Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Quantifying Canal Leakage Rates Using A Mass-Balance Approach And Heat-Based Hydraulic Conductivity Estimates In Selected Irrigation Canals, Western Nebraska, 2007 Through 2009, Christopher M. Hobza, Michael J. Andersen

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

The water supply in areas of the North Platte River Basin in the Nebraska Panhandle has been designated as fully appropriated or overappropriated by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR). Enacted legislation (Legislative Bill 962) requires the North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD) and the NDNR to develop an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) to balance groundwater and surface-water supply and demand in the NPNRD. A clear understanding of the groundwater and surface-water systems is critical for the development of a successful IMP. The primary source of groundwater recharge in parts of the NPNRD is from irrigation canal leakage. Because …

Rapid Landscape Transformation In South Island, New Zealand, Following Initial Polynesian Settlement, David B. Mcwethy, Cathy Whitlock, Janet M. Wilmshurst, Matt S. Mcglone, Mairie Fromont, Xun Li, Ann Dieffenbacher-Krall, William O. Hobbs, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Edward R. Cook

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Humans have altered natural patterns of fire for millennia, but the impact of human-set fires is thought to have been slight in wet closed-canopy forests. In the South Island of New Zealand, Polynesians (Māori), who arrived 700–800 calibrated years (cal y) ago, and then Europeans, who settled ∼150 cal y ago, used fire as a tool for forest clearance, but the structure and environmental consequences of these fires are poorly understood. High-resolution charcoal and pollen records from 16 lakes were analyzed to reconstruct the fire and vegetation history of the last 1,000 y. Diatom, chironomid, and element concentration data were …

Investigation Of Spatial And Temporal Processes Of Lake-Aquifer Interactions In The Nebraska Sand Hills, John T. Ong

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Interaction between surface water and groundwater is an important component of the water cycle that affects the physicochemical and biological characteristics of lakes, streams, wetlands, and seacoasts. Due to the complex interaction of geologic, topographic, and hydrologic factors, flow between lakes and groundwater remains poorly understood. Evolution of conceptual models over the past 30 years describes processes of advection, dispersion, and free convection that occur in different lake flow regimes. Few detailed field studies document the validity of these conceptual models because of the difficulty of studying the subsurface and the prohibitive cost of instrumenting large areas. In the semi-arid …

Development Of An Arcuate Fold-Thrust Belt As A Result Of Basement Configuration: An Example From The Rocky Mountain Front Range, Montana, Caroline M. Burberry, D. L. Cannon, T. Engelder, J. W. Cosgrove

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Sawtooth Range forms part of the Montana Disturbed Belt in the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains, along strike from the Alberta Syncline in the Canadian Rockies. The belt developed in the footwall to the Lewis Thrust during the Sevier orogeny and is similar in deformation style to the Canadian Foothills, with a series of stacked thrust sheets carrying Palaeozoic carbonates. The Sawtooth Range can be divided into an inner and outer deformed belt, separated by exposed fold structures in the overlying clastic sequence. Structures in the deformed belts plunge into the culmination of the NE-trending Scapegoat-Bannatyne trend, part …

The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Farm Animals And Animal Products. Volume 1: Main Report, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The projected increase in the production and consumption of animal products is likely to put further pressure on the globe’s freshwater resources. The size and characteristics of the water footprint vary across animal types and production systems. The current study provides a comprehensive account of the global green, blue and grey water footprints of different sorts of farm animals and animal products, distinguishing between different production systems and considering the conditions in all countries of the world separately. The following animal categories were considered: beef cattle, dairy cattle, pig, sheep, goat, broiler chicken, layer chicken and horses. The study shows …

The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Farm Animals And Animal Products. Volume 2: Appendices, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Contents

Appendix I: Feed conversion efficiencies – in kg of feed (dry mass) per kg of output – per animal category and region

Appendix II: Estimated consumption of feed per animal category and world region (10³ ton dry mass/yr)

Appendix III. Estimated consumption of feed per production system and world region (10³ ton dry mass/yr)

Appendix IV. Drinking and service water footprint per animal

Appendix V. Water footprint of animals and animal products (m³/ton). Period 1996-2005

Policy And Science Of Geothermal Heat Use At Mcmurdo Station, Antarcrtica, Joe Alvine

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

My thesis research project deals with the use of geothermal heat in Antarctica. Currently it is not allowed due to article 7 of the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection that placed a 50 moratorium on the exploitation of mineral resources. The US main base in Antarctica, McMurdo Station is currently powered by diesel generators that are inefficient, cause environmental damage, and is expensive to run. By exploring alternative energy options, McMurdo Station can reduce its dependence on non-renewable energy sources. By determining the geothermal potential of McMurdo Station, this project explores the possibilities and benefits that would occur with the …

The Effect Of Enso On Nebraska Winter Snowfall, Jonathan Burnham

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Sediment Bays On Reducing Incoming Sediment In Holmes Lake: Lincoln, Nebraska, Alex Fischer

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Lakes in the urban environment are often challenged with issues of water quality. Holmes Lake, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, has experienced such problems. In an effort to improve water quality in Holmes Lake, the city installed several control devices. One of the devices installed were sediment bays. This study evaluated the effectiveness of those sediment bays by measuring turbidity and suspended sediment after rain events at different locations in and out of the bays. The study found that the bays helped to reduce sediment in some cases, but in other cases no reduction was shown.

Subsurface Images Shed Light On Past Tsunamis In India, Rajesh R. Nair, Ilya Buynevich, Ronald J. Goble, P. Srinivasan, S. G. N. Murthy, S. C. Kandpal, C. S. Vijaya Lakshmi, D. Trivedi

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused massive devastation and left a lasting impact along many of the major coastal regions in South Asia, including the coast of Tamil Nadu, a state in the southeastern tip of India. Following the event, sand deposits draped the low-lying areas and buried the muddy sediments of the coastal plain [Babu et al., 2007; Srinivasalu et al., 2007]. In addition, erosional features related to the tsunami, such as channels and scarps, have been observed along many parts of the coast (Figure 1a). This tsunami, along with a recorded history of intense monsoons, …

Simulation Of Groundwater Flow And Effects Of Groundwater Irrigation On Stream Base Flow In The Elkhorn And Loup River Basins, Nebraska, 1895-2055: Phase Two, Jennifer S. Stanton, Steven M. Peterson, Michael N. Fienen

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

Regional groundwater-flow simulations for a 30,000-square-mile area of the High Plains aquifer, referred to collectively as the Elkhorn-Loup Model, were developed to predict the effects of groundwater irrigation on stream base flow in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, Nebraska. Simulations described the stream-aquifer system from predevelopment through 2005 [including predevelopment (pre-1895), early development (1895–1940), and historical development (1940 through 2005) conditions] and future hypothetical development conditions (2006 through 2033 or 2055). Predicted changes to stream base flow that resulted from simulated changes to groundwater irrigation will aid development of long-term strategies for management of hydrologically connected water supplies.

The …

The Waterfalls Of Kauai, Hawaii, Darryll T. Pederson

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Everyone enjoys the sounds and sights of a tropical waterfall. They are the setting for romantic and action packed movies. Fantasy Island used Wailua Falls on Kauai to open their weekly TV series. From a different viewpoint waterfall origin and evolution has been attributed to a wide range of geologic processes. The Hawaiian Island's waterfalls and amphitheater-headed valleys have been cited by many as equivalent to similar features seen on Mars. After a number of years of studying these features on Kauai, I offer the following thoughts and observations about Kauai's waterfalls and amphitheater-headed valleys.

Continental Warming Preceding The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum, Ross Secord, Philip D. Gingerich, Kyger C. Lohmann, Kenneth G. Macleod

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Marine and continental records show an abrupt negative shift in carbon isotope values at ~55.8 Myr ago. This carbon isotope excursion (CIE) is consistent with the release of a massive amount of isotopically light carbon into the atmosphere and was associated with a dramatic rise in global temperatures termed the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM). Greenhouse gases released during the CIE, probably including methane, have often been considered the main cause of PETM warming. However, some evidence from the marine record suggests that warming directly preceded the CIE, raising the possibility that the CIE and PETM may have been linked to …

Droughtscape- Fall 2010, Kelly Smith

Droughtscape, Quarterly Newsletter of NDMC, 2007-

CDC Issues Drought Guidance for Public Health

La Niña May Intensify Drought in South

Recent Workshops and Meetings

East Feels Impacts as Heat Intensifies Drought

New Products

Nicole Wall Co-Facilitates Republican River Basin Task Force

NDMC Climatologist on Ethiopia Team

Geospatial Data Portals: Librarians Add Expertise In The Development Of Gis Metadata Catalogs, Adonna Fleming

UNL Libraries: Faculty Publications

Searching a geospatial data catalog can be frustrating for many GIS data users. Geospatial data catalogs are built on records created to a specific metadata standard, such as ISO 19115. The search query is often limited to searching a few tags within the record, such as title, publisher, spatial extent, content theme, and content type. GIS personnel tend to create metadata records with little thought into how it will be discovered by others. On the other hand, library catalogs are developed for a broad spectrum of users with varying knowledge of the subject. Librarians can bring this expertise in creating …

Synthesis Of Stratigraphies From Shallow-Water Sequences At Sites 871 Through 879 In The Western Pacific Ocean, Elisabetta Erba, Isabella Premoli Silva, Paul A. Wilson, Malcolm S. Pringle, William V. Sliter, David K. Watkins, Annie Arnaud Vanneau, Timothy J. Bralower, Ann F. Budd, Gilbert F. Camoin, Jean-Pierre Masse, Jörg Mutterlose, William W. Sager

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the synthesis of bio-, magneto-, and isotope stratigraphies in the shallow-water sediment sequences drilled on guyots in the western Pacific Ocean during Leg 144. Material previously dredged from the slopes of a few guyots and the Cretaceous section recovered at Site 869 are also considered. The integrated stratigraphy along with radiometric ages resulted in the reconstruction of the geological events that produced atolls and guyots.

Hydrogeomorphic Segments And Hydraulic Microhabitats Of The Niobrara River, Nebraska, With Special Emphasis On The Niobrara National Scenic River, Jason S. Alexander, Ronald B. Zelt, Nathaniel J. Schaepe

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

The Niobrara River is an ecologically and economically important resource in Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources’ recent designation of the hydraulically connected surface- and groundwater resources of the Niobrara River Basin as “fully appropriated” has emphasized the importance of understanding linkages between the physical and ecological dynamics of the Niobrara River so it can be sustainably managed. In cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the United States Geological Survey USGS) investigated the hydrogeomorphic and hydraulic attributes of the Niobrara River in northern Nebraska. This report presents the results of an analysis of hydrogeomorphic segments and hydraulic …

An Intercomparison Of Regional Atmospheric Circulation And The Melt Season Loss Of Arctic Snow Cover And Sea Ice Extent Across The Land-Ocean Boundary, Angela C. Bliss

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study is designed to compare the monthly continental snow cover and sea ice extent loss in the Arctic with regional atmospheric conditions including: mean sea level pressure, 925 hPa air temperature, and mean wind direction among others during the melt season (March-August) over the 29-year study period 1979-2007. Little research has gone into studying the concurrent variations in the annual loss of continental snow cover and sea ice extent across the land-ocean boundary, since these data are largely stored in incompatible formats. However, the analysis of these data, averaged spatially over three autonomous study regions located in Siberia, North …

Temporal And Spatial Variations Of Ions, Isotopes And Agricultural Contaminants In Surface Waters And Groundwater Of Nebraska's Rainwater Basin Wetland Region, Sarah E. Foster

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The wetlands of south-central Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin region are considered of international importance as a habitat for millions of migratory birds, but are being endangered by agricultural practices. The Rainwater Basin extends across 17 counties and covers 4,000 square miles. The purpose of this study was to assemble baseline chemical data for several representative wetlands across the Rainwater Basin region, and determine the use of these chemical data for investigating groundwater recharge.

Eight representative wetlands were chosen across the Rainwater Basin to monitor surface and groundwater chemistry. At each site, a shallow well and deep well were installed and sampled …

Droughtscape- Summer 2010, Kelly Smith

Droughtscape, Quarterly Newsletter of NDMC, 2007-

Upcoming Workshops

Mild Drought Season Likely to Persist

Drought Impacts Intensify in Upper Midwest

Visiting Scientists

North Carolina Takes Drought Monitor Seriously

International Work- Murcia, Spain, June

The Toll Of Toxics: Investigating Environmental Contaminants, Donald Sparling, Barnett A. Rattner, John S. Barclay

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Two recent events [the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Asarco settlement] bring to the fore the work of wildlife toxicologists. Focusing on amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, wildlife toxicology is a component of ecotoxicology--the study of toxic effects caused by natural or synthetic pollutants on living organisms and other constituents of ecosystems (Truhaut 1977). Now a distinct discipline within the wildlife profession-practiced by members of The Wildlife Society's own Wildlife Toxicology Working Group, among others-wildlife toxicology has become increasingly important as human populations and industry have spread, causing contaminants to multiply.

Emerging Environmental Contaminants (EECs) include an array of …

Mississippi Canyon 252 Incident Nrda Tier 1 For Deepwater Communities, Gregory Boland, Gary Brewer, Erik Cordes, Amanda Demopoulos, Chuek Fisher, Chris German, Ken Sulak

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is geologically diverse basin, described as the most complex continental slope region in the world. Regional topography of the slope consists of basins, knolls, ridges, and mounds derived from the dynamic adjustments of salt and the introduction of large volumes of sediment over long time scales. More than 99% of the sea floor in the GOM consists of soft sediment made up of various mixtures of primarily silt and clay. These wide-spread soft bottom communities are described in reports from major MMS studies by Gallaway et al. (1998) and Rowe and Kennicutt (2009). Relative …

Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, And Ichnology Of The Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation In The Alkali Anticline Region, Bighorn County, Wyoming, Charles K. Clark

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation was studied along two strike-parallel cliff-lines in the Alkali Anticline region of the northeastern Bighorn Basin, Bighorn County, Wyoming. The unit comprises up to 145 m of mudrock, sandstone, conglomerate, and volcanic fallout sediments deposited along the western margin of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway (KWIS) in the mid- to late-Cenomanian. Eighteen facies, comprising six facies associations are identified from physical and biogenic sedimentary features. Sediments were deposited in open marine offshore to shoreface and subaqueous deltaic to delta platform environments. The observed trace fossil suites record departures from the archetypal ichnofacies. Such departures record …

Establishment And Partial Characterization Of A Cell Line From Burbot Lota Lota Maculosa: Susceptibility To Ihnv, Ipnv And Vhsv, Mark P. Polinski, John D. Drennan, William N. Batts, Susan C. Ireland, Kenneth D. Cain

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

This study describes the development and partial characterization of a continuous fibroblastic-like cell line (BEF-1) developed from late stage embryos of North American burbot Lota lota maculosa. This cell line has been maintained for over 5 yr and 100 passages in vitro. Cells were cultured using Eagle’s minimum essential medium with Earle’s salts (MEM) supplemented with GlutaMAX ™, and 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), pH 7.4. The addition of penicillin-streptomycinneomycin (PSN) antibiotic mixture (0.05, 0.05, 0.1 mg ml–1, respectively) did not negatively influence cell replication; however, the antimycotic Fungizone™ (2.5 μg ml–1, amphotericin B) caused cell rounding and …

Variations In Winter Surface High Pressure In The Northern Hemisphere And Climatological Impacts Of Diminishing Arctic Sea Ice, Kristen D. Fox

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explores the role Arctic sea ice plays in determining mean sea level pressure and 1000 hPa temperatures during Northern Hemisphere winters while focusing on an extended period of October to March. This is accomplished by investigating two regions of the same size and comparable climatic zones and elevations in the Northern Hemisphere. A breakdown of 29 years of reanalysis data into average monthly values, anomalies, trends, and comparisons between regions serves as current data to compare with a computer model control run. Ensuring the control run accurately models current atmospheric patterns, altering the model inputs to have no …

A Targeted Modeling Study Of The Interaction Between A Supercell And A Preexisting Airmass Boundary, Jennifer M. Laflin

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

It is theorized that supercell thunderstorms account for the majority of significantly severe convective weather which occurs in the United States, and as a result, it is necessary that the mechanisms which tend to produce supercells are recognized and investigated. Airmass boundaries have been identified as a preferred location for supercell development due to the enhanced horizontal vorticity and forced ascent that are found along the boundary. This study examines the specific influence of a preexisting airmass boundary on supercell development through a set of idealized simulations. These simulations are based on a supercell which formed along an outflow boundary …

A Sequence Stratigraphic And Isotopic Study Of Uppermost Pennsylvanian-Lower Permian Carbonate Strata, Orogrande Basin, New Mexico, Jesse Koch

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Determining how the tropics respond to glaciation is important for improving our global understanding of icehouse worlds. The impetus behind this study is to identify the far-field impacts of Gondwanan glaciation during the Early Permian. Impacts including climate and sea-level change should be evident in sensitive carbonate systems, such as the upper Paleozoic paleotropical strata in the Orogrande Basin. A sequence stratigraphic and stable isotopic approach is used to examine the effects of late Paleozoic climate change in the Orogrande Basin during the acme and subsequent demise of the late Paleozoic ice age.

Sequence stratigraphic analysis suggests the occurrence of …

Baseline Rockfall Rates And Rockfall Protection In Virginia, Brian Bruckno

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Current approaches to rockfall hazard and risk mitigation have been dominated by a model in which rockfall is treated as a global slope stability phenomenon which is mainly triggered by precipitation, freeze-thaw, or root wedging. The methods implemented by many public agencies and private entities developed from this conceptualization. These methods, such as the Rockfall Hazard Rating System, Key Block and Key Group Analysis, and remote sensing using LIDAR or digital images, are best applied to the end-members of slopes, such as pure engineered soil or structurally simple and consistent rock slopes. Slopes exhibiting complex structure, slopes that cross formations …

Droughtscape- Spring 2010, Kelly Smith

Droughtscape, Quarterly Newsletter of NDMC, 2007-

NDMC and NC Drought Council Team Up

Drought to Intensify in Northwest and Hawaii

International Work

Impacts Recorded in Hawaii and Western States

U.S. Drought Monitor Archives Enhanced

Low-Water Impact Surveys Completed

K-12 Drought Outreach

Minimun Riparian Buffer Width For Maintaining Water Quality And Habitat Along Stevens Creek, Sammi Bray

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT Riparian buffer zones are important sites of biodiversity, sediment trapping, pollutant removal, and hydrologic regulation that have significant implications for both people and wildlife. Urbanization’s influence on and need for adequate water quality increases the need for careful planning in regards to riparian areas. Wildlife are key components in the ecosystem functions of riparian zones and require consideration in peri-urban planning as well. This study reviews relevant literature to determine the recommended minimum riparian buffer width for maintaining water quality and habitat along Stevens Creek in Lincoln, Nebraska. Only sources that listed a specific purpose related to water quality …