muddy, a river that I found hard to love in the best of seasons. So it was rather shocking to me to learn that the level of the water in a watercourse corresponds roughly to the height of the water table in the adjacent soil and rock. From this simple but profound idea, I began to understand the connection between river, water, and the earth itself. And from this fundamental realization came an appreciation of the fact that the surface water in our rivers, reservoirs and runs is one and the same with the groundwater hidden below. And like surface water, deserves, for our health as well as that of the natural communities, to be protected both in source and quantity as well as quality. Strictly speaking, the water table is the depth at which soil pore spaces become fully saturated with water. Groundwater is recharged from, and eventually flows to, the surface naturally ndash; hence the natural discharge often occurring at springs, seeps, and streams. Unlike other parts of the country, Albemarle County does not have aquifers per se. Beneath the topsoil lies a layer of fractured bedrock called saprolite, through which rain water and surface flow seep, slow recharging the water stored in the fractures of bedrock below. Through this fractured bedrock, the water collects and even flows according to its own hydrologic regime along the hydrographic contours of groundwater. Roughly speaking it tends to flow mirroring the slope and direction of the corresponding topography above ground. When I paddle on the Rivanna, at one with the level of the river and its groundwater, I have tried to imagine this slow and mysterious flow of water hidden from view. Those in our watershed who derive water from wells are perhaps more aware of groundwater than those of us who live in the urban ring and are supplied by water from the reservoirs. But it would be s mistake to think that groundwater and the water in our rivers are not connected ndash; and that decisions about drinking water or dispos... Geology,,Headwaters,,Meadowcreek,,Rivanna,River,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/24/74-digging-deep-at-ragged-mountain/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/24/74-digging-deep-at-ragged-mountain/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:54:38 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/24/74-digging-deep-at-ragged-mountain/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/01/24/74-digging-deep-at-ragged-mountain/feed/ 0 00:01:01 January 24, 2008 Drilling cores to determine the geology underneath the site of the new dam at Ragged Mountain provides ... January 24, 2008 Drilling cores to determine the geology underneath the site of the new dam at Ragged Mountain provides a window into another world and the perspective of geologic time. This show originally aired on January 17, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. On a bright afternoon during a warm spell earlier in the month, I was part of a group of Ivy Creek Foundation visitors gathered on a hillside above the wooded valley below the Ragged Mountain Dam. We were there to take a look at the drilling operation, part of the geotechnical studies being undertaken by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority in preparation for expansion of this drinking water reservoir. Almost at the top of the service road that leads to the caretakerrsquo;s house, we park behind a series of trucks and get out with our guide, Chuck Kent, who works for the Service Authority and is overseeing the project. On the downhill side of the road, therersquo;s a steep track that weaves through the woods, barely visible but for rumpled leaves and clumps of fresh earth here and there, and several men in cold weather work clothes are climbing up to greet us. No one is wearing hardhats, so we know that the drilling ops are over for the day, and though we wanted to see the equipment in action, therersquo;s still plenty to look at and learn. The track through the woods is where the drilling rig has traveled down the slope to the valley where an unnamed stream, tributary to Moores Creek, originates as the outflow from the existing dam. Orange flags are barely visible as they climb the hill on the other side of the valley, describing roughly where the dam will be. Chuck explains that the drilling contractor was hired to conduct seismic tests and drill cores to verify the integrity of the underlying bedrock. Knowing what lies beneath this section of the forest will, in part, determine structural requirements the dam that will eventually raise the pool elevation another 45 feet. And herersquo;s the drilling bit, a rough-looking piece of hardware on the end of a steel drill pipe. Itrsquo;s three inches in diameter with diamond cutting surfaces and a hollow center through which the core is extracted. The cores themselves are collected in a special wooden box with troughs marked to show the sequence of the pieces. We get to inspect the last core, a series of four-foot lengths, some of which are comprised of shorter sections fit together where a discontinuity, or fault, in the substrate caused the core to separate. Keeping them in order is essential for understanding the structure and layering of the underlying rock. Fort the most part, this drilling operation revealed that down to 40 to 60 feet, itrsquo;s mostly unconsolidated. Deeper, the drill found granite bedrock. The longest core was 248 feet of drilling angled from the surface where the sides of the dam will be anchored into the sides of the stream valley. Below the foundation of the dam itself, cores were dug to about 120 feet. Each drill hole was then tested with pressurized water to see where the faults are, if any. I lift one 12-inch section ndash; testing its heft. It is dense and dusty gray, spotted with lighter crystalline structures, the history of this land over eons of time. In places, the core is stained red with iron ore. Other sections show lines of fracture, fault lines where water has intruded and weakened the rock. After the cores are analyzed, the Water and Sewer Authority will keep them, laid out in their special boxes, during the design and construction of the new dam, to refer to as needed. As we marvel over these artifacts from earth beneath our feet, the contractors fire up a compressor. The day will dim fast on this January afternoon ndash; and the last step in the process ndash; filling the drill holes with grout ndash; has to be completed. Like sti... Geology,,Water,Supply lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2007/11/29/51-shipboard-water-conservation/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2007/11/29/51-shipboard-water-conservation/#comments Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:19:00 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/?p=17 http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2007/11/29/51-shipboard-water-conservation/feed/ 0