Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons^™

The Influence Of The Wastewater Drainage From The Las Vegas Valley On The Limnology Of Boulder Basin, Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona, James F. Labounty, Michael J. Horn, Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

Lake Mead, Colorado River, Arizona-Nevada, is one of the most heavily used reservoirs in the western United States, providing abundant recreational opportunities as well as downstream domestic and agricultural water for over 22 million users. Based on average nutrient levels and productivity, Lake Mead is classified as mildly mesotrophic. The interflow of the Colorado River dominates the limnology of much of the 106 km-long reservoir, and may still be identified at Hoover Dam under certain conditions. The lower basin of Lake Mead ending at Hoover Dam is known as Boulder Basin and is near the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Las …

Spatial Analysis Of The Cause Of Mercury Contamination Of Fish In Arkansas - A Report Submitted To The Arkansas Mercury Task Force, H. S. Lin, H. D. Scott

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

There have been concerns about mercury (Hg) contamination in fish in Arkansas since the discovery of the problem in the Ouachita River in 1992 (Armstrong et aI., 1995). Of the more than 170 lakes and streams sampled by the Mercury Task Force from 1992 through 1994, 23% had fish with Hg concentrations exceeding the FDA Action Level of 1 ppm (Armstrong et aI., 1995). Cause of the fish Hg contamination, however, is unknown. Given the economic, human-health and environmental costs associated with fish Hg contamination, it is critical that the cause of this widely-spread problem be identified. Determination of the …

Investigation Of The Statistical And Spatial Distributions Of Mercury Contaminated Fish, Surface Waters And Soils In Arkansas, H. D. Scott, J. M. Mckimmey

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Mercury (Hg) contamination of fish is a widespread problem throughout much of the United States and the world (Louisiana WWW page, 1997). Levels ofHg in fish suffic1ent to exceed the FDA action level of 1 mg kg-1 have been found in many water bodies, including some in Arkansas and Louisiana. As a result of the serious public health ramifications for developing fetuses and for people that subsist on native fish, fish consumption advisories due to Hg contamination have been issued in 29 states. Contamination of surface water bodies by Hg results from deforestation, forest fires, fossil fuels, mining, natural emissions …

Ground Water, Robert F. Diffendal Jr.

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

A geologic overview of the groundwater supply underlying Cheyenne County, Nebraska (1997).

Watershed Prioritization, David G. Parker, Rod Williams, Hubert D. Scott

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The overall objective of this two-year study was to evaluate the water quality in the thirty-seven sub-basin watersheds in the Illinois River in Arkansas and to arrive at a watershed prioritization list to use in targeting non-point source activities. A water quality monitoring program was conducted with sampling in all thirty-seven sub-basins during both storm and base flow events and more intensive sampling in eight representative sub-basins during stOffil events. Each sub-basin was sampled seasonally during low flow (base-flow) conditions and during high flow storm (storm flow) conditions. In addition to the regular sampling, the intensive sub-basins were sampled approximately …

Directory Of Water Related Courses Offered At Colleges And Universites In Arkansas, Kenneth F. Steele

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

This publication lists the water and water-related courses at several universities and colleges in Arkansas as reported during the Fall of 1996. It Is anticipated that users of this directory will extend beyond college students, and will include professionals seeking continuing education, and professors desiring to exchange information on courses. This directory is not an "absolute" source of water and water-related courses because all of the higher learning institutions in Arkansas are not listed, and, secondly, because the definition of "water and water-related" varies from institution to institution. None-the-less this directory provides a very valuable and impressive reference on water …

Western Australian Salinity Action Plan, Agriculture Western Australia, Department Of Conservation And Land Management, Department Of Environmental Protection, Water And Rivers Commission

Natural resources published reports

Salinity is one of the State's most critical environmental problems, threatening major economic and social consequences. It is preventable and, in the long term, reversible. Complete elimination is not realistic, but we can dramatically reduce its impact.

Salinity is caused by replacing deep-rooted native plants with shallow-rooted crops and pastures. More rainfall passed below the root zone and accumulates as groundwater so that watertables rise. The groundwater mobilises natural salts in the soil as it rises and carries them towards the surface, eventually degrading land and streams.

Diversity Of Arkansas Water Resources Research, Kenneth F. Steele

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

In order to understand, protect, and manage our water resources effectively knowledge is required from many diverse areas of science, engineering, economics, and sociology. These proceedings of the conference on the Diversity of Arkansas Water Resources Research reflect this need and demonstrate how researchers in the state are responding to water issues and problems in Arkansas. The papers in these proceedings are representative of the research in Arkansas, but are only a sample of the work being conducted by universities and government agencies in Arkansas. We are grateful that Arkansas has the expertise available to provide the information necessary to …

Influence Of Rice Production On The Quality Of Water In Tailwater Collection Reservoirs, R. A. Dewell, T. L. Lavy

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Since maintaining high water quality standards in the state remains a high priority, monitoring for pesticides in water sources must continue. Determining the type, concentration, and characteristics of any pesticides present in water supplies are essential to the overall assessment of water quality. Five independent locations, implementing contained water management systems and recyclable water, were monitored in 1995 and 1996. Irrigation, runoff, and pond water samples were collected every 10 to 14 days between permanent flood establishment and draining. Water samples were transported to the laboratory and extracted for 16 pesticides using solid phase extraction (SPE) techniques. Quantification and confirmation …

Effects Of Zebra, Mussel, Dreissena Polymorpha Infestation On Lake Dardanelle Water Quality, Charles J. Gagen, Joseph N. Stoeckel

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Zebra mussels recently invaded southern waterways including the Arkansas River. Large-scale filtration of suspended particulate matter by dense populations could alter reservoir ecosystem function. Furthermore, they attach to hard surfaces, thereby threatening normal operations of artificial structures. We designed this study to provide baseline data prior to establishment of high population levels of zebra mussels in Lake Dardanelle. The characterization of spatial and temporal variability in water quality, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and macrophytes will allow testing of several hypotheses. We sampled zebra mussel veliger and settling juvenile densities and zooplankton densities at four fixed sites and the key water quality variables …

Bioaccumulation Of Methyl Mercury Through A Food Chain, J. T. Knight

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The bioaccumulation of mercury through the food chain has received much attention in Arkansas during the last three years. The discovery of mercury contamination and subsequent fish consumption advisories in southwest Arkansas have increased public awareness of the potential for bioaccumulation of different toxic compounds. It is postulated that the mercury problem in Arkansas is a result of methylation and resulting bioaccumulation of mercury as methyl mercury. This study was designed to derive a Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) for mercury in a simple food chain under controlled conditions. A BAF is calculated by dividing the concentration found in the organism by …

Identification Of Optimal Locations For Sampling Ground Water For Pesticides In The Mississippi Delta Region Of Eastern Arkansas, H. S. Lin, H. D. Scott, J. M. Mckimmey

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Concerns about the presence of pesticides in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in the Arkansas Delta have generated the need to develop a map of ground water vulnerability for this region comprised of approximately 10 million acres. Based on the availability of digital data and the scale of this study. we used a modified Pesticide DRASTIC model in a GRASS GIS environment to identify areas that were physically more sensitive to pesticide contamination than other areas within the Delta. Spatial distribution of pesticide loading was estimated from pesticide application rates in different crops and crop distribution map interpreted from …

An Introduction To Lake And Reservoir Water Quality Modeling, Kenneth H. Reckhow

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Illinois River Water Quality Automatic Sampler Installation, David G. Parker, Rodney Williams, Evan Teague

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Completion Report: Arkansas State Pesticides In Ground Water Monitoring Project Phase V: Vulnerable Areas In Jackson, Monroe, Lawrence And Lonoke Counties, T. Nichols, P. Vendrell, K. Steele, H. D. Scott, C. Armstrong

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

In 1996, sixty-seven water samples were drawn from 65 wells, including 62 new wells and 3 wells sampled previously . One Woodruff County well and two Pulaski County wells were resampled. Thirty-two samples were drawn from 30 wells in Monroe County (well #1 was sampled 3 times during this phase) . Ten wells in Jackson County, 12 wells in Lawrence County and 10 wells in Lonoke were also tested (Figures 1-5) . With the completion of Phase V, the number of wells tested has risen to 231 with a total of 258 samples analyzed . Initially, the wells were tested …

Landuse And Landcover Classification For Independence, Union, Bradley And Cleveland Counties Of Arkansas, H. Don Scott, Kimberly Hofer

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Landuse/landcover (LULC} is a function of natural factors such as soils, climate and water and of anthropogenic factors such as predominant use. In Arkansas, the primary use of the land varies depending on the physiographic region. For example, in the Mississippi Delta region of eastern Arkansas row crop agriculture predominates, whereas in the Gulf Coastal Plains forestry dominates. In both regions LULC is spatially and temporally . variable. Knowledge of LULC can be used in estimating the potential for agricultural production, locations of critical ecological areas, siting of homes, small businesses, industries, roads and landfills as well as source areas …

Toolibin Catchment Revegetation Manual, Avril Baxter

Natural resources published reports

In1983, heavy winter rains resulted in severe inundation and flooding of the lower parts of the Toolibin catchment. The damage to crops and pastures was immense and costly. Local farmers realised that they needed to work together to minimise the impact of heavy rainfall events on their farm productivity.

At the same time the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) was concerned about the quality of both ground and surface water in the catchment area for Toolibin Lake, the last remaining wooded freshwater lake in the southern wheatbelt. This mutual interest led to the formation of the …

Synthetic Organic Compounds: Las Vegas Wash And Lake Mead, National Water Quality Assessment Program (Nawqa): Nevada Basin And Range

Publications (WR)

The Nevada Basin and Range (NVBR) study unit of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is investigating the status of, trends in, and factors affecting water quality in the Las Vegas area. A principal objective of the investigation is to assess the effects of urbanization on the quality of area water resources. Las Vegas Wash is the surface-water outlet for the Las Vegas area. The wash transports stormwater runoff, shallow ground-water discharge, and tertiary-treated sewage effluent from the Las Vegas area to Las Vegas Bay of Lake Mead on the Colorado River. Most of the flow—about 96 …

Survival Of Fecal Contamination Indicator Organisms In Soil, K. A. Teague, D. C. Wolf, P. F. Vendrell

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Soils amended with human or animal waste may result in pathogen contamination of ground and surface water. Because temperature has been shown to affect pathogen survival, two laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of extremes in temperature on bacterial and viral pathogen indicator die-off in soil. A Captina silt loam was amended with broiler litter (0.1 g/g dry soil), septic tank effluent, or Escherichia coli (ATCC 13706) culture (both at 0.04 and 0.1 mL/g dry soil in the two respective studies), incubated at 5 and 35°C, and analyzed over time to determine the number of fecal coliform, E. …

Animal Waste And The Land-Water Interface, H. Don Scott, Kenneth Steele

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

This book presents abstracts of research studies conducted on animal wastes and the interface between application of animal waste to land. The abstracts were divided into sections which tend to organize summaries of research studies conducted on similar topics. These topics range from characteristics of animal waste to the effects of animal wastes on streams, lakes, wetlands, and watersheds, development of best management practices, nutrient management, edge of field losses and alternative uses. The posters will be available for viewing from 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 17, until 12:00 noon on Wednesday, July 19, 1995.

Spatial Distribution Of The Surface Geology And 1992 Land Use Of The Buffalo River Watershed, Kimberly R. Hofer, H. Don Scott, James M. Mckimmey

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The Buffalo River was established by Congress in 1972 as the first National River in the United States and is one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in Arkansas . The Buffalo River flows through the three major physiographic provinces of northern Arkansas, originating in the higher elevations of the Boston Mountains, and flowing generally northeastward to cut through the Springfield and Salem Plateaus. It drops from approximately 2000 feet in the headwaters to around 500 feet above sea level at its confluence with the White River in Marion County. The Buffalo River is considered to be one of Arkansas' …

Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of The Morphological And Land Use Characteristics Of The Buffalo River Watershed, H. Don Scott, Kimberly R. Hofer

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The Buffalo River was established by Congress iQ. 1972 as the first National River in the United States. The Buffalo River, which originates in the higher elevations of the Boston Mountains in Newton County, is one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in Arkansas. It is considered to be one of Arkansas' greatest natural treasures, and thus, there is strong interest in protecting it from anthropogenic influences. An initial characterization of the soil taxonomic units, watershed boundaries, topography and physiographic units in the Buffalo River Watershed was presented by Scott and Smith (1994). The spatial distribution of the geologic units …

Spatial And Temporal Analyses Of The Morphological And Land Use Characteristics Of The Buffalo River Watershed, H. Don Scott, Kimberly R. Hofer

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The Buffalo River was established by Congress it11972 as the first National River in the United States. The Buffalo River, which originates in the higher elevations of the Boston Mountains in Newton County, is one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in Arkansas. It is considered to be one of Arkansas' greatest natural treasures, and thus, there is strong interest in protecting it from anthropogenic influences. An initial characterization of the soil taxonomic units, watershed boundaries, topography and physiographic units in the Buffalo River Watershed was presented by Scott and Smith (1994). The spatial distribution of the geologic units in …

Effects Of Zebra Mussel, Dreissena Polymorpha, Infestation On Lake Dardanelle Water Quality, Charles J. Gagen, Joseph N. Stoeckel

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Zebra mussels recently invaded southern waterways including the Arkansas River. Exponential population growth and high filtration capacity of dense populations could alter reservoir ecosystem function. Furthermore, they attach to hard surfaces; thus, threatening normal operations of many artificial structures. We designed this study to provide baseline data prior to high population levels of zebra mussels in Lake Dardanelle. The characterization of spatial and temporal variability in water quality, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and macrophytes will allow testing of several hypotheses. We sampled zebra mussel density and zooplankton at four fixed sites and the other key variables at three of these sites biweekly …

Assessment Of Effectiveness Of Buffer Zones In Removing Impurities In Runoff From Areas Treated With Poultry Litter. Part Ii: Source Areas To Buffer Areas Ratio Effects, P. Srivastava, D. R. Edards, T. C. Daniel

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Vegetative filter strips (VFS) are known to reduce runoff losses of nutrients. solids. and other materials from land areas treated with fertilizers . Although VFS effectiveness is known to depend partially on the relative lengths of filter and pollutant source areas. there is little experimental evidence available to quantify this dependence. This is particularly the case when VFS are implemented down-slope of pasture areas treated with animal manures such as poultry litter. This study assessed the influences of pollutant source area (treated with poultry litter) and VFS lengths on VFS removal of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN). ammonia nitrogen (NH3 -N …

Geology Of The Ogallala/High Plains Regional Aquifer System In Nebraska, Robert F. Diffendal Jr.

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

This guide is mostly figures with a reference section containing some of the pertinent literature on the Cenozoic geology we will see over the next four days. Copies of some of the cited works will be assembled in a packet and handed out on the morning of April 29th. We will make all 17 stops. if the weather is reasonably good and the roads are passable. On the first day, April 29, we will try to get to stops 1-5, the more distal parts of the Ogallala and younger deposits in Nebraska. On April 30, we will try to visit …

Water Resources Studies Along The Arkansas-Oklahoma Border, Kenneth F. Steele

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The watershed approach to water resource issues recently has been re-discovered. Scientists and managers recognize the need to consider the entire watershed when delineating and solving today's water resource problems. A simple example is the effect that streams have on the ultimate "health" of a reservoir. Although technically the term watershed should be used only in reference to surface water, the importance of ground water is included in the watershed approach to problems. In recognition that we all "live upstream and downstream," the Arkansas Water Resources Center and the Oklahoma Water Resources Institute sponsored a conference titled "Water Resource Studies …

Completion Report: Arkansas State Pesticides In Ground Water Monitoring Project Phase Iv: Eastern Arkansas (Pulaski, Lee And Jackson Counties), T. Nichols, P. Vendrell, K. Steele, H. D. Scott, C. Armstrong

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

In 1995, fifty-two water samples were drawn from 49 new wells and 2 wells that had been previously sampled during earlier phases. These included twenty samples from 19 wells in eastern Pulaski County, thirteen wells in Lee County, 16 wells in Jackson County, two wells in Lonoke County, one well in Crittenden County and resamples of two wells in Woodruff County. Figure 1 shows the locations of the 3 counties where the majority of the samples were taken and Figures 2-4 show the monitoring locations withing these counties. The wells were tested for nitrate and 13 pesticides listed in Table …

Relating United States Crop Land Use To Natural Resources And Climate Change, K. G. Hubbard, F. J. Flores-Mendoza

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

Crop production depends not only on the yield but also on the area harvested. The yield response to climate change has been widely examined, but the sensitivity of crop land use to hypothetical climate change has not been examined directly. Crop land-use regression models for estimating crop area indices (CAIs) - the percent of land used for corn, soybean, wheat, and sorghum production - are presented. Inputs to the models include available water-holding capacity of the soil, percent of land available for rain-fed agricultural production, annual precipitation, and annual temperature. The total variance of CAI explained by the models ranged …

Remnant Vegetation Inventory On The Southern Agricultural Areas Of Western Australia., G R. Beeston, G Mlodowski, A Sanders, D True

Resource management technical reports

Remnant vegetation mapping and its incorporation into a Geographical Information System (GIS) data base is the first stage in an overall documentation and promotion of conservation of remnant vegetation in Western Australia. The primary objective of this project being to determine the amount, distribution and regional location of native vegetation remaining on private land in the agricultural area of south-west Western Australia.