Mitigating Groundwater Impacts of Residential Wells through Small‐Scale Distributed Storage in the Skagit River Basin

The exemption for groundwater wells for residential uses from the prior appropriations system, common in the western United States, has eroded in Washington State since about 2000 due to a series of legal cases. Water markets can allow the transfer of an existing water right, typically from an agricultural use, to compensate for the effect of a new residential well. But water must be legally and physically available in a way suitable to satisfy mitigation requirements. A recent court case in the Skagit basin in Northwestern Washington State has effectively halted residential development in rural areas of the basin because no suitable water rights are available to purchase for mitigation. This paper presents and examines the cost‐effectiveness of various water supply mitigation strategies. We find a small‐scale, distributed stream‐side storage system for augmenting instream flow purchased from downstream sources is relatively cost‐effective to mitigate against the effects of domestic groundwater use compared to more common alternatives. We consider transporting water to storage sites by both small‐gauge pipe and by truck. Overall, trucking water to stream‐side storage and release points tends to be more cost‐effective to mitigate against indoor‐use only given current subbasin housing densities, whereas piping for direct streamflow augmentation is more cost‐effective for higher mitigation needs associated with indoor and outdoor use and higher housing densities.     

Child restraint use and parental perceptions of comfort

Objective: Suboptimal child restraint use includes incorrect and/or inappropriate restraint use and increases the risk of injury. Comfort has been suggested as an important factor impacting on optimal use of restraints by children. This article aims to examine the relationships between parent reported comfort and restraint misuse and age-appropriate restraint choice.

Methods: This is an analysis of data from a cross sectional observation study of child restraint use in New South Wales. Logistic regression was used to model the relationship between parent-reported comfort and restraint misuse and age-appropriate restraint choice.

Results: There was no significant relationship between either parent-reported comfort and restraint misuse or parent-reported comfort and age-appropriate restraint choice.

Conclusions: Parent perceptions of comfort of children in child restraints do not appear to be associated with incorrect child restraint use or age appropriate restraint choice. It is possible that the actual comfort of the child may be related to incorrect use but this remains to be tested. Further investigation of the relationship between parent-perceived comfort and the actual comfort of the child, as well as the impact of child comfort on optimal child restraint use is warranted.     

VALIDATION OF POLITICAL SIMULATION MODELS -WATER RESOURCE PROJECTS1

ABSTRACT. The critical role of political processes in water resource projects has recently been placed in a new perspective [Hall, 1970]. The “political hassle” period of institutional interaction which serves to resolve political conflicts over such aspects as organizational growth and survival, responsibility for economic liabilities, and responsibility for economic benefits, requires systematic analysis in order to improve our capability to implement water projects. Failure to properly assess the political aspects of a proposed water project may result in extensive delays with significant economic losses. The complexities associated with water use and re-use have created the need for new institutional arrangements which can more effectively function to implement policies and programs. One tool which has recently become available for the research investigator concerned with institutional interactions and political processes associated with water resource projects is the technique of computer simulation of such institutional interaction. In theory, this new approach will enable the investigator to assess the political feasibility or political acceptability of a proposed water project given existing institutional structures. Furthermore, the investigator has the opportunity to experiment with new and innovative institutional arrangements which may in turn enhance the political acceptability of a proposed project. The specific material presented within this paper reports upon the validation of an existing computer simulation model designed to replicate political interactions in resource allocation problems-including water resource problems. This validation effort is done by taking an actual water problem and comparing what the political simulation models predicts in terms of political outcomes with what actually takes place. The case study in question is the formulation and legislative development of the Michigan Bond Issue for Water Pollution Control.     

Hot air,fast bucks,or true commitment: Strategies for transforming environmental commitment into a competitive advantage

Just saying that you are doing something is not good enough, especially when it comes to the environment. You need to document your changes and progress. In this article, (reprinted, with permission, from The Environmental Marketing Imperative) we'll show you how you can establish a true and meaningful environmental commitment for your company. We'll also show you how to effectively use this commitment as the basis for strategic marketing and communications plans.     

Cellular response of mouse splenocytes to heavy metals exposure

Among the environmental contaminants recognised for their toxicity and their global presence, heavy metals are certainly a major concern. They can elicit a number of immunomodulatory effects leading ultimately to an enhanced susceptibility (sensitivity) of immune cells to microbial agents and the appearance of neoplastic diseases and autoimmune phenomena. Heavy metals also provoke changes in the function(s) of immune cells. A striking biological effect of heavy metals is the induction of intracellular thiols (cysteine, glutathione, metallothioneins). Thiols are involved in many physiological processes, including protection from free radical damage and detoxification of chemicals. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences of susceptibility (sensitivity) in both pre-activated (concanavalin A was used) and non-pre-activated cells in the presence of heavy metals. Five were evaluated on murine splenocytes. The lymphoblastic proliferation test was performed for lymphocytes and a phagocytosis test for macrophages. Data showed that the levels of thiols in the pre-activated cells are greater than non-pre-activated cells following exposure to various heavy metals; macrophages were more resistant than lymphocytes to the toxic effects of heavy metals, and pre-activated cells were more resistant than cells at rest. One possible explanation is that macrophages produce more thiols than lymphocytes and this provides an increased protection from the deleterious effects of heavy metals.     

Temperature, salinity and growth rate dependences of Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios of the skeleton of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck): an experimental approach

The skeletal Mg/Ca ratio of echinoderms is known to increase with temperature but the relation has never been established in controlled experimental conditions. The present study investigated the effect of temperature, salinity and growth rate on Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios in calcite skeletons of juvenile sea urchins grown in experimental conditions. Mg/Ca ratio was positively related to temperature, increasing until a plateau at high but field occurring temperatures. It was not linked to salinity nor growth rate. We suggest that this plateau is due to properties of the organic matrix of mineralization and recommend to take it into account for the use of Mg/Ca as proxy of seawater Mg/Ca. Skeletal Sr/Ca ratio was mainly dependent on temperature and growth rate, as usually observed in calcite skeletons.     

[Case Study] CityCenter and Cosmopolitan Construction Projects, Las Vegas, Nevada: Lessons learned from the use of multiple sources and mixed methods in a safety needs assessment

Problem

The present study describes a response to eight tragic deaths over an eighteen month times span on a fast track construction project on the largest commercial development project in U.S. history.

Methods

Four versions of a survey were distributed to workers, foremen, superintendents, and senior management. In addition to standard Likert-scale safety climate scale items, an open-ended item was included at the end of the survey.

Results

Safety climate perceptions differed by job level. Specifically, management perceived a more positive safety climate as compared to workers. Content analysis of the open-ended item was used to identify important safety and health concerns which might have been overlooked with the qualitative portion of the survey.

Discussion

The surveys were conducted to understand workforce issues of concern with the aim of improving site safety conditions. Such efforts can require minimal investment of resources and time and result in critical feedback for developing interventions affecting organizational structure, management processes, and communication.

Summary

The most important lesson learned was that gauging differences in perception about site safety can provide critical feedback at all levels of a construction organization.

Impact on the Industry

Implementation of multi-level organizational perception surveys can identify major safety issues of concern. Feedback, if acted upon, can potentially result in fewer injuries and fatal events.     

Variations in Epilimnion Thickness in Small Boreal Shield Lakes: Relationships with Transparency, Weather and Acidification

We used multiple linear regression analysis to investigate relationships between late-summer epilimnion thickness, transparency, lake area, acidity and summer weather conditions in a large ($n = 116$) multi-year data set for 9 small Boreal Shield lakes. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was the best individual predictor of late summer epilimnion thickness ($r^{2} = 0.69$). Total chlorophyll~$a$, the number of days between ice-out and late-summer stratification, and lake area collectively explained an additional 14% of the variation in epilimnion thickness. The three attributes of summer weather that we examined, mean daily temperature, mean daily wind speed, and mean daily hours of bright sunshine, did not add to the predictive ability of our regression model. Lake acidity also did not add directly to the predictive ability of the model, likely because DOC concentrations already reflected the effects of pH. Our study supports an increasing body of evidence indicating that the dominant effects of climate change on lake thermal structure in small lakes will be through effects on processes that affect lake transparency.     

Molecular phylogenies help resolve taxonomic confusion with Asian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea</Emphasis> oyster species

Identification of oyster species is still largely based on phenotypic characters that are highly plastic. Prompted by the proposed introduction of the Asian oyster species Crassostrea ariakensis into the Chesapeake Bay region of the U.S.A., this study uses molecular genetic information to understand the taxonomic framework surrounding C. ariakensis and to confidently distinguish among various sympatric oyster species. Putative samples of C. ariakensis and other species of cupped oysters from across Asia were collected and phylogenetic analyses were conducted on DNA sequences of both nuclear (ITS-1) and mitochondrial (COI) regions. Trees generated based on the two independent molecular datasets were highly congruent, and indicate that many oysters collected for this study as C. ariakensis were originally misidentified. Results also indicate that C. ariakensis, C. hongkongensis and C. nippona are distinct, but closely related species. There is strong support in both analyses for a close relationship between C. gigas and C. sikamea, as well as between C. belcheri and C. gryphoides, and between C. iredalei and C. madrasensis. The parsimony analyses based on these DNA markers, however, did not provide evidence to support C. angulata as a distinct species from C. gigas. Overall, the results emphasize the need for rigorous species identification, and additional extensive and intensive sampling to more accurately determine relationships among Crassostrea species, define their geographic distributions, and establish existing sympatry patterns.     

Bioconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus

Tissue residues of the PAHs, anthracene, fluorene, fluoranthene and pyrene were determined in Lumbriculus variegatus at four time intervals during both a 96-h exposure period to monitor uptake, and a 96-h clean water period to assess depuration. Mean BCFs were 2390, 1210, 452 and 1920 for fluoranthene, anthracene, fluorene and pyrene, respectively. BCFs were positively correlated with the octanol/water partition coefficient values of the four PAHs. Depuration occurred most rapidly for fluorene, followed by anthracene and fluoranthene. No apparent depuration of pyrene was observed during the 96-h depuration period. Because of rapid depuration of some PAHs, it appears that the 24 h clean water gut clearance period recommended in conjunction with sediment bioaccumulation tests with L. variegatus has potential to result in an under-estimation of bioaccumulation of some chemicals.