Posts tagged 2010
CU tennis is building a head of steam with recent victories
0April 2, 2013
CU is in the ITA College Tennis Rankings for the first time in the regular season since April 2010.
The Buffaloes, ranked No. 75, join nine other Pac-12 Conference teams in the rankings. Colorado holds a 7-11 overall, 2-5 Pac-12 record, tying for sixth in conference standings. With three matches left in the season, the Buffs have already matched their 2011-12 win total. 
“It’s exciting for the program, and it’s exciting for the players,” CU head coach Nicole Kenneally said. “It’s been a few years since we’ve been included in the national rankings. I think it’s a testament to all the hard work the players have put in during the fall semester and in this spring semester. It shows their continued engagement in the process of learning and getting better in every match and every practice. I’m excited for the program.”
The most recently the Buffs have been ranked in the regular season was when they concluded the 2009-10 regular season against No. 19 Texas. The Buffs went into the match ranked No. 68 and finished the season with an 11-13 overall, 3-8 Big 12 record and a No. 72 ranking.
The Buffs have marked several milestones this year. They earned their first ever Pac-12 win on March 10 with a 4-2 win over Arizona, breaking a 26-match regular season conference losing streak. This season, the Buffs have taken down two out of eight ranked opponents. CU beat No. 62 Stephen F. Austin 6-1 on February 2, marking their first win over a ranked opponent since the then-ranked No. 55 Buffs defeated No. 71 Denver on February 1, 2010.
After facing a tough stretch versus ranked Pac-12 teams, the Buffs got a big win over No. 59 Oregon last weekend. The 5-2 victory over the Ducks marks the highest ranked opponent the Buffs have defeated since beating then-ranked No. 46 New Mexico on February 7, 2009. All nine of CU’s most recent opponents have either been ranked, had at least one ranked player or both (as is the case for six of the teams, including Oregon). Of the teams the Buffs have faced this season, 11 hold a place the current rankings, with five ranked in the top 25.
The Buffs conclude their regular season against stiff competition. CU takes on No. 70 Washington State at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 5 and No. 45 Washington at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 7. They end the season against No. 63 Utah at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20. All matches will be held at the CU South Campus Tennis Complex unless weather moves play indoors.
CU media release
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An epic victory for Buff women’s tennis
0March 11, 2013
The CU women’s tennis team’s 4-2 win over Arizona on Sunday earned their first ever Pac-12 Conference win, and broke a nearly two-year long regular season conference losing streak.
The last time the Buffs beat a conference opponent in the regular season was on April 11, 2010, when they defeated Kansas on their home turf. After 26 matches, the Buffs have finally ended the streak.
CU redeems itself after a 7-0 loss to Arizona in Tucson last season. The Buffs have now won three of the teams’ last four matches. Colorado improves to 6-6 overall, 1-1 Pac-12. After defeating three ranked teams this season, including then-ranked No. 41 Minnesota, Arizona slips to 8-7, 0-2.
“It feels really, really great,” CU head coach Nicole Kenneally said. “The players have done a terrific job overall, and they really deserve this win. I think it’s a great day. One through six singles and one through three doubles had great efforts. It’s the Pac-12, the best women’s tennis conference in the country, with more national titles than any other conference. It’s one of those things where you really have to come to compete to win matches. Today we came to compete. This team, as I’ve said after previous matches, continues to improve and get better every match. Today was an example of that improvement. We’ve come a long way since the first match this year. I’m excited for the girls. They worked hard and they deserve it.”
For the seventh time this season, the Buffs jumped out to an early lead after claiming the doubles point. Julyette Steur and Erin Sanders got the ball rolling with an 8-4 victory over Smyth/Stubbe for their sixth win of the season. Winde Janssens and Carla Manzi Tenorio continue to lead the Buffs with dynamic performances in the No. 2 doubles position. The tandem has fallen just twice this season, raking in their ninth win after edging Austin/Hendrikx 9-8 (4).
Winde Janssens has been pushed to three sets in her last three matches, and for the second time in as many matches, she came from behind to claim a victory. As she did on Friday against No. 111 Desirae Krawczyk of Arizona State, Janssens dropped her first set, won the second 6-0 and clinched the win in the third. Janssens handed Kim Stubbe just her fourth loss of the season. After falling 2-6 in the first set, Janssens won eight straight games in the final two sets, pulling away 6-4 in the final set. Janssens earns her 13th win of the season (losing just twice this spring), and her team-high seventh come-from-behind win.
Carla Manzi Tenorio also earned her 13th win of the season, and 39th of her career, with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Shayne Austin. All but two of Manzi Tenorio’s victories this season have been in straight sets.
Erin Sanders proved she wants her final season as the Buff to be a memorable one, clinching her team’s first ever Pac-12 win with a three set victory over Akilah James.
“I think it’s really exciting, just because it’s the Pac-12, we haven’t had a Pac-12 win yet,” Sanders said after her match. “You want to go out with a bang and remember your last season, so it was quite a relief.”
Sanders was down 2-3 in the first set when she surged back to win 6-3. Sanders lost a second set battle 3-6, but jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third. James responded with a three game run of her own to tie things up, but Sanders refused to lose, claiming the win 6-4 in the final set.
“I think for me and everybody else, it kind of just shows that we have lots of opportunities and we’re here in the Pac-12, and it doesn’t matter what the number is in front of the team we’re playing, we have a shot,” Sanders said. “We did it today and we can do it in our next match.”
The Buffs hit the road for a five-match trip, where they’ll take on four Pac-12 rivals and their final non-conference opponent. The trip begins with a visit to Los Angeles as the Buffs take on USC at 2:30 p.m. (MDT) on Friday, March 15 and UCLA at 2 p.m. (MDT) on Saturday, March 16.
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Volcanic aerosols, not pollutants, tamped down recent Earth warming, says CU study
0March 1, 2013
A team led by the University of Colorado Boulder looking for clues about why Earth did not warm as much as scientists expected between 2000 and 2010 now thinks the culprits are hiding in plain sight — dozens of volcanoes spewing sulfur dioxide.
The study results essentially exonerate Asia, including India and China, two countries that are estimated to have increased their industrial sulfur dioxide emissions by about 60 percent from 2000 to 2010 through coal burning, said lead study author Ryan Neely, who led the research as part of his CU-Boulder doctoral thesis. Small amounts of sulfur dioxide emissions from Earth’s surface eventually rise 12 to 20 miles into the stratospheric aerosol layer of the atmosphere, where chemical reactions create sulfuric acid and water particles that reflect sunlight back to space, cooling the planet.
Neely said previous observations suggest that increases in stratospheric aerosols since 2000 have counterbalanced as much as 25 percent of the warming scientists blame on human greenhouse gas emissions. “This new study indicates it is emissions from small to moderate volcanoes that have been slowing the warming of the planet,” said Neely, a researcher at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, a joint venture of CU-Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A paper on the subject was published online in Geophysical Research Letters, a publication of the American Geophysical Union. Co-authors include Professors Brian Toon and Jeffrey Thayer from CU-Boulder; Susan Solomon, a former NOAA scientist now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Jean Paul Vernier from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.; Catherine Alvarez, Karen Rosenlof and John Daniel from NOAA; and Jason English, Michael Mills and Charles Bardeen from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.
The new project was undertaken in part to resolve conflicting results of two recent studies on the origins of the sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere, including a 2009 study led by the late David Hoffman of NOAA indicating aerosol increases in the stratosphere may have come from rising emissions of sulfur dioxide from India and China. In contrast, a 2011 study led by Vernier — who also provided essential observation data for the new GRL study — showed moderate volcanic eruptions play a role in increasing particulates in the stratosphere, Neely said.
The new GRL study also builds on a 2011 study led by Solomon showing stratospheric aerosols offset about a quarter of the greenhouse effect warming on Earth during the past decade, said Neely, also a postdoctoral fellow in NCAR’s Advanced Study Program.
The new study relies on long-term measurements of changes in the stratospheric aerosol layer’s “optical depth,” which is a measure of transparency, said Neely. Since 2000, the optical depth in the stratospheric aerosol layer has increased by about 4 to 7 percent, meaning it is slightly more opaque now than in previous years.
“The biggest implication here is that scientists need to pay more attention to small and moderate volcanic eruptions when trying to understand changes in Earth’s climate,” said Toon of CU-Boulder’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. “But overall these eruptions are not going to counter the greenhouse effect. Emissions of volcanic gases go up and down, helping to cool or heat the planet, while greenhouse gas emissions from human activity just continue to go up.”
The key to the new results was the combined use of two sophisticated computer models, including the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model, or WACCM, Version 3, developed by NCAR and which is widely used around the world by scientists to study the atmosphere. The team coupled WACCM with a second model, the Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmosphere, or CARMA, which allows researchers to calculate properties of specific aerosols and which has been under development by a team led by Toon for the past several decades.
Neely said the team used the Janus supercomputer on campus to conduct seven computer “runs,” each simulating 10 years of atmospheric activity tied to both coal-burning activities in Asia and to emissions by volcanoes around the world. Each run took about a week of computer time using 192 processors, allowing the team to separate coal-burning pollution in Asia from aerosol contributions from moderate, global volcanic eruptions. The project would have taken a single computer processor roughly 25 years to complete, said Neely.
The scientists said 10-year climate data sets like the one gathered for the new study are not long enough to determine climate change trends. “This paper addresses a question of immediate relevance to our understanding of the human impact on climate,” said Neely. “It should interest those examining the sources of decadal climate variability, the global impact of local pollution and the role of volcanoes.”
While small and moderate volcanoes mask some of the human-caused warming of the planet, larger volcanoes can have a much bigger effect, said Toon. When Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted in 1991, it emitted millions of tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere that cooled the Earth slightly for the next several years.
The research for the new study was funded in part through a NOAA/ ESRL-CIRES Graduate Fellowship to Neely. The National Science Foundation and NASA also provided funding for the research project. The Janus supercomputer is supported by NSF and CU-Boulder and is a joint effort of CU-Boulder, CU Denver and NCAR.
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CU Track Adds 9 to 2013-14 Recruiting Class
0February 26, 2013
BOULDER — The University of Colorado track and field program is pleased to announce the signing of nine more prep athletes who have committed to compete and continued their education with the Buffaloes for the 2013-14 season.
The talented group has combined for 11 state championships. Four of those signees are from Colorado, while two are from California, two are from Montana and one is from Utah. All but one of the newest additions will be competing in the middle and long distances while the other is a sprinter.
Biographies for each of the signees are below:
Olympic hopefuls Emma Coburn (left) and Shalaya Kipp (right)
Heather Bates, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Pine Creek)
Bates won the 2011 and ’12 Colorado State 4A 3,200-meter run and was the runner-up those same years in the 1,600. Bates also won the 2012 Colorado State 5A Cross Country Championship by more than 30 seconds and was named The Denver Post and The Gazette Cross Country Runner of the Year. She raced at Nike Cross Nationals and took 12th overall after placing third at the Nike Southwest Regional. Bates was named all-state in track and cross country in 2012 and was awarded the 2012 Colorado Running Hall of Fame High School Long Distance Achievement Award. She also had two other big accomplishments in 2011 as she won the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships and took second in the AAU National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships.
Erin Clark, Eugene, Colo. (South Eugene)
Clark recorded a sixth-place finish at the 2012 Oregon State 6A Cross Country Championships and placed third at the 2011 state championship and eighth in 2010. Following her sixth-place finish as a senior, Clark placed eighth at the Nike Cross Nationals Northwest Regional and took 11th at the Foot Locker West Regional. Clark also competed at the Nike Cross Northwest Regional her junior and sophomore years, placing fourth and seventh, respectively. On the track she won the state 3,000-meter title as a sophomore in 2011. At the state meet during her junior year, she took second in the 3k and was third in the 1,500.
Austin Mitsch, Carmichael, Calif. (Jesuit)
Mitsch is the Delta River League and Jesuit High School 200-meter dash record holder (21.50). He is a six-time DRL Champion, four-time Sac Joaquin DI Section Champion and a two-time San Joaquin Masters Champion. Mitsch has competed at the California Interscholastic Federation Qualifying meet in the 100-meter dash (2011 and 2012) and the 4×100-meter relay (2010 and 2012). He was named the California All-State Track Second Team, as named by ESPN High School Magazine in April, 2012. Mitsch was also named the Sacramento River Cats 2012 Male Track Athlete of the Year. He enters his senior season as the team captain.
Melanie Nunn, Broomfield, Colo. (Legacy)
Nunn finished fifth overall at the 2012 Colorado State 5A Cross Country Championships, improving from a 12th-place finish as a junior. She went on to compete at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional Championships when she took 10th to earn a spot at the Foot Locker Nationals where she finished 35th overall. Nunn won the 5A Region 3 Championship in 2012 and the 5A Region 4 Championship in 2011. She is a finalist for the Boettcher Scholarship.
Mandy Ortiz, Edwards, Colo. (Battle Mountain)
Ortiz recorded a top-15 finish at the Colorado State 4A Cross Country Championships (15th overall) and placed sixth at the 4A Region 6 Championships as a senior. During her junior season, Ortiz won the 4A Region 5 Championships and placed 11th at state. She raced at the 2012 Colorado State 4A Track and Field Championships and placed seventh in the 3,200-meters and 12th in the 1,600.
Zach Perrin, Kalispell, Mont. (Flathead)
Perrin won three Montana State High School Championships, one on the cross country course and two on the track. He won the 2012 cross country championship after a runner-up finish his junior year. Perrin raced in the Foot Locker West Regional and took eighth overall before placing 10th at the Foot Locker Nationals in 2012. On the track, Perrin brought home a pair of state championships in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. He also ran the best time by a Montana high school runner in 2012 in the 3,200 at the Arcadia Invite (8:55). Perrin also earned a top-20 national cross country ranking in 2012.
Adam Peterman, Missoula, Mont. (Hellgate)
Peterman placed second to Perrin at the 2012 Montana State High School Cross Country Championship. After the state championship, he placed second at the Nike Cross National Northwest Regional before running to a 23rd-place finish at the Foot Locker West Regional. Peterman placed third at the state cross country championship his junior and sophomore seasons. At the state track and field championship, Peterman earned a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs as a junior. In 2011, he took fourth in the 3,200 and fifth in the 1,600. Peterman also earned a top-20 national cross country ranking in 2012.
Hagen Reedy, Clovis, Calif. (Buchanan)
Reedy was the 2012 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Cross Country Championship runner-up after winning the CIF Central Section Championship. She went on to place 20th at Nike Cross Nationals. Reedy also recorded a second-place finish at the 32nd Annual Woodbridge-Estancia-Costa Cross Country Classic with the fourth best time in course history (16:17 for three miles). In 2011, Reedy won the CIF Championship, the CIF Central Section and took seventh at Nike Cross Nationals. As a member of the track team, Reedy placed fifth at the CIF State finals of the 3,200-meters. She also earned a top-20 national cross country ranking in 2012.
Ben Saarel, Park City, Utah (Park City)
Saarel was named the 2012 Gatorade Utah Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year after winning the Utah State Class 3A Championships in 14:56.7, which was the second fastest time ever run on the course. In doing so he helped the Miners to a fourth-place team finish. Saarel placed second at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional championship before winning the Foot Locker West Regional. At the Foot Locker Championships, Saarel placed fourth in 15:13, just 14 seconds behind the winner. On the track he won three state championships in 2012 (800, 1,600 and 3,200). Saarel also earned a top-20 national cross country ranking in 2012. At the 2013 Simplot Games, he won the 3,200-meters and broke the meet record with his 9:00.62 performance.
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Boulder County Selected for Innovative Child Welfare Program
0February 10, 2013
State to provide substantial assistance for county’s preventive approach to child welfare
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County will soon join in an expansion of a visionary approach to child welfare that stabilizes families and helps keep children safe. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) sent notification this week that in spring 2013 the state will begin providing assistance to the county in the form of training, coaching, technical assistance, and meetings to enhance the quality of the county’s Differential Response (DR) initiative.
Differential Response is an evidence-based approach to child welfare that involves identifying cases that are lower risk and partnering with the families to get them the help they need, rather than treating all cases in the same way. Boulder County has been using a more collaborative approach with families since 2009, and has seen tremendous success in its child welfare outcomes as a result.
“Children do best with their families when appropriate safety exists,” said Kit Thompson, director of the Family and Children Services Division of the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services. “What we’ve found is that by strengthening families, we give them the best chance to provide a safe, stable home for their children.”
Research indicates the Differential Response approach leads to families receiving more help sooner, which results in sustained child safety and improved family engagement. DR also helps ensure that families who need much closer attention in cases of abuse or neglect have those resources available to them.
The Colorado Consortium on Differential Response, a group of five counties in partnership with CDHS, has been working to implement DR across the state since 2010.
“Studying and implementing Differential Response allowed us to redefine the values and mission of our child protection work and challenged us to alter our daily thinking about how to collaborate with families, our community, and one another,” said Angela Lytle, Children Youth and Family Services division manager for the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services. Arapahoe County has seen tremendous success with Differential Response, and Lytle has been a strong advocate for expanding the practice statewide. “Congratulations to Colorado for demonstrating the courage to take this innovative work and expand it with diligence and fidelity to best meet the needs of Colorado families,” she said.
Boulder County will develop its own implementation plan for the DR expansion in partnership with the state and other counties currently involved in the pilot. Other counties in the expansion include Adams, Chaffee, Denver, La Plata, San Juan, Lincoln, Mesa, and Otero. A second round of counties will join the expansion in fall 2013.
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Colorado Sports Hall of Fame to honor Manning and Franklin, 5 others as Athletes of the Year
0January 8, 2013
Franklin & Manning Top 2012 Colorado Athletes-of-the-Year
DENVER COLO. – Four-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin joins Denver Bronco quarterback Peyton Manning as the 2012 Colorado Athletes-of-the-Year. The pair will be honored with five other competitors from the “Centennial” state at the 2013 Colorado Sports Hall of Fame banquet, Thursday, April 18 at the Denver Marriott City Center Hotel.
At a meeting here Tuesday (January 8), the Selection Committee of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame picked Manning as the Professional Athlete-of-the-Year after leading the Broncos to the NFL playoffs. Franklin was selected as Colorado’s Amateur Athlete-of-the-Year for the second-straight year as she won five swimming medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Other Athletes-of-the-Year selections were collegiate standouts Shalaya Kipp (University of Colorado track and cross country) and Ross Dausin (Colorado State University at Pueblo football), high school honorees Bonnie Brandon (Cherry Creek swimming) and Wilkins Dismuke (Rock Canyon lacrosse), and Disabled Athlete Recognition Award winner Lacey Henderson (National Sports Center for the Disabled).
The Athletes-of-the-Year selections will be honored at the April 18 banquet along with the newest Colorado Sports Hall of Fame inductees Steve Atwater, Don Baylor, Don Cockroft, Adam Foote, Steve Jones and Stan Williams. The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2013 was selected this past October.
Tickets are $175 each and Sponsor tables start at $2,500. For additional for ticket and table information, please telephone the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (www.coloradosports.org, 720/258-3535). The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is located at Gate 1 on the west side of Sports Authority Field at Mile High at 1701 Bryant Street in Denver. Sponsors of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame are Gatorade, AT&T Mobility, Wells Fargo and Denver Post.
Franklin won a total of five swimming medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games where she swept the women’s backstroke events, winning gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter events. She also won gold medals in the 4×200-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley relays, and a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
At year’s end, Franklin was named the World Swimmer of the Year and American Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine. A senior at Regis Jesuit High School, Franklin was initially honored by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame as the prep athlete of the year in 2010 before capturing the top amateur honor in 2011 for her performance in world championships.
Manning led the Broncos to their second consecutive division title and the AFC’s No. 1 seed while setting every major franchise single-season passing mark in his first year with the club. Named to his 12th Pro Bowl – tops among quarterbacks in NFL history – Manning finished the 2012 regular season with team records for completions (400), passing yards (4,659), completion percentage (68.6%), touchdowns (37) and passer rating (105.8).
He directed Denver to 11 straight wins to finish the regular season while capturing AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors in October and December. Manning also passed Hall of Famer Dan Marino for the second-most wins (154) by a starting quarterback in NFL history in addition to overtaking Brett Favre for the most career games (73) with at least three touchdown passes.
Kipp became the first CU athlete to win an individual Pac-12 title by capturing the 3000-meter steeplechase crown (9:57.39). After becoming the third Buff runner to capture the steeplechase event at the NCAA Championships (9:49.02), Kipp posted a career best of 9:35.73 in the U. S. Olympic Trials. With a third-place finish in the Olympic Trials, Kipp joined event winner and Buff teammate Emma Coburn on the United States Olympic Team.
In London, Kipp and Emma Coburn became just the third and fourth CU student-athletes to participate in a summer Olympic Games with eligibility remaining. Kipp ended the year with an 18th-place finish at the nationals to record her third straight All-American cross country honor.
Dausin compiled a 32-4 record as a three-year starting at CSU-Pueblo (best in school history) from 2010-2012 as he led the Thunderwolves to back-to-back 11-0 RMAC Championship regular-season titles the last two years. The 2012ThunderWolves not only captured the RMAC title, but was the No. 1-ranked team in NCAA Division II for the final five weeks of the regular season.
Dausin was named the Offensive Player of the Year by both the RMAC and the Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation. He earned All-American honors from the Beyond Sports College Network as he broke nearly every single-season and career school passing records in 2012. Dausin finished the season ranked sixth in the nation passer rating by completing 68 percent of his passes during for 3,011 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Brandon won the 200-meter IM and 500-mter freestyle events at the Class 5A state meet last February, both in state record time, and also was on two state championship relay teams to help the Bruins to a state runner-up team finish. She finished her career with 14 state titles, seven in individual events. Brandon competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials, her second time at the event. She is now swimming at the University of Arizona.
Dismuke was the Colorado Player of the Year in 2012 as he scored 67 goals with 104 total points. A prep All-American lacrosse player, he was named to the “Warrior 40 MVP” this past summer. Dismuke is recognized by most major recruiting services as the top lacrosse prospect west of the Mississippi. He has signed to play for the legendary program at John Hopkins University.
Henderson, who lost her right leg above her knee after failed experimental chemotherapy treatments for a very rare cancer tumor called Synovial Sarcoma, holds the world record in Paralympic level pole vault. In 2012, she was the 200-meter national champion and earned a silver medal in the 100-meter sprint.
Just before her senior year at the University of Denver where she was a Pioneer cheerleader, Henderson was volunteering for the Amputee Coalition of America’s Youth Camp when she was introduced to running legs and Paralympic track. She is now training for a spot on the 2013 World Championships team and a spot in the 2016 Summer Paralympic games in Rio.
Since its inception in 1965, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 222 individuals prior to October’s selection meeting for the Class of 2013. The first class of inductees featured Earl “Dutch” Clark, Jack Dempsey and former Supreme Court justice Byron “Whizzer” White.
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CU Women Put Away Pioneers, Eye No. 8 Cardinals
0December 12, 2012
Story by B.G. Brooks, Contributing Editor, CUBuffs.com
DENVER – The unbeaten University of Colorado women’s basketball team shook off a lethargic start, took control with an 8-0 run and never looked back in dispatching the University of Denver 83-63 here Tuesday night.
Now the Buffaloes (8-0) can look ahead. Finally, they can focus on their biggest non-conference game – a Friday night date with No. 8 Louisville at the Coors Events Center. The Cardinals are 9-1, with their lone loss by one point (48-47) to archrival Kentucky.
In winning for only the second time in Denver against the Pioneers, the Buffs got a season-high 19 points from Brittany Wilson and 14 points and 11 rebounds from Chucky Jeffery. Leading scorer Arielle Roberson, who entered the game with a 17.3-point average, added 11.
DU defeated CU 70-69 in their most recent Magness Arena matchup on Nov. 16, 2010. The Buffs lead the series 6-2 and won for the third time this season against a Front Range opponent. Before making the trip down I-25 South, CU had beaten Wyoming (68-59) and Colorado State (72-46) in Boulder.
Tuesday’s first half produced 11 lead changes, but they all occurred in the first 10 minutes. DU (4-5) took advantage of CU’s sluggish start to go ahead by as many as five points (13-8) before the visitors roused themselves.
Finally focused, the Buffs made an 18-17 deficit their last of the game. They went on an 8-0 run, getting baskets from Jamee Swan, Roberson (her first of the game), Jeffery and Brittany Wilson on a fast-break assist from Jeffery to go up 25-18 with 6:22 before intermission.
From there until the halftime buzzer, CU increased its lead to 10 on two occasions and led 37-27 at the break. The Buffs got 12 first-half points from Brittany Wilson and nine from Jeffery. Morgan Van Riper-Rose kept the Pioneers close with 13, while none of her teammates managed more than four first-half points. She finished with a career-high 28.
CU shot 41.7 percent (15-for-36) from the field in the opening half to DU’s 37.5 percent (9-for-24). The Buffs owned the boards (25-13) and forced 10 Pioneer turnovers that resulted in seven CU points.
CU outscored DU 9-1 to open the second half and surge ahead 46-28. The Buffs didn’t allow the Pioneers their first field goal of the last 20 minutes until the 14:07 mark. A minute later, CU went up by 23 and wouldn’t allow DU within 15 points the rest of the night.
With 7:55 remaining, Roberson was assessed CU’s first technical foul of the season. The reason: Roberson apparently touched the ball before a Pioneer player was about to throw it in bounds after a made Buffs basket. CU was up 67-44 at the time and led by as many as 26 points in the final 4 minutes.
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CU-NOAA study shows summer climate change, mostly warming
0November 15, 2012
Analysis of 90 years of observational data has revealed that summer climates in regions across the globe are changing — mostly, but not always, warming –according to a new study led by a scientist from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences headquartered at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“It is the first time that we show on a local scale that there are significant changes in summer temperatures,” said lead author CIRES scientist Irina Mahlstein. “This result shows us that we are experiencing a new summer climate regime in some regions.”
The technique, which reveals location-by-location temperature changes rather than global averages, could yield valuable insights into changes in ecosystems on a regional scale. Because the methodology relies on detecting temperatures outside the expected norm, it is more relevant to understand changes to the animal and plant life of a particular region, which scientists would expect to show sensitivity to changes that lie outside of normal variability.
“If the summers are actually significantly different from the way that they used to be, it could affect ecosystems,” said Mahlstein, who works in the Chemical Sciences Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth System Research Laboratory.
To identify potential temperature changes, the team used climate observations recorded from 1920 to 2010 from around the globe. The scientists termed the 30-year interval from 1920 to 1949 the “base period,” and then compared the base period to other 30-year test intervals starting every 10 years since 1930.
The comparison used statistics to assess whether the test interval differed from the base period beyond what would be expected due to yearly temperature variability for that geographical area.
Their analysis found that some changes began to appear as early as the 1960s, and the observed changes were more prevalent in tropical areas. In these regions, temperatures varied little throughout the years, so the scientists could more easily detect any changes that did occur, Mahlstein said.
The scientists found significant summer temperature changes in 40 percent of tropical areas and 20 percent of higher-latitude areas. In the majority of cases, the researchers observed warming summer temperatures, but in some cases they observed cooling summer temperatures.
“This study has applied a new approach to the question, ‘Has the temperature changed in local areas?’ ” Mahlstein said. The study is in press in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, a publication of the American Geophysical Union.
The study’s findings are consistent with other approaches used to answer the same question, such as modeling and analysis of trends, Mahlstein said. But this technique uses only observed data to come to the same result. “Looking at the graphs of our results, you can visibly see how things are changing,” she said.
In particular the scientists were able to look at the earlier time periods, note the temperature extremes, and observe that those values became more frequent in the later time periods. “You see how the extreme events of the past have become a normal event,” Mahlstein said.
The scientists used 90 years of data for their study, a little more than the average lifespan of a human being. So if inhabitants of those areas believe that summers have changed since they were younger, they can be confident it is not a figment of their imagination.
“We can actually say that these changes have happened in the lifetime of a person,” Mahlstein said.
Co-authors on the study were Gabriele Hegerl from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Susan Solomon from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
CIRES is a joint institute of CU-Boulder and NOAA.
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Leading quantitative conservation biologist named CU’s first Colorado Chair in Environmental Studies
0October 1, 2012
The University of Colorado Boulder has hired its first Colorado Chair in Environmental Studies, an endowed chair awarded to Daniel Doak, a conservation biologist known for his quantitative analysis of how different government policies could affect the populations of species ranging from sea otters, California condors, corals and rare plants.
The endowed chair in environmental studies was made possible by $4 million in gifts made anonymously in 2009 and 2010 toward the chair.
Dr. Daniel Doak
Sharon Collinge, professor and director of the CU-Boulder Environmental Studies Program, called Doak a perfect match. “He epitomizes what we’re looking for,” she said.
Doak is especially skilled in interdisciplinary research, she said. He brings expertise in policy to his analyses of risks of energy development, for example. And he is widely cited for his research in quantitative conservation biology, which combines sophisticated computer modeling with varying policy scenarios to project changes in populations of rare species.
For instance, the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science recently published a study co-authored by Doak concluding that the California condor is chronically endangered by lead exposure from hunters’ spent ammunition.
While the free-flying condor population has risen in the last three decades, that increase has been achieved through captive breeding, monitoring and veterinary care, the study found. Meanwhile, the primary threat to the endangered bird — lead poisoning from bullets and shotgun shells lodged in carrion — has gone largely unmitigated, the study said.
Doak and his fellow researchers found no evidence that California’s 2008 partial ban on lead ammunition yielded any decrease in lead exposure and poisoning in condors.
Since 2007, Doak has served as a professor of zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming. Previously, he was a faculty member at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Scholarly papers have cited his work more than 3,000 times since 1998.
Doak said he was drawn to CU-Boulder’s Environmental Studies Program because of its breadth, spanning disciplines ranging from biogeochemistry to political science to philosophy. This interdisciplinary focus is necessary to confront some of the world’s most intractable problems, Doak and Collinge said.
“That’s the only way we can really address and resolve some of the major environmental challenges that we face,” Collinge said.
Working with experts from a wide range of disciplines, Doak added, provides a motivation and opportunity “not once a year but every day to confront your own ignorance and thus to appreciate and learn new ideas and approaches.”
It is not that interdisciplinary work is always best, he added. “We need to train ourselves and our students to determine when the problem we are confronting requires an interdisciplinary approach. If you want to build a bridge that won’t fall down, you don’t need an interdisciplinary team. You need a good engineer.”
The critical question, he said, is the following: “Is this problem a nail that requires a hammer, or is this a problem that requires a lot of tools? And most environmental problems require an entire chest of tools and the different people who know how to use them.”
Collinge said students sometimes grasp this distinction better than professors do. “Students who are interested in the environment understand very deeply that they have to know something about politics and policies and how we make choices and why we make choices,” she said. “They’ve essentially pushed us, encouraged us to provide that broad and deep training for them.”
Of the donor’s gift, Collinge said, “This was incredibly generous. And we are really grateful.
“For me, it validates or speaks to the importance of what we’re doing,” she said. “With more than 1,000 undergraduate majors in environmental studies and 50 graduate students, enthusiasm was abundant even before the gift that enabled the endowed chair.”
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CU Buff sports (not so) briefs
0September 28, 2012
Buffs Return To Prentup For Pac-12 Play
QUICKLY: The CU soccer team begins its home Pac-12 Conference schedule at Prentup Field this weekend. The Buffs are unbeaten through four games, losing only once so far this season. CU (6-1-3) takes on Washington and Wash ington State to begin a five-game homestand. The Buffs open against the 7-2-1 Huskies on Friday at 3 p.m. The weekend ends on Sunday as the Buffs take on the Cougars (6-2-1) at 2:30 p.m. Be sure to stick around after Sunday’s game for a special autograph session with the team!
COLORADO VS. WASHINGTON: This will be just the second meeting for the Buffs and Huskies. In their first season in the Pac-12, the Buffs fell 2-1 at Husky Soccer Complex. Anne Stuller scored an unassisted goal to put CU on the board in last year’s defeat.SCOUTING THE HUSKIES: The Huskies have lost two straight. They fell 3-1 to then-ranked No. 17 BYU and were upset by USC in their conference opener. Junior Lindsay Elston, who has six goals and four assists, is one of eight Huskies to score this season. Goalkeeper Kari Davidson leads the Pac-12 in saves.
COLORADO VS. WASHINGTON STATE: This will be the third time the Buffs and Cougars have met. In their first meeting in 2010, CU claimed a 2-1 overtime win. Last season, the Buffs fell 4-0 at Lowe Soccer Field in Pullman, Wash.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS: The Cougars shut out then-ranked No. 2 UCLA last Friday in a scoreless tie, but fell to Santa Clara on Sunday. In their two losses, the Cougars have been blanked 7-0. WSU is an offensive presence, scoring 21 goals this season, including eight by Micaela Castain.
LAST WEEK: CU opened Pac-12 Conference play last Friday at Oregon. Both teams went into the match-up un beaten through their previous three games, and a scoreless double overtime tie extended their streaks. CU goalkeeper Annie Brunner had four saves in her third straight shutout. BUFF BRIGADE: CU fans help give the Buffs a real home field advantage at Prentup. Colorado ranks third in the Pac-12 in attendance, averaging 1,117 fans per game. The Buffs are undefeated in three home games this season.
CU KNOWS NO DEFEAT: CU is currently on a four-game unbeaten streak. The Buffs have shut out their three previous opponents, and six total. CU goalkeeper Annie Brunner leads the Pac-12 in shutouts and is in a four-way tie for third on CU’s single season shutouts list.
WINNING: The Buffs began the 2012 season with an unprecidented five-game unbeaten streak, including three straight shutouts in their opening games, both program firsts. CU has only lost once this season, 4-1 to Denver at the DU
Invitational. The 6-1-2 non-conference start marks just the the fifth time in program history that CU won at least six regular-season non-conference games. The most recent was a 7-1-1 start in 2008.
COLORADO CONNECTIONS: Washington and Washington State have a combined four players from Colorado. UW’s Berkley Gamble and CU’s Anne Stuller and Nikola Machalek are all Boulder natives who attended Fairview. WSU freshman Susie White attended Mountain Vista in Highlands Ranch, as did CU junior Hayley Hughes. Mesa Owsley and Kourtney Guetlein of WSU are from Fort Collins and Monument, respectively.
RECORD BREAKERS: Juniors Annie Brunner and Anne Stuller continue to make their names known in Pac-12 soccer. Brunner leads the Pac-12 with six shutouts and is tied for third with 34 saves this season. She is in a four-way tie for third on CU’s single season shutouts list, and with 13 shutouts in her career, holds down the third spot for most all-time by a Buff. It took Stuller just 106 shots (landing her in a three-way tie on CU’s career list) to also break into CU’s top 10 for shots on goal. She ties Gianna DeSaverio (2007-08) with 50 shots on goal. With seven goals this season, Stuller ties Melissa Cartmell (1999) for fifth on CU’s list of most goals by a junior.
ALL-STAR ATHLETES: Three Buffs have received major honors this season.
Sept. 10-16: Annie Brunner, CU Athlete of the Week
vs. Wyoming W 2-0 0 goals allowed 4 saves
vs. Air Force W 2-0 0 goals allowed 4 saves
Brunner has recorded 131 saves all-time, moving past Kara Linder (2006-09) for sixth most for the Buffs. She notched back-to-back shutouts to hold down the sixth spot twice with five shutouts in two different seasons (2010 was her first).
Aug. 27-Sept. 2: Madison Krauser, CU Athlete of the Week
vs. Northwestern T 2-2 3 shots 1 goal 2 points
Krauser’s first goal of the season came just minutes after captain Amy Barczuk scored in the second half. She is the only freshman to have started every game.
Aug. 20-27: Anne Stuller, Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week, CU Athlete of the Week, Soccer America Women’s Team of the Week
vs. LIU W 2-0 6 shots 2 goals 4 points
vs. Wright State W 2-1 5 shots 2 goals 4 points
Stuller joined Nikki Marshall (2006) and Katie Griffin (2005) to become only the third player in CU history to have three multiple goal games in a single season, with her other two-goal game happening at Northern Colorado.
Aug. 13-19: Annie Brunner, Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week
vs. Northern Colorado W 3-0 0 goals allowed 3 saves
vs. Colorado College T 0-0 0 goals allowed 5 saves
Brunner shut out both teams in the Colorado Cup and also shut out LIU in the Omni Hotels Colorado Women’s Soccer Classic. It was the first time in CU history the Buffs started their season with three shutouts and the first time since 2008 the team had three shutouts in a row.
Anne Stuller, CU Athlete of the Week
vs. Northern Colorado W 3-0 3 shots 2 goals 4 points
vs. Colorado College T 0-0 2 shots
PAC-12 COACHES POLL: Colorado was picked to finish 11th in this year’s Pac-12 Coaches Poll. Stanford, the reigning NCAA Champion, received nine out of 11 possible first-place votes. UCLA, Cal, Oregon State and Washington rounded out the top five. Arizona State and USC followed, with Utah and Washington State tied for eighth. Oregon and Arizona were chosen as 10th and 12th.
COMING UP: Remember the Buffs are also at home next weekend with two big conference matchups. On Friday, Oct. 5, the Buffs take on California at 4 p.m. Crocs will be hosting a shoe donation drop box at the game in conjunction with their Crocs Cares program. The first 100 fans who donate a pair of shoes will receive a $50 Crocs gift card! CU Soccer will play No. 2 Stanford on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. Make sure to arrive early for a special pregame appearance and run by Ralphie!
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Boulder County reintegrating administration of CCAP
0August 9, 2012
by Ron Baird, news editor
in News
Co-locating Child Care Assistance Program with county’s other human services will boost efficiency, access
Boulder County, Colo. - As need continues to increase in the community for help with child care costs, Boulder County is moving to reintegrate administration of a key program that provides that assistance.
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is a statewide resource for families who need help covering the costs of child care as they’re working, seeking a job, or pursuing an education.
In Boulder County, CCAP has been administered by a third-party private vendor, Aspen Family Services. County leaders recognized an opportunity for streamlining the CCAP enrollment process by integrating it with other self-sufficiency-supporting services that the county oversees.
“Child care assistance is an extremely important support for parents who are struggling to find and keep jobs,” said Christina Ostrom, Family and Resident Support Services Division Manager for the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS). “We know that quality child care along with strong work supports, access to healthcare and food assistance, and stabilizing financial benefits is a combination that leads to self-sufficiency.”
Since 2008, BCDHHS has seen a 150 percent increase in need for Food Assistance (formerly known as “food stamps”), and a 63 percent increase in need for Medicaid services. During this time, the county has continued to work to more efficiently meet this increase in need and to ensure clients understand the full range of services available to them.
BCDHHS staff have access to state and county eligibility systems and databases, which means the transition of CCAP into the department will reduce wait times for clients after they submit applications for the program. County staff will also be able to quickly connect clients with other services they may need in addition to child care assistance.
“This is an exciting time for the county,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “We have an opportunity to bring vital services together to strengthen and widen our safety net, and this will help countless families get the comprehensive help they need now.”
CCAP covers much of the cost of child care for qualifying families through a network of providers across the county. In order to reach more families with this assistance, Boulder County recently returned eligibility guidelines for the program to 2009 levels to include families with incomes up to 225 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (for example, $3,474 gross monthly income for a family of three). A portion of the CCAP program in Boulder County, including this expansion, is funded by Ballot Initiative 1A, a temporary property tax increase passed by voters in 2010 to backfill human services budget cuts. In addition to expanding eligibility, this funding has allowed the county to further support quality child care options in the community.
Ongoing operating expenses for in-house CCAP administration will be cost neutral for the county. BCDHHS will reintegrate administration of CCAP in Boulder County during the first quarter of 2013. A series of meetings will be held in August to share information with county partners on the transition.
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Incentives draw another outdoor retailer to Boulder
0July 12, 2012
City Manager Jane S. Brautigam has approved a flexible rebate application for Boulder-based American Rec for up to $25,000 in rebates. The rebates were authorized for sales and use taxes, and permit-related fees.
“American Rec’s decision to expand its operations in Boulder allows the city to be home to the company’s ten major outdoor industry brands, strengthening Boulder’s outdoor industry sector,” Brautigam said. “We are pleased that the flexible rebate program helped American Rec with its investment at its Gunbarrel location.”
The flexible rebate program is one of the city’s business incentives, covering a wide range of fees, equipment and construction use taxes. Under this program, the city manager may consider a specific incentive package for tax and fee rebates to meet a company’s specific needs. The company is then eligible for the rebate after it has made its investment and paid the taxes or fees to the city.
American Rec is a collection of ten prominent outdoor industry brands, including Kelty, Royal Robins, Sierra Designs, Wenzel, Slumberjack, Rokk, Insta-Bed, Mountain Trails, Ultimate Direction and ISIS. The company was founded in St. Louis, MO, and in 2010, moved its headquarters to Boulder where several of its brands were already based, and because of the strong outdoor industry and lifestyle. With the move, American Rec grew to 60 employees. After purchasing ISIS for Women and moving it to Boulder, American Rec now has almost 100 employees. The company recently remodeled its space at 6235 Lookout Road to better accommodate its growth.
“The Boulder location and exposure from the Diagonal Highway is an integral part of our corporate identity,” said Brett Jordan, chief executive officer of American Rec’s Equipment Group. “The new building remodel will meet the new demands of the consolidated divisions along with anticipated growth over the next several years.”
The flexible rebate program uses social, community, and environmental sustainability guidelines. Companies choose the guidelines that best fit their circumstances, but must meet minimum requirements in order to receive the rebate. American Rec has met the requirements and, of note, has a commute trip reduction program that includes alternative work schedules, showers, secure bike parking, and designated carpool parking. In addition, the company participates in volunteer industry initiatives, runs a recycling program, and will participate in the city’s energy assessment and EnergySmart programs.
American Rec’s application is the first 2012 flexible rebate application. The city’s approved 2012 budget includes $350,000 in funding for 2012 flexible tax and fee rebates for primary employers.
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CU research propels “Blade Runner” to Olympics
0July 11, 2012
University of Colorado Boulder researchers will be watching closely when South African bilateral leg amputee and sprinter Oscar Pistorius, dubbed “The Blade Runner,” makes his way to the starting block for the 400-meter sprint in the 2012 London Olympics.
Professors Rodger Kram and Alena Grabowski of the integrative physiology department have been involved in several studies analyzing the performance of amputee athletes, including Pistorius, who use blade-like, carbon fiber leg prostheses in track events. In 2007, Pistorius was barred from international competition by officials from the International Association of Athletics Federations, or IAAF, who ruled his Cheetah Flex-Foot leg prostheses conferred him an advantage over other runners.
Barred from competition, then exonerated
The decision was based in large part on a German study commissioned by the IAAF. However, data presented in April 2008 by a team that included Kram and Grabowski to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland — an international group set up to settle disputes in sports — showed Pistorius gained no physiological advantage from the Cheetah prostheses over competitors. The team’s evidence and testimony played a key role in overturning the decision, allowing Pistorius to compete in able-bodied events.
The Blade Runner good to go
“The methodology of the German study that involved measuring Oscar’s oxygen consumption while running was flawed,” said Kram, who has been measuring the oxygen consumption of runners since 1983. “When we had a chance to properly measure Oscar we found that while he is quite economical in oxygen consumption compared to your average Joe, his values are well within what would be expected for a high-caliber athlete.”
At the arbitration hearings in Switzerland, Kram also argued that if a prosthetic device provides a mechanical advantage, it would very likely provide an energetic or physiological advantage. “Since there is no energetic advantage, it infers that the prostheses do not provide a mechanical advantage either,” said Kram.
Another chance
Although Pistorius subsequently failed to make the 2008 Olympic team, he was selected by South Africa’s Olympic Committee last week to run in both the individual 400 meters and a leg of the 4×400 meter relay in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, which begin on July 27. “I was delighted that Oscar was selected,” said Kram. “I was sure he’d be named to the 4×400 meter relay, but being named to the 400-meter individual event was a surprise.”
Since 2008, the research team involving CU-Boulder has continued its studies. In a 2010 study led by Grabowski, researchers used force-measuring treadmills to analyze the biomechanics of unilateral amputees — those with one amputated leg — over a wide range of running speeds. The team found the force produced by the prosthetic, carbon fiber leg was 9 percent less than that of the unaffected leg. “Applying force to the ground is crucial in sprinting events,” said Grabowski.
“We inferred that running-specific prostheses impair force generation and likely limit top sprinting speed,” said Grabowski, who received her doctorate under Kram in 2008 and recently returned to CU-Boulder as a research faculty member after doing postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Other authors on the 2010 paper included Kram, Craig McGowan of the University of Idaho, William McDermott of the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray, Utah, and Hugh Herr of MIT.
In a 2012 paper by the same group and led by McGowan, the leg stiffness of Paralympic sprinters with both unilateral and bilateral leg amputations was compared to non-amputee sprinters across a range of speeds. The team found leg stiffness remained constant or increased with speed in non-amputees but decreased in sprinting amputees.
“During running, the leg behaves much like a spring, and the stiffness of the leg greatly influences the overall mechanics of the runner,” said Grabowski. “The study indicates that the prosthetic device limits the ability of a sprinter to change their leg stiffness during running.” In the future, she said, researchers may be able to design a prosthetic device with “adaptive stiffness” that would more accurately emulate the mechanics of a biological ankle during sprinting.
Research fueled by veterans needs
Grabowski, whose work is funded by the Veterans Administration, is particularly interested in designing better prosthetic ankle devices for military veterans or those on active duty who have undergone amputations. In collaboration with the Denver Department of Veterans Affairs, Grabowski is beginning a research effort to further develop battery-powered ankle-foot prostheses for walking and running. Such prostheses have the potential to restore mobility to users similar to the mobility they had prior to amputation, she said.
The research team is interested in locating potential test subjects in the Denver-Boulder area with leg amputations to participate in lab studies. “CU-Boulder is actively pursuing research that aims to improve the lives of amputees, particularly veterans and current military personnel,” she said. Potential study candidates can contact Grabowski at Alena.Grabowski@colorado.edu.
Research in Kram’s Locomotion Laboratory on the CU-Boulder campus goes far beyond athletics. Collaborating faculty and students are targeting the energetic costs of walking, including uphill and downhill walking in older adults; the energetics of passive cycling to treat and prevent obesity and heart disease; and studies on animal locomotion, including kangaroos, tortoises and elephants.
For more information on the CU-Boulder Locomotion Laboratory visit http://www.colorado.edu/intphys/research/locomotion.html. For more information on CU’s integrative physiology department visithttp://www.colorado.edu/intphys/.
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Boulder flood season a-comin’ and it could be a bad mofo
0April 13, 2012
Colorado Severe Weather Week reminds community to be Flood Aware
Colorado Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 15 to April 22, and the City of Boulder, Boulder County and the University of Colorado would like to remind community members that along with severe weather comes flash floods. Flash floods in Boulder can happen at any time throughout the year.
Boulder is the number one flash flood risk community in Colorado due to its location at the mouth of Boulder Canyon, the number of people who live and work within the Boulder Creek floodplain, and the numerous other drainage basins running through the city. Therefore, flood safety and preparation is always a high priority for the community.
Boulder Creek flooded in 1894 and covered what is now Canyon BLVD,
Since the Fourmile Canyon Fire occurred in 2010, the flood risk to Boulder Creek and Fourmile Canyon Creek has increased due to a lack of vegetation and permeable soil in the burn area. If a severe storm were to occur over the burn area, rain runoff and flooding would be greater than in the past. This increased flood potential could last anywhere from 2 to 10 years until the landscape starts to recover.
The City of Boulder and its partners are working together to prepare for the season and to educate community members on how to prepare.
What can you do?
Be alert. It can be raining in the mountains and burn area but be dry in Boulder. Rainfall in the burn area could result in:
- Muddy or murky creek water downstream.
- Creek levels rising more quickly.
- Higher frequency of flooded underpasses.
- Increased possibility of flash flooding.
If it is raining, avoid seeking shelter in underpasses. Many of Boulder’s underpasses serve the double purpose of conveying flood waters and will flood when creeks overflow.
Remember, flash floods can literally occur IN A FLASH during a severe storm. In 2011, several people went to Boulder Creek to try to witness flooding as it was occurring. This is unwise and dangerous. People should NOT go to the creek when flood waters are rising. Flash floods are not like floods in other parts of the country that rise gradually. A significant flash flood could sweep down a creek in a matter of minutes, leaving little time to get to safety.
It’s important that residents and people who work in Boulder keep track of the weather and know the dangers. Here are some steps residents and employees can take to increase their safety if a flood event should occur in Boulder:
Before a flood – Be ready:
- Have a plan for where to meet in an emergency and make sure children know where to go when they are at school or away from home.
- Keep an emergency kit accessible. Include a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, flashlights, rubber boots and gloves, first-aid supplies, medicines, water stored in tightly-sealed containers and food that requires no cooking or refrigeration.
- If you’re concerned about your property being flooded or are in a floodplain, purchase flood insurance. A homeowner’s insurance policy will NOT cover flood damage. There is a 30-day waiting period before new coverage goes into effect.
- Fill out a Family Flood Action Plan and post it in your home. Visit www.boulderfloodinfo.net to print one or pick one up at one of the Boulder Public Library or at the city’s Municipal Building at 1777 Broadway.
- Sign up to get emergency alerts sent to you on your phone, email or Twitter account atwww.BoCo911Alert.com. CU students, faculty and staff can sign up for CU Alerts athttp://www.colorado.edu/alerts.
During a flood:
- Move to higher ground immediately.
- Stay out of flowing waters. Swift moving waters may sweep people away.
- Avoid driving through flooded areas. Cars float in 18 inches of water, and half of all flood fatalities are auto related.
- Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. Electrocution is the number two killer in floods.
- If time allows, turn off electricity and gas.
- When an emergency warning is issued by sirens, radio or other media, seek information immediately. Tune radios and televisions to local news stations.
There is no way to predict whether flooding will occur. It is dependent on many variables including intensity, duration and location of storms as well as existing soil conditions. The best course of action is to be alert and be prepared. The city maintains a flood information website that can help residents prepare before, during and after a flood event. For more information about personal preparedness, visit www.boulderfloodinfo.net.
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#CU study: Beetle hyper sex drive killing the forest
0March 15, 2012
Discovery of pine beetles breeding twice in a year
helps explain increasing damage, CU researchers say
Long thought to produce only one generation of tree-killing offspring annually, some populations of mountain pine beetles now produce two generations per year, dramatically increasing the potential for the bugs to kill lodgepole and ponderosa pine trees, University of Colorado Boulder researchers have found.
Because of the extra annual generation of beetles, there could be up to 60 times as many beetles attacking trees in any given year, their study found. And in response to warmer temperatures at high elevations, pine beetles also are better able to survive and attack trees that haven’t previously developed defenses.
These are among the key findings of Jeffry Mitton, a CU-Boulder professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and Scott Ferrenberg, a graduate student in that department. The study is being published this month in The American Naturalist.
This exponential increase in the beetle population might help to explain the scope of the current beetle epidemic, which is the largest in history and extends from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico to the Yukon Territory near Alaska.
“This thing is immense,” Mitton said. The duo’s research, conducted in 2009 and 2010 at CU’s Mountain Research Station, located about 25 miles west of Boulder, helps explain why.
“We followed them through the summer, and we saw something that had never been seen before,” Mitton said. “Adults that were newly laid eggs two months before were going out and attacking trees” — in the same year. Normally, mountain pine beetles spend a winter as larvae in trees before emerging as adults the following summer.
These effects may be particularly pronounced at higher elevations, where warmer temperatures have facilitated beetle attacks. In the last two decades at the Mountain Research Station, mean annual temperatures were 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they were in the previous two decades.
Warmer temperatures gave the beetle larvae more spring days to grow to adulthood. The number of spring days above freezing temperatures increased by 15.1 in the last two decades, Mitton and Ferrenberg report. Also, the number of days that were warm enough for the beetles to grow increased by 44 percent since 1970.
The Mountain Research Station site is about 10,000 feet in elevation, 1,000 feet higher than the beetles have historically thrived. In their study, Mitton and Ferrenberg emphasize this anomaly.
“While our study is limited in area, it was completed in a site that was characterized as climatically unsuitable for (mountain pine beetle) development by the U.S. Forest Service only three decades ago,” they write.
But in 25 years, the beetles have expanded their range 2,000 feet higher in elevation and 240 miles north in latitude in Canada, Mitton said.
Ferrenberg had the idea to monitor the beetles at higher elevations partly because trees at lower elevations have been attacked by beetles for centuries and have developed some defenses.
Lodgepole pines at higher elevations tended to have a lower density of resin ducts, which transport resin, the sole defense against beetles. The number of resin ducts in a tree can be a “marker” for whether a tree has a higher or lower resistance to a beetle attack, Ferrenberg said.
The trees at higher elevations had not faced the same intensity of beetle attacks as those at lower elevations until temperatures warmed, and they have not faced pressures of natural selection exerted by attacking beetles. “The trees in that area are somewhat naïve in their response,” Ferrenberg said.
These data help explain why westbound motorists emerging from the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 can look up, from 11,000 feet in elevation, and see beetle-killed trees. “We think we see some of the reason for the fact that this epidemic is so widespread,” Mitton said.
The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
More on this story will appear in the next edition of Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine at http://artsandsciences.colorado.edu/magazine/
Source: Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine
