FLOOD CONTROL WORKSHOP SAYS HOMEOWNER CAN HELP
by Sarah Morgan

We can't control how much it rains, but we can help control what happens once the rain hits the ground, speakers told those attending the Flood Control Begins at Home workshop held last week.

Kevin Shanley, chair of the board of the Bayou Preservation Association, pointed out that urban flooding worsens when rainwater moves too quickly from the street to the nearest ditch or stream. As more land is developed and more ditches and storm sewers rush water into the bayous, even the lightest rain can exceed the capacity of the streams, and water spills over the banks.

Although heavy downpours last but a few hours and the water quickly subsides, Shanley said, the damage is done.

The Flood Control workshop focused on ways the homeowner can help remedy the situation.

One way is through harvesting the rainfall to slow down the runoff, which can be accomplished by increasing the absorption of rainwater by soil and plants. Shanley also discussed a combination of measures, from regional or neighborhood detention parks to small local projects, that could conceivably, if fully implemented, detain and absorb 18 inches of rain water in 12 hours. (The heaviest rainfall during 2001's Tropical Storm Allison was 14 inches in 12 hours.) Even if only partly implemented, the absorption plan would decrease the 100-year flood elevation considerably.

The workshop also discussed the importance of watersheds, folds in the landscape that direct rain into a larger body such as a stream or river. Most of Harris County is part of a large watershed that drains into Galveston Bay and out to the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Bayou Preservation Association. There are 22 significant secondary watersheds in Harris County, usually named for the bayous and creeks that drain them, including Buffalo, White Oak, and Brays Bayou.

Houston's rapid and ongoing development continues to require ever larger drainage infrastructures to channel rainfall into the watersheds and store the water without causing flood damage until the main receiving streams have the capacity to accept the water.

Detention or storage can be created anywhere within the watershed and at any scale, according to BPA.

Speakers concluded that there is no single magic solution to storm water management; but homeowners can improve the beauty and natural qualities of their properties while helping to reduce the flooding hazards of living in Houston.

IOWA BILLS FIGHT GM-FREE ZONES AND FARMER CHOICE
By Jeffrey M. Smith, author of Seeds of Deception
Institute for Responsible Technology, Spilling the Beans, Feb, 2005

A bill before Iowa legislators would prevent local jurisdictions from creating identity preservation zones.

Using identity preservation, farmers keep crop varieties separate from others to meet purity requirements of their buyers. Iowa farmers, for example, may earn an extra $8.50 to $15.50 per bushel for organic soybeans. Non-genetically modified beans bring in about $0.50 more than genetically modified varieties, and non-GM food grade beans raise that to $2. Several specialty varieties comprise the approximately 5 percent of total US corn acreage that is IP, including an extractable starch corn grown for Japanese breweries by 60 southeast Iowa farmers.

While low commodity corn and soybean prices contributed to the 22 percent reduction of Iowa's mid-size farms between 1997 and 2002, IP niche marketing keeps many profitable. IP crops also can bypass the normal big agribusiness marketing channels.

Contamination is a key challenge to IP growers. Unwanted varieties may cross-pollinate or become mixed with IP seed on harvest equipment, or during storage and transport. Some farm regions create entire zones that exclude unwanted varieties, where all the farms, and if possible all collection and distribution points, only handle approved grain.

The current bills before the Iowa house (HF 202) and senate (1144) would disallow local jurisdictions from regulating the sale or production of seeds, preventing Iowa farmers from creating GM-free zones. These zones, which do not allow the cultivation of genetically modified crops, are being created at an accelerated rate on all continents, including the US. They provide farmers easier access to the significant world markets that avoid the controversial technology.

To read more, please visit:
http://www.seedsofdeception.com/newsletter-Feb_2005.php.

HARRIS COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY

Harris County will be hosting a free Household Hazardous Waste Collection event Saturday, March 12, from 8 am to 2 pm, at the Hockley Community Center, 28515 Old Washington Road. This event will give residents a chance to clean out their garages while helping the environment at the same time. By bringing unwanted and out of date hazardous products to the event, citizens ensure the items will be properly disposed. Acceptable items include paint products, yard chemicals, automotive products, household cleaners, batteries and tires. For more information, visit: http://www.newsrouter.com/newsrouter_uploads/57/

TPL GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP

The Trust for Public Land is hosting another grant-writing workshop, this time focused specifically on grants to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Judy Langford, a consultant with a very successful TPWD grant record, will be leading the workshop, which will be held Wednesday, March 16, from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, at the University of Houston Hilton. For more information, call (713) 226-7200 or e-mail linda.shead@tpl.org.

MFCA AND ACT LOBBY DAY IN AUSTIN

Join Mothers for Clean Air in Austin for the Alliance for a Clean Texas lobby day and training on Tuesday, March 8. Participants we will join hundreds of other Texans at the Capitol to speak up for public health and the environment. A reception and training will be held Monday evening, March 7, on the relevant issues and the skills needed to meet with your legislators. Meet at 8:30 am on Tuesday morning at the Capitol Grill cafeteria for final prep. ACT can work with citizens to set up meetings with state representatives and senators. Those needing to carpool or stay overnight, contact Mothers for Clean Air at mfca@mothersforcleanair.org. Contact Donna Hoffman at (512) 477-1729 or donna.hoffman@sierraclub.orgfor more information. To register, please go to http://www.allianceforcleantexas.org

SIERRA CLUB ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK ON PADRE ISLAND

The Sierra Club and the Student Sierra Coalition invite all students to the second annual Alternative Spring Break on Padre Island National Seashore, March 10 through 14. Enjoy the true wilds of Padre Island with guided wildlife tours, stargazing, service projects and possibly kayaking. Evenings, there will be music and cookouts. The Sierra Student Coalition will also host activist training for the Stop the Drilling on Padre Island Campaign and other environmental causes. For more information, please contact Christina Billingsley at christina.billingsley@ssc.org or visit http://www.ssc.org/temp/tx.htm.

AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION SEEKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Austin Parks Foundation has realized a number of accomplishments in recent years, including the It's My Park Day event in parks all over Austin, the Movies in the Park series at Republic Square, and Festival de las Plantas at Guerrero Park. APF also has many programs and projects planned in the near future, such as the next steps toward development of Guerrero Park and the redevelopment of Republic Square. It is an exciting time for APF and the organization is seeking an executive director able to lead efforts to create and sustain beautiful and active parks. The APF executive director job description is available at http://www.austinparks.org. To apply, please e-mail apf@austinparks.organd attach a cover letter, resume, and references by Friday, March 18.

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