US federal tax policy: The evolution of percentage depletion for minerals

We are often tempted to believe that a nation's resource policy is the result of careful deliberation and conscious design and is articulated in a relatively few statutes. This paper traces the history of percentage depletion in the USA and finds that this particular resource policy has evolved in the absence of a recognizable master plan. Percentage depletion has developed through a continuing political tug-of-war in the US Congress as a seemingly unending array of special interest groups sought and finally gained the prize of percentage depletion for their industry.     

THE EFFECTS OF MINE ACID ON THE POND RIVER WATERSHED IN WESTERN KENTUCKY1

ABSTRACT: H₂SO₄ (sulfuric acid) is formed by a chemical process that occurs in unreclaimed coal mines. The highly toxic acid then flows into the lower swamp areas where it causes considerable damage to the ecosystem. The major effect of the acid is the mass destruction of thousands of trees and various other phreatophytic plants. The contamination is so serious that most of the wildlife has migrated out of the affected area of the swamp in order to survive. Certain geological features such as coal bearing monadanocks make the area somewhat sensitive to mining activities and related geologic hazards. New methods of mine acid abatement make the concept of mass reclamation more realistic than at any time in the past. The constant annihilation of swamp life and processes emphasizes the urgent need for reclamation of the swamp.     

Use of the Delphi in a citizen participation project

A Delphi survey, the Dade Toxics Community Assessment, was used to develop a consensus between citizen and professional members of the Dade TOXICS Task Force, as a part of a public participation project in Dade County, Florida. The results showed an agreement between the two groups on the ranking of the five major problems to be studied by the task force.     

EVALUATION OF A DEPTH PROPORTIONAL INTAKE DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC PUMPING SAMPLERS1

ABSTRACT: A depth proportional intake boom for portable pumping samplers was used to collect suspended sediment samples in two coastal streams for three winters. The boom pivots on the stream bed while a float on the downstream end allows debris to depress the boom and pass without becoming trapped. This equipment modifies point sampling by maintaining the intake nozzle at the same proportion of water depth regardless of stage. Data taken by pumping samplers with intakes mounted on the boom were compared with depth integrated hand samples. Pumped samples showed higher concentrations than depth integrated hand samples. Results suggested that cross-sectional sampling can give high precision with proper placement and calibration of a boom mounted intake.     

Options and limitations in fisheries management

Conclusion As a final thought, I want to conclude with the cliche that a problem recognized is half solved. Certainly, I cannot be accused of laying out a solution to solving the major fisheries management problems, but it is hoped that the problems managers face are now clearer. The complexity of fisheries assystems to be managed is clear to even the most casual observer. The second point, a broad theory of fisheries management, should provide a framework to categorize all of the disjointed activities that we associate with management of our fisheries resources.     

REGULATORY WATER QUALITY MONITORING: A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE1

ABSTRACT: Regulatory water quality monitoring has evolved to the point where it is a rather complex system encompassing many monitoring purposes and involving many monitoring activities. Lack of a system's perspective of regulatory monitoring hinders the development of effective and efficient monitoring programs to support water quality management. In this paper the regulatory water quality monitoring system is examined in a total systems context. The purposes of regulatory monitoring are reviewed and categorized according to their legal evolution. The activities of regulatory monitoring are categorized and organized into a system which follows the flow of information through the monitoring program. The monitoring purposes and activities are combined to form a monitoring system matrix - a framework within which the total regulatory water quality monitoring system is defined. The matrix, by defining the regulatory monitoring system and clarifying many interactions within the system, provides a basis upon which a more thorough approach to managing, evaluating, and eventually optimizing regulatory monitoring can be developed.     

THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF DUAL PURPOSE NUCLEAR DESALINATION OF GROUND WATER1

ABSTRACT: The economic feasibility of a large scale dual purpose (desalting water and power production) facility were evaluated. Although a site in the Tularosa basin of southern New Mexico was chosen as a case study for this analysis, it is believed that the approach and consequential results would be applicable to alternative sites in the Southwest. The basic project evaluated included: a) a ground water well field; b) a dual purpose, nuclear, desalination plant; c) a mineral recovery plant; and d) a reservoir for recreation and irrigation storage. Principle project outputs included electrical power, minerals, recreation, and water for either irrigated agricultural production or export to an adjoining river basin. Two alternative project designs were developed for detailed analysis. The first alternative encompassed all major project components. The results, in discounted net values used to assess the feasibility of the project, were essentially negative; that is, values were less than zero for full scale development. The net benefits ranged from $-986.57 million at a 5 percent discount rate, to $-1,137.528 million at a discount rate of 10 percent. In the second alternative, exportation of the desalted water from the Tularosa basin to two adjacent rivers was analyzed with somewhat better net benefits, ranging from $-382,527 million to $-478,612 million at the 5 and 10 percent discount rates.     

A TECHNIQUE USED TO DETERMINE RANDOM POINT POSITION1

ABSTRACT: The Monte Carlo method is a procedure which takes advantage of the high speed of electronic computer in solving complex problems in physical and mathematical fields. A rigid technique to determine whether a random point falls within an arbitrary-shaped boundary is not available. This study is to present a new technique which can be used to determine whether a random point falls within any shape of boundary, together with its range of application. A modified fixed random walk procedure is also developed to solve the problems of groundwater movement. A flowchart and computer program are also demonstrated. Comparisons of this newly developed method are made with other approximate solutions. The results indicates that the new technique is more applicable and powerful than other methods.     

NONSTEADY FLOW TO A WELL WITH TIME DEPENDENT DRAWDOWN1

Confined flow toward a single well of finite radius in an extensive aquifer of uniform transmissibility is studied under the assumption of time-dependent drawdown. Three particular cases are considered: (a) linear drawdown (including constant drawdown); (b) exponential drawdown; (c) periodic (sinusoidal) drawdown. The differential equation governing unsteady axial symmetric flow toward a single well in a confined aquifer is solved for the three different situations by the use of the Laplace transform method. The resulting expressions are integrated by adapting a modified Gemant scheme. General computer programs have been developed and operated for several combinations of characteristics. The results are plotted to show the effect of time dependent drawdown on the variation of the well discharge and the piezometric head distribution.