#BuffaloSnow: 2011 video shows how rain and snow melt can overwhelm streams and sewer systems

Seven feet of snow followed by 60 degree temperatures and rain.

The conditions of Buffalo, NY seem almost surreal, but the area is preparing for flooding anticipated as streams and sewers are surely going to be stressed by the combination of warming temps, snow melt and stormwater this week.

Northeast Ohio faced a similar situation in February 2011. The snowfall totals then were nowhere close to the 80+ inches Buffalo faced last week, but the already saturated ground beneath a layer of snow-pack caused surface runoff volumes to spike, overwhelming sewers and streams.

TECH: The movement behind the poop emoji, or Why talking #2 should be less taboo

I never realized the emoji had such a history.

Then again, many could say the same thing about the work it takes to get the out of wastewater: I never realized it had such a history.

Fast Company recently recounted how emojis—the tiny graphics that have become staples of the instant-messaging and social-media experience—came into existence, specifically the long but fascinating road Google traveled to bring the to the US and how it became the means of expression it is today.

The and emojis like it had origins in Japan in 1999, and the story examines how the cartoon expressions help tell stories and convey thoughts in ways that words can't. The push to include the in earliest emoji offerings was hard-fought, and judging on its prevalence today, the argument to do so was well-founded.

There's another relevant connection we see. The or or expressions all relate well to the work of wastewater treatment:

QUIZ: Are you one of the 2.5 billion? #WorldToiletDay

More than 2.5 billion people around the world suffer from improper sanitation. In honor of World Toilet Day, we can determine if you're one of them by this simple quiz. Take it and see.

EVENT: East Cleveland community meeting will discuss upcoming green projects this Thursday 11/20

On Thursday, November 20, at 5:30 p.m., the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will host a meeting for East Cleveland residents and business owners to discuss a future green infrastructure project, the “East 140th Street South Green Infrastructure Projects.”

The meeting will take place at the East Cleveland Public Library (14101 Euclid Ave., East Cleveland). Sewer District representatives will discuss possible neighborhood amenities and gather input from residents and the local business community.

Green Infrastructure project locations include:

• Near Euclid Avenue and Page Avenue
• Near Hayden Avenue and Scioto Avenue
• Near Hayden Avenue and 1st Avenue.

ALGAE: In wake of Toledo's algae woes, investigation takes deeper look at causes, solutions (Video)

Is the toxic algae that led to Toledo's three-day "DO NOT DRINK" declaration this summer a threat to Cleveland in the future?

While Cleveland's lake conditions differ from those of the western Lake Erie basin, when our Great Lake is threatened, all of its neighbors need to take notice.

This week, Fox 8 News' I-TEAM ran a two-part series focused on the toxic algae bloom that led to Toledo's water ban in August, asking questions about the decisions made, the testing methods employed, and future work being considered to keep our lake and the surrounding residents safe. The videos and their complete reports are linked below.

PIC: Main entrance wall crumbles, security responds as car crashes at Easterly plant

Image credit Alexander Malloy, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

Security officers responded to an early Thursday morning crash at our Easterly plant today where a driver careened off the road, demolishing our main gate welcome sign.

Paramedics took the driver to the hospital following the accident and his condition is not known at this time. There were no other injuries on site, according to Officers Alexander Malloy and Jason Kern's accident report.

The report described that the vehicle crossed through the intersection of East 140th Street and Lake Shore Boulevard before crashing into the plant's main front wall about 5:00 a.m., not far from the guard house a few hundred feet away. The officers tended to the driver until paramedics arrived and extracted him from the vehicle for medical attention.

We'd like to thank Officers Malloy and Kern for responding to the incident and we wish the driver a full recovery.