Daniel Salzler No. 1210
EnviroInsight.org Three Items July 14, 2023
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- Preparing For The Monsoon Season.There is much to do to prepare yourself, your home and your yard before the Monsoon season raves up. Here’s a few things to consider:
Trees: The first thing you should know is how dangerous a storm can be and how it can affect your trees. This way, you’ll better understand what’s at stake and what you need to look out for during the season. This next section will try to help cover all the major dangers of a monsoon and how they affect trees.
Rain and Wind: The big thing you need to worry about is all the rain and wind that comes with these monsoons. The high winds will put a lot of pressure on your trees, and the rain will loosen the dirt and soil holding them in place. The water can also drown your yard, causing lasting damage if the water sits there for too long.
Falling Trees: The big worry that comes from all the wind and rain is the possibility of falling trees and debris. Because of the loose ground and high winds, trees can fall over, damaging anything they land on and potentially causing injury. You want to do everything possible to stop your trees from falling and learn how to address the issue if they do fall.
The best thing you can do is stop your trees from falling in a monsoon in the first place, which takes good preparation. The next section will help you prepare your trees for the monsoon season. You should try using all this advice to keep your trees standing throughout the season.
Keep Your Trees Healthy: The first thing you should try to do is keep your trees as healthy as possible. The best defenses trees have against a storm are healthy roots and strong trunks, which come with a healthy plant. Ensure adequate watering and fertilization year round to keep your trees as healthy as possible. You may want to hire an arborist to provide expert, specialized care.
Drain Your Yard: Most trees sitting in water will slowly rot and die, which is why drainage is so important for the health of your plants. Do what you can to prevent any water buildup in your yard by creating natural channels for the water.
Space Your Trees: It’s a good idea to plan for the spacing of your trees when you plant them, considering how much room they’ll eventually take up. Additionally, good planning can prevent home damage if a tree does fall during a storm, as you can plant it far away from your house.
Signs That Your Trees Are Vulnerable
Every few months, go out and examine the trees in your yard for signs of vulnerabilities. We’ll discuss some of the biggest issues you should look for.
Cracking, Decay, and Dead Wood
Some of the easiest vulnerabilities to spot are cracking, decay, and deadwood.
Cracking usually occurs at the base of branches. Check the spots where your branches meet your tree trunk for signs of cracking. Examine any unusual dips or angles in your branches to see if they are the result of cracking.
Look for spots along the trunk and branches that seem to be overtaken with fungus. If your trunk has any holes or crevices, search for signs of hollowness. Both fungus and hollowness indicate decay.
Like decay, deadwood can be found on any part of a tree. It is often discolored and brittle to touch.
Poor or Unusual Branch Structure
If you don’t know much about the trees growing in your yard, poor branch structures may be hard to spot. Do a bit of research to get a sense of how your trees are supposed to grow before heading out for visual inspection.
Typically, branches should not grow horizontally from the trunk. You also want to see bends that grow in a U-shape, rather than a V-shape. Additionally, branches that don’t seem to be supporting their own weight or that are resting on nearby branches have a poor branch structure.
Tree-Eating Pests
Pests are bugs that nest in and feed off of your tree, exacerbating your tree’s health issues. Some common pests in Arizona are the Paloverde beetle and the Armyworm, amongst others.
While these pests will increase your tree’s health problems, they may also help you spot what were already problem-trees. Most of the Arizona pests you’ll encounter target trees that are already experiencing some decay.
Root Problems
Root problems don’t always make themselves evident but they are one of the biggest sources of damage during monsoon season. Without a healthy and well-anchored root system, your trees will not withstand the wind and rain the Arizona summer brings.
Root problems occur when a tree’s root system is crushed, severed, or damaged. They also occur when the roots do not have enough space to grow properly, either due to dense, unforgiving soil or nearby structures.
Thick Canopies
A full, lush tree may seem like a healthy, thriving tree. However, a tree that is too dense and top-heavy is at risk of falling or losing branches in a storm.
When a canopy is thinned out, wind can travel more easily through the tree’s branches, reducing resistance to the pressure caused by wind. Plus, thinned branches are lighter and more pliable.
Sources: https://joseknowstrees.com/protect-your-trees-during-monsoons/ and https://arborcraftaz.com/how-to-prepare-your-trees-for-the-arizona-monsoon-season/?gclid=CjwKCAjw2K6lBhBXEiwA5RjtCf0bIdneXIxtcLUhpbhZzoDTNLz9scDwjIPLYFQjXfaOBk-NlD6kZBoCIGsQAvD_BwE
You and your family
Build an emergency go kit with enough nonperishable food and water to last your family, including pets, for at least 72 hours. Include family prescriptions, chargers for your cell phones and tablets, copies of important documents and a weather radio.
Drinking plenty of water
Start drinking before you feel thirsty! Drink at least two liters (8+ cups) of water each day, even if you’re mostly indoors. Outdoor workers, anyone who is outside in high temperatures, those engaging in physical activity, and individuals who have certain health conditions should increase their intake. Stay AWAY from consuming caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
Dressing for the heat
Lightweight, light-colored clothing. Clothing made of cotton or containing polypropylene, hats, long sleeve shirts, gloves, long pants, sunglasses
Staying indoors
Go inside during the hottest parts of the day and avoid outdoor strenuous activity when temperatures are high. Take plenty of breaks. If you do physical activity on warm days, take regular breaks in a cool place.
Knowing the symptoms of heat-related illness
Symptoms of HEAT STROKE:
Hot, dry skin (no seating), hallucinations, chills, throbbing headache, high body temperature, cofusion/dizziness, slurred speech
Symptoms of HEAT EXHAUSTION:
Heavy sweating, extreme weakness or fatigue, dizziness/confusion, nausea, clammy, moist skin, pale or flushed complexion, muscle cramps, slightly elevated body temperature, fast and shallow breathing
Avoiding moving water
Whether on foot or in a car, avoid entering into moving water if possible. Just six inches of moving
water can knock you down, and a foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away. If you’re driving and encounter heavy rainfall, avoid areas where water is pooling in travel lanes as well as sudden braking which can cause you to slide on the wet pavement, and don’t enter flood prone areas.
Securing your home during a flood
Deploy flood barriers like sandbag floodwalls, bring outdoor furniture inside, move essential items to higher locations, turn off utilities at the main switches or valves, and protect items like important documents.
Using proper sanitation and food safety
Avoid illness that can be caused by sewage and other waste in flood water by sanitizing hands with clean water or hand sanitizer. Don’t consume food or water exposed to flood water. Don’t eat food that’s been at room temperature for more than two hours, or with an unusual odor, color, or smell. Source: https://directorsblog.health.azdhs.gov/stay-weather-aware-and-prepare-for-arizonas-monsoon-season/
2. Will Magical Snowfall = Magical Runoff? By Orestes Morfin and Nolie Templeton, PhD, CAP Colorado River Programs senior analysts.
The Colorado River Basin snowpack this winter has been characterized as “magical.” But… will that translate into “magical” runoff? The answer is – maybe.
Snowmelt is the primary component of the Colorado River, accounting for 60-85% of annual runoff. Despite an above-median snowpack in the headwaters of the Colorado River for two out of the past five years (with the remaining three being at- or below-median), only one of those years (2019) produced an above-average unregulated inflow to Lake Powell.Why? To accurately predict runoff, we need to look beyond the current snowpack – we need to consider spring temperatures and look back to the previous year’s weather.
Winter snowpack and spring snowmelt affect runoff and water availability for the rest of the year. Hydrologic droughts in the Colorado River Basin are generally initiated by below-normal precipitation in the cool season (October–April).
The resulting reduced snowpack produces below normal spring-summer runoff, with an earlier peak. Additionally, if spring temperatures are warmer than average, snowmelt occurs earlier. Higher temperatures also increase evaporation. All these processes contribute to less Colorado River runoff.
Another crucial driver of runoff is soil saturation. A healthy snowpack that has accumulated on dry ground will not yield the same amount of runoff as snowpack that has accumulated on saturated ground. This is because there is a soil moisture deficit in dry soil that must be satisfied before water from snowmelt can flow over land. You can read more about this concept known as aridification here.
Moreover, soil moisture conditions often produce a carry-over effect after wet and dry years when the underlying soil acts as a sponge and a smaller fraction of the snowpack will translate into runoff. Depletion of soil moisture in a dry year can lead to below normal runoff in the following year even if the precipitation in the second year is near normal. In consecutive dry years, as seen in 2020-2022, the deficit grows, robbing the system of significant benefit from even a “magical” snowpack year.
Each year, the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) models soil moisture in the Colorado River Basin, adopting the November model result as the “final” determining soil moisture condition for the snow accumulation season.
As of the June 2023 CBRFC forecast, unregulated inflow to Lake Powell for 2023 is projected to be 13.85 million acre-feet, or 144% of average. We’ll have a better estimate of this year’s runoff later this summer after the snow has completely melted.
The unregulated inflow impact to Powell releases and Mead operations in 2024 will be declared in mid-August when the Bureau of Reclamation issues its 24-Month Study. In the meantime, you can get the latest Colorado River statistics by visiting our Colorado River Conditions Dashboard, which is updated at least twice monthly. Source:http://knowyourwaternews.com/will-magical-snowfall-magical-runoff/]
3. OSHA 8 Hour Refresher Class. While the temperatures outside are unbelievably high, refresh your OSHA 8-Hour certification in air conditioned comfort. Cost $80.00 B & L provided. Contact Dan atscoflict@aol.com or 623-203-7178.
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