Street to Stream

New environmental research challenges how municipalities think about development.

Clarksburg, Maryland is a small, unincorporated area in northern Montgomery County. Last spring, the Montgomery County Council made the decision to limit new development in Clarksburg�s Ten Mile Creek watershed, a tributary to Little Seneca Creek. The reason: Despite state-of-the-art efforts to control stormwater in previous developments, concern remains about the water quality impacts of additional hard surfaces such as roofs, parking lots and roads that prevent water from seeping into the ground, increasing surface runoff. The question is: will limiting such surfaces (referred to as impervious surfaces by scientists) be enough to protect the Ten Mile Creek and others like it?

�Probably not,� says Matthew Baker, an associate professor of geography and environmental systems at UMBC. Impervious surfaces are a useful index of the transformation caused by urban development, but they are not the only reason development creates problems in streams and estuaries. �One of the dangers of focusing on impervious surfaces is that it leads to the presumption that these kinds of surfaces are the only problem. Fortunately, the County has mandated additional protections in Clarksburg.�

Baker and Andrew Miller, a professor of geography and environmental systems at UMBC, recently co-authored a study with UMBC master�s student Dan Jones, Taylor Jarnagin of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Dianna Hogan of the U.S. Geological Survey. They analyzed detailed maps showing the shape of the land surface. These maps were developed from repeated aerial LiDAR (light detection and ranging) flights and captured terrain modifications during development in several tributary watersheds of Little Seneca Creek. Using these measurements, the researchers were able to assess how moving large amounts of earth might alter the way water travels to streams.

Jones and his co-authors found that earth movement during construction led to the creation of small ridges and swales where there had previously been none, as well as removal of existing hills and valleys. These modifications altered the direction that water flows across the land surface, moved or lengthened stream channels and subsequently shortened the distance required for runoff to reach streams.

It�s all about efficiency, says Miller. He explains, �Preparing land for construction typically involves engineering efficient drainage around roads, buildings and other structures, but when we add those modifications up across watersheds, we find they affect not only the way the land looks but how it functions.�

Baker and Miller expect that the terrain modification they describe will deliver more water more rapidly to streams during rainstorms, even without adding impervious surface. In Clarksburg�s special protection areas, Montgomery County has required that developers go to great lengths to capture and store excess stormwater until it can recharge groundwater, but such protections are costly and typically not included in new developments elsewhere.

Scientists from the county, federal agencies and universities are watching closely. �Lessons learned in Clarksburg are essential for helping us better understand how well new mitigation approaches work,� says Baker.

Both scientists and policymakers have called attention to the substantial impacts of impervious surfaces. �What we�re showing is that other aspects of development should also be considered,� Baker explains. �Controlling impervious surface alone may not be sufficient to protect streams of high conservation value.�

In the Ten Mile Creek watershed, Montgomery County faces the classic dilemma of wanting to preserve natural resources while still promoting economic development. Can development here be done in a sustainable way? As it becomes clear that impacts on habitat and living organisms occur for many different reasons, and with even very modest levels of development, that task has become more challenging.

Homepage photo: courtesy Marlayna Demond.

(08/06/2014)

Interested in helping new computing majors transition to UMBC and their majors?

1 Teaching Fellow (aka TA) and 2 Peer Mentor positions are available for fall 2014. The course, CMSC101/IS101Y is for new freshmen computing majors (BTA, CS, CMPE, and IS) that will be taught by Dr. Seaman (IS) and Dr. Martin (CWIT).

Please read the attached job descriptions for more details. Must be a continuing BTA, IS, CS, or CMPE major.

TA Requirements: Juniors with at least a 3.0 GPA are eligible. Must be able to attend the lecture which meets on Tuesday and Thursday 1-2:15. 10 hours/week, $10 per hour.

Peer Mentor Requirements:Sophomores with a 3.0 are eligible for the peer mentor position. Must be able to attend the professional development session Fridays 1-2 pm. 4 hours per week, $9.25 per hour.

To apply send your resume, unofficial UMBC transcript and class schedule to Dr. Susan Martin, susan@umbc.edu by 5 PM, Friday August 8th.

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of former Chancellor of UMBC, Dr. John W. Dorsey. President Freeman Hrabowski addressed the UMBC community regarding his passing:

I know I speak for the entire UMBC community in mourning the death of Dr. John W. Dorsey, the third Chancellor of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, at the age of 78. Chancellor Dorsey died on July 28 at his home in Laurel of respiratory failure.

John was named UMBC’s Chancellor in 1977. He came to UMBC from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he held a number of academic leadership positions during the 1970s, including Vice Chancellor of Administrative Affairs and Acting Chancellor (1974-1975). He served as Chancellor at UMBC until 1986, overseeing nine years in which the university boosted its enrollment and raised its academic profile significantly.

When I heard the news, I thought immediately about his thoughtful and effective approach to leadership. He was always dedicated to advancing the University and spoke to me with such pride about our progress over the years. It’s very clear that UMBC made considerable progress under his strong leadership.

Among Chancellor Dorsey’s key achievements was bringing stability to the University, which experienced a number of growing pains after its founding in 1966. He led a major reorganization of the University’s administration, which paved the way for sustainable growth. UMBC’s enrollment grew steadily over his nine-year tenure and surged past the 6,000 mark in his last year as Chancellor.

His intimate knowledge of Maryland’s university system also allowed UMBC to substantially expand its academic offerings. UMBC added 30 new degree programs during his tenure.

Most important, he always spoke strongly when the University and its mission were threatened. The most memorable example occurred when he took a strong and persuasive stand against a 1981 proposal to convert UMBC into an industrial park. Chancellor Dorsey understood not only that UMBC was a great institution but also that the people of Maryland needed this University. Upon his departure from UMBC in 1986, he worked with John S. Toll, President of the University of Maryland system. Chancellor Dorsey also returned to teaching economics at UMCP and retired from there in 2001.

Chancellor Dorsey is survived by his wife, Jeanne, his daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Tim Small, and three grandchildren. I encourage you to read the obituary in The Baltimore Sun reflecting on his legacy. Dr. John W. Dorsey will always be a very special part of the history of UMBC.

-Freeman A. Hrabowski, III
President, UMBC

CEA is committed to making study abroad more accessible for UMBC students, so they offer multiple financing options and support services. From now through August 31, UMBC students applying for an eligible Spring 2015 study abroad program through CEA will receive a $1,000 grant toward their program price. All they have to do is enter promo code SPRING151000 on their CEA application.

Remember, all students studying abroad must apply through the UMBC Study Abroad Office by October 10, 2014. You can find the UMBC study abroad application on our website. Contact the Study Abroad Office for more information.

Every morning when Lisa Kakavas ‘94, psychology, gets ready for work, her dog Zildjian (or Z for short), inspects her outfit of choice. “[He] gets excited when I pull certain pants out,” says Kakavas. That’s because Z knows that when search and rescue gear comes out, he gets to go to work, too.

Kakavas and Z–a German shepherd–volunteer with the Mason-Dixon Rescue Dogs (MDRD), an organization that trains dogs in search and rescue of both live and deceased people. She learned about the organization years ago when her husband got involved with MDRD. At first, she says, she thought it was a little crazy that he was driving an hour to “play with his dog,” but it wasn’t long before she started training her first search and rescue dog, Cleo. And Z, of course, followed in Cleo’s footsteps.

The first year or two of a dog’s life in the MDRD is spent training. “For the first full year we build that drive [to search and recover], and we do that by building the paycheck,” says Kakavas. After every hard period of training, Z is rewarded with a good game of tug of war and sometimes a treat.

Now, 14 years after joining MDRD, Kakavas is a lead trainer and the president of the group. As the president, she arranges training dates and locations, schedules certification tests for the dogs, and tracks the progress of each member (both two- and four-legged). In between calls for a search and rescue group and training, Kakavas holds down her job in retail at the UMBC bookstore.

“I fill up my calendar with training and fill in around it,” she said, mentioning that nearly every weekend — both Saturdays and Sundays — through summer was already scheduled with training. Luckily, Bookstore Bob, or the Director of the UMBC Bookstore, doesn’t mind. “[He] is very supportive, and he likes to hear the stories, too,” Kakavas said. And with five years of experience under Z’s collar, he and Kakavas have over 50 search stories to tell.

The cases can range anywhere from a
few hundred square feet to 80 acres of land, and the number of dogs sent out depends on the situation. Her longest search was in Pennsylvania, searching for an infant. Kakavas said the trip took 13 hours of searching spaced out over two days. She and Z have also traveled as far away as Peru, called in by local law enforcement to search for a missing hiker. “The search area was the side of an entire mountain,” she said, recalling the stress of the event. Other trips have included night searches for missing persons in natural disaster areas.

Although Kakavas and Z have worked through nights, spent countless hours training together, and hiked hundreds miles over the years, it doesn’t seem to be phasing her, or her dog. “The reason they work so hard is because we make it fun,” she said.

Do you have an awesome story to share? Submit a class note!

Farming the 'king of the ocean'
Scientists raising Atlantic bluefin tuna in tanks at Columbus Center

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/blog/bs-md-tuna-farming-20140805,0,348437.story#ixzz39cfaEScv

Once a month, we’ll profile one of the amazing Phonathon students working in UMBC’s call center. This week, say hello to student caller Irum, class of 2016.

Irum is from Baltimore, MD and is working toward a degree in biology and psychology with a minor in English. We sat down with Irum to get to know her a little better and here’s what we learned:

Q: Why did you choose to come to UMBC? What do you enjoy most now that you’re here?

A: UMBC, as a #1 up-and-coming school, is the school of the future. I chose to come to UMBC because of the smaller class sizes, as I feel a bond with your professors is important as an undergrad. I love that everyone at UMBC is so nice, but most importantly, I love that I found my home at Phonathon!

Q: What activities do you enjoy outside of class?

A: Outside of class, I love being involved with community service work. I volunteer frequently at Head Start programs, and soup kitchens in my area. Being able to make a difference wherever I go is what I’m most passionate about!

Q: What do you like best about being a student caller?

A: What I love most about being a student caller is the connections I build with alumni and parents. I love sharing exciting news about UMBC, and getting the alumni excited about their alma mater. Giving back to a place that gave you so many opportunities is very important to me, and I love being able to share that passion with other callers as a supervisor.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After graduation, I hope to pursue my passion in working with kids with developmental disorders. And let’s not forget, giving back to UMBC in any way that I can!

Learn more about the UMBC Phonathon!