A Review of the Effects of Aircraft Noise on Wildlife and Humans,Current Control Mechanisms,and the Need for Further Study

Military and civilian aircraft overflights are an issue that may impact the quality of life for millions of United States residents. Aircraft noise annoys many people worldwide and is generally thought to adversely affect some wildlife species. In light of increasing demands being placed on airspace, and because of technological improvements in acoustical testing, there is a need to reexamine the effects of aircraft noise exposure on humans and wildlife. This paper reviews past research, current laws and legislation, and presents an argument for the need to revisit the effects of aircraft noise on humans and wildlife. Some evidence suggests that noise may adversely impact wildlife and humans, however, many of the past studies were inconclusive and based on relatively small sample sizes. Given that aircraft noise abatement legislation has been enacted and because of the recent promulgation of community-based noise awareness programs, future studies should be conducted to resolve public policy problems and debates associated with aircraft noise. The need to further study the effects of aircraft noise on humans and wildlife is critical for creating sustainable land use policies near aircraft installations. Data derived from these studies will be used to create sound public policies that enhance the operational capacity of military and civilian aircraft while reducing the opportunity for human and wildlife exposure to aircraft noise.     

COMPUTER-OPTIMIZED STORMWATER TREATMENT (COST) PROGRAM: PHILADELPHIA CASE STUDY1

ABSTRACT: Two computer models, the Continuous Stormwater Pollution Simulation System (CSPSS) and the Computer Optimized Storm-water Treatment Program (COST), were developed to aid in performing water quality planning. This paper describes COST and its site specific applications to the Philadelphia urban area, using the results from an updated CSPSS receiving water simulation. COST provides a planning and conceptual design tool to identify the economically optimum combination of wet weather and dry weather pollution abatement alternatives. Economic analysis procedures incorporated are based on production theory and marginal cost analysis. This study demonstrates that by transforming BOD removal to reduction in low DO events, using CSPSS results, the benefits associated with pollutant removal can be accounted for explicitly by COST simulations. This is important because a pound of BOD removed from combined sewer overflow may be of more benefit to the receiving water than a pound of BOD removed from urban stormwater runoff. The selection of a pollution control strategy is often a difficult decision which should consider social, political, financial, and regulatory factors. It is suggested that such a selection can be based on evaluating the tradeoffs between total annual costs and receiving water improvements, as determined using the COST and CSPSS programs.     

Mathematical representation of short term phosphorus variations in a non-stratified southern lake

Total phosphorus concentrations in a small urban hypereutrophic lake undergoing restoration were continually modeled by a modified version of a Vollenweider model for the latter part of a three and one-quarter year restoration period. Results of the modeling effort on Crest Lake were analyzed to determine the compatibility of the basic Vollenweider model with short term applications to highly eutrophic southern lakes. Input parameters such as rainfall and wind speed were considered on a daily basis to see if the model could represent the short term variations observed in the lake. Model simulations were compared to total phosphorus observations collected on the lake at intervals as short as one day. Results indicated that the model can be used as a tool for analysis of system responses on a seasonal basis, but short term variations on the weekly or daily timeframe were poorly represented by the model. Intensive temporal and spatial sampling within the lake verified the validity of the completely mixed assumption for short term applications. Nine sampling locations within the lake, distributed with area and depth, displayed a mean coefficient of variation of only 10.9% when averaged daily for the 54 day intense sampling period. Short term variations were poorly correlated with meterological inputs, suggesting that variability be best represented by a stochastic approach if a practical management tool is desired for situations where variability is critical. The seasonal trends were well represented by the model, reflecting the rapid response of hypereutrophic systems to alterations in phosphorus loadings.     

PRELIMINARY HYDROLOGIC DESIGN OF SMALL FLOOD DETENTION RESERVOIRS1

ABSTRACT. Flood detention reservoir design is a common problem encountered by engineers and others involved with water resources problems. This paper presents a method by which the volume of flood storage required for a single reservoir or a series of reservoirs may be estimated without using numeric flood-routing techniques. The proposed procedure requires a minimum of computations and is most applicable to preliminary design situations where a high degree of accuracy is not required.     

Clutch size and the cost of incubation in the Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica)

Summary By measuring daily intake of food, we compared the cost of incubation for small and large clutches in adult Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica). Natural clutches of captive finches were experimentally manipulated to produce two egg or six egg clutches. While incubating large clutches, parents ate significantly more food and took longer to hatch their first egg than did the same birds when provided with small clutches. This supports the hypothesis that the cost of incubation increases with clutch size. This cost should influence other energy allocation decisions in birds such as determination of clutch size and parental investment decisions.     

An instrumental analytical technique for vapour-phase mercury species in air

This paper describes the research and development activities culminating in a methodology for the speciation of several volatile forms of mercury in the atmosphere: elemental mercury, mercuric chloride, methylmercuric chloride, and dimethyl mercury.     

AN EVALUATION OF EIGHT WASTELOAD ALLOCATION METHODS1

Evidence suggests that there is no superior wasteload allocation method. Eight allocation strategies have been evaluated based on: total cost of implementation, equity in distributing costs and loads among dischargers, effectiveness in use of available waste assimilative capacity, and sensitivity to changes in water-quality-related variables. One method, which allocated equal percentages of the maximum allowable dissolved oxygen deficit, was eliminated as a feasible strategy because it led to excessive costs and overly conservative load estimates. The other seven methods remained viable alternatives. Two methods proved to be insensitive to changes in the water-quality-related variables tested, which may be advantageous in certain applications. This report presents seven workable alternatives that may be used in wasteload allocation and demonstrates a procedure to determine the practicability of other methods.     

Preface

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution: Focus -     

Sustainable rural development in Sokoto State, Nigeria

In Nigeria, as in most countries, institutional barriers to successful rural development exist and need to be addressed. In Sokoto State, a variable and unpredictable Sahelian climate in combination with conditions of high population growth, low levels of income, and environmental degradation, create and intensify institutional challenges. This study examines the sustainability of government initiatives regarding the provision of agricultural inputs, assistance and extension services to farmers, and the extent to which agency efforts are coordinated and integrated, particularly regarding water management. In some cases, rural development agencies demonstrated the capability to meet the needs of the people. Some farmers were satisfied with government assistance and in some areas the tube well programme was quite successful. Yet in Sokoto State many institutional barriers to sustainable rural development exist and need to be addressed. In general, implementation strategies and management procedures appeared narrowly focused and placed little emphasis on coordination and integration among rural development agencies. The result was often inappropriate overlap or oversights in activities .