Constraints to Watershed Planning: Group Structure and Process1

Floress, Kristin, Jean C. Mangun, Mae A. Davenport, and Karl W.J. Williard, 2009. Constraints to Watershed Planning: Group Structure and Process. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 45(6):1352‐1360. Abstract: The roles that agencies and other partners play in collaborative watershed management are not always clearly identified. Key factors contributing to group‐level outcomes in watershed groups include both structural and procedural elements. Structural elements include membership systems, project partners, and funding, while procedural elements include leadership, shared vision, and mission development. The current research reports on a case study conducted with a Midwestern watershed group that received Clean Water Act Section 319 funds to undertake a watershed planning process. Data come from focus groups, interviews, public comments, and meeting observation, and were analyzed using grounded theory. Findings of this study indicate that homogenous skill set, discord over group and partner roles, and failed problem identification contributed to the organizational inertia experienced by the watershed group. Implications of this research for groups receiving 319 funds are provided.     

Adaptive Management of Stream Channel Maintenance at Bridge Crossings in the Northern Tier Region,Pennsylvania1

Abstract: An adaptive management framework is applied to the problem of identifying mitigation measures for sediment deposition near bridge crossings in small streams in the Northern Tier region of northern Pennsylvania. The presence of the rigid bridge infrastructure introduces a challenge for applying adaptive management practices, because the integrity of the bridge structure itself has to be maintained regardless of the mitigation practices used in the stream channel near the bridge. In an effort to overcome the unacceptable risk that field‐scale adaptive management experiments present to rigid bridge infrastructure, an adaptive management approach for laboratory‐scale experimentation of mitigation methods at bridge crossings in the Northern Tier region is presented as a way to decrease the level of uncertainty about channel response to mitigation measures and increase the rate of learning about the effectiveness of these measures. Four cycles of adaptive management experiments are discussed to demonstrate that this approach results in fast and efficient learning about channel response to mitigation methods for the given conditions. The value of monitoring and of assessment of monitored data in the overall efficiency of the adaptive management approach is highlighted. Assessment of what was learned in the adaptive management experiment cycles presented here leads to new directions to continually improve management policies and practices in stream channels at bridge crossings in the Northern Tier region. The adaptive management process, rather than continuing with a normally risk‐averse management approach, results in opportunities for learning new information about a system’s response.     

Social Acceptability of Water Resource Management: A Conceptual Approach and Empirical Findings from Portland,Oregon1

Abstract: Surface water resources in urban areas serve multiple functions ranging from recreation to wildlife habitat. As a result, diverse values influence people’s views about resource protection, potentially leading to conflicting interests. In metropolitan Portland, Oregon, natural resource planning has recently focused on habitat restoration as well as stormwater and pollution mitigation, especially through the protection of riparian areas. Due to opposition over proposed regulations in the study region, this research examines public attitudes about an array of resource management efforts. The primary research question is: what is the extent of positive–negative attitudes about water resource protection, and what theoretical dimensions underlie diverse judgments? After empirical survey results are presented, I outline a conceptual approach for future assessments of environmental attitudes while highlighting important value‐based dimensions of judgments. Although flexible, the framework allows broad comparisons to advance knowledge about the social acceptability of varied water resource management approaches across diverse places and contexts.     

Committing driving violations: An observational study comparing city, town and village

Introduction

This article compares observed driving behavior in a city, a town, and a village.

Method

Unobtrusive observations were made at intersections in each residential type. Five violation types were observed: (a) not wearing a seat belt (seat belt violation); (b) not using a safety seat for a child (safety seat violation for children); (c) not using a speaker while speaking on the phone (on-phone violation); (d) failing to comply with a ‘give way’ sign (‘give way’ sign violation); and (e) stopping in an undesignated area (undesignated stop violation). It was expected that in accordance with the anonymity hypothesis that the bigger residential areas' rate of traffic violations would be higher. The effects of the residential type, drivers' gender, and age were assessed using the multiple regression model. The stepwise method of evaluation was employed. The model converged on step 3 (Adjusted R square = 0.039). Residential type and gender contributed significantly to the model. Results: Consistent with prior research, male drivers committed more violations than female drivers. Chi-square analyses were used to test the distribution of violations by the settlement types. Overall, more drivers committed violations in the two small residential areas than in the city, with 30% of city drivers, 43% of town drivers, and 51% of village drivers committing at least one violation (χ2 (2) = 37.65, p < 0.001). Moreover, in the town and the village, a combination of one or more violations was committed more often than in the city (χ2 (1) = 34.645, p < 0.001). Accordingly, more drivers committed violations in the two small settlements (48.4%) than in the city (30.6%). Possible explanations for the observed results were provided in the Discussion section.

Impact on Industry

The conclusions of this paper are that drivers in small villages tend to disobey traffic laws. Therefore, efforts have to be made in companies to take this issue in consideration while running fleets in companies located in small places far from the center.     

Experimental study of recycling lightweight concrete with aggregates containing expanded glass

The focus is on the issue of waste management when constructing and recycling lightweight concrete (LWC) with aggregates containing expanded glass. The paper analyses the recycling of concrete from lightweight aggregates, and on the important issue of environmental and waste management. The characteristics of recycling LWC such as density, compressive strength and thermal conductivity are investigated, and compared with normal existing concrete from lightweight aggregates. The results indicate that it is possible to recycle lightweight concrete construction waste. The described method shows great possibilities for increasing the use of construction waste materials from LWC containing expanded glass, in order to benefit from better use of the available capacity from existing construction waste. The characteristics of density, compressive strength and thermal conductivity from the new recycled material were compared with normal existing concrete from lightweight aggregates, such as changes in dependency on the type and parts of waste as well as its new binding components. Thus, a new recycled material has been created with new characteristics of density, compressive strength and thermal conductivity, which is conform to the compressive strength class and rules on heat protection and energy efficiency use in buildings (SI OJ RS No. 42/2002). Laboratory density, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity tests results showed that LWC can be produced by the use of waste LWC with aggregates containing expanded glass. However, the use of waste LWC with aggregates containing expanded glass seems to be necessary for the production of cheaper and environmentally friendly LWC.     

风险管理在水电工程中的应用

水电工程是一个在建设过程中充满风险的、相当复杂的系统工程,其风险管理伴随着工程建设的全过程.随着我国水电工程建设体制改革的进一步深化,风险管理越来越受到工程界的重视.分析了在水电工程中存在的主要危险有害因素,提出了具体的风险管理和评价方法,并对一些主要的评价方法进行了大致的比较,同时对水电工程的风险管理工作提出了一些改进措施.     

基于知识推理的发电企业设备风险管理应用研究

基于发电企业设备自身的特点及工作人员对风险知识认知的局限性,有必要分析发电企业设备在运行、检修中潜在的风险.分析了设备风险知识与风险管理的关系,并以发电企业各类大型设备中应用最广泛的电动机为例,解决了电动机风险知识的表达及推理问题,为实现基于知识的设备风险管理提供了一种思路,对指导发电企业的设备日常维护、巡检以及状态监测、避免不必要的损失有着积极的意义.     

某公司食堂施工过程危险性分析及对策措施

我国大多建筑施工企业目前的安全管理只局限于对施工现场的检查和整改工作,而对施工现场的整体安全性缺乏分析和有效的监控,目前安全评价技术在建筑业的运用并不成熟.运用科学的安全评价方法,对建筑施工危险性进行系统分析和研究,可以补充、完善和指导施工现场的安全管理工作.     

企业安全管理中的潜流文化现象与应对方略

简介潜流安全文化的内涵,阐述潜流安全文化的隐蔽性、离散性、传承性和不稳定性的特点,剖析潜流安全文化形成的根源,提出应对潜流安全文化的扬长避短、因势利导、强化沟通、扩大参与、落实承诺和深化激励的方略。通过对企业安全管理中的潜流文化现象与应对方略的分析,得出以下结论:企业潜流安全文化是客观存在的,同时企业管理者是可以对企业潜流安全文化进行有效管理的;认识和管理企业安全管理中的潜流文化现象,可以有力推动企业安全文化建设工作的顺利开展。     

城市家用天然气安全管理的研究

通过对100家广州市天然气家庭用户使用情况进行调查,主要针对天然气使用、燃气设施保护和安全意识等诸多问题,运用事故致因理论,分析其成因规律,提出从事故发生的根本原因入手,运用"预防为主、善后为辅"的积极、主动的方法,把事故消除在起始或孕育阶段。调查结果显示:造成城市燃气应用系统事故的原因主要包括:用户燃具不正确的选择、燃气设备安装不当、燃气安全知识水平不高、安全意识不强、燃具产品和服务质量良莠不齐等。并以事故预防控制理论为指导,提出广州市天然气应用预防与安全管理应采取的技术、教育、强化等3方面对策。