Gowanus Flood Prevention

A tire, a log and sandbags will hopefully do the trick. Sort of looks like some sort weird art installation of a strange bed except it's not,these are cellar doors being battened down on Carroll Street.

Anyway it's old news at this point that Whole Foods is now saying that they are going to start to set up shop on 3rd Street after years of delays. It's a well known and documented fact that the area that surrounds the site and around Gowanus Canal sits in a flood zone (hence the need for the Root Hill Cafe to go the measures that they do) It should be interesting to see what happens when Whole Foods puts their foundation in, it will be sure to fill with water whenever it rains. That site was full of water until a couple weeks ago, it was like a little swamp most of the time. Anyway I saw foundation flooding happen repeatedly on the Scarano building on Bond Street and it took YEARS to finish that stupid looking thing. So, in closing I really hope that the D.E.P really did magically re-mediate the toxic plume that runs (or ran?) beneath the soil on the site for the sake of the construction workers health and also the local communities.

Gowanus Whole Foods Site Flooded

To those that don't take the threat of rising tides and flooding in the Gowanus seriously, all I can say is a picture is worth a thousand words. These photos were sent to me by a reader with some very astute observations.

View from 3rd Avenue Bridge that is over the turning basin behind Whole Foods site.

"Wetland it is! Looking at the picture makes you wonder just how a "green" organic market can look at this wetlands and think "good place for a market". It more mind boggling that they designed a building as a cellar with parking on top. A cellar would have to be 2/3rd below grade!"

And here we have the canal flooding Dyke's lumber yard which is across from the Whole Foods site.

I wonder how high the tides are in the basement of the lumberyard?

Some food for thought, Whole Foods!

Earth 2100 Screening * Wednesday 6:30

The Sierra Club and F.R.O.G.G (Friends and Residents of the Greater Gowanus) are hosting a showing of Earth 2100("Could This Be The Final Century Of Our Civilization?"),a documentary about climate change and how it will effect our futures as all manner of natural occurances such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and the like intensify as a result.

Followed by a discussion on planning for climate change by and with those who attend the showing.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Carroll Gardens Library
396 Clinton Street (corner of Union Street)
6:30 PM
Free

How Will Climate Change Effect Us Locally? Attend this Presentation on Friday.

Ever wonder how storm surges due to climate change might effect the Gowanus Canal and Red Hook area? Come to this presentation led by Malcolm Bowman, PH.D Professor of Physical Oceanography and a Distinguished Service Professor at the Marine Sciences Research Center (MSRC) State University of NY at Stony Brook this Friday evening at 6pm to find out what the possibilities are.

This event is hosted by F.R.O.G.G (Friends and Residents of the Greater Gowanus) and the Sierra Club.

From the press release:

Storm Surges In Our Brooklyn Community


What does the current science indicate? How might climate change effect our area? What does this mean for our Gowanus and Red Hook districts?

Malcolm Bowman is the coordinator of the Stony Brook Storm Surge Group, where his current research studies include prediction and modeling of storm surges that threaten the New York Metropolitan area. This group is exploring ways the City can protect itself from flooding from extreme weather events in an era climate changes and sea level rise.

Dr. Bowman has made presentations on his research all over the world and in the United States. Just a brief listing of his presentations include the New York Academy of Sciences. Columbia University, US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, Engineers at Pratt, and many many more.

NYC on Storm Surges:
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found that New York City's low-lying, heavily populated neighborhoods are more exposed to the threat of coastal flooding in a hurricane than most people realized. Large areas of southern Queens, southern Brooklyn, the lower east and west sides of Manhattan, and the perimeter of Staten Island could all suffer damage from a hurricane's storm surge. In addition, storm surge from a strong hurricane would not be limited to waterfront properties and could conceivably push miles inland in some areas. New York City's unique geography — located at a "bend" in the coastline between New Jersey and Long Island — makes it especially vulnerable.

Even a low-level hurricane that makes landfall near New York City could wash ocean waters over large sections of some coastal neighborhoods. Storm surge can make landfall five hours before the hurricane itself. It can also take place after a hurricane has moved away from the city, as high seas slump back into confined spaces like Long Island Sound.”

Friday night, September 25, 6:00 PM
at Long Island College Hospital, Atlantic Avenue and Hicks St., Conference Rm A/B