Water Resource Management Commons^™

Uncertainty In Streamflow Measurements Significantly Impacts Estimates Of Downstream Nitrate Export, Shannon L. Speir, C. Nathan Jones, Arial J. Shogren, Carla L. Atkinson

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Across watershed science, two key variables emerge–streamflow and solute concentration–which serve as the basis for efforts ranging from basic watershed biogeochemistry research to policy decisions surrounding watershed management. However, we rarely account for how error in discharge (Q) impacts estimates of downstream nutrient loading. Here, we examined the impact of uncertainty in streamflow measurements on estimates of downstream nitrate export using publicly available data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). We characterized how uncertainty in stage-discharge relationships impacts annual flux estimates across 70 USGS gages. Our results indicate the interquartile range of relative error in Q was 33% across these …

Groundwater System Characterisation: Fortescue Alluvial Fan, Michael J. Donn, Olga V. Barron, Axel Suckow, Chris Turnadge, John A. Simons, Robert J. Paul, Christopher Schelfhout Dr

Natural resources commissioned reports

This report focuses on groundwater system characterisation in the region north of Newman, based on analysis of pre-existing data and data newly acquired during project activities. Groundwater system characterisation was an important research component supporting the assessment of managed aquifer recharge opportunities, using mine dewatering surplus generated (due to mining below the watertable) at large BHP Billiton Iron Ore operations in the eastern Pilbara mining zone, and aiming to support irrigated agriculture. The assessment area is located north of Ethel Gorge and covers the Upper Fortescue River floodplain and surroundings. The project added much knowledge to this largely ‘data-poor’ region, …

Transforming Agriculture In The Pilbara: Newman Managed Aquifer Recharge (Mar) Feasibility Assessment, Michael J. Donn, Joanne L. Vanderzalm, Olga V. Barron

Natural resources commissioned reports

In the Newman region, DPIRD commissioned an assessment of the potential for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) near Newman using surplus water resulting from mine dewatering as the water supply for irrigated agriculture. The objectives of the MAR assessment were to:

• identify focus area for MAR feasibility assessment within the initial larger area of interest for MAR
• assess the viability of MAR with mine dewater near Newman to support development of irrigated agriculture, in keeping with national and state MAR guidelines
• identify key risks associated with MAR with mine dewater for irrigation supply, and identify knowledge/investigation required to adequately assess risks …

Connecting The Nebraska Water Quality Index To The Aquatic Microbial Community Of The North Platte River Basin, Nebraska, Paula R. Guastello

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Nebraska Water Quality Index, under development by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, summarizes in a single value eight environmental parameters that have been monitored in Nebraska for nearly 20 years. Water quality parameters including those used in the Nebraska Water Quality Index have been shown in previous studies to impact bacterial growth. As such, this index has the potential to correlate with the freshwater microbial community. Here, I relate the Nebraska Water Quality Index to microbial community composition and structure using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence data collected from the North Platte River Basin, Nebraska. This index …

Wics Conference 2023: Moving Beyond The Ordinary, Daren Redfearn, Daran Rudnick

Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Conferences

The theme of this year’s WICS Conference is Moving Beyond the Ordinary with the goal of addressing Team Science. Our vision is to provide opportunities and connection points among IANR faculty to leverage their individual knowledge, skills, abilities, and passions. A tendency for land grant institutions is often to deliver information biased from a single, primary discipline and perspective. This is known as comfort zone mega bias and has been defined as “the tendency to drag a problem into our comfort zone and solve the problem that we know how to solve, rather than solving the problem that needs to …

Conserving Nature's Chorus: Local And Landscape Features Promoting Frog Species Richness In Farm Dams, Martino E. Malerba, Jodi J L Rowley, Peter I. Macreadie, James Frazer, Nicholas J. Wright, Nayyar Zaidi, Asef Nazari, Dhananjay Thiruvady, Don A. Driscoll

Climate Science Research Articles

Habitat loss is a key factor in the ongoing freshwater biodiversity crisis. A promising way to help tackle the rapid decline in freshwater biodiversity is to improve the potential for artificial wetlands to provide habitat for aquatic wildlife. Farm dams (also known as agricultural ponds) are among the most abundant waterbodies in agricultural landscapes and can act as “oases” against droughts for many species. Despite their prominent role in agriculture, predictive models to evaluate their ecological potential are yet to emerge. Here we use a continental-scale data set of 104,013 audio recordings from citizen scientists to identify and locate 107 …

Portugal To New Mexico: Investigating The Applicability Of Syntropic Agriculture To A Semi-Arid Continental Climate, Arielle Nathan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Conventional industrial agriculture has numerous detrimental effects on the environment including high carbon emissions, pollution and overconsumption of water, soil degradation, and reduction of biodiversity (FAO, 2018). Large-scale alternatives are needed to combat these negative consequences and provide climate solutions. Syntropic Agriculture is a promising farming alternative especially in arid systems subject to degraded soils and desertification. New Mexico is a semi-arid continental climate in a prolonged period of drought and predicted to experience worsening agricultural conditions due to desertification, wildfire intensification, and exacerbated water scarcity. In an area with similar agricultural challenges, a project in Mértola, Portugal (Terra Sintrópica) …

Assessing The Performance Of Agricultural Systems In The Inland And Coastal Regions Of Northern Portugal Using Indicators: Establishing The Foundation Towards Better Agricultural Practices, Genevieve Gehlken

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of agricultural systems in the distinct coastal and inland regions of Northern Portugal. Employing key indicators, including soil erosion, nitrogen surplus, irrigation practices, Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and crop yield, the analysis reveals statistically significant disparities and unique challenges in each region. The coastal areas, marked by higher agricultural GDP, exhibit distinct economic dependencies on agriculture, while the inland regions face challenges related to water scarcity, soil erosion, and rural isolation. The looming threat of climate change adds complexity to these dynamics, further highlighting the need for region-specific, sustainable agricultural practices. In the …

The Truth Behind Avocado Expansion In The Algarve: A Synthesis Of Public, Environmental Associations, And Government Perspectives And Response, Mandy Ausman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Avocado expansion has exponentially increased in the Algarve region of southern Portugal in recent years. The surge in expansion has provoked contention and discrepancy in the media regarding how and if avocado production can persist in the water-scarce region due to worsening drought conditions related to climate change coupled with the fruit’s significant water footprint. This paper aims to synthesize the arguments and response of the public, environmental associations, and government agencies to the expansion of avocado production in the water- scarce region of the Algarve, highlight the region’s current challenges of avocado expansion and water management regulation, and analyze …

Self-Reported Consumption Of Bottled Water V. Tap Water In Appalachian And Non-Appalachian Kentucky, Jason W. Marion

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Quantitative studies on drinking water perceptions in Appalachia are limited. High-profile water infrastructure failures in the U.S. and Eastern Kentucky, coupled with human-made and natural disasters in the Appalachian Region, have likely impacted opinions regarding tap water.

Purpose: To use existing unexplored data to describe baseline tap water v. bottled water consumption in Kentucky.

Methods: Telephone-based cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2013 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) directed by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Among many items in KHIP, self-reported consumption of bottled water over tap water, reasons for bottled water use, and demographic data were obtained. …

Managed Aquifer Recharge: Installation And Early Evaluation Of Infiltration Galleries In The Cache River Critical Groundwater Area, Northeast Arkansas, Allegra Christiane Pieri

Student Theses and Dissertations

Arkansas ranks third in the nation for irrigated land, with water primarily sourced from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer. Intensive irrigation combined with limited natural recharge due to the region’s geology has led to the designation of critical groundwater areas. The Cache River Critical Groundwater Area (CRCGA) has undergone severe declines, impacting agricultural production and threatening aquifer depletion. This thesis outlines the construction of two infiltration galleries for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and investigated the early stages of their capacity to recharge the MRVA aquifer. The infiltration galleries and MRVA aquifer were physically capable of accepting reservoir water …

Investigating The Role Of Plant Traits And Interactions In Emergent Wetland Nutrient Removal, Andrew Ryan Sample

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing wetland restoration in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has been identified as a method to reduce nutrient loading in the Gulf of Mexico. Wetlands have historically been used to treat water through processes facilitated by wetland plants, and relatively few species and plant traits have been identified as important in carrying out these processes. This study focuses on some of those species and traits and aims to identify species differences and plant traits that may be important for wetland nutrient mitigation. Chapter I provides background information on nutrient pollution, wetland biogeochemical mechanisms for nutrient sequestration, and the focal species …

Integrating Sensor Development, Risk Assessment, And Community Engagement To Support Environmental Justice In The Rural Community Of El Tiple, Colombia, David Bahamon Pinzon

All Dissertations

In Colombia, ethnic communities have traditionally been responsible stewards of natural resources. They recognize the importance of these resources for their livelihood, as well as their ancestral and cultural heritage. El Tiple, a rural Afro-Colombian community, has been affected by the incursion of private corporations that promoted the expansion of sugarcane monocrops in their territory. Since the introduction of the monoculture industry, local freshwater sources have been depleted due to intensive water use for irrigation of the sugarcane crops. Additionally, the intensive usage of agrochemicals has been linked with loss of native flora, damages to family farms, and pollution of …

Overcoming Barriers To Aquatic Plant Restoration: Addressing Gaps In Species Identification And Planting Techniques In The Intermountain West, Kate A. Sinnott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Aquatic ecosystems provide many critical and economically valuable benefits, including drinking water, food, recreational opportunities, and water supply for irrigation and agriculture. However, the health of these systems has been severely impacted by human activities such as pollution, land conversion, and introductions of harmful species. Restoring native aquatic plants can help reverse this damage and reestablish benefits, though it is not a common practice. With an objective to increase capacity for aquatic plant restoration in the Intermountain West, I identified and addressed two major barriers: 1) a lack of confidence in aquatic species identification among wetland professionals, and 2) underdeveloped …

Pronghorn Survival And Resource Selection In Western Nebraska's Agriculturally Dominated Landscape, Katie Piecora

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nebraska’s pronghorn population has been stable over the last decade, yet their presence on the landscape remains a contentious subject amongst private landowners. Conversion of grassland for crop production and increased anthropogenic activity has drastically altered pronghorn behavior throughout their current range, however basic ecology and resource use by pronghorn in Nebraska remains poorly understood. Establishing baseline population metrics and seasonal patterns of resource use for this population at the eastern periphery of the species range is critical to guide management actions. We deployed GPS collars on 110 adult pronghorn to quantify survival, mortality risk, and seasonal resource selection in …

Babesa Sewage Treatment Plant As A Vital Artificial Wetland Habitat For A Multitude Of Avian Species, Pelden Nima, Mahendra Timsina, Tenzin Jamtsho, Pema Khandu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to glean basic ecological aspects on diversity and abundance, temporal variation and guild composition of the birds at Babesa Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). The line transect method was used as the sampling technique from November 2021 to October 2022. A total of 80 species belonging to 58 genera, 29 families, and 11 orders were detected, of which three, namely, River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii, Falcated Duck Mareca falcata, and Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, are ‘Near Threatened’ with the remaining being ‘Least Concern’. The highest species richness was recorded in the winter (6.29), the highest species diversity in the …

Waterbody Size Predicts Bank- And Boat-Angler Efforts, Derek S. Kane, Kevin L. Pope, Keith D. Koupal, Mark A. Pegg, Christopher J. Chizinski, Mark A. Kaemingk

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Bank- and boat-angler efforts are logistically difficult and costly to estimate, preventing landscape-scale estimates that are required to address current and future challenges (e.g., climate change, invasive species) for inland recreational fisheries. Using a large Nebraska, USA, recreational fishery dataset (N = 67 waterbodies), we demonstrate that waterbody size can be used to predict bank- and boat-angler efforts across a heterogeneous landscape of extra small (< 104 ha) and large (> 647 ha) waterbodies. Bank and boat anglers respond to waterbody size, however these relationships appear to be unique between the two angler types. Boat-angler efforts increased as a function of waterbody size, whereas bank-angler …

Evaluation Of Bio-Friendly Formulations From Siderophore-Producing Fluorescent Pseudomonas As Biocontrol Agents For The Management Of Soil-Borne Fungi, Fusarium Oxysporum And Rhizoctonia Solani, Gaber Attia Abo-Zaid, Ahmed Salah Abdullah, Nadia Abdel-Mohsen Soliman, Ebaa Ebrahim El-Sharouny, Abdulaziz A. Al-Askar, Yiming Su, Ahmed Abdelkhalek, Soraya Abdel-Fattah Sabry

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Secretion of siderophores by Pseudomonas aeruginosa F2 and P. fluorescens JY3 was evaluated on chrome azurol S (CAS) agar plates and their inhibitory effect was inspected against Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani. Production of siderophores as biocontrol agents from F2 and JY3 was accomplished in two optimized media. Afterward, cell-free supernatants of the bacterial cultures containing siderophores were used for the preparation of two bio-friendly formulations for the management of F. oxysporum and R. solani under greenhouse conditions. The investigated bacterial isolates, F2 and JY3, showed antagonistic activity in vitro against F. oxysporum and R. solani and produced siderophores …

Cadmium And Salinity Stressor Antagonism On Vallisneria Neotropicalis, Christopher P. Mikolaitis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Submerged macrophytes form the foundation of freshwater ecosystems. These organisms are sessile and are very susceptible to shifts in their environment. Heavy metals are of particular concern as they can be sequestered indefinitely in sediments and are readily taken up by rooted vegetation. In the presence of saltwater intrusions, these metals can interact with salt ions potentially changing their availability to submerged vegetation. In this study a freshwater macrophyte, Vallisneria neotropicalis, was used as a test species for interactive effects between Cd, a non-essential heavy metal, and salt stress. The metrics used to establish the individual as well as …

Managing Water Quality To Enable Future Irrigation Development In The Kimberley Region: Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Modelling To Evaluate The Effect Of Farm Chemicals On The Lower Pools Of The Keep River, J Romero

Natural resources commissioned reports

The National Water Grid Authority awarded the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) a project entitled ‘Managing Water Quality to Enable Future Irrigation Development in the Kimberley Region’.

The purpose of the project is to review the current and future risk profile of agrichemicals (pesticides) in the Keep River catchment (Ord - East Kimberley) in the context of irrigation development across the last decade and proposed in the medium term. The results of the review were to define prospective mitigation and risk management practices to be developed in consultation with the Goomig and Knox Plains Independent Review Group …

Review Of Toxicity Of Agricultural Chemicals And Implications For Aquatic Fauna Of The Keep River, Samanatha Reynolds, David Morgan

Natural resources commissioned reports

This report was compiled for the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) as part of the National Water Grid Authority (NWGA) project entitled “Managing water quality to enable future irrigation development in the Kimberley Region, WA”. The purpose of this report is to review the toxicity of farm chemicals (herbicides and insecticides) used by farm operators in the Keep River catchment and their potential impacts on the aquatic species in the river, in particular those species that are listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is designed to complement the report entitled …

Characterizing Effects Of Non-Point Runoff On Subwatersheds Of The Middle White River In Arkansas, Rainee Nicole Lynn Deroin

Student Theses and Dissertations

The Middle White River Watershed located in northeastern Arkansas is part of the larger White River drainage area that flows into the Mississippi River. The watershed has been on the 303(d) list for impairments such as pathogens, turbidity, total suspended solids, and dissolved oxygen. This study monitored water quality and potential toxicity in four subwatersheds of the Middle White River to inform management and regulation downstream conditions. During the three years of weekly sampling from 2019 to 2022, the subwatersheds violated state standards for pathogens, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. Aquatic and sediment toxicity testing conducted on the four subwatersheds using …

Spatial And Temporal Activity Patterns Among Sympatric Tree-Roosting Bat Species In An Agriculturally Dominated Great Plains Landscape, Christopher Fill, Craig R. Allen, John F. Benson, Dirac Twidwell

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

In agroecosystems, bats can provide a critical ecosystem service by consuming night-flying insect pests. However, many bats also face intense population pressures from human landscape modification, global change and novel diseases. To better understand the behavioral activity of different bat species with respect to space, time, habitat, and other bat species in this environment, we investigated species correlations in space and time over row crop agricultural fields. We used acoustic grids to document spatial and temporal co-occurrence or avoidance between bats and recorded eight species across the 10 field sites we sampled. All species significantly overlapped in two-dimensional space and …

Desalination: Adapting To A Changing Climate And An Increasing Demand For Freshwater, Rebecca A. Acosta

Master's Projects and Capstones

The state of California is just one place in the world that is experiencing an increasing demand for freshwater while also experiencing increasingly hotter conditions and longer periods of drought. There are a number of plants slated for development in the state of California but have been met with resistance from the public with concerns regarding their impacts to the surrounding marine environments. This paper provides background on desalination plants, provides evidence for a potential indicator species, identifies potential impacts to marine environments, and addresses stakeholder concerns and perceptions around desalination plants.

Water Erosion In The South-West Of Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

The averaged annual direct cost of water erosion to dryland farming in Western Australia is estimated to be $10 million, but the costs are much higher in years of severe summer storms.

Water erosion occurs when water flowing over the land surface moves soil particles downslope. Water erosion is a natural process, but is accelerated under agriculture, especially on cropped land. Water erosion causes loss of topsoil, reduced crop yields, damaged infrastructure, weed dispersal, eutrophication (algal blooms) and silting of dams and natural waterways.

Mixing Regimes In A Cluster Of Seven Maar Lakes In Tropical Monsoon Asia, Milette U. Mendoza, Jaydan I. Aguilar, Karol Sophia Agape R. Padilla, Rey Donne S. Papa, Noboru Okuda

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

The 7 maar lakes of San Pablo are a cluster of small volcanic lakes on Luzon Island; Philippines. These lakes; which are heavily utilized for aquaculture and ecotourism; usually experience fish kills that coincide with the northeast monsoon (NEM). This study explores limnophysical processes; particularly mixing regimes; in the lakes in relation to prevailing monsoons. We monitored monthly vertical and seasonal profiles of water temperature; salinity; conductivity; and dissolved oxygen from October 2016 to December 2018. Three types of mixing regimes were observed among the lakes; which have similar surface areas but different depths: polymixis in the shallowest; warm monomixis …

Hydropower To The People: Implications Of A Comparative Macroinvertebrate Study On Either Side Of The Central Hidroeléctrica Topo In Tungurahua, Ecuador, Grace Mazur

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study uses macroinvertebrates as bioindicators to assess the water quality upstream and downstream of a hydroelectric project in Ecuador’s eastern cloud forest. Ecuador has increasingly turned to hydropower to supply its energy needs as pressure mounts to turn away from fossil fuels. This transition has been realized on the Río Topo, located in the province of Tungurahua. This study aims to determine how the Central Hidroeléctrica Topo (CHT), a diversion hydroelectric project (HEP) constructed on the Río Topo in the 2010s, has affected the water quality of the river. Samples were taken of benthic (bottom-dwelling) macroinvertebrates in the Río …

Diverse Portfolios: Investing In Tributaries For Restoration Of Large River Fishes In The Anthropocene, Kristen L. Bouska, Brian D. Healy, Michael J. Moore, Corey G. Dunn, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, Craig P. Paukert

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Rehabilitation of large Anthropocene rivers requires engagement of diverse stakeholders across a broad range of sociopolitical boundaries. Competing objectives often constrain options for ecological restoration of large rivers whereas fewer competing objectives may exist in a subset of tributaries. Further, tributaries contribute toward building a “portfolio” of river ecosystem assets through physical and biological processes that may present opportunities to enhance the resilience of large river fishes. Our goal is to review roles of tributaries in enhancing mainstem large river fish populations. We present case histories from two greatly altered and distinct large-river tributary systems that highlight how tributaries contribute …

Thoughts And Suggestions On Oasis Ecological Construction And Agricultural Development In Hexi Corridor, Wenzhi Zhao, Heng Ren, Jun Du, Rong Yang, Qiyue Yang, Hu Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Oasisization is an external manifestation of the temporal and spatial evolution of oasis in arid areas, and the regional water carrying capacity is the key to restricting oasis agriculture and ecological protection in arid areas. The Hexi Corridor is not only an important passage from the east to the west in China, but also an important carrier of regional development; it is not only an important ecological barrier in Northwest China, but also a typical irrigated agricultural area. After more than 60 years of construction, the Hexi Corridor has made remarkable achievements in social progress, traffic conditions, ecological construction and …

Analysis And Installation Of A Demonstration Agroforestry Orchard For Californian Mediterranean Plant Communities, Brandon Hurd

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Climate-appropriate agroforestry can provide low-input food security and ecosystem services for local Californian Mediterranean climates, while conserving natural resources (e.g., water, nitrogen, etc.). This project showcases a variety of agroforestry methods for five common plant communities of California and other analogous Mediterranean climates at the CAFES Experimental Farm on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Plant community species and their ethnobotanical uses were analyzed to mimic and incorporate aspects of native flora. Agricultural plants were also characterized to represent each of the five selected plant communities. GIS was used to assess the project site for soil, slope, and …