Post by shotgunmario on Apr 16, 2009 0:13:15 GMT -6
For anyone new, or looking to get started in research, I wrote this a while back- it was intended for drain research, but it can easily be modified to other types of research. Anyone else with other ideas should chime in.
-scan coastlines with the best available satellite images you can get; looking for water spilling down from the shore, tunnel shapes, riverbeds, etc.
-google/yahoo for keywords in combinations [storm drains, sewer drain, *town name*, pollution, e coli, beaches, human waste, etc.]
-look in newspapers and TV channel websites and such about drains not working
properly or flooding, especially around spring
-search online archives [proquest, EBSCOhost, etc.] if you are a student or have access to these, especially about past upgrades to sewer systems, splitting of combination sewers, hookups, drainage plans, etc.
-browse other UE websites, and be sure to look it up in google or archive.org caches if the page is no longer available.
-look in parks that are adjacent or intersecting bodies of water
-mentally retrace routes and try and 'look' for possible drains, then go there and confirm/deny this
-look for rivers on maps that abruptly end or appear, especially through DNR or state-level. Sometimes cities won't draw in artificial streams they use to reroute, even if above ground.
-look at topographic maps for hills that rainwater would naturally follow
-look at streets for unexplained curves on either side.
-hunt down old maps
-go to the library or archives
-go to city hall, engineers firm, civil planners, etc.
-try and get info from private companies hired by towns & cities
-pop some manholes
-pay a utility worker to tell you stuff
Try using a combination of Google Earth, Local Live bird eye, and Google Maps Street view. I also use an addon for Google Earth that will open the available location in one of the other major maps, making it much easier to work between the 4:
Google Earth Tool
That's all I have for now.
-scan coastlines with the best available satellite images you can get; looking for water spilling down from the shore, tunnel shapes, riverbeds, etc.
-google/yahoo for keywords in combinations [storm drains, sewer drain, *town name*, pollution, e coli, beaches, human waste, etc.]
-look in newspapers and TV channel websites and such about drains not working
properly or flooding, especially around spring
-search online archives [proquest, EBSCOhost, etc.] if you are a student or have access to these, especially about past upgrades to sewer systems, splitting of combination sewers, hookups, drainage plans, etc.
-browse other UE websites, and be sure to look it up in google or archive.org caches if the page is no longer available.
-look in parks that are adjacent or intersecting bodies of water
-mentally retrace routes and try and 'look' for possible drains, then go there and confirm/deny this
-look for rivers on maps that abruptly end or appear, especially through DNR or state-level. Sometimes cities won't draw in artificial streams they use to reroute, even if above ground.
-look at topographic maps for hills that rainwater would naturally follow
-look at streets for unexplained curves on either side.
-hunt down old maps
-go to the library or archives
-go to city hall, engineers firm, civil planners, etc.
-try and get info from private companies hired by towns & cities
-pop some manholes
-pay a utility worker to tell you stuff
Try using a combination of Google Earth, Local Live bird eye, and Google Maps Street view. I also use an addon for Google Earth that will open the available location in one of the other major maps, making it much easier to work between the 4:
Google Earth Tool
That's all I have for now.