November 2020 - Coastal Observer for Nor’Easters
Much to the ire of many Delawareans, the flooding of roads and properties has become increasingly common in low-lying areas throughout the state. Nor’easters—storms that form along the East Coast of North America—can be a major cause of coastal flooding. With nor’easters most likely to occur between September and April, we are entering the time of year when coastal storms become more of a concern.
To help Delawareans adequately discuss and document rising sea levels and flood-prone areas, the Delaware Resilience Awareness Project (DelRAP) has created the Coastal Observer app, available on Android and Apple products. DelRAP is a project of the Coastal Resilience Design Studio, created by the University of Delaware and Delaware Sea Grant. The goal of DelRAP is to provide a platform for concerned citizens to publicly share their observations and perceived threats to their communities from sea level rise and storms.
Coastal Observer is intended to collect data on a few different areas. The first area tracks basic environmental observations by sharing how the current setting impacts people’s mood. For example, if someone finds their neighborhood roads flooded, that may cause people to be upset.
Researchers also use the app for weather observations, documenting water levels in certain areas, and they encourage people to look for changes in water quality to document how the environment is impacted by human practices.
Notable Dates in November
November 5 — Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgia's Atmospheric Sciences Program, will be the guest speaker at the 2020 John R. Mather Lecture. Dr. Shepherd will present on “The Science of How Cities Affect Rainfall and Storms ,” discussing past and current research and a recently funded NASA interdisciplinary program to move his efforts into broader areas of predictability, geography, and climate.
November 8 — Celebrate science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics on National STEM/STEAM Day by encouraging and working to inspire children to pursue an interest in S.T.E.A.M subjects. Discover some ways to celebrate here
November 11 — Coastal Connections: Promoting Resilient Communities. A free virtual panel exploring three different Land Grant Universities efforts to engage with communities in their regions to establish resilience in the face of climate change and sea level rise.
November 12 — Derelict Crab Pot Round-Up Virtual Info Session II. A virtual information session to learn more about Delaware Sea Grant and the CSHEL Lab’s 3-day Derelict Crab Pot Round-Up in Indian River this winter.
November 15 — America Recycles Day, a program of Keep America Beautiful, is a nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. Learn how to get involved here