Digital Commons Network^™

Intermittent Water Supplies: Challenges And Opportunities For Residential Water Users In Jordan, David E. Rosenberg, Samer Talozi, Jay Lund

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Intermittent access to improved urban water supplies is a large and expanding global problem. This paper describes 16 supply enhancement and 23 demand management actions available to urban residential water users in Jordan to cope with intermittent supplies. We characterize actions by implementation, costs, and water quantities and qualities acquired or conserved. This effort systematically identifies potential options prior to detailed study and shows that water users have significant capacity to affect demand. We suggest several methods to evaluate options and highlight the need to include local water management decisions in integrated water resources management and planning at utility and …

To License Or Not To License: An Examination Of State Statutes Regarding Private Investigators And Digital Examiners, Thomas Lonardo, Doug White, Alan Rea

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

In this paper the authors examine statutes that regulate, license, and enforce investigative functions in each US state. After identification and review of Private Investigator licensing requirements, the authors find that very few state statutes explicitly differentiate between Private Investigators and Digital Examiners. After contacting all state agencies the authors present a distinct grouping organizing state approaches to professional Digital Examiner licensing. The authors conclude that states must differentiate between Private Investigator and Digital Examiner licensing requirements and oversight.

Carnivores, Urban Landscapes, And Longitudinal Studies: A Case History Of Black Bears, Jon P. Beckmann, Cael W. Lackey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As urban landscapes expand across the globe, it becomes imperative to understand how these landscapes affect large carnivore populations. We examined the effects of human-altered landscapes on age-specific fecundity and life history parameters for female black bears (Ursus americanus) in urban and wildland regions in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe Basin. We followed 12 marked female bears in an urban environment and 10 females in wildland habitats from 1997–2006. Our results show that female bears in urban areas have higher age-specific fecundity rates than did wildland female bears. Despite this difference, female …

Assessment Of Costs Associated With Deer–Vehicle Collisions: Human Death And Injury, Vehicle Damage, And Deer Loss, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar, Lawrence J. Cook

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between large vertebrates and vehicles along roadways are an increasing concern, not only because of ecological consequences, but also because of associated economic and social costs. We used a large-scale, long-term data set comprising several databases from Utah to summarize and analyze these costs. The overall cost for 13,020 collisions from 1996 to 2001 in Utah was approximately $45,175,454, resulting in an estimated average per year cost of about $7,529,242 and a mean collision cost of $3,470. These figures include human fatality costs of $24 million (53% of total costs); vehicle damage costs of $18 million (39%); loss of …

Locations Of Deer–Vehicle Collisions Are Unrelated To Traffic Volume Or Posted Speed Limit, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Consensus is lacking regarding the influence of vehicle speed and traffic volume on deer–vehicle collision (DVC) rates. Yet, annual average daily traffic fl ow (AADT) and posted speed limit (PSL) typically are used to measure these variables. To resolve this conflict, we studied the effects of traffic volume and vehicle speed on DVCs in Utah. Our results showed no relationship between AADT or PSL and DVC occurrence. There are at least 3 explanations for our results: (1) no causal relationship exists; (2) AADT and PSL, as measured, actually explain little of the variation; and (3) data quality problems exist. We …

Demographics Of Non-Hunted White-Tailed Deer Populations In Suburban Areas, Anthony J. Denicola, Dwayne R. Etter, Thomas Almendinger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Burgeoning deer populations in urban and suburban areas, along with the inherent problems stemming from this increase, are becoming increasingly widespread. To address these problems, wildlife biologists need quality baseline data of herd composition for harvest and treatment forecasts for management and fertility control research programs. In this study, we provide white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population data from 4 areas where localized suburban white-tailed deer populations were substantially reduced utilizing sharpshooting as a management tool. In each area, legal hunting was nonexistent for >10 years preceding the sharpshooting program. The areas ranged in size from 300 ha to …

Deer–Vehicle Collision Statistics And Mitigation Information: Online Sources, Terry A. Messmer, Destiny R. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Although good data are lacking, published estimates suggest that >1.5 million deer– vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur annually in the United States. The estimated losses exceed 1 billion dollars. In some states, DVCs are a major cause of reportable accidents. Federal, state, and private partners have cooperated in monitoring trends in DVCs and implementing mitigation measures. Most of this information about such measures is readily available via the Internet. The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with a broad overview of and a guide to the information currently available online to mitigate DVCs.

Avoiding The Blame Game In Managing Problem Black Bears, Michael L. Wolfe

Human–Wildlife Interactions

In June 2007 a black bear (Ursus americanus) took an 11-year-old boy from the tent in which he was sleeping at a semi-wilderness campsite in the Uinta National Forest in Utah and killed him. The off ending bear, a 381-pound adult male, subsequently was destroyed by personnel of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services. The tragic incident, raises the number of recorded human fatalities caused by black bears during the period 1900–2007 to about 52. Although deaths caused by large carnivores are rare, the media attention associated with them focuses public concern for the responsibility …

The National Environmental Policy Act In The Urban Environment: Oxymoron Or A Useful Tool To Combat The Destruction Of Neighborhoods And Urban Sprawl?, Hope M. Babcock

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

To some, applying the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to decisions affecting land use in an urban or built environment is an oxymoron. Cities have historically not been seen “as natural entities but as foreign impositions upon the native landscape,” places where the physical environment is already largely destroyed or reduced to insignificant remnants. Moreover, detecting the required federal presence to trigger NEPA may initially seem difficult when decisions affecting urban resources appear to be principally made by local or state agencies.

At the Institute for Public Representation (IPR) at the Georgetown University Law Center, the author has learned that …

Combination Of Sar Remote Sensing And Gis For Monitoring Subglacial Volcanic Activity – Recent Results From Vatnajökull Ice Cap (Iceland), K. Scharrer, Rocco Malservisi, Ch. Mayer, O. Spieler, U. Münzer

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This paper presents latest results from the combined use of SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) remote sensing and GIS providing detailed insights into recent volcanic activity under Vatnajökull ice cap (Iceland). Glaciers atop active volcanoes pose a constant potential danger to adjacent inhabited regions and infrastructure. Besides the usual volcanic hazards (lava flows, pyroclastic clouds, tephra falls, etc.), the volcano-ice interaction leads to enormous meltwater torrents (icelandic: jökulhlaup), devastating large areas in the surroundings of the affected glacier. The presented monitoring strategy addresses the three crucial questions: When will an eruption occur, where is the eruption site and which area is …

Reclamation: Managing Water In The West, A.V. Watkins Dam Safety Of Dams Modification Draft Environmental Assessment Pro-Ea-07-002, W. Russ Findlay, U.S. Department Of The Interior Bureau Of Reclamation

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

This document is an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposal to modify A.V. Watkins Dam under the Safety of Dams (SOD) Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-578, as amended). The proposed SOD modifications would correct safety deficiencies of the dam without affecting the purpose or benefits of the dam. Specifically, the embankment and foundation of the dam need to be repaired. The repairs are needed to restore the reservoir to full function and to incorporate state-of-the-art defensive measures of controlling seepage within the foundation and embankment. On November 13, 2006, emergency remedial actions were taken at A.V. Watkins Dam when …

Wildlife Health Centre Newsletter – Volume 13, Fall/Winter 2007, Number 1

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Feature Articles:
International Polar Year 2007/2008 - What’s in it for Wildlife Health?
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) type IV`b’in the Great Lakes— an Update

Disease Updates

Atlantic Region
“Flesh-eating Disease” in Two Raccoons due to Streptococcus group G infection
Avian Cholera in Open Ocean Seabirds of Atlantic Canada Cerebellar Abiotrophy in a Moose

Quebec Region
Besnoitiosis in Caribou Herds (Rangifer tarandus
Incursion of Raccoon Rabies in the Province of Quebec

Ontario/Nunavut Region
Canine Distemper Virus in Sled Dogs—Nunavut and NT
CCWHC Seeking Increased Submissions of Reptiles and Amphibians

Western/Northern Region
Update on Bovine Tuberculosis in the Riding Mountain …

Phenomenological Model For Infrared Emissions From High-Explosive Detonation Fireballs, Kevin C. Gross

Theses and Dissertations

Time-resolved infrared spectra were recently collected via a Fourier-transform spectrometer (FTS) from the detonation fireballs of two types of conventional military munitions (CMM) as well as uncased TNT and four types of enhanced novel explosives (ENEs). The CMM spectra are dominated by continuum emission, and a single-temperature Planckian distribution, modified for atmospheric attenuation, captures most of the variation in the data. Some evidence of selective emission is identified by systematic patterns in the fit residuals. The behavior of these systematic residuals affords a distinction between the two types of CMMs studied. The uncased TNT and ENE spectra appear strongly influenced …

Reclamation: Managing Water In The West, Steinaker Reservoir Normal Water Surface Elevation Increase Final Environmental Assessment And Finding Of No Significant Impact, U.S. Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Reclamation, W. Russ Findlay

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

This document is an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposal to raise the normal water surface elevation from 5517.8 feet above mean sea level (msl) to 5520.5 msl for Steinaker Reservoir in Uintah County, Utah. The Uintah Water Conservancy District (UWCD) has requested Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) authorization for this action. The Steinaker State Park, managed by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation, maintains several campgrounds, an entrance station and other associated buildings and associated infrastructure. Modifications or relocations of some of these facilities would be needed in conjunction with an increase in the reservoir’s normal water surface elevation.

Mobile Information Communication Technology For Crisis Management : Understanding User Behavior, Response And Training, Elizabeth Avery Gomez

Dissertations

SMS text-messaging is an interoperable communication vehicle known to be dependable for mass media alert notifications in crisis management. SMS text-messaging also offers potential as one viable two-way communication alternative for field responders in crisis response. Both continuously changing mobile information communication technologies and the importance of precise information exchange constitute a need for communication protocol training and practice. This study introduces a technology-mediated training technique based on speech act and communicative action theories. These theories are used to inform the design of a baseline measure for task performance improvement and to suggest a model to predict communication readiness. Because …

Hazardous Wildlife Attractants On Or Near Airports, Federal Aviation Administration

Other Bird Strike and Aviation Materials

This Advisory Circular (AC) provides guidance on certain land uses that have the potential to attract hazardous wildlife on or near public-use airports. It also discusses airport development projects (including airport construction, expansion, and renovation) affecting aircraft movement near hazardous wildlife attractants. Appendix 1 provides definitions of terms used in this AC.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that public-use airport operators implement the standards and practices contained in this AC. The holders of Airport Operating Certificates issued under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 139, Certification of Airports, Subpart D (Part 139), may use the standards, practices, …

The Political, Economic And Management History Of A Successful Exotic Eradication: The Case Of Black-Tailed Jackrabbits In One Part Of Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Bernice Constantin, Jeffrey Bunting

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

Black-tailed jackrabbits are a prolific, mobile species that became established at Miami International Airport, Florida. These animals posed a potential threat for colonization through additional parts of Florida if they were able to spread beyond the expansive airport property. Moreover, their carcasses from collisions with vehicles and aircraft attracted large scavenging and predatory birds to the airport, causing potential airstrike hazards. While the jackrabbits ultimately were successfully eradicated, the political, economic and management paths to that success were convoluted. We describe that history here and how a beneficial outcome was ultimately achieved.

Refuge Update – July/August 2007, Volume 4, Number 4

RefugeUpdate (USFWS-NWRS)

Table of Contents:
Counting Alpine Flora, page 3
Focus on Law Enforcement, pages 8–12
Virtual Geocaching, page 15
The Big Sit! at Your Refuge?, page 21

Ensuring Correctness Over Untrusted Private Database, Sarvjeet Singh, Sunil Prabhakar

Department of Computer Science Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Rapid Response And Restoration For Coral Reef Injuries In Southeast Florida: Guidelines And Recommendations, Chantal Collier, Richard E. Dodge, David S. Gilliam, Kelly Gracie, Lisa Gregg, Walter Jaap, Mike Mastry, Nikki Poulos

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

From the time an injury to coral reef resources is reported, a well-coordinated and implemented plan is critical to the success of response and restoration efforts. There are three major plan components, each of which is equally important: (1) the Initial Response period immediately following notification of the incident; (2) the Response period, during which the Responsible Party (RP) is identified, the Trustees and RP carry out their respective responsibilities, a Primary Restoration plan is developed, authorizations and contractors to conduct restoration activities are sought and obtained, and primary restoration activities are conducted; and (3) the Post-Response period, which is …

A New Model For Cooperative Mobility In Support If Qos In Manets With Heterogeneous Autonomy Requirements, Ghassen Ben Brahim

Dissertations

Modern mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) frequently consist of nodes which exhibit a wide range of autonomy needs. This is particularly true in the settings where MANETs are model compelling, i.e. battlefield, response & rescue, and contexts requiring rapid deployment of mobile users. The time-critical nature of the underlying circumstances frequently requires deployment of both manned and unmanned nodes, and a coordination structure which provides prioritized tasking to them.

In classic ad-hoc networks settings, it is assumed that all nodes are autonomous and do not depend in any case on other nodes. In this research work, contrarily to this design, we …

Population Viability Analysis Of Monk Parakeets In The United States And Examination Of Alternative Management Strategies, Stephen Pruett-Jones, James R. Newman, Christian M. Newman, Michael L. Avery, James R. Lindsay

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the United States, monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) are expanding their geographical distribution, and their overall population size is growing exponentially. Monk parakeets are causing widespread economic damage in the United States by nesting on utility structures, which leads to electrical fires and power outages. Although few life history data are available for the species from North America, extensive data are available from the species’ native range in South America. Incorporating data from South America into the population viability analysis program VORTEX, we simulated population growth in United States monk parakeets to determine whether it is likely that …

Bats And Mines: Evaluating Townsend's Big-Eared Bat Maternity Colony Response To Reclamation, Gabrielle F. Diamond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With the loss or modification of natural roosting habitat afforded by caves, abandoned mines have assumed increased importance as surrogate roosting sites for Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) and other chiropteran species. However, increasing concerns for human safety have led to accelerated programs for mine closure. In efforts to protect roosting sites in mines showing significant bat activity, "bat compatible" gates are installed, thus allowing continued access to mine workings. Aside from ensuring public safety, these structures afford protection from disturbance to roosting bats. To date few posting-gating studies have been conducted to obtain information on the effects …

Operational Challenges Of Solving Urban Coyote Problems In Southern California, Dennis L. Orthmeyer, Terrance A. Cox, John W. Turman, Joe R. Bennett

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

We present challenges, methodologies, and solutions related to mitigating urban coyote (Canis latrans) problems in southern California. The physical environment, the diverse urban structure (green belts and parks) with its abundant food resources which support high coyote densities, combined with the human component (behavior, urbanization, politics) create operational challenges. The increasing disconnect between humans and wildlife, coyote emigration/immigration into the increasing rural/urban interface, and coyote life cycles that occur exclusively in urban environments, all contribute to the increase in coyote-human conflicts. California’s southern counties’ human population has expanded 13% over the period from 1990-2000 and is projected to …

Response To Coyote Predation On Pets, Dorinda Pulliam

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

An urban coyote (Canis latrans) management program was initiated in Austin, Texas in January 2005 to address citizen’s concerns that coyotes were becoming aggressive towards humans. Although preserving public safety is the fundamental foundation for the program, concomitant program objectives have evolved to include addressing citizens’ high levels of concern regarding predation and attacks on house pets. From the citizen’s perspective, it is unacceptable to ignore this issue, and demands for responsiveness have been heavy. The City of Austin’s program has responded to this public concern in two ways. First, coyote conflicts involving pets are included in the …

My Experience: Setting Up An Urban Campaign Or Trapping Project For Urban Coyote Management, Dairen Simpson

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

I discuss my personal experience in urban coyote (Canis latrans) management, including the following elements: 1) necessary liaisons and alliances (who are they?); 2) choosing methodology (pluses and minuses of each option); 3) necessity for target selectivity and minimal time at site (knowing when to quit, and ways to know); 4) public contact and on-site education for all concerned; 5) inter-agency contact and communication (remaining allies through the thick of it); 6) media communication; 7) following up actively after incidents or control work; and 8) examples of train wrecks and successes.

A History Of Urban Coyote Problems, Robert M. Timm, Rex O. Baker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

We summarize previously published information on coyote attacks on humans in North America. This problem has developed primarily in urban and suburban areas of southern California since the early 1970s, and the frequency of attacks and other human safety incidents is increasing. Similar attacks are now known from at least 18 states in addition to California and from 4 Canadian provinces, with the majority of attacks occurring since the early 1990s. We review early explorers’ and settlers’ accounts of coyotes in the Los Angeles area, as well as development of coyote control programs during the 20th century. We also describe …

The Co-Existing With Coyotes Program In Vancouver, B.C., Robyn E. Worcester, Robert Boelens

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

When coyotes first arrived in Vancouver, BC they brought surprise, myths, and concern to the public as they grew comfortable in our city parks, golf courses, and neighborhoods. The Co-existing with Coyotes (CWC) program was created in 2001 and is based on the recommendations of a research project about public perceptions on urban coyotes. This program aims to reduce conflict between coyotes, pets, and people by providing information to both targeted and general audiences as well as providing a direct response to individual coyotes that are starting to, or are displaying, behavior of concern. The general public is reached through …

A Review Of Successful Urban Coyote Management Programs Implemented To Prevent Or Reduce Attacks On Humans And Pets In Southern California, Rex O. Baker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Since the fatal coyote (Canis latrans) attack on a 3-year-old girl in Glendale, California in 1981, government agencies have emphasized developing coyote management programs to increase public safety. This presentation will focus on the success of numerous programs including: small neighborhoods, industrial sites, parks, large city and county-wide projects. Local environmental conditions attracting coyotes, specific problems caused by the coyotes, public reaction, and the role of public relations including public education emphasizing environmental management, will be discussed. Coyote population monitoring regarding behavior patterns, aversive conditioning, and coyote population reduction methods will be reviewed. Trapping remains the most effective …

Urban Coyotes: A States’ Perspective, Scott Smith

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

The author summarizes the information presented and discussed during the Urban Coyote Symposium from a state wildlife agency’s perspective. He notes the need to consider such management challenges not only from a biological, but also from a human dimensions perspective.