A rolling collection of stories, tips, and news powered by the people of the Philadelphia Water Department.
While the shad sighting just below Black Rock Dam (see map above) is a measure of success for the fishways, PWD biologist Lance Butler also notes that “the resurgence of shad is an indicator or returning ecology to Schuylkill.”
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of Philadelphia’s water filtration system, completed with the construction of the Queen Lane Filters in 1911.
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Amid all the excitement over Philly’s first green roof bus shelter two weeks ago, we buried some really big news that happened the same day: Mayor Michael Nutter released the 2011 Greenworks Philadelphia Progress Report.
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Thinking about making your home greener but don’t know where to start? Wondering about the incentives and barriers to environmentally friendly improvements such as green roofs and downspout planters (pictured above)?
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When the Philadelphia Water Department’s aquatic biologists investigate Philadelphia’s streams and rivers to take stock of the number and variety of species inhabiting our waterways (they call this process a bioassessment), they pay special attention to mayflies.
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Most people want to flush their toilet and forget about it, but if you know anything about the historical research I do for PWD, you know that sewers are one of my obsessions.
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What is an urban forest? It’s the collection of trees that grow in an urban area. Urban tree canopy is important for both environmental and economic reasons, as it reduces stormwater runoff, improves air quality and raises property values.
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“Root for the home estuary” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it—but if you attend the June 25 Camden Riversharks game against the Pennsylvania Road Warriors (5:35 p.m. start), you can support the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.
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And also some views of the roof: Here are some photos from Wednesday’s unveiling of the green roof bus shelter at 15th and Market.
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A recent study by the University of Delaware puts a price tag on the economic value of the Delaware Estuary—the tidal portion of the Delaware River Basin—and the number is big.
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