Blog – Page 2 – Hirschman Water & Environment, LLC

The Damming of America’s Rivers: Reflections on the Age of the Technocrat

The Damming of America’s River: Reflections on the Age of the Technocrat

Most of the nation’s rivers and tributaries had. . .been dammed by the late 1960s. . .The mainstreams of the Columbia, Missouri, Mississippi, Colorado, Tennessee, Ohio, and Rio Grande had been nearly fully developed (NRC, 1999, p. 18). To our modern sensibilities, this seems like a crazy fact. What societal forces were in play to allow this to happen?

Giving Back to Your Ecoregion

21Decemberdhirschman

Giving Back to Your Ecoregion

I live in Central Virginia, but also the Northern Piedmont/Piedmont Uplands ecoregion. As much as political boundaries, our ecoregions are responsible for the landscapes, livelihoods, cuisine, recreation, industries, cultures, and storytelling of the places where we live. As such, our ecoregions provide for us and sustain our communities.

The Wisdom of Doctor Dish

27Octoberdhirschman

One of my first jobs out of college in the early 1980s was working as a dishwasher and line cook in a vegetarian restaurant in Durham, NC. The name of the restaurant was SomeThyme. The place was quite a fixture within Durham’s cultural vibe at the time.

Little Bobby & Big Bobby: An Erosion Control Drama

17Septemberdhirschman

Little Bobby & Big Bobby: An Erosion Control Drama

Little Bobby and Big Bobby were standing about four feet apart, work boots rooted in the construction mud. Excavation contractor Big Bobby, a mountain of a man, was swinging a shovel above his head like a helicopter blade in motion, cursing loudly as he swung. The County erosion control inspector Little Bobby, small of stature but stiff of spine, was holding his ground, growling his reaction to the shovel blade spinning just above head level. What was the argument about? Inlet protection.

Lament for the bag of dog doo left upon my sidewalk

23Augustdhirschman

Lament for the bag of dog poo left upon my sidewalk

I find them on my sidewalk, I find them on the trail

The production of a canine from just under the tail

Neatly tucked and tied in a plastic sack

But left there, alone, and they aren’t coming back

Hackberry: Very Small Persons’ Climbing Wall

24Julydhirschman

Hackberry: Very Small Persons’ Climbing Wall

The Hackberry tree (Celtis occidentalis) is also known as sugarberry, beaverwood, nettetree, or false elm. The spreading canopy of the Hackberry has been compared to Einstein’s hair. It derives its name from the Scottish “hag” (witch) or hagberry tree, and some refer to the drooping bushy branches as “witches’ brooms.” However, rather than creepy, the Hackberry is hard-working and has an uncomplaining nature. This blog will explain why and also reveal a little secret about this corky-barked floodplain friend.

Environmentalism & White Supremacy

10Junedhirschman

Environmentalism & White Supremacy

The connection between environmentalism and white supremacy hadn’t crossed my mind, and I’m sure that holds true to many of you. However, a couple of months ago – before George Floyd’s murder and the current national outcry – I stumbled across an astonishing passage in a book that my son gave to me: Charles Mann’s The Wizard and the Prophet (Mann, 2018).

A Good Walk Unspoiled

28Maydhirschman

A Good Walk Unspoiled

The game of golf has been described as a good walk spoiled, with the quote attributed, likely incorrectly, to Mark Twain. The implication is that, without having to worry over the trajectory of the little white ball, it would be a most pleasant experience. The main ingredient of that experience is the landscape through which one traverses. Our local municipal golf course has been closed to golfers during COVID, but somewhat mysteriously available for walkers, most of whom, present company included, have been seeking places to walk that are not crowded cheek to jowl with others seeking a similar experience.

Earth Dave 1990

22Aprildhirschman

Earth Dave 1990

1990 was the 20^th anniversary of Earth Day. I was a graduate student at Virginia Tech. I don’t recall how it happened, but I became the campus Earth Day coordinator. I received so many calls (remember land lines) from people wanting to speak to Dave about Earth Day, that my roommate Alison, who answered many of those calls, starting referring to me as Earth Dave. “Another call for you, Earth Dave,” she would exclaim, almost cheerfully.

Nature Wants to Wiggle

16Aprildhirschman

Nature Wants to Wiggle

This past Sunday into Monday, we got quite a deluge. Over 3 inches of rain fell, accompanied by gusty winds. On Monday morning as the system was pulling out, I walked out into the street in front of my house. With all the wind and rain, my neighbor’s cherry tree had let loose many pinkish blossoms that the wind piled up along the street’s curbline into a sort of windrow. The runoff from the street flowed down the curbline and created a wiggly pattern through the cherry blossom windrow.

Hmm, I thought, it looks just like a meandering stream valley.