Plant response to Los Angeles aqueduct construction in the Mojave desert

Construction of the 1913 Los Angeles aqueduct system had a different effect on vegetation productivity, diversity, and stability in the Mojave Desert than did construction of the 1970 aqueduct. Drastic disturbance was found to impede vegetation recovery, whereas slight disturbance sometimes enhanced vegetation. Comparisons of productivity, diversity, and stability measures for both aqueducts show apparent similarities of vegetation cover, biomass, and density. However, these similarities often vanish when one considers qualitative factors, such as proportion of long-lived species and typical cominants of undisturbed communities. Percentage composition of common long-lived perennials represents a good qualitative measure to supplement quantitative comparisons. Enhancement of vegetation along the right-of-way transects of the 1913 aqueduct shows considerable recovery, owing to the more than 65 years that have passed since construction.     

GROWTH INHIBITION OF HYDRILLA VERTICILLATA BY SELECTED LAKE SEDIMENT EXTRACTS1

ABSTRACT: Sediments were investigated from two Florida lakes that have not been infested with the submersed, perennial, noxious plant Hydrilla verticillata. Aqueous extracts of the peat-like sediments from these lakes were shown to inhibit the growth of Hydrilla verticillata in laboratory systems. The extracts have substantial concentrations of organic carbon and iron. The apparent molecular weight of the inhibitory fraction is between 2,000 and 10,000, based upon ultrafiltration studies. Hydrilla growth was about 35 percent relative to control for a partially purified fraction at a level of 0.4 ppm organic carbon. Growth was measured as change in biomass (wet and dry) over a one-week period. The inhibitory material was highly fluorescent, dark brown, and inhibitory activity was lost after passage over an anion-exchange column (Cellex-D).     

FACTORS AFFECTING SALINITY REDUCTION IN LAKE TARPON,PINELLAS COUNTY,FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: Following an enclosure of a sink-hole connecting Lake Tarpon to the Gulf of Mexico, the chloride concentration of lake waters decreased. Water and chloride budgets for the lake in 1975 were prepared, and predictions using the model of Lerman and Brunskill (1971) were made as to the time required for the lake to achieve fresh water status. Model verification indicated good agreement with predictions in 1976; however, data on [C1^-] for 1977 and 1978 are not as supportive of the model used. The information concerning the Lake Tarpon watershed provided by this latter fact is discussed.     

WATER BUDGET COMPUTATION FOR A SHALLOW LAKE-LAKE OKEECHOBEE,FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: The water budget computation in shallow lakes is complicated because marsh vegetation can transpire large quantities of lake water. Thus, a model including the marsh zone evapotranspiration (WET) was developed to compute the water budget for Lake Okeechobee. Three periods of testing (1969–74), planning (1963–74), and recorded period (1952–77) were used to compare the differences of the sum of storage deviation between the WET and conventional methods (WOET). Results of the WOET method showed that the sum of stage deviations were 87.42 cm (2.868 ft.), 231.80 cm (7.605 ft.), and 284.50 cm (9.333 ft.) in the testing, planning, and recorded periods, respectively. These stage deviations are equivalent in the same order to 29, 76, and 93 percent of the lake volume. In general, the WET method not only was applicable to compute the water budget for the lake but also reduced the sum of storage deviation by about 42, 31, and 49 percent, respectively, in those three periods. The storage deviation in WET method was reduced on an average to about 2 percent each year in all three periods, and the deviations were scattered more randomly than in WOET.     

RIDGE REGRESSION TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO LANDSAT INVESTIGATION OF WATER QUALITY IN LAKE OKEECHOBEE1

ABSTRACT: Landsat radiance values were processed at two different (single and double) levels of accuracy to estimate chlorophyll a, turbidity, and suspended sediment in Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Both ordinary least square and ridge regression analyses were used to establish a relationship between water quality parameters and Landsat radiance. Radiance measurements made at greater precision (double level) gave a better solution in this application. The ridge regression analysis for double level not only can reduce the total mean square error about 13–20 percent and confidence interval about 6–28 percent as compared to ordinary least square analysis, but it can also change the interpretation of analysis results.     

GRADUATE TRAINING IN WATER TRACK ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING: RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF EMPLOYERS1

ABSTRACT: The authors conducted a mail survey of 600 employers in the government and private sectors who were thought to hire water track environmental engineers. Of a total of 148 respondents, over 80 percent employed a combined total of over 2,800 environmental engineers. The survey addressed two basic questions: (1) what is the quality of graduate education recently trained engineers have received, and (2) what effect does a nonengineering undergraduate degree have on an engineering graduate student's employment potential. In answer to the first question, respondents indicated that engineering graduates were deficient in report writing, business law (contracts and specifications), economics and finance, and practical design. Many employers stated that students could better prepare themselves for employment by (1) obtaining professional experience through internships and summer or part-time jobs, and (2) learning to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. In answer to the second question, 50 percent of the respondents indicated that engineers without an engineering undergraduate degree would not necessarily be limited in their abilities to perform engineering duties.     

OBSERVATIONS ON KINEMATIC RESPONSE IN URBAN RUNOFF MODELS1

ABSTRACT: This paper first discusses the results of sensitivity analyses conducted on various parameters of the San Francisco Stormwater Model ta version of WREM) and the Penn State Runoff Model in terms of their impact on outflow hydrographs. The parameters considered within a idealized catchment include: basin shape, imperivous fraction, overland roughness and slope: deterntion depth; infiltration capacity; and hyetograph timing. Second, the results for the hypothetical catchment are extended to the lazzard laboratory surfaces (asphalt, grass, roofing material) as a mean of illustrating the need for changes in model structure, as opposed to continued parameter adjustment Finally the effect of altering the scale of hydraulic representation in the surface runoff and sewer transport calculations are demonstrated for two gaged watersheds in Hamburg, West Germany.     

Environmental education research notes (USA)

Conclusion Selections reported above were chosen as representative and reflective of the varieties of environmental education research currently reported in the literature. They were picked for this paper somewhat arbitrarily, from among more than 70 surviving an initial screening. No selection bias was intended, other than for the purpose of providing a representative variety. In most cases, abstracts printed in theCurrent Index to Journals in Education, Resources in Education, orDissertation Abstracts International were used in preparing these notes.These notes have been compiled by John F. Disinger, Professor of Environmental Education, School of Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; he is also Associate Director, Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC) Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education (SMEAC). This contribution by Professor Disinger is in response to the editorial, Invitation to Promote Research Cooperation (The Environmentalist, 1 (3) 177–178.     

WATER SUPPLY AS A LIMITING FACTOR IN WESTERN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT1

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the consumptive water needs of the various energy conversion processes including oil shale retorting, coal gasification and liquefaction, electric power generation, and slurry pipelines. Projected energy development water needs in the upper Colorado River and Upper Missouri River basins are compared with projected agricultural needs and water available. The comparative cost and values of water to energy and agricultural development are discussed to emphasize this as well as the political and social factors entering into the picture.     

Assessing the pollutional load from nonpoint sources: Planning considerations and a description of an automated water quality monitoring program

Planning considerations to be evaluated early in the design of water quality monitoring programs are reviewed. These criteria emphasize the importance of isolating the study area, parameter section, and type of measurements required to ensure meaningful results. A demonstration automatic water quality monitoring program is described. Details with respect to type of equipment, coordination of component parts, sampling program, and analysis of specific parameters are reviewed. General costs of implementation and maintenance of such programs are presented.