Chesapeake Bay - Greater Greater Washington

And...

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 08:20:00 EDT

Michael Brown is a Democrat again and running for council again. (WAMU) ... The Washington Times will likely have less local coverage. (DCist) ... The Chesapeake Bay is a little healthier. (AP) ... Ever wonder what happened to SmartBike? (WashCycle)

Comment

See the Chesapeake's rivers as a transit map

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:47:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Cartographer Daniel Huffman has an amazing series of transit map-style diagrams. Instead of showing ground transportation, though, these show our systems of rivers. The one for the Chesapeake is fascinating.

Southern half (Maryland and below) of Chesapeake diagram. Images by Daniel Huffman.

Geoff Hatchard pointed these out, which mostly date from 2011 and before. There are tons more for all over North and Central America, showing the Hudson, Mississippi, Colorado, systems off the Great Lakes, and many more.

Looking at this, it's striking how little many of us likely know about our rivers. Sure, if you drive or take a train to Philly or NYC you can't help but notice the Susquehanna, and the Potomac forms a major border between states, but other than going over a short bridge and it forming a county boundary, how much do we really notice the Patuxent? For how many is the Rappahannock little more than half the name of a commuter bus agency? Yet these are major features of our geography and our lives depend on our planet's hydrology.

(There are a number of rivers not on the map, notably including the Anacostia, Occoquan, and everything on the east side of the bay.)

26 comments

Get a cheesesteak in the future (Oct 25, 2009)
Washington's systemic streets (Aug 7, 2009)
Washington's state-named avenues (Aug 14, 2009)
Streetcars will "bridge the gaps" (Jun 5, 2010)
Maps show racial divides in Greater Washington (Sep 21, 2010)

And...in environmental news

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:40:00 EDT

by Jamie Scott

Fairfax County is using treated wastewater to maintain greens at a county golf course (Examiner) ... Arlington County fair is encouraging environmental responsibility (Ballston Patch) ... Maryland owes residents back payments for a renewable energy program. (Examiner)

Comment

VDOT widening I-66 in Arlington, sweeping environmental impact under the rug (Oct 2, 2008)
Maryland creates "Clean Energy Center" in auto-dependent location (Apr 2, 2009)
Arlington gets a green house (Apr 9, 2010)
Fairfax, PG worst for pedestrian safety (Apr 23, 2008)
Is Metro accessibility a factor for Northrop Grumman? (Apr 28, 2010)

Parking lot to become green space

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:53:00 EDT

by Jamie Scott

Students and volunteers are turning a high school parking lot in Baltimore into a rain garden. The school hopes the garden will prevent pollution from washing into the Chesapeake Bay. (Baltimore Sun)

Comment

The growing classroom (May 21, 2009)
Weekend video: Cleaning up Rock Creek (May 8, 2011)
Bye bye blank wall, hello parking lot, for now (Mar 25, 2009)
Arlington collecting bicycle and pedestrian traffic data (Feb 3, 2009)
Takoma: some space is green, garage will be optional (Jul 19, 2008)

MD cities, DC will tackle street runoff

Mon, 02 May 2011 08:28:00 EDT

by Erik Weber

Thanks to a $235,000 grant from EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, 10 Maryland cities in the Anacostia watershed will get money to improve streetscapes to better handle storm runoff. (DCist)

Comment

DC rejected for Urban Circulator streetcar grant (Jul 8, 2010)
Anacostia bill passes committee markups (May 14, 2009)
Impervious Area Charge is an integral part of sewer service (Oct 8, 2010)
Mayland will invest in MARC Brunswick Line tracks (Nov 1, 2010)
Maryland transportation "lockbox" has a big hole (Feb 8, 2011)

Sea level rise worst in Chesapeake

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:48:00 EDT

by Erik Weber

The Chesapeake Bay has the fastest rate of sea level rise on the East Coast, compounded by a combination of sinking land masses and rising water levels due to global warming. (WAMU)

Comment

Boxer to ask for $50 billion more for highways (Feb 3, 2009)
Frontline examines imperiled watersheds and the Arlington solution (Apr 22, 2009)
A split-level Dulles Metro stop would be best (Aug 26, 2010)

And...

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 08:55:00 EDT

by Erik Weber

Despite relative pedestrian friendliness, pedestrian traffic in Friendship Heights and downtown Silver Spring never comes close to vehicle volume, even at midday. (PhilaTransport, Bossi) ... Beset with months of delays already, the Norfolk Tide Light Rail project is being delayed further. (The Virginian-Pilot, Matt') ... The American Farm Bureau Federation will sue EPA over the agency's Chesapeake Bay clean-up plan, saying it will put area farmers out of business. (WAMU)

Comment

Bay cleanup could prevent smart growth

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:15:00 EDT

by Erik Weber

Planners and developers in Maryland are expressing concerns about unintended consequences of an EPA Chesapeake Bay protection plan, saying it could actually make infill more difficult. (New Urban Network)

Comment

Chesapeake Bay states wrestle with clean-up

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:42:00 EDT

by Erik Weber

The EPA is continuing to push Maryland, DC and Virginia to produce specific Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction plans. DC is still wrangling with federal agencies over stormwater treatment fees. (WAMU)

Comment

Stormwater management should work with, not against, Smart Growth (Jul 8, 2009)
Slow and steady creates Virginia's Urban Development Areas (Jan 22, 2010)
Constructive stormwater management proposals emerge in Virginia (Aug 25, 2009)