Conservation by Design

Abstract: Conservation researchers are increasingly aware of the need to conduct interdisciplinary research and to engage nonscientists in practical applications of conservation biology. But so far, industrial designers have been left out of such collaboration and outreach efforts. Conservation of wildlife often depends on products such as nest boxes, feeders, barriers, and corridors, all of which have a designed component that is frequently overlooked. Furthermore, many products are adopted without testing on short or long time scales. We argue that the design of products for conservation, and hence their functionality, effectiveness, and value, can be improved through collaboration with industrial designers. We see four key benefits that can arise from interactions with industrial designers: improvement of product quality and value, innovation and improvement in functionality of products, harmonization of conservation products with local values, and development of a psychological biomimesis approach to design. The role of industrial designers in conservation projects would be to improve factors such as product durability, affordability, functionality, and aesthetic appeal to local people. Designers can also help to create multiple product options whose success can be tested in the field. We propose that collaborations with industrial designers can contribute to the development of improvements to existing products and innovations in the practice of animal conservation.     

ESTIMATING TRANSMISSIVITY AND HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY OF CHICOT AQUIFER FROM SPECIFIC CAPACITY DATA1

ABSTRACT: Specific capacity data obtained from Well Construction reports which are available from USGS offices, can provide useful estimates of tranamissivity (T), and hydraulic conductivity (K), of an aquifer. The Chicot Aquifer in Louisiana is one of the largest sources of fresh ground water in North America. Hydrologic data collected for the Chicot Aquifer indicate that specific capacity tests can be used in estimating local and regional values for T and K, if the Cooper-Jacob equation for transient flow is used with proper corrections for well loss and partial penetration. Where full scale pumping test data are scarce, specific capacity test data that are adequately distributed spatially can be used to map changes in T and K values and can be summarized statistically to indicate applicable regional values. A computer program called “TGUESS” which is available from International Ground Water Modeling Center, Holcomb Research Institute, was used in this study. The contour maps for T and K values are prepared for different well depth intervals to avoid wide variation of values.     

DOWNSTREAM CHANNEL GEOMETRY FOR USE IN PLANNING-LEVEL MODELS1

ABSTRACT: There is considerable potential for use of channel dimension data in planning-level models for resource and impact assessment. The channel dimension data is used to route flows and sediment through the basin. The cost of obtaining actual surveyed data for large watersheds is typically prohibitive. Predictive equations have been developed based on 674 stations from watersheds across the United States which encompass a wide variety of channel types and sizes. These equations were tested against an independent data set and found to be adequate for use in planning-level models. Future research is advocated which would include data from regions and stream types not included in this study.     

EFFECTS OF NO-FLOW RIVER CONDITIONS ON THE PLATTE RIVER WELL FIELD1

ABSTRACT: Effects of no-flow river conditions on the quantity and quality of water in the Platte River well field of the City of Grand Island, Nebraska, were examined utilizing a finite-difference computer simulation model specifically developed for this well field. Results suggest that the effects of these no-flow periods on water quality may be most important. In particular, the no-flow periods eliminate the hydraulic barrier between the well field and an area north of the River that is contaminated with nitrate (concentrations in the 20 to 40 mg/1 NO₃-N range). They also change the direction and velocity of movement of the contaminated ground water. Simulation results indicate that contaminated ground water moves toward the well field with a velocity of 0.42 ft/d after 30 days of no-flow and 1.43 ft/d after 180 days of no-flow. Limiting no-flow conditions to 10 consecutive days would protect the well field.     

ERODIBILITY OF URBAN BEDROCK AND ALLUVIAL CHANNELS,NORTH TEXAS1

ABSTRACT: Major erosion of urban stream channels is found in smaller basins in the North Texas study area with contributing drainage areas of less than ten square miles. Within these basins, four basic channel types are identified based on bed and bank lithologies: alluvial banks and bottoms, alluvial banks and gravel bottoms, alluvial banks with rock bottoms, and rock banks with rock bottoms. Most channels (75 percent) have alluvial banks with gravel or rock bottoms. Channel slopes are steep (.38 to.76 percent). Rock consists predominantly of shale and limestone. Channel cross sections are divided into the following four zones based on weathering, scour and entrainment mechanisms: soil zone, slake zone, rock zone and bed material zone. Erodibility of the channels is determined using multiple techniques including reach hydraulics and stream power computations, submerged jet testing, slab entrainment thresholds, and slake durability rates. Procedures are based on both empirical and modeled time series estimates of channel erosion. Field and modeled results support rates of erosion of up to four inches per year. Rates are tied to flow regime, climate, and type of channel bed and banks.     

INTEGRATING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT STREAM NATURALIZATION NEAR CHICAGO,ILLINOIS1

ABSTRACT: Many urban and suburban communities in the Midwest are seeking to establish sustainable, morphologically and hydraulically varied, yet dynamically stable fluvial systems that are capable of supporting healthy, biologically diverse aquatic ecosystems — a process known as stream naturalization. This paper describes an integrated research program that seeks to develop a scientific and technological framework to support two stream naturalization projects near Chicago, Illinois. The research program integrates theory and methods in fluvial geomorphology, aquatic ecology, hydraulic engineering and social theory. Both the conceptual and the practical challenges of that integration are discussed. Scientific and technical support emphasize the development of predictive tools to evaluate the performance of possible naturalization designs at scales most appropriate to community based projects. Social analysis focuses on place based evaluations of how communities formulate an environmental vision and then, through decision making, translate this vision into specific stream naturalization strategies. Integration of scientific and technical with social components occurs in the context of community based decision making as the predictive tools are employed by project scientists to help local communities translate their environmental visions into concrete environmental designs. Social analysis of this decision making process reveals how the interplay between the community's vision of what they want the watershed to become, and the scientific perspective on what the watershed can become to achieve the community's environmental goals, leads to the implementation of specific stream naturalization practices.     

HYDRAULIC MODELING SUPPORT FOR CONFLICT ANALYSIS: THE MANAYUNK CANAL REVISITED1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a study which used a standard, hydraulic computer model to generate detailed design information to support conflict analysis of a water resource use issue. As an extension of previous studies, the conflict analysis in this case included several scenarios for stability analysis - all of which reached the conclusion that compromising, shared access to the water resources available would result in the most benefits to society. This expected equilibrium outcome was found to maximize benefit-cost estimates.     

STABILITY AND REACH LENGTH IN WATER SURFACE PROFILE DETERMINATION1

ABSTRACT: Extension of basic step methods of backwater computation to reaches of finite length is examined. Accuracies of commonly accepted hydraulic loss equations under particular water surface profile conditions are compared. Simulation of energy lines within a reach by parabolic curves is found to minimize error provided orientation of the axis of the parabola is selected in accordance with prevailing hydraulic conditions. Theoretical basis for an index reach length beyond which single-step computation from end to end of the reach must be in error is developed. Reduction of this reach length by suitable factors tailored to hydraulic conditions yields a mathematically defined allowable reach length for backwater computation. When reach length does not exceed this allowable reach length, no significant error may be detected. Automatic insertion of synthetic cross sections interpolated between surveyed cross sections when these are inadvertently spaced too far apart enables computation to proceed. This device is error-free for prismatic channls but may introduce error for irregular natural channels. Preliminary trials indicate that results so obtained may be accepted provided the fall in the original reach does not exceed from one to two feet. When this is exceeded, additional cross sections should be surveyed.     

Developing sinks for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> through forestation of temperate coastal barriers: an environmental business

Since the 1940s, some sectors of the sand dune barriers of Buenos Aires Province have been forested to fix the sand in the neighborhoods of resort villages. Man took advantage of the maritime climate and the shallow groundwater to introduce pine forests. Today, these forests reach more than 20 m in height and have developed soils of more than 0.05 m in thickness on former arid sands. Field data were referred to Landsat (TM) composite and Normalized Difference of Vegetation Index, NDVI, images to calculate forest density and covered area. Considering published tables of wood density for each species, the amount of total carbon storage was estimated on 318 t C ha^-1 (Mg=10⁶ g) in biomass and 86 t C ha^-1 in soils. The three areas analyzed at Miramar, Necochea and Claromecó have captured 658,868 t of carbon in the last 50 years. It is estimated that 150,000,000 t C could be sequestered within temperate dune barriers of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Besides this ecological point of view, there is an important socio-economic factor that cannot be excluded.Presented at and revised subsequent to the 4th LOICZ Open Science Meeting, Bahía Blanca, Argentina. October 1999.