Comments on: Tainted Lavender

By: chris f

chris f — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:46:35 +0000

what that last person said totally. Talk is cheap so let’s start cleaning this thing up so we can truly find value in building and supporting an ecosystem, not only for humans, but for all forms of life. What can we do?!

By: Ludger K. Balan

Ludger K. Balan — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:27:56 +0000

There are over 12 CSOs ( Combine Sewage Over Flow- that discharge raw untreated sewage ( raw residential and business toilet sewage ,combined with storm water street run off )into the canal after every rain fall. CSOs are known to introduce the most significant source of pathogens( disease causing bacteria) in our waterways. One of the most common reason for beach closings. During our annual clean-ups one of the most common materials collected in the canal are sanitary pads and condoms. It is not surprising that there would be substantial viral contaminants in the Gowanus canal. Illegal and incidental dumping is also an on-going challenge in the Gowanus Canal, particular with some of the fuel, as well as the aggregate industries. The fuel insdustry in the Gowanus Canal has contributed large amounts of Benzine and host of other volatile contaminants in the water as well as in the uplands. Some of these are some of the most toxic contaminants known. It is essential to put a face and name to these problems and just really get down to the business and start cleaning it up. The Gowanus Canal and the surrounding community also has other challenges like flooding. The Urban Divers documented the flooding of the Gowanus Canal 50ft onto land during several rainstorms this year.This type of flooding occured at most of the side streets. The FROGGs ( Friend of the Greater Gowanus ) have done the same. There is an indication that the water of the canal is rising. This factor must also be part in the equation regarding the developing the land around the Gowanus Canal. It is time to stop all the hype. The Gowanus Canal has a tremendous potential both as historic waterway and a valuable natural resource for the community and the region. It is far from being there yet. We must continue to fight for the implementation of its clean-up now, and only than, would it suitable for my wise property investment. For such high mortgages, I would really want to have my money’s worth, especially if I intend to raise a family there. The Gowanus Canal violates the Clean water Act each day of its current existence. A natural resource like the Gowanus Canal, should be gem. A place of destination, for families all over Brooklyn and the region to fish, swim, canoe and even dive the historic coffee barge. It should examplary resource that introduce and inspire environmental stewardship for the next generation. It is an abuse both economically and socially to deny access to a healthy and vital natural resource to a community. NYC has a very high price tag for its property, for that it should come with clean air, clean water, clean soil,and most importantly access to healthy natural resources. Shouldn’t it? My granpa always tell me that a dollar should always equate a sac of edible potatoes. Ludger K. Balan

By: Ludger K. Balan

Ludger K. Balan — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:44:41 +0000

The Urban Divers Estuary has been working in the Gowanus for past 10 years . This was one of series of scientific dives and water quality monitoring projects we conducted with Dr Haque. As Avra, clearly explains our dives in the Gowanus Canal and anywhere else in the urban estuary is quite specific, and we take extreme precaution when diving sites such as the Gowanus Canal and Newtown Creek. In this perticular dive our goals was to extract a core sample with very limited disturbance, without surface contamination as well as collect water samples. The project was well executed and was quite successful.
The Gowanus Canal has been neglected long enough. The clean-up of this toxic environment is too long over due . There has been enough money spend on these studies. We should really begin to start implementing the Clean-up process now. Dredging the canal is crucial. How the land is being used along the Canal and its watershed is also crucial to the equation. The Gowanus Canal needs a substantial buffer zone of green space between the use of the land and the water’s edge in order to achieve a successful remediation. Land around the Gowanus Canal is also very toxic and requires substanctial clean-up.

By: Roberta Rothman

Roberta Rothman — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:45:08 +0000

All those years driving by the canal it is hard to believe that a Whole Foods and fancy condo’s will be surrounding it. Talk about gentrification!! It will be worth a trip home to see it.
Great article, lots of information for a native Brooklynite.

By: Julia Hansen

Julia Hansen — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:38:42 +0000

Interesting article — been working on cleanup of Bay in SF — always interested in other projects — plus, who thought Republicans used to be pro-environment!

By: Benjamin Snyder

Benjamin Snyder — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:19:23 +0000

I strongly doubt the statement that gonorrhea was found in the water of the canal. The organism that causes gonorrhea is very difficult to cultivate in the laboratory-we have to “baby” it in order to get it to grow. Lots of work was expended for many years figuring out how to grow this organism in the clinical lab. It has never been reported in the free-living state. It would not survive long in water, at anything except its optimum temperature range, and without the very specific nutrients it needs. To find it in a random “drop” of water would require that it be present in huge numbers in the canal-an impossibility.

By: avra cohen

avra cohen — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 17:57:12 +0000

re: “but what i want to know is what in the world the urban divers use in the gowanus… one of those old suits with the giant copper helmet?”

As one af the Urban Divers collecting core samples for Prof. Haque I can answer that! We wore Viking vulcanized rubber drysuits fitted with turbo hoods, Si-Tech one-way double exhaust valves, and dry gloves. We used AGA positive pressure full face masks. Though we were thus fully encapsulated, we still follow a rigorous decontamination proceedure that begins with fresh water flushing, pressure spray application of ‘Simple Green’ cleanser (biodegradable) and more fresh water flushing. This is done by volunteer dive tenders who are also protected from backspray by nitrile gloves, Tyvec suits, and dust masks or respirators. After dressing out of our gear we use alcohol based ear drops and mouthwash, just in case! The positive pressure AGA masks prevent infiltration of water into the mask, even if the seal is dislodged, by supplying gas at a pressure slightly above that of the ambient water pressure. Idealy these dives would be conducted in ‘hard hat’ helmets with air being surface supplied. This is how most commercial diving is conducted. Unfortunately, we do not have this expensive equipment.
I would add that the visibility was suprisingly good, over 15 feet! The challange is keeping off the bottom so as not to disturb the highly contaminated sediment, whle manipulating the core sampling tubes and doing video documentation.
We eagerly await the scientific findings of Prof. Haque and her team. Stay wet! Avra Cohen

By: heron

heron — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:36:36 +0000

Is this story “science” or propaganda?

Can you give us the science on stronger flushing tunnel is expected to bring improvements? There has been a long history of promised improved flushing of the canal that has brought headlines of “Engineering Blunders” in the local papers. That 70 million will buy us a renewed piece of 1911 engineering that is anything but green-design. It is a system that the city can, and has, turned its back; leaving it in a state of disrepair for decades.

With all of our modern environmental science, can’t we resolve the water problems of the Gowanus in a more thoughtful way that works with natural tendencies and forces that still seem to exist in this highly built urban terrain. Could that 70 million buy us a better, more lasting fix?

The guys at the DEP are trying their best, but they are all pipe engineers. Where has the more progressive environmental engineering minds been through the planning process? Were they even participants in the planning process?

By: snotsdale

snotsdale — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:13:22 +0000

you might have meant indefatigable scotto.

but what i want to know is what in the world the urban divers use in the gowanus… one of those old suits with the giant copper helmet? no way i’d want to get any of that water on me for any length of time.

By: Ed K

Ed K — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:16:15 +0000

I’m quite suprised that Prof. Nolan wasn’t aware that there has been research going on for about 7 years looking at oyster hatching in the canal. Hope she didn’t muck up anything in the muck.