Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Hydrological Patterns And The Effects Of Land Use On Tss Concentrations And Yields In The Mccarthy Creek Watershed, Portland, Oregon, David Farmer

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The spread of impervious surface areas and the reduction of tree canopy via urbanization has numerous water quality impacts on Pacific Northwest watersheds. One such impact is elevated levels of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in run-off during storm events, particularly in steep, forested watersheds undergoing urbanization. This project was developed in collaboration with the West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District and focused on the McCarthy Creek Watershed, as a case-study watershed located in Portland, OR. The study aimed to identify elevated TSS concentrations and yields during storm events on both mainstem and tributary sampling locations, establish the relationship between …

Johnson Creek Bacteria Tmdl Implementation: Status And Trend Analysis Study, John Gala

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Like many other waterbodies in the United States, Johnson Creek, a tributary of the Lower Willamette River is water quality limited for bacteria. Escherichia coli (E. coli), a member of the fecal coliform bacteria group, has been found to have a high association with human pathogens and the occurrences of gastrointestinal illnesses in waters used for contact recreation; E. coli is commonly used as an indicator of fecal contamination. In the State of Oregon water contact recreational standards for fecal exposure is assessed by measuring in stream levels of E. coli. Because Johnson Creek is water quality …

Finding Water Scarcity Amid Abundance Using Human–Natural System Models, William K. Jaeger, Adell Amos, Daniel P. Bigelow, Heejun Chang, David R. Conklin, Roy Haggerty, Christian Langpap, Kathleen Moore, Philip Mote, Anne W. Nolin, Andrew J. Plantinga, Cynthia L. Schwartz, Desiree Tullos, David P. Turner

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Water scarcity afflicts societies worldwide. Anticipating water shortages is vital because of water’s indispensable role in social-ecological systems. But the challenge is daunting due to heterogeneity, feedbacks, and water’s spatial-temporal sequencing throughout such systems. Regional system models with sufficient detail can help address this challenge. In our study, a detailed coupled human–natural system model of one such region identifies how climate change and socioeconomic growth will alter the availability and use of water in coming decades. Results demonstrate how water scarcity varies greatly across small distances and brief time periods, even in basins where water may be relatively abundant overall. …

Turbidity Dynamics During High-Flow Storm Events In The Clackamas River, Oregon 2006-2012, Micelis Clyde Doyle

Dissertations and Theses

Turbidity is a useful parameter that can be utilized to help understand the water quality in a river and is an expression of the optical properties of a liquid that cause light rays to be scattered and absorbed rather than transmitted in straight lines. A total of 41 storm events occurring during water years 2006-2012 were analyzed for this study. A hysteresis index (HI) was used to assess the difference in turbidity on the rising and falling limbs of a storm-hydrograph. The upstream Carter Bridge site exhibited a clockwise (C) hysteresis in 38 of 41 storm events and counter-clockwise (CC) …

The Tension Between Technocratic And Social Values In Environmental Decision-Making: An'yang Stream Restoration In South Korea, Chang-Yu Hong

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation examined the extent to which interests and values of diverse stakeholders were considered through participation-oriented decision-making. It covered the An' Yang Stream restoration case in South Korea, which has been judged a successful stream management endeavor led by public-private partnership governance.

This research utilized a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. It addressed the extent to which the collaborative and participatory decision-making processes incorporated diverse stakeholder values and visions. The relevant data on stream restoration was collected through nominal group technique (NGT), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), semi-structured interviews, observations at collaborative stakeholder meetings and workshops, and …

Assessing A Fluorescence Spectroscopy Method For In-Situ Microbial Drinking Water Quality, Taylor Jeffery Sharpe

Dissertations and Theses

Waterborne disease is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease, in particular among high-risk populations in developing nations. State-of-the-art methods for the enumeration of microbial pathogens in drinking water sources have important limitations, including high initial cost, 24-48 hour delays in results, high staffing and facility requirements, and training requirements which all become especially problematic in the developing nation context.

A number of alternative approaches to microbial water quality testing have been proposed, with the goal of decreasing the required testing time, decreasing overall costs, leveraging appropriate technology approaches, or improving sensitivity or specificity of the water quality …

A Statistical Investigation Of Lower Columbia River Water Temperature, 1915-2003, Corina Christina Mae Overman

Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Columbia River is home to anadromous salmon populations that migrate upriver every year to spawn. These fish require cool water temperatures (T_w) to survive. In recent years, high summer T_w in the Columbia River has caused increased mortality of salmon. Different possible explanations for increased T_w include climate change, deforestation, and decreased summertime streamflow (Q) due to dams. In this study, robust linear regression models of T_w based on air temperature (T_a) and Q were developed to examine the change in T_w over time. The data was …

Analyzing Dam Feasibility In The Willamette River Watershed, Alexander Cameron Nagel

Dissertations and Theses

This study conducts a dam-scale cost versus benefit analysis in order to explore the feasibility of each the 13 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commissioned dams in Oregon’s Willamette River network. Constructed between 1941 and 1969, these structures function in collaboration to comprise the Willamette River Basin Reservoir System (WRBRS). The motivation for this project derives from a growing awareness of the biophysical impacts that dam structures can have on riparian habitats. This project compares each of the 13 dams being assessed, to prioritize their level of utility within the system. The study takes the metrics from the top …

Design And Application Of A 3d Photocatalyst Material For Water Purification, Simon Paul Fowler

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation presents a method for enhancement of the efficiency and scalability of photocatalytic water purification systems, along with an experimental validation of the concept. A 3-dimensional photocatalyst structure, made from a TiO₂-SiO₂ composite, has been designed and fabricated for use in a custom designed LED-source illumination chamber of rotational symmetry that corresponds with the symmetry of the photocatalyst material. The design of the photocatalyst material has two defining characteristics: geometrical form and material composition. The design of the material was developed through the creation of a theoretical model for consideration of the system's photonic efficiency. Fabrication …

Wicked Water Problems: Can Network Governance Deliver? Integrated Water Management Case Studies From New Zealand And Oregon, Usa, Jacqueline Dingfelder

Dissertations and Theses

Integrated water management is a wicked public policy problem with no clear path to resolution. This dissertation is an in-depth qualitative comparative analysis of two collaborative governance processes created to tackle complex water problems in New Zealand and Oregon, U.S.A. Both cases convened a wide range of state and non-state actors in efforts to find common ground, build consensus for change, and develop innovative water policy solutions.

The goal of this comparative case study analysis is to gain a better understanding of collaborative network governance frameworks as applied to integrated water management and primary factors for success. The proposition posits …

Influence Of Mixing And Buoyancy On Competition Between Cyanobacteria Species In Upper Klamath Lake, Roberta Joann Brunkalla

Dissertations and Theses

Cyanobacterial blooms in lakes impact human health, the economy, and ecosystem health. It is predicted that climate change will promote and increase the frequency and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms due to unique physiological adaptions that allow cyanobacteria to exploit warm stable water bodies. Key cyanobacteria physiological adaptions include nitrogen fixation, buoyancy regulation and higher optimum growth temperatures. The largest uncertainty of predicting the effect of climate change is in understanding how the interactions among species will change. Adding to the ambiguity, cyanobacteria physiological adaptions can vary based on lakespecific ecotypes and can have different sensitivities to temperature. It is critical …

Modeling The Effectiveness Of Riparian Restoration On Stream Shading In The Clackamas River Basin, Rachel Barksdale

ESM Colloquium

Rivers and streams within the Clackamas River Basin are not currently meeting water quality standards in terms of temperature. The Clackamas River Basin Council (CRBC) designed a restoration program to address the thermal loading on behalf of Portland General Electric (PGE) in which native trees and shrubs are planted along streams to restore riparian canopy cover. Solar radiation can be blocked by restoring canopy cover and is an effective way to provide shade, as well as providing ancillary environmental benefits such as enhanced wildlife habitat and erosion control. Stream and vegetation data were collected at nine sites to model the …

Effects Of Beaver Dams On Surface Water Flow During Storm Events In An Urban Landscape, Erin Poor

ESM Colloquium

Urban land-use generally alters the hydrologic cycle, leading to changes in the natural flow regime of local streams. Runoff from impervious surfaces and routing of stormwater to streams causes urban streams to respond quickly and more intensely to storm events-more so than then would be observed in a less urbanized landscape. The rapid pulse of water that is routed to streams during precipitation events can degrade the physical structure of the channel and alter water quality and habitat availability. To manage these common urban stream issues, agencies have been seeking alternative ways of restoring and enhancing resilience in urban stream …

Informing Oregon's Marine Protected Area (Mpa) Baseline: Past And Present Tribal Uses Of Marine Resources, Sabra Marie Tallchief Comet

ESM Colloquium

Native American tribes with ancestral land adjacent to the coast have gathered, hunted, and fished marine resources for millennia. In 2012, the state of Oregon designated five marine sites as reserves in which ocean development and harvest were prohibited. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are paired with each of the reserves and have less stringent “take” restrictions. Conflict over tribal use of MPAs have arisen in other states (e.g., California) as designation of MPAs and Reserves can impact subsistence, ceremonial, and traditional uses. My master’s thesis is intended to inform Oregon MPA management by developing a dataset that will describe tribal …

The Effects Of Scale Variation On Single-Family Residential Water Use In Portland, Or, Matthew Ryan Lee Bonnette

Dissertations and Theses

With growing urban populations and increasing concerns over the effects of climate change on water supplies, there has recently been a significant amount of interdisciplinary research focused on identifying the drivers of urban water use. Due to unavailability of individual or household level data, these studies are often limited to using spatially aggregated data. There is concern that this aggregation of data may be leading to misrepresentations of the drivers of urban water use, yet there have been few studies that have addressed this concern. As in all spatial quantitative analyses, studies in this area should consider how the spatial …

Root-Enhanced Infiltration In Stormwater Bioretention Facilities In Portland, Oregon, Ted David Hart

Dissertations and Theses

I evaluated the effectiveness of plant roots to increase infiltration rates within stormwater bioretention facilities (SBFs), roadside planter compartments that filter stormwater. SBFs attenuate harmful effects of stormwater by reducing peak flow and retaining pollutants, with increased infiltration that improves both these functions. Researchers have shown that roots can increase infiltration within greenhouse, lab, field, and test SBF settings. However, no researchers have yet measured either the extent to which different root characteristics can increase infiltration or the variation in root characteristics and their effect on infiltration rates among plant assemblages within currently functioning SBFs.

To determine if root-enhanced infiltration …

Watershed Response To Climate Change And Fire-Burns In The Upper Umatilla River Basin, Usa, Kimberly Crystal Yazzie, Heejun Chang

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study analyzed watershed response to climate change and forest fire impacts in the upper Umatilla River Basin (URB), Oregon, using the precipitation runoff modeling system. Ten global climate models using Coupled Intercomparison Project Phase 5 experiments with Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 were used to simulate the effects of climate and fire-burns on runoff behavior throughout the 21st century. We observed the center timing (CT) of flow, seasonal flows, snow water equivalent (SWE) and basin recharge. In the upper URB, hydrologic regime shifts from a snow-rain-dominated to rain-dominated basin. Ensemble mean CT occurs 27 days earlier in …

Hydrodynamic And Water Quality Modeling Of The Chehalis River Using Ce-Qual-W2, Sarah Van Glubt

Dissertations and Theses

The Chehalis River Basin is located in the southwest region of Washington State, originating in the Olympic Mountains and flowing to Grays Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. The Chehalis River is over 125 miles, exists within five counties, and flows through agricultural, residential, industrial, and forest land areas. Four major rivers discharge to the Chehalis River, as well as many smaller creeks, five wastewater treatment plants, and groundwater flows.

Flooding is a major problem in the relatively flat areas surrounding the cities of Chehalis and Centralia, with severe consequences for property, safety and transportation. As a result, construction of a …

Trace Metals In Stormwater: Alternative Best Management Practices, Jennifer Ibeth Mora

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

Heavy metals, such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), are considered hazardous in natural waters due to their toxicity and non-biodegradability. The focus of this study is to use batch experiments to investigate the heavy metal (Cu and Zn) removal efficiency of perlite and Earthlite^TM to improve in-situ filtration systems for stormwater catchment basins. Stormwater samples from two field sites in Portland, OR, chosen to represent a high-use commercial site and high-traffic urban road, were characterized to inform experimental design and compare to values found in literature. The Linear, Freundlich, and Langmuir isotherm models were used to describe equilibrium …

City Of Gresham Stormwater Retrofit Master Plan, Teresa F. Huntsinger

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

The Stormwater Retrofit Master Plan identifies more than 50 stormwater retrofit project opportunities across three watersheds in the City of Gresham. The retrofit projects are prioritized in a scoring system to evaluate the costs and benefits of diverse project sizes and types. Project types range from bioswales and planters in city parking lots and along arterial roads, to regional end-of-pipe facilities and retrofits of existing detention ponds. Top projects will move forward for further assessment, design and construction, helping the city achieve its water quality improvement goals. The scoring system may be used to evaluate additional projects in the future.

Informing Oregon's Marine Protected Area (Mpa) Baseline Past And Present Tribal Uses Of Marine Resources, Sabra Marie Tallchief Comet

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Oregon implemented a series of marine reserves from 2012 through the beginning of 2016 that will be evaluated in 2023. As part of that evaluation, several studies are focusing on the impact of the reserves on coastal communities. This project focused on tribal members with ancestral territory on the Oregon coast. Tribal members from three tribes, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Coquille Indian Tribe, and the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians were interviewed for this project. The interviews centered around two themes: 1) past and present use of marine and coastal species, and 2) …