THE SENSITWITY OF NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA STREAMFLOW TO CLIMATE CHANGE1

ABSTRACT: The sensitivity of streamflow to climate change was investigated in the American, Carson, and Truckee River Basins, California and Nevada. Nine gaging stations were used to represent streamflow in the basins. Annual models were developed by regressing 1961–1991 streamflow data on temperature and precipitation. Climate-change scenarios were used as inputs to the models to determine streamflow sensitivities. Climate-change scenarios were generated from historical time series by modifying mean temperatures by a range of +4°C to—4°C and total precipitation by a range of +25 percent to -25 percent. Results show that streamflow on the warmer, lower west side of the Sierra Nevada generally is more sensitive to temperature and precipitation changes than is streamflow on the colder, higher east side. A 2°C rise in temperature and a 25-percent decrease in precipitation results in stream-flow decreases of 56 percent on the American River and 25 percent on the Carson River. A 2°C decline in temperature and a 25-percent increase in precipitation results in streamflow increases of 102 percent on the American River and 22 percent on the Carson River.     

Watershed factors affecting stream acidification in the White Mountains of New Hampshire,USA

The streams tributary to acidic Cone Pond, pH 4.5–4.8, and circumneutral Black Pond, pH 5.3–6.4, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, USA, were monitored for a year. The watersheds of these two ponds were characterized in terms of geology and stream hydrology. Chemical gradients and patterns in rock weathering and groundwater discharge explain many of the differences in mineral content and acidity of the streams. The rocks of Black watershed produced an average of ten times the equivalent of basic cations as rocks from Cone watershed. This is on the same order as the difference in acidity of the two streams. Down-stream changes in stream chemistry follow differing patterns, but reflect the same principle of residence time and water path length controlling chemical evolution of streamwater. Watershed and aquatic managers may use these parameters in an inexpensive and simple assessment of the susceptibility of individual streams and ponds to acidification. A method is recommended to determine quickly the potential influence of bedrock type to aquatic chemistry.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUMMER-SEASON RAINFALL EVENTS AND LAKE-SURFACE AREA1

ABSTRACT: Research is presented that statistically analyzes the relationship between lake area and precipitation. These hydrologic variables are assessed in part using LANDSAT MSS satellite data and digital-image processing techniques. Results show dramatic regional hydrologic differences in lake area fluctuations and in lake area response to short term climatic variation.     

USE OF RADAR TO DERWE A STORM INTENSITY-DURATION CURVE1

ABSTRACT: Rainstorms which exceed the design capacity of conveyance systems and cause extensive damage to structures and property, occur frequently in Alberta. After such a severe storm, an early and quick assessment of the storm's location and magnitude and the corresponding frequency for various duration (storm intensity-duration curve) is often required to estimate the damage. The storm intensity-duration curve is produced with information obtained from a sparse network of recording raingages, thus, creating a high degree of uncertainty in the result. Short-duration precipitation is usually quite variable in Alberta; hencea very dense network of recording precipitation stations would be required to provide precise measurements of the storm intensity-duration curve at all locations. Such a dense network does not exist in Alberta; it would be very expensive to install, maintain, and thus difficult to justify financially. One solution for obtaining a large amount of closely spaced in-intensity-duration values is to use weather radar. Using weather radar data, intensity-duration curves could be produced routinely for any set of prespecified locations. The radar data thus have the potential for facilitating the identification of the return period of rainfall events quickly, cheaply, and precisely when the long-term intensity-duration curves are available. As a pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility of the method and the potential of the radar data, computer software was developed to derive from archived radar data, intensity-duration values for up to a 2,500 2 area for a given storm.     

采用两级物化法去除黄磷废水中的氟化物

采用向含氟废水中加入适量石灰和聚合氯化铝，然后投加适量钙盐、磷酸和聚丙烯酰胺的二级处理工艺除氟，通过控制合适的pH、钙盐和磷酸的投加量、反应时间、反应温度、搅拌强度和絮凝剂的投加量，可使黄磷废水中氟的质量浓度降至5mg/L，氟的去除率达到99％以上，出水中氟的质量浓度达到GB8978－1996一级排放标准。     

厄尔尼诺事件对河南省降水的可能影响

本文采用小波变换方法分析了近50年来赤道东太平洋月海温距平序列和河南省月降水量距平序列的多层次时间尺度结构，对厄尔尼诺事件和河南降水的周期变化规律进行了对比分析，并讨论了厄尔尼诺对河南降水的可能影响。结果表明，厄尔尼诺事件对河南降水有一定程度的影响；表现为厄尔尼诺年大多对应河南雨涝年，而反厄尔诺年大多对应干旱年；NINO海区SST的冷暖结构和河南降水的旱涝变化之间具有较好的对应关系，而且两者都存在准2年和4－8年的周期变化。     

PRECIPITATION CHANGES FROM 1956 TO 1996 ON THE WALNUT GULCH EXPERIMENTAL WATERSHED1

ABSTRACT: The climate of Southern Arizona is dominated by summer precipitation, which accounts for over 60 percent of the annual total. Summer and non‐summer precipitation data from the USDA‐ARS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed are analyzed to identify trends in precipitation characteristics from 1956 to 1996. During this period, annual precipitation increased. The annual precipitation increase can be attributed to an increase in precipitation during non‐summer months, and is paralleled by an increase in the proportion of annual precipitation contributed during non‐summer months. This finding is consistent with previously reported increases in non‐summer precipitation in the southwestern United States. Detailed event data were analyzed to provide insight into the characteristics of precipitation events during this time period. Precipitation event data were characterized based on the number of events, event precipitation amount, 30‐minute event intensity, and event duration. The trend in non‐summer precipitation appears to be a result of increased event frequency since the number of events increased during nonsummer months, although the average amount per event, average event intensity, and average event duration did not. During the summer “monsoon” season, the frequency of recorded precipitation events increased but the average precipitation amount per event decreased. Knowledge of precipitation trends and the characteristics of events that make up a precipitation time series is a critical first step in understanding and managing water resources in semiarid ecosystems.     

Agenda setting and acid precipitation in the United States

The objective of this research was to analyze the retention of acid precipitation as a viable policy issue on the Congressional agenda during the 1980s. Issue maintenance (a term borrowed from Barbara Nelson's discussion of the four stages associated with agenda decision making) was examined in relation to a set of issue characteristics originally developed by Roger Cobb and Charles Elder, i.e., concreteness, social significance, temporal relevance, complexity, and categorical precedence. Each issue attribute was found to be somewhat useful in explaining the longevity of acid rain as an agenda item although the direction of influence for two factors, complexity and temporal relevance, was contrary to expectations. It was suggested that a conceptual merger of this sort could contribute to the comparative analysis of agenda policy decisions by providing a clearer and more restricted set of decision points to be explained.     

PROBABLE MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION FOR THE LOWER RIO GRANDE1

To aid in planning and design of additional flood protection on the Lower Rio Grande, the Hydroraeteorological Branch prepared a probable maximum precipitation study for the International Boundary and Water Commission (United States and Mexico) and the Republic of Mexico. Five drainages from 2,000 to over 17,000 square miles in area between Falcon and Anzalduas Dams including Rio San Juan and Rio Alamo in Mexico are the areas of concern. The great rains of hurricane Beulah, September 19–24, 1967 verified that additional protection is needed. Procedures for estimating probable maximum precipitation (PMP) are described. A particular problem was to estimate rainfall potential for the Sierra Madre Oriental in Rio San Juan and Alamo drainages. These mountains form a north-south windward-facing slope and barrier of over 7000 feet in elevation. A detailed study was made of rains from hurricane Beulah. The storm produced the greatest known rain depths in North America for 50,000 square miles or greater, and durations longer than 48 hours.     

CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION IN THE TEXAS HIGH PLAINS1

A study of the relationship among cloudiness, precipitable water vapor, stability and precipitation is presented for the Texas High Plains. A study of clouds during periods of above-normal rainfall indicates that precipitation during late fall and winter is associated with stratiform clouds which develop in conjunction with cyclonic activity. Spring and summer precipitation is most highly correlated with cumuliform clouds characteristic of convective activity. Investigation of other macroscale atmospheric features indicates that wet periods are further characterized by atmospheric instability and above-normal amounts of precipitable water vapor and water-vapor flux. Dry periods are associated with atmospheric circulation patterns which either serve to cut off the supply of low-level moisture, produce subsidence and consequent atmospheric stability, or both.