A GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF WATER-RELATED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN TEXAS, 1985–19911

ABSTRACT: Texans participate directly in water policy decision-making through a referendum process involving amendment of the state's constitution. Prior to 1985, Texans voted on eight amendments. Five of these were ratified (1957, 1962, 1966, 1971, 1976), and collectively resulted in the creation of the Water Development Fund, with an authorization level of $600 million, and the Texas Water Development Board, the organization charged with administering the fund. Three other amendments were defeated in 1969, 1976, and 1981 by ever-increasing margins. From 1985 to 1991, six additional amendments were proposed and subsequently ratified, resulting in a $1.8 billion increase in Water Development Fund authorization and the creation of an agricultural water conservation fund and bond insurance program. County-level electoral data for the 1985–1991 referenda were mapped to assess sectional and regional factors underlying public opinion regarding these water resource development and funding programs. Regional contrasts were most pronounced for the 1989 and 1991 referenda that targeted economically distressed areas across the state, particularly the colonias located along the Rio Grande, and the 1989 amendment that removed a time limit on the issuance of agricultural water conservation bonds. As a specific case study, the Texas experience could serve as a guide in California where similar constitutional restrictions require tax and spending programs to be approved by voters, and in other states that may be considering the development of similar state-level financial programs for water projects.     

Driver response to a disabled pedestrian using a dangerous crosswalk

A field experiment investigated factors expected to influence yielding by motorists to a pedestrian waiting to cross a city street. Subjects consisted of 604 motorists who passed through two marked crosswalks. Motorists were significantly more likely to stop for a disabled pedestrian using a cane than a non-disabled pedestrian without a cane. This study also evaluated the impact of a ‘fatality sign’ erected before one of the crossings. While the fatality sign by itself had no significant effect on motorists yielding, there was a strong interactive effect of the sign and the disability manipulation. Thus, the greatest levels of motorists yielding occurred for subjects who were exposed to the fatality sign and the disabled pedestrian. In contrast, the lowest levels of yielding occurred at the fatality-marked crossing for a non-disabled pedestrian.     

ESTIMATING MARYLAND CRITICAL AREA ACVS IMPACT ON FUTURE NONPOINT POLLUTION ALONG THE RHODE RWER ESTUARY1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the results of an investigation of the effects of the Maryland Critical Area Act on generation of non-point source loads of phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment to the Rhode River estuary. The Simple Method model, the Marcus and Kearney regression model, and the CREAMS model were used to estimate annual loads under: (1) present conditions, (2) maximum land use development allowable under the Act, and (3) two sets of future land use conditions that might occur if the Act were not in place. Results indicate that the Critical Area Act can reduce the present generation of nonpoint nutrient and sediment loadings 20–30 percent from the regulated area. These reductions can occur while preserving agricultural lands and allowing limited residential and urban development. The decrease in nutrient loadings is primarily dependent upon implementation and enforcement of agricultural best management practices (BMPs). The BMPs could reduce present agricultural nutrient loadings by 90 percent to a level comparable to loadings from residential areas. The estimated effectiveness of the Critical Area Act is even greater when compared to potential future nutrient loadings if development in the area remains unregulated. Unrestricted residential and urban development could increase nutrient loadings by 200 percent to 1000 percent as compared to controlled development under Critical Area Act guidelines. The Critical Area Act primarily prevents these future increases by severely limiting woodland cutting, with lesser results obtained by requiring urban BMPs.     

Application of the pressure-state-response framework to perceptions reporting of the state of the New Zealand environment

The Pressure-State-Response framework for environmental reporting was used as a basis to develop a long-term study of people's perceptions of the state of the New Zealand environment. A postal survey of 2000 people, randomly drawn from the New Zealand electoral roll was used to gather data--an effective response rate of 48% was achieved. A range of different resource sectors was examined. We report on New Zealand's air, native animals and plants, and marine fisheries, as well as New Zealand compared to other developed countries. Respondents generally considered that in terms of pressures, states and responses, New Zealand was performing better than other developed countries and that for the resources examined here overall performance was in the adequate to good range, except for marine fisheries. The survey appears to be a useful tool for linking perceptions data into State of the Environment reporting. It also helps identify policy issues where perceptions do not match other scientific evidence or management initiatives. Such findings can be important for the successful implementation of policy measures.     

Evaluating factors influencing groundwater vulnerability to nitrate pollution: developing the potential of GIS

The 1991 EU Nitrate Directive was designed to reduce water pollution from agriculturally derived nitrates. England and Wales implemented this Directive by controlling agricultural activities within their most vulnerable areas termed Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. These were designated by identifying drinking water catchments (surface and groundwater), at risk from nitrate pollution. However, this method contravened the Nitrate Directive because it only protected drinking water and not all waters. In this paper, a GIS was used to identify all areas of groundwater vulnerable to nitrate pollution. This was achieved by constructing a model containing data on four characteristics: the quality of the water leaving the root zone of a piece of land; soil information; presence of low permeability superficial (drift) material; and aquifer properties. These were combined in a GIS and the various combinations converted into a measure of vulnerability using expert knowledge. Several model variants were produced using different estimates of the quality of the water leaving the root zone and contrasting methods of weighting the input data. When the final models were assessed all produced similar spatial patterns and, when verified by comparison with trend data derived from monitored nitrate concentrations, all the models were statistically significant predictors of groundwater nitrate concentrations. The best predictive model contained a model of nitrate leaching but no land use information, implying that changes in land use will not affect designations based upon this model. The relationship between nitrate levels and borehole intake depths was investigated since there was concern that the observed contrasts in nitrate levels between vulnerability categories might be reflecting differences in borehole intake depths and not actual vulnerability. However, this was not found to be statistically important. Our preferred model provides the basis for developing a new set of groundwater Nitrate Vulnerable Zones that should help England and Wales to comply with the EU Nitrate Directive.     

Landform Classification for Land Use Planning in Developed Areas: An Example in Segovia Province (Central Spain)

Landform-based physiographic maps, also called land systems inventories, have been widely and successfully used in undeveloped/rural areas in several locations, such as Australia, the western United States, Canada, and the British ex-colonies. This paper presents a case study of their application in a developed semi-urban/suburban area (Segovia, Spain) for land use planning purposes. The paper focuses in the information transfer process, showing how land use decision-makers, such as governments, planners, town managers, etc., can use the information developed from these maps to assist them. The paper also addresses several issues important to the development and use of this information, such as the goals of modern physiography, the types of landform-based mapping products, the problem of data management in developed areas, and the distinctions among data, interpretations, and decisions.     

Female brown-headed cowbirds' (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Molothrus ater</Emphasis>) social assortment changes in response to male song: a potential source of public information

In many species, females' behavior appears to be influenced by that of other females, particularly regarding mate choice. Females theoretically can reduce the costs associated with independent male assessment by observing conspecifics. Studies of brown-headed cowbirds suggest that females pay attention to other females' behavior. Group-housed females modify their song preferences, whereas females housed in pairs do not. What information is available to females in a group environment? To address this question, we studied two groups of juvenile (i.e. hatch-year birds) and adult female cowbirds in a naturalistic group setting. We used a longitudinal ABA design, consecutively introducing and removing males that differed in age, amount of song production and stage of song development, to isolate the male characteristics that related to changes in female behavior. Juvenile and adult females assorted by age class when singing adult males were in the aviary, but not when singing juveniles or silent males of any age class were in the aviary. Results from playback tests confirmed that adult male song alone influenced female age class assortment. Videotape analysis from playback tests revealed that females also wing stroked in response to male song. Other females sometimes approached females who wing stroked and observed them. We hypothesize that group-level changes in social organization and individual females' responses can serve as visual signals for other individuals.     

Persistent Impacts of Trace Metals from Mining on Floodplain Grass Communities Along Soda Butte Creek, Yellowstone National Park

Phleum pratense and Poa pratensis were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.001) on plots with more than 250 ppm copper. Above-ground biomass of Phleum pratense was also significantly lower on plots with copper levels above 250 ppm. Decreased mean grass density was found on plots with pH < 6.4, but the only statistically significant difference was for Juncus balticus, which had increased density on plots with pH < 6.4. In contrast to the clear impacts of trace metals and pH on vegetation, other site characteristics did not alter measured vegetation characteristics.     

Integrated Resource Management: Moving from Rhetoric to Practice in Australian Agriculture

/ Implementing the concept of sustainability through integrated approaches to natural resource management poses enormous challenges for both the rural communities and government agencies concerned. This paper reviews the underlying rhetoric of sustainable agricultural systems and the integrated resource management paradigm and identifies some of the challenges being experienced in translating this rhetoric into practice. A relatively recently implemented community-based integrated catchment management (ICM) process in a rural community in northeast Australia is examined in terms of some of the lessons learned that may be relevant to other similar integrated resource management (IRM) processes. It reveals a pragmatic, opportunistic, and evolving implementation process based on adaptive learning rather than a more traditional "rational" planning approach. Some essential characteristics of a community-based IRM process are identified, including fostering communication; providing a structure that fosters cooperation and facilities coordination among community, industry, and government agencies; the integration of IRM principles into local government planning schemes; and an emergent strategic approach to IRM program implementation. We conclude by identifying some essential characteristics of an IRM process that can assist a community to adapt to, and manage change for, sustainable resource use.     

Modeling Pre‐ and Post‐Dam Removal Sediment Dynamics: The Kalamazoo River,Michigan1

Abstract:  The state of Michigan is interested in removing two low‐head dams in an 8.8 km reach of the Kalamazoo River between Plainwell and Otsego, Michigan, while minimizing impacts locally and to downstream reaches. The study was designed to evaluate the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediments over a 37.3‐year period using the channel evolution model CONCEPTS for three simulation scenarios: Dams In (DI), Dams Out (DO), and Design (D). The total mass of sediment emanating from the channel boundary, for the DI case, shows net deposition of 4,100 T/y for the study reach, with net transport (suspended and bed load) of 10,500 T/y passing the downstream boundary. For the DO case, net erosion is 19,200 T/y with net transport of 30,100 T/y (187% increase) passing the downstream boundary. For the D case, net deposition is 2,570 T/y (37% decrease) with transport of 14,200 T/y (35% increase) passing the downstream boundary. The most significant findings were: (1) removal of the low‐head dams will cause significant erosion of sediments stored behind the dams and increased sediment loads passing the downstream boundary and (2) sediment loads for the proposed channel design are similar to existing conditions and offer reduced fine‐sediment loadings.