Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons^™

Atrazine Runoff In The Blue River Basin: Geomorphology, Rainfall, And Agronomic Practices, Kundan Dhakal

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Atrazine concentrations in the Big Blue River Basin (BRB) in Nebraska and Kansas periodically exceed the U.S. EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 3 µg L^-1. The present study is focused on watershed variables influencing surface runoff of atrazine. The assessment includes the impact of corn and sorghum planting progress (indicating atrazine application), rainfall, antecedent soil water content, and soil restrictive layer on stream-measured weekly atrazine load in independent BRB subwatersheds for 1997 - 2004. Maximum atrazine loading occurred after most of the corn had been planted but during sorghum planting from mid-May to early June, immediately following …

Proposed Experimental Actions For Water Years 2005-2006 Colorado River, Arizona, In Glen Canyon National Recreation Area And Grand Canyon National Park, U.S. Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey

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

In September 2002 the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Geological Survey released an environmental assessment (EA) on proposed experimental releases from Glen Canyon Dam and removal of non‐native fish from the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona (Bureau of Reclamation, NPS, and USGS 2002). The experiment was developed by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey (GCMRC), cooperating scientists, and the Technical Work Group (TWG) of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCDAMP). It was recommended to the Secretary of the Interior by the Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG), a …

Data Summary From The Tampa Bay Interagency Seagrass Monitoring Program Through Year 2003, Walt Avery, Roger Johansson

Reports

Results regarding seagrass species abundance, distribution, and zonation over time are presented for the 1997-2003 period in Hillsborough Bay (HB, Figures 15-26) and the 1998-2003 period for Old Tampa Bay (OTB, Figures 3-14), Middle Tampa Bay (MTB, Figures 28-40), Lower Tampa Bay, including Terra Ceia Bay (LTB, Figures 41-56), and Boca Ciega Bay (BCB, Figures 57-68). For each transect, results are presented in a graphic format illustrating annual species composition, abundance, and distribution. Seagrass abundance is presented as percent coverage within a square meter using the Braun Blanquet coverage class system.

Benthic Biological Monitoring Program Of The Elizabeth River Watershed (2003), Daniel M. Dauer

Elizabeth River Reports

Executive Summary

Macrobenthic communities of the Elizabeth River watershed have been quantitatively sampled since summer 1999. This report presents the data from the fifth year of sampling in 2003. The three objectives of the Benthic Biological Monitoring Program of the Elizabeth River watershed are: (1) To characterize the health of the tidal waters of the Elizabeth River watershed as indicated by the structure of the benthic communities. ( 2) To conduct trend analyses on long-term data at 14 fixed-point stations to relate temporal trends in the benthic communities to changes in water and/or sediment quality. Trend analyses will be updated …

Reducing Nutrient Discharge From Agriculture Through The Implementation Of Bmps – How Far Can We Go?, David Weaver, Simon Neville, Robert Summers, Martin Clarke

Conference papers and presentations

Algal blooms in south west Western Australia are a symptomatic response to excess nutrient input. Whilst a range of Best Management Practices (BMPs) are available to address the causes of nutrient pollution, most investment has been directed towards symptoms. In order to treat nutrient pollution causes effectively it is important to evaluate possible nutrient reductions and costs, and to determine whether accrued benefits can influence BMP adoption. Models were developed for catchments near Albany (south coast of Western Australia), and for the Peel-Harvey catchment (70 km south of Perth) to estimate costs and benefits of implementing conventional BMPs in scenarios …

Annual Report To The Pastoral Lands Board Of Western Australia: 2003 / 2004 Financial Year, Rod Williams, Philip Thomas

Natural resources published reports

The Department of Agriculture has prepared this Annual Report for the Pastoral Lands Board of Western Australia for the financial year 2003 – 2004. This is the second report incorporating this framework and provides expanded information on issues and trends for a number of indicators of importance to Western Australia’s rangelands.

The Department of Agriculture’s services to the Board are outlined and environmental indicators based on scientific analysis of range condition trend are presented at the regional and property scales. Seasonal conditions at the state level with more specific information at the regional level and information relating to the assistance …

Interm Report Of A Pilot Study To Evaluate Impacts To Water Quality And Seagrass Meadows From The Green Mussel (Perna Viridis) Invasion In Hillsborough Bay, Tampa Bay, Florida., J.O.R. Johansson, W. M. Avery

Reports

The green mussel (Perna viridis) was discovered in Tampa Bay in 1999 and was first noted as a biofouler at a power generating plant. This was apparently the first record of this species in the U.S. Since 1999, green mussels have been found throughout Tampa Bay and in other marine locations outside Tampa Bay on the west-coast of Florida (Benson et al. 2001; Benson et al. 2002).

This report constitutes an interim report provided to the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP) to describe progress on the project to date. A final project report, including a detailed discussion of …

Proposals For Community Discussion : A Quality Future For Recreational Fishing In The Pilbara/Kimberley : A Five-Year Draft Strategy For Managing The Recreational Component Of The Catch, Pilbara/Kimberley Recreational Fishing Working Group.

Fisheries Management Papers

With a growing population and advances in technology, fishing pressure will continue to grow and anglers will become more efficient at targeting fish - particularly offshore demersal species, such as tropical snappers and emperors. There is also a clear need for recreational fisheries management to complement the existing management arrangements for the charter industry, and provide the necessary framework for recreational fishing to be incorporated into an integrated management framework with other fishing sectors.

Groundwater Trends In The North Stirling Pallinup Sub-Region, Ruhi Ferdowsian, Lisa Crossing

Natural resources published reports

The South Coast Regional Initiative Planning Team (SCRIPT) has divided the South Coast region of Western Australia into six sub-regions. This publication describes the groundwater trends, risk of shallow watertables, and technical feasibility of salinity management in the agricultural district of the North Stirling Pallinup sub-region.

This sub-region encompasses the Stirling Range National Park, the North Stirling Basin to the north-east of the Park, and the middle and upper catchments of the Pallinup River. Almost 90% (500,000 ha) of the sub-region's alienated land has been cleared for agriculture, and salinity has been identified as an important issue.

Soil-landscape zones are …

An Invasive Species Assessment Protocol: Evaluating Non-Native Plants For Their Impact On Biodiversity, Version 1, Larry E. Morse, John M. Randall, Nancy Benton, Ron Hiebert, Stephanie Lu, Natureserve

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

NatureServe, in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. National Park Service, developed this Invasive Species Assessment Protocol as a tool for assessing, categorizing, and listing non-native invasive vascular plants according to their impact on native species and natural biodiversity in a large geographical area such as a nation, state, province, or ecological region. This protocol is designed to make the process of assessing and listing invasive plants objective and systematic, and to incorporate scientific documentation of the information used to determine each species’ rank. NatureServe’s methodology has previously included assessments of the conservation significance of native species; this …

Results Of The City Of Tampa Surface Water Compliance Monitoring Program For The Year 2003 And Examination Of Long-Term Water Quality And Biological Indicator Trends In Hillsborough Bay, The City Of Tampa Wastewater Department

Reports

This report is submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to satisfy the requirements set forth in Reclaimed Water and Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements condition No. 10 of the Howard F. Curren WWTP operation permit FL0020940-001- DW1P. The report is based on data obtained by the City of Tampa (COT) surface water compliance monitoring program approved on August 14, 2000 by the FDEP. The report includes examination of long-term trends for water quality parameters and biological indicators collected by the City of Tampa Bay Study Group and the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC).

Seagrass And Caulerpa Monitoring In Hillsborough Bay Fifteenth Annual Report, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers

Reports

This is the fifteenth annual report submitted to the FDEP to satisfy the requirements set forth in Reclaimed Water and Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements condition #10 of the Howard F. Curren WWTP operation permit FL0020940-001-DW1P.

The City of Tampa, Department of Sanitary Sewers, Bay Study Group (BSG), created in 1976, has monitored the effects of pollution abatement that occurred in Hillsborough Bay when the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (formerly Hookers Point Wastewater Treatment Plant) was upgraded to secondary treatment in 1978 and advanced treatment in 1979. During the mid 1980's, water quality improvements and evidence of …

Floodplain Habitat Restoration At Thunder Ranch, Utah, U.S. Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Reclamation

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

The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program) is proposing to restore endangered fish habitat at 330 acres of Green River bottomlands located on the Thunder Ranch near Jensen, Utah. The Recovery Program acquired a total of 455 acres of easement from Thunder Ranch to protect and improve floodplain habitat for the benefit of endangered Colorado River fishes. The project area is located adjacent to the Green River within an old meander river channel. Several ponds and wetlands exist in the project area, but are isolated from the Green River by an earth-filled levee. By notching the existing …

Draft Aquaculure Plan For Exmouth Gulf, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

The Plan’s objective is to provide a sound strategy for developing future aquaculture activities in Exmouth Gulf, while at the same time conserving the unique environment of Exmouth Gulf for present and future generations, and minimising conflict with existing and future users of Exmouth Gulf.

Factors Influencing Seagrass Recovery In Feather Sound, Tampa Bay, Florida, Feather Sound Seagrass Recovery Workgroup

Reports

This document is a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Feather Sound Seagrass Recovery Workgroup.

In response to nutrient load reductions and resulting clearer water, seagrasses have expanded significantly in many areas of Tampa Bay since the mid-1980s. However, the recovery rate and expansion of seagrasses in several areas, especially in the Feather Sound region of Old Tampa Bay, have been much slower. This project was designed to examine factors that may be affecting seagrass recovery and growth in the Feather Sound region compared to three other areas of Old Tampa Bay.

The Effects Of Off-Road Vehicle Use In Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii) Habitats, Brent D. Clark

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations have been in decline and have been placed on the endangered species list. No single factor is ultimately responsible for the tortoise decline. It is a combination of events that collectively have a negative impact. I chose to focus my study on only one factor, off-road vehicles. By evaluating the damage done to the terrain by off-road vehicles, a better understanding of their impact on the tortoise populations can be assessed and protective measures taken.

The amount of available vegetation does not seem to play a role in their decisions of which plants to …

Defining Soil Type And Habitat Characteristics Of The Arctomecon Californica, Philip S. Childers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A. californica can be considered a rare endemic species, which is believed to be restricted by unique soil relationships. These relationships make the species vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat disturbance. Although A. californica is listed as critically endangered by the state of Nevada, further research is needed before the species can be listed as federally endangered or threatened. This study used primary observational data and secondary GIS compatible data to characterize A. californica habitat. Representative sampling techniques were used to select observations from derived soil types. Although a majority of A. californica populations were found to occur in gypsic soil types, …

Draft Plan Of Management For The Kalbarri Blue Holes Fish Habitat Protection Area., Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

The overall objective of the proposed FHPA and the associated Plan of Management is to conserve and protect a portion of the near-shore reef ecosystem in the vicinity of the Blue Holes, and to manage activities within the area, to promote the observation and protection of fish living within the area. Strong community commitment has already been demonstrated, and this is crucial in the implementation of the proposed management plan

Fish Stock And Fishery Enhancement In Western Australia. A Summary Report., Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

This summary paper provides an overview of the key proposals set out in the full policy discussion paper, Fisheries Management Paper No 175. It does not discuss the theoretical background for the framework presented and therefore readers interested in such discussion are directed to Fisheries Management Paper No 175.

Both papers have been prepared to encourage public involvement in the development of policy for stock enhancement within Western Australian waters. Stock enhancement can involve an existing fishery or creation of a new fishery through the translocation of fish. It affects both public and private waters.

Seagrass Monitoring In Old Tampa Bay (Task C), J. O. R. Johansson, W. M. Avery

Reports

The seagrass monitoring program coincided with the Old Tampa Bay water quality program, also a technical element of the seagrass restoration strategy project. The primary objective of the seagrass monitoring project was to establish baseline seagrass characteristics in the selected study areas. In addition, the measured seagrass characteristics were to be examined for year-to-year variations, potential relationships with water quality parameters, and also if possible, for relationships with results from other technical elements included in the wide encompassing seagrass restoration strategy project.

Fish Stock And Fishery Enhancement In Western Australia. A Discussion Paper., Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

The objective of this paper is to propose a process that will allow the decision makers to objectively assess the appropriateness, benefits and costs of any stock enhancement proposal under Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) principles. To this end, this paper sets out a conceptual framework for assessment of stock enhancement projects, putting stock enhancement within the wider framework of fisheries and ecosystem management strategies, and their assessment, in Western Australia.

Greening Connecticut Cities And Towns, Managing Public Trees And Community Forests, Glenn D. Dreyer, Robert M. Ricard

Other Publications and Reports

No abstract provided.

Grass Or Trees? Performance Of Riparian Buffers Under Natural Rainfall Conditions, Australia, Lucy Mckergow, I Prosser, R Grayson, David Weaver, D Heiner

Journal articles

Riparian vegetation can trap sediment and nutrients derived from hillslopes. Most research into the effectiveness of riparian buffers has been experimental and little quantitative data exists on performance under natural field conditions. This study reports on grass and tree buffer performance under natural rainfall conditions in two contrasting Australian environments. Buffers receiving runoff from hillslopes cropped with bananas were monitored over a 4-year period in the wet topics of Far North Queensland (FNQ). Runoff, bedload and suspended loads were measured leaving the crop and leaving 15 m wide dense grass and remnant rainforest riparian buffers. The grass buffer was able …

National Strategy And Implementation Plan For Invasive Species Management, U.S. Department Of Agriculture, Forest Service

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

The Chief of the U.S.Department of Agriculture Forest Service has identified invasive species as one of the four critical threats to our Nation’s ecosystems. In response to this national threat,we have evaluated the role of the Forest Service as a leading forest research, forest health, and Federal resource management agency.We are aware of our significant role in addressing invasive species threats at the local, State, and national levels, as well as internationally.We have found the best opportunity for success comes from working strategically, using all our scientific, management, and partnership resources in unison. This document is not designed to serve …

An Analysis Of Simulated Long-Term Soil Moisture Data For Three Land Uses Under Contrasting Hydroclimatic Conditions In The Northern Great Plains, Rezaul Mamood, Kenneth G. Hubbard

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Staff Publications

Soil moisture (SM) plays an important role in land surface and atmosphere interactions. It modifies energy balance near the surface and the rate of water cycling between land and atmosphere. The lack of observed SM data prohibits understanding of SM variations at climate scales under varying land uses. However, with simulation models it is possible to develop a long-term SM dataset and study these issues. In this paper a water balance model is used to provide a quantitative assessment of SM climatologies for three land uses, namely, irrigated corn, rain-fed corn, and grass, grown under three hydroclimatic regimes in Nebraska. …

An Agricultural Drought Risk-Assessment Model For Corn And Soybeans, Hong Wu, Kenneth G. Hubbard, Donald A. Wilhite

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society. Published by Wiley InterScience. Used by permis-sion.

Drought Monitoring Using Data Mining Techniques: A Case Study For Nebraska, Usa, Tsegaye Tadesse, Donald A. Wilhite, Sherri K. Harms, Michael J. Hayes, Steve Goddard

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

Drought has an impact on many aspects of society. To help decision makers reduce the impacts of drought, it is important to improve our understanding of the characteristics and relationships of atmospheric and oceanic parameters that cause drought. In this study, the use of data mining techniques is introduced to find associations between drought and several oceanic and climatic indices that could help users in making knowledgeable decisions about drought responses before the drought actually occurs. Data mining techniques enable users to search for hidden patterns and find association rules for target data sets such as drought episodes. These techniques …

Land For Maine's Future Program: Increasing The Return On A Sound Public Investment, Richard Barringer, Hugh Coxe, Jack Kartez, Catherine Reilly, Jonathan Rubin

Economics and Finance

Maine is nowhere a more special place than in the quality of its landscape and the traditions of its land use. Among the mo st privately-owned of all the states, Maine’s natural diversity and beauty combine with its traditions of resource stewardship, open access, and appreciation of nature to distinguish it in the public mind and national imagination. In recent decades, however, these traditions have come under assault from the forces of economic and social change; and the people of Maine have responded. In 1986, Governor Joseph Brennan’s Special Commission on Outdoor Recreation recognized the growing threats to Maine’s natur …

2004 File Geodatabase Containing Photo Point Locations, Aerial Photos, And Flight Maps, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers Bay Study Group, Pete Reehling, Richard Mckenzie

Data Sets

The Bay Study Group was created by the City of Tampa in 1976 to monitor the effects of pollution abatement that occurred in Hillsborough Bay when the city’s wastewater treatment plant was upgraded from primary to advanced treatment in 1979. The Bay Study Group documented a remarkable restoration of water quality parameters and biological indicators in Hillsborough Bay from the mid 1980s until 2009, when it was disbanded. This zip Geodatabase file contains the photo point locations, aerial photos, and flight maps for the year 2004.

2004 File Geodatabase Containing Aerial Photos, Pete Reehling, Richard Mckenzie, City Of Tampa Department Of Sanitary Sewers Bay Study Group

Images

The Bay Study Group was created by the City of Tampa in 1976 to monitor the effects of pollution abatement that occurred in Hillsborough Bay when the city’s wastewater treatment plant was upgraded from primary to advanced treatment in 1979. The Bay Study Group documented a remarkable restoration of water quality parameters and biological indicators in Hillsborough Bay from the mid 1980s until 2009, when it was disbanded. This zip Geodatabase file contains the aerial photos for the year 2004.