Water Resource Management Commons^™

High Algal Biomass Is Decoupled From Metabolism In The Gallatin River, Cora Mae Steinbach

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Assessing eutrophication in rivers is difficult compared to lakes and coastal waters, because most algal biomass occurs on the riverbed and flows interact and co-vary with production (Biggs and Close, 1989; Bernhardt et al., 2018). Riverine eutrophication is typically assessed using algal biomass and water column nutrients (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000), but biomass is highly variable and labor-intensive to measure, while nutrient concentrations often underestimate enrichment due to rapid biological uptake (Dodds and Smith, 2016). Reach-scale river metabolism can help evaluate long-term functional change in rivers recovering from nutrient enrichment (Arroita et al., 2019; Jankowski et al., 2021; Diamond …

Supporting Data – T-3 Stream Stage And Streambed Well Data, Mclean County, Il, April 12, 2025 To November 1, 2025, Eric Wade Peterson, Eric Brunner

Faculty Publications - Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Between April 12, 2025, and November 1, 2025, observation wells at the T-3 site in central Illinois were monitored at an upstream and downstream site along the stream. A conductivity, depth, and pressure (CTD) sensor inside each well collected continuous in-situ measurements for the water column height (mm), the water temperature (°C), and the water conductance (mS/cm). The available dataset provides in-situ readings every 15-minutes from seven (7) locations: upstream stream, streambed, and shallow aquifer, downstream stream, streambed, and shallow aquifer, and Well 12, and provides the air temperature.

Monitoring Long-Term Water Quality Benefits Of Urban Stream Restoration, Kira Burnett

2026 Research Poster Competition

Urbanization without conscious environmental planning can result in the degradation of stream ecosystems. This tends to result in urban stream syndrome, which is often characterized by increased sediment and nutrient concentrations, decreased biodiversity, more frequent flash flooding, and overall water quality degradation. As such, stream restoration practices are often implemented to address urban stream syndrome. Commonly used restoration practices include applying natural channel design to stabilize eroding stream banks and establishing diverse streamside vegetation to filter pollutant inputs. However, the benefits of restoration are not often quantified due to a lack of post-restoration monitoring, making it challenging to determine what …

Uav-Based Sensor Integration For In-Situ Lake Water Quality Monitoring, Alec Campbell

2026 Research Poster Competition

Current water quality assessment methods rely heavily on manual sampling and laboratory analysis, which are time-consuming and difficult to perform in remote or hazardous environments. In surface water monitoring, spatial and temporal resolution is often constrained by labor, access, and logistical limitations of manual sampling programs. This research aims to develop a drone-based system for real-time, in situ lake water quality monitoring. To address these challenges, the project focuses on integrating multiple water quality sensors, including oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, and a multispectral spectrometer, into a compact, UAV-compatible design capable of collecting spatially referenced data. Methods: …

Environmental Monitoring In Shallow Lakes: Public Health Threats In Urban Waters, Kyleigh E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Lakes are an integral part of urban and suburban communities, providing ecological, recreational, and public health benefits. Many of these lakes are located in densely populated areas and are subject to urban influences on water quality. Algal toxins and Escherichia coli are two common recreational concerns. Algal toxins come from harmful algal blooms that are influenced by nutrient availability and temperature, while bacteria are often introduced through run-off and animal waste. Sampling every 3-4 weeks from May-October 2025 allowed for the assessment of seasonal patterns and site-specific differences across nine lakes in the Richmond area. The highest bacterial concentrations appeared …

Assessment Of Soybean Response To Irrigation Variability In Eastern Nebraska Using The Aquacrop Model, Anmol Singh, Saleh Taghvaeian, Yufeng Ge, Derek M. Heeren, Frank Bai

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a major irrigated crop in eastern Nebraska, where recent expansions in irrigated agriculture and projected trends in irrigation demand necessitate thorough investigations of approaches that can optimize its irrigation management. In this study, the AquaCrop model was calibrated and validated using 19 variable irrigation treatments from a five-year field experiment. The model accurately simulated canopy cover, soil water content, and grain yield, with validation normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) of 12%, 7%, and 7%, respectively. The model was subsequently applied to estimate soybean yield and water requirement during a 15-year period (2010–2024) …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Ecophysiology Between The Invasive Macroalgae Starry Stonewort And The Native Macroalgae Chara To Predict Invasion Potential, Thomas J. Zellmer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) is an invasive macroalga from Eurasia. Currently, starry stonewort’s invasive range consists of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, including the Mississippi River. Starry stonewort poses recreational and ecological problems by forming dense canopies that extend through the water column. Starry stonewort occupies a late-season niche space with dense biomass occurring in late July and persisting well into autumn. There is a lack of information on the ecophysiology of starry stonewort. In this study, two populations of starry stonewort, Minnesota and New York, were analyzed to compare regional differences in ecophysiology, along with chara (native …

Summary Of Beaver And Iron Counties’ Water Conservation And Provisioning Strategies, Lisa Welsh, Joanna Endter-Wada, Burdette Barker, Bethany Neilson, Anna Mcentire, Melissa Stamp, Brian Steed

Reports

This report focuses on water conservation and provisioning strategies that both Beaver and Iron Counties are pursuing to help meet their citizens’ current and future water needs and to contribute to statewide water conservation efforts. It primarily relies on publicly available data from state, county, conservancy district, and city databases, plans, and documents. The purposes of this document are to provide regional context for understanding water use in Beaver and Iron Counties and to describe water conservation strategies that can influence the trajectories of their future water use. 

In both Beaver and Iron Counties, agriculture remains the primary user of …

Assessing Water Storage In Northern California Forests, Christopher Gerard Gressierer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The climate is changing, with rising temperatures projected to increase vegetation stress and mortality. Precipitation is also expected to become more extreme, with longer dry seasons intensifying droughts, and wetter wet seasons increasing the risk of landslides or floods. Summer baseflows in northern California are declining, and a shift in water availability may alter vegetation communities, resulting in mortality and species composition changes. These trends highlight the need for increased attention and management to be focused on evaluating and maintaining watershed water storage to maintain ecosystem health.

This study estimates water storage capacity using a water balance approach, drawing in …

Urban Trees In The Urban Hydrology Cycle, Jorge R. Vera

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In urban forestry, trees provide numerous economic, ecological, and aesthetic benefits to the surrounding community. One of their key roles is intercepting stormwater runoff, reducing flooding risk, and improving water quality. Chapter 1 of this thesis characterized the ecological and economic contributions of urban trees on the Marshall University campus and provides guidance on their management and conservation in the future. Chapter 2 examined how urban tree species modify the urban hydrology cycle by altering the volume and timing of precipitation delivery. In Chapter 1, we inventoried 114 acres of Marshall University's main campus in Huntington, WV, from June 28 …

High-Resolution Mapping Of Soil Moisture Variation Using Uas Thermal And Multispectral Imagery, Jackline Amma Timah

Theses and Dissertations

In agricultural landscapes, soil moisture regulates hydrologic partitioning, nutrient transport and water quality, land-atmosphere energy exchange that shapes local climate, and ecosystem resilience. However, traditional monitoring approaches, such as in-situ sensors and satellite imagery, often lack the spatial resolution required to capture fine-scale soil moisture variability. This study evaluated whether unmanned aerial system (UAS)-derived thermal, multispectral, and terrain variables can capture fine-scale spatial variability in volumetric water content (VWC) within an SRB in central Illinois.

High-resolution imagery was collected and paired with 50 field-measured VWC observations. Land surface temperature (LST), vegetation indices (NDVI and NDRE), spectral bands, and slope were …

Swimming In Uncertainty: Filling Data Gaps And Providing An Educational Platform For Beach Water Quality At Tybee Island, Georgia, Lukas Roberson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

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Swimming in beaches water contaminated with high levels of bacteria can make you sick. Current monitoring at the public beaches on Tybee Island consists of weekly monitoring and enumeration of fecal indicator bacteria that takes 24 hours for results. If the number of bacteria exceed regulatory limits, a public health advisory is issued, and affected waters are retested until …

Assessing Dissolved Organic Matter Sources And Dynamics In Urban Stormwater: Implications For Greenhouse Gases, Harper W. Schmalz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Stormwater management ponds (SWMPs) are important aspects of land-use planning and increasingly recognized as active sites of biogeochemical processing that influence carbon cycling; however, little research has investigated the controls on dissolved organic and dissolved inorganic carbon (DOC and DIC) within these systems. This thesis examined the processing and transformations of dissolved carbon between three compartments to support the development of a greenhouse gas (GHG) box-model for urban stormwater ponds, including SWMP sediment, surface water, and vegetation. The objective of this thesis was to assess the biogeochemical processes that govern the rate and transformation of DOC and DIC between these …

Early Successional Response To Stream Daylighting In Redwood National And State Parks, Orick, California, Rylee Rawson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In-channel stream restoration projects can act as both disturbance and recovery mechanisms, disrupting existing conditions to reestablish the hydrologic and ecological processes that sustain stream ecosystems. These interventions initiate successional trajectories in which channel form and biological communities reorganize over time. In Redwood National and State Parks (California, USA), the Redwoods Rising initiative restores buried headwater channels by recontouring legacy logging roads and daylighting streams buried by Humboldt crossings. Using the National Park Service Klamath Network wadable stream monitoring protocol, I evaluated nine restored reaches spanning one to five years post-restoration, alongside old-growth reference reaches and available pre-treatment data. I …

Spatial Resilience Of Coastal Zones From Landscape Pattern Perspective: Connotation, Characteristics, Key Elements, And Pathways For Enhancement, Haixing Meng, Congchun Wang, Shufeng Ye

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coastal zone is a critical ecological barrier at the land–sea interface. Nevertheless, its defensive and regulatory functions have been severely undermined by climate change and intensified human activities, which have caused landscape fragmentation and reduced connectivity. From the perspective of landscape pattern, this study defines the concept of coastal zone spatial resilience and develops a three-dimensional framework of “structure–process–function”, elucidating its attributes of stability, adaptability, recoverability, and dynamic evolution. By coupling ecological spatial resilience theory, the study identifies key landscape elements shaping spatial resilience and proposes an assessment framework consisting of sensitivity, structure, and ecological vitality and services. Building …

Coastal Zone Ecological Barrier Construction: Holistic Governance And Its Promotion Path, Xiurong Huang, Aihua Jiang, Dou Xiaodong Dou

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coastal zone is the frontier of the interaction between sea and land. As a special geographical unit, it has dual values of ecological security and economic development. It has become an important proposition to promote the resilience construction of coastal zone ecological barrier. In response to the current regulatory dilemma of “Kowloon Sea Governance”, structural contradictions in laws and norms, and complex conflicts of related interests, the construction of coastal zone ecological barrier must move from static protection to dynamic governance. In the goal dimension, the shift from “passive defense” to “resilient system construction” should be realized; in the …

Exploring Ecological Zonation Of The Yellow River Estuary Coastal Zone Based On Nitrogen And Phosphorus Criteria, Dejuan Jiang, Song Qin, Zhengyi Liu, Ruiteng Sun, Xiaoshuai Hang, Tao Zou, Xiaoguang Li, Lijuan Li, Shichao Tian, Yanfang Li, Yongming Luo, Chuanyuan Wang, Yuan Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Estuaries, as ecologically sensitive brackish water mixing zones, face a critical bottleneck in refined management because traditional zonation based on socioeconomic attributes overlooks the ecological heterogeneity driven by salinity gradients and nutrient stoichiometry, leading to a disconnect between management measures and conservation needs. This study proposes a novel approach to coastal zonation using nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient criteria as an ecological benchmark. Overall ecological criteria are established for the Yellow River estuary (dissolved inorganic nitrogen: 0.258 mg/L; phosphate: 0.015 mg/L) and a differentiated management scheme is constructed based on a salinity gradient (26.5 PSU boundary). It is recommended to integrate …

Ecological Barrier Of Coastal Zone In China: Concept, Functions, And Construction Theory, Guangxuan Han, Xiaoli Bi, Xiyong Hou, Xiaoli Zhang, Qianguo Xing, Yuan Li, Haiqing Ma, Ting Wang, Song Qin

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The ecological barrier of coastal zone serves as a critical defense line for safeguarding coastal ecological security and sustainable socio-economic development, with multifaceted functions including wave attenuation, shoreline stabilization, and climate regulation. This study systematically elaborates on the concept and essence of ecological barriers of coastal zone, highlighting their core as land-sea continuums that synergistically leverage ecosystem integrity, hydrological connectivity, and biodiversity to provide systemic deliver protective functions. Nevertheless, China’s coastal ecological barrier construction faces four major challenges, namely, (1) theoretical frameworks, often derived from inland models, inadequately represent the complex land-sea interactions and socio-economic drivers; (2) the absence of …

Institutional Safeguards And International Experience For Construction Of Coastal Ecological Barrier, Jiayu Bai, Yalei Qing, Shufeng Ye

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coastal zone is a transitional area shaped by the interaction between land and sea, and it holds significant importance for national ecological security as well as economic and social development. Against the backdrop of advancing Chinese modernization, the research on institutional safeguards for the construction of coastal ecological barrier is essential for building a comprehensive framework for ecological conservation from the mountaintop to the ocean, implementing the major projects to protect and restore key ecosystems and the “dual carbon” goals, and promoting ecological civilization and the construction of a Beautiful China. At present, China’s institutional safeguards for coastal ecological …

How Does Vertical Hydroponic Farming Compare To Traditional Soil Farming In Terms Of Crop Yield, Energy Efficiency, And Cost?, Grace Morgan, Grace Henry, Rebecca Meenach, Jeana Odom

Student Scholar Symposium

Vertical hydroponics (hydro “water;” ponics “labor”) is a method of year-round farming that uses water in place of soil and supplies vegetables’ nutrients in a space-efficient setting. It dates back to 500 BC when it was used in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a wonder of the ancient world. Thousands of years later, vertical hydroponics has expanded across the globe to supply leafy greens, herbs, and grains. It is typically implemented in dense urban environments where green space is hard to come by as a form of sustainable farming. Our research seeks to answer the question “How does vertical hydroponic …

Shallow Groundwater Extraction Strategies In The Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, Teryl Stacey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley faces severe water scarcity due to Nevada’s limited Colorado River allocation and an arid climate. Population growth and prolonged drought have intensified these constraints, necessitating alternative resource strategies. This project evaluated a strategy to make use of brackish, shallow groundwater (from the top 30 feet below ground surface) located in the central and east-central parts of the valley. Its objective was to extract lower quality shallow groundwater for use as an alternative to fresh water currently being used for some applications that require little to no treatment. Dust suppression is among the most promising of such …

Assessing Water Quality And Algae In Wetland Reserve Easements In The Alluvial Valleys Of Mississippi And Louisiana, Avery June Wissmueller

Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands in agricultural landscapes play a critical role in improving water quality by retaining and transforming nutrients and pollutants. In the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV), widespread conversion of bottomland hardwood forests to row-crop agriculture has diminished this natural function. The Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program restores wetlands on marginal farmland to recover ecosystem services. In this study, I evaluated water quality and algal productivity in WREs compared to natural reference wetlands and crop sites. Restored wetlands showed improved water quality compared to crop sites and were often comparable to or intermediate between reference wetlands. Seasonal variation and hydrologic differences shaped …

Jer-2021 Assistance To The State Water Resources Research Institute Program (Year 1 Of 5) For The 104(B) Program, David Tarboton

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Wg-2413 Remote Sensing Of Wine-Grapevine Transpiration For Improving Vine Water Status, Alfonso Faustino Torres

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Preparedness Of Local Zoning Regulations For Flood Risk Reduction In The Most Affected Local Jurisdictions In Nebraska, Md Asaduzzaman Noor

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

Flooding has profound social, economic, and environmental impacts on local communities, and zoning plays a critical role in mitigating these risks. The 2019 Nebraska floods, among the most severe in the state’s history, highlighted the urgent need to strengthen local preparedness and mitigation strategies. This study assesses the extent to which local zoning regulations in Nebraska’s most affected jurisdiction, including rural areas, address flood risk reduction. A systematic review of 117 zoning ordinances from counties, cities, towns, and villages, we applied a structured analytical framework encompassing regulatory and permitting policies, voluntary and incentive-based measures, and nature-based solutions. The results show …

Bridging Conservation And Disaster Recovery: A Dual Study On Wetland Program Plans Evaluation And Midwest Post Disaster Recovery Assessment, Rao Nargis Jahan

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

Wetlands provide essential ecological, social, and economic benefits for our society. In the United States, states and tribes play crucial roles in wetland protection, restoration, and management. However, no research has systematically measured state-level wetland planning efforts towards national conservation goals. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate how state-level Wetland Program Plans (WPPs) align with national missions, particularly the "no-net-loss" of wetlands goal. Our research assesses the EPA-approved state-level WPPs from 42 out of 50 states in the United States during the period from 2015 to 2024. Using a protocol of 30 indicators across five categories, this study …

Evaluating Nutrient Uptake Efficiency Of Texas Native Plants In Simulated Constructed Wetland Systems, Angelica Canizalez

Water Resources Science and Technology Theses and Graduate Research Reports (Archived)

Nutrient enrichment from wastewater effluent and runoff is a major driver of eutrophication in freshwater systems, increasing the need for effective and ecologically beneficial treatment strategies. Constructed wetlands (CWs) offer a nature-based solution for reducing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) while simultaneously supporting habitat and biodiversity. However, most CW research has focused on traditional species such as cattails and bulrushes, with limited quantitative data on the performance of Texas native plants. This study evaluated the nutrient uptake potential and stress tolerance of two Texas native species—buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)—in simulated, recirculating wetland systems.

Influence Of Produced Water Runoff On Surface Water: A Statistical Analysis Of Water Quality In Petronilla Creek, Joshua Sierra

Water Resources Science and Technology Theses and Graduate Research Reports (Archived)

This case study research investigates the potential influence of produced water (PW), a byproduct of oil and gas (O&G) activities, on surface water quality. The study involved two sites along Petronila creek, located in Nueces County, with historical oil and gas presence. Data from nearby monitoring stations containing various water quality parameters typically associated with produced water, including total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), and specific conductance was used to perform a statistical analysis of spatial and temporal trends. Spatial comparisons were made between both sites and upstream, tributary, and downstream roles to test for variances in water …

An Integrated Modeling Framework To Evaluate Circularity Of The Corn–Water–Ethanol–Beef Nexus, Heydi Han

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines the transition from conventional linear agricultural and food bioenergy systems toward more circular, resilient, and resource-efficient configurations. Prior research indicates that spatial and temporal variability in soil, weather, animal biological responses, and management decisions strongly influences productivity, nutrient-use efficiency, and profitability. Studies have also shown that a diversified circular system can buffer these sources of variability, improving stability and adaptive capacity. Building on these insights, the central focus of this work is to develop an integrated modeling framework to evaluate circularity within the Corn-Water-Ethanol-Beef (CWEB) nexus and explore how climate variability and management choices shape system-wide performance. …

Rainfall-Runoff Modelling In An Indonesian Humid Tropical Area Using Satellite-Based Precipitation Products, Noordiah Helda

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation explores three rainfall-runoff models in the humid tropical regions of Indonesia using satellite-based precipitation products (SBPPs) and develops integrated machine-learning modeling frameworks. Several ground-based observations from BMKG (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (also known as the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics)) stations across Indonesia (133−165 stations) are compared and evaluated against satellite products, indicating that GPM performs well, with R-squared values ranging from 0.54 to 0.76 and correlation coefficients ranging from 0.45 to 0.69, respectively.

In the Martapura Watershed, South Kalimantan, due to a lack of observational discharge data, streamflow was generated using the FJ Mock …