MODELING THE EFFECT OF BRUSH CONTROL ON RANGELAND WATER YIELD1

ABSTRACT: With the increase in water demand in Texas, attention has turned to improving water yield by brush control on rangeland watersheds. Several hydrologic models have been developed for either farmland or rangeland. However, none of the models were specifically developed to assess the impact of brush control on rangeland water yield. Yet, modeling the impact of brush control on water yield needs to be considered if alternative techniques are to be compared. Two models, Ekalaka Rangeland Hydrology and Yield Model (ERHYM-II) and Simulator for Water Resources on Rural Basins (SWRRB) were selected. The Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method is used in both models to predict surface runoff from each rainfall event. The major differences between the ERHYM-II and SWRRB models are the evapotranspiration, soil water routing, and plant growth components. The models were evaluated on brush-dominated and chemically and mechanically brush-controlled range watersheds in Texas. Results indicated that both models were capable of simulating soil water and water yield from brush dominated and chemically brush-controlled range watersheds. The models were not able to predict water yield from the mechanically brush-controlled (root plowed) watershed with acceptable accuracy. The depressions that were caused by root plowing stored surface runoff and reduced water yield from the watershed. Information about the size of depressions was not available for further model evaluation.     

NETWORK MODEL FOR DECISIONSUPPORT IN MUNICIPAL RAW WATER SUPPLY1

ABSTRACT: A water supply network optimization model called MODSIM3 is presented as a decision-support tool for aiding city staff in determining how best to utilize and exchange existing and potential water supplies with other users in a river basin. The model is applied to the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, water supply system as a means of determining optimum ways the City can utilize direct flow rights, storage rights, and exchangeable waters from various sources. Results clearly confirm both the benefits of the use of exchanges and the value of MODSIM3 as a water supply planning and management tool.     

RAPID WATER TABLE RESPONSES TO RAINFALL IN A NORTHERN PEATLAND ECOSYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: Two types of rapid water table responses to rain were observed in a northern Michigan peatland. The first, called the Lisse effect, occurred during rains of high intensity when the infiltrating water acted as a tightly closing lid that forced the water table to rise to the level required to compensate for the pressure increase. The second, called the Wieringermeer effect, was a rapid rise of the water table to the surface due to the conversion of capillary to phreatic water and was always followed by an equally rapid decline after cessation of the rainfall. We simulated these phenomena in the laboratory and estimated the critical parameters that determine their occurrence. The recognition of the importance of the capillary fringe is essential in evaluating the role of wetlands in flood control and in wastewater treatment.     

REGIONAL MANAGEMENT OF DEPLETED AQUIFERS1

ABSTRACT: Aquifers with pressure head seriously reduced by overdrafting are referred to as depleted. In coastal areas they may be invaded by saltwater. An obvious remedy is to reduce the rate of withdrawal to the permanently available dependable yield. This is being done now in two areas for New Jersey, under the authority of the State's Water Supply Management Act; but it has not previously been accomplished on a regional scale. The dependable yield was estimated by means of detailed hydrogeological modeling. “Water Supply Critical Areas” were delimited on the basis of piezometric pressure, drawn down 30 feet below sea level. Within the depleted area, water withdrawals must be reduced by a fixed ratio (35 to 50 percent) below the amount withdrawn during 1983. This reduction is effective as soon as al alternative source of water can be made available, usually from a surface source. Special arrangements are made whereby ground water users unconnected to the alternative source of supply can pay to withdrawn their full needs from the depleted aquifers, the money being used to purchase additional water from the new surface water source, in return for which some other user will reduce his ground water withdrawal below his reduced allocation.     

BIOMONITORING OF AIR POLLUTION IN A SEASONALLY DRY TROPICAL SUBURBAN AREA USING WHEAT TRANSPLANTS

Air pollution has been identified as a serious problem throughout the world which causes tremendous loss to the crops by affecting plant growth and yield. Earlier, air pollution was restricted to urban and industrial regions. Over the last few decades, however, it has become evident that pollutants can be transported over long distances and hence their impact may be felt widely over rural areas. The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of urban air pollution on suburban agriculture with respect to the changes in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, water-use efficiency, plant height, numbers of tillers, leaves, ears and seeds, chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, phenol, ascorbic acid, nitrogen and sulphate-sulphur contents and seed weight of pot-grown wheat plants (Triticum aestivum var. HUW 468) kept at different sites around Varanasi city receiving varying levels of pollution load. Mean concentrations of were monitored. The study clearly showed that plants are negatively affected by the ambient levels of air pollutants. Reduction in various parameters directly corresponded with the air pollution levels at different sites.     

Assessing effects of ambient ozone on injury and yield of bean with ethylenediurea (EDU): three years of plant monitoring at four sites in The Netherlands

EDU (ethylenediurea) and non-EDU-treated bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) L. cv. Lit) were exposed to ambient air at four rural sites in the Netherlands during the growing seasonsof 1994 through 1996 to investigate the responses to ambient ozone. Ozone-induced foliar injury was observed each year anddifferences in injury between sites depended on year. On average,injury amounted to 27% in 1994, to 8% in 1995 and to 1% in 1996. Injury increased with increasing ozone exposure (AOT40) and the estimated AOT40 value corresponding with 5% injury wascirca 3650 nl l^-1 h ozone. The highest ozone levels accumulated at each site for five consecutive days before injuryexceeded the proposed short-term critical level for injury development. EDU reduced injury and its protective effect was positively related to the injury intensity in non-EDU-treatedplants. Yield of green marketable pods (intermediate harvest) andmature pods (final harvest) was generally reduced in non-EDU-treated plants compared to EDU-treated plants and differences inyield reduction between harvests varied between years. The yield of mature pods was reduced in 1994 and 1996 while the yield ofgreen pods was reduced in 1995 by ozone only. Since yield reduction was not correlated with AOT40, the EDU method was notvalid to determine an ozone exposure-yield reponse relationshipfor bean.     

染料中间体废水的逆流漂洗法处理

将逆流漂洗工艺应用于4－乙酰基－2－氨基苯甲醚生产上，可使生产过程中产生的硫酸浓度为2％的硝化废水，浓缩成浓度为30％－40％的浓废酸，可供化肥厂综合利用生产硫铵肥料，从而实现生产废水零排放。实验室和生产规模试验均表明，采用该工艺后，产品的平均得率提高4．1％，产品质量的所有指标达到且超过企业标准（Q／320221NCB02－91）。     

黄土高原丘陵沟壑区坡面-沟道系统中的高含沙水流(Ⅱ)--泥沙存储-释放及降雨、径流特征的影响

以黄河中游多沙粗沙区子洲径流站和离石王家沟试验站的径流场观测资料为基础，对黄土高原丘陵沟壑区坡沟系统中高含沙水流特征进行了研究。研究表明，在坡面-沟道系统中，存在着泥沙的存贮-释放机制，这一机制与非高含沙水流和高含沙水流不同的输沙行为有关。当水流为非高含沙水流时，来自坡面和悬移质泥沙中的粗粒部分可在沟道中发生沉积；当为高含沙水流时，前期沉积的粗粒泥沙将因沟道高含沙水流强烈的侵蚀搬运作用而发生释放。降雨对坡沟系统高含沙水流的形成关系密切。在冲沟次降雨最大含沙量与雨强的关系中，表现出两个临界值。超过第一个临界值以后，含沙量急剧增大；超过第二个临界值之后，则出现极限含沙量，即含沙量不再随雨强的增大而增大。     

Estimation of runoff and sediment yield in the Redrock Creek watershed using AnnAGNPS and GIS

Sediment has been identified as a significant threat to water quality and channel clogging that in turn may lead to river flooding. With the increasing awareness of the impairment from sediment to water bodies in a watershed, identifying the locations of the major sediment sources and reducing the sediment through management practices will be important for an effective watershed management. The annualized agricultural non-point sourcepollution(AnnAGNPS) model and newly developed GIS interface for it were applied in a small agricultural watershed, Redrock Creek watershed, Kansas, in this pilot study for exploring the effectiveness of using this model as a management tool. The calibrated model appropriately simulated monthly runoff and sediment yield through the practices in this study and potentially suggested the ways of sediment reduction through evaluating the changes of land use and field operation in the model for the purpose of watershed management.     

Channel Evolution Models as Predictors of Sediment Yield

This paper recounts our predictions of channel evolution of the Black Vermillion River (BVR) and sediment yields associated with the evolutionary sequence. Channel design parameters allowed for the prediction of stable channel form and coincident sediment yields. Measured erosion rates and basin‐specific bank erosion curves aided in prediction of the stream channel succession time frame. This understanding is critical in determining how and when to mitigate a myriad of instability consequences. The BVR drains approximately 1,062 km² in the glaciated region of Northeast Kansas. Once tallgrass prairie, the basin has been modified extensively for agricultural production. As such, channelization has shortened the river by nearly 26 km from pre‐European dimensions; shortening combined with the construction of numerous flow‐through structures have produced dramatic impacts on discharge and sediment dynamics. Nine stream reaches were established within three main tributaries of the BVR in 2007. Reaches averaged 490 m in length, were surveyed, and assessed for channel stability, while resurveys were conducted annually through 2010 to monitor change. This work illustrates the association of current stream state, in‐channel sediment contributions, and prediction of future erosion rates based on stream evolution informed by multiple models. Our findings suggest greater and more rapid sedimentation of a federal reservoir than has been predicted using standard sediment prediction methods.