Those who live near creeks or rivers have an important role play to clean a creek. We can help protect our local waterways by keeping yard waste away from streams and preventing invasive weeds from spreading.
We can also plant trees to reduce erosion and provide shade for wildlife habitats. And, we can learn to recognize and report pollution to appropriate agencies to clean a creek.
Rake up Leaves To Clean A Creek
Simple raking is the most cost-effective method of clearing leaves, but it can be hard on your hands and back. Wear gloves and tennis shoes if possible. A leaf vacuum or blower is a more efficient way to remove large volumes of leaves at once, but may require expensive equipment and a permit to operate in certain areas. If you do not have access to either of these, a metal rake can be used to clear away leaves without disturbing rocks and gravel. Don’t leave piles of leaves on the curb for trash pickup.
Don’t Damming the Creek
If you have a creek running through your property, it’s important to look after it. Not only does a well-managed creek help drain stormwater, reducing the chances of flooding and soil erosion, it also gives wildlife a place to live. Even the smallest streams can provide habitat for native fish.
Erosion can be a major problem for creeks, washing away tree roots and exposing the foundations of sheds, fences and houses built nearby. You can help reduce erosion by planting your creek banks with reeds, sedges and shrubs.
If you want to change the way that a creek flows through your land, such as adding a footbridge or removing weeds, you will need a permit. This is usually obtained from your local natural resources center or a district officer. They can give you advice on what you need to do and where to apply.
Keep the Water Clean
Clean a creek is not only good for the wildlife that lives there but also helps drain storm water, reduce soil erosion and provide habitat for fish and other species. If you live near a creek, take responsibility for looking after it and encourage neighbors to do the same. This can be done in a number of ways, including cleaning up rubbish, removing old cars and other equipment and planting trees to manage runoff and water flow.
Clean a creek should always start with a safety meeting, where everyone in the group is briefed on what they will be doing and what hazards they may encounter. Make sure a first aid kit is on hand and that one of the participants has basic first aid training, or is a medical professional. If possible, a leader and sweep should be appointed to guide the cleanup. The lead should be more experienced and know the area.
Chemical pesticides and fertilizers wash down into local creeks, rivers and lakes and can cause dangerous algae blooms. Avoid using them or try organic alternatives. The same goes for other household chemicals, such as car and engine fluids. Never pour them down a storm drain, gutter or drainage ditch.
Plant Trees
Trees are vital to the health of a creek and the watershed. They provide shade, slow the flow of rainwater and help filter pollutants from the water. They also help reduce flooding and erosion along the clean a creek and river banks by soaking up stormwater in their roots.
During a rainstorm, the leaves of a tree begin to transpire (or evaporate) through openings in the leaf called stomates. This creates negative pressure in the leaf’s xylem system, which draws water from the soil and pushes it back up through the leaves. As the process continues, the tree is able to soak up and store excess rainwater to use in dry periods. This is a critical function in our changing climate, when severe weather events can cause flash floods and landslides.
By absorbing water and reducing flooding, trees protect the homes of people, animals and plants. In addition, they provide valuable habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife. They are also a natural way to reduce energy costs.
Planting trees takes a team effort and everyone can help. Volunteers are encouraged to wear boots or closed-toe shoes, and bring work gloves, sunscreen and a hat. A bag lunch is provided. Planting events are “rain or shine” events, although in the event of dangerous weather, the event will be rescheduled.
The RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg about 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. Only about a third of the ship’s 2,200 passengers and crew survived. The massive ship was built to be able to withstand just about anything, but the designers failed to consider what would happen if an iceberg struck the side. The iceberg ripped several holes into the ship and within two and a half hours, it was clear the Titanic was going down.
While the 1997 movie Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio was largely fictional, many of the events depicted in the film actually occurred. Margaret Brown, who is portrayed as the Unsinkable Molly in the movie, was a real-life socialite who helped others during the disaster and raised money to help other survivors. She is also remembered for her work to help people during World War I and in the first years after the sinking of the Titanic.
Many of the other passengers on board were foreign-born immigrants attempting to make their way to the United States. One of the most poignant artifacts recovered from the Titanic was a Declaration of Intent to Become a United States Citizen filled out by one of these passengers. It serves as a reminder that the tragedy of the Titanic was not just about losing a great ship but also about a great dream.
After the Titanic hit the iceberg, it took quite a while for the closest ships to rescue the survivors. In the meantime, some people who did not drown ended up dying from exposure in the cold Atlantic waters.
The surviving Titanic survivors shared their stories of survival and heroism. The retellings of their lives after the Titanic disaster fascinated and inspired the public. The survivors are now a part of our history and the legacy of their lives is still being carried forward.
Among the most infamous of the Titanic survivors was Fredrick Fleet, who was working as a lookout on the ship when it hit the iceberg that sank the ship. He was one of the very few who witnessed the event and was able to report it to his superiors. This video clip from the ‘What Happened After’ series explores his life after the tragedy and how he was able to find peace with what had happened to him. The video also looks at the fate of some of the other survivors. Watch the full clip below.
Titanic Shipwreck
Titanic Shipwreck
Titanic, an Olympic-class passenger ship owned by White Star Line, sank in the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage. She was carrying 705 passengers and crew members.
Many of them were immigrants to the United States seeking financial security and a new life. Others were famous people such as financier J.P. Morgan and two members of the Vanderbilt family.
The Titanic ship design
When the Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton in England to Cherbourg in France and Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland, she was carrying more than 2,200 passengers and crew. A rich tapestry of people, they represented a wide range of classes and backgrounds — many of whom were immigrating to the United States for better work opportunities. They were bound for New York City, where they would begin new lives.
At the time, Titanic was considered to be one of the safest ships in the world. It had two layers of steel to protect it against a shipwreck, and 16 compartments that could be sealed shut with watertight doors. In addition, the ship was equipped with a full suite of emergency equipment, including three lifeboats, a radio transmitter, and a steam whistle.
The Titanic had three real smokestacks, as well as a fourth “dummy” stack that was used to add an aesthetic element to the design. The stacks were each over 100 feet tall and almost as tall above the waterline as the Titanic was below it, making her taller than most urban buildings.
By the time Titanic was two-thirds of the way through its voyage, it was clear that she was slowly sinking. And, although it might have been a good idea to hold onto the belief that it was simply impossible for such an “unsinkable” vessel to go down.
To avoid the risk of panic, many of the ship’s lifeboats were lowered only partially filled. In fact, most were only a third of capacity. The most vulnerable people were placed in the lifeboats first, including women and children, while many men chose to stay behind on the ship.
The Titanic ship construction
The Titanic ship construction
The Titanic was a huge ship, and when it was built it represented a revolution in shipbuilding technology. Its massive gantries were the largest of their time, and its hull was the most enormous movable manmade object of its day. It was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Eight men died while building the Titanic, and their names are memorialized on a plaque in Belfast.
When the Titanic was launched, it drew over 100,000 spectators. It took only a minute for the hull to make its way down the slipway and into the River Lagan. Once it had entered the water, it was towed to a fitting-out dock where thousands of workers would spend the next three years working on the vessel.
In its day, the Titanic was considered one of the safest ships ever made. It was designed with two layers of steel to prevent leaks and had 16 watertight compartments that could be sealed if the hull was damaged. The designers even went as far as to call it unsinkable.
The design of the Titanic ship was not without its flaws, however. The iceberg that struck the ship was much larger than the Titanic’s own height, and when it scraped along the side of the ship, it ripped holes into its hull.
The uppermost deck, B Deck, was home to the First Class passenger cabins and the A La Carte Restaurant. It also contained the Cafe Parisien and smoking rooms, and a large area for baggage and the anchor housings. The Titanic’s power came from coal-powered steam, which was generated by twenty-four double-ended boilers and five single-ended boilers housed in six boiler rooms. Smoke and waste gasses were expelled through three funnels.
The Titanic ship maiden voyage
The RMS Titanic, a luxury passenger ship, was on its maiden voyage when it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The disaster caused massive amounts of destruction and killed 1,500 people. The cause of the sinking is still debated, but the evidence suggests that there were multiple errors made that contributed to the disaster. One of the most notable was Captain Edward Smith’s decision to continue sailing full-steam ahead despite receiving several iceberg warnings.
The Titanic was designed to carry 2,453 passengers, including 900 crew members. Its first-class area was decorated like a fancy hotel and featured amenities such as a library, barber shop, swimming pool, and several cafes. It was also the largest passenger ship at the time of its construction.
Despite its size, the Titanic was unable to avoid collision with an iceberg in the North Atlantic on April 14-15. It sank less than three hours later. Fewer than a third of those aboard survived, and the ship’s builders had no idea that such a tragedy would occur.
Many of the victims were members of the era’s wealthiest families. These included Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy’s; John Jacob Astor, heir to the Astor fortune; and J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of the International Mercantile Marine shipping trust and a member of the White Star Line.
After the Titanic’s collision with the iceberg, a chaotic evacuation began. The crew hurried to lower the lifeboats, but they were often woefully under-filled. For example, the first boat to be lowered was only filled with 28 people. The second was only half-filled. The rest of the boats were lowered with only a few people in them. Even those who were saved suffered from the effects of exposure and injuries.
The ship’s sinking
The Titanic’s sinking on April 14, 1912, was the most infamous disaster in maritime history. The luxury liner carried many of the world’s wealthiest people and their families, including Isidor Straus and John Jacob Astor. Hundreds of immigrants also traveled aboard, seeking a new life in America.
When the ship struck the iceberg, it took on water and began to sink. The collision created a gap in the hull that allowed water to flood into other compartments. The lower section of the ship was divided into sixteen major watertight compartments. The iceberg’s impact caused the hull portion of six of these compartments to be breached. The flooding caused the compartments to shift and pitch forward, which exacerbated the problem.
Despite the fact that the Titanic had several iceberg warnings, the captain chose to continue cruising through the area at full speed. Even though he altered the course slightly, the iceberg was still less than a quarter of a mile from the ship when it collided with it.
In addition to the loss of lives, the sinking caused great financial losses. Moreover, it brought shame to the White Star Line. The incident led to the establishment of two inquiries into the Titanic’s disaster, one in the United States and the other in Britain.
Titanic sank
Titanic sank
As the Titanic ship sank, its passengers attempted to escape in a haphazard fashion. In many cases, the lifeboats were launched woefully under-filled. For example, one lifeboat left with only 28 people, while another went out with just a handful of survivors. Others were unable to get into any of the lifeboats, and some simply jumped overboard. Anna McGowan of Chicago jumped from the Titanic and survived.
The tragedy of the Titanic was immortalized in the 1958 film “A Night to Remember.” This film was based on true events, and it became famous around the world. It has since inspired numerous other films, books, and plays. Almost immediately, legends arose about the tragedy. Some of these stories were celebrated, while others were vilified.
