Texas Regional ReportTexas Regional ReportJune 25, 2010

I have moved over a great part of Texas and I know that within its borders I have moved over a great part of Texas and I know that within its borders I have seen just about as many kinds of country, contour, climate and I have seen just about as many kinds of country, contour, climate and

conformation as there are in the world conformation as there are in the world - John Steinbeck- John Steinbeck

General Climate ImpactsGeneral Climate ImpactsA Summary

I have moved over a great part of Texas and I know that within its I have moved over a great part of Texas and I know that within its borders I have seen just about as many kinds of country, contour, borders I have seen just about as many kinds of country, contour,

climate and conformation as there are in the world climate and conformation as there are in the world - John - John SteinbeckSteinbeck

But now he is the King of Katy, TX

He played college football in El Paso, TX

AJ grew up on a farm in Mansfield, TX

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The Big HittersThe Big Hitters

DroughtDroughtDroughtDrought

FloodingFloodingFloodingFlooding

HurricanesHurricanesHurricanesHurricanes

Sea Level Sea Level RiseRiseSea Level Sea Level RiseRise

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DroughtDrought

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From King of the Hill, Pilot Episode, 1997

DroughtDrought

Expected temperature rise:3-10°F rise in winter lows and 3-7°F rise in summer highs.

July heat index—a measure combining temperature and humidity to represent the temperature actually felt—could rise by 10-25°F.

Dale, you giblet head, we live in Texas. It’s already 110 in the

summer, and if it gets one degree hotter I’m gonna kick your ass!

I say, let the world warm up…We’ll grow

oranges in Alaska.

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DroughtDrought»As of June 15th, 2010

› Record rainfall in Texas was worthy of a one- to two-category improvement in a swath from San Antonio to Texarkana, resulting in no drought depiction. 

› Elsewhere in Texas, the abnormally dry conditions expanded along the Gulf Coast from the Brazos River to Lake Charles, Louisiana.  This new area includes Beaumont, Houston and Galveston, all of which are reporting precipitation deficits of over an inch for the month. • For the year to date, Beaumont is

11.98 inches below normal, Houston 8.97 inches below normal, and Galveston 5.34 inches below normal. 

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DroughtDrought»But Last Summer…

Considered the “Worst Drought in the past 50 years”

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FloodingFlooding»So when it does rain, we get tons of flooding

In 2002, a megaflood carved a 2.2km canyon in 3 days at a site now called Canyon Lake Gorge a little north of

San Antonio

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FloodingFlooding

Before (2006)After (2008)

Hurricanes Don’t Help EitherHurricanes Don’t Help Either

Hurricane Ike Flooding in Katy, TX (where AJ lives)Areas of vegetation are in Red Storm Surge Flooding wiped most of it out

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HurricanesHurricanes

Hurricane Ike, September 2008Hurricane Ike, September 2008

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HurricanesHurricanes»The "Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate” report concludes

› "It is very likely that the human-induced increase in greenhouse gases has contributed to the increase in sea surface temperatures in the hurricane formation regions. Over the past 50 years there has been a strong statistical connection between tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures and Atlantic hurricane activity.” 

» U.S. Climate Change Service Program

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HurricanesHurricanesYear Name Max Wind Speed

(mph)

1993 T.S. Arlene 40

1995 T.S. Dean 45

1998 T.S. Charley 70

1998 T.S. Frances 65

1999 T.S. Storm Bret 55

2001 T.S. Allison 60

2002 T.S. Bertha 40

2002 T.S. Fay 60

2003 Claudette 80

2005 Rita 120

2008 Dolly (Tex Mex Border)

100

2008 Ike 110

»Since our students have been born…

Tropical Storm Fay

Fei means “flying” in Chinese

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HurricanesHurricanes»Estimated Cost of Ike: $22 Billion

› Hurricanes Ivan in 2004, Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005, and Ike in 2008 demonstrated that infrastructure along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico can be severely damaged by major hurricanes, which can produce national-level impacts, and require recovery times stretching to months to years.

Ike was the third most expensive hurricane on record after Katrina in 2005 and Andrew in 1992 

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Sea Level RiseSea Level Rise»The Gulf Coast is extremely vulnerable because

› It’s flat, making even small rises spread further inland

› It’s sinking (subsidence), with varying rates, some as high as 31 inches per century

› It’s growing in population and development

› It gets a lot of major storms and, of course, hurricanes

› Not all areas are protected against flooding or storm surges

Climate models project an average sea-level rise along the Gulf Coast ranging from over 8 to almost 20 inches in

the next century.

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Sea Level RiseSea Level Rise

The H-town Breakdown

Fei grew up in the ’burbs of Sugar Land, TX

But she went to college in CA

(ahem Go Bears! Ahem)

Now she’s back to being a Houstonian

Focus: Houston ImpactsFocus: Houston Impacts

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Houston’s Regional Forest ReportHouston’s Regional Forest Report

Studying the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Urban Studying the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Urban TreesTrees

http://www.houstonregionalforest.org/Report/http://www.houstonregionalforest.org/Report/

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HRF ReportHRF Report

»Major Findings and Conclusions

2020

HRF ReportHRF Report»UFORE Land Cover Map for Houston

Forests: The Forest areas contain 71% of the region's tree population.

Agriculture and Rangelands: This is by far the largest land cover type, occupying 48% of the region, and although the tree density is low, there are over 100 million trees located in this land cover type.

Urban Lands: These lands occupy 24% of the Houston region and contain almost 84 million trees. Tree species are relatively diverse, approaching that of Forest areas

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Houston Air QualityHouston Air Quality

Since 1999, Houston has exchanged titles with Los Angeles as having the most polluted air in the United

States defined by the number of days each city violates federal smog standards.

Smoggy Day Clear Day

YAAHOOO!!!?!!

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Houston Air QualityHouston Air Quality»Ozone has been Houston's main air quality concern for several years.

› Area climate conditions combined with the variety of emissions from area industry and transportation make the city a prime media for ground level ozone formation.

»The Houston-Galveston area (HGA) is classified as a severe nonattainment area for ozone.

A typical ozone map of Houston in June (this is from June 29, 2009 at around noon)

Sometimes ozone levels get so bad we are restricted from going outdoors

between 10am-3pm

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Houston Air QualityHouston Air Quality› Houstonians drive an average of > 140,000,000

miles/day, emissions from cars, trucks, and buses are a major source of airborne pollutants.

› Moreover, Houston is home to > 400 chemical manufacturing facilities, including two of the biggest refineries in the United States.

› The petrochemical complex along the Houston ship channel is the largest in the country, and the Port of Houston is the largest in the United States in terms of foreign tonnage and second largest in total tonnage.

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Houston Air QualityHouston Air Quality»Pasadena ISD: A Bittersweet Tale

More than 800 solar panels, paid for with

part of a $6 million court settlement, will

soon be on the roofs of Sam Rayburn and South

Houston High schools.

BUT: The project is the result of a negotiated settlement between Shell Oil Co. and two nonprofit environmental groups over accidental emissions from Shell’s Deer Park refinery that violated the Clean Air

Act. As part of the April 2009 settlement with Environment Texas and the Sierra Club, Shell agreed to reduce emissions known as “upsets” from the Deer Park plant by 80 percent over three years. The company

also agreed to fund two school-related projects in east Harris County.

Keep(ing) Austin Weird

Now he lives in the state capital of Austin, TX

He grew up in Fort Worth, TX

David was born in Galveston, TX

Focus: Austin ImpactFocus: Austin Impact

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The Drought of 07-09The Drought of 07-09

»Drought hit the Austin area pretty hard› In the Summer of 2009

• 67 out of 90 days were above 100 degrees• The average temperatures for 2009 beat the previous hottest

summers of 2008 and 1998 by 1.7 degrees.

“If I owned Hell and Texas, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell”

–Phillip Henry Sheridan

Ironically, he was one of the first generals to employ

“Scorched Earth” tactics in the Civil War

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Drought of 07-09Drought of 07-09

Effects on Lake TravisEffects on Lake Travis

August 24, 2009

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Effects on Lake TravisEffects on Lake Travis»About Lake Travis

› A reservoir on the Colorado River

› Used for flood control, water supply, electrical power generation and recreation

› The historic high level on the lake was 710.4 feet above msl on December 25, 1991. The historic low was 614.2 feet above msl on August 14, 1951. The drought brought the lake to its THIRD lowest level at 629.97 feet above msl on September 11, 2009

It got SO low that police officers

found three cars and bikes previously

thought stolen!

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Drought of 07-09Drought of 07-09

Effects on Barton SpringsEffects on Barton Springs

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Effects on Barton SpringsEffects on Barton Springs»About Barton Springs

› Spring-fed pool that sees about 400,000 visitors a year

› Robert Redford learned to swim in it when he was 5

› Major way to cool off during ACL »More than 50,000

people in surrounding suburbs rely on the Barton Springs portion of the Edwards Aquifer

»Last year residents were asked to cut back on water usage by 30%

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Thus, you know you’re in a TX summer whenThus, you know you’re in a TX summer when

Some Texas Heat HumorSome Texas Heat Humor(Enjoy your cool summers, everyone. Except ATL, we feel you)(Enjoy your cool summers, everyone. Except ATL, we feel you)

Hot water now comes out of both taps.You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding

iron.The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a bit chilly.You discover that in July it takes only two fingers to drive

your car.You break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 am.

You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the

groundCows are giving evaporated milk.

The trees are whistlin' for the dogs.A sad Texan said once: 'I wish it would rain - not so much for

me, cuz I've seen it, but for my 7-year-old.'

Hot water now comes out of both taps.You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding

iron.The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a bit chilly.You discover that in July it takes only two fingers to drive

your car.You break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 am.

You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the

groundCows are giving evaporated milk.

The trees are whistlin' for the dogs.A sad Texan said once: 'I wish it would rain - not so much for

me, cuz I've seen it, but for my 7-year-old.'

The EndYou’re Welcome.