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Flooding: Risk Assessment And Its Interaction With Population & Environmental Health, Shivendra Srivastava

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Flood events have significant implications for both population and environmental health. This dissertation aims to explore flood risk and its interaction with humans and the environment. The key questions addressed in this dissertation include improving the existing flood risk framework to better assess population vulnerability and associated risk. Additionally, it explores how interactions among risk components vary across spatial scales and regions, and how these variations influence overall flood risk. The dissertation also investigates how to design a vulnerability component specific to flooding within flood risk estimation. Finally, it answers whether flood-specific vulnerability differs for a population compared to vulnerability …

Health And Weather In Unfavourable Environments: Exploring The Historical Dynamics Of Colonial Medical Meteorology In Nineteenth-Century Tropical Asia, Fiona Williamson

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Medical meteorology had a long precedent in medical thought across Eastern and Western traditions. This article considers the tradition of medical meteorology that was favoured by Western doctors in the nineteenth century, which was often applied within colonial contexts to the understanding of new climates and how they might impact on human health. Looking at British-held tropical and sub-tropical colonies of the Straits Settlements and Hong Kong respectively, medical meteorology was stimulated by the new pathological and atmospheric conditions that European explorers and settlers now inhabited in the name of the British Empire. They brought with them concepts of disease …

Wildfires Classification In Canadian Boreal Forest: A Comparative Study Of Logistic Regression And Xgboost Models, Brandon Tran, Elijah James Duran, Mike Luu, Hesham Morgan, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In recent years, Canada has faced a growing number of wildfires. These events have devastated ecosystems, displaced communities, and posed severe health risks. To minimize the damage caused by such disasters, this study aims to develop an early warning system that predicts wildfire occurrences. Two machine learning models for binary classification of wildfire occurrence in Canadian wild forests, Logistic regression and XGBoost, will be compared and evaluated. The models are used to predict the likelihood of wildfire events based on various environmental and climatic factors. The models are evaluated using a 70-30 split validation approach and their performance is assessed …

Assessing Meteorological Impacts On Hydrological Switches In The Conus, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Sujan Shrestha, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Hydrological switches, defined as rapid transitions between extreme meteorological events such as droughts and floods, are becoming increasingly frequent across the contiguous United States (CONUS) due to climate variability. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal patterns of these hydrological switches and their correlation with large-scale meteorological indices, such as the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Streamflow data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) is analyzed to investigate the impact of meteorological drivers on hydrological variability. Results indicate that regions dependent on snowmelt exhibit delayed hydrological responses to climatic conditions, while areas in the Eastern …

Application Of Artificial Neural Network Algorithms For Irrigation Scheduling, Lisa Umutoni

All Dissertations

Neural networks have been extensively used in predicting soil water tension for improved irrigation scheduling and management. However, their lack of interpretability constrains their efficacy in grasping the nuanced patterns prevalent in soil water tension time series data. The first goal of this research was to develop interpretable deep neural network models for soil water tension prediction across multiple soil depths (0.15m, 0.3m, 0.46m and 0.6m) and prediction horizons (1h, 6h, and 12h). The Neural Hierarchical Interpolation for Time Series (N-HiTS) and Neural Basis Expansion Analysis Time Series (N-BEATS) models were used in this research. Historical soil water tension data …

Not All Political Ties Are The Same: Firms' Ties To The Government And Pollution, Wen Helena Li, Ilya R. P. Cuypers, Gokhan Ertug, Hari Bapuji, Wei Liu

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Complementing research on the implications of political ties for firms’ strategic decisions and financial performance, recent studies are increasingly focusing on the environmental consequences of firms’ political connections. We contribute to this stream of work by integrating insights from the literature on political ties and the multifaceted nature of governments to explore how the level of government influences the pollution implications of firms’ political ties. Specifically, we theorize and demonstrate that, in China, firms' achieved political ties with high levels of the government reduce pollution, while such ties with low levels of the government increase it. Furthermore, we examine how …

Highly Contaminated Sediments From The Gowanus Canal (New York) Superfund Site: An Environmental Forensic Approach, Michael A. Kruge, Kevin K. Olsen, Eric A Stern, Maria Mastalerz, Albert Permanyer

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The 2.5 km long Gowanus Canal (Brooklyn, NY, USA) is a severely contaminated urban waterway dating from the mid-19th century, listed as a US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund site since 2010. Applying an environmental forensics approach to the extensive USEPA data set, we detect systematic variations in parent PAH ring number distributions in the canal sediments, as well as an extraordinary enrichment in organic carbon. We subjected a supplemental sample set to a more detailed analysis by quantitative pyrolysis-GC-MS, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and organic petrology. With these sensitive methods, we can confirm the alkyl-PAH fingerprint of coal tar (a legacy …

Re: Comment Letter For Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area (Ctcwma) Site Investigation Quality Assurance Project Plan Revision 01 (Dated June 6, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Tackling Data Quality Challenges In Remote Sensing: Solutions For Reliable Urban Heat Island Analysis, Wei Xia, Aqil Tariq, Hesham El-Askary, Rana Waqar Aslam, Elgar Barboza, Dmitry E. Kucher, Youssef M. Youssef, Habib Kraiem

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Urban heat islands (UHIs) pose critical challenges to public health, energy demand, and environmental sustainability, particularly in rapidly expanding urban regions. This study examines the complex relationship between building configurations and integrated green spaces, as well as their combined impact on thermal regulation. It focuses on addressing data quality issues commonly encountered in remote sensing applications. Using high-resolution multispectral and thermal imagery, we developed an integrated modeling approach that captures the collective influence of built form and green infrastructure on urban microclimates. A key finding is the significant linear inverse relationship between green space coverage and land surface temperature, underscoring …

Green Innovation: Optimizing The Potential Of Plastic Waste As An Alternative To Fossil Fuels, Hani Alfiyani, Evi Gusmayanti, Nelly Wahyuni

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Plastic bag waste has the potential to be converted into alternative fuel oil through the pyrolysis method. This study applies the principle of thermal pyrolysis, conducted without oxygen, at the Edelweis Integrated Waste Management Site. The purpose is to analyze the characteristics of fuel oil derived from plastic bag waste based on parameters such as density, viscosity, calorific value, and acid number, as well as to estimate the potential fuel oil yield from plastic bag waste in Pontianak City. The results show that the density, viscosity, and calorific value of the produced fuel oil meet or closely approach standard requirements. …

Assessing Effectiveness Of Runnel Restoration In New England Salt Marsh Habitats, David M. Burdick, Grant Mckown, Gregg Moore, Jenny Gibson, Wenley Ferguson, John Herbert, Nancy Pau, Susan Adamowicz, Geoff Wilson

Faculty Publications

Rising sea levels that increase flooding in salt marshes recovering from hydrologic impairments is reducing nesting habitat for salt marsh sparrows. Abandonment of colonial farming practices (1600s through 1900s) has resulted in large, waterlogged basins characterized by shallow depressions (pannes) dominated by short-form Spartina alterniflora and unvegetated megapools that are subsiding. A relatively new technique designed to provide regular tidal flooding and drainage to the waterlogged basins that have formed on the marsh is runnelling – creation of shallow hydrologic features on the marsh surface. Will runnels result in revegetation of pannes and pools with productive perennial grasses that are …

Adaptive Crop Switching For Irrigated Agriculture In Response To Climate Change In The Western U.S., Shahryar Fazli, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Rejoice Thomas, Aqil Tariq, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Adaptive irrigation strategies are crucial for balancing water use, economic viability, and food security in the arid Western United States. However, as a key indicator vital in regulating agricultural productivity and crop irrigation, water use efficiency (WUEc) is becoming increasingly complex to estimate due to climate change. This study explores the critical role of key meteorological drivers, such as maximum temperature (tmax) and vapor pressure deficit (vpd), and their impacts on crop-specific WUEc. Future impacts are also assessed through integrating machine learning models with climate projections from the CMIP6 framework under SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5 scenarios to forecast WUEc trends from …

Datasets Associated With Caballero Et Al. (2025): Sentinel-3 Coastal Analysis Ready Data (S3card): An Operational Framework For Coastal Water Applications, Cassia B. Caballero, Vitor S. Martins, Rejane S. Paulino, Thainara M. A. Lima, Elliott Butler, Eric Sparks

Research Data

This dataset provides access to twelve .zip archives containing pre-processed tiles from the S3CARD (Sentinel-3 Coastal Analysis Ready Data) framework. Each archive corresponds to a 2.5° × 2.5° coastal grid that includes an AERONET-OC (Aerosol Robotic Network – Ocean Color) station used for validation in Caballero et al. (2025). The data include atmospherically corrected, glint- and adjacency-corrected surface reflectance images derived from Sentinel-3 OLCI imagery.

Each tile includes:

- 21-band surface reflectance images in GeoTIFF format (valid water pixels only)

- Metadata files with acquisition geometry and processing details

These datasets support reproducibility and enable users to evaluate the S3CARD …

Re: Butte Mine Flooding Operable Unit Berkeley Pit And Discharge Pilot Project – June 2025 Monthly Discharge Monitoring Report, Mark Thompson, Dave Griffis

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Nature Of Anthropogenically Driven River Drying: Spatiotemporal Causes And Consequences, Eliza Inez Gilbert

Biology ETDs

Streambed drying naturally occurs in over 60% of rivers and streams worldwide. Climate change and human regulation of surface and groundwater have increased drying in naturally intermittent systems and caused perennial systems to transition to intermittency, impacting water security, water quality, and biodiversity. To understand human-induced drying dynamics, we used 12 years of daily drying data along a 154-km regulated reach of the Rio Grande. We conceptualized river drying as a regime analogous to the natural flow regime paradigm and quantified drying magnitude, rate of change, and duration. Although linear models predicting drying magnitude and rate of change were uninterpretable, …

Transformation With Genes To Improve Lipid Production And Barcoding To Identify Unknown Algal Species, Michelle T. Rada

Theses and Dissertations

With the rising demand for alternative fuels, algal-based biofuels are a promising, sustainable source that meets commercial interest while producing lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. This thesis explored two studies, evaluating microalgae for their future potential in lipid yield for biofuel production.

The first study involved developing a cost-efficient electroporation protocol that allowed for the genetic transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using the pChlamy_4 vector, which supports future cloning of genes to enhance lipid production. Parameters affecting DNA uptake and integration into algal genomes were studied: the effect of cell density, the settings of the electroporation device, and …

Detection Of Oil Pollution On The Tigris River In Iraq Using Fluorescence And Reflecting Techniques, Ahmad K. Ahmad, Thamer M. Mohammed

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this study, a broadband light source (visible and ultraviolet) was used to name minerals via fluorescence spectra and estimate slick oil thickness, ranging from sub-millimetres, using the reflecting spectrum technique. Using a fluorescent technique, we obtained fluorescence spectra of the samples, converting and processing the signals to produce high-resolution data, which enabled the identification of the types of dissolved elements and oil slicks in the Tigris River, highlighting pollution sources and potential control measures. This system aims to show the faint signal in fluorescence samples collected from the cooling system outlet water throughout the refining process from AL-Dora (Baghdad) …

Key Technologies And Approaches For Water Resource Conservation And Utilization In Arid To Semi-Arid Open-Pit Coal Mining Areas In The Northern Sand Prevention Belt Of China, Fang Jie, Xu Zhimin, Cheng Wei, Lu Zihan, Zhao Yongqiang, Zhu Yuhao, Chen Tianci

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The northern sand prevention belt (NSPB) of China is primarily distributed in arid and semi-arid regions such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Gansu. This belt exhibits scarce rainfall and intense evaporation, which lead to a shortage of water resources and vulnerable ecosystems. In recent years, the large-scale development of open-pit coal mines has caused increasingly violent mining disturbance in this belt, as well as increasingly prominent issues such as a decline in regional groundwater levels and ecological contradictions. To address technical challenges in balancing coal exploitation and water resource conservation in this belt, there is an urgent need …

Mechanisms Behind Grouting Pressure Jumping In Low-Permeability Limestones And Techniques For Grouting Pressure Control, Fan Zhenli, Cao Lutong, Cui Yong, Zhang Zhiwei, Zhang Fengda

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The exploitation of the Carboniferous-Permian coalfields in China is gradually transitioning toward coal seams in lower formations. In this context, issues including the confined water hazards in the floor and karst water preservation become increasingly pronounced. During the advanced surface treatment of karst water hazards in coal seam floors, the unclear patterns of matching between grout selection and grouting pressure control lead to empirical parameter selection, thereby yielding poor performance of grouting reinforcement. Methods This study aims to deal with the phenomena of rapid pressure rise with a limited grout volume in the low-permeability argillaceous limestones within the top …

Suitability Evaluation For Deep Geological Storage Of Mine Water In The Ordos Basin, Gulbostan Tursun, Sui Wanghua, Aibibai Mamat, Yang Weifeng, Chen Ge, Gao Liang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Given the issues of large mine water drainage in coal mines in China, as well as the corresponding high treatment cost and low utilization rate, thoroughly investigating efficient, environmentally friendly, economically feasible mine water treatment technologies is the key to the green transformation and the implementation of the sustainable development strategy in the coal industry. Deep geological storage of mine water represents an emerging technology for mine water treatment, enjoying the advantages of low cost and zero emissions. A key step in the application of this technology is to select suitable target reservoirs. Although relevant studies have proposed some …

Permeability Evolutionary Patterns Of Fractured Rock Masses In Fault Zones Under Seepage-Stress Coupling, Zhao Dekang, Han Bing, Zeng Yifan, Feng Guorui, Xi Yonghong, Chang Bofeng, Li Zhenghao, Wang Pengwei, Wang Lisan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background In coal mines, fault structures serve as critical pathways for water inrushes from coal seam floors, posing serious threats to the production safety of mines. Delving into the permeability evolutionary patterns of fractured rock masses in fault zones under seepage-stress coupling holds great significance for the prevention and control of water inrushes along faults from coal seam floors.Methods Against the engineering background of the Gaohe Coal Mine under the Shanxi Lu’an Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. in Shanxi Province, this study analyzed the microscopic physical properties and the pore and fracture structures of a fractured rock mass in a …

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-06 Site Evaluation Summary Report (Dated April 1, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Theory And Engineering Practice Of Coal-Water Coordinated Mining Based On Constraints Of Formation Bearing Capacity, Pang Zhenzhong, Zeng Yifan, Han Keyao, Wu Qiang, Liu Shouqiang, Hua Zhaolai, Zhao Gangyi, Zhang Shuai, Yang Huxiong, Wang Xuejun, Li Feifan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The high-intensity mining of coal resources in the Yushen mining area has caused negative environmental effects and water disasters on coal seam roofs, seriously restricting the sustainable development of the area.Methods and Results Based on a summary of previous research results on the mitigation of the impacts of coal mining on groundwater resources and surface ecosystem, this study analyzed the contradiction between coal mining and the protection of the fragile ecosystem in the Yushen mining area in Shaanxi Province through theoretical analysis, field investigation, and data statistics. Then, it systematically illustrated the concept of the formation bearing capacity …

Impacts Of Boundary Conditions And Parameter Heterogeneity On The Simulation And Prediction Of Water Inflow In Coal Mines, Ji Qiang, Wu Zhenjiang, Yao Yingying

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Accurate prediction of water inflow in coal mines is essential for ensuring safe mining operations. Three-dimensional (3D) groundwater numerical models can be used to characterize hydrogeological conditions in mining areas and simulate the dynamic processes of water inflow, providing a theoretical basis for scientifically predicting mining-induced water inflow. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the impacts of the boundary conditions with surface water-groundwater interactions and the heterogeneity of aquifer permeability coefficients (K) on the simulation and prediction of water inflow during coal mining. Methods This study developed a 3D transient groundwater numerical model …

An Experimental Study On The Seepage Characteristics Of Sandstones With Different Numbers Of Fractures Before And After Grouting, Chen Juntao, Zhou Haoyu, Yu Junjian, Li Guo, Fan Mingjin, Li Lu, Wang Yunhao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Grouting in surrounding rocks serves as a conventional approach to controlling disasters in coal mine roadways. The developmental degree of fractures significantly influences the reinforcement and sealing effects of grouting. Methods To determine the changes in the impermeability of fractured surrounding rocks before and after grouting, this study investigated sandstones—the most common sedimentary rocks in coal mines. Using laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, this study explored the permeability variations of sandstone specimens with varying fracture numbers under different confining pressures and assessed the impact of grouting on their seepage performance. Through triaxial compression-seepage experiments using a Rock Top multi-field …

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-12 Site Evaluation Summary Report (Dated April 8, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Trace Element Migration In Groundwater In Sandstone Aquifers In The Jurassic Coalfields: A Case Study Of The Guojiahe Coal Mine, Shi Longqing, Qu Xingyue, Cheng Hao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The Ordos Basin, a vital energy hub in China, contains considerable coal reserves. However, the environmental issues arising from coal mining warrant attention, especially given the fragile ecosystems of the Jurassic coalfields. Methods This study investigated the Guojiahe Coal Mine in Shaanxi Province. Based on measured concentrations of 31 trace elements dissolved in sandstone aquifers across varying geological ages, this study conducted a comparative analysis of the evolutionary characteristics of these trace elements between unmined reducing and post-mining oxidizing conditions using numerical simulations. Accordingly, it revealed the impacts of coal seam mining on trace element migration in groundwater in …

Seismic Anisotropy Of Sandstone Aquifers In Coal Seam Roofs, Yu Hang, Chen Tongjun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The identification and assessment of sandstone aquifers in coal seam roofs play a vital role in the safe mining of mines. Investigating the rock physics and amplitude variation with incidence and azimuth (AVAz) responses of these sandstone aquifers is critical to the prevention and control of water hazards in mines. Methods By integrating rock physical models Voigt-Reuss-Hill (VRH), differential equivalent medium (DEM), Hudson, and Wood, as well as Gassmann’s anisotropic fluid substitution theory, this study proposed a rock physics modeling method for fractured sandstones of the horizontal transversely isotropic (HTI) media type (hereafter referred to as HTI sandstones). Using …

Research On Monitoring And Early Warning Systems For Mine Water: Progress And Prospects, Yin Shangxian, Ding Yingying, Lian Huiqing, Dong Donglin, Du Tong, Yin Huichao, Zhao Peng, Zhang Yi’An, Wang Xiong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Water disasters in mines are occasional accidents occurring due to the influence or triggered by mining-induced intense changes in geological bodies. The complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamics of geological bodies, coupled with the random and instantaneous nature of mining influence, lead to the uncertainty, instability, occasionality, and transience of water disasters in mines. Given that mine water monitoring and early warning serve as a prerequisite for advanced disaster prevention and control, their research and system construction hold great theoretical significance and practical value. Progress and Prospects Fighting against water disasters in mines is conducted throughout the development and utilization of …