Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Current Vehicle Fleet Inventory And Future Implementation Of A Centralized Electric Fleet At Portland State University, Dane Kovaleski

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

As the effects of climate change continue to impact the world, many institutions have developed climate action goals to reduce their effects on the environment. Portland State University (PSU) has committed to an 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2040. A part of this commitment must include looking at the contributions of transportation on campus to reduce carbon emissions. According to a greenhouse gas emissions report done by the Campus Planning and Sustainability Office in 2016, transportation contributed to 12% of total greenhouse gas emissions on campus.

This project aims to evaluate the management …

An Examination Of The Current Knowledge Of Contaminants In Mangroves: Hawaii And Globally, Geoffrey Szafranski

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The geographic range of mangrove forests is shifting quickly as they expand poleward in response to climate change while simultaneously being removed from their native extent to clear space for anthropogenic land-uses. Mangrove forests are also known to be sinks for anthropogenic contamination. Yet contamination research is under-researched in mangrove ecosystems, specifically the environmental fate, effect on biodiversity, and risk to human populations from contamination in the context of these changing conditions requires further research. The goal of this thesis is to address this data gap through analysis of contamination in the literature and through an investigational survey of mangrove …

Management Plan For The Western Painted Turtle At The Sandy River Delta In Troutdale, Oregon, Emma Scott

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

This management plan has been prepared for the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and is intended to provide guidance for the improvement and protection of western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) habitat at the Sandy River Delta in Troutdale, Oregon. The Sandy River Delta is a 1500-acre natural area situated where the Columbia and Sandy Rivers meet. Its dynamic floodplain habitat supports a diverse assemblage of species, including the western painted turtle, an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species. A small, unknown number of western painted turtles utilize the wetland habitats of the Sandy River Delta, and the frequency in observations …

Carli Creek Regional Water Quality Project: Assessing Water Quality Improvement At An Urban Stormwater Constructed Wetland, Christopher L. Desiderati

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Stormwater management is an ongoing challenge in the United States and the world at-large. As state and municipal agencies grapple with conflicting interests like encouraging land development, complying with permits to control stormwater discharges, “urban stream syndrome” effects, and charges to steward natural resources for the long-term, some agencies may turn to constructed wetlands (CWs) as aesthetically pleasing and functional natural analogs for attenuating pollution delivered by stormwater runoff to rivers and streams. Constructed wetlands retain pollutants via common physical, physicochemical, and biological principles such as settling, adsorption, or plant and algae uptake. The efficacy of constructed wetlands for pollutant …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Microplastics Management In Oregon, Maya Hurst-Mayr

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

There is currently no federal policy in the United States that specifically addresses microplastics (MPs) pollution. However, states are beginning to act on this issue; California's SB 1422 initiates measurement of MPs in drinking water resources and Senate Bill 1263 requires the state to adopt a strategy to reduce the ecological impact of MPs in marine ecosystems. Other West Coast states like Oregon and Washington are expected to follow California's example. It is important to know what the actors who are a part of shaping MPs policy in Oregon would see as barriers and opportunities to doing so. We conducted …

Estimating Transport Of Diesel Particulate Emissions In The Portland Metro Using Lagrangian-Based Dispersion Modeling, Andrew Mckinley Rogers

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Air pollution from diesel combustion is a well-known and serious problem which adversely impacts human and environmental health throughout the world. One of the primary pollutants of concern from diesel combustion are the solid particles formed as a byproduct of the incomplete combustion of the diesel, also known as diesel particulate matter. As a result of the ubiquitous use of diesel-fired engines in urban environments, understanding the transport of diesel particulate matter from the exhaust is paramount in assessing human exposure to this toxic pollutant. Air dispersion modeling is one method to study how diesel particulate matter is transported and …

Identifying And Prioritizing Urban And Commercial Stormwater Concerns: City Of Grants Pass, Oregon, Amie Nicole Siedlecki

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

For many communities, drinking water comes from surface water sources, or source water, such as rivers and creeks. Within the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, this is the case. The Rogue River, which spans 215 miles, beginning near Crater Lake and emptying into the ocean at Gold Beach, is Grants Pass' Rogue River, in relation to drinking water, is rarely an issue for the City of Grants Pass' Public Works Department, the potential contaminant sources (PCS) from the urban, commercial, and industrial geographical areas of Grants Pass is a concern. In order to deploy treatment processes that are capable of …

Closed Canopies Crowd Out Bats: Planning Artificial Gap Creation, Alana Simmons

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Managed even-aged forest stands often lack small to medium-sized canopy gaps that help to increase habitat diversity and, in turn, wildlife diversity. A large body of literature suggests that this habitat diversity is especially important for bat communities and that bat activity and diversity can be depressed in closed canopy, even-aged stands. Open- and edge-adapted bats have evolved specific wing morphologies and echolocation call structures that make them reliant upon forest gaps as energy efficient foraging grounds in otherwise structurally cluttered forests. Artificial gap creation projects that increase habitat diversity have been implemented to benefit ungulates, and a similar approach …

Project To Establish Growth & Mortality Rates Of Three Carex Species In Two Planting Types At Thomas Dairy Site, Tigard, Oregon, Ben Huffine

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Clean Water Services (CWS) currently increases the diversity of their wetland restoration projects using a plug planting method utilizing juvenile herbaceous plants. They have planted most of their projects using this method and plan to continue until a better one is discovered. According to the literature reviewed in this paper, juvenile plants are smaller and weaker than more mature plants and therefore have higher mortality rates. This paper is the culmination of work completed of phase 1 of this two-phase project. The objective of this project (both phases) was to design and establish a study that would test, in the …

Influence Of Climate Change On Forest Fire Occurrence And Distribution Of Sri Lanka And Modeling Of Forest Fire, Mohan Heenatigala

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Forest fire is one of the main causes for forest degradation and deforestation which affect ecosystem services provided by the given landscapes. Weather variables like temperature, wind speed and direction, rainfall, and relative humidity also govern the forest fire regime and vulnerability. On the other hand, forest fuel characteristics, human impacts, population density, forest canopy density, slope, elevation, road density, closeness to the human settlement areas are other factors that determine the forest fire impact and potential of damage. Annually, 100 to 2500 hectares of forest resources are damaged due to forest fires in Sri Lanka. From the past few …

Understory Species Increase Project: Investigating The Revegetation Of Native Herbaceous Species From Seed In Urban Forest Fragments, Erin Mcelroy

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Management of urban forest fragments often aims to reduce invasive species and promote native species abundance and diversity. Often, these environments lack natural establishment of native forest species, including herbaceous species that are especially sensitive to site conditions. While herbaceous understory species may represent a small proportion of forest biomass, they perform important functions within forest environments, including nutrient cycling, erosion and runoff control, and providing habitat for wildlife, as well as hosting the greatest biodiversity among other forest strata. However, many restoration projects focus primarily on the revegetation of dominant woody forest species, such as hardwood trees and shrubs. …

Economic Valuation Of Ecosystem Services Provided By Forest Ecosystems In Sri Lanka: A Study Based On 2010 Forest Cover Classification And The Teeb Database, Isuru Jayantha Alawaththa Kankanamge

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Ecosystem service valuation is becoming popular among the economists, ecologists, scientists and policy makers. As a result, various research, publications and programs have arisen and content of literature is developed rapidly. Even though this field of study is developing rapidly, Sri Lankan ecosystems have not yet been valued or evaluated yet in terms of economic returns. Hence, the main purpose of this study is to calculate and define economic value for each forest polygon of 2010 forest cover data base by using the value transferring approach. This data base will be an effective tool to have a fair cost-benefits analyses …

Current Stormwater Practices And Future Implementation At Portland State University With The Uncertainty Of Climate Change, Evan Suemori, Alexandra Vargas Quiñones

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Stormwater runoff is one of the most critical environmental issues in urban areas and is only expected to worsen as climate change persists (EPA, 2016). When precipitation events occur, stormwater travels across impervious surfaces collecting soils and pollutants which can negatively impact water quality in receiving waters. Additionally, stormwater has human health impacts, specifically through flooding and the contamination of drinking water. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it has been determined that climate change will increase the frequency, intensity, and/or number of precipitation events in some regions, including the Pacific Northwest, and decrease in others (IPCC, …

Community Engagement In Oregon Water Governance: Evaluating A State Water Policy And A Collaborative Q Methodology Research Project, Clare T. Mcclellan

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

This work was primarily conducted by the Oregon Water Stories Project, an interdisciplinary research group at Portland State University, in collaboration with the Willamette Partnership, an environmental non-profit in Portland, and with additional involvement from community partner organizations across the state. The overarching goal of this paper is to explore the challenges and opportunities present at the intersections of water management, stakeholder engagement, community-engaged research, and environmental justice. This study investigates this nexus first through an evaluation of Oregon’s 100 Year Water Vision that points to areas for increased integration of environmental justice principles in water policymaking. In the second …

An Examination Of Limiting Factors Of Chrysemys Picta Bellii (Western Painted Turtles) In The Lower Willamette River Basin, Oregon, James P. Holley

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Oregon’s two native freshwater turtle species, Chrysemys picta bellii (Western painted turtle) and Actinemys marmorata (Northwestern pond turtle), have seen significantly reduced population sizes since the founding of Portland in 1845, with estimates of up to 90% for A. marmorata. This project examined turtle nesting activity at 25 sites across a range of turtle populations and habitats around the Lower Willamette River Basin. All discovered turtle nesting activity was found in areas of high solar exposure. We found 93% of over 400 nest attempts to have been depredated across the 25 sites, well above most other reported rates. At …

Neighborhood Air Quality Impact From Construction Site Emissions In Portland, Or, Lyndsey Boyle

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Research has shown that diesel particulate matter, including black carbon, is harmful to human health and has climate warming properties. Emissions from off-road engines, specifically construction, are a major source of diesel particulate matter in Portland, OR. There has been little done to manage the impact that construction has on local air quality. This project included a review of recent literature on the health and climate warming effects of particulate matter and black carbon, a modeling study to better understand what the major sources of diesel particulate matter are in Oregon, and a review of current research on construction site …

Trail Impact Monitoring In Forest Park, James Mitchell

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Forest Park is an appropriately named 5,200 acre natural area located in northwest Portland, Oregon. A recent study estimated park usage near half a million annual visits and found "trails" to be the park’s most highly valued feature. Unfortunately, many trails were not designed for such traffic as evidenced by slipping hazards, erosion and other ecological impacts. In response to these observations, I partnered with Portland Parks & Recreation to conduct an objective trail impact assessment prescribed by the Forest Park Natural Resource Management Plan. I modified methods from past studies to expand on a recently completed trail condition class …

Eagle Creek Post-Fire Monitoring For Water Temperature & Water Stage, Sylas Daughtrey

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

When investigating forested watersheds devastated by wildfire, the wide range of disturbance can lead to altering hydrological effects through the loss in ground cover vegetation, canopy cover, while also disrupting soil characteristics. Within the Pacific Northwest, forested drainages affected by post-fire disturbance are further altered in areas that experience seasonal rainfall and snow melt events. When looking at the post-fire sloped areas of Eagle Creek and Tanner Creek within the Columbia Gorge of Oregon, the loss of ground cover and organic matter throughout these two watersheds pose a legitimate concern for erosion events as well as hydrological changes due to …

A Framework For Incorporating Benefits From Urban Forests Into Planning For Livable Cities: A Case Study Of Forest Park, Carole Hardy

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Urban forests provide an escape from the noise and chaos of cities. Other services can be overlooked and under-valued. Urban forests cool and filter the air, sequester carbon, filter water removing toxins and sediments from urban runoff, provide habitat for wildlife and improve human health and well-being. Commonly urban forests in the United States (US) lack funds for restoration and research because there is lack of understanding of the need to actively manage what are perceived as wild lands. Generally urban forests are highly disturbed and novel ecosystems that require ongoing active management to remove invasive species, replant native species …

A Multi-Scale Assessment Of The Relationship Between The Riparian Landscape And The Health Of Streams In Portland, Oregon, Dylan Esmonde

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The riparian areas adjacent to streams are sensitive and important environments that have a great deal of influence on the overall health of the streams they border. In cities, riparian areas are routinely impacted and degraded by property developments, urban infrastructure, and other alterations to the natural environment. In this study, I worked with the City of Portland to determine how a wide range of landscape features occurring in riparian areas affect the overall health of streams at multiple scales. Data were collected from buffer areas of widths ranging from 15 ft to 500 ft that were digitally generated around …

Soil Nitrogen Cycling Over Two Decades Following Calcium Treatment In Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Nh, Angelina Uribe

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

A watershed-scale calcium addition experiment at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, was performed in 1999 to better understand how forest ecosystem function and biogeochemistry are affected by changes in pH. Significant increases in forest growth and acid neutralizing capacity of the soil and stream water were reported in the six years following the calcium addition, but the expected stimulation of the nitrogen cycle was not observed. The aims of this study were to 1) examine the 20-year dataset of soil nitrogen dynamics following the experimental calcium addition in the treated watershed and paired reference area to understand longer term …

Collecting Plant Phenology Data In Imperiled Oregon White Oak Ecosystems: Analysis And Recommendations For Metro, Kirsten Wright

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Imperiled Oregon white oak ecosystems are a regional conservation priority due to the rich biodiversity they support, including rare and endemic species such as Oregon state-listed endangered pale larkspur (Delphinium leucophaeum). Previously dominant in the Pacific Northwest, upland prairie and oak woodlands are now under significant threat, with only 2% remaining in the Willamette Valley in small fragments.

Over the past 150 years, conversion to agriculture, urban development and fire suppression have dramatically reduced and degraded Oregon white oak habitat. Climate change has now emerged as an additional threat, causing observable shifts in plant phenology. In fragile oak …

Effectiveness Of Focused Water Conservation Messaging In The Clackamas River, Or, Rikki Carroll Oden

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The Clackamas River in Oregon is a drinking water source for upwards of 300,000 people living in the Portland metro region. This river experiences seasonal low flow during the annual dry season throughout summer and early fall when endangered salmon species return to the river to spawn. This dry season also coincides with the highest period of urban water use. Since precipitation is minimal at this time, water users choose to water their lawns to make up for the lack of rain which contributes to water use tripling during the driest part of the year. To promote local water conservation, …

Strategies For Urban Pollinator Management Using Habitat Monitoring And Restoration Planning In Portland Oregon, Fiona Smeaton

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Loss of habitat is a major factor in the decline of insect pollinators. Much of this loss can be attributed to monoculture farming, which is prevalent in Oregon. Depending on the crop, this approach to agriculture can create food deserts for native pollinators and presents dangerous exposures to pesticides. The resulting loss of habitat creates an opportunity for research on urban pollinator restoration. Many untapped land sources in urban environments may be improved to support a diverse abundance of pollinators. In this case study I wanted to understand what native bees and other insect pollinators could be observed at varied …

Watershed Assessment Of Tryon Creek Of Oregon, Danielle Goodrich

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

As the Tryon Creek Watershed Council (TCWC) continues to grow its organization, it is important to focus their efforts on lasting changes that most positively affect the watershed. The TCWC plays a community-appointed role as the binding element of agency and stakeholder partnerships throughout the Tryon Creek watershed by providing communication and cooperation. The watershed assessment aims to provide a compilation of existing data as well as an identification of data gaps and recommendations for future cooperative management of the watershed. Developing an understanding of the processes that shape the watershed can shed light on the status of measurable ecosystem …

Analysis Of Toxic Pollutant Sources And Characteristics Contributing To Water Quality Impairments In The Willamette River Basin, Melinda Borgens

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Point and nonpoint sources contribute toxic pollutants to surface waters, degrading water quality and impairing aquatic and human life. As of 2012, 51 stream segments totaling approximately 6,000 kilometers (3,750 miles) in Oregon’s Willamette River Basin (the Basin) were listed as impaired on the Clean Water Act's (CWA) Section 303(d) list with 48 toxic pollutants. These toxic pollutants exceed the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) state water quality standards, requiring Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to restore water quality and protect beneficial uses. Identifying toxic pollutant point and nonpoint sources, and the total loads a waterbody receives, are critical …

Process-Based Modeling Of The Dairy Mckay Watershed To Inform Monitoring For Agricultural Best Management Practices, Brittany Saeman

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The project described in this paper specifically looks at the influence of land management practices on water quality, specifically total phosphorus (TP) loads in the Dairy McKay Watershed (DMW). The project is being used to inform a water quality monitoring plan for the Oregon DEQ via outputs from a SWAT model. The DMW is known to have high TP levels that are linked to low dissolved oxygen levels in the Tualatin River. There is a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for the Tualatin River that specifies target TP levels coming out of the DMW, if these targets are met, the …

Developing A Framework To Assess Renewable Energy Options For Higher Education Institutions: Values-Based Recommendations For Portland State University, Emily Quinton

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Taking voluntary action to increase renewable use is necessary for higher education institutions to meet carbon reduction goals. Options for increasing renewable energy are largely defined by state-level utility regulation as well as local and institutional electricity providers. This project contained three major stages: 1) determine renewable energy procurement and development options available to Portland State; 2) evaluate these options using a values-based assessment; and 3) develop recommendations and next steps for University stakeholders. Final recommendations include pursuing the Portland General Electric green tariff, directly sourcing renewable energy through PSU's direct access contract, and more.

Nadaka 2023 Management Plan, Andrea Hurzeler

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Nadaka 2023 is a management plan written for Nadaka Nature Park that aims to assess current conditions, define desired future conditions, and make recommendations to achieve those desired future conditions. Nadaka Nature Park is a publically owned nature area and park space located in the Wilkes East Neighborhood and bordering the Rockwood Neighborhood of Gresham, Oregon. Originally owned by the Camp Fire Organization, Nadaka was purchased in 1995 by the City of Gresham and opened to the public in 2001. Making up Nadaka is a 10 acre nature area and a 2 acre park space. The nature area consists of …

Waste Stream And Green Purchasing Analysis At Bonneville Lock And Dam, Alexander Bienko

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District, has jurisdiction on three locks and four dams in the Columbia River basin. These sites "contribute to a water resource management system that provides flood risk management, power generation, water quality improvement, fish and wildlife habitat and recreation on the Columbia River and some of its tributaries". The Bonneville Lock and Dam (Bonneville Project) site lies on the Columbia River approximately 40 miles east from Portland, Oregon. Portions of the site have been declared a National Historic Landmark, from its origins in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal program from …