2008

Water Resources Management Under Competing Demands in the Walawe River Basin, Sri Lanka

Neelanga Weragala et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:16:01 PDT

Many developing countries depend on their agricultural production to ensure food security. However, along with agriculture, there are many other sectors that impose demands on basin water resources. Declining water supplies and growing demands require better management decisions in water allocation. This paper describes the current water demand and supply situation in a rural river basin of a developing country and analyzes several solutions to overcome the water allocation issues.

Groundwater Quality Impacts Due to Population Growth and Land Use Exploitation in the Coastal Aquifers of Sri Lanka

Dumindu Jayasekera et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:16:00 PDT

Previous studies have tried to investigate the impact of agriculture on groundwater quality of coastal aquifers but not tried to assess the overall water quality impacts considering sea water intrusion effects, vulnerability, and public health impacts. This study is focused on studying vulnerability of coastal aquifers producing groundwater quality concerns in the presence of sea water intrusion, population growth, and agriculture dominated land use activities.

Innovation in Teaching Transboundary Water Courses – An Interdisciplinary Approach

Lynette de Silva et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:59 PDT

In this session we will present four curriculum approaches to transboundary courses. Each of the speakers will share the methodologies used in their program and/or class (majors in geography, water engineering, international relations, and international policies). Tools such as class discussions and simulations, student research benefiting from exchange with real world transboundary officials, use of special software for planning and evaluating cooperation, will be discussed and demonstrated.

Factors Governing Variation In Fish Tissue Mercury Concentrations Across North Carolina

Dana Sackett et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:58 PDT

The North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) has collected data on mercury concentrations in fish tissue from numerous waterbodies since 1990. Reported mercury levels are highly variable; fish tissue concentrations often vary 75-fold or more within individual species across the state, and 10-fold to 100-fold among samples within and between adjacent counties. We discuss the construction and preliminary analysis of a comprehensive statewide database combining NCDWQ fish tissue mercury concentrations with all other available and relevant biotic and abiotic environmental variables.

Benefit Transfer And Ecosystem Services: Linking Water Quality And Recreation In North Carolina

Aaron Jenkins et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:57 PDT

Nitrogen concentrations are a prominent indicator of water pollution, frequently leading to algal blooms which in turn cause fish kills and unappealing odors and appearance. As such, water quality may influence the water recreation decisions of individual recreators, who tend to prefer higher water quality and are willing to pay for it. This paper employs the benefit transfer method to estimate the economic benefits of freshwater-based recreation in response to changes in ambient water quality.

An Integrative Study Of The Sources And Effects Of Naturally Occurring Contaminants In Private Wells In North Carolina

Avner Vengosh et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:56 PDT

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the exposure of private well users to natural contaminants of arsenic, radon, and radium. The project investigates the mechanisms in which these natural contaminants are leached into groundwater, the available treatment techniques for removal of natural contaminants, the role of information as an environmental health policy tool that examines how households respond to information regarding inorganic contaminants, and the policy implications for an increasing population that uses groundwater with contaminant levels exceeding EPA regulations.

The Future of Water in North Carolina and the South: Lessons Learned and Not Learned in the 2007-2008 Drought

Bill Holman et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:55 PDT

During this presentation we will discuss local and state government response to the 2007- 2008. What are the gaps in water management? What are the opportunities to incentivize planning to address future droughts? Are municipalities and states addressing drought management in conjunction with growth? Are municipalities implementing long term strategies for water conservation?

Fecal Coliform Removal In Algal-Based Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems

Ebenezer D. O. Ansa et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:54 PDT

We hypothesize that the net effect of organic matter (from all sources) in domestic wastewater treatment ponds may tend to promote fecal bacteria survival at higher algal cell concentrations. The aim of this study is to understand better, the role of algae in the removal of fecal bacteria from algal based ponds and to specifically investigate the effect of varying algal concentrations on fecal bacteria removal in algal based ponds. Batch laboratory experiments were conducted using light of wavelengths, 380-780 nm. Algae were grown by natural colonization and used for inoculating the setup.

Evaluating Management Strategies Of Integrated Water Resource Management: A Case Study On Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh

Shampa Biswas et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:53 PDT

Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) for Chittagong Hill Tracts is one the key future issues in Bangladesh forestry decision making of South Asia. Therefore a combined approach of criteria and indicators (C&I) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) have been used to formulate a clear and transparent picture of the current situation and to identify a potential and best compromise solution for the sustainable management of mountain watershed of Bangladesh.

Recent Trends in Water Quality Management in Korea: An Introduction to Korea’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program

YoonKyung Cha et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:52 PDT

In 1999, the Korean Ministry of Environment adopted the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) management system to resolve the problems of traditional water quality management policies represented by concentration regulations, land-use regulations, and environmental treatment facilities. A special act established in 1999 recommends the autonomous implementation of the program in the Han River watershed. Also, a series of special acts established in 2002 require the compulsory implementation for three other major river watersheds. Accordingly, as of 2007, four major river watersheds are implementing the first phase of the TMDLs as well as preparing for a second phase set to begin in 2011. Although the introduction of the TMDL program can be evaluated as a paradigm shift in water quality management, the current system addresses issues that originated specifically in Korea’s political and economic context.

Biofuels Boom, Aquifer’s Doom?

Matt Clark et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:51 PDT

This paper seeks to estimate the impact of the emerging biofuels sector on groundwater consumption and cropping patterns in the Kansas portion of the High Plains Aquifer. Three case counties in western Kansas have been selected for analysis, which vary in their groundwater availability and historical cropping patterns.

The Science Behind The Policy: An Integrated Water Resources Course

Kristan M. Cockerill — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:50 PDT

Anyone who has reviewed water management practices recognizes that there is often a gap between scientific consensus on water realities and the policies put in place to manage water. The same is true in the academic community. Courses typically segregate the hydrological lessons from the policy lessons. To address this, we have created a course that fully integrates hydrology and policy into a single course.

Impact of Pumping on Saltwater Intrusion in the Gaza Coastal Aquifer, Palestine

Abdelhaleem Khader — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:49 PDT

The Gaza Coastal Aquifer (GCA) is the major source of water in the Gaza Strip. The GCA is a transboundary aquifer, shared by approximately 600 Israeli wells and more than 3000 Palestinian wells. Recent studies show noticeable deterioration in aquifer water quality: chloride, nitrate, sulfate, and fluoride concentrations exceed the maximum contaminant levels in most of the wells in the Gaza Strip. Many agricultural wells are no longer used due to high salinity. This high salinity is an indication of saltwater intrusion, which appears mainly in coastal aquifers due to excessive pumping. This study is an attempt to determine the impact of pumping on the hydraulic head at the coastline of the Gaza Strip.

Drought Indicator Assessment In Lake Management Using A Bayesian Network Model

Boknam Lee et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:48 PDT

To implement more integrated and effective drought management under the consideration of uncertainties, it is essential to identify and assess the underlying interactions and impacts of drought indicators to the economic and ecological systems in a lake. In this study, a Bayesian network model was developed to facilitate the assessment and response of drought indicators in the context of economic and environmental utilities.

Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The Cause And Effects In The Hai District Of Northern Tanzania

James Shorter — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:47 PDT

The Hai District in Northern Tanzania is one of the many areas along the East African Rift Valley where the groundwater contains high levels of fluoride. This study by sampling fluoride levels from water sources in the 52 villages of the Hai District identified two communities where the fluoride levels were high and presented a risk to human health.

Evaluation Of Sediment Load Reductions In Southeastern U.S. Forest Regions

Anurag Srivastava et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:46 PDT

The objective of this research is to quantify sediment load reductions in southeastern U.S. forest regions resulting from selected BMPs.

Small Center, Big Impact: Heidelberg College’s National Center For Water Quality Research

Anne Stearns et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:45 PDT

The symbiotic relationship that exists between the undergraduate students in the water resources program at Heidelberg College and the National Center for Water Quality Research staff benefits both students and water quality efforts.

Geochemical Controls On Naturally-Occurring Radionuclides In Private Well Water Of The North Carolina Piedmont

David Vinson et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:44 PDT

We present detailed results of natural contaminant occurrence for about 150 wells on the Piedmont of North Carolina, mostly drilled into granite, gneiss, metasedimentary rocks, and metavolcanic rocks. Our results suggest that the overall occurrence of radionuclides in water is highest where rocks containing elevated levels of uranium and thorium, such as granite, are present. However, localized spots exhibit high radionuclides in water in other rock types as well.

Stakeholder Participation in Watershed Management: An Evaluation of the Jordan Lake Stakeholder Project

Christine G. Wyman et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:43 PDT

The Jordan Lake Stakeholder Project (JLSP) was convened by the NC Department of Water Quality (DWQ) to gather public input in response to high levels of nutrients found in Jordan Lake, a reservoir in the central piedmont of North Carolina. The DWQ is a frequent convener of such time- and resource-intensive projects, yet lacks methods for evaluating their successes and benefits. By assessing public involvement in terms of substantive and procedural factors and practical outcomes, I evaluated the success of the JLSP. This evaluation template can be used by environmental regulators to guide future collaborative processes in watershed management.

Rio Grande Valley Water Markets And Legislative Influences

Shauna Yow et al. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:15:41 PDT

Attempting to facilitate meeting the increasing needs for municipal water, the 2007 Texas legislative session passed Senate Bill 3. This act established the price at which irrigation water in the Lower Rio Grande Valley can convert to municipal water at 68 percent of the market price. Preliminary economic and financial investigations suggest this legislation could create a market distortion between desalination and traditional treatment methods by lowering the costs of traditional treatment methods relative to desalination methods.