Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons^™

Causes And Effects Of Shisper Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Event In Karakoram In 2022, Sandeep Kumar Mondal, Vatsal D. Patel, Rishikesh Bharti, Ramesh P. Singh

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Karakoram Himalayas are vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which cause catastrophic floods in the surrounding areas. The increasing natural and anthropogenic activities, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plains at the southern flank of the towering Himalayas, could be the cause of climate change affecting the frequency of the natural hazards in the Himalayas. In the present study, a detailed analysis of the Shisper Lake breach of 7 May 2022 is carried out using satellite remote sensing. A decreasing trend in the glacial mass balance is observed between 2017 and 2021; in this period, frequent GLOF episodes occurred. A pronounced …

Hydropower To The People: Implications Of A Comparative Macroinvertebrate Study On Either Side Of The Central Hidroeléctrica Topo In Tungurahua, Ecuador, Grace Mazur

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study uses macroinvertebrates as bioindicators to assess the water quality upstream and downstream of a hydroelectric project in Ecuador’s eastern cloud forest. Ecuador has increasingly turned to hydropower to supply its energy needs as pressure mounts to turn away from fossil fuels. This transition has been realized on the Río Topo, located in the province of Tungurahua. This study aims to determine how the Central Hidroeléctrica Topo (CHT), a diversion hydroelectric project (HEP) constructed on the Río Topo in the 2010s, has affected the water quality of the river. Samples were taken of benthic (bottom-dwelling) macroinvertebrates in the Río …

Constituent Loads And Trends In The Upper Illinois River Watershed: A Nonpoint Source Management Program Priority Watershed, Erin M. Grantz, Brian E. Haggard

Technical Reports

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Division (ANRD) has identified the Upper Illinois River Watershed (UIRW; 11110103), a hydrologic unit code (HUC) 8 watershed, located in Northwest Arkansas for prioritization by the Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program. URIW encompasses the Illinois River from its headwaters to the state line with Oklahoma and has been the subject of interstate disputes over water quality for decades. Nonpoint source pollution concerns in UIRW are excess nutrients from agriculture and sediment from changes in land use/land cover (LULC).

Local, state, and national groups, including the NPS Source Management Program, have invested in …

Constituent Loads And Trends In The Upper White River Basin: A Nonpoint Source Management Program Priority Watersheds, Erin M. Grantz, Brian E. Haggard

Technical Reports

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Division (ANRD) has identified the Upper White River Basin (UWRB; HUC 11010001) a hydrologic unit code (HUC) 8 watersheds, located in Northwest Arkansas, for prioritization by the Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program. UWRB includes Beaver Lake in its borders, the drinking water source for 1 in 6 Arkansans. Nonpoint source pollution concerns in these watersheds are excess nutrients from agriculture and sediment from changes in land use/land cover (LULC).

Local, state, and national groups, including the NPS Source Management Program, have invested in education, best management practices, and streambank restoration in the …

Defining Critical Or Hydrologic Conditions As Sampled During The Joint Study, Brian E. Haggard, Erin Grantz, J. T. Scott

Technical Reports

The “Joint Study” was conducted to fulfill the obligations of the second “Statement of Joint Principles and Actions” agreed to by the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The “Joint Study” affirmed the magnitude of Oklahoma’s Scenic River total phosphorus (TP) criteria (i.e., 0.037 mg/L), but it added the new caveat of applying the criteria to “critical conditions.” The primary purpose of this paper was to define “critical conditions” based on the range in base flow proportions (BFP) of total streamflow on days that were sampled in the “Joint Study,” where BFP is base flow discharge divided by total stream flow …

Arkansas Bulletin Of Water Research - Issue 2021-2022, Erin Grantz, Lillie Haddock, Brian E. Haggard

Arkansas Bulletin of Water Research

The Arkansas Bulletin of Water Research (Bulletin) is a publication of the Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC). We publish the Bulletin to communicate the major findings of research funded by the Water Resources Research Act Section 104(b) in Arkansas. This research is relevant to Arkansas water stakeholders, and the Bulletin provides an easily searchable and aesthetically engaging access option.

This is the fourth publication of the Bulletin. This issue contains final reports from research projects that were funded by the 104(b) program in fiscal years 2019 and 2020. The articles in this issue can be cited as an AWRC publication. …

Nutrient Improvements In Chesapeake Bay: Direct Effect Of Load Reductions And Implications For Coastal Management, Rebecca R. Murphy, Jennifer Keisman, Jon Harcum, Renee R. Karrh, Mike Lane, Elgin S. Perry, Qian Zhang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In Chesapeake Bay in the United States, decades of management efforts have resulted in modest reductions of nutrient loads from the watershed, but the corresponding improvements in estuarine water quality have not consistently followed. Generalized additive models were used to directly link river flows and nutrient loads from the watershed to nutrient trends in the estuary on a station-by-station basis, which allowed for identification of exactly when and where responses are happening. Results show that Chesapeake Bay’s total nitrogen and total phosphorus conditions are mostly improving after accounting for variation in freshwater flow. Almost all of these improving nutrient concentrations …

A Biological Assessment Of Water Quality In El Placer, Ecuador: The Effect Of Agriculture On Stream Health And The Quality Of Historical Versus Current Drinking Water Sources, Danielle Kleinberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although fresh water is one of Ecuador’s most abundant resources, high quality drinking water for its inhabitants is scarce (Wingfield et al., 2021). The most prevalent sources of water pollution in Ecuador are domestic waste, silver and gold mining, oil production, and agricultural chemicals (Buckalew et al., 1997). El Placer, a village located in Tungurahua, Ecuador, is highly dependent on agriculture as a source of income. The first objective of this study was to determine the effect of agriculture on the El Placer’s Tía Anita Stream through comparing the water quality at three sites with varying agricultural influence. The second …

Water Quality Monitoring In The Upper Poteau River Watershed, Abbie Lasater, Brian E. Haggard

Technical Reports

The Upper Poteau River Watershed (UPRW) has been listed as a priority watershed in Arkansas since 1998 due to nutrient and sediment enrichment from point and nonpoint sources (NPS). According to the Arkansas NPS pollution management plan, the goals for the UPRW are to reduce pollutant levels that will restore all designates uses and target subwatersheds where implementation of management practices can have the greatest impact. Over the last several years, many 319(h) projects have been implemented and point sources have been reduced in order to improve water quality in the UPRW. The purpose of this study was to monitor …

Swine Slurry Characteristics As Affected By Selected Additives And Disinfectants, Jon Duerschner, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Kent Eskridge, John E. Gilley, Xu Li, Amy M. Schmidt, Daniel D. Snow

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Current swine industry practice is to house animals in confinement facilities which capture and store feces and urine as slurry in pits below the production area. Additives and disinfectants may be introduced into the manure pits. This study was conducted to measure the effects of additives and disinfectants on temporal changes in swine slurry characteristics. Slurry from a commercial swine production facility in southeast Nebraska, USA was collected and transferred to 57 L reactors located within a greenhouse. Selected additives and disinfectants were added to the reactors and physical properties, chemical characteristics, and antibiotic concentrations were monitored for 40 days. …

Constituent Loads And Trends In The Upper Illinois River Watershed And Upper White River Basin: 2015 October Through 2018 September, Erin E. Scott, Brian E. Haggard

Technical Reports

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) identified two priority hydrologic unit code (HUC) 8 watersheds, the Upper White River Basin (UWRB; HUC 11010001) and the Upper Illinois River Watershed (UIRW; 11110103), in northwest Arkansas. Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is a concern in these watersheds, such as excess nutrients from agriculture and sediment from changes in land uses. Several NPS pollution projects have been funded by ANRC, including streambank restoration on Sager Creek and best management practices (BMP) to control urban sediment in Fayetteville. The purpose of this project was to collect water samples at 15 sites in the UWRB and …

Moses Lake Algae Monitoring Project 2018 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Pickens, Eric J. Lawrence

Moses Lake

Moses Lake is a shallow, hypereutrophic lake in Grant County, Washington (Carroll and Cusimano, 2001), with a surface area of 6,800 acres (27.5 km2 ), total volume of 130,000 acre-ft (160.4 × 106 m3), average depth of 19 ft. (5.8 m), and maximum depth of 38 ft. (11.6 m; Dion, et al., 1976). The lake is situated adjacent to the city of Moses Lake and drains into Crab Creek, a tributary of Columbia River. The lake is a popular recreational destination for fishing, boating, swimming, and camping.

Moses Lake develops nuisance blooms of cyanobacteria during the summer and fall. The …

How To Sample: Collecting Water Samples Is So Easy, Anyone Can Do It!, Mike Daniels, Bradley J. Austin, Brian E. Haggard

Fact Sheets

The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) runs a water quality lab that anyone can use to have their water sample tested. The AWRC Lab is certified for the analysis of water samples, but the quality (and meaningfulness) of the data generated by the Lab is also dependent on you – the client. This fact sheet provides you some general guidance on how to properly collect your water sample.

Watershed Investigative Support To The Poteau Valley Improvement Authority: Stream Water Quality To Support Huc 12 Prioritization In The Lake Wister Watershed, Oklahoma, Bradley J. Austin, Brina A. Smith, Brian E. Haggard

Technical Reports

Nonpoint source pollution associated with human land use (agriculture and urbanization) is one of the leading causes of impairment to waterways in the United States (EPA, 2000). The primary pollutants associated with agricultural and urban land use are sediment and nutrients which enter nearby streams during rain events and are then carried downstream. These sediments and nutrients may result in water quality issues in the downstream water bodies like increased algal growth or decreased water clarity (e.g. Smith et al., 1999).

Moses Lake Algae Monitoring Project 2017 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Pickens, Eric J. Lawrence

Moses Lake

Moses Lake is a shallow, hypereutrophic lake in Grant County, Washington (Carroll and Cusimano, 2001), with a surface area of 6,800 acres (27.5 km2 ), total volume of 130,000 acre-ft (160.4 × 106 m3), average depth of 19 ft. (5.8 m), and maximum depth of 38 ft. (11.6 m; Dion, et al., 1976). The lake is situated adjacent to the city of Moses Lake and drains into Crab Creek, a tributary of Columbia River. The lake is a popular recreational destination for fishing, boating, swimming, and camping.

Moses Lake develops nuisance blooms of cyanobacteria during the summer and fall. The …

Mapping Water Availability, Cost And Projected Consumptive Use In The Eastern United States With Comparisons To The West, Vincent C. Tidwell, Barbie D. Moreland, Calvin R. Shaneyfelt, Peter Kobos

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The availability of freshwater supplies to meet future demand is a growing concern. Water availability metrics are needed to inform future water development decisions. Furthermore, with the help of water managers, water availability was mapped for over 1300 watersheds throughout the 31-contiguous states in the eastern U.S. complimenting a prior study of the west. The compiled set of water availability data is unique in that it considers multiple sources of water (fresh surface and groundwater, wastewater and brackish groundwater); accommodates institutional controls placed on water use; is accompanied by cost estimates to access, treat and convey each unique source of …

Laboratory Quality Control Report: Why Is It Important?, Bradley J. Austin, Mike Daniels, Brian E. Haggard

Fact Sheets

The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) maintains a fee-based water quality lab that is certified through the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The AWRC Water Quality Lab analyzes water samples for a variety of constituents, using standard methods for the analysis of water samples (APHA 2012). Whether you have one or several water samples tested, the lab generates a report of values for each parameter that you have analyzed, which is provided to the client. Included with every water quality report is a Lab Quality Control (QC) report for each of the parameters analyzed within the package. The Lab …

How To Collect Your Water Sample & Interpret The Results For The Domestic Analytical Packages, Bradley J. Austin, Mike Daniels, Brian E. Haggard

Fact Sheets

Whether you rely on a municipal water source or a private well for your drinking water needs, having access to clean drinking water is important to everyone. The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) in cooperation with the UA Cooperative Extension Service, both of which are part of the U of A System’s Division of Agriculture, offers several analytical packages to assess the quality of your water resources. This document is intended to provide guidance on collecting water samples for analysis and understanding the Domestic Water Report Form”provided by the AWRC’s Water Quality Laboratory (Lab). The AWRC Water Quality Lab is …

How To Collect Your Water Sample And Interpret The Results For The Irrigation Analytical Package, Bradley J. Austin, Leo Espinoza, Chris Henry, Mike Daniels, Brian E. Haggard

Fact Sheets

Irrigation represents a significant portion of the total production cost for crops. Because of this it is important to have your water tested to ensure that it is suitable for the crops you are growing, and to aid in developing management plans that might help alleviate existing issues such as high salt levels or high alkalinity. The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) in cooperation with the UA Cooperative Extension Service offers several analytical packages to assess the quality of your water resources. This document is intended to provide guidance to farmers on collecting water samples for analysis and understanding the …

How To Collect Your Water Sample And Interpret The Results For The Poultry Analytical Package, Bradley J. Austin, Josh B. Payne, Susan E. Watkins, Mike Daniels, Brian E. Haggard

Fact Sheets

Rapidly growing birds may consume up to twice as much water as feed (Scantling and Watkins 2013), which means a plentiful supply of clean water is crucial for poultry health and productivity. To determine the quality of your poultry’s water resources, periodic sampling and analysis is needed. Analyzing water supplies can also be a crucial tool in identifying existing or potential challenges. The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) in cooperation with the UA Cooperative Extension Service offers several analytical packages to assess the quality of your water resources. This document is intended to provide guidance to poultry producers on collecting …

How To Collect Your Water Sample And Interpret The Results For The Fish Pond Analytical Package, Bradley J. Austin, Amit Sinha, Nathan Stone, W. Reed Green, Mike Daniels, Brian E. Haggard

Fact Sheets

The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) in cooperation with the Cooperative Extension Service offers several analytical packages to assess the quality of your water resources. This document is intended to provide guidance to aquaculture producers and pond owners on the “Fish Pond Report” provided by the AWRC’s water quality laboratory. The information contained within this fact sheet should be used as general guidance, and the reader is encouraged to seek advice from Extension specialists regarding the interpretation of individual reports and water testing results that may be of concern. The Aquaculture Center for Excellence is at the University of Arkansas …

Database Analysis To Support Nutrient Criteria Development (Phase Ii), B. E. Haggard, M.A. Evans-White, L.B. Massey, E.M. Grantz

Technical Reports

The intent of this publication of the Arkansas Water Resources Center is to provide a location whereby a final report on water research to a funding agency can be archived. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) contracted with University of Arkansas researchers for a multiple year project titled “Database Analysis to Support Nutrient Criteria Development”. This publication covers the second of three phases of that project and has maintained the original format of the report as submitted to TCEQ. This report can be cited either as an AWRC publication (see below) or directly as the final report to TCEQ.

Database Analysis To Support Nutrient Criteria Development (Phase I), B. E. Haggard, J.T. Scott, M.A. Evans-White

Technical Reports

The intent of this publication of the Arkansas Water Resources Center is to provide a location whereby a final report on water research to a funding agency can be archived. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) contracted with University of Arkansas researchers for a multiple year project titled “Database Analysis to Support Nutrient Criteria Development”. This publication covers the first of three phases of that project and has maintained the original format of the report as submitted to TCEQ. This report can be cited either as an AWRC publication (see below) or directly as the final report to TCEQ.

Bella Vista Lakes Project: Fertility Management, J. Thad Scott

Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2013 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen

Judy Reservoir

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton and measure chlorophyll, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus levels in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir. Water quality and algal data have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual reports have been sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007, 2008, 2010 (January and December), 2011, and 2012. This project ended in 2013; the final chemistry sample was collected May 2, 2013 and the final algae sample was collected November 6, 2013.

Reed Lake 2013 Aquatic Plant Survey, Samantha Merrick, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen

Reed Lake

The main objective of this project was to collect and identify aquatic plants in Reed Lake, a small, shallow lake in Whatcom County. The project was undertaken with the assistance of volunteers from the Glenhaven Lakes community (Figure 1). Residents of the Glenhaven community have expressed concerns about the effects that aquatic plants are having on recreation in the lake. This report included maps showing the types of plants that were collected in the lake Figures 2–10 and estimated plant densities (Figures 11–13), with a short discussion of methods that might be useful for reducing aquatic plant densities in the …

Lake Padden Monitoring Project 2012 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen, Laura Junge

Lake Padden

The Lake Padden monitoring project was initiated in 2011 by the citizens group, People for Lake Padden (P4LP), to provide an intensive water quality study of Lake Padden. Water samples were collected between June and December 2011 by AndrewMajeske, a student intern working with the Institute forWatershed Studies (IWS) and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA). The results from this project were summarized by Majeske et al. (2012). The water quality monitoring was funded for a second year by P4LP, which provided funding for IWS student intern Laura Junge. Additional funding was provided by the City of Bellingham to identify …

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2012 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen

Judy Reservoir

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton and measure chlorophyll, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus levels in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir. Water quality and algal data have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual reports have been sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007, 2008, 2010 (January and December), and 2011.

Lake Padden Monitoring Project June -- December 2011 Final Rep, Andrew Majeske, Robin A. Matthews, Betsy Gross

Lake Padden

The Lake Padden monitoring project was initiated in 2011 by the citizens group, People for Lake Padden (P4LP), to provide an intensive water quality study of Lake Padden. Water samples were collected between June and December 2011 by Andrew Majeske, a student intern working with the Institute for Watershed Studies (IWS) and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA).

The goals of our study are to identify any apparent problems with the current conditions of Lake Padden, compare our results with historical information, begin to establish baseline data, determine to what degree stratification occurs, and education and involve volunteers and policymakers …

Surface Water Characteristics Of The Weaber Plain And Lower Keep River Catchments: Data Review And Preliminary Results, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain.

An important concern is the effect the Weaber Plain agricultural development may have on the water quality of the downstream Border Creek and Keep River

This report assembles and reviews all available physico-chemical water quality data for the lower Keep River and Border Creek systems and presents data from the initial year of a targeted baseline monitoring program (June 2010 – June 2013).