Why is it raining SO much this year?

Ride canceled this week due to stupid rain

Rain, rain, go away! Boy, what a soggy summer! Yet another ride had to be canceled due to the threat of rain. While summer rain storms are not uncommon, this year has felt like more than usual, and you’re not wrong for feeling that way. 

According to the National Weather Service, Louisiana is the wettest state in the continental U.S. at an average 60 inches per year. This year, we’ve already gotten about 78% of what we typically get by this time of year. 

All that rain means we’re also seeing a good bit of flooding. Not in Downtown East, of course, but other places in town. The easiest place to lay blame is with the city. Drainage isn’t good enough, right? Well, not so fast. That’s only part of the story.

The amount of rain we’ve been getting is far more than what we’ve dealt with in the past, so our current drainage systems are being put to the test, to say the least.

Rainfall intensity is the real culprit. That’s what’s stressing out our current drainage systems because they were engineered to work in a world that didn’t produce as much rain as quickly. 

With the continued stress of climate change, I would say things are going to get worse before they get better. Remember how long it took to get bike lanes on Government Street?

But, this isn’t a science or civics’ lesson. It is, however, a little suggestion. The one thing I’ve found is that more awareness is needed surrounding climate change issues. One person on our weekly rides who has great information on the topic is Stephen Poss.

Truly Green Landcare is his side-hustle, so he’s in the business of saving the planet. No gas powered blowers or damaging chemicals. It’s all eco-friendly practices that will make your yard look marvelous! Heck, he even rides a bike to your house! #yeahbike

Although there are things we can do as small businesses and individuals, the burden really falls on industry to take action! 

Action starts with information. To learn more about what Louisiana is doing relative to climate change, start by signing up for the mailing list from the Louisiana Climate Initiatives Task Force. 

Governor Edwards formed the task force late last year and set out some pretty strong goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. That’s really our best chance of getting something substantial done around here. 

Whether you agree with me or not about climate change, I’d love to chat with you about your thoughts on our next ride. It should be dry by the weekend, so our brunch ride Sunday is still on!

DING, DING!

If you’re a plant lover, check out the gardening section on the Downtown East website. Urban gardening is one of those pretty cool things you can do to help make the planet a healthier and happier place. And it’s fun!