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These are some slides presented by Eymund Diegel for the March 2012 Water Hackathon conference discussing ideas for the Gowanus Canal Conservancy’s and Dredgers research to mapping buried streams that may be affecting the water quality of the Gowanus Canal. Baloon Mapping has established that certain historic streams streams still flow into the Canal, and are Green Infrastructure opportunities, once polluted soils have been dealt with. Other streams, visible in local residents basements, never show up in the Canal. The suspicion is that these have been diverted into sewer mains, and are a major factor in causing sewer overflows. Thermal mapping will explore whether the thermal signature of these mystery streams can confirm where they come out, or if home made “sewer submarines” are the next step in finding the best locations for diverting the streams out of the sewer overflow pipes and back into their natural course.
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Thermal Light Painting of the Gowanus Canal Can we find out if water temperature differences of industrial inflows and old streams can be mapped ?
Gowanus Canal
Manhattan
Gowanus Watershed
The Canal
Historic Landfilled Tidal Marsh
Manhattan
Gowanus Canal Superfund Site
Canal Gets a Million Gallons of Sewage A DAY
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT ?
STREAMS WE ARE MAPPING
ECOLOGICAL WATER CYCLE
URBAN WATER CYCLE
IT RAINS
WATER GOES INTO PIPE
INFILTRATION & STREAM RESTORATION
SOME WATER GOES INTO PIPE
NOT FOUND
FOUND WITH KITE & BALLOON MAPPING
WHY MAP BURIED STREAMS?
WHAT WE WANT:
WHAT ARE BEST SITES ?
The Gowanus Canal Conservancy
Map: Susannah Drake, dlandstudio, 2010
DENTONS SPRING RESTORATION
BROUWERS BROOK RESTORATION
SECOND AVE BIOSWALE
SECOND STREET SPONGE PARK
USING BALLOON CAMERAS TO MAP PLANTS & HISTORIC STREAMS
WANTS TO REDUCE SEWER OVERFLOWS AS PART OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PLAN
BERGEN STREAM RESTORATION
Brouwers Brook Balloon Aerial July 2011
Mapping the historic streams of the Gowanus Canal
Are there clues in the water’s color ?
YES – DARKER MEANS FRESH WATER, MILKY = SEWAGE
www.grassrootsmapping.org
BURIED STREAM RUNS OVER TOXIC PLUME OF OIL LEFT BY OLD GAS PLANT
1766 stream
Heron photo: 2007 Bob Gusskind
Photo:Robert Gusskind 2007
Setting up the trial and error process of scientific inquiry for local issues
IS BERGEN STREAM MAYBE HIDDEN BEHIND A HOLLOW PART OF THE CANAL’S EDGE ?
BEING WARMED BY SOIL, WOULD THE OUTFLOW BE WARMER THAN THE OPEN WATER ?
KITCHEN TABLE SCIENCE:
Parts needed for Thermal Light Painting of the Gowanus Canal
Simulation of Time Lapse “Glow Doodle” Photography we want to take
Photo: www.dentontaylor.com
Exploring New York City Sewer History …
with radio controlled Ninja Turtles
WEB CAM
NEXT STEP :
www.publiclaboratory.org
www.gowanuscanalconservancy.org
www.gowanusdredgers.org
