RESOLUTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT ISSUES IN PERMITTING TILE PLATEAU CREEK PIPELINE1

ABSTRACT: This paper describes how a hydrologic model proved to be a valuable tool to help interested parties understand impacts to four threatened and endangered fish species in the Upper Colorado River. In 1994, the Ute Water Conservancy District initiated permitting and design of the Plateau Creek pipeline replacement. The project was considered a major Federal action and therefore subject to the National Environmental Policy Act. Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) entered the process to develop a Biological Opinion (BO) and determined that the project could potentially impact the endangered fish in the 15‐mile reach of the Colorado River. The Section 7 consultation was directed by a Core Committee comprised of stakeholders in the Upper Colorado River watershed. Hydrologic modeling became the evaluation tool for comparing flow reductions to USFWS target recovery flows and defining make‐up flow requirements to meet those targets. The Colorado River Recovery Implementation Program was designated to provide the make‐up flows. The USFWS released a final BO in December 1997, approving diversions through 2015. An Environmental Impact Statement for the project was completed and the Record of Decision was issued by the Bureau of Land Management in early 1998.     

WHO GETS CLEAN WATER? AID ALLOCATION TO SMALL WATER SYSTEMS IN PENNSYLVANIA1

ABSTRACT: Research on the condition of drinking water provision in the United States documents the inequitable financial impact of environmental regulations on small water systems (those serving 3,300 or fewer people). While a variety of federal and state financial assistance programs are available for water systems, few quantitative analyses have evaluated the success of these programs in alleviating the problems of small systems. A case study of the largest aid initiative for water supply infrastructure in Pennsylvania provides the empirical framework through which to analyze government funding opportunities for water systems. This study examines the allocation practices of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) to water systems of varying sizes. Utilizing data from PENNVEST applications and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the distribution of PENNVEST award recipients and denied applicants by size characteristics are compared. The study indicates that very small water systems (those serving 500 or fewer) do not apply for or receive funds with the same frequency as their larger counterparts. Understanding the allocation of awards from PENNVEST offers insight into the ability of small communities to access capital for water supply infrastructure.     

Effect of electrokinetic transport on the vulnerability of PAH-degrading bacteria in a model aquifer

There has been increasing interest in employing electro-bioremediation, a hybrid technology of bioremediation and electrokinetics, to overcome the low bioavailability of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOC) by homogenizing sorption-retarded HOC and immobilised microorganisms. Present electro-remediation approaches mainly aim at macroscale pollutant extraction and tend to neglect possible impacts of direct current (DC) on the physiology of microorganisms. The effect of weak electric fields (X = 1 V cm⁻¹) on the fitness of electrokinetically dispersed fluorene-degrading Sphingomonas sp. LB126 in bench-scale model aquifers was investigated by flow cytometry using propidium iodide (PI) as an indicator that distinguishes between PI-permeable (cells with porous membranes, i.e. dead or vulnerable) and PI-impermeable bacteria. After 15.5 h of DC treatment 56% of all cells recovered were dispersed at the centimetre scale relative to 29% in the absence of DC. There was no overall negative effect of the 15.5-h DC treatment on cell vulnerability, as 7.0% of the DC-treated bacteria exhibited PI-staining compared to 6.5% of the control population. Minor differences were observed in the subpopulation that had been mobilised by electroosmosis with an approximately twofold increase in the percentage of PI-stained cells relative to the control. Enhanced PI staining did not correlate with reduced culturability of the cells on rich-medium agar plates. Relative to the control, DC-treated cells mobilised by electroosmosis were threefold more culturable, confirming earlier data that that PI-cell membrane permeability does not always indicate reduced viability of oligotrophic environmental bacteria. Our findings suggest that electrokinetics is a valuable mechanism to transport viable and culturable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria in soil or sediments.     

Assessment of groundwater contamination caused by uncontrolled dumping in old gravel quarries in the Besòs aquifers (Barcelona,Spain)

The contamination of groundwater in the aquifer of the La Llagosta basin (Besòs river basin) due to waste disposal in quarries formerly used for the extraction of dry raw materials has led to the cessation of groundwater extraction for public water supply. The mobilization of pollutants was largely caused by fluctuations in piezometric levels, which led to the washing of buried waste. The hydrogeochemical processes associated with uncontrolled waste disposal in these landfilled areas of the La Llagosta basin aquifer were studied along a flow path that crosses the contaminated area. The PHREEQC code was used to establish the reactions associated with the different mineral phases through inverse modeling. This transport code, ionic exchange phenomena, surface reactions and balance (mineral phase) reactions were used to simulate the dilution phenomenon associated with the pollution after the potential removal of the sources of contamination. One-dimensional advective–dispersive modeling indicates a substantial reduction in Ca, Mg, Na and SO₄²⁻ within one year and stabilization within four years.     

鄱阳湖湿地现状问题与未来趋势

近年来鄱阳湖秋冬季水文呈干枯态势,湿地生态系统及其关键因子也发生了变化。如何合理保护和利用鄱阳湖湿地引起各方关注。系统综述了鄱阳湖湿地生态系统在水文、江湖关系、水质、水鸟栖息地、渔业资源等方面存在的问题,梳理了引起这些问题的外部和内部因素。针对"一切照常"和"水位调控"两种情景,预测了湿地未来的变化趋势,并指出了当前研究中的不确定性问题。研究认为:鄱阳湖秋冬季的低枯水位,对水质、湿地植被、水鸟栖息地以及鱼类食物资源和"三场"(即:产卵场、洄游通道、索饵场)产生了一定不利影响。建议通过模型模拟和情景预测来分析不同调控方案的影响效果,优化调控方案、将生态系统的负面影响降到最低。     

大型水利水电工程实施占用耕地补偿制度的思考

本文在分析长江三峡工程用地特点的基础上。对大型水利水电工程实施耕地补偿制度中的问题和困难进行调查研究，认为应从新的视角来认识大型水利水电工程的耕地占补平衡问题。进而探索耕地补偿制度实施的新途径和新方式。应在耕地总量动态平衡政策适当调整的基础上．将“以地补地”和“缴费补地”的方式相结合。既通过土地整理．在提商土地质量的前提下增加耕地的有效面积：又要落实耕地开垦费．扶持库区的土地整理。从而使库区的耕地占补制度顺利实施。     

不同类型环境规制对国际R&D溢出效应的影响比较研究——以长江经济带为例

基于2003~2014年长江经济带的省际面板数据探讨了不同类型的环境规制对国际RD溢出效应的影响,通过熵值法客观赋权,构建命令控制型、市场激励型和自愿参与型3种环境规制指数,进一步考察了不同类型的环境规制对国际RD溢出的影响。研究表明:(1)环境规制对国际RD溢出水平呈现"反N型"曲线关系,虽然类型不同,但随着环境规制强度不断提升,国际RD溢出效应均呈现先下降、后上升、再下降的趋势;(2)不同类型的环境规制对国际RD溢出的作用具有异质性,当前在长江经济带发挥作用的主要是命令控制型和市场激励型环境规制,自愿参与型环境规制对国际RD溢出效应的激励作用尚未完全显现。结论在一定程度上印证了"波特假说"在开放条件下也是成立的,最后依据上述结论提出了相应的政策建议。     

基于水量分配方案的抚河流域最小控制需水量研究

鄱阳湖流域水资源丰富,在非汛期尤其是用水高峰期,存在供需水矛盾和河道外用水挤占河道内用水现象。基于水量分配方案,以控制断面为节点,考虑河道外需水,兼顾河道内生态环境需水,系统提出计算流域控制断面最小控制需水量方法。在此基础上,以抚河流域为例,把流域划分为12个控制断面,分别为沙子岭、黎川、南城、洪门、廖坊、石门、廖家湾、娄家村、马圩、焦石、柴埠口和李家渡,各断面的最小控制需水量分别为740、380、2873、1200、4981、261、5085、7168、050、10894、1556 和1030 m3/s。通过水文监测控制流域断面流量,为落实水量分配方案、保护流域水环境和维持河流生态系统健康提供保障。同时,以最小需水量并与实测流量比较,确定各用水区余缺水量,为实施流域非汛期水量调度提供依据     

微生物聚磷及其酶学调控

本文论述了微生物细胞内磷酸盐转运机制和与聚磷相关的酶—PPK、PPX及两者对微生物聚磷行为的调控,并对今后研究重点做出展望.论文认为对于微生物聚磷的研究应从纯种微生物转移到强化生物除磷系统的混合微生物菌群,运用分子生物学和生物信息学手段分析聚磷优势菌种的PPK和PPX酶的结构特征及其在活性污泥中的变化规律,进一步深入认识生物除磷调控机理,开辟寻求提高系统除磷效率的新途径.     

流动注射在线氢化物发生—原子荧光光谱法测定环境水样中痕量无机汞和有机汞

提出了一种流动注射在线氢化物发生—原子荧光光谱法测定水样中痕量无机汞和有机汞的分析方法。以溴化剂作为有机汞的消解剂 ,在有、无溴化剂的存在下 ,采用流动注射在线氢化物发生—原子荧光光谱法分别测定总汞和无机汞 ,差减法求出有机汞的含量。方法操作简便快速 ,灵敏度高 ,干扰少 ,经加标回收实验验证 ,回收率达 95 %～ 10 5 %。