Water Resource Management Commons^™

Drinking Water Treatment: Salt-Free Water “Softener” Options, Bruce I. Dvorak

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

New no-salt technologies may be effective in treating hard water, but consumers should carefully investigate product claims prior to buying a specific treatment device.

Hard water is not a health risk, but many Nebraska consumers find hard water to be a nuisance because of mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures, including water heaters; unsightly film on glass and crystal wares; and poor soap and/or detergent performance. Water described as “hard” contains high amounts of dissolved calcium and magnesium, which are positively charged contaminants called cations.

Water hardness often is expressed as grains of hardness per gallon of water (gpg) or milligrams …

Investigation Of Climate Variability And Climate Change Impacts On Corn Yield In The Eastern Corn Belt, Usa, Ruoyu Wang

Open Access Dissertations

The increasing demand for both food and biofuels requires more corn production at global scale. However, current corn yield is not able to meet bio-ethanol demand without jeopardizing food security or intensifying and expanding corn cultivation. An alternative solution is to utilize cellulose and hemi-cellulose from perennial grasses to fulfill the increasing demand for biofuel energy. A watershed level scenario analysis is often applied to figure out a sustainable way to strike the balance between food and fuel demands, and maintain environment integrity. However, a solid modeling application requires a clear understanding of crop responses under various climate stresses. This …

Urban Flooding And Sewer Inundation On The University Of Louisville Belknap Campus., Justin T. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past few decades on the University of Louisville Belknap campus urban flooding has become more frequent as a result of surface water runoff and sewer inundation. This urban flooding is a result of ongoing watershed urbanization and rapid expansion of the local sewer system to accommodate the expanding city of Louisville. However little research has been conducted on this issue, despite continued flooding on and adjacent to campus. Using the EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) we applied a dual drainage modeling approach that combines both surface and subsurface drainage data to produce a flood hydrograph at the …

Nitrogen And Phosphorus Enrichment Effects On Nutrient Supply In Reservoirs: A Small-Scale Approach, Jessalyn G. Kohn

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Eutrophication is a problem in many lakes, but the reduction of nutrient inputs such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to combat eutrophication can lead to an oligotrophic state, which may be unable to support healthy aquatic ecosystems. This study examined how different rates of chemical fertilization with N and P during times of nutrient limitation (mid-summer) could affect particulate N and C concentrations in four lakes in northwest Arkansas. Fertilization experiments were conducted in microcosms during the month of July 2014. Water samples from each lake were collected and divided into six treatments: control, P-only, N:P 10, 20, 40, …

A Method Comparison And Stressor-Response Experimental Study Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Impacts To Periphyton In Ozark Streams, Ashley Renee Rodman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stream bioassessment is important for understanding algal-nutrient relationships and the development of scientifically defensible numeric nutrient criteria. However, multiple methods of periphyton data collection are currently used, and little is known about the comparability of resulting datasets. Literature also suggests other factors besides nutrients (i.e. variable grazing, light, and flow) can confound algal-nutrient relationships. A one-year method comparison study and 31-day algal biomass-nutrient manipulative experiment were conducted in the southern Ozarks of Arkansas. The method comparison study was implemented using two common bioassessment procedures (whole-surface and delimiter-reduced periphyton removal) to assess the potential for combining datasets. During the manipulative experiment, …

Hydrogeological Conceptual Model Of La Villa River Watershed, Republic Of Panama, Maria G. Castrellon Romero

Honors Scholar Theses

Groundwater in Panama is a valuable and poorly understood resource. Its exploitation has increased 75% in the past decade, reaching a total value of 700,000 m³/day or 185 million gallons per day (MGD). Climate change has caused a lengthening of the dry season, which has reduced precipitation and streamflow, resulting in surface water scarcity during this period. Nevertheless, it has not been possible to determine the extent to which groundwater sources have been affected by these factors since systematic monitoring of groundwater levels has not been implemented in Panama. With support from National Institution of Drinking Water Supply …

The Value Of Long-Term Stream Invertebrate Data Collected By Citizen Scientists, Patrick M. Edwards

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this investigation was to systematically examine the variability associated with temporally-oriented invertebrate data collected by citizen scientists and consider the value of such data for use in stream management. Variability in invertebrate data was estimated for three sources of variation: sampling, within-reach spatial and long-term temporal. Long-term temporal data were also evaluated using ordinations and an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). Through two separate investigations over an 11-year study period, participants collected more than 400 within-reach samples during 44 sampling events at three streams in the western United States. Within-reach invertebrate abundance coefficient of variation (CV) ranged …

Drought Forecasting Isn't Just About Water- To Get Smart We Need Health And Financial Data Too, Neville Crossman, Ian Overton, Jamie Hannaford, Kerstin Stahl, Kevin Collins, Mark D. Svoboda, Mike Acreman, Nicole Wall

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

The Millennium Drought taught Australians many lessons about living under extremely dry conditions – not just about how to conserve water, but also about human suffering.

In a drought, farmers find it more difficult to make an income, leading to mental health problems and raising the rate of male suicides. In the city, the impact is felt through water restrictions and more expensive infrastructure.

With very dry conditions returning to Tasmania, central Queensland and western Victoria, are we better prepared for the next big drought?

This is an issue not just for Australia, but across the world, from California, to …

Mapping Evapotranspiration With High-Resolution Aircraft Imagery Over Vineyards Using One- And Two-Source Modeling Schemes, Ting Xia, William P. Kustas, Martha C. Anderson, Joseph G. Alfieri, Feng Gao, Lynn Mckee, John H. Prueger, Hatim M.E. Geli, C.M.U. Neale, Luis Sanchez, Maria Mar Alsina, Zhongjing Wang

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Thermal and multispectral remote sensing data from low-altitude aircraft can provide high spatial resolution necessary for sub-field ( 10 m) and plant canopy (1 m) scale evapotranspiration (ET) monitoring. In this study, highresolution (sub-meter-scale) thermal infrared and multispectral shortwave data from aircraft are used to map ET over vineyards in central California with the two-source energy balance (TSEB) model and with a simple model having operational immediate capabilities called DATTUTDUT (Deriving Atmosphere Turbulent Transport Useful To Dummies Using Temperature). The latter uses contextual information within the image to scale between radiometric land surface temperature (TR) values representing hydrologic limits of …

U.S. Drought Monitor, April 19, 2016, Richard Tinker

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for April 19, 2016 (4/19/16) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

Size Structure, Age, Growth And Spawning Periodicity Of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix In Kentucky Lake, Kentucky, Allison Derose

Scholars Week

Invasive species are a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems in the United States. Invasive species can compete with native species, alter habitats and reduce ecosystem function. A recent invader, Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, has successfully infiltrated much of the Mississippi River Basin and has established reproducing populations within the Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee Rivers. In 2004 Silver Carp were reported within Kentucky Lake, a large reservoir located on the Tennessee River in Western Kentucky. Although Silver Carp have been present in Kentucky Lake for over a decade, very little is known about the population, which makes it difficult …

U.S. Drought Monitor, April 12, 2016, Richard Tinker

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for April 12, 2016 (4/12/16) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

U.S. Drought Monitor, April 5, 2016, Richard Tinker

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for April 5, 2016 (4/5/16) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

Getches-Wilkinson Center Newsletter, Spring 2016, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment

Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment Newsletter (2013-)

No abstract provided.

Water Quality In Relation To Land-Use Of The Upper 62.8 Kilometers Of The Santa Maria River, Santa Fe, Veraguas Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates As Indicators, Charlotte Steeves

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Santa Maria River spans approximately 148 kilometers from its headwaters in the district of Santa Fe, Veraguas to its mouth at the Golfo de Parita, Herrera. The objective of this study was to determine the relation between land-use and site-specific water quality using benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators. To assess water quality of the upper portion of the Santa Maria River, benthic macroinvertebrates were collected at 10 points within the river from Santa Fe national park to the town of San Francisco, approximately 62.8 kilometers. This study examines how land-use near the banks of the Santa Maria River effect water …

Chemical And Physical Characteristics Of Rivers Above And Below Four Hydroelectric Power Facilities In The Chiriquí Viejo And Chico Watersheds Of Chiriquí, Panama, Tricia Light

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The advance of anthropogenic climate change and human energy use has sparked unprecedented international interest and investment in fossil fuel free energy sources such as hydroelectric power. Extensive construction of hydroelectric power facilities has occurred in Panama in recent years, particularly in the westernmost Chiriquí province. Hydroelectric power, especially that generated by relatively small facilities, is generally thought to be a “clean” alternative energy source with few negative environmental consequences. Some evidence suggests, however, that even small facilities can have significant ecological impacts on rivers. This study investigated river properties above and below four small hydroelectric facilities on the Chiriquí …

An Adaptive Visual Learning Approach For Waterborne Disease Prevention In Rural West Africa, Jonathan Le Mar Oglesby

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Depleted water supplies, along with industrial and human waste, are driving a world water crisis that poses a growing risk to food markets, energy production, political stability, and human health (Global Water Security 2012). One obvious example of the this crisis is the more than 1 billion people who obtain their drinking water from contaminated sources (WHO/UNICEF 2006; Clasen et al. 2008). With a projected increase of 1.3 billion people between now and 2050, Africa will add more to the global population than any other world region (Haub and Kaneda 2013). For this research, visual learning design factors were incorporated …

Advancing Methods To Measure The Atmospheric Co2 Sink From Carbonate Rock Weathering, Devon Salley Mr.

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

With rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations, a detailed understanding of processes that impact atmospheric CO2 fluxes is required. While a sink of atmospheric carbon from the continents to the ocean from carbonate mineral weathering is, to some degree, offset by carbonate mineral precipitation in the oceans, efforts are underway to make direct measurements of these fluxes. Measurement of the continental sink has two parts: 1) measurement of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) flux leaving a river basin, and 2) partitioning the inorganic carbon flux between the amount removed from the atmosphere and the portion from the bedrock. This study attempted to …

Water Current, Volume 48, No. 2, Spring 2016

Water Current Newsletter

2016 tour to Colorado’s South Platte basin June 14-16

Success with grant applications and student programs; upcoming events

Droughtscape, Spring 2016, National Drought Mitigation Center

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

Contents

Director’s report

First quarter drought summary

First quarter drought impacts

Drought Risk Management Research Center

Kenyan official visits

DrIVER eyes forecasting

Drought scenario exercise

Student projects

Drought tournament

Response and recovery guide

Drought Portal

Network of drought observers

Caribbean “writeshops”

Communications staff grows