Water Resource Management Commons^™

Advective And Diffusive Gas Phase Transport In Vadose Zones: Importance For Defining Vapour Risks And Natural Source Zone Depletion Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Kaveh Sookhak Lari, Greg B. Davis, John L. Rayner, Trevor P. Bastow

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Quantifying the interlinked behaviour of the soil microbiome, fluid flow, multi-component transport and partitioning, and biodegradation is key to characterising vapour risks and natural source zone depletion (NSZD) of light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) petroleum hydrocarbons. Critical to vapour transport and NSZD is transport of gases through the vadose zone (oxygen from the atmosphere, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methane and carbon dioxide from the zone of LNAPL biodegradation). Volatilisation of VOCs from LNAPL, aerobic biodegradation, methanogenesis and heat production all generate gas pressure changes that may lead to enhanced gas fluxes apart from diffusion. Despite the importance of the gaseous …

The Effect Of Seed Mix Density And Composition On Wetland Plant Community Assembly In The Great Salt Lake Watershed, Elana Feldman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wetlands provide important ecosystem services to society but are in danger across the globe partly due to the spread of invasive species (species that harm humans, the environment, or the economy). One species, Phragmites australis, is a widespread invader across the country, including in the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake. Phragmites australis spreads widely and quickly outcompetes native species. In places where P. australis has already been removed, seeding wetlands helps block P. australis from returning. Native plants’ ability to prevent invasive species from entering the community is affected by many factors, but two that …

Australian Non-Perennial Rivers: Global Lessons And Research Opportunities, Margaret Shanafield, Melanie Blanchette, Edoardo Daly, Naomi Wells, Ryan M. Burrows, Kathryn Korbel, Gabriel C. Rau, Sarah Bourke, Gresley Wakelin-King, Aleicia Holland, Timothy Ralph, Gavan Mcgrath, Belinda Robson, Keirnan Fowler, Martin S. Andersen, Songyan Yu, Christopher S. Jones, Nathan Waltham, Eddie W. Banks, Alissa Flatley, Catherine Leigh, Sally Maxwell, Andre Siebers, Nick Bond, Leah Beesley, Grant Hose, Jordan Iles, Ian Cartwright, Michael Reid, Thiaggo De Castro Tayer, Clément Duvert

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Non-perennial rivers are valuable water resources that support millions of humans globally, as well as unique riparian ecosystems. In Australia, the Earth's driest inhabited continent, over 70% of rivers are non-perennial due to a combination of ancient landscape, dry climates, highly variable rainfall regimes, and human interventions that have altered riverine environments. Here, we review Australian non-perennial river research incorporating geomorphology, hydrology, biogeochemistry, ecology, and Indigenous knowledges. The dominant research themes in Australia were drought, floods, salinity, dryland ecology, and water management. Future research will likely follow these themes but must address emerging threats to river systems due to climate …

Examining The Relationship Between Manning's Roughness Coefficient And Stage, Henry Holtkamp

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper uses LOESS regression to predict Manning's roughness coefficient to calculate flows in natural stream channels. Manning's roughness coefficient can introduce variability into Manning's equation, potentially destabilizing results. Utilizing LOESS to find n based on backcalculated n from collected discharge vs. stage information is the best way to acquire accurate Manning's roughness coefficient values at a variety of flows. Book values tend to drastically overestimate which can have wide-ranging implications for water allocation, flood management, maintaining environmental flows, and maintaining water quality.

Rice Biomass Response To Various Phosphorus Fertilizers In A Phosphorus-Deficient Soil Under Simulated Furrow-Irrigation, Jonathan B. Brye

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Wastewater-recovered phosphorus (P), in the form of the mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4⋅6H2O), may provide a sustainable alternative to rapidly decreasing rock phosphate reserves. Struvite can be generated via chemical and/or electrochemical precipitation methods, potentially reducing the amount of P runoff to aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this greenhouse tub study was to evaluate the effects of chemically- and electrochemically precipitated struvite (CPST and ECST, respectively) on above- and belowground plant response in a hybrid rice cultivar (Gemini 214, RiceTec) grown using furrow-irrigation compared to other common fertilizer-P sources [i.e., triple super phosphate (TSP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP)] in a P-deficient silt …

The Effect Of Agrivoltaics On Irrigation Water Consumption In Central California, London Camba

Undergraduate Theses

An agricultural system where solar energy generation and agricultural systems are used together for mutual benefit, agrivoltaics reduces loss of water due to evaporation, particularly in drylands. Central California has faced extreme droughts, and water has become a scarce resource. However, the wide-scale use of agrivoltaics has been limited due to lack of knowledge about agrivoltaics and also the lack of funding for start-up agrivoltaics projects. Therefore, this research investigated the potential for agrivoltaics in Central California to reduce irrigation water consumption using a review of multiple crop studies using agrivoltaics to determine an optimal crop for agrivoltaics and a …

Channel Response To Flow Augmentation: Diamond Fork River, Ut, Diane E. Wagner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

A river’s physical features and channel dimensions are determined by the water and sediment supplied to it. The Diamond Fork River, located in central Utah—received large trans-basin diversion flows from 1915-2003, providing an exceptional opportunity to explore the response of a river to a large increase in flow.

Our project goals were to describe 1) channel response to this large and long artificial flow augmentation and 2) how the channel recovered after the removal of the diversion flows. The objective of this thesis is to document the channel condition throughout the 20^th century to present day as a basis …

Impacts Of Lake Elevation Decline On Tui Chub, A Critical Forage Species For Lahontan Cutthroat Trout In Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Usa, Sarah Barnes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Lake level decline affects lakes worldwide, changing the availability and character of nearshore habitat used by fish to spawn, and increasing total dissolved solids (TDS), similar to salinity, a factor that negatively impacts fish health. Lake level decline can affect different lakes in different ways, but typically when lake level declines significantly, there is less nearshore habitat overall, and what nearshore habitat remains has less diverse habitat for fish. We investigated whether both impacts of lake level decline may be causing declines of Tui Chub Siphateles bicolor, a large minnow native to Pyramid Lake that spawns in nearshore habitat. …

Informing Control Efforts For A Prolific Invasive Species: Characterizing Common Carp Spatio-Temporal Distribution And Evaluating The Impacts Of Gear Selectivity In Utah Lake, Rae Fadlovich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Management programs that aim to reduce the consequences of invasive species are often challenged by populations that can rapidly recover from removal efforts. Selectivity, the relative impact of harvest on different size classes, can contribute to population recovery when younger fish are not effectively targeted. In Utah Lake, the location of one of the world’s largest freshwater fish control programs, managers have been attempting to control the common carp (Cyprinus carpio, hereafter “carp”) population since 2009 but efforts have been hindered by the use of selective fishing gears. I conducted a lake-wide field study to gain insights into …

Microplastics Fouling Mitigation In Forward Osmosis Membranes By The Molecular Assembly Of Sulfobetaine Zwitterion, Javad Farahbakhsh, Mitra Golgoli, Mehdi Khiadani, Amir Razmjou, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Forward osmosis (FO) membranes have potential for the efficient water and wastewater treatment applications. However, their development has faced significant challenges due to their fouling propensity. In this study, FO membranes modified with sulfobetaine zwitterions (i.e., [2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) were fabricated and used for the first time to address microplastic (MP) fouling issue. Water flux, reverse salt flux (RSF), fouling, and flux recovery were evaluated for the membranes loaded with different quantities of the zwitterions ranging from 0.25 % to 2 %. The developed membranes were tested over 49 h with feed solutions containing polyethylene MPs and bovine serum albumin …

Using Macroinvertebrates As Water Quality Indicators In Angelina River, Aditi Dangi, Asa Dillon, Jolene Manlapaz, Ashley Riley, Hope Stowe

Undergraduate Research Conference

The Angelina River supports a variety of macroinvertebrates, fertilizers, and water-tolerant flora. The goal of this research was to create a complete dataset on water quality that included variables such as pH, dissolved oxygen content, nitrate levels, and temperature. The main objective was to link water contamination indicators with macroinvertebrate diversity to establish an early warning system for ecosystem health by collecting samples at two different locations of the Angelina River.

Analysis using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lehigh Environmental Initiative guidelines showed that both locations had acceptable dissolved oxygen levels and healthy nitrate levels despite the environmental fluctuation. Using …

Navigating Murky Waters: State-Level Strategies For Wetland Preservation And Tile Drainage Regulation After Sackett V. Epa, Caleb M. Swanson

Honors Thesis

Wetlands are some of the world’s most valuable ecosystems, serving as provisioners of species habitat, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, water quality purification, and other ecosystem services. Human development has resulted in substantial wetland loss the world over. In the 1970s, the United States Congress passed the Clean Water Act, giving the EPA broad authority over wetland protection. However, in the summer of 2023, the United States Supreme Court decided Sackett v. EPA, limiting the EPA’s jurisdiction over wetlands to those indistinguishably connected to generally recognized “Waters of the United States” and removing federal protection for millions of acres of wetlands, …

Nonstationary Recharge Responses To A Drying Climate In The Gnangara Groundwater System, Western Australia, Simone Gelsinari, Sarah Bourke, James Mccallum, Don Mcfarlane, Joel Hall, Richard Silberstein, Sally Thompson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The response of groundwater recharge to climate change needs to be understood to enable sustainable management of groundwater systems today and in the future, yet observations of recharge over long-enough time periods to reveal responses to climate trends are scarce. Here we present a meta-analysis of 60 years of recharge studies over the Gnangara Groundwater System of South-West Western Australia, covering a period of sustained drying consistent with climate change projections. The recharge process in the area is defined by a wet winter during which rain saturates a deep, highly permeable soil profile with very low water storage capacity. Measurements …

Water Current, Volume 56, No. 1, Spring 2024

Water Current Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Trading Policy, Practice And Prospect On Marine Carbon Sequestration In China, Jingming Dong, Zifei Liu, Limei Chen

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Marine carbon sequestration trading is the inherent requirement and effective mechanism for marine eco-civilization development, maritime economic strategy. The research compares and analyzes the policies and practices of China’s marine carbon sequestration trading, and looks forward its future development tendency. It is pointed points out that under the framework of the national Dual Carbon goals, especially in “1+N” policy, the top-level system of China’s marine carbon sequestration trading has initially formed. Many relevant industry standards have been introduced and implemented at the national level. Then at the local level, some regions have introduced and implemented marine carbon sequestration calculation guidelines …

Accuracy Of Nitrate Hysteresis And Flushing For Agricultural Watersheds In The Midwest, Noah Rudko, Sara K. W. Mcmillian, Jane Frankenberger, François Birgand

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

Storm event-based metrics, such as hysteresis (HI) and flushing (FI), are used to differentiate nitrate pathways and sources, which is essential for watershed management. Estimations of these event-based metrics typically use high frequency (15-minute – hourly) measurements, but daily data are also used due to their greater availability. To date, there has been no study assessing how using lower frequency samples affect the accuracy of HI and FI, which could skew interpretation of potential nutrient pathways and sources. We used continuous measurements of nitrate collected at 9 watersheds throughout the Midwest spanning 448 storms. HI and FI were estimated from …

Introducing Pour Points: Characteristics And Hydrological Significance Of A Rainfall-Concentrating Mechanism In A Water-Limited Woodland Ecosystem, Ashvath S. Kunadi, Tim Lardner, Richard P. Silberstein, Matthias Leopold, Nik Callow, Erik Veneklaas, Aryan Puri, Eleanor Sydney, Sally E. Thompson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The interception of rainfall by plant canopies alters the depth and spatial distribution of water arriving at the soil surface, and thus the location, volume, and depth of infiltration. Mechanisms like stemflow are known to concentrate rainfall and route it deep into the soil, yet other mechanisms of flow concentration are poorly understood. This study characterizes pour points, formed by the detachment of water flowing under a branch, using a combination of field observations in Western Australian banksia woodlands and rainfall simulation experiments on Banksia menziesii branches. We aim to establish the hydrological significance of pour points in a water-limited …

Errata: Water Main Break Rates In The Usa And Canada: A Comprehensive Study, Steven Barfuss

Reports

Page 5 – Major Finding 6 (change also made in text on Page 18):

Added “in the reported pipe inventory” to better clarify the percentage reduction

Page 6 – Major Finding 14 (change also made in text on Page 31):

Changed “six” to “five” years to explain the time elapsed between the 2018 and 2023 studies

Page 7 – Major Finding 28 (change also made in text on Page 46):

Added “percentage” to better clarify the percentage of acceptance

Page 8 – Section 1.1:

Updated “(WRF, 2017)” to “(Grigg, 2007)” and “(US Conference of Mayors, 2018)” to “(Anderson, 2018)”

Page …

Seasonal Variability And Predictability Of Monsoon Precipitation In Southern Africa, Matthew F. Horan, Fred Kucharski, Moetasim Ashfaq

Faculty Publications

Rainfed agriculture is the mainstay of economies across Southern Africa (SA), where most precipitation is received during the austral summer monsoon. This study aims to further our understanding of monsoon precipitation predictability over SA. We use three natural climate forcings, El Niño–Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), and the Indian Ocean Precipitation Dipole (IOPD)—the dominant precipitation variability mode—to construct an empirical model that exhibits significant skill over SA during monsoon in explaining precipitation variability and in forecasting it with a five-month lead. While most explained precipitation variance (50%–75%) comes from contemporaneous IOD and IOPD, preconditioning all three forcings is key …

Field Research Report: Results From The Enreec Vri Field For The 2021, 2022, And 2023 Crop Seasons, Derek M. Heeren, Ali T. Mohammed, Eric Wilkening, Christopher M. U. Neale, Alan L. Boldt, Ankit Chandra, Precious Nneka Amori, Ivo Z. Goncalves, Yeyin Shi, Guillermo R. Balboa

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

Long-term irrigation management research has been conducted from 2014 to 2023 for corn and soybean at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension, and Education Center (ENREEC) Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) Field located in subhumid east-central Nebraska (in the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District). The objective of this report was to present the overall results from the VRI Field for 2021 to 2023. Across the three growing seasons, there were the following irrigation treatments: Best Management Practice (BMP), 50% BMP, 125% BMP, rainfed, Spatial ET Modeling Interface (SETMI), SDD1, SDD2, machine-learning-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS), a student team recommended rate, and industry …