WATER FOR ENERGY: AN APPROACH TO COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT1

ABSTRACT: The effects of energy development on the water resources of the Colorado River and Great Basin regions is expected to be substantial. Complex physical, economic and institutional interactions may be expected. Most research on these impacts appears single purpose, fragmented, uncoordinated, and often inaccessible to potential users - particularly those with responsibility for energy/water policy and program decisions. A comprehensive, integrative framework for assessing alternative water allocation decisions is outlined, taking a heuristic decision making model for evaluating impacts on maximization of gross (or net) regional product, and regional social welfare, and for assessing the region's contribution to national objectives. The suggested model provides a structure for application and integration of data of various kinds to a range of situations arising from possible impacts from energy proposals. The focus is on water and energy relationships but the model may provide a framework for comprehensive analysis of a variety of environmental actions and resulting system perturbations and effects.     

PROCEDURE FOR SELECTING A MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ROUTING FOR A WATER CONVEYANCE CANAL1

ABSTRACT: Several techniques for selecting a least environmental impact corridor have been proposed. Two approaches have been found workable; the computer graphics and the map overlay. This report combines features of both to determine an appropriate routing for a water conveyance canal. The study was conducted by an interdisciplinary planning team. Environmental factors were mapped and weighted on overlay maps. Alternative routes were identified and carefully studied. Several critical environmental implications were noted. Aesthetic factors, out door recreation interpretation, visitor safety and disruption of human and animal travel routes were considered and dealt with.     

PREDICTING EROSION AND DEPOSITION ON A STRIPMINED AND RECLAIMED AREA1

ABSTRACT A rill-interrill erosion model was applied to a mined and reclaimed area. Soil loss from the interrill areas was estimated by the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The model considers the fate and ultimate disposition of the sediment from interrill areas along with the fate and destination of soil materials detached by the rill flow. The net sediment loss was predicted by comparing, for a given flow, the amounts of eroded soil to rill transport capacity. When applied to a selected stripmined and reclaimed site the model displayed the location of contributing areas and the amount of erosion and deposition. The predicted areal distribution of erosion and deposition was compared to measured data. Agreement between the predicted and measured values was within 25 percent.     

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS UNCERTAINTY FOR WATER RESOURCES IN THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER BASIN,CALIFORNIA1

ABSTRACT: A climate change impacts assessment for water resources in the San Joaquin River region of California is presented. Regional climate projections are based on a 1 percent per year CO₂ increase relative to late 20th Century CO₂ conditions. Two global projections of this CO₂ increase scenario are considered (HadCM2 and PCM) during two future periods (2010 to 2039 and 2050 to 2079). HadCM2 projects faster warming than PCM. HadCM2 and PCM project wetter and drier conditions, respectively, relative to present climate. In the HadCM2 case, there would be increased reservoir inflows, increased storage limited by existing capacity, and increased releases for deliveries and river flows. In the PCM case, there would be decreased reservoir inflows, decreased storage and releases, and decreased deliveries. Impacts under either projection case cannot be regarded as more likely than the other. Most of the impacts uncertainty is attributable to the divergence in the precipitation projections. The range of assessed impacts is too broad to guide selection of mitigation projects. Regional planning agencies can respond by developing contingency strategies for these cases and applying the methodology herein to evaluate a broader set of CO₂ scenarios, land use projections, and operational assumptions. Improved agency access to climate projection information is necessary to support this effort.     

ELEVATED ATMOSPHERIC CO2 INCREASES WATER AVAILABILITY IN A WATER-LIMITED GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: Californian annual grassland on sandstone (moderately fertile) and serpentine (very infertile) soils at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, Stanford, California, were exposed to ambient or elevated (ambient + 36 Pa CO₂) atmospheric CO₂ in open-top chambers since December 1991. We measured ecosystem evapotranspiration with open gas-exchange systems, and soil moisture with time-domain reflectometry (TDR) over 0–15 cm (serpentine) and 0–30 cm (sandstone) depths, at times of peak above ground physiological activity. Evapotranspiration decreased by 12 to 63 percent under elevated CO₂ in three consecutive years in the sandstone ecosystem (p = 0.053, p = 0.162, p = 0.082 in 1992, 1993, and 1994, respectively). In correspondence with decreased evapotranspiration, late-season soil moisture reserves in the sandstone were extended temporally by 10 ± 3 days in 1993 and by 28 ± 11 days in 1994. The effect of elevated CO₂ on soil moisture was greater in the drier spring of 1994 (419 mm annual rainfall) than in 1993 (905 mm annual rainfall). In the serpentine ecosystem, evapotranspiration and soil moisture reserves were not clearly affected by elevated CO₂. Soil water may be conserved in drought-affected ecosystems exposed to elevated CO₂, but the amount of conservation appears to depend on the relative importance of transpiration and soil evaporation in controlling water flux.     

Removing color and chlorinated organics from pulp mill bleach plant effluents by use of flyash

Color and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in bleach plant effluents are of concern. Acidified flyash can effectively remove both color and COD from caustic bleach plant effluents. Equally effective, but quicker and easier, is to acidify the effluent to approximately pH 1 and use untreated flyash. Based on maximum color removal, the required contact time is short, about 10 min, and the optimum ash dosage is that amount which raises the pH of the final effluent to about 5. Sufficient color removal is obtained to easily meet Maine's color regulations. Preliminary tests on samples of deionized water spiked with two arochlors of PCB showed high removal efficiency.The major cost of implementing and operating the cleanup procedure will be the cost of the required acid. This might be minimized by using some of the acidic (chlorine) effluent to lower the pH of the caustic effluent. This will, however, lead to less color reduction, and an unknown effect on the COD.     

The boundaryless career: A competency-based perspective

This paper proposes a competency-based view of careers, derived from competency-based models of employer firms. The implications for boundaryless careers are explored by reference to changing organizational, occupational and industry community contexts. All of these contexts are seen as likely to promote boundaryless career behaviors. Future research possibilities for each of three career competencies, and for interdependence among the competencies, are briefly examined.