Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

A Framework For Evaluating Sorbent Usage Rate Of Various Sorption Column Cconfigurations With And Without Bypass Blending, Benjamin A. Stewart

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

Sorption systems are a prevalent technology in the field of environmental engineering for treating waters contaminated with organic and/or inorganic compounds.  Examples of such contaminants include taste and odor, hardness, disinfection byproduct precursors, and arsenic.

The primary operating costs for these sorption systems lie in sorbent replacement.  Different column arrangements and the use of bypass blending have the potential to reduce sorbent usage.  Thus, this research aimed to develop a decision framework to assist engineers and practitioners in considering when to apply single columns, parallel columns, and lead-lag series configurations, with and without bypass, based on sorbent usage rate.  This …

The Missouri River, An Alliance For National Designation

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

"At one time, most people believed that the only consideration in using this extraordinary resource was technological-what could we do the harness and control the river to maximize its productivity while minimizing the danger of its flooding.  Now we all understand much more clearly that there are limits to our tampering with the river's natural state."

Senator James Abourezk of South Dakota made this observation during his remarks in June 1977 at a presentation of the Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River Umbrella study concerning possible designation of the stretch from Gavins Point Dam to Ponca State Park, Nebraska, as …

Economic And Environmental Sustainability Of Using Bio-Fuels For Small Nebraska Greenhouses, David M. Mabie

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

The primary goal of this paper was to increase profitability in Nebraska greenhouses by using biomass fuels for heating instead of propane. Several different fuels were tested, including whole shelled corn, dry distiller’s grains pelletized, wood pellets and blends between each biomass. The main fuel focus was on whole shelled corn. Bomb calorimetry tests were performed on biomass fuels and their respective ashes. Several furnace and heat exchanger efficiency tests were performed, with cost effectiveness analysis for each fuel type. Emissions data was also collected for each fuel on carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfuric oxides, and particulate matter. …

Design And Modeling Of Infrastructure For Residential And Community Water Reuse, Shannon M. Killion

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

Water scarcity and deteriorating water infrastructure are of growing concern in the United States. The conventional methods of treating and transporting potable water and wastewater are being challenged as new technology creates opportunities for water reuse. Instead of simply replacing the current infrastructure for centralized treatment systems, alternatives such as dual distribution and decentralized treatment systems are being investigated as more sustainable alternatives.

Implementing dual distribution systems leads to benefits such as reducing the amount of water treated to potable standards and reducing freshwater withdrawals. A dual distribution system allows the non-potable demands to be shifted from the potable water …

Cottonwood Riparian Site Selection On The Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, Julie A. Thorstenson, Diane Rickerl, Janet H. Gritzner

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

The construction of the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River eliminated thousands of acres ofriparian and floodplain lands on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Restoration is needed to replace wildlife habitat. This study focused on site selection for native cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. Ex Marsh. ssp. Monilifers (Ait.) Eckenwalde) restoration to help mitigate this loss. Geographic information systems technologies were used to develop a suitability model for cottonwood restoration. Tribal lands were extracted from a digital dataset oflandownership. Those touched by or included in a 46 m border of the Moreau River were candidate sites. Of …

Review Of A Dry Oasis: Institutional Adaptation To Climate On The Canadian Plains. Edited By Gregory P. Marchildon., Siân Mooney

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

A Dry Oasis examines past and potential future climate challenges on the Canadian Plains. The book provides extensive discussion, data, and analysis of challenges related to water supply and management within the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB). Past challenges, experiences, and institutional responses are described and used to frame possible future adaptation pathways under expected future climate change. The book provides an excellent grounding in the historical settlement and development of the SSRB, paying particular attention to the ways that the economy, society, and institutions have adapted in response to climatic variability.

Estimation Of Land Surface Evapotranspiration With A Satellite Remote Sensing Procedure, Ayse Kilic, Ian Ratcliffe, Pariskhit Ranade, Kenneth Hubbard, Ramesh K. Singh, Babuarao Kamble, Jeppe Kjaersgaard

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

There are various methods available for estimating magnitude and trends of evapotranspiration. Bowen ratio energy balance system and eddy correlation techniques offer powerful alternatives for measuring land surface evapotranspiration. In spite of the elegance, high accuracy, and theoretical attractions of these techniques for measuring evapotranspiration, their practical use over large areas can be limited due to the number of sites needed and the related expense. Application of evapotranspiration mapping from satellite measurements can overcome the limitations. The objective of this study was to utilize the METRIC^TM (Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution using Internalized Calibration) model in Great Plains environmental …

Do Invasive Riparian Woody Plants Affect Hydrology And Ecosystem Processes?, Julie Huddle, Tala Awada, Derrel Martin, Xinhua Zhou, Sue Ellen Pegg, Scott Josiah

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

© 2011 Copyright by the Center for Greot Plains Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Comparison Of Aquifer Sustainability Under Groundwater Administrations In Oklahoma And Texas, Aaron R. Mittelstet, Michael D. Smolen, Garey A. Fox, Damian C. Adams

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

We compared two approaches to administration of groundwater law on a hydrologic model of the North Canadian River, an alluvial aquifer in northwestern Oklahoma. Oklahoma limits pumping rates to retain 50% aquifer saturated thickness after 20 years of groundwater use. The Texas Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District’s (GCD) rules limit pumping to a rate that consumes no more than 50% of saturated thickness in 50 years, with reevaluation and readjustment of permits every 5 years. Using a hydrologic model (MODFLOW), we simulated river-groundwater interaction and aquifer dynamics under increasing levels of ‘‘development’’ (i.e., increasing groundwater withdrawals). Oklahoma’s approach initially would limit …

Developing Deterioration Models For Nebraska Bridges, George Morcous Ph.D., Afshin Hatami Ph.D.

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

Nebraska Bridge Management System (NBMS) was developed in 1999 to assist in optimizing budget allocation for the maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement needs of highway bridges. This requires the prediction of bridge deterioration to calculate life-cycle costs. At the meantime, the approach adopted to predict the deterioration of bridge components is based on national average deterioration rates, which are one drop in the deck condition rating every eight years and one drop in the superstructure and substructure condition rating every ten years. This approach does not account for the impact of traffic volume, structure and material type, and environment impacts, in …

Crash Analysis Of I-64 Closure In St. Louis County, Ghulam H. Bham Ph.D., Uday R.R Manepalli

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

On January 2, 2008, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) closed significant portions of Missouri Interstate 64 (I-64) in St. Louis County for reconstruction. During the planning stages of this project, the proposal to close all lanes of I-64 was met with public concern regarding the possible safety risks associated with diverting I-64 traffic to adjacent roadways. A specific concern was the possibility of increased crash rates on roads designated to receive I-64 traffic flow. The following research was conducted to assess the actual outcomes related to these concerns. Crash analyses and crash rate analysis of 2008 and 2009 crash …

Performance Measures Of Warm Asphalt Mixtures For Safe And Reliable Freight Transportation Phase Ii: Evaluation Of Friction And Raveling Characteristics Of Warm Mix Asphalt Mixtures With Anti-Stripping Agents, Hosin David Lee Ph.D., P.E., Yongjoo Thomas Kim Ph.D.

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

The viscosity of asphalt decreased significantly when 0.5% of WMA additive was added,but it remained relatively steady as the dosage rate increased up to 3.0%. The reduction pattern in viscosity as the dosage rate increases was similar for both CECABASE RT® and LEADCAP at all test temperatures of 120°C,125°C, 130°C and 135 °C and a similar pattern was observed for both Sasobit® and Rediset. Based on the ABCD test device, the virgin asphalt binder PG 64-34 cracked at -51.0°C and the PG 64-28 cracked at -41.3°C. As the WMA additives were increased from 0.5%to 3.0%, the cracking temperatures increased slightly,but …

Assessing The Damage Potential In Pretensioned Bridges Caused By Increased Truck Loads Due To Freight Moments (Phase Ii), Robert J. Peterman Ph.D., P.E., Steven F. Hammerschmidt M.S.C.E.

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

With aging and deterioration of bridges, evaluation of existing conditions of their structural elements becomes vital to engineers and public officials when deciding how to repair or replace the structures. The ability to obtain necessary information on these conditions is often expensive and time consuming, especially for concrete bridges where the reinforcement is not available for inspection. Employing the surface-strain relief method could allow for accurate evaluation of aged or damaged prestressed members. The surface-strain relief method was developed to measure initial or pre-existing strains in a concrete member. It involves relieving the strain in the member and measuring the …

Effectiveness Study On Temporary Pavement Marking Removals Methods, Dr. Yong Cho, Dr. Jae-Ho Pyeon, Koudous Kabassi

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

This study was conducted to identify effective temporary marking removal methods and procedures on concrete and asphalt pavements. Pavement markings provide guidance to road travelers and can lead to accidents when not properly removed. Current state guidelines on removal do not provide clear and objective methods of measurement. After testing the most common removal methods, this research concluded that removing markings by chemical was not only cost efficient, result-oriented, and effective compared to other methods, but it was also safe to the environment and road users. Finally, a baseline of measurements was developed by the research team for this project, …

Meeting Reports: Research On Coupled Human And Natural Systems (Chans): Approach, Challenges, And Strategies, Marina Alberti, Heidi Asbjornsen, Lawrence A. Baker, Nicholas Brozovic, Laurie E. Drinkwater, Scott A. Drzyzga, Claire A. Jantz, José Fragoso, Daniel S. Holland, Timothy A. Kohler, Jianguo Liu, William J. Mcconnell, Herbert D.G. Maschner, James D.A. Millington, Michael Monticino, Guillermo Podestá, Robert Gilmore Pontius, Charles L. Redman, Nicholas J. Reo, David Sailor, Gerald Urquhart

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Understanding the complexity of human–nature interactions is central to the quest for both human well-being and global sustainability. To build an understanding of these interactions, scientists, planners, resource managers, policymakers, and communities increasingly are collaborating across wide-ranging disciplines and knowledge domains. Scientists and others are generating new integrated knowledge on top of their requisite specialized knowledge to understand complex systems in order to solve pressing environmental and social problems (e.g., Carpenter et al. 2009). One approach to this sort of integration, bringing together detailed knowledge of various disciplines (e.g., social, economic, biological, and geophysical), has become known as the study …

The Water Footprint Assessment Manual: Setting The Global Standard, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Ashok K. Chapagain, Maite M. Aldaya, Mesfin Mekonnen

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This book contains the global standard for 'water footprint assessment' as developed and maintained by the Water Footprint Network (WFN). It covers a comprehensive set of definitions and methods for water footprint accounting. It shows how water footprints are calculated for individual processes and products, as well as for consumers, nations and businesses. It also includes methods for water footprint sustainability assessment and a library of water footprint response options. A shared standard on definitions and calculation methods is crucial given the rapidly growing interest in companies and governments to use water footprint accounts as a basis for formulating sustainable …

Sex Steroid And Thyroid Hormone Receptor Expressions In The Thyroid Of The American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) During Different Life Stages, Dieldrich S. Bermudez, Jeremy P. Skotko, Yasuhiko Ohta, Ashley S.P. Boggs, Taisen Iguchi, Louis J. Guillette Jr.

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

The expression of estrogen receptors, ESR1 (ERα) and ESR2 (ERβ), and androgen receptors (AR) in the thyroid gland has been reported in few vertebrate species other than a few mammals. This study reports the presence of sex steroid hormone receptors and thyroid receptors (ERα, ERβ, AR, TRα, and TRβ) in the thyroid gland of the American alligator at several life stages. It provides a semiquantification and distribution of ERα in the thyroid follicle cells using an immunohistochemical approach as well as reports quantitative differences in mRNA expression of ERα, ERβ, TRα, TRβ, and AR in the same tissue using quantitative …

Time-Lapse Three-Dimensional Inversion Of Complex Conductivity Data Using An Active Time Constrained (Atc) Approach, M. Karaoulis, A. Revil, D. D. Werkema, B. J. Minsley, W. F. Woodruff, A. Kemna

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Induced polarization (more precisely the magnitude and phase of impedance of the subsurface) is measured using a network of electrodes located at the ground surface or in boreholes. This method yields important information related to the distribution of permeability and contaminants in the shallow subsurface. We propose a new time-lapse 3-D modelling and inversion algorithm to image the evolution of complex conductivity over time.We discretize the subsurface using hexahedron cells. Each cell is assigned a complex resistivity or conductivity value. Using the finite-element approach, we model the in-phase and out-of-phase (quadrature) electrical potentials on the 3-D grid, which are then …

Cottonwood Management Plan/Programmatic Environmental Assessment Proposed Implementation Of A Cottonwood Management Plan Along Six Priority Segments Of The Missouri River

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) proposes to preserve existing stands and reestablish new stands of plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides) at selected public/government lands along the Missouri River in accordance with the Cottonwood Management Plan (CMP). The Proposed Action is the implementation of the CMP. The goal of the plan is to be a living document that preserves, creates, or restores cottonwood habitats along the Missouri River and meets the requirements of the USFWS 2003 Amended Biological Opinion (BiOp) concerning the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The principal immediate focus of the CMP includes measures in …

Missouri River Recovery Program: 2009 Spring Pulse And Rises Drainage Monitoring And Evaluation

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Spring pulse releases for the benefit of the endangered pallid sturgeon were planned for March and May 2009 to mimic historic natural spring rises that occurred on the Missouri River before the closure of the main stem dams. The March spring pulse from Gavins Point Dam was not released in 2009 due to high downstream flows and the possibility of flow-limit violations. A 6.1 -kcfs May spring pulse was released in 2009.

The May spring pulse was monitored at 44 sites along the Missouri River. Nineteen of these were interior-drainage sites that were monitored for possible socioeconomic impacts to landowners. …

Restoration Of Emergent Sandbar Habitat Complexes In The Missouri River, North Dakota

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

In 2003, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued an Amendment to the 2000 Biological Opinion (BiOp) with recommendations for the US Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) operations on the Missouri River Mainstem System (MRMS). The BiOp Amendment was the result of continuing consultation between the Corps and the USFWS under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and supplemented the recommendations given in the previous BiOp (USFWS, 2000). The 2000 BiOp and amendments made in 2003 will be collectively referred to as “BiOp” hereafter. The document found that Corps operations on the Missouri River were not likely to jeopardize …

Ecosystem Services Altered By Human Changes In The Nitrogen Cycle: A New Perspective For Us Decision Making, Jana E. Compton, John A. Harrison, Robin L. Dennis, Tara L. Greaver, Brian H. Hill, Stephen J. Jordan, Henry Walker, Holly V. Campbell

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Human alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle has produced benefits for health and well-being, but excess N has altered many ecosystems and degraded air and water quality. US regulations mandate protection of the environment in terms that directly connect to ecosystem services. Here, we review the science quantifying effects of N on key ecosystem services, and compare the costs of N-related impacts or mitigation using the metric of cost per unit of N. Damage costs to the provision of clean air, reflected by impaired human respiratory health, are well characterized and fairly high (e.g. costs of ozone and particulate damages …

Toxicity And Recovery In The Pregnant Mouse After Gestational Exposure To The Cyanobacterial Toxin, Cylindrospermopsin, N. Chernoff, E. H. Rogers, R. D. Zehr, M. I. Gage, D. E. Malarkey, C. A. Bradfield, Y. Liu, J. E. Schmid, R. H. Jaskot, J. H. Richards, C. R. Wood, M. B. Rosen

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a tricyclic alkaloid toxin produced by fresh water cyanobacterial species worldwide. CYN has been responsible for both livestock and human poisoning after oral exposure. This study investigated the toxicity of CYN to pregnant mice exposed during different segments of gestation. The course of recovery and individual responses to the toxin were evaluated. Adverse effects of CYN were monitored up to 7 weeks post-dosing by clinical examination, histopathology, biochemistry and gene expression. Exposure on gestational days (GD) 8–12 induced significantly more lethality than GD13–17 exposure. Periorbital, gastrointestinal and distal tail hemorrhages were seen in both groups. Serum markers …

Maternal Influences On Epigenetic Programming Of The Developing Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Curtis E. Grace, Sung-Je Kim, John M. Rogers

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Parental and environmental factors during the prenatal and postnatal periods permanently affect the physiology and metabolism of offspring, potentially increasing disease risk later in life. Underlying mechanisms are being elucidated, and effects on a number of organs and metabolic pathways are likely involved. In this review, we consider effects on the developing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may represent a common pathway for developmental programming. The focus is on prenatal and early postnatal development, during which the HPA axis may be programmed in a manner that affects health for a lifetime. Programming of the HPA axis involves, at least in part, …

Current And Future Needs For Developmental Toxicity Testing, Susan L. Makris, James H. Kim, Amy Ellis, Willem Faber, Wafa Harrouk, Joseph M. Lewis, Merle G. Paule, Jennifer Seed, Melissa Tassinari, Rochelle Tyl

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

A review is presented of the use of developmental toxicity testing in the United States and international regulatory assessment of human health risks associated with exposures to pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary), chemicals (agricultural, industrial, and environmental), food additives, cosmetics, and consumer products. Developmental toxicology data are used for prioritization and screening of pharmaceuticals and chemicals, for evaluating and labeling of pharmaceuticals, and for characterizing hazards and risk of exposures to industrial and environmental chemicals. The in vivo study designs utilized in hazard characterization and dose-response assessment for developmental outcomes have not changed substantially over the past 30 years and have …

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation During Pregnancy, And In Adult Nulliparous Mice, Delays The Subsequent Development Of Dmba-Induced Mammary Tumors, Tao Wang, Heather M. Gavin, Volker M. Arlt, B. Paige Lawrence, Suzanne E. Fenton, Daniel Medina, Beth A. Vorderstrasse

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the prototypic ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), promotes tumor formation in some model systems. However, with regard to breast cancer, epidemiological and animal studies are inconclusive as to whether exposure increases tumor incidence or may instead be protective. We have previously reported that mice exposed to TCDD during pregnancy have impaired differentiation of mammary tissue, including decreased branching and poor development of lobuloalveolar structures. Because normal pregnancy-induced mammary differentiation may protect against subsequent neoplastic transformation, we hypothesized that TCDD-treated mice would be more susceptible to chemical carcinogenesis after parturition. To test this, mice were …

Emergy As A Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicator A Gold Mining Case Study, Wesley W. Ingwesen

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Founded in thermodynamics and systems ecology, emergy evaluation is a method to associate a product with its dependencies on all upstream environmental and resource flows using a common unit of energy. Emergy is thus proposed as an indicator of aggregate resource use for life cycle assessment (LCA). An LCA of gold mining, based on an original life cycle inventory of a large gold mine in Peru, is used to demonstrate how emergy can be incorporated as an impact indicator into a process-based LCA model. The results demonstrate the usefulness of emergy in the LCA context. The adaptation of emergy evaluation, …

Evolution Of Natural History Information In The 21st Century – Developing An Integrated Framework For Biological And Geographical Data, Deborah A. Reusser, Henry Lee Ii

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Threats to marine and estuarine species operate over many spatial scales, from nutrient enrichment at the watershed/estuarine scale to invasive species and climate change at regional and global scales. To help address research questions across these scales, we provide here a standardized framework for a biogeographical information system containing queriable biological data that allows extraction of information on multiple species, across a variety of spatial scales based on species distributions, natural history attributes and habitat requirements. As scientists shift from research on localized impacts on individual species to regional and global scale threats, macroecological approaches of studying multiple species over …

Effects Of Biologically-Active Chemical Mixtures On Fish In A Wastewater-Impacted Urban Stream, Larry B. Barber, Gregory K. Brown, Todd G. Nettesheim, Elizabeth W. Murphy, Stephen E. Bartell, Heiko L. Schoenfuss

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Stream flow in urban aquatic ecosystems often is maintained by water-reclamation plant (WRP) effluents that contain mixtures of natural and anthropogenic chemicals that persist through the treatment processes. In effluent-impacted streams, aquatic organisms such as fish are continuously exposed to biologically-active chemicals throughout their life cycles. The North Shore Channel of the Chicago River (Chicago, Illinois) is part of an urban ecosystem in which >80% of the annual flow consists of effluent from the North Side WRP. In this study, multiple samplings of the effluent and stream water were conducted and fish (largemouth bass and carp) were collected on 2 …

Investigating Rfid For Linear Asset Management, Judy A. Perkins Ph.D., P.E., Erick C. Jones Ph.D., P.E., Cssbb, Judith L. Mwakalonge Ph.D., E.I.T

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

A linear asset is defined as an asset whose length plays a critical role in its maintenance. Examples of such assets include roads, pipelines, and railroad tracks. Major features of a roadway asset include traffic lights, number of lanes, speed limits, guardrails, and highway billboards. Linear assets, along with their features, are hard to physically access; therefore, previously captured inventory information files may be inaccurate. To address this problem, some of the transportation agencies are investigating technologies that will assist in solving this asset inventory problem. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that uses communication via radio waves to …