MEDIA TIP SHEET — Colorado State University Experts Address the Aftermath of Historic Flood

Note to Reporters: As the high waters recede from Colorado’s historic flood, experts at Colorado State University in Fort Collins are available to address some of the issues facing residents as they move forward and rebuild. This information is for media only; not for publication. Additional experts are available on a previous tip sheet at news.colostate.edu

REBUILDING
Mehmet E. Ozbek is an assistant professor and the graduate program coordinator in the Department of Construction Management. He holds a doctorate in Civil Engineering with a focus on Construction Engineering and Management. His expertise is in infrastructure asset management, sustainable infrastructure and condition assessment. To speak with Ozbek, contact Tony Phifer at Tony.Phifer@colostate.edu or (970) 491-7712.

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Steve Reynolds, Section Head of Occupational and Environmental Health, is director of the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, one of only ten national Agricultural Centers funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Reynolds was previously involved in flood workshops to provide information on health and safety implications of extreme flooding, specifically with issues concerning hazards involved in cleaning and reoccupying homes, including: indoor air quality, structural damage, debris buildup, gas and oil hazards, electrical threats, chemical exposures, and various health effects caused by certain exposures. To speak with Reynolds, contact Jennifer Dimas at (970) 491-1543 or Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu

OIL AND GAS WATER ISSUES
Ken Carlson is an Associate Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University with over 20 years of experience in water treatment, wastewater handling and environmental engineering. He is the co-director of the Colorado Energy-Water Consortium, a public-private partnership that is addressing water issues associated with oil and gas exploration and production in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. To speak with Carlson, contact Kate Jeracki at (970) 491-2658 or kate.jeracki@colostate.edu.

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Scott Denning is Monfort Professor of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, where he leads a large research group using many kinds of observations and models to understand the metabolism of the Earth’s biosphere. His research specialty is the interaction between vegetated land and the atmosphere. In addition to using global satellite imagery, his research has included extensive field work in the great north woods of Wisconsin, the farms of Iowa, and the Amazon rainforest. He also serves as Director of Education and Diversity for CMMAP, the Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes, working to enhance understanding of global climate through K-12, undergraduate, and graduate study as well as informal education and public presentations. To speak with Denning, contact Kate Jeracki at (970) 491-2658 or kate.jeracki@colostate.edu.

COPING AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER
Jenn Matheson, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, is available to discuss human stress and coping after a natural disaster. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who can talk about individuals, couples, families, communities and larger systems and how they can best manage the stressors immediately and long term after a disaster for those immediately impacted, first responders, and those who have been secondarily impacted. To speak with Matheson, contact Tony Phifer at Tony.Phifer@colostate.edu or (970) 491-7712.

FOOD SAFETY AFTER A FLOOD
Marisa Bunning, associate professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, is available discuss food safety issues surrounding the recent Colorado floods. She can talk about steps for cleaning kitchens and food storage areas after a flood as well as offer tips on food to discard. Bunning says that if there is a chance of contact with contaminated water, food should be discarded. The safety of produce from a garden or farm needs to be assessed after flooding. To speak with Bunning, contact Tony Phifer at Tony.Phifer@colostate.edu or (970) 491-7712.

POST-FLOOD TREE CONCERNS
Keith Wood, community forester for the Colorado State Forest Service, can talk about the risk of trees falling or dying due to the erosion caused by rushing water, how to recognize trees of concern and actions landowners can take to address concerns. To speak with Wood, contact Ryan Lockwood at (970) 491-8970 or Ryan.Lockwood@colostate.edu.

SPECIAL CARE FOR TREES, SHRUBS AND GARDENS
Jim Klett, professor in the CSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, has expertise in landscape plant material identification, culture and care. He can talk about how to best care for trees, shrubs and gardens. He is an expert in annuals, perennials and woody plants of the Rocky Mountain and High Plains areas. Klett is coordinator of CSU’s Flower Trial Gardens, the largest flower test garden in the state and one of the five largest in the United States. He also coordinates several state and regional programs including Plant Select and Planttalk Colorado. To speak with Klett, contact Jennifer Dimas at (970) 491-1543 or Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu.

HEALTH ISSUES AND DISPLACEMENT OF HORSES AND LIVESTOCK
Robert Callan, Head of Livestock Medicine and Surgery at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, provides clinical care for beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, llamas, and other livestock. His research interests include livestock infectious diseases and nutritional and metabolic disease. Callan has worked with several local farmers and organizations and has first-hand experience with livestock rescues. To speak with Callan, contact Jennifer Dimas at (970) 491-1543 or Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu.

FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT IN TIMES OF DISTRESS
Norm Dalsted, professor and extension specialist in Agricultural and Resource Economics, is available to discuss farm and ranch financial management in times of distress. Dalsted has been involved in extension education for nearly 32 years in Colorado and has worked with more than 1,500 individual farmers and ranchers. His major efforts in educational programs have included agricultural outlook; financial management; livestock and crop production economics; alternative cropping systems; crop insurance; bankruptcy; enterprise budgeting; and whole farm and ranch planning. To speak with Dalsted, contact Jennifer Dimas at (970) 491-1543 or Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu.