Sustainability Commons^™

Physicochemical And Microbiological Quality Of Harvested Rainwater From An Agricultural Installation In Ireland, Sean O'Hogain, Liam Mccarton, Niamh Mcintyre, Jenny Pender, Anna Reid

Articles

Members of DTC Research Group. Dublin Institute of Technology was commissioned in 2005 by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government in Ireland to assess the feasibility of utilising rainwater to replace treated mains water for nonpotable uses. The project involved the design, installation, commissioning and monitoring of rainwater harvesting on a farm. Two monitoring programmes, Regime 1 and Regime 2, examined the physicochemical and microbiological quality of the harvested rainwater. Samples were taken monthly and tested. Regime 1 analysis showed that the microbiological quality of the rainwater from the site did not comply with the requirements of the …

Global Monthly Water Scarcity: Blue Water Footprints Versus Blue Water Availability, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Mesfin Mekonnen, Ashok K. Chapagain, Ruth E. Mathews, Brian D. Richter

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Freshwater scarcity is a growing concern, placing considerable importance on the accuracy of indicators used to characterize and map water scarcity worldwide. We improve upon past efforts by using estimates of blue water footprints (consumptive use of ground- and surface water flows) rather than water withdrawals, accounting for the flows needed to sustain critical ecological functions and by considering monthly rather than annual values. We analyzed 405 river basins for the period 1996–2005. In 201 basins with 2.67 billion inhabitants there was severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. The ecological and economic consequences of increasing …

The Water Footprint Of Humanity, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Mesfin Mekonnen

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This study quantifies and maps the water footprint (WF) of humanity at a high spatial resolution. It reports on consumptive use of rainwater (green WF) and ground and surface water (blue WF) and volumes of water polluted (gray WF). Water footprints are estimated per nation from both a production and consumption perspective. International virtual water flows are estimated based on trade in agricultural and industrial commodities. The global annual average WF in the period 1996–2005 was 9,087 Gm3 ∕y (74% green, 11% blue, 15% gray). Agricultural production contributes 92%. About one-fifth of the global WF relates to production for export. …

A Global Assessment Of The Water Footprint Of Farm Animal Products, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The increase in the consumption of animal products is likely to put further pressure on the world’s freshwater resources. This paper provides a comprehensive account of the water footprint of animal products, considering different production systems and feed composition per animal type and country. Nearly one-third of the total water footprint of agriculture in the world is related to the production of animal products. The water footprint of any animal product is larger than the water footprint of crop products with equivalent nutritional value. The average water footprint per calorie for beef is 20 times larger than for cereals and …

Groundwater Quality And Its Health Impact: An Assessment Of Dental Fluorosis In Rural Inhabitants Of The Main Ethiopian Rift, Tewodros Rango, Julia Kravchenko, Behailu Atlaw, Peter G. Mccornick, Marc Jeuland, Brittany Merola, Avner Vengosh

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This study aims to assess the link between fluoride content in groundwater and its impact on dental health in rural communities of the Ethiopian Rift. A total of 148 water samples were collected from two drainage basins within the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER). In the Ziway-Shala basin in particular, wells had high fluoride levels (mean: 9.4 ± 10.5 mg/L; range: 1.1 to 68 mg/L), with 48 of 50 exceeding the WHO drinking water guideline limit of 1.5 mg/L. Total average daily intake of fluoride from drinking groundwater (calculated per weight unit) was also found to be six times higher than …

Relações Entre As Doenças Respiratórias E A Poluição Atmosférica E Variáveis Climáticas Na Cidade De Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil, Paulo R.B. Guimarães, Ricardo Berger, Fernando Lucambio Perez, Paulo Dt Dl Pires

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Neste estudo, foram observados níveis de concentrações de poluentes atmosféricos da cidade de Curitiba, no período de novembro de 2003 a junho de 2008, da estação automática de monitoramento da praça Ouvidor Pardinho. O objetivo foi desenvolver uma metodologia de modelagem estatística que explique o número de notificações de doenças respiratórias registradas em idosos (acima de 60 anos) e crianças (abaixo de 5 anos). Além das concentrações de poluentes, algumas variáveis climáticas foram analisadas. Após estudo de diversas metodologias estatísticas, considerou-se mais adequado o ajuste de Modelos Aditivos Generalizados para Locação, Escala e Forma. Os modelos ajustados apresentaram resultados satisfatórios …

As Unidades De Conservação E A Floresta Ombrófila Mista No Estado Do Paraná, Paulo Dt Dl Pires, Douglas Magnus Zeni Jr, Debora Gaulke

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

O intenso processo de ocupação territorial, uso desordenado dos recursos naturais e destruição de áreas verdes iniciadas no século XIX, são os principais motivos da intensa devastação das Florestas com Araucárias. Como meio de efetivação da proteção e desenvolvimento florestal, o Brasil adotou em sua política ambiental a criação do Sistema de Unidades de Conservação nas categorias, de proteção integral e uso sustentável. Uma alternativa viável é a regulação dos estoques de madeira no Estado por meio de Unidade de Conservação de Uso Sustentável. O que se pretende a partir deste ponto é analisar a possibilidade da criação de regulamentação …

A Synoptic Perspective Of The Record 1-2 May 2010 Mid-South Heavy Precipitation Event, Joshua D. Durkee, Lee Campbell, Kyle Berry, Dustin Jordan, Gregory Goodrich, Rezaul Mahmood, Stuart Foster

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Staff Publications

During 1–2 May 2010, a series of strong thunderstorms led to 41, 57, and 43 tornado, severe wind, and severe hail reports, respectively, across portions of the southern United States. In addition to severe weather, these storms also distributed recordsetting rainfall amounts across the mid-South region, which contributed to historic flooding across portions of central and western Kentucky and Tennessee (Fig. 1). This heavy precipitation event was sampled by multiple surface observational networks, including (but not limited to) 48 research-grade automated stations from the Kentucky Mesonet (www.kymesonet .org), first-order automated stations from the National Weather Service (NWS; www.ncdc.noaa.gov /oa/ncdc.html), and …

Droughtscape, Winter 2012, National Drought Mitigation Center

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Drought Planning for Kansas Ranchers Jan. 21

South Hoping La Niña Dryness Stays Away

2011 Brought Record-Breaking Extent of D4

Reported Impacts Ease as Growing Season Ends

Disaster Planning in Nanjing at Hohai U

Ag, Fire and Water Supply Topped 2011 Impacts

Effectiveness Of Grass Filters In Reducing Phosphorus And Sediment Runoff, Ahmed Al-Wadaey, Charles S. Wortmann, Thomas G. Franti, Charles A. Shapiro, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Surface water contamination can often be reduced by passing runoff water through perennial grass filters. Research was conducted in 2006 to 2008 to evaluate the size of cool season grass filters consisting primarily of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb) with some orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) relative to drainage area size in reducing runoff sediment and phosphorus (P). The soil was Pohocco silt loam Typic Eutrochrepts with a median slope of 5.5%. The grass filters occupying 1.1 and 4.3% of the plot area were compared with no filter with four replications. The filters were planted in the V-shaped …

Changing Climatic Conditions In The Colorado River Basin: Implications For Water Resources Management In The Las Vegas Valley, Srijana Dawadi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Climate change affects the water available in a region. It also affects the water demand, because of the increase in temperature. A system dynamics model was developed for the Colorado River Basin (CRB), operating at a monthly time scale, to assess the potential impacts of climate change on streamflow in the Colorado River and its subsequent impact on the water resources management in the Las Vegas Valley (LVV). The effect of climate change on streamflow was evaluated using 16 global climate model outputs for 3 emission scenarios, also referenced in the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report. Risk …

Senior Internship With River Keepers, Christine Hokkala-Kuhns

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for BSU Honors Program.

Dissemination Of Geological Information In Avoiding Geotechnical Risks Associated With Tunnel Construction: Lessons Learned From Deep Voids In Marble In Lower Manhattan, New York City, Nazrul I. Khandaker, Stanley Schleifer, Masud Ahmed, Leah Scott

Publications and Research

Test boring associated with the recently accomplished City Water Tunnel # 3 in Manhattan, New York City revealed moderately to highly weathered marble with insoluble silicate residues composed mostly of phlogopite, chlorite, and tremolite. Apparent control on the weatherability of the marble was in response to original mineral constituents dominating this lithology. Encountered marble samples ranged between pure calcitic to mixed dolomitic/siliceous types. Fresh marble samples collected from adjacent boring locations revealed characteristic geochemical data: Lime (25-45%), Silica (4-7%), Alumina (1-3%), MgO (5-20%), and LOI (35-42%); compressive strength of unweathered marble varied between 2000-3000 Kg/cm². Relict foliations with …

Redefinir “Desarrollo Sustentable”: El Caso De Un Grande Proyecto Hidroeléctrico, Keely Mccaskie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En la región de los Manduriacos en el noroccidente del Ecuador, el río Guayllabamba pasa entre las provincias de Pichincha e Imbabura. El área es campo rural—una colección de bosques subtropicales primarios y secundarios, fincas, y pueblos pequeños que nacieron en las últimas cuatro décadas. Estas tierras forman parte de la subcuenca media del río Guayllabamba, donde la lluvia se captura y fluye hacia el río. Cerca de los pueblos de Cielo Verde (Imbabura), Santa Rosa (Pichincha) y Guayabillas (Pichincha), el gobierno del Ecuador ha propuesto el proyecto hidroeléctrico Manduriacu. Esta grande represa sería parte de una cascada de represas …

Droughtscape, Fall 2011, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Drought Preparedness Community Options

Drought Likely to Persist, Intensify Across South

Database Will Help Planners Find Options

Impacts: Ag Losses, Fire, Water Restrictions

NDMC Welcomes International Visitors

New Drought Impact Reporter Online

Sim-Drought, Available Now at Select Agencies

Development Of A Sustainable Water Resource Financing Mathematical Model For Donors And End-Users, Sahar Zavareh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Rural villages and underdeveloped communities represent the largest group challenged by poor water supply and sanitation with inequalities in resources to adequately implement potential solutions and even more with their high risk level of financing, funding is particularly challenging for water projects. Innovative financing alone will not eliminate the burdens of rural villages and underdeveloped communities. The purpose of this thesis is to address the lack of sustainable water financing of water projects in rural areas using a novel framework of a mathematical model based on "system dynamics" using optimal feedback control theory to maximize the performance of a water …

Baselines Newsletter, No. 8, Summer/Fall 2011, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Baselines: The Natural Resources Law Center Newsletter (2007-2011)

No abstract provided.

Droughtscape, Summer 2011, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

New NDMC Website

Drought May Improve in Southeast and Southwest

Impacts Summary: Fire, Crop Loss and More

International Activities

NDMC Launches Ranch Planning Tool

Serving Data to Order

Workshop Builds Drought Planning Community

The Distribution And Life Cycle Of Alliaria Petiolate In Lincoln, Nebraska, Caleb Pharris

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) is a biennial alien invasive plant species of the Brassicacea family. It is responsible for displacing native plant species throughout North America and its management has proven to be extremely difficult. Recently several populations of Alliaria petiolata have been discovered in southwestern Lincoln, Nebraska. The spread of Alliaria petiolata is a concern for natural resource managers and the general public. Due to the difficulty of its control, Alliaria petiolata is capable of creating monocultures which diminish the aesthetic value of an ecosystem. While most commonly found in the understory of hardwood forests, it is capable of …

Building A Sustainable Network Of Drought Communities, Deborah J. Bathke, Nicole Wall, Jeff Nothwehr, Kelly Helm Smith, Donna L. Woudenberg, Tonya K. Bernadt, Crystal Bergman, Joseph P. Robine, Michael Hayes, Mark Svoboda, Lisa Darby, Roger S. Pulwarty, The National Drought Mitigation Center, The National Integrated Drought Information System Program Office

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Staff Publications

The first step in managing large-scale (national) collaborations and networks is to consider and address how a group and a potential partnership may match up (Luther, 2005). To explore this concept and many other collaborative concepts, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) hosted a workshop, “Building a Sustainable Network of Drought Communities,” which was facilitated by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) in Chicago, IL, June 8-9, 2011.

The workshop explored current examples of good communication and lessons learned within the realm of drought planning in order to address a future NIDIS Engaging Preparedness Communities (EPC) working group that …

The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Crops And Derived Crop Products, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Abstract. This study quantifies the green, blue and grey water footprint of global crop production in a spatially-explicit way for the period 1996–2005. The assessment improves upon earlier research by taking a high-resolution approach, estimating the water footprint of 126 crops at a 5 by 5 arc minute grid. We have used a grid-based dynamic water balance model to calculate crop water use over time, with a time step of one day. The model takes into account the daily soil water balance and climatic conditions for each grid cell. In addition, the water pollution associated with the use of nitrogen …

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2011, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge.

The senior design competition helps focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects on …

National Water Footprint Accounts: The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Production And Consumption. Volume 1: Main Report, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This study quantifies and maps the water footprints of nations from both a production and consumption perspective and estimates international virtual water flows and national and global water savings as a result of trade. The entire estimate includes a breakdown of water footprints, virtual water flows and water savings into their green, blue and grey components. The main finding of the study can be summarized as:

The global water footprint in the period 1996-2005 was 9087 Gm3/yr (74% green, 11% blue, 15% grey). Agricultural production contributes 92% to this total footprint.

About one fifth of the global water footprint relates …

National Water Footprint Accounts: The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Production And Consumption, Volume 2: Appendices, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Contents

Appendix I. The water footprint of national production (Mm³/yr)

Appendix II. Virtual-water flows related to trade in crop, animal and industrial products, per country (Mm³/yr)

Appendix III. International virtual-water flows per product category (Mm³/yr)

Appendix IV. National water saving related to trade in agricultural and industrial products per country (Mm³/yr)

Appendix V. Global water saving related to trade in agricultural and industrial products, per product (Mm³/yr)

Appendix VI. The average water footprint per ton of commodity per country, weighted based on origin (WF* in m³/ton)

Appendix VII. …

Memorial To Charles Alexander Baskerville (1928–2009), Allen W. Hatheway, Ajitkumar Shah, Joseph J. Lifrieri, Nazrul I. Khandaker, Stanley Schleifer

Publications and Research

Charles Alexander Baskerville captured our imagination, as a senior colleague in the practice of engineering geology in New York City. “Charlie” held the seat of master Big Apple Geologist during his matured career. He was the source, he knew the possibilities, he was aware of the pitfalls of this most geologically complex of American cities. His final work was his greatest reach—the four bedrock geologic quadrangles of the city. Baskerville mapped New York City for more than fifty years. He was sought and given access to sites of bedrock and bedrock/ overburden interface on the various capitol construction projects undertaken …

A Model For Relating Environmental Variation To Water Permit Violations At Thermoelectric Facilities, Seth Sheldon

Interdisciplinary Perspectives: a Graduate Student Research Showcase

A regression model is presented which relates cooling water withdrawal rates and discharge temperatures at two mid-size thermoelectric facilities to electricity demand and ambient air temperature using historical data. Both facilities employ open-loop cooling systems, which have substantial water demands. Open-loop facilities comprise roughly one third of U.S. generation capacity. High water demands put facilities and downstream aquatic habitats at risk during heat waves and droughts, and put facility managers in a position to decide between reducing their power generation and violating their permit limits. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits place limits on cooling water withdrawals and effluent …

How Much Do U.S. University Students Know, And Want To Know, About Sustainability And Green Building? The Findings Of A Survey, And Possible Implications For General Elective Curriculum., Jeremy R. Farner

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

Using the survey approach, this investigation examined the attitudes and interest of college students at two universities in different geographic locations within the United States.  Approximately 24,000 students from all disciplines and majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Utah, and 4,000 at Purdue University in Indiana, were invited to participate in a study to determine current knowledge, familiarity, and interest in topics within the sustainability and Green Building educational arena. The goal of this study was to determine what students already know, would like to know, and how much interest there would be in developing …

Groundwater: Solution To The Las Vegas Water Problem?, Rosa Perez, Christopher Ruiz

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

A contentious debate is taking place in different sectors of the community on how to manage the states groundwater system. It is a battle whose outcome, regardless of who wins, will have a tremendous impact on the future of Las Vegas. Economic benefits always seem to downplay environmental considerations in the policy-making process often with serious consequences. This paper takes a look at the SNWAʼs Groundwater Development Project and provides a discussion of the issues for and against it. Groundwater is inexpensive, relatively abundant and accessible. However, over-pumping of groundwater can have significant environmental consequences, as well. It is our …

Keynote 2: The Alberta Oil Sands — Wrestling Bitumen Out Of The Wild North, David Rudolph

North American Energy Water Nexus Roundtable

Athabasca Oil Sand Reserve:

- Oil sands are contained within the Cretaceous McMurray Formation. (149,000 km2)

- 2.5 trillion barrels of extractable oil (~ 25 % of Canada Crude Oil Production)

- Surface mineable deposits cover 2,800 km2

- 450 billion L of process water used annually

- Currently over 130 km2 of tailings ponds (largest man-made structures in the world)

Panel Discussion Presentation: Everything Is Connected — Why Mexico’S Problems Are Everyone’S Problems On The Colorado River, And The Other Way Around, Bret C. Birdsong

North American Energy Water Nexus Roundtable

Panel Discussion: U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Perspectives

Colorado River Compact:

Allocates water among Upper Basin and Lower Basin
- 7.5 maf for each basin
- Extra 1 maf for lower basin

Supplies Mexico first from surplus above total apportionment to upper an lower basins
- If surplus insufficient to supply Mexico, then Mexico’s share supplied equally by upper and lower basins

Upper division states “shall not cause” flow to lower basin to be less than 75 maf in 10 years