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July 4, 2008 PLEASE NOTE: OUR E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS IS ADVERTISING REQUESTS AND AD COPY SHOULD BE SENT TO A lesson from the Mississippi The flooding going on in the Midwest from the
Mississippi should be teaching us a valuable lesson. The recent catastrophe
was brought on by politicians and builders. Years ago, the effected states were
mostly farm land. Then came the urban sprawl and the suburban sprawl.
Concrete, blacktop, and impervious roofs sprung up everywhere. The water,
instead of going into the ground and recharging the aquifer, ran over the non-
porous surfaces and made its way into the rivers. At one time, vegetation
even slowed the water's travel time to the rivers. All of these constructed
surfaces sped all the water on its way so that the water from all around
would reach the Mississippi at the same time and create a crest bigger than
ever.
It will soon happen here. The nature of the land makes quick traveling
of the water a bit more difficult. But, there are several localized hot spots
where water jams up and rises causing localized flooding. Rain flooding has a
good start. Under the current wisdom, bridges are made higher, beautiful slow
meandering streams are dredged, and culverts are put in to dump the water on
someone else's land. There are problems with this. Valuable water is being
thrown away that should recharge our wells. Debris and silt is carried downstream
and deposited in unwanted places. Waterways are built to handle water at
dangerous speeds and dangerous levels.
More and more our wetlands are being destroyed. New upstream
construction needs to be built in such a way that there is no new net rain runoff
due to the construction. The Town of Orangetown has passed such a law.
Unfortunately, it has come too late and the water problems are of destructive
proportions. Therefore, the laws need to be improved such that when anyone
builds, they should be required to actually reduce the previous amount of
water runoff. There should be a requirement for allowing new construction. It
is necessary to reduce the effect of destructive rain.
There is one municipality in Bergen County that allows no runoff from
any property. If they found a way to do it, so can we.
Even though a couple of Towns like Orangetown have a no net runoff law
in place, things happen. People re-pave their driveways, and widen them while
doing so. People put in patios. Artificial turf is used for athletic field.
People change the type of vegetation on their property.
Even the trampling down of lawns by children playing on them increases
water runoff, as do all of these other supposedly minor things. There are
countless other causes like tents, sheds, swimming pools, etc. Municipalities
can estimate how much potential damage a property can do by the number of
bedrooms in a home. The more people that live there, the more burden they will
cause, and thus, the more water runoff. There needs to be an estimate of the
future imperviousness of the land that needs to be accounted for in "no
net runoff laws. You need to achieve extra retention whenever you allow
someone to build, because you know they will do the little things in the
future that will increase water runoff. This Week In Rockland July 4 By John Iurica 150
Years Ago * The ME Church in Nyack, having
been enlarged, is opening on July 11. * New clock, watch, and jewelry
store opened in Piermont. * James Scott & Abram Schanck
open fish store under Professor Bates on Main St., Nyack. * James Styles of Piermont has just
procured a fine assortment of western horses. 125
Years Ago * John Weightman, a German farmer,
was killed by lightning east of New City. * The Annual Regatta of the Piermont
Rowing Association took place. * Miss Clarinda Otis has resigned
her position as teacher in Ramapo. * The excursion of the Iron
Steamboat from Nyack on the 18th will go directly to Coney Island. 100
Years Ago * Charles Felaco, an Italian,
drowned while bathing near the Lynch Bros. Brickyard in Haverstraw. * Watson Jamison was picking
cherries in Stony Point, fell from the tree, and stabbed himself to death
with his own pen knife. * Frightened horse causes commotion
at the Raleigh steamboat dock and then dashes furiously up Burd Street. * Corwin’s Hotel at Blauvelt burned
to the ground. * Charles Cleveland, a piano player,
lost one hand to a firecracker. * 47 Motorcycles out of 63 complete
run from Catskill to Nyack. 75
Years Ago * County Beer Board issues 42
licenses. * Fay Wray stars in Anne Carver’s
Profession playing at Nyack Rockland Theater. * Sharkey breaks camp in Orangeburg
for fight with Primo Canara. * A beer garden named the Ringside
Inn will be placed on Gus Wilson’s training grounds. * Andy Galano goes to jail for
cruelty to horses. * Jeanette Mason of Spring Valley
and Mary Maiarano crowned as bathing beauties at County contest and are to
advance all expenses paid to Atlantic City. * Stone wrapped in paper was used to
break window at Fort Comfort Inn and at Leslie Cole gas station robberies. * William Mulhern drowns in Bokar
Lake, and found by 2 young girls in shallow water. 50
Years Ago * Linda Cavagnol, 8, pinned under
the wheel of a 1948 Austin. * Joseph Kmetz, of Waldron Ave.,
Central Nyack, has completed Marine training at Paris Island, S.C. * 448 Register for summer school in
Ramapo No. 1. * Piermont Fire Department fireworks
to be on July 5. * Stephan Perry, 15, saves Opars
Farques from drowning in the Hudson. * Ann Petrak of TZ can’t walk very
well in tight shoes or high heels. * Given in TZ class legacy: Barbara
Herguth will be Piermont’s bill collector and Carole Curran will run a
canteen for sailors. * Norman Vanderbeek of Hillcrest is
head of NY-NJ Firemen’s Association. * William Iberg, 23 of Sparkill,
halted after wild ride on Old Lake Road in Congers. * New Rules of the Road go in to
effect for bicyclists. |
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