Water Resource Management Commons^™

Abundance And Stomach Content Analysis Of Threadfin Shad In Lake Mead, Nevada: Do Invasive Quagga Mussels Affect This Prey Species?, Eric Michael Loomis, Jon C. Sjoberg, Wai Hing Wong, Shawn Gerstenberger

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Lake Mead, Nevada is the largest reservoir by volume in the United States, as well as a popular sport fishing destination. In January 2007, the invasive quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) was discovered in the reservoir and concerns began to arise about potential alterations to the aquatic environment. The Lake Mead sport fishery is reliant on the sustainability of prey species like the threadfin shad [Dorosoma petenense (Günther, 1867)]. This study examined 20-year trends in historic abundance of the threadfin shad, before, and shortly after, the discovery of quagga mussels in the system. Larval shad trawl data collected …

State Of The River Report For The Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida: Water Quality, Fisheries, Aquatic Life, And Contaminants 2011, Environmental Protection Board, City Of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida, Jacksonville University

State of the River Report

No abstract provided.

Statistical Analysis And Mechanistic Modeling Of Water Quality: Hillsborough Bay, Florida, Keith Hackett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient pollution has been identified as a significant threat to U.S. coastal and estuarine water quality. Though coastal and estuarine waters need nutrients to maintain a healthy, productive ecosystem, excess nutrients can lead to eutrophication. There are significant potential negative consequences associated with eutrophication, including loss of habitat, loss of economic activity, and direct threats to human health. Hillsborough Bay experienced eutrophication in the 1960s and 1970s due to a rapidly growing population and associated increases in nutrient pollution. These eutrophic conditions led to more frequent phytoplankton and macroalgae blooms and declines in seagrasses. To address these problems, a series …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Irrigation Restrictions Within Key Communities In Tampa, Florida, Lin Allen Ozan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The City of Tampa, Florida has instituted water restrictions over the past decade that have been primarily aimed at mitigating non-essential usage of water resources by limiting domestic lawn irrigation. The mandatory restrictions are enforced by the issuance of citations to violators, which is intended to promote compliance and deter from subsequent violations. This thesis provides a thorough investigation of historical water restriction with relation to compliance in order to determine which factors might be related to high rates of water usage within key Tampa communities. The objectives are to: (1) develop a GIS data set that can be used …

A Modeling Analysis Of Dissolved Carbon Dioxide Discharged From Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, Dustin Capps

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, the US Environmental Protection Agency primarily regulates the discharge of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater treatment plants in the United States. A recent study has shown that the treated effluent of many plants contains concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide well above the expected theoretical equilibrium concentration of 0.6 mg/L, indicating that carbon dioxide may have been overlooked as a possible pollutant in receiving waters. For this reason, it is necessary to examine the possible presence of a discharge plume containing high levels of dissolved CO2 downstream from the outfall of a major wastewater treatment plant in Tampa, Florida. …

New Mexico’S Major Reservoirs: An Overview, Susan Kelly, Diego Urbina

Water Matters!

This paper describes the salient facts about the major water storage reservoirs in New Mexico. For each reservoir, we address the purposes of water storage allowed by law, storage capacity, the responsible operating agency, and some key operational issues. This is by necessity a vast simplification of the topic.Books, articles, research reports, operation manuals, and other materials on these topics run into the hundreds. Millions of dollars have been spent on technical studies and computer models to understand,and sometimes alter, the operations of various dams and reservoirs.

Factors That Contribute To Turbidity On The West Fork Of The White River In Arkansas, Chris Cotton, Brian Haggard

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The West Fork of the White River (WFWR) exceeds the water quality standard for turbidity (10 NTU) set by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and, since 1998, the river has been on Arkansas’s 303 (d) list of impaired water bodies unsuitable for aquatic life because of turbidity exceedances. To understand the factors that could be related to turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), total inorganic suspended solids (TISS), total volatile suspended solids (TVSS), sestonic chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations, and turbidity were measured on three sample dates from nine sites on the WFWR. As the site location changed in the downstream direction, …

Application Of The Water Poverty Index In Border Colonias Of West Texas, Marcelo Korc

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study applied the Water Poverty Index (WPI) in border colonias and other rural areas of west Texas. The colonias are mostly unincorporated communities located primarily in New Mexico and Texas along the border with Mexico and are characterized by high poverty rates and substandard living conditions. In Texas, access to drinking water and sanitation services has been identified as one of the most significant determinants of health in over 350 colonias with about 50 thousand residents.

The WPI is a multidimensional measure that links household welfare with water availability. WPI components were identified and prioritized by a wide range …

A Practical Photoelectrochemical Cell Using Nonprecious Metal Electrodes, Patrick Enright, Tony Betts, John Cassidy

Articles

Abstract: Photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) can be used to harvest light from the oxidation of dissolved organic matter. Similar to fuel cells but requiring light to operate, PECs contain a light assisted electrode that oxidises electron rich materials (anode); these electrons then flow to a typically Pt cathode where O₂ is normally the electron acceptor. In this work a PEC cell containing inexpensive materials was shown to (a) mineralise typical organic compounds present in waste water and (b) produce electricity from their decomposition. The PEC cell consisted of a TiO₂ coated conducting ink anode exposed to a light source, …

The Organization And Status Of The Department Of Interior's Programs And Studies On Climate Change In The Colorado River Basin, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

21 p. : ill., maps ; 29 cm

Evaluation Of Satellite-Retrieved Extreme Precipitation Rates Across The Central United States, A. Aghakoucak, A. Behrangi, S. Sorooshian, K. Hsu, Eyal Amitai

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Water resources management, forecasting, and decision making require reliable estimates of precipitation. Extreme precipitation events are of particular importance because of their severe impact on the economy, the environment, and the society. In recent years, the emergence of various satellite-retrieved precipitation products with high spatial resolutions and global coverage have resulted in new sources of uninterrupted precipitation estimates. However, satellite-based estimates are not well integrated into operational and decision-making applications because of a lack of information regarding the associated uncertainties and reliability of these products. In this study, four satellite-derived precipitation products (CMORPH, PERSIANN, TMPA-RT, and TMPA-V6) are evaluated with …

Influence Of Orography On The Weather Patterns And Water Availability Of A Topographically Complex Chihuahuan Desert Region, Fernanda De La Cerda Camargo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems cover a large extent of the planet's land surface and are highly susceptible to/and dependent on resource availability patterns, especially precipitation. Topography affects large scale weather patterns and redistributes precipitation which creates a variety of microclimates in complex landscapes; how these patterns are modified, however, is still not fully understood. Climate change models for arid and semi-arid ecosystems predict a change towards more extreme precipitation events; understanding the mechanisms involved in redistributing precipitation is crucial for the protection of these areas. Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS) is located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert and seems to …

Legal Initiatives Driving Clean Up Of Chesapeake Bay, Roy A. Hoagland, Jon Mueller

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Urban And Rural-Residential Land Uses: Their Role In Watershed Health And The Rehabilitation Of Oregon’S Wild Salmonids, Michael Harte, Victor W. Kaczynski, Clinton C. Shock, J. Alan Yeakley, Robert M. Hughes, Nancy Molina, Carl B. Schreck

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This technical report by the Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team (IMST) is a comprehensive review of how human activities in urban and rural-residential areas can alter aquatic ecosystems and resulting implications for salmonid recovery, with a geographic focus on the state of Oregon. The following topics are considered in the form of science questions, and comprise the major components of this report:

1. The effects of urban and rural-residential development on Oregon’s watersheds and native wild salmonids.
2. Actions that can be used to avoid or mitigate undesirable changes to aquatic ecosystems near developing urban and rural-residential areas.
3. The benefits and pitfalls of …

Quantifying Canal Leakage Rates Using A Mass-Balance Approach And Heat-Based Hydraulic Conductivity Estimates In Selected Irrigation Canals, Western Nebraska, 2007 Through 2009, Christopher M. Hobza, Michael J. Andersen

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

The water supply in areas of the North Platte River Basin in the Nebraska Panhandle has been designated as fully appropriated or overappropriated by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR). Enacted legislation (Legislative Bill 962) requires the North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD) and the NDNR to develop an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) to balance groundwater and surface-water supply and demand in the NPNRD. A clear understanding of the groundwater and surface-water systems is critical for the development of a successful IMP. The primary source of groundwater recharge in parts of the NPNRD is from irrigation canal leakage. Because …

African Water: An Experience With Project Management In Bulima, Tanzania, Robert Sharp

Honors Theses

Details the author's experiences researching, designing, and implementing a water system for a boarding school in Africa.

The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Farm Animals And Animal Products. Volume 1: Main Report, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The projected increase in the production and consumption of animal products is likely to put further pressure on the globe’s freshwater resources. The size and characteristics of the water footprint vary across animal types and production systems. The current study provides a comprehensive account of the global green, blue and grey water footprints of different sorts of farm animals and animal products, distinguishing between different production systems and considering the conditions in all countries of the world separately. The following animal categories were considered: beef cattle, dairy cattle, pig, sheep, goat, broiler chicken, layer chicken and horses. The study shows …

The Green, Blue And Grey Water Footprint Of Farm Animals And Animal Products. Volume 2: Appendices, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Contents

Appendix I: Feed conversion efficiencies – in kg of feed (dry mass) per kg of output – per animal category and region

Appendix II: Estimated consumption of feed per animal category and world region (10³ ton dry mass/yr)

Appendix III. Estimated consumption of feed per production system and world region (10³ ton dry mass/yr)

Appendix IV. Drinking and service water footprint per animal

Appendix V. Water footprint of animals and animal products (m³/ton). Period 1996-2005

Fertilizer And Stormwater Runoff Outreach Program In Newcastle, Nh, David Anderson

PREP Reports & Publications

The New Hampshire Coastal Protection Partnership (NH Coast) implemented a year long pilot public education and outreach program in the Town of New Castle aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution from lawn fertilizers and promoting rain gardens as a solution to storm water runoff and nonpoint source pollution. A total of 77 landowners representing 138 acres of land pledged to either not use lawn fertilizers or use only low phosphorus, slow release nitrogen brands. The program also resulted in the installation of New Castle’s first demonstration rain garden.

The Hydrology Of The Carroll Cave-Toronto Springs System: Identifying And Examining Source Mixing Through Dye Tracing, Geochemical Monitoring, Seepage Runs, And Statistical Methods, Benjamin Verlinden Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In karst areas relationships between activities occurring on the surface and the overall health of the subsurface environment are often highly interconnected. However, the complex nature of karst flow systems can often make identification of these connections difficult. Carroll Cave, a large stream cave system located in the central Missouri Ozarks, is known for its biological and speleological significance. A dye tracing project to delineate a Carroll Cave recharge area through dye tracing has identified an area of 18.5 km2 which contributes water to the cave. The water from Thunder River within Carroll Cave was positively traced to eight springs …

The River Discontinuum: Applying Beaver Modifications To Baseline Conditions For Restoration Of Forested Headwaters, Denise Burchsted, Melinda Daniels, Robert Thorson, Jason Vokoun

Center for Integrative Geosciences

Billions of dollars are being spent in the United States to restore rivers to a desired, yet often unknown, reference condition. In lieu of a known reference, practitioners typically assume the paradigm of a connected watercourse. Geological and ecological processes, however, create patchy and discontinuous fluvial systems. One of these processes, dam building by North American beavers (Castor canadensis), generated discontinuities throughout precolonial river systems of northern North America. Under modern conditions, beaver dams create dynamic sequences of ponds and wet meadows among free-flowing segments. One beaver impoundment alone can exceed 1000 meters along the river, flood the valley laterally, …

Assessing Linkages Among Landscape Characteristics, Stream Habitat, And Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Idaho Batholith Ecoregion, Andrew C. Hill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Understanding the composition of lotic communities and the landscape processes and habitat characteristics that shape them is one of the main challenges confronting stream ecologists. In order to better understand the linkages among landscape processes, stream habitat, and biological communities and to understand how accurately our measurements represent important factors influencing biological communities, it is important to test explicit hypotheses regarding these linkages. Increasing our understanding of aquatic communities in a hierarchical context and recognizing how well our measurements represent factors structuring aquatic communities will help managers better evaluate the influence of land management practices on aquatic ecosystems, direct conservation …

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Fall 2010, 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 to focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects …

Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project Model Development And Scenarios, Chris Berger, Scott A. Wells, Vanessa Wells

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The focus of this present study is to perform the following tasks:

* Develop a hydrodynamic and water quality model of the reservoir formed by the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project

* Develop and run modeling scenarios

Water quality model simulations of the 23.3 km² reservoir for Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project were conducted for low, average, and high flow years. A scenario with no vegetation removed from the reservoir for an average flow was also simulated. Conditions downstream of the reservoir were also modeled using a river model.

The model used for the reservoir formed by Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project …

Recreational Boats As Potential Vectors Of Marine Organisms At An Invasion Hotspot, Ian C. Davidson, Chela J. Zabin, Andrew L. Chang, Christopher W. Brown, Mark Sytsma, Gregory M. Ruiz

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

With more than 200 aquatic nonindigenous species (NIS), San Francisco Bay (California, USA) is among the world’s most invaded harbors. Hard-substratum benthic (biofouling) organisms, which dominate NIS richness, have arrived primarily as a result of shipping and aquaculture activity over past centuries. To date there has been no assessment of the leisure craft vector in the Bay. We aimed to characterize (1) biofouling on boats’ submerged surfaces and (2) boater behavior likely to affect the risk of NIS transfers. We used an underwater pole-cam, specimen collections, and a boater questionnaire to quantify the extent and composition of biofouling on recreational …

Pervasive Thermal Consequences Of Stream-Lake Interactions In Small Rocky Mountain Watersheds, Usa, Jessica D. Garrett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Limnologists and stream ecologists acknowledge the fundamental importance of temperature for regulating many ecological, biological, chemical, and physical processes. I investigated how water temperatures were affected by hydrologic linkages between streams and lakes at various positions along surface water networks throughout several headwater basins in the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains of Idaho (USA). Temperatures of streams and lakes were measured for up to 27 months in seven 6 – 41 km² watersheds, with a range of lake influence. When they were ice-free, warming in lakes resulted in dramatically warmer temperatures at lake outflows compared to inflow streams (midsummer …

Residential Landscape Water Check Programs: Exploring A Conservation Tool, Diana T. Glenn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In response to drought and regional growth in the arid western United States, urban water demand management is increasingly important. Single family residences use approximately 60% of their water consumption to irrigate landscapes often in excess of plant water requirements. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to investigate outdoor water consumption and assess the effectiveness of a landscape water check conservation program. Study objectives included describing a contextualized landscape system to reveal variables influencing water use, identifying better ways to evaluate landscape water use, and more effectively targeting and delivering water conservation programs.

The study was conducted during the 2004 …

Detention Basins For Phosphorus And Sediment Control In Clark County, Nevada, Amina Rashid Lodhi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nonpoint source urban stormwater runoff degrades aquatic ecosystems, and causes flooding. To mitigate its effects on natural and human environments best management practices (BMPs) became popular strategies to protect the integrity of water quality. Similarly, to mitigate the effects of stormwater quantity, detention basins (DBs) were put into place as flood control structures. Water quality control remains an unexplored and important aspect of DB utility, particularly, in arid regions. Since DBs are depressions in the earth and retain water over the course of several hours to days after a rain event, they can potentially act as BMPs. A key pollutant …

Evaluating The Energy And Carbon Footprint Of Water Conveyance System And Future Water Supply Options For Las Vegas, Nevada, Eleeja Shrestha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water production requires the use of energy to transport water from distant locations, pump groundwater from deep aquifers and treat water to meet stringent drinking water and wastewater regulations. Energy production based on its source involves the emission of greenhouse gases also known as carbon footprint, which is the leading cause of global warming and climate change. Because of growing concerns of global warming due to these emissions, water providers are required to analyze the energy and associated carbon footprint of existing water production facilities and future water supply options. A system dynamics model is developed to estimate the energy …

Improving Ensemble Streamflow Prediction Using Interdecadal/Interannual Climate Variability, Kenneth W. Lamb

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The National Weather Service’s (NWS) river forecast centers provide long-term water resource forecasts for the main river basins in the U.S. The NWS creates seasonal streamflow forecasts using an ensemble prediction model called the Extended Streamflow Prediction (ESP) software. ESP creates runoff volume forecasts by taking the current observed soil moisture and snowpack conditions in the basin and applying them to historical temperature and precipitation scenarios. The ESP treats every historic input year as a likely scenario of future basin conditions. Therefore improving the knowledge about how long-term climate cycles impact streamflow can extend the forecast lead time and improve …