Friday, October 2, 2015
(photo credit: Mark Karwowski)
***UPDATE***
***UPDATE***
Below, photos of Lightstone Group's development and Gowanus Canal at high tide taken on Saturday, October 3rd
(photo credit: Mark Karwowski)
Here in Gowanus, the waters of the polluted canal were rising after a period of steady rain. Above are some photos taken today from the Carroll Street Bridge at 12:30 PM by reader and friend Mark Karwowski. The mechanism of the bridge were underwater which happens often when it rains here in Gowanus. More significant is the result of the rising water on the Lightstone Group residential development currently being built at 365 Bond Street. The new bulkheads in front of the building were almost totally submerged under water from the Canal.
One wonders what could happen on Sunday/ Monday, when we could potentially get some serious rain as a result of Hurricane Joaquin.
The Gowanus Canal, of course has been declared a Superfund Site by the Environmental Protection Agency.
In related news, Councilman Brad Lander sent out the following message earlier today regarding the possible effect of Hurricane Joaquin in the area.
As you know, there’s a chance that Hurricane Joaquin is headed our way. We don’t know its exact path, and hopefully it will head out into the Atlantic, rather than make landfall, as the most likely current forecasts predict (you can stay up-to-date via the National Weather Service, and the NYC Office of Emergency Management).
But since there is a real chance that the storm could hit near NYC, we should be ready. If the storm does hit, it would likely be Monday orTuesday, so please use the weekend to make sure you’re prepared:
Know your hurricane evacuation zone:NYC.gov/knowyourzone.
Have an emergency plan in place for your family: Some good tips are here, including what every household should have on hand in case of emergency (drinking water, nonperishable food, a working flashlight and batteries, etc).
Sign up for text and email notifications from Notify NYC, the City’s official source for information about emergency events and important City services, or follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.
Report power outages or downed wires to Con Ed at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) or www.coned.com (where they also have helpful storm preparation tips).
National Grid customers can report gas service interruptions by calling 1-718-643-4050.
In the event that the storm does hit us, we’ll work to set up a system for you contact our office if you have any problems in your neighborhood.
A few other notes:
Whatever ends up happening with Joaquin’s trajectory, we are getting a lot of rain. As many of you know too well, there are places in our neighborhood where flooding-from-rain is chronic – especially near the Gowanus Canal , along 9th Street and 2nd Avenue. We can’t fix that before Monday, but I’m working hard to make sure that we address it with a real fix soon.
For many of us, this time spent anxiously looking at weather report is evocative of the days after Sandy, and a reminder of the tragedy we weathered together just three years ago. As I think of Sandy, I remember not only the pain we saw, but the extraordinary compassion of our community. If needed, I know that our community will respond again (and we’ll be here to help coordinate efforts). In the meantime, use this weekend to check up on an elderly or homebound neighbor.
While no single event can be pinned on climate change, there is overwhelming evidence that the increase in severe weather events is linked to global warming caused by human activity. So if Joaquin doesn’t hit, think about using the found time to take action for a more sustainable planet. I was pleased to see Mayor de Blasio come out earlier this week recommending that NYC’s pension funds divest from coal (and consider other fossil fuels as well). There are so many ways to do so – one is to get involved with 350 Brooklyn (part of the broader network o f350.org).
-Brad
***UPDATE***
High Tide In Gowanus Canal on Saturday 23rd, October 2015
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7 comments:
I'd be more worried if I had a house on coast of carolinas.
Given that the canal is contiguous with NY harbor, it doesn't really follow that it's higher due to recent rainfall - unless the rainfall has somehow raised the level of the entire Atlantic Ocean in this region. More likely you're simply observing a particularly high tide here (they do fluctuate with the lunar calendar, naturally).
The flooding threat from Joaquin would be if a storm surge coincides with an unusually high tide - which is exactly what happened with Sandy. But not much to do with rain.
Sadly this water won't destroy these buildings.
Yes, as someone else already mentioned, this is just a prominent high tide. The canal often looks like this during high tides and it has nothing to do with rain.
The apartments can be advertised as coming with a swimming pool!
Once again a well meaning pol can't get his facts straight. The rise in water levels has nothing to due with rainfall. yes local flooding occurs because the sewer system in NYC is antiquated, but water levels in the Atlantic are controlled by the lunar tidal cycle. This is tropical storm and hurricane season, there have been hurricanes and storms in the warm gulf waters long before the automobile. This year the global warming doomsayers predicted 10-11 hurricanes hitting the east coast. We shall see.. So instead of fear mongering and spitefully wishing buildings get destroyed, do something positive and send some help to our neighbors down south; they could use it.
The fact remains that to build this high density on a polluted waterway, in a hurricane evacuation route, is irresponsible city planning. And Brad Landers et al was for it. I hope this serves as an example that the Gowanus shores should not be a land grab for dense residential development. But I am afraid that, if history is any indication - this all falls on deaf ears - as developers RULE NYC government, not science, not common sense.
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