Monday, April 29, 2019

Episode 470 (4-29-19): Getting the Weather Message


Click to listen to episode (4:31).

Sections below are the following:
Transcript of Audio
Audio Notes and Acknowledgments
Images
Sources
Related Water Radio Episodes
For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.).

Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-26-19.

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 29, 2019.

SOUND – ~ 6 sec - Thunder and heavy rain.

When a severe thunderstorm or some other kind of severe weather is forecast or is actually approaching, what kinds of messages can you expect from your favorite information sources?  Have a listen for about 45 seconds to several examples that were broadcast on April 19, 2019, on NOAA Weather Radio from the National Weather Service’s Blacksburg, Va., Forecast Office.

SOUND - ~47 sec
“The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued and urban and small stream flood advisory for….”
“And now a special weather statement. At 1:44 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, radar indicated strong thunderstorms located along a line from Piper’s Gap to Pleasant Hill….”
“A tornado watch remains in effect until 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time for north central and northwestern North Carolina and southwestern and west central Virginia….”
“A tornado warning remains in effect until 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time for north central Surry and south central Carroll counties. At 2:19 Eastern Daylight Time, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Fancy Gap, moving northeast at 55 miles per hour.”


Those Weather Service messages alerted listeners to conditions that resulted in severe thunderstorms and at least 15 confirmed tornadoes in Virginia on April 19.  The Weather Service uses the four types of messages you heard on any given day to alert citizens nationwide about impending atmospheric hazards, from thunderstorms to tropical storms, from fire danger to frost, and from high winds to high waves.  Here are some details about these four types of messages, according to the Weather Service. An advisory highlights weather conditions that may cause significant inconvenience or threaten life or property if caution is not used.  A special weather statement alerts the public about ongoing or imminent weather hazards which require a heightened level of awareness or action.  A watch means that conditions are right for a hazardous weather event to occur, but the location or timing is uncertain.  And a warning is issued when a hazardous event is actually occurring, is imminent, or is very likely to occur, and people should take appropriate safety action immediately.  Information on appropriate actions for specific weather events is available from the Weather Service, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the American Red Cross, and other organizations.  Take some time now to get ready for the next severe-weather message.

Finally, here’s one other Weather Service message that the Blacksburg office broadcast on April 19.

SOUND - ~13 sec
“Skywarn is currently activated and operational at the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. Spotters are encouraged to submit reports of flooding, hail, wind damage, and tornadoes.”


Skywarn® spotters provide the Weather Service with valuable information about cloud conditions, flooding, hail, and other weather events.  If you’re interested in being a Skywarn® spotter, visit the program Web site at www.weather.gov/skywarn, where you can find the upcoming spotter training opportunities nearest you.

SHIP’S BELL

Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This week’s Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 106, 4-9-12.

Virginia Water Radio thanks Phil Hysell, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Blacksburg, Va., Forecast Office, for his help with this episode.

The rain and thunder sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at about 9 p.m. on April 20, 2015, in Blacksburg, Va.

The NOAA Weather Radio broadcast messages, from the National Weather Service’s Blacksburg, Va., Forecast Office, were recorded by Virginia Water Radio on April 19, 2019, at about 2 p.m.

Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com.

IMAGES

National Weather Service/Storm Prediction Center map of preliminary storm reports (reports of tornadoes, high winds, and hail) on April 19, 2019, showing the high number of reports in Virginia and other parts of the southeastern United States.  Map accessed at https://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/190419_rpts.html, 4/26/19.


Tornado preliminary data and track map for tornadoes around Emporia, Va., and Pleasant Hill, N.C., on April 19, 2019.  Map from the National Weather Service/Wakefield, Va., Forecast Office, online at https://www.weather.gov/akq/April_19_2019_EventReview, accessed 4/26/19.


Damage in Charles City, Va., from a tornado on April 19, 2019.  Photo from the National Weather Service/Wakefield, Va., Forecast Office, online at https://www.weather.gov/akq/April_19_2019_EventReview, accessed 4/26/19.

EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MESSAGES

The following definitions were taken from the National Weather Service, “Glossary,” online at https://w1.weather.gov/glossary/, accessed on 4/25/19.

Advisory – “Highlights special weather conditions that are less serious than a warning.  They are for events that may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.”

Special Marine Warning – “Warning product issued for potentially hazardous weather conditions usually of short duration (up to 2 hours) producing sustained marine thunderstorm winds or associated gusts of 34 knots or greater; and/or hail 3/4 inch or more in diameter; and/or waterspouts affecting areas included in a Coastal Waters Forecast, a Nearshore Marine Forecast, or an Great Lakes Open Lakes Forecast that is not adequately covered by existing marine warnings.  Also used for short duration mesoscale events such as a strong cold front, gravity wave, squall line, etc., lasting less than 2 hours and producing winds or gusts of 34 knots or greater.”

Special Tropical Disturbance Statement – “This statement issued by the National Hurricane Center furnishes information on strong and formative non-depression systems.  This statement focuses on the major threat(s) of the disturbance, such as the potential for torrential rainfall on an island or inland area. The statement is coordinated with the appropriate forecast office(s).”

Severe Weather Potential Statement – “This statement is designed to alert the public and state/local agencies to the potential for severe weather up to 24 hours in advance. It is issued by the local National Weather Service office.”

Warning – “A warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occurring.  A warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property.”

Watch – “A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location, and/or timing is still uncertain.  It is intended to provide enough lead time so that those who need to set their plans in motion can do so.”

SOURCES

Used for Audio

John Boyer, At least 15 tornadoes hit Virginia on Friday. For Charles City, it was the first in 26 years, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/22/19.

Kevin Myatt, Weather Journal: Franklin County tornado reached historic strength, locally, Roanoke Times, 4/23/19.

National Weather Service, “Glossary,” online at http://www.weather.gov/glossary/,

National Weather Service, “Skywarn® Storm Spotter Program,” online at www.weather.gov/skywarn.

National Weather Service, “Multi-purpose Weather Products Specification,” Instruction 10-517, October 9, 2017, available online (as a PDF) at https://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/sym/pd01005017curr.pdf.

National Weather Service, “Weather Safety,” online at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/safety.php.

National Weather Service/Wakefield Forecast Office, “April 19 [2019] Tornado Paths Virginia,” online at https://www.weather.gov/akq/April_19_2019_TornadoSummary_Statewide.

NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] Weather Radio All Hazards, online at https://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/.

Virginia Department of Emergency Management, “VDEM Offers Flooding Messaging for Communities Dealing with Heavy Rain,” 3/18/18 news release, online at https://www.vaemergency.gov/vdem-offers-flooding-messaging-for-communities-dealing-with-heavy-rain/.

Sam Wall, Cleanup continues in Franklin County after Friday's 159-mph tornado, Roanoke Times, 4/20/19.

For More Information about Emergency Preparation

American Red Cross, “How to Prepare for Emergencies,” online at https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, online at https://www.ready.gov/.

Virginia Department of Emergency Management, “Prepare and Recover,” online at https://www.vaemergency.gov/prepare-recover/.

RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES

All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Weather/Natural Disasters” subject category.

FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

The episode—the audio, extra information, or sources—may help with the following Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).

2010 Science SOLs

Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme
6.9 – public policy decisions related to the environment (including resource management and conservation, land use decisions, hazard mitigation, cost/benefit assessments).

Grades K-6 Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems Theme
4.6 – weather conditions, phenomena, and measurements.
5.6 – characteristics of the ocean environment (ecological, geological, and physical).

Grades K-6 Matter Theme
6.6 – Properties of air (including pressure, temperature, and humidity) and structure/dynamics of earth’s atmosphere, including weather topics.

Earth Science Course
ES.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts.
ES.12 – weather and climate.

2015 Social Studies SOLs

Virginia Studies Course
VS.10 – knowledge of government, geography, and economics in present-day Virginia.

Civics and Economics Course
CE.1 – skills for historical thinking, geographical analysis, economic decision-making, and responsible citizenship.
CE.6 – government at the national level.
CE.10 – public policy at local, state, and national levels.

Government Course
GOVT.1 – skills for historical thinking, geographical analysis, economic decision-making, and responsible citizenship.
GOVT.7 – national government organization and powers.
GOVT.9 – public policy process at local, state, and national levels.

Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/.

Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.
Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.

Monday, April 22, 2019

Episode 469 (4-22-19): Introducing the Bullpasture and Cowpasture Rivers


Click to listen to episode (4:33).

Sections below are the following:
Transcript of Audio
Audio Notes and Acknowledgments
Images
Sources
Related Water Radio Episodes
For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.).


Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-19-19.

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 22, 2019.

SOUNDS – ~ 8 sec

This week, those bovine bellows open an episode about two western Virginia rivers with cattle in their names.  Have a listen for about 30 seconds to sounds from the two rivers, accompanied by some music for a special wildlife area in that part of the Commonwealth, and see if you can guess the river names.  And here’s a hint: If you’re familiar with the Virginia counties of Bath or Highland, this question probably won’t get PAST you.

SOUNDS - ~29 sec

If you guessed the Bullpasture or Cowpasture rivers, you’re right!  You heard, first, the Bullpasture in Highland County, and then the Cowpasture in Bath County, both recorded in March 2019.  The music was “Deer of the Dawn,” by Timothy Seaman of Williamsburg, composed for the Highland State Wildlife Management Area, located in Highland County.  Both rivers arise in that county and flow southwesterly on either side of Bullpasture Mountain, with the Bullpasture River eventually flowing into the Cowpasture near the Highland-Bath county line.  Farther south still, in Botetourt County, the winding Cowpasture River—its Native American name has been interpreted in English as “winding waters”—joins the Jackson River to form the James.

The National Park Service has described the Cowpasture and Bullpasture watershed as “one of the largest unpolluted, unspoiled, and undisturbed river systems in the region,” and the Bullpasture as “one of the most scenic tributaries in the James River watershed.”  Bullpasture Gorge is particularly noteworthy for steep mountain ridges on land and significant rapids in the river.  The Bullpasture River is a stocked trout fishery described by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries as “a big stream that will delight almost any angler.”  The Cowpasture River Preservation Association has described that river’s region as “remote, mountainous, and rural,” home primarily to farms, other residences, summer camps, and hunting and fishing camps.

Named for cattle, the Cowpasture and Bullpasture watershed is home not only to those creatures but also to fish, wildlife, forests, scenic terrain, and a history of human ties to those natural resources.

Thanks to Freesound.org for making the cattle sounds available.  Thanks also to Timothy Seaman for permission to use this week’s music, and we close with about 20 more seconds of “Deer of the Dawn.”

MUSIC – ~ 20 sec

SHIP’S BELL

Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The cattle sounds (“Bulls and cows in a field in Missouri, USA,” May 2013) were recorded by user felix.blume and made available for public use by Freesound.org, online at https://freesound.org/people/felix.blume/sounds/202795/, under the Creative Commons 0 License (Public Domain Dedication).  For more information on Creative Commons licenses, please see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/; information on the Public Domain Dedication license specifically is online at https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/.

The Bullpasture River and Cowpasture River sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio along Route 612 in Highland County, Va., on March 16, 2019, and along U.S. Route 39 in Bath County, Va., on March 17, 2019, respectively.

“Deer of the Dawn,” from the 2004 album “Virginia Wildlife,” is copyright 2004 by Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission.  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at http://www.timothyseaman.com/.  The “Virginia Wildlife” CD was a collaboration between Mr. Seaman and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com.

IMAGES

Bullpasture River, looking upstream at County Route 612 in Highland County, Va., March 16, 2019.


Cowpasture River, looking upstream from the U.S. Route 39 bridge in Bath County, Va., March 17, 2019.


Cowpasture River, looking upstream from County Route 633 in Alleghany County, Va., July 19, 2009.


Confluence of the Cowpasture River (right background) and the Jackson River (left background) to form the James River in Botetourt County, Va., July 19, 2009.

SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION

American Whitewater, “Safety Code of American Whitewater,” online at https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/safety:start.

County of Bath, Va., “Farms and Fish Hatcheries,” online at https://discoverbath.com/what-to-do/farms-farmers-market/.

Cowpasture River Preservation Association, “History,” online at https://www.cowpastureriver.org/history.

Highland County Chamber of Commerce, “Farm Stays,” online at http://www.highlandcounty.org/for-the-visitor/farm-stays/.

National Park Service, “Rivers/Virginia,” online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/rivers/virginia.htm.

Stephen J. Resser, “Cowpasture River Fish Community Assessment,” Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 2014, online (as PDF) at https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/Cowpasture-River-Report-2014.pdf.

Roanoke Outside Foundation, “Find Rivers and Creeks/Bullpasture River,” online at https://www.roanokeoutside.com/water/rivers-creeks/.

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Highland [Wildlife Management Area,” online at https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wma/highland/.

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Cowpasture River,” online at https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/waterbody/cowpasture-river/.

Virginia Tourism Corporation, “Virginia is For Lovers/Bullpasture Gorge,” online at https://www.virginia.org/listings/OutdoorsAndSports/BullpastureGorge/.

WeRelate.org, “Settlers of the Bullpasture in Augusta County, Va.,” online at https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Settlers_of_the_Bullpasture_in_Augusta_County%2C_Virginia.

RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES

All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Rivers, Streams, and Other Surface Water” subject category.

Following are links to some other episodes on areas near the Bullpasture and Cowpasture Rivers.
Episode 379, 7/31/17 – Water’s at the Heart of Virginia’s Western Highlands.
Episode 428, 7/9/18 – Introducing the Jackson River.

FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

The episode—the audio, extra information, or sources—may help with the following Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).

2013 Music SOLs

SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.”

2010 Science SOLs

Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme
4.9 – Va. natural resources, including watersheds, water resources, and organisms.

Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme
6.7 – natural processes and human interactions that affect watershed systems; Va. watersheds, water bodies, and wetlands; health and safety issues; and water monitoring.

Earth Science Course
ES.8 – influences by geologic processes and the activities of humans on freshwater resources, including identification of groundwater and major watershed systems in Virginia.

2015 Social Studies SOLs

Grades K-3 Economics Theme
2.8 – natural, human, and capital resources.
3.8 – understanding of cultures and of how natural, human, and capital resources are used for goods and services.

Virginia Studies Course
VS.1 – impact of geographic features on people, places, and events in Virginia history.
VS.2 – physical geography and native peoples of Virginia past and present.
VS.10 – knowledge of government, geography, and economics in present-day Virginia.

Civics and Economics Course
CE.7 – government at the state level.
CE.10 – public policy at local, state, and national levels.

World Geography Course
WG.4 – types and significance of natural, human, and capital resources.

Government Course
GOVT.8 – state and local government organization and powers.
GOVT.9 – public policy process at local, state, and national levels.

Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/.

Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.
Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Episode 468 (4-15-19): Adding a Splash of Color to Stormwater Management


Click to listen to episode (4:33).

Sections below are the following:
Transcript of Audio
Audio Notes and Acknowledgments
Images
Sources
Related Water Radio Episodes
For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.).


Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-12-19.

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 15, 2019.  This week our guest host is Lily Michaud, the spring 2019 intern at the Virginia Water Resources Research Center.

For this week’s episode, we focus on the topics of stormwater management, storm-drain markers, and a creative approach in Virginia designed to increase awareness of local watersheds.  We start with some music for stormwater.  Have a listen for about 15 seconds to part of “Storm,” composed by Torrin Hallett, a graduate student at Manhattan School of Music in New York.

MUSIC – ~18 sec

Upon listening to that music, you may get the sense that water has a story.  The notes and patterns convey the idea that water endures a fascinating journey.  Water’s journey involves both natural pathways across land and through the atmosphere as well as human-made pathways through pipes, into drains, and across pavement, with significant impacts as it travels through both kinds of pathways.  The water in human-made pathways is what we call stormwater.

Stormwater is defined by the U.S EPA as rain or snowmelt that “flows over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground.”  In developed areas, typically stormwater ends up going down a storm drain. Water that flows into storm drains gets directly channeled into local waterways and watersheds without any passage through a wastewater treatment plant.  Storm-drain markers are an educational and cost-effective way to raise awareness about the connection between stormwater and the environment.

Storm-drain markers can range from basic stamps that say, “Do not dump, empties to stream,” to more elaborate depictions of the ecosystem that is receiving the stormwater.  The Town of Blacksburg, Virginia has chosen the latter, more picturesque approach to tell its local stormwater story.  In 2019, Blacksburg conducted its second annual storm-drain mural competition, where the winning designers paint their design on a local storm drain.  In 2018, four unique designs were selected and assigned to storm-drain locations around downtown Blacksburg.  The designs include realistic and symbolic depictions of landscapes, waterways, and aquatic creatures.  According to Kafi Howard, Blacksburg town engineer, and Carol Davis, manager of the Blacksburg Sustainability Division, the project is an eye-catching way to educate people of all ages about of their local natural resources.  Instead of letting storm drains fade into the background, the program grabs people’s attention and makes storm drains a part of a conversation about conservation.

All over Virginia, storm-drain marking is part of various local efforts to increase community engagement and involvement in improving water quality.  A picture speaks a thousand words, and in the case of storm-drain marking, it can serve as a concrete reminder of the greater connectivity among citizens, water and ecosystems.

Thanks to Torrin Hallett for permission to use this week’s music, and we close with about 15 more seconds of “Storm,” as one last reminder of the story that water can tell!

MUSIC – ~18 sec

SHIP’S BELL

Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This episode was created and written by Lily Michaud, a major in Water Resources at Virginia Tech.  In spring 2019, Lily was an intern with the Virginia Water Resources Research Center.

Virginia Water Radio thanks Kafi Howard, with the Town of Blacksburg, Va., for her help with this episode.

“Storm,” a movement within “Au Naturale,” is copyright 2017 by Torrin Hallett, used with permission.  Torrin is a 2018 graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio; as of 2019, he is a graduate student in Horn Performance at Manhattan School of Music in New York.  More information about Torrin is available online at https://www.facebook.com/torrin.hallett.  “Storm” was also included in the following other Virginia Water Radio episodes:
Episode 362, 4-3-17, on hail;
Episode 377, 7-17-17, on clouds; and
Episode 438, 9-17-18, on hurricane facts and history.

Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com.

IMAGES


Basic storm drain marker on University City Boulevard in Blacksburg, Va., April 15, 2019. The marker says “Don’t Pollute—Flows to Waterways.”


Storm drain mural on Draper Road in Blacksburg, Va., April 15 2019.


Storm drain mural on Clay Street in Blacksburg, Va., April 15, 2019.


Cover in the center of the storm drain mural on Clay Street in Blacksburg, Va., April 15, 2019.


QR code label offering more information in the storm drain mural on Clay Street in Blacksburg, Va., April 15, 2019.

SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION

Chesapeake Bay Foundation, “Storm Drain Stenciling,” online at https://www.cbf.org/join-us/education-program/resources/storm-drain-stenciling.html.

City of Chesapeake, Va., “Storm Drain Marker Program,” online at http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/Page3402.aspx.

City of Staunton, Va., “Adopt-a-Stream Program,” online at https://www.ci.staunton.va.us/departments/engineering-division/adopt-a-stream-program.

City of Warrenton, Va., “Adopt-a-Stream Program,” online at http://www.warrentonva.gov/government/departments/public_works/adopt_a_stream_program.php

Scott Harper, New Norfolk storm drain markers aim to keep polluters away, Virginian-Pilot, May 5, 2007.

Kafi Howard, Town of Blacksburg, Va., in-person interview by Lily Michaud, February 13, 2019.

Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, “Stenciling Storm Drains,” online at https://www.potomacriver.org/resources/get-involved/water/storm-drains/.

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, “Storm Drain Marking,” online at http://prj.geosyntec.com/npsmanual/stormdrainmarking.aspx.

Minnesota Stormwater Manual, “MS4 Fact Sheet—Storm Drain Stenciling,” as of 4/21/17, online at https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=MS4_fact_sheet_-_Storm_Drain_Stenciling.

Town of Blacksburg, Va., “Water Quality Public Arts Projects,” online at http://www.blacksburg.gov/departments/departments-l-z/sustainability/water-quality-public-arts-projects.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program, online at https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-stormwater-program.

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), “Storm Drain Stenciling” form, 2000, accessed online at https://www.roanokecountyva.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/229. (This form is no longer active, according to the DCR online at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/forms.)

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), “Stormwater Management,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/StormwaterManagement.aspx.

RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES

All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Weather/Natural Disasters” subject category.

Following are links to other episodes related to stormwater.
Episode 182, 10/7/13 – on stormwater generally.
Episode 338, 10/17/16 – on rainfall measurements.
Episode 365, 4/24/17 – on stormwater and watersheds, featuring voices of Montgomery County, Va., middle-school students.

Following are links to other episodes featuring music composed by Torrin Hallett.
“Geese Piece” – Episode 335, 9-26-16 on the Canada Goose; and Episode 440, 10-1-18, on E-bird.
“New Year’s Water” – Episode 349, 1-2-17, on New Year’s 2017.
“Rain Refrain” – Episode 338, 10-17-16, on rainfall measurements; and Episode 455, 1-14-19, on record Virginia precipitation in 2019.
“Tropical Tantrum” – Episode 369, 5/22/17 and Episode 423, 6/2/18, on the upcoming Atlantic tropical storm seasons in 2017 and 2018, respectively; and Episode 438, 9-17-18, on hurricane basic facts and history.
“Turkey Tune” – Episode 343, 11-21-16, on the Wild Turkey.

FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

The episode—the audio, extra information, or sources—may help with the following Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).

2013 Music SOLs

SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.”

2010 Science SOLs

Grades K-6 Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change Theme
3.9 – Water cycle, including sources of water, energy driving water cycle, water essential for living things, and water limitations and conservation.

Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme
4.9 – Va. natural resources, including watersheds, water resources, and organisms.
6.9 – public policy decisions related to the environment (including resource management and conservation, land use decisions, hazard mitigation, cost/benefit assessments).

Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme
4.5 – ecosystem interactions and human influences on ecosystem.
6.7 – natural processes and human interactions that affect watershed systems; Va. watersheds, water bodies, and wetlands; health and safety issues; and water monitoring.

Life Science Course
LS.6 – ecosystem interactions, including the water cycle, other cycles, and energy flow.
LS.11 – relationships between ecosystem dynamics and human activity.

Earth Science Course
ES.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts.
ES.8 – influences by geologic processes and the activities of humans on freshwater resources, including identification of groundwater and major watershed systems in Virginia.

Biology Course
BIO.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts.
BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems.

2015 Social Studies SOLs

Civics and Economics Course
CE.6 – government at the national level.
CE.7 – government at the state level.
CE.8 – government at the local level.
CE.10 – public policy at local, state, and national levels.

World Geography Course
WG.2 – how selected physical and ecological processes shape the Earth’s surface, including climate, weather, and how humans influence their environment and are influenced by it.

Government Course
GOVT.7 – national government organization and powers.
GOVT.8 – state and local government organization and powers.
GOVT.9 – public policy process at local, state, and national levels.

Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/.

Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.
Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Episode 467 (4-8-19): Considering Cormorants


Click to listen to episode (4:08).

Sections below are the following:
Transcript of Audio
Audio Notes and Acknowledgments
Images
Extra Information
Sources
Related Water Radio Episodes
For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.).


Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-5-19.

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 8, 2019.

This week, we feature a water-bird mystery sound.  Have a listen for about 10 seconds, and see if you can guess this long-necked, diving, fish-eating creature.  And here’s a hint: a double-feature on its crest forms a core part of this bird’s name.

SOUNDS - ~12 sec

If you guessed a Double-crested Cormorant, you’re right!  The Double-crested Cormorant is the most common of six species of cormorants in North America and two species in Virginia.  Virginia’s other cormorant, the Great Cormorant, is the world’s most widespread cormorant but is a relatively infrequent visitor to the Commonwealth.

The Double-crested is typically found along Virginia’s Atlantic coastline and around the Chesapeake Bay, and it’s also seen on inland ponds, lakes, and rivers, often resting on rocks, trees, or human structures.  The two head crests that give this species part of its name are not regularly visible; much more noticeable are its long dark neck, its orange throat, its large nesting colonies, and its habit of holding out its wings to dry out feathers following a diving and feeding foray.  Like other cormorants and the related Anhinga, the Double-crested Cormorant uses diving and powerful swimming ability to get its preferred food of fish along with many species of bottom-dwelling invertebrates.  Cormorant feathers have less water-resistant oils, though, compared to other diving species like various diving ducks; this may make cormorants faster underwater, even as it leads to their on-land wing-spreading behavior.

The word “cormorant” has Latin roots meaning “sea crow.”  That’s appropriate, because like crows, cormorants also have a reputation in some areas and situations as a pest.  The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology’s Web site, Birds of North America, has noted that, although cormorants typically feed on non-commercial fish, they have had documented economic impacts of commercial fisheries.  The Cornell site states that “real and perceived resource conflicts have resulted in substantial federal policy changes regarding cormorant management in the United States.”

Big, behaving distinctively, and bound up in policy decisions: cormorants may make you do a double-take, even if you don’t see a double crest.

Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use the Double-crested Cormorant sounds, from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs.  We close with about 15 more seconds of cormorant sounds, mixed in with some other bird species, from a series of recordings made by David Moroz within a colony reportedly of over 1000 cormorant nests.

SOUNDS - ~ 13 sec

SHIP’S BELL

Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The first Double-crested Cormorant sounds were taken from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott, whose work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/.

The ending cormorant sounds were taken from David Moroz, “Soundholder - Cormorants,” online at http://soundholder.com/product/sound-library-cormorants/,” sample provided for public use by Freesound.org, online at https://freesound.org/people/Soundholder/sounds/425375/, under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com.

IMAGES

Double-crested Cormorant painting originally published between 1827 and 1838 by John James Audubon in Birds of America (plate 257), as reprinted in 1985 by Abbeville Press, New York.  Photo taken April 8, 2019, from the reprint copy (no. 6 of 350 copies printed in 1985) owned by Special Collections of Virginia Tech Libraries.  Virginia Water Radio thanks Special Collections for permission to photograph their copy and for their assistance. Information about Birds of America is available from the National Audubon Society, online at http://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america.


Two Double-crested Cormorants at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg on April 3, 2019.


Double-crested Cormorant, location and date unidentified.  Photo by Rodney Krey, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov (specific URL for the photo is https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/4280/rec/3), accessed 4-8-19.

EXTRA FACTS ABOUT CORMORANTS

Cormorants are a family of birds within the bird order Suliformes, which also includes frigatebirds, boobies, gannets, anhingas, and shags, according to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s “All About Birds” Web site (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse/taxonomy/Phalacrocoracidae).

The scientific names of the two cormorant species typically found in Virginia are as follows:
Double-crested Cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus;
Great Cormorant – Phalocrocorax carbo.

Here are some points about the Double-crested Cormorant, excerpted from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service/Double-crested Cormorant,” online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040024&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=17991.  (The VDGIF site has relatively little information about the Great Cormorant, which is less commonly found in Virginia than the Double-crested.)

Occurrence in Virginia

“This species is a transient, irregular, local winter resident and common summer visitor near the coast. It is a rare transient in Piedmont, Mountain and Valley regions. Peak counts occur at Chincoteague during the fall…. Cormorants are highly adapted to aquatic environments, both fresh water and marine for breeding and foraging.  This is the only cormorant species likely to be seen on inland freshwater lakes and rivers.”

Physical Description

“This is a medium-sized cormorant…length 29-36 inches, wingspread 54 inches, weight 6 pounds.”

Reproduction

“The breeding season is from December-October, with a peak from April-June.… Breeding behavior is colonial and monogamous…. They express territorially during the breeding season, over nest sites and the adjoining perch.… The nest site may be on rocky or vegetated coastal islands, on bare ground among boulders, on cliff tops, or in trees.  They also nest on inland freshwater lakes with swampy regions, in live or dead trees, on islands (including salt and brackish marsh islands), or rocky reefs.  They will accept artificial nesting structures…. They may use old nests or those of great blue herons…. This species is also known to nest with brown pelicans, as on S. Marsh Point [Virginia]…. This species is [characterized by] highly colonial nesters with colonies ranging in size from a few nests to thousands.”

Feeding

“The foraging strategy is to dive from the surface, and swim underwater near the surface or deeper using their feet for propulsion.  They are usually a bottom feeder, opportunistic and prefer schooling prey in the littoral zone in inland waters and rocky reefs.  They have symbiotic feeding relationships with mergansers, egrets, and pelicans.  The diet consists of small brackish/saltwater and freshwater fishes, amphibians, and crustaceans such as spider crabs, shrimp, crayfish, some reptiles, mollusks, and sea worms.  Like many other avian species that consume whole prey, cormorants regurgitate indigestible food parts in the form of pellets.  After feeding, [they] frequently perch in the sun with their wings spread for the sole purpose of drying off their wings.  They perform this behavior because they lack oils in their feathers to repel water.”

Impacts on Populations

“Predators of the eggs and young include gulls, crows, and ravens…. During the middle of the Twentieth Century, double crested cormorant populations declined because of exposure to DDT and other toxins.  Upon the ban of these pesticides, double crested cormorant numbers increased to the point where Canada and the US passed legislation allowing the killing of cormorants on islands where their nesting habits destroy local vegetation or those found feeding in aquaculture ponds.  Many of the claims made by fish farmers that cormorants are destroying fish stocks in aquaculture ponds are unfounded as double crested cormorants typically forage in fish with no commercial value.  Other threats to double crested cormorants include incidental capture in gill nets, oil spills that have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of cormorants and human disturbance in nesting colonies.”

SOURCES

Used for Audio

John James Aububon, Birds of North America, “Double-crested Cormorant,” plate 257, online at https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/double-crested-cormorant.

Chesapeake Bay Program, “Field Guide/Birds/Double-crested Cormorant,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/double_crested_cormorant.

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, “All About Birds, online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/. The Double-crested Cormorant entry in online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/; the Great Cormorant entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Cormorant/.

Kevin J. McGowan/Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, “Frequently Asked Questions About Crows,” online at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/crowfaq.htm.

Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and American Ornithologists’ Union, “Birds of North America Online/ online at http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna (subscription required). The Double-crested Cormorant entry (Introduction) is online at https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/doccor/introduction.

Richard King, “When Dams and Dredging Alter an Ecosystem, Blame It on Cormorants,” Living Bird, August 2014, republished by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, “All About Birds” Web site, online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/when-dams-and-dredging-alter-an-ecosystem-blame-it-on-cormorants/.

Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson, Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md., 2006.

Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus-American Edition, Oxford University Press, New York, N.Y., and Oxford, England, 1996.

Chandler S. Robbins et al., A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin’s Press, New York, N.Y., 2001.

Stan Tekiela, Birds of Virginia Field Guide, Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minn., 2002.

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service/Double-crested Cormorant,” online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040024&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=17991; “Great Cormorant,” online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040023&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=17994; and “Anhinga,” (online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Taxonomy&bova=040025&version=17991).

For More Information on Cormorants or Other Birds in Virginia and Elsewhere

BirdNote®, a daily broadcast/podcast on birds, online at http://birdnote.org/.

Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “E-bird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.  This program was featured in Virginia Water Radio Episode 440, 10-1-18.

Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin Photo ID,” online at http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/.  The application for mobile devices allows users to submit a bird photograph to get identification of the bird.

Virginia Society of Ornithology, online at http://www.virginiabirds.org/.  The Society is non-profit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, and enjoyment of birds in the Commonwealth.

Xeno-canto Foundation Web site, online at http://www.xeno-canto.org/.  The site provides bird songs from around the world.

RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES

All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Birds” subject category.

FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

The episode—the audio, extra information, or sources—may help with the following Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).

2010 English SOLs

Reading Theme
6.4 and 7.4 – meanings of unfamiliar words - a. word origins and derivations.
8.4, 9.3, 10.3, 11.3, and 12.3 – knowledge of word origins, analogies, and figurative language to extend vocabulary development within authentic texts.

2010 Science SOLs

Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme
3.10 – impacts on survival of species, including effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on organisms.
4.9 – Va. natural resources, including watersheds, water resources, and organisms.
6.9 – public policy decisions related to the environment (including resource management and conservation, land use decisions, hazard mitigation, cost/benefit assessments).

Grades K-6 Life Processes Theme
K.7 – basic needs and processes of plants and animals.
1.5 – animals’ basic needs and distinguishing characteristics.
3.4 – behavioral and physiological adaptations.

Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme
2.5 – living things as part of a system, including habitats.
3.5 – food webs.
3.6 – ecosystems, communities, populations, shared resources.
4.5 – ecosystem interactions and human influences on ecosystem.
5.5 – cell structures and functions, organism classification, and organism traits.

Life Science Course
LS.4 – organisms’ classification based on features.
LS.8 – community and population interactions, including food webs, niches, symbiotic relationships.
LS.9 – adaptations for particular ecosystems’ biotic and abiotic factors, including characteristics of land, marine, and freshwater environments.
LS.11 – relationships between ecosystem dynamics and human activity.

Biology Course
BIO.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts.
BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems.

Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/.

Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.

Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Episode 466 (4-1-19): On Water, Biology, and Basketball


Click to listen to episode (4:25).

Sections below are the following:
Transcript of Audio
Audio Notes and Acknowledgments
Image
Sources
Related Water Radio Episodes
For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.).


Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 3-29-19.

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 1, 2019.

This week, we feature a sporting mystery sound, from a game that experiences a popularity peak in the United States each March and early April.  Have a listen for about 15 seconds, and see if you know the sport and what it might have to do with water.

SOUNDS - 16 sec

If you guessed basketball, you’re right!  March and early April mark the height of the U.S. college basketball season, with bracket matchups, star players, upsets, and final fours for men and women in the NCAA Division I tournaments and the National Invitational Tournaments.  Within those popular, pressure-packed sporting events, what’s the hardwood hydration story?

It starts, of course, with the human body being made up about 60 percent water by weight, depending on several factors, including age, gender, and the percentage of a body’s lean tissue vs. fat.  Water is the solvent for the biochemicals in the processes that make our bodies work, including the transmission of nerve impulses that generate muscular action.  In athletes and non-athletes alike, an adequate level of hydration affects blood volume, chemical solutions, body temperature, energy production heart rate, cognitive processes, and emotions.  For athletes, a deficit of water in the body, or dehydration, can significantly affect performance through those physiological and psychological impacts. Studies of basketball players, for example, have found impacts of dehydration on shooting percentage, sprinting, and lateral movement.  According to various sources, impacts of dehydration typically begin to be observed when one loses water equivalent to two percent of body weight. The exercise-induced sweating that results in that loss depends on the activity along with an athlete’s size, metabolism, clothing, and environmental conditions.

Avoiding dehydration requires adequate fluid intake before, during, and after exercise.  What’s adequate?  The National Strength and Conditioning Association’s 2011 Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition recommended about one-half ounce of fluid per pound of body weight 4 hours before exercise, 3 to 8 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise lasting longer than 60 to 90 minutes, and, after exercise, 20 to 24 ounces for every pound of water weight lost.  This may vary with individuals and with environmental conditions, and many sources may have other specific recommendations.  But the overriding principle is as true as a perfect basketball shot: paying attention to fluid levels pays off in athletic performance as well as in everyday processes.

So if you’re a basketball fan, next time you hear this – SOUND - ~4 sec - “One minute remaining…” – take a second to consider what effect water may have on the outcome at the final buzzer.

SHIP’S BELL

Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The first basketball sounds heard in this episode were recorded March 26, 2019, by Virginia Water Radio at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

The college basketball game announcer sound was taken from “Fans at a college basketball game,” by user phillyfan972, dated November 29, 2017, no location identified, made available on Freesound.org at https://freesound.org/people/phillyfan972/sounds/412160/ for use under “Creative Commons 0 License (public domain).  For more information on Creative Commons licenses, please see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.

Thanks to Tommy Cianciolo and Clay Word, graduate students in the Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Conservation, for their ideas and suggestions on this episode.

Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode. More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com.

IMAGE
Image from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science School, “The water in you,” online at https://water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html.

SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION

Luca P. Ardigo et al., Effect of Heart rate on Basketball Three-Point Shot Accuracy, Frontiers in Physiology, Vol. 9, Feb. 2018, accessed online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5808225/, 3/26/19.

Lindsay B. Bake, “Hydration Science and Strategies for Basketball,” Gatorade Sports Science Institute, July 2017, online at https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/sse-165-hydration-science-and-strategies-for-basketball.

Andrew Carlton and Robin Marc Orr, “The effects of fluid loss on physical performance: A critical review,” Journal of Sport and Health Science, Vol. 4/Issue 4, December 2015, pages 357-363, accessed online at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254615000046 (subscription may be required for access at this site).

K. A. Dougherty et al., “Two percent dehydration impairs and six percent carbohydrate drink improves boys basketball skills,” Med. Sci. Sports Exercise, Vol. 38/No. 9, Sep. 2006, pages 1650-58, accessed online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16960527 (subscription may be required for access at this site).

Judy A. Driskell and Ira Wolinsky, eds., Macroelements, Water, and Electrolytes in Sports Nutrition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 1999.

Heather Hedrick Fink et al., Practical Applications in Sports Nutrition, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, Mass., 2006.

Jay Hoffman, Physiological Aspects of Sport Training and Performance, Human Kinetics, Champaign, Ill., 2002.

DeAnn Liska et al., “Narrative Review of Hydration and Selected Health Outcomes in the General Population,” Nutrients, Vol. 11, No. 1, Jan. 2019, online at https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/1/70/htm (subscription may be required for access at this site).

Caroline Mandel, “Stay hydrated, stay safe,” 5/2/12, ESPNHS Build a Better Athlete Series, online at http://www.espn.com/high-school/features/build-a-better-athlete/story/_/id/7874491/proper-hydration-tips.

National Strength and Conditioning Association, Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition, Bill I. Campbell and Marie A. Spano, eds., Human Kinetics, Champaign, Ill., 2011.

Marissa Payne, Here’s why LeBron James may have cramped up when no one else did, Washington Post, 6/6/14.

M.P. Schwellnus, “Cause of Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC)—altered neuromuscular control, dehydration, or electrolyte depletion?” British Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 43/No. 6 pages 401-408, June 2009; accessed online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18981039 (subscription may be required for access at this site).

RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES

All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Science” subject category.

Following are links to other episodes on water and the human body.
Episode 287, 10/26/15 – on the human skeletal system;
Episode 290, 11/16/15 – on antibiotic resistance;
Episode 392, 10/30/17 – on the human circulatory system;
Episode 393, 11/6/17 – on influenza;
Episode 450, 12/10/18 – on the human nervous system.

FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION

The episode—the audio, extra information, or sources—may help with the following Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).

2010 Science SOLs

Grades K-6 Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic Theme
2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, and 6.1 – Current applications to reinforce science concepts.

Grades K-6 Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change Theme
3.9 – Water cycle, including sources of water, energy driving water cycle, water essential for living things, and water limitations and conservation.

Grades K-6 Life Processes Theme
K.7 – basic needs and processes of plants and animals.
1.5 – animals’ basic needs and distinguishing characteristics.

Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme
5.5 – cell structures and functions.

Life Science Course
LS.1 – understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science, including current applications to reinforce science concepts.

Biology Course
BIO.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts.
BIO.2 – water chemistry and its impact on life processes.
BIO.4 – life functions (including metabolism and homeostasis) in different organism groups, including human health, anatomy, and body systems.

Chemistry Course
CH.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts.
CH.6 – chemical properties in organic chemistry and biochemistry.

Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/.

Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels.
Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.
Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.
Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.
Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade.
Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.
Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.