STORM WATER MANAGEMENT: THE CONCEPT AND ITS APPLICATION1

ABSTRACT: Storm water management is a concept being applied in many urban areas to deal with the increasing problems of storm runoff control and flood damage prevention. This paper introduces the concept and describes the recently completed storm water management program in Columbus, Georgia. Columbus has spent five years and over $200,000 in the development of their problem which includes several basic elements: soils inventory and analysis, hydrologic data collection, sediment and erosion control ordinance, storm water management handbook, urban flood simulation model, interdepartment coordination study, drainage problem categorization study, and a pilot basin study. The results of the pilot basin study are presented including example output from the urban simulation model. The computer output illustrates both the hydrologic-hydraulic and economic capabilities of the model.     

Public policy for the use of reclaimed water

This article documents the general need to reuse water reclaimed from sewage effluents for beneficial purposes and then considers in detail which specific uses will be most beneficial. The analysis begins by describing five levels of wastewater treatment: primary, secondary, tertiary, advanced, and advanced plus complete treatment. Next, five major uses for reclaimed water are identified: groundwater recharge, industrial use, irrigation, recreational lakes, and direct municipal reuse. Subcategories of reuse falling under each of the five major reuse categories are also identified and discussed. The analysis then proceeds to review significant literature available on health and environmental effects, treatment and distribution costs, and public opinion concerns in relation to each of the five major uses and their related subcategories. The paper concludes with a cumulative numerical analysis of the disbenefits associated with each specific type of reuse summed over the health effects, environmental effects, treatment costs, distribution costs, and public opinion concerns. Uses of reclaimed water for industrial purposes and for irrigation of fodder and fiber crops are found to be most beneficial by the analysis here employed, and use for aquifer recharge and direct municipal reuse are found to be least beneficial.     

FACTORS AFFECTING WATERWAY INVESTMENT DECISIONS1

ABSTRACT: There are many factors, other than economic efficiency, which must be considered in judging the merits of proposed investments in the inland navigation system. No satisfactory formula exists for deciding the net worth of public investments in water resources projects. Such a measure would not be accepted because these investments can serve conflicting goals. Political, rather than technical, judgments are required to resolve these goal conflicts.     

WATER RIGHTS,EMINENT DOMAIN,AND THE PUBLIC TRUST1

ABSTRACT: Faced with the necessity of meeting growing municipal water requirements in areas where available supplies are completely allocated, numerous cities throughout the West are turning to their eminent domain powers to affect a reallocation of water from less preferred uses to municipal uses, thus bringing about a sharp conflict with agricultural interests. As a basis for discussing these eminent domain powers, this paper begins with a brief review of the development of property rights. The existence of both private and public (social) rights in the “bundle of rights” is noted. In recent years the Public Trust Doctrine has been used to limit private rights in property, and to protect and strengthen social rights. A case study which focuses on a conflict between individual and social interests in water rights is discussed. This case involves the City of Thorton, Colorado which initiated municipal condemnation proceedings to acquire the water rights and structures of two nearby irrigation companies. The case represents an attempt to incorporate the spirit of the Public Trust Doctrine into legislation which sets forth procedures for resolution of similar water rights conflicts that will inevitably become more numerous throughout the West in the future.     

Organizational and Political Considerations in the Municipal Development of Small Hydropower1

ABSTRACT: The potential for hydroelectric power development at existing dams is great in oil dependent New England where there are over 10,000 dams presently in existence. Over 400 developments have been proposed in the region, the majority of which are small scale, and do not have major environmental impacts. Nevertheless, a variety of constraints may hinder development. A study of three efforts by municipalities in unique positions to develop hydropower reveals that organizational and political considerations are significant factors affecting development. Successful hydropower development requires: (1) the cooperation and interaction of citizens, government, and the private sector; (2) community interest and education; and (3) strong resolve.     

公众聚集场所人群疏散基础数据的分析

针对直接利用国外的人群疏散基础数据进行我国公共聚集场所人群疏散的模拟将会产生不准确的预测结果、导致这些场所人员安全得不到保证的问题,通过对大量国内外相关数据的搜集、整理和分析,确定了6种基础数据是建立疏散模型和开发疏散模拟软件的必备基础,包括:人员类型和人群的组成、人员水平投影面积和形状、人员密度、人员行走速度、边界效应宽度和预动作时间;总结出获取基础数据的4种主要方法,即直接观测和录像观测、人群疏散演习、个体试验和问卷调查;并确定了可在现有资料中直接获得并使用的数据以及仍需要进一步研究确定的数据。研究结论为公共聚集场所人群疏散问题的研究提供了参考和依据。     

ATIS环境下驾驶员认知负荷研究进展

为构建更加符合驾驶员认知特性的出行信息环境,提高驾驶员出行信息服务水平,对ATIS环境下驾驶员认知负荷研究进展进行系统分析与评述.首先阐述了认知负荷的理论基础,随后分析了ATIS环境下驾驶员认知负荷的影响因素,同时分类解析了驾驶员内在认知负荷、外在认知负荷与相关认知负荷的产生根源,并对认知负荷的形成机理进行了分析;系统评述了驾驶员认知负荷的测量方法,最后基于驾驶员信息认知负荷提出了ATIS优化对策.结果表明:年龄、性别、受教育程度、月收入、出行经验是影响驾驶员认知负荷的主要因素;道路交通标志的版面设计与驾驶员的标志视认时间关联密切;驾驶过程中拨打手机及使用车载终端均会分散驾驶员注意力,增加驾驶员的信息认知负荷;较高的车速与音频播放等环境会对驾驶员的信息认知能力提出更高要求.     

船舶载运煤炭甲烷释放特性研究

为了研究船舶载运煤炭甲烷释放规律,基于Fick扩散定律建立了货舱甲烷体积分数计算模型,分析了不同扩散系数条件下甲烷释放量与时间的关系,确定了空隙系数的取值范围,通过对某船舶煤炭运输过程中甲烷体积分数随船实测对模型进行了验证.结果表明,货舱甲烷体积分数随运输时间增加而增加,扩散系数为1.0×10-8 cm2/s时,甲烷释放量达到极大值;煤炭的空隙系数基本在0.53～ 0.57 m3/t之间.当煤炭极限甲烷解吸量为1.6 ～ 3.83 m3/t时,货舱甲烷最高体积分数在0.53％ ～ 1.22％,5个货舱中4个货舱的甲烷释放量与理论计算相吻合,1个货舱的最大甲烷释放量高出理论计算量6％,船运煤炭过程中的甲烷释放计算模型与实测结果较为吻合.对于甲烷体积分数超限的货舱,及时通风可使甲烷体积分数迅速降低,有效地解决船运煤炭过程中甲烷体积分数超限的问题.     

A critical and empirical analysis of the national-local ‘gap’ in public responses to large-scale energy infrastructures

A national-local ‘gap’ is often used as the starting point for analyses of public responses to large scale energy infrastructures. We critique three assumptions found in that literature: the public's positive attitudes, without further examining other type of perceptions at a national level; that local perceptions are best examined through a siting rather than place-based approach; that a gap exists between national and local responses, despite a non-correspondence in how these are examined. Survey research conducted at national and local levels about electricity transmission lines in the UK confirm these criticisms. Results do not support a gap between national and local levels; instead, both differences and similarities were found. Results show the value of adopting a place-based approach and the role of surveys to inform policy making are discussed.     

Managers as drivers of CSR in state-owned enterprises

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly required not only of private sector companies, but also of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), whose main function is to provide services to society and not principally to obtain financial reward. The important role played by managers in implementing CSR has been demonstrated by prior research. The objective of this paper is to examine how managers of SOEs perceive the concept of CSR, the reasons for their involvement and how it is integrated into everyday business practices. In addition, we examine whether managers' attitudes towards CSR policies are influenced by their personal profiles and by the sector in which the SOEs work. We find that, although these managers are aware of the importance of the CSR principles underlying their activities and understand the meaning, scope and dimensions of CSR, there remains an evident need to enhance the application of CSR policies among the strategies of SOEs. The manager profile and the sector in which the SOEs work both have a strong influence on their behaviour regarding CSR issues.