Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Watching the Dams Come Down - Condit

Today a hole was blasted in the base of Condit Dam, allowing sediment to flush out as the reservoir drains.  These images are frame grabs from the real-time streaming video http://www.msilive.net/condit.html:

Condit Dam shortly after a hole was blasted in its base 
The view from downstream of Condit Dam
shortly after a hole was blasted in the base

River cutting through sediment upstream of Condit Dam


Sediment-laden water flushing downstream shortly after Condit Dam blast

Condit Dam after the blast - note the hole at the base of the dam

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Surfers' Point time-lapse video

Time lapse video is a great way to view change over time.  We were able to capture a lot of the work that has been completed at Surfers' Point by using simple time lapse cameras.  Rich Reid explains how he does it:


Surfers' Point - Managed Shoreline Retreat - time-lapses from Rich Reid on Vimeo.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Watch dogs

Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper's "Watchdog Diaries"

These videos show ChannelKeeper's ongoing efforts to document sources of water pollution in the Ventura River:



YouTube: http://youtu.be/GeIUD5VyrCo



YouTube: http://youtu.be/oBFHrS1nKOI


About Santa barbara ChannelKeeper:  http://sbck.org/

Ventura River Parkway


In California and across the nation, cities are reclaiming their rivers to create vital recreational and gathering spaces.

The Ventura River Parkway: a new vision for  a lost treasure
The Ventura River, one of the last self-sustaining rivers in Southern California, sustains one of the greatest diversities of plants and animals in the region. Since the first settlers arrived at its banks, the river has been an invaluable water source and gathering place for people.
But today many residents and visitors are hardly aware the river exists. Incompatible land uses, especially along the river’s lower reaches, have created a visual and physical barrier, rendering the river largely invisible. People have few places where they can access and enjoy it.
A coalition of local groups, state agencies, and a national conservation organization are working together to reclaim the river and reconnect the community to its greatest resource. Their vision—The Ventura River Parkway—would create a continuous network of parks, trails and natural areas along the lower 16 miles of the river from Ojai to the estuary.
Not only will the plan preserve this historic waterway, it will do so much more: protect water quality, conserve streamside and aquatic habitat, and restore sensitive floodplains.  It will link neighborhoods to nature, and enhance our sense of place.
Now is the time to rediscover this valuable resource, to nurture public awareness and appreciation for the river, and offer more of the river’s benefits to the people, communities and businesses along its banks.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Earth Charter award







Every year Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions presents Earth Charter Awards to those community activists who best embody the Earth Charter's core values.This year we honor:


Social and Economic Justice (Richard Weinstock Memorial Award)
Tanya Cole


Ecological Integrity
Paul Jenkin 




Democracy, Nonviolence and Peace  (In Memory of Betty Eagle and Bill Hammaker) 
David Krieger
Executive Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation


Respect and Care for the Community of Life
“Lift Up Your Voice” 
Accepted on behalf of various homeless advocates by Rev. Jan Christian


Earth Charter and the Arts
James Menzel-Joseph
http://www.artandsurvival.org/



Youth Education and Outreach
Julie Medina