Engineering Commons^™

A Low-Cost, Open Source Monitoring System For Collecting High Temporal Resolution Water Use Data On Magnetically Driven Residential Water Meters, Camilo J. Bastidas Pacheco, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, Robb J. Tracy

Publications

We present a low-cost (≈$150) monitoring system for collecting high temporal resolution residential water use data without disrupting the operation of commonly available water meters. This system was designed for installation on top of analog, magnetically driven, positive displacement, residential water meters and can collect data at a variable time resolution interval. The system couples an Arduino Pro microcontroller board, a datalogging shield customized for this specific application, and a magnetometer sensor. The system was developed and calibrated at the Utah Water Research Laboratory and was deployed for testing on five single family residences in Logan and Providence, Utah, for …

Ncer Assistance Agreement Annual Progress Report For Grant #83582401 - Assessment Of Stormwater Harvesting Via Manage Aquifer Recharge (Mar) To Develop New Water Supplies In The Arid West: The Salt Lake Valley Example, Ryan Dupont, Joan E. Mclean, Richard C. Peralta, Sarah E. Null, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The goals of the original proposed project remain the same, that is, to test the hypothesis that Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for stormwater harvesting is a technically feasible, socially and environmentally acceptable, economically viable, and legally feasible option for developing new water supplies for arid Western urban ecosystems experiencing increasing population, and climate change pressures on existing water resources. The project is being carried out via three distinct but integrated components that include: 1) Monitoring of existing distributed MAR harvesting schemes involving a growing number of demonstration Green Infrastructure (GI) test sites; 2) Integrated stormwater/vadose zone/groundwater/ ecosystem services modeling; and …

Longitudinal Thermal And Solute Dynamics In Regulated Rivers, Muhammad Rezaul Haider

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dam releases increase river stage and can reverse groundwater movement into and out of the river. As the flood, thermal, and solute waves travel downstream in a regulated river, the size of the waves is anticipated to be affected both by river processes and exchanges with near river groundwater. This study established a modeling framework to quantify the influences of the groundwater exchanges on the temperatures and solute concentration dynamics along regulated rivers. The wave properties, volume of exchanges, conservative solute mass exchanges, and heat energy exchanges were calculated as a function of time and distance downstream. Results show that …

Stream Temperature Monitoring And Modeling To Inform Restoration: A Study Of Thermal Variability In The Western Us, Jessica R. Wood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water temperature is an important variable for aquatic ecosystems. Salmonid population numbers and distribution are heavily influenced by stream temperature, and there is growing concern about the health of salmonid populations with anticipated climate change. Managers are looking to efficiently evaluate options to maintain stream temperatures needed by salmonids. This study evaluated and compared stream temperature restoration alternatives in two streams with warm temperatures using stream temperature monitoring and modeling.

The first study identified pockets of cold water that are important to native fish species in Nevada’s Walker River. Comparison of monitoring results with existing basin-scale model outputs identified two …

Ncer Assistance Agreement Annual Progress Report For Grant #83582401 - Assessment Of Stormwater Harvesting Via Manage Aquifer Recharge (Mar) To Develop New Water Supplies In The Arid West: The Salt Lake Valley Example, Ryan Dupont, Joan E. Mclean, Richard C. Peralta, Sarah E. Null, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The aims of the original proposed project remain the same, that is, to test the hypothesis that Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for stormwater harvesting is a technically feasible, socially and environmentally acceptable, economically viable, and legally feasible option for developing new water supplies for arid Western urban ecosystems experiencing increasing population, and climate change pressures on existing water resources. The project is being carried out via three distinct but integrated components that include: 1) Monitoring of existing distributed MAR harvesting schemes involving a growing number of demonstration Green Infrastructure (GI) test sites; 2) Integrated stormwater/vadose zone/groundwater/ ecosystem services modeling; and …

Ncer Assistance Agreement Annual Progress Report For Grant #83582401 - Assessment Of Stormwater Harvesting Via Manage Aquifer Recharge (Mar) To Develop New Water Supplies In The Arid West: The Salt Lake Valley Example, Ryan Dupont, Joan E. Mclean, Richard C. Peralta, Sarah E. Null, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The aims of the original proposed project remain the same, that is, to test the hypothesis that Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for stormwater harvesting is a technically feasible, socially and environmentally acceptable, economically viable, and permittable option for developing new water supplies for arid Western urban ecosystems experiencing increasing population, and climate change pressures on existing water resources. The project is being carried out via three distinct but integrated components that include: 1) Monitoring of existing distributed Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) harvesting schemes involving a growing number of demonstration Green Infrastructure (GI) test sites; 2) Integrated stormwater/vadose zone/groundwater/ ecosystem services …

Hydrologic Efficiency In Water Conservation, L. Douglas James

Reports

Introduction: The hydrologic cycle can be subdivided into three phases: 1)Humidity is transported within the atmosphere and becomes precipitation, and 2) Water moves downhill until eventually reaching the sea while all the time 3) Evapotranspiration returns exposed moisture to the atmosphere. During its movement, flowing water transports suspended sediments and dissolved minerals to reshape landforms and redistribute the mineral composition of the earth's surface throughout geologic time. It is during the second phase that flowing water can be diverted for uses that generally add to evaportranspiration (through consumptive use) and transport (through waste disposal). The water resources development that serves …

Solving Problems In Water Quality, Utah Water Research Laboratory

Reports

No abstract provided.

Cee & Uwrl Research In Action, Utah Water Research Laboratory

Reports

Introduction: The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineer (CEE) and the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL) have a symbiotic working relationship. The CEE Department provides the pricipal investigators with academic affiliation to the university while the UWRL provides faculty with a strong water research arena. Both the CEE department and the UWRL have been involved in research and problem solving for government agencies and private industry.

High Intensity Land Treatment (Hilt) Practices, John P. Martin, Ronald C. Sims

Reports

Land treatment is categorized in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as one of the land disposal options for managing hazardous waste constituents within the defined treatment zone before such constituents can be transported to surface water, groundwater, or air. Under the authroity of Subtitle C of RCFA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has promulgated regulations governing the treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes in land treatment units (40 CFR, Part 264, Subpart M, July 26, 1982). The objectives of this report were to identify land treatment facilities meeting the defined high intensity land treatment (HILT) criteria, …

Information For Operation Of Water Supply Systems, L. Douglas James, Glen E. Stringham, J. Clair Batty

Reports

Introduction: Water requirements increase as more people use more water for domestic purposes. The increase is augmented as technological advances add to the water needs of agriculture and industry. Additional urban landscaping adds further to the demand. Simultaneously, the same forces increase demands for flood control, hydrelectric power, and navigation; and a more urbanized population want more flows preserved for productive natural environments, recreational use, and aesthetic enjoyment. The response over the years to these growing demands on water resources has been to supply increasing amounts of water and greater levels of development for other purposes by building more projects, …

The Transfer Of Agricultural Water To Municipal And Industrial Usages, Dallin Paul Stephens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The water that is available for beneficial use in Utah is quickly approaching full appropriation; water that has been claimed is nearing the amount that is available for use. The Division of Water Resources of the State of Utah has organized a three-part plan to "Plan, Conserve, Develop and Protect Utah's Water Resources." One of these three elements has a focus to "provide comprehensive water planning." Such planning is best achieved when current and accurate data on the uses of the state's water are available.

The primary purpose of this thesis was to provide an evaluation, from data collected on …

Piano Key Weir Head Discharge Relationships, Ricky M. Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A piano key (PK) weir is a type of nonlinear (labyrinth-type) weir developed specifically for free-surface flow control structures with relatively small spillway footprints. Currently, no generally accepted standard PK weir design procedure is available. This is due, in part, to the large number of geometric parameters and a limited understanding of their effects on discharge efficiency (discharge efficiency is quantified by the discharge coefficient of the standard weir equation). However, Hydrocoop, a non-profit French dam spillways association, has recommended a PK weir design and a head-discharge relationship specific to that geometry.

To develop a better understanding of the effects …

Modeling Integrated Decisions For A Municipal Water System With Recourse And Uncertainties: Amman, Jordan, David E. Rosenberg, Jay Lund

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Stochastic mixed-integer optimization is used to identify a portfolio of long- and short-term supply and conservation actions for a municipal water system to cost-effectively accommodate a distribution of water shortages. Alternative robust, grey-number, and best/worst case formulations systematically explore implications of uncertainties in action costs, life spans, water volumes gained or saved, shortage levels, and shortage probabilities. A detailed example for Amman, Jordan considers 23 potential actions. Results show: (1) remarkable consistency occurs across the different modeling approaches. (2) Conserving water—reducing leakage and targeting select customers to install water efficient appliances—plays an important and growing role over time. (3) A …

Water Management: Partnerships For Future Directions (Research And Testing Education Support Outreach), Mac Mckee

Reports

The UWRL is uniquely positioned to form collaborations with USU departments, other academic institutions and water centers, government, and private sector organizations involved in addressing water issues. The strong and consistent support of the State of Utah illustrates the importance of water and the creation of knowledge to manage water in Utah and the surrounding western states. The scope of projects ranges from multimillion dollar partnerships related to soil and groundwater remediation with national impacts, to small scale projects related to outreach to a specific city or county public sector audience. The UWRL mission, the strategy used to accomplish the …

Development Of A Low-Cost, Self-Calibrating Stream Gaging Station, Gilberto Urroz, Robert C. Leines, Garryn L. Perret, Jared M. Holland, Brian E. Hunsaker

Reports

Executive Summary: The present report presents a review of the state-of-the-art technologies for the development of a low-cost, self-calibrating stream gaging station. The research was conducted by the Utah Water Research Laboratory with funding provided by the Utah Division of Water Resources through Project RP 110080, March 1998. The report presents a review of the current practices in stream gaging and how technologies such as remote data telemetry through the use of satellite, cellular phone communications, and radio telemetry can be used for the real-time transmission of data. The study also includes the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) for …

Utah Water Research Laboratory Publications Listing 1993-1996, David S. Bowles, Leaunda S. Hemphill

Reports

No abstract provided.

The Study Of The Resistance And Stability Of Vegetation Ecosystem Plant Groupings In Flood Control Channels: Vol. 1, William Rahmeyer, David Werth

Reports

Preface: The following report was prepared by the utah Water Research Laboratory of Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Volume 1 of the UWRL report USU--400A contains the data summary and conclusions of flow tests conducted with different plant types and ecosystem groupings of shrubs and woody vegetation in the hydraulics flumes of Utah State University. The methodology and equations that were developed to predict flow resistance for fultiple plant types include the effects of plant fexibility, varying plant density, plant characteristics, and multiple plant stems. The study included over 214 flow tests, testing of 20 different plant types, 5 …

Cache County Water Demand/Supply Model, Trevor C. Hughes, Gregory J. Norby, Laxman Thyagarajan

Reports

This report descibes a municipal water demand forecasting model for use in areas of mixed rural and urban housing types. A series of residential demand functions were derived which forecast water demand based on the ype and density of housing and season. Micro sampling techniques were used to correlate water use data and explanatory variable data for low, medium, and high density housing. The demand functions were incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) platform cosisting of a desk-top mapping program, MapInfo, coupled with a user interface program written in Visual Basic. The GIS-based model analyzes water demand at the …

Proceedings Of The 1995 Annual Symposium On Engineering Geology And Geotechnical Engineering (No. 31), Joseph A. Caliendo

Reports

No abstract provided.

Locally Weighted Polynomial Regression: Parameter Choice And Application To Forecasts Of The Great Salt Lake, Upmanu Lall, Young-Ii Moon, Ken Bosworth

Reports

Relationships between hydrologic variables are often nonlinear. Usually the functional form of such a relationship is not known a priori. A multivariate, nonparametric regression methodology is provided here for approximating the underlying regression function using locally veighted polynomials. Locally weighted polynomials consider the approximation of the target function through a Taylor series expansion of the function in the neighborhood of the point of estimate. Cross validatory procedures for the selection of the size of the neighborhood over which this approximation should take place, and for the order of the local polynomial to use are provided and shown for some simple …

In Situ Bioremediation Of Contaminated Unsaturated Subsurface Soils, Joseph L. Sims, R. C. Sims, R. R. Dupont, J. E. Mathews, M. M. Russell

Reports

An emerging technology for the remediation of unsaturated subsurface soils involves the use of microorganisms to degrade contaminants which are present in such soils. Understanding the processes which drive in situ bioremediation, as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of the utilization of these systems, are issues which have been identified by the Regional Superfund Engineering Forum as concerns of Superfund decision makers.

The Great Salt Lake: A Barometer Of Low Frequency Climate Variability, Upmanu Lall, Michael Mann

Reports

Low frequency (interannual or longer period) climatic variability is of interest bacause of its sugnificance for the understanding and prediction of protracted climatic anomalies. Closed basin lakes are sensitive to long term climatic fluctuations and integrate out high frequency variability. It is thus natural to examine the records of such lakes to better understand long term climate dynamics. Here we use Singular Spectral Analysis (SSA) and Multi-Taper Spectral Analysis (MTM) to analyze the time series of Great Slat Lake (GSL) monthly volume changes from 1848-1992, and monthly precipitation, temperature and streamflow for nearby stations with 74 or more years of …

Antecedent Moisture Conditions For Utah Local Storm Probable Maximum Floods, Travis S. Taylor, David S. Bowles

Reports

Introduction: The critical inflow design flood for most dams in Utah is the probable maximum flood (PMF) resulting from the local storm probable maximum precipitation (PMP) event. Commonly, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) curve number method is used to determine the PMF from the local storm PMP. An important factor in this determination is the assumption of antecedent moisture conditions (AMC) existing immediately prior to the onset of the PMP event. At one northern Utah dam site the use of AMC III increased the PMF peak flowrate by 50 percent over the peak obtained when AMC II was used (Win …

A Spatially Distributed Energy Balance Snowmelt Model, David G. Tarboton, Tanveer G. Chowdhury, Thomas H. Jackson

Reports

This paper describes an energy balance snowmelt model developed for the prediction of rapid snowmelt rates responsible for soil erosion and water input to a distributed water balance model. The model uses a lumped representation of the snowpack with two state variables, namely, water equivalent and energy content relative to a reference state of water in the ice phase at 0 degrees Celcius. This energy content is used to determine snowpack average temperature of liquid fraction. This representation of the snowpack is used to determine snowpack average temperature of liquid fraction. This representation of the snowpack is used in a …

Utah Water Research Laboratory Publications Listing 1989-1994, David S. Bowles, Leaunda S. Hemphill

Reports

No abstract provided.

Low Frequency Climate Variability: Understanding The Rise And Fall Of The Great Salt Lake, Michael E. Mann, Upmanu Lall, Barry Saltzman

Reports

Connections between the Great Salt Lake (GSL) volume (V) and large-scale climate variations are developed through an analysis of the time series of the month-to-month differences in V (change in V), local precipitation and streamflow, and gridded U.S. sea level pressure and global temperature data. We isolate decadal and secular mdoes of cliamte variability that are coherent with change in V variations. The decadal variations results from a low-frequency north-south shifting of storm tracks which influence winter precipitation. These variations describe nearly 18% of the interannual variance in change in V, while the secular trend accounts for only ~1.5%. The …

Selecting Controls For Water Distribution Systems, J. Paul Tullis

Reports

One of the key requirements for reliable operations of a water supply system is a thorough analysis and proper selection of the control valves and pumps. For valves, selection criteria includes capacity, pressure loss, controllability, torque, cavitation and transients. Pump selection requires matching the pump performance to varying system demands. Examples are given for single pump operation and use of pumps in series and parallel. When future demands exceed the original design conditions, or if significant changes are required in the operation of the system, each important control device should be analyzed to see if it can operate safely at …

Measurements And Modeling Of Snow Energy Balance And Sublimation From Snow, David G. Tarboton

Reports

Snow melt runoff is an important factor in runoff generation for most Utah rivers and a large contributer to Utah's water supply and periodically flooding. The melting of snow is driven by fluxes of energy into the snow during warm periods. These consist of radiant energy from the sun and atmosphere, sensible and latent heat transfers due to turbulent energy exchanges at the snow surface and a relatively small ground flux from below. The turbulent energy exchanges are also responsible for sublimation from the snow surface, particularly in arid environments, and result in a loss of snow water equivalent available …

The Source Hydrology Of Severe Sustained Drought In Th Southwestern U.S., David G. Tarboton

Reports

This paper considers the risk of drought and develops drough scenarios for use in the study of severe sustained drought in the Southwestern United States. The focus is on the Colorado River gbasin and regions to which Colorado River water is exported, especially southern California, which depends on water from the Colorado River as well as the four major rivers in northern California. Drought scenarios are developed using estimates of unimpaired historic streamflow as well as reconstructions of streamflow based on tree ring widths. Drought scenarios in the Colorado River are defined on the basis of annual flow at Lees …