Rachel Z. Kamman, P.E.
Consulting Hydrologist of Kamman Hydrology & Engineering
Interview by Julia McKeag, Terra Linda High School
Interview by Julia McKeag, Terra Linda High School
1) Why did you become a
hydrologist? What inspired you to study hydrology and engineering in college?
RK- I always loved sciences in school and entered college as a
biology major. In my freshman year I heard that there were some cool water
classes in the engineering department, so I sat in during my second semester
and as a sophomore, signed up for a class in fluid mechanics (the study of the
physics of water movement). I was
hooked after the first class.
Hydrology 101 was next and I loved that even more because it focuses on
the movement of water across the landscape. I studied both biology and water resources engineering
in College, and wanted to combine the majors but the departments had no
combined program (this was before environmental engineering existing).
Eventually I had to pick a degree, and chose engineering because I wanted to
focus on applied science.
2) What types of projects do Kamman Hydrology &
Engineering do?
RK- Most of KHE’s projects are focused on ecological restoration
of wetlands, creeks and rivers and estuaries. We have projects throughout California; almost all of them
are on public lands (parks - open
space - baylands). Most of our project entailed site
assessment, monitoring, engineering and geomorphic analysis, and collaboration
with other natural resource scientists.
Each project is as unique as the place, the critters or habitat we are
trying to improve, and then impacts and constraints created by human
modifications of the landscape. Since we can not turn back time, KHE works to
understand how the landscape has changed and how best to improve, restore or
protect ecological communities in the context of people and their
infrastructure. Since water is
fundamental to nature, understanding the landscape in terms of hydrology is a
logical starting point for both evaluating the impacts of change and restoring
ecological function.
3) What kinds of problems are
affecting our local watershed?
RK- One of the biggest problems affecting our local watersheds
is that people are disconnected from the natural landscape that they live
in. Once disconnected from our
natural setting, we are no longer aware of our day to day impacts. If you don’t recognize that the water
in your driveway or yard is connected by a storm drain to the creek and the
bay, you probably don’t think twice about rinsing your paint brush, washing
your car or fertilizing your lawn.
The second biggest problem is that there is a disconnect in
our local government between individual development projects and a cumulative
and long term impacts of those developments on the surrounding watersheds. We need to get better as stepping
back from a proposed development and looking at the landscape context and real
costs (environmental and infrastructure) associated with new development. These are costs that communities will
have to shoulder for generations to come.
This is particularly true in the context of seal level rise.
4) What can we do to help our local
watershed?
RK- One of the biggest things we can do to help our local watershed
is to understand that our watershed, our communities our homes ARE habitats.
The more we can integrate our neighborhoods with the native plant and animal
communities and the physical landscape they depend on, the more likely they are
to thrive in our midst.
Everyone who lives in a watershed is responsible for it’s care; a term
often used for this is stewardship.
Every action has an impact, our daily choices determine the ecological
integrity our community.
Another important thing you can do is to act in any way
possible to protect and restore the ecological integrity of our
watersheds. Protecting what we
have left is critical, since, even with the best science and all the money in
the world, rarely can you replace
the diversity and resiliency of a wild ecosystem.
5) What is your opinion on the
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir? Do you think the Hetch Hetchy Valley should be
restored?
RK- Hetch Hetchy is a great example of an amazing natural
resource lost in an era when we focused solely on meeting human demands for
water without placing adequate value on natural resources. It would be wonderful to
see it restored.
6) In your opinion, what invention
(related to water) was most crucial for the success of our society today?
RK- Water treatment and delivery systems, and waste water
treatment. These systems are
critical for our health.
We take them for granted.
7) What do you think is water’s
most interesting quality?
RK- Two actually:
1) The way water effects light, water colors almost everything we
see. 2) The amazing power and
energy contained and transmitted by water. Consider Tsunami in Japan last year. Water transmits energy over vast
distances and timescales, think about ocean circulation, waves on a beach,
water washing down the street after a downpour, raindrops on your roof. Now shift contexts - think about role
of water in a single human body, and then expand your thinking to world
populations.
Interview By: Julia McKeag
Upcoming Seminar: Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
Terra Linda High School, Room 207
7:30-8:30 p.m.
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