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[Water] We all know that it's been raining a lot lately. As much as 10 inches of rain fell down on Central Texas over the holiday weekend, causing massive flooding throughout downtown Austin, as well as in Bastrop and Hays counties. But what does all of this mean for Austin's future? In the next few EcoBits we'll be answering some of your biggest questions about the Memorial Day floods… 

How did the floods impact lake levels? The two lakes that supply Austin with its water – Travis and Buchanan – have risen dramatically in recent days. They are now 57 percent full. Lake Travis has faired even better, climbing up by nearly 25 feet in the last week! That's the highest it's been since May of 2011.KXAN Weathercaster Jim Spencer has even predicted that within the next two weeks Lake Travis will return to normal levels (for this time of year). That's shocking, considering where we were just a few months ago.
 

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Were the floods caused by climate change? Maybe. While it is difficult for scientists to directly attribute specific storms and weather events to climate change, extreme weather events are among the most agreed-upon effects of global warming. That's according to Texas' state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. In a recent interview with the Texas Tribune, he said that an increase in heavy rain events is consistent with what scientists expect to see from climate change. That's because as ocean temperatures rise, more moist air is brought to Texas, which can cause larger storm systems. In a study commissioned by the City of Austin, Texas Tech climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe also predicted more heavy rain events in the area as a result of climate change.
 

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Is the drought over? According to the state climatologist, effectively, yes, the statewide drought is over.

But, in an interview with the Texas Standard, a representative from the Lower Colorado River Authority stressed that despite the rain, the lakes still aren't full. That means we can't start breathing easy in Austin just yet. The LCRA says that it will take several cycles of this kind of heavy rain to make up for years of prolonged drought. So for now at least, Stage 2 Water Restrictions are still likely to remain in effect in Austin, especially as the hot summer season approaches. Learn more>>
 

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How can I help the flood victims? 

• Donate to the Hays County Food Bank
• Make a monetary contribution to theUnited Way for Greater Austin
• Sponsor a family affected by the floods with the Austin Disaster Relief Network
• Help clean up Pease Park and the Urban Roots farm, both of which were damaged during the flood. They are both holding volunteer clean up events this weekend.
• If you have storm debris in your own backyard, be sure to call 3-1-1 and request a special bulk pickup from Austin Resource Recovery. More info>>

 

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[Energy] The clean tech sector contributes $2.5 billion and 20,000 jobs to Austin's regional economy. That's according to a new study commissioned by CleanTX, a local clean technology networking and development organization. 

So what exactly is clean tech? It's an entire sector of technologies and services designed to deal with climate change, energy security, and resource depletion. It's companies like Nest, the maker of the energy-saving thermostat. Not only are companies like this abundant in Austin, but they are also growing rapidly. The report predicts that employment in clean tech is projected to grow 11 percent in Austin by 2020. More info>>
 

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