OPERATIONAL APPLICATIONS OF SATELLITE SNOW COVER OBSERVATIONS1

ABSTRACT: Several federal and state water resources agencies and NASA have recently completed an Applications Systems Verification and Transfer (ASVT) project on the operational applications of satellite snow cover observations. When satellite snow cover data were tested in both empirical seasonal runoff estimation and short term modeling approaches, a definite potential for reducing forecast error was evident. Three years of testing in California resulted in reduction of seasonal stream flow forecast error was evident. Three years of testing in California resulted in reduction of seasonal stream flow forecast error from 15 percent to 10 percent on three study basins; and modeling studies on the Boise River basin in Idaho indicated that satellite snow cover could be used to reduce short term forecast error by up to 9.6 percent (5 day forecast). Potential benefits from improved satellite snow cover based predictions across the 11 western states total 10 million dollars for hydropower and 28 million dollars for irrigation annually. The truly operational application of the new technology in the West, however, will only be possible when the turnaround time for all data is reduced to 72 hours, and the water management agencies can be assured of a continuing supply of operational snow cover data from space.     

Water Quality Functions of Riparian Forest Buffers in Chesapeake Bay Watersheds

/ Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, USA, have agreed to reduce nutrient loadings to Chesapeake Bay by 40% by the year 2000. This requires control of nonpoint sources of nutrients, much of which comes from agriculture. Riparian forest buffer systems (RFBS) provide effective control of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in some types of agricultural watersheds. Control of NPS pollution is dependent on the type of pollutant and the hydrologic connection between pollution sources, the RFBS, and the stream. Water quality improvements are most likely in areas of where most of the excess precipitation moves across, in, or near the root zone of the RFBS. In areas such as the Inner Coastal Plain and Piedmont watersheds with thin soils, RFBS should retain 50%-90% of the total loading of nitrate in shallow groundwater, sediment in surface runoff, and total N in both surface runoff and groundwater. Retention of phosphorus is generally much less. In regions with deeper soils and/or greater regional groundwater recharge (such as parts of the Piedmont and the Valley and Ridge), RFBS water quality improvements are probably much less. The expected levels of pollutant control by RFBS are identified for each of nine physiographic provinces of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Issues related to of establishment, sustainability, and management are also discussed.KEY WORDS: Riparian forest buffers; Chesapeake Bay; Nonpoint source pollution; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Sediment     

WATERSHED LEVEL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE SELECTION AND PLACEMENT IN THE TOWN BROOK WATERSHED, NEW YORK1

Abstract: For a number of years, best management practices (BMPs) have been implemented within the Town Brook watershed as part of a watershed wide effort to reduce phosphorus losses to the New York City water supply reservoirs. Currently, there are no quantitative indications of the effectiveness of these practices at the watershed scale. Additionally, work is needed to evaluate management practice solutions for costs in relation to effectiveness. In this study we develop a methodology for evaluating management solutions to determine the best way(s) to select and place management practices so that pollutant removal targets are met at minimum cost. The study combines phosphorus losses as simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), management practice effectiveness estimates from a predeveloped characterization tool, and practice costs in optimizations using a genetic algorithm. For a user defined target phosphorus removal (60 percent for this study), optimization favors nutrient management plans, crop rotations, contour strip cropping, and riparian forest buffers; the most cost effective scenario achieves a cost effectiveness of 24/kg phosphorus removal per year compared to the 34/kg phosphorus removal per year associated with the current basic implementation scheme. The study suggests that there is a need to evaluate potential solutions prior to implementation and offers a means of generating and evaluating the solutions.     

Environmental health, development and economic empowerment of rural women in Nigeria

Sustainable development is a process that has social, cultural, economic and ecological dimensions. The necessity of improving the quality of life of rural women in terms of socio-economic aspects in developing countries like Nigeria is the aim of this study. The study was carried out in four villages of Tonkere district (Okeake, Abagboro, Elefon and Akiri), situated on expansive university land at Ile-Ife and typical of rural settings in Nigeria. Data were generated from group meetings, local government and individual interviews and surveys. In rural Nigeria, women’s essential contributions to overall environmental health, development and economy are negatively influenced by domestic tasks such as gathering of fuel woods and biomass for cooking. In reality, wood burning, kerosene stoves, and open fireplaces emit significant quantities of known health-damaging pollutants. The significant emissions of health-damaging pollutants per unit activity, combined with daily use in close proximity to rural human populations mean household biomass fuel use exposes total population to important pollutants resulting in ill-health and premature dead. Application of solar energy collectors and hosts of solar devices is an alternative energy sources in rural areas that could best improve women’s health, socially and economically, and positively add to ecological dimensions. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.