2024 Media Watch Archives
Ecosystem hydrologist Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm to lead UMD Center for Environmental Science
Yahoo News (The Baltimore Sun) -
A renowned ecosystem hydrologist has been hired as president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, a dean and professor at George Mason University, will start July 1 and also serve as the university system’s vice chancellor for sustainability. … Miralles-Wilhelm earned his Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in engineering at the University of California, Irvine …. Read More
SAE Adopts New Standards For Vehicle-To-Grid
CleanTechnica -
A 2021 study by University of California – Irvine professor Brian Tarroja and Rochester Institute of Technology professor Eric Hittinger found that V2G could make a big difference for California’s grid. They calculated that the combined value of the energy storage capacity of V2G enabled EVs in California is “approximately an order of magnitude larger than that for smart charging.” Read More
The Compost – Weekly Newsletter
The Orange County Register -
Smarter sand replenishment: Local lawmakers have fought for years to get the millions of dollars needed to start sand replenishment projects to help reverse erosion of Southern California beaches caused by development, rising seas and other impacts of climate change. But Laylan Connelly reports that UC Irvine researchers are recommending new data and methods that could allow leaders to make smarter decisions about where sand infusions can do the most good. Read More
New UCI study shows how data can help deal with eroding beaches
KNX News -
Not all beaches are eroding, but many are - enough to warrant spending large sums of money to add sand to Southern California's deteriorating coastlines. But as a new study out of UC Irvine suggests, adding sand might not be the way to go in every case. KNX News reporter Nataly Tavidian spoke with Daniel Kahl, a UC Irvine Ph.D. student who heads the study. Read More
UC Irvine sand study shows new data to help manage shrinking beaches
The Orange County Register -
A new paper published recently by UC Irvine researchers in the Coastal Engineering Journal analyzed beaches between Long Beach and La Jolla, offering new data and methods that can be used to figure out the most vulnerable areas of coastline and whether those beaches are suitable for the mega, costly projects often turned toward for trying to replenish and retain sand. … “I’m really excited to have the resources that help, potentially, inform these decisions,” said Daniel Kahl, UCI researcher and lead author of the paper. … “The data essentially shows: Where do we get the most bang for our buck when it comes to placing sand on the coast,” said Brett Sanders, UCI civil and environmental engineering professor and co-author of the published paper. Read More
During LA's historic rain, river was 'doing exactly what it was engineered to do'
SFGate -
Experts have also found that the [LA] river’s flood protection abilities need shoring up, especially as the region sees more intense storms due to climate change. One 2022 study from the UC Irvine Flood Lab found nearly a million people are exposed to flooding during a 100-year storm event, with the most intense impacts on cities along the southern part of the river, like Bell Gardens and Compton. Read More
With the state mandating zero emissions, Bay Area agencies are split on hydrogen vs. electric
The Mercury News -
According to Jack Brouwer, director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center and the Advanced Power and Energy Program at UC Irvine, deciding the right number and type of zero-emission buses depends on many factors, including the electrical grid infrastructure, the bus routes, and the road type. Battery electric buses, for example, consume more power on hilly roads. Read More
California’s Flood Defenses Held This Time, but They Are Weakening
The Wall Street Journal -
“The infrastructure is optimized to move water quickly to the ocean, and it did its job,” said Brett Sanders, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine. “But had we had another storm right after that, we might have gotten close to the limits of that system.” A 2022 report from UC Irvine determined that a 100-year flood event in Los Angeles would expose more than 400,000 people to danger, with property damage of more than $50 billion, comparable to that of a major hurricane. Read More
How California’s storms are projected to become more extreme with climate change
Los Angeles Times -
“Higher rain over snow ratio, faster snowmelt, and more intense storms can significantly impact water resource management in California,” said Amir AghaKouchak, a UC Irvine professor of civil and environmental engineering. “A shift toward more intense rain, as opposed to snow, will strain an already water-challenged environment to its limit.” … In a 2022 study, researchers at UC Irvine found that in the Los Angeles Basin, nearly 1 million people live in areas that could be threatened in a 100-year flood, and that Black and low-income communities are especially vulnerable. Read More
Climate change will bring megafloods to California
BBC -
"San Diego flooding two weeks ago showed again that disadvantaged communities bear the brunt of flood impacts when infrastructure is overtopped," says Brett Sanders, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine. "If this storm ends up causing mainstem flood channels to overtop, then once again there will be low-income communities impacted, leaving people scrambling to salvage their belongings and find a place to live while not losing their job from missed work." Read More