Natural Gas Use in L.A. County
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: California, Energy Policy, Engineering, Los Angeles, Public Policy, Science and Technology
The shutdown of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility has threatened the reliability of energy supplies in Southern California. Reducing natural gas demands, especially during peak periods of summer and winter use, is critically important to preserve uninterrupted electricity and natural gas services throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan region. In winter, natural gas consumption […]
Read MoreResilience in Engineered, Natural, and Water Systems
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Ecology, Environment, History, Science and Technology, Water, Water Resources Engineering
The term resilience emerged in ecology during the early 1970s. At the time, researchers were debating the existence of equilibrium points in ecosystems. Equillibriums were considered stable configurations of species that an ecosystem could “evolve” (or succeed) to reach. Beyond that, little change would occur. Ecology literature accepted the existence of such system-wide, globally-stable states (Lewontin 1969). In this view of […]
Read MoreThe Hard Work of Sustainable Groundwater Management
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: California, Cities, Environment, Groundwater, Water
Image Sources: Covina Citrus Industry Photographs, Covina Public Library; Wikipedia A recent post that originally ran on the California WaterBlog from the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. ……. Under California’s new groundwater law, local agencies must adopt long-term plans for sustainably managing basins subject to critical overdraft. Preparing these plans will be challenging, […]
Read MoreU.S. Urban Infrastructure: Eras and Development
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Cities, Environment, Environmental History, Infrastructure, Public Policy, Uncategorized
Infrastructure makes up critical physical and technological systems in the built environment, or the “sinews” of the city (Tarr 1984). With industrialization in Europe and North America, cities developed infrastructure that utilized new energy sources to facilitate commerce and exploit natural resources. Over several centuries, municipalities increasingly undertook central roles in financing, planning, constructing, and […]
Read MoreGroundwater Use in Urban Development
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Cities, Development, Engineering, Science and Technology, Systems Engineering, Urban Ecology, Water, Water Resources Engineering
Groundwater is an important water source in urbanized areas. Cities across many geographies and climates, including Beijing, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Bangkok, Houston, Tokyo, Perth, and Lima, have all utilized groundwater to supply much of their potable water needs at some stage of development (Howard and Gelo 2002). Groundwater provides a significant portion […]
Read MoreManaging Arroyos in Los Cabos
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Cities, Engineering, Environment, Infrastructure, Public Policy, Systems Engineering, Urban Ecology, Water, Water Resources Engineering
This entry is also posted on the Sustainable Cities International blog, which gives updates of work from SCI’s Affiliated Researchers and interns working with member cities throughout the world. A quiet evolution is taking place in how we use and move water within cities throughout the world. In Los Cabos, Mexico, where I am working […]
Read MoreHybridization in Stormwater Infrastructure and Governance
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Cities, Engineering, Infrastructure, Systems Engineering, Water, Water Resources Engineering
Water infrastructure is typically about pipes and bills. Most cities have dedicated departments that manage water distribution, sewage, and stormwater systems. Today, however, new designs for more sustainable urban development are re-considering how we deliver these services for residents. Rather than provide and manage water through centralized services, what are the opportunities and challenges associated […]
Read MoreStormwater Management and Governance in San Francisco
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: California, Cities, Engineering, Environment, Infrastructure, Public Policy, Systems Engineering, Urban Ecology, Water
An excerpt from a recently published journal article on governance of urban stormwater systems in future cities…. San Francisco provides a relevant example to understand governance changes related to future stormwater systems. The San Francisco Bay Area has a total population of over 7 million people in nine counties and is dominated by San Francisco Estuary, […]
Read MoreTreating Water in the Home
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Engineering, Infrastructure, Public Policy, Science and Technology, Uncategorized, Water
Treating water in a home or a building may be relevant in a few situations. First, in communities without sufficient capital to build water treatment facilities, residents are forced to drink bottled water. This happens thorughout the world, from the farmlands of East Africa to the rural communities of California. Second, many in the sustainability […]
Read MoreUrban Water and Governance
- Post By: Erik
- Date:
- Category: Cities, Development, Engineering, Environment, Infrastructure, Public Policy, Science and Technology, Systems Engineering, Urban Ecology, Water, Water Resources Engineering
Water infrastructure is typically about pipes and bills. Most cities have dedicated departments that manage water distribution, sewage, and stormwater systems. Today, however, new designs for more sustainable urban development are re-considering how we deliver these services for residents. Rather than provide and manage water through centralized services, what are the opportunities and challenges associated […]
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