Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Should Mangrove Forests Be Used As Coastal Protection For The Gulf Of Mexico From Future Climate Effects: A Look At The Houston Galveston Area., Benjamin L. Weldon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Climate change effects pose a major threat to coastal cities. Sea-level rise and an increase in hurricane intensity will increase the need for protection for these communities. Wetland ecosystems provide key protective services to the cities that lie behind them. Mangroves are a coastal wetland with benefits such as wave attenuation, carbon sequestration, and shoreline management. Mangrove’s habitat range will expand northward as climate change progresses. With a 2-4°C increase in winter temperature extremes black mangroves are projected to be able to inhabit the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The viability of using mangrove forests as future protection …

Environmental Ngo-Private Sector Partnerships: A Tool To Generate Business Value And Protect The Natural World, Carolyn Nogy Nogy

Master's Projects and Capstones

Many environmental challenges are complicated by complex and social, cultural, economic and political interactions, which are difficult to address by a single entity. However, partnerships can offer the necessary depth and versatility to address them effectively. By working together, there is an opportunity for cross sector partners to leverage their unique expertise, while blending resources to achieve more comprehensive and sustainable solutions to existing environmental problems. This project examines the use of partnerships between environmental NGOs and the private sector to manage complex environmental problems, providing a critical assessment of the partnership attributes that generate the most mutual benefit. The …

Embodied Carbon: A Framework For Prioritizing And Reducing Emissions In The Building Industry, Natalie C. Wheating

Master's Projects and Capstones

Global climate change is one of the most impactful environmental issues in modern times, and the construction industry is known to be one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions—one of the key causes of climate change. Embodied carbon emissions of buildings are an often overlooked, but significant, influencer of a building’s overall carbon footprint. This gives rise to the need for improved life cycle analysis of buildings and identification of opportunities to reduce the total carbon footprint of a building throughout its life cycle. This paper analyzes the current state of the building industry that limits the consideration of …

Northern San Francisco Bay Ecological Risk Assessment: Potential Crude By Rail Incident, Meagan Bowis

Master's Projects and Capstones

Oil spill models, ecological risks, response options, and costs were assessed for a discharge of Bakken crude oil into the Northern San Francisco Bay from a train derailment. This assessment was based on the risk of crude by rail derailments into the San Francisco Bay; in 2014, California oil refineries imported over 240 million gallons of Bakken crude oil by rail for processing. A hypothetical scenario was developed from a derailment on the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge and discharging 100,000 gallons of Bakken crude oil into the Northern San Francisco Bay. The oil trajectory impacted the Carquinez Strait, Suisun, San …

Ecodistricts In San Francisco: The Implementation Of Neighborhood Regional Planning And Its Potential Effects On Environmental Resilience, Elizabeth M. Juvera

Master's Projects and Capstones

Ecodistricts, or neighborhood-scale, community-driven areas of sustainable development, have emerged internationally and within the U.S. to create models of adaptive environmental design and advanced urban infrastructure. Central SoMa is the first ecodistrict to be planned and implemented in San Francisco, with the intention of revitalizing and greening this urbanized region of the city. At this time, the Central SoMa area has very low biodiversity levels, inefficient infrastructure, and poor water management capabilities. Through the implementation of ecodistricts in San Francisco, the city can integrate physical and behavioral sustainability measures from existing ecodistricts such as permeable surfaces, green roofs, stormwater management, …

Groundwater Banking In Imperial Irrigation District: Planning For Future Water Scarcity On The Colorado River, Sara Morton

Master's Projects and Capstones

Urban and rural economies throughout the southwestern United States and Mexico rely on surface water imported from the Colorado River. The Imperial Irrigation District (herein IID or District) has rights to use 3.1 million acre-feet (MAF) per year of Colorado River Water (Regional Water Management Group 2013 and Imperial Irrigation District 2009). Of this water entitlement, IID uses 97 percent for agricultural production. In addition, IID supplies water to San Diego and Los Angeles urban areas.

The population reliant on Colorado River water is expected to rise from approximately 40 million people today, up to 76 million people over the …