Structure-biodegradation relationships of polymeric materials. 1. Effect of degree of oxidation on biodegradability of carbohydrate polymers

The biodegradability of oxidized starch and inulin has been studied in relation to the degree of periodate oxidation to dialdehyde derivatives, by measuring oxygen consumption and mineralization to carbon dioxide. A higher degree of oxidation of dialdehyde starch and dialdchyde inulin results in a lower rate at which the polymers are biodegraded. It is demonstrated that the biodegradation rate of dialdehyde inulin derivatives decreases more than that of equivalent starch derivatives. The differences in biodegradation behavior between dialdehyde starch and dialdehyde inulin, resulting from comparable modifications, are discussed in terms of conformational structure.     

Large-scale constructed wetlands for nutrient removal from stormwater runoff: An everglades restoration project

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) constructed a wetland south of Lake Okeechobee to begin the process of removing nutrients (especially phosphorus) from agricultural stormwater runoff entering the Everglades. The project, called the Everglades Nutrient Removal (ENR) project, is a prototype for larger, similarly constructed wetlands that the SFWMD will build as part of the Everglades restoration program. This innovative project is believed to be one of the largest agricultural stormwater cleanup projects in the United States, if not in the world. This publication describes the ENR project's design, construction, and proposed operation, as well as the proposed research program to be implemented over the next few years.     

ESTIMATION OF ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF MORNING DEW EVAPORATION FROM LEAF SURFACES1

ABSTRACT: Evapotranspiration from vegetation is generally computed without consideration for early morning energy loss involved in drying wet leaf surfaces. In humid areas where dew formation is frequent, estimation of energy requirements for evaporating dew should be of interest. In this study, sensible heat flux (H) was computed from wind and temperature profile measurements over the study site. A leaf wetness sensor was used to measure the duration of evaporation from an exposed leaf surface, and net radiation was measured with a radiometer. The energy flux during the period of wet leaf surface evaporation was integrated over time. A cattail lysimeter situated at the site indicated the time when evapotranspiration started after wet leaves were dry. The energy requirements to dry an exposed wet leaf surface was estimated using energy balance methods. The mean value based on 44 days of observations from mid February to early May of 1993 indicates that the energy required to evaporate dew from openly exposed wet leaves was 5 percent of the total daily evapotranspiration of cattails with a coefficient of variation of 0.72. The mean time required to evaporate dew from exposed leaf surfaces from the onset of positive net radiation was 78 minutes. The mean dew evaporation in a morning from an exposed leaf surface was 0.16 mm with a maximum value of 0.41 mm. The energy required to dry wet leaves is a factor that should be considered when modeling evapotranspiration at hourly or shorter time intervals. Also, physical evapotranspiration models need to account for energy requirements for drying dew and rainfall wetted leaves.     

DESIGN BASIS FOR EVERGLADES STORMWATER TREATMENT AREAS1

ABSTRACT: The State of Florida (1994) has adopted a plan for addressing Everglades eutrophication problems by reducing anthropogenic phosphorus loads. The plan involves implementation of Best Management Practices in agricultural watersheds and construction of regional treatment marshes (Stormwater Treatment Areas or STA's). This paper describes the development, testing, and application of a mass-balance model for sizing STA's to achieve treatment objectives. The model is calibrated and tested against peat and water-column data collected in Water Conservation Area-2A (WCA-2A), where phosphorus dynamics and eutrophication impacts have been intensively studied. The 26-year-average rate of phosphorus accretion in peat is shown to be proportional to average water-column phosphorus concentration, with a proportionality constant of 10.2 m/yr (90 percent Confidence Interval = 8.9 to 11.6 m/yr). Spatial and temporal variations in marsh water-column data suggest that drought-induced recycling of phosphorus was important during periods of low stage in WCA-2A. Maintaining wet conditions will be important to promote phosphorus removal in STA's. Sensitivity analysis of STA performance is conducted over the range of uncertainty in model parameter estimates to assess the adequacy of the model as a basis for STA design.     

Assessment of medical care costs of injuries due to alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes

The purpose of this study was to estimate the total medical care costs of individuals injured in motor vehicle crashes and in crashes where alcohol was involved. Crashes were studied that involved 2,728 vehicle occupants and 191 pedestrians with injuries as reported in 1979 by the National Accident Sampling System, a probability sample of all motor vehicle crashes occurring in the united States. Medical care costs were assigned by using Abbreviated Injury Scale codes in accordance with other published research. Determination of alcohol involvement was based on crash characteristics. Results indicate that 20.2 % of medical care costs for motor vehicle crash injuries may be due to crashes where alcohol was involved. It was estimated that alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes cost between $434 million and $483 million in medical care alone in the United States in 1979.     

Community opinion concerning airport noise-abatement alternatives

In the present study we examined (1) community opinion of airport noise-abating alternatives and (2) the influence of perceived control on attitudes concerning noise-abatement policies and annoyance toward aircraft noise. We proposed that residents who perceive themselves as having little control over aircraft noise exposure would express higher levels of annoyance than residents who believe they have some degree of control. Furthermore, residents with low levels of perceived control would be less favorable toward proposed noise-abatement alternatives. Survey results collected from 239 households within the 65 CNEL contour of a community airport in Southern California support these hypotheses. Findings indicate strong public support for noise abatement and strong opposition to land-use alternatives. In addition, residents' perceptions of control in the airport planning and management process are significantly related to their annoyance with noise and their opinions about noise management policies.     

DEVELOPMENT OF EARTH SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE TELEMETRY OF HYDROLOGIC DATA1

ABSTRACT The use of satellite telemetry is playing a major role in the collection of hydrologic data. Advancing technology and availability of government satellites have permitted many agencies to take advantage of new procedures for acquiring data from automated remote data collection stations. Experiments with Earth satellite technology started in the 1960's and 1970's, with the polar-orbiting National Aeronautics and Space Administration Nimbus and Landsat satellites. Subsequent advancements took place through the development phase to operational systems using the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This satellite system supports more than 2,500 active telemetry sites, of which approximately 1,200 are Geological Survey stream-gaging stations for the collection of hydrologic data. A satellite data collection system is made up of three primary components; a small battery-operated radio, and Earth-orbiting satellite, and an Earth receive and data processing station. The data relay satellites' vast aerial view of the Earth's surface gives satellite telemetry a large advantage over ground-based systems for the collection of real-time hydrologic data for flood warning, reservoir management, irrigation water control, hydropower generation, and the operation of hydrologic stations.     

Recreational impacts on Colorado River beaches in Glen Canyon,Arizona

Recreational impact was measured on eight beaches in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and 15 beaches in Grand Canyon National Park using permanently located transects and plots. Recreational impact indices included densities of human trash and charcoal and a measure of sand discoloration due to charcoal. Significant increases in the indices occurred on several Glen Canyon beaches over a seven-month period. Sand discoloration became significantly higher over all Glen Canyon beaches during the same time period. All indices were significantly higher in Glen Canyon than on similar Grand Canyon beaches. These differences are probably due to differences in: (a) level of impacts tolerated by the respective management regimes and, (b) in the number of user days among the two National Park Service administrative units. Management alternatives are presented for reversing the present trends of recreational impact on Glen Canyon beaches.     

FLOOD FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME ARIZONA WATERSHEDS1

The flood frequency characteristics of 18 watersheds in southeastern Arizona were studied using the log-Boughton and the log-Pearson Type 3 distribution. From the flood frequency study, a generalized envelope for Q₁₀₀ for watersheds 0.01 to 4000 mi² in area has been produced for southeastern Arizona. The generalized envelope allows comparisons to be made among the relative flood characteristics of the watersheds used in the study and provides a conservative estimate of Q₁₀₀ for ungaged watersheds in the region.