Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
“players.” Clarity of purpose is one way to streamline the management of land and water.
One way to attain a clear purpose is to use an asset-based approach that views brown-
fields as potentially functional landscape components, and relies on remediation science
to determine the ultimate use of the parcel. For instance, information produced during site
remediation may indicate that some sites are best suited for stormwater management and
others for new buildings. These recommendations may clash with market-driven perspec-
tives about the reuse of a particular contaminated site. The overriding objective, however,
is to strive for sustainability.
16.4.4 Proactive and Reactive Response
At the parcel scale, the very use of the site planning process to evaluate the potential uses
is a proactive response. However, there needs to be more emphasis on source control, as
each site should be viewed as a making a small contribution to the overall sustainability
of the watershed. Site plan review at the watershed level and science-based planning
can encourage and initiate proactive responses, but measurable successes are needed to
sustain them. Since each site potentially contributes sediment, stormwater, and contami-
nants to the watershed's groundwater and streams, the conditions before and after the
development can be measured. Although it would not be feasible to monitor every site,
subcatchments can be monitored where multiple projects have been implemented. As
the results are evaluated, the efficacy of the best management practices used within each
catchment can be compared. The most effective methods can be applied to the appropri-
ate micro-topography in other parts of the watershed. Subsequent monitoring determines
the success of these efforts, and continual improvement will help sustain a proactive
approach.
Involving more environmental geologists at the parcel-scale planning process will help
close the science-policy gap and facilitate the transition to a more proactive response at
the watershed level. This shift will occur in part because geologists understand that pro-
cesses of groundwater contamination, stormwater pollution, and erosion operate at dif-
ferent geographic scales, and they will be able to help educate others about the need for a
comprehensive approach.
16.4.5 Lack of Education
Education must be ongoing and consistent, and not limited to specific watershed manage-
ment events, such as river cleanups. The lessons from the successful antismoking and
antidrunk driving educational campaigns in the United States demonstrate the value of
using these two attributes. In Florida, the Legacy “Truth” antismoking campaign helped
cut the teen smoking rate substantially between 2001 and 2002 (Niederdeppe et al. 2004).
Sustained efforts by various groups have also brought about reductions in traffic accidents
related to drunk driving. For example, deaths related to drunk driving between 1982 and
2004 dropped from 59.6%-39.5% (Yi et al. 2006). These campaigns did not limit their mes-
sage to specific locations associated with the behaviors—they were seen everywhere. To
become successful, watershed education has to become elevated to this level. The public
must know what is happening with respect to watershed management. Monitoring results
should be published in local newspapers and made available on prominent websites.
Watershed education should be incorporated into K-12 education. The site planning pro-
cess also offers an opportunity to educate developers, land owners, and the community
about watersheds during site plan reviews.
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