Daniel Salzler No. 1106 EnviroInsight.org Five Items June 11, 2021
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Enhance your viewing by downloading the attached pdf file to view photos, etc.
The attached is all about improving life in the watershed.
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1. Six Week Break. Watershed Info No 1106 will be the last newsletter for approximately six weeks while the editor recuperates from spinal surgery. Check your e-mail browser or on the web for Watershed Info No 1107 (EnviroInsight.org), et cetera in the near future.
2. Global Warming New Finding: Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Reservoirs Higher Than Previously Expected.
Date: June 1, 2021
Source: Washington State University
Summary:
A new study shows per-area greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s water reservoirs are around 29% higher than suggested by previous studies, but that practical measures could be taken to help reduce that impact.
A new study in Global Biogeochemical Cycles shows per-area greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s water reservoirs are around 29% higher than suggested by previous studies, but that practical measures could be taken to help reduce that impact.
Much of the increase in emissions comes from previously unaccounted for methane degassing, a process where methane passes through a dam and bubbles up downstream, according to the analysis by Washington State University and University of Quebec at Montreal scientists.
Overall, the researchers found the world’s water reservoirs are annually producing methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouses gases in an amount roughly equivalent to 1.07 gigatons of carbon dioxide.
While that amount is small in comparison to the more than 36 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions produced by fossil fuels and other industrial sources each year, it’s still more greenhouse gas than the entire country of Germany, the globe’s sixth largest emitter, produces annually. It is also roughly equal in weight to 10,000 fully-loaded U.S. aircraft carriers.
The study is the first to include methane degassing in its estimate of global greenhouse gas emissions from humanmade reservoirs.
The research team also factored in numerous other unaccounted for variables into their analysis such as water temperature, water depth and the amount of sediment entering into thousands of different reservoirs located around the world. Previous studies that calculated overall greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs relied solely on average emission rates per reservoir surface area.
This is the first paper to look explicitly at which kinds of reservoirs are big sources and why,” Harrison said. “It gives us the ability to start working toward understanding what we could do about methane emissions from these types of systems.”
Decomposing plant matter near the bottom of reservoirs fuels the production of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide over the course of a century and comparable to rice paddies or biomass burning in terms of overall emissions.
Harrison and colleagues found methane degassing accounts for roughly 40% of emissions from water reservoirs. This large increase in previously unaccounted for emissions was partly offset by a projected lower amount of methane diffusing off the surface of reservoirs, according to the analysis. Carbon dioxide emissions were similar to those reported in past work.
The researchers’ findings reveal the highest rates of greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs occur in the tropics and subtropics. An estimated 83% of methane emissions occurred within tropical climate zones.
The findings are particularly important because it may be possible to reduce methane emissions downstream from reservoirs by selectively withdrawing water from near the reservoirs’ surface, which tend to be methane-poor rather than from greater depths, where methane often accumulates.
For example, in a related study, a simulated decrease in water withdrawal depth by as little as 3 meters (about 10 feet) yielded a 92% reduction in methane degassing emissions from a Malaysian reservoir.
“We aren’t saying that reservoirs are necessarily bad. Many provide important services like electrical power, flood control, navigation and water,” Harrison said. “Rather, we want to bring attention to a source of greenhouse gas emissions that we think can be reduced in the years ahead as we work towards carbon neutral emissions.”
One end goal of this work is to improve our ability to estimate the amount of greenhouse gases coming from reservoirs on a per country basis so that countries can address this source and include it in the way that they are managing their greenhouse gas liabilities.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Washington State University. Original written by Will Ferguson.
3. Be Prepared for Monsoon Season
In the desert, storms and flooding can strike quickly and lead to rapidly changing conditions. The desert Southwest experiences seasonal “monsoon” activities during the summer from approximately June 15 through September 30; storms peak between mid-July and mid-August. Here are some helpful reminders and tips to prepare for the Arizona monsoon season
OUTAGES
Electricity outages can occur and you should be prepared for them. In case of an outage, here are some helpful tips and tools.
If you are an APS customer, you can report an outage anytime online, with their mobile app or by calling (602) 371-3680 (metro Phoenix) or (855) 688-2437 (other areas). You can view the APS interactive outage map to find details on current power outages in your area. Customers can Sign up for text or email alerts to stay informed when there’s a power outage in your area. Plus, receive an estimate on when your power will be back on.
For SRP customers, report an outage online or by calling (602) 236-8888. Visit the SRP website for more information.
- Plan now to have these items on hand in case of an outage.
- Place a flashlight and extra batteries in an easy-to-find spot.
- Have a portable battery pack available for your phone so you can continue to communicate with family, friends and local agencies.
- Store important phone numbers, including medical providers and APS, on your phone.
- Keep water and non-perishable food on hand.
- Maintain a first aid kit that includes your family’s prescription medications. Make sure items in the first aid kit are in usable condition.
- Keep a supply of special needs items for infants, elderly and/ or disabled family members.
DOWN ELECTRICAL LINES
Storms can knock down power lines. If you see a downed power line or wires, assume they are energized and stay at least 100 feet away. Downed power lines can hurt or kill you, even if they do not spark, hum or “dance.” Stay away from anything touching the line, such as a tree, fence or vehicle. Call 911 to report it. In addition, do not touch someone being shocked by a downed line; you could be hurt or killed.
WHEN IN DOUBT WAIT IT OUT
A minor storm can turn into a major issue very quickly. If a storm is in the forecast and you must drive, make sure to check and replace if needed your windshield wipers. The hot sun tends to dry up windshield wipers and if you haven’t used them recently, in the middle of the storm is not the time to realize they need to be replaced. When driving, turn on your lights, increase the distance between you and other vehicles and reduce your speed. Most importantly, do not brake suddenly.
PULL ASIDE, STAY ALIVE
Dust storms (also called haboobs) are unpredictable and they can be dangerous. If you are caught in a dust storm pull your vehicle off the roadway, put your vehicle in park, turn
off your vehicle’s lights, and take your foot off the brake. Remain inside your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened and wait for the storm to pass. If traffic lights are out, intersections should be treated as a 4-way stop.
Additional Monsoon safety driving tips
- Expect the unexpected. Have extra supplies, including a fully charged cell phone, drinking water and an emergency kit in case you experience an extended highway closure.
- If you see a dust storm or heavy rain ahead, it’s best to exit and wait for the storm to move through the area. Get to a safe area as far off the roadway as possible.
- Don’t risk crossing a flooded wash, even if it doesn’t look deep. Water is a powerful force that should not be underestimated. Even a few inches of running water poses a serious risk.
- Storm runoff can loosen boulders and rocks on slopes above highways. Stay alert in areas prone to falling rocks.
WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS!
Thunderstorms produce strong downward rushes of air, called microbursts. It is important to know that no place outside is safe from lighting during a thunderstorm. If you hear thunder, lighting is close enough to strike you. Move inside a strong building or inside a hardtop vehicle. Stay in the shelter for 30 minutes after you hear the last the last thunder.
TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN
Heavy monsoon rains can quickly lead to flash flooding. Don’t underestimate the power of water. Six inches of fast moving water can knock down an adult, and 18 inches of water can carry most vehicles away. Avoid low water crossings and areas that are already flooded. Never drive around barricades or attempt to cross streets with flowing water. You risk your life and face being cited under the state’s Stupid Motorist law. See the contents of the law below.
28-910. Liability for emergency responses in flood areas; definitions
A. A driver of a vehicle who drives the vehicle on a public street or highway that is temporarily covered by a rise in water level, including groundwater or overflow of water, and that is barricaded because of flooding is liable for the expenses of any emergency response that is required to remove from the public street or highway the driver or any passenger in the vehicle that becomes inoperable on the public street or highway or the vehicle that becomes inoperable on the public street or highway, or both.
B. A person convicted of violating section 28-693 for driving a vehicle into any area that is temporarily covered by a rise in water level, including groundwater or overflow of water, may be liable for expenses of any emergency response that is required to remove from the area the driver or any passenger in the vehicle that becomes inoperable in the area or the vehicle that becomes inoperable in the area, or both.
C. The expenses of an emergency response are a charge against the person liable for those expenses pursuant to subsection A or B of this section. The charge constitutes a debt of that person and may be collected proportionately by the public agencies, for-profit entities or not-for-profit entities that incurred the expenses. The person’s liability for the expenses of an emergency response shall not exceed two thousand dollars for a single incident. The liability imposed under this section is in addition to and not in limitation of any other liability that may be imposed.
D. An insurance policy may exclude coverage for a person’s liability for expenses of an emergency response under this section.
E. For the purposes of this section:
1. “Expenses of an emergency response” means reasonable costs directly incurred by public agencies, for-profit entities or not-for-profit entities that make an appropriate emergency response to an incident.
2. “Public agency” means this state and any city, county, municipal corporation, district or other public authority that is located in whole or in part in this state and that provides police, fire fighting, medical or other emergency services.
3. “Reasonable costs” includes the costs of providing police, fire fighting, rescue and emergency medical services at the scene of an incident and the salaries of the persons who respond to the incident but does not include charges assessed by an ambulance service that is regulated pursuant to title 36, chapter 21.1, article 2.
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6. Water Environment Federation Stormwater Summit 2021
June 22 – 23 A virtual event.
Register today for the Stormwater Summit 2021: A Virtual Event to interact online and experience innovative topics, virtual peer-to-peer networking opportunities, and informative sessions from forward-thinking leaders in the water sector. Register before Friday, June 4 to save BIG with our super saver rate $100 on full registration rate. Learn more and register here.
Copyright: EnviroInsight.org 2021
