“This is part of a sustained long-term trend toward less snowpack overall in the American West. It’s going to be tricky for ski resorts. It’s going to be tricky for water and fire managers,” says climate scientist @weatherwest.bsky.social.
Read more at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/cyHIy8V
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While February’s storms offered some relief, the Department of Water Resources’ latest survey shows that statewide snowpack remains below average. buff.ly/NrdrCAy
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Snow that melts too early doesn't just disappoint skiers — it dries out forests during the hottest months and fuels #wildfires. This year, a warm January drained the Sierra Nevada's #snowpack to only 59% of its average water content, raising alarm bells for climate scientists. #FireSeason
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San Francisco has installed approximately 410,000 square feet of permeable paving at 107 sites since 2010. Another 175,000 square feet at 36 sites is approved or under construction. #UrbanDesign #StormwaterManagement
Read all about it at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/hTynIIR
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“The surface allows rainwater to soak through the pavement, with any excess water routed to nearby planted stormwater treatment areas that help filter runoff before it reaches the Bay,” says Nancy Crowley, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission press secretary.
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What if our roads and sidewalks could filter #stormwater instead of flushing pollutants into the Bay? Permeable paving does exactly that — and Bay Area cities are catching on. Mission Creek Stormwater Park in #SanFrancisco, for example, uses pervious concrete.
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“If the trip is within two or three miles of home, it’s fair game — and almost always faster than driving: the market, the hardware store, the library. I can easily carry four heavy bags of groceries,” writes Seltenrich.
Read all about it at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/n629wgE
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Families are turning to cargo e-bikes as a car replacement for short trips as bike prices become more accessible. #Petaluma resident Nate Seltenrich shares how he uses his e-bike for everything from school drop-off to grocery runs. #ebikes #cargobikes
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School drop-off in minutes, groceries without the gas station stop, and less time wasted in traffic: #Petaluma resident Nate Seltenrich makes the case for electric cargo bikes as a climate-friendly car replacement for everyday activities. #ebikes
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California started the new year with a promising #snowpack, but a warm, dry January brought the #SierraNevada snowpack down to just 59% of average water content. Fire managers are watching closely to see what this week brings. @weatherwest.bsky.social
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As climate change brings heavier storms and more #runoff, cities are replacing hard surfaces with permeable materials like porous asphalt to absorb and filter rainwater.
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"Baycrete”, a hybrid of marine concrete, crushed oyster shells, and Bay sand, is restoring habitat and stabilizing vulnerable shoreline along #SanFranciscoBay. @cacoastal.bsky.social
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Mass timber construction — using smaller-diameter trees that would otherwise act as wildfire kindling — could help California reduce #carbonemissions and fire risk at the same time.
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California seablite, a federally endangered shrub that's quietly making a comeback on #BayArea shorelines, could be a secret weapon against #sealevelrise.
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California’s #beavers are making a comeback, and that’s good news for climate resilience, from flood control to #wildfire prevention.
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This month's stories spotlight the innovative materials and natural engineers building climate resilience in the Bay Area, from beavers to “baycrete.” Plus, scientists respond to January's Sierra snowpack report and a Petaluma resident makes the case for electric cargo bikes.
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In this new series, KneeDeep Times is examining Priority Development Areas around the Bay to see how regional planning visions compare to reality on the ground. #HousingCrisis #UrbanPlanning
Read all about it at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/DVBkMuq
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All 465 affordable units at Brooklyn Basin are built and occupied, but significant gaps remain: vacant lots await development, transit is limited, and #sealevelrise threatens the waterfront.
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“To me, the question when we’re talking about housing is housing for whom? Who are we housing, and is there a balance?” asks Fernando Marti, an architect and housing activist. “Absent an affordable housing policy, absent subsidy, [PDAs] basically create housing for wealthy folks."
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A small city of eight-story apartment buildings has popped up at Brooklyn Basin, a Priority Development Area (PDA) on the East #Oakland waterfront. The 64-acre development adds thousands of new housing units, but does it meet #affordablehousing and #climateresilience goals?
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With the federal government clawing back grants for climate projects, it’s now even more important for agencies to diversify their funding sources. #ClimateAdaptation
Read all about it at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/mKvIaCD
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“One jurisdiction can’t own a project that crosses into other jurisdictions,” says OneShoreline CEO Len Materman. “It’s not about refereeing an argument. It’s really just about what approach creates the best opportunity to move resilience work forward, and a big part of that is funding.”
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#BayArea jurisdictions are pooling resources to tackle shared #climate threats. After more than a decade of delays, five #RedwoodCity mobile home parks finally got flood relief when four jurisdictions joined forces through @oneshoreline.bsky.social to fund a $10 million diversion project.
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The project has also drawn mixed reactions from residents, however. Some drivers report increased congestion, while cyclists note that it doesn't connect to key destinations like BART. #UrbanPlanning #EastBay
Read all about it at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/E5N6Xu3
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“The idea is to bridge the gap to provide equal opportunity to people in cars, taking transit, riding their bikes, and walking. Our streets should be designed for everyone,” says Joseph Faria-Poynter of the Bay Area chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
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In #PleasantHill, a tricky intersection has been redesigned to improve safety and #accessibility, with wider bike lanes, audible crosswalks, ADA-compliant ramps, and LED lighting systems. The project won the national Complete Streets award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
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Now, he looks forward to returning to environmental advocacy work, especially on the urgent issue of #sealevelrise. “I just want to be a better catalyst,” he says.
Read all about it at KneeDeep Times: buff.ly/lub3kP8
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Chabot looks back on his time at SFEI with gratitude. “I was given the privilege of serving 50 brilliant, passionate, public interest scientists. There are now almost 100 of them. It was the best decade of my professional life.”
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In his decade of service as executive director at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, Warner Chabot worked to build partnerships across agencies and elevate the Institute's science while maintaining what he called its "platinum reputation." @sfestuaryinstitute.bsky.social
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