On Earth Day, Look to Your Own Backyard to Make a Difference
Earth Day is the perfect time to give some thought to how you should maintain your property to protect your watershed. For example: If you live on a lake or pond, plant a buffer strip of dense, native vegetation to stabilize the shore edge and filter pollutants. The Georgia Native Plave Society frequently posts information about local native plant sales. Permitting may be required for buffer zone planting, so check with local authorities before proceeding.
Track the progress of the season with the “Frog Symphony”
The Spring 2013 issue of Northern Woodlands magazine has a terrific article about frog and toad songs. “The Annual Frog Symphony” posits that careful listeners can enjoy a symphony in “three major movements” of frog and toad calls through the spring season, and features a gallery of sound clips (with lovely illustrations by Lauren DiBiccari of the amphibian “musicians”) for your listening pleasure. Check it out!
Siphon Emergency
An interesting project came our way recently: A local lake had a leaking Category 1 dam, which required an emergency siphon system. Category 1 dams are “those for which improper operation or dam failure would result in probable loss of human life,” as classified by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division. Categorized dams in Georgia are inspected annually by law. Because of the significant danger of life and property loss associated with
Close Encounters and the End of Winter
As I type, the wind is blowing outside at 444 mph and the temperature is -93 degrees Fahrenheit. And yes, I am sitting in a cramped airplane seat trying to make the time fly as fast as the airplane is – without out much luck, I will add. I am diverting course from my normal water world and headed to sample a different form of H2O – a form that is quite rare, at least
Turbidity: Seeing it clearly
One of these water samples is more turbid than the other!Scientifically speaking, turbidity is the measure of the degree to which water loses transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates. The higher the turbidity level, the more opaque (or murky) the water appears to be. Materials that cause high turbidity include clay, silt, algae and phytoplankton. Turbidity in urban lakes and ponds tends to increase following periods of heavy rainfall, often due to runoff
Winter Break: How aquatic animals make it through the coldest months
According to the calendar, spring is right around the corner! As we look forward to sunnier skies and warmer temperatures, we can also soon expect to see more signs of life around lakes and ponds. Our Georgia winters are temperate enough that the hibernation period for most mammals is short or non-existent, so you’ve probably seen rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks all season long. Cold-blooded animals are more likely to have disappeared for a few months.
Congratulations to our Pros!
Two members of the Aquascape Environmental team have recently added to their professional credentials. Paul Slovisky, Vice President for Operations, is now a Certified Professional in Storm Water Quality; Amy Davidson, who leads Business Development, is now a LEED Green Associate. Congratulations to both of them for these achievements!
Featured Creatures: Turtles
Snapping turtle. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.The Southeast is home to more than two dozen turtle species, and while all have in common some form of the characteristic bony shell known as the carapace, they otherwise represent a wide natural diversity. Our native turtles come in a range of shapes and sizes: the largest (Leatherback Sea Turtle, up to six feet in length) and smallest (Bog Turtle, less than five inches long) species
Going Green … with Stormwater?
“Dump no waste” storm drain covers like this one in Woodstock, Ga., help to educate the community.By Paul Slovisky Although the cost of sustainable energy is solidly at the forefront of “green issues” (especially with ever-rising gas prices), maintaining sources of quality drinking water for the future is a close second. Here in the Metro Atlanta area, the treatment of much of our drinking water begins in our own backyards, through an established stormwater system.
“Recycling” Sports Equipment for a Good Cause
AE’s Lake Operations Manager, Evan Carpenter, and Jessica Lenderman, IFS’s Director of Mobilization, prepare to unload balls and bikes.Aquascape Environmental today donated dozens of soccer balls, basketballs, Frisbees, bikes and other sports equipment recovered from Metro Atlanta lakes and ponds. The equipment was delivered to the International Sports Federation (ISF) office in Acworth, Georgia. ISF will distribute the items at African orphanages on an upcoming sports-related mission trip. Aquascape Environmental technicians retrieve all types of
