Community Notes 07-13-2011

1. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle. Data suggest that 199 Kemp’s ridley nests have been found in Texas so far this season. This is the largest number found in a single year since the record keeping began in the early 1980s. Mexico is the primary home for this species. After identifying a need for a secondary nesting location, U.S. scientists worked to establish Texas as this secondary location. More at http://www.nps.gov/pais.
2. Lessons from the Big Muddy. A new video, “Mississippi Flood Lessons & Lost Opportunity,” has been released from an ongoing video from an ongoing video series called Gulf Tides. The video focuses on the recent Mississippi Flood and includes the informed perspectives of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade’s founding Director Anne Rolfes, and John Barry, author and member of both the Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Authority East and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. To watch the video, visit http://www.youtube.com/healthygulf.
3. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/compliance/monitoring/air/monops/forecast_today.html
   • July 14: Green–Good–Moderate winds and low background levels should keep air quality in the “Good” range away from any wildfires.
   • July 15: Green–Good–Moderate winds and low background levels should keep air quality in the “Good” range away from any wildfires. African dust could possibly raise particulate levels along the Texas coast.
   • July 16: Green–Good–Moderate winds and low background levels should keep air quality in the “Good” range away from any wildfires