From concept to practice: Implementing cumulative impact assessment in New Zealand

In 1991, provisions for environmental impact assessment in New Zealand were changed significantly with the enactment of the Resource Management Act. Among other provisions, this act requires consideration of cumulative impacts in environmental assessment activities undertaken by planners in newly created regional authorities and district and city councils. The institutional context in which the act is being implemented offers both opportunities and constraints to cumulative impact assessment. A lack of methods for CIA is a recognized problem. However, methods that have been developed for environmental impact assessments can be modified to incorporate second-, third-, and fourth-order impacts as well as to identify the direction and magnitude of additive and synergistic impacts. Layered matrices and combined networks are examples of such methods. While they do not allow for scientific prediction, they do provide the practitioner with the ability to consider the cumulative impacts of decisions. This is crucial in New Zealand, where statutory requirements are ahead of established methodologies.     

水射流技术在牙轮钻头中的应用与研究进展

介绍了喷射钻井井底流场特性、喷嘴射流破岩机理、脉冲射流喷嘴、新型水力流道钻头的研究与应用情况，以及水射流技术在石油钻井用钻头上的应用前景。     

APPLICATION OF KRIGING TO ESTIMATING MEAN ANNUAL PRECIPITATION IN A REGION OF OROGRAPHIC INFLUENCE1

ABSTRACT: Estimates of mean annual precipitation (MAP) over areas are the starting point for all computations of water and chemical balances for drainage basins and surface water bodies. Any errors in the estimates of MAP are propagated through the balance computations. These errors can be due to: (1) failures of individual gages to collect the amount of precpitation that actually falls; (2) operator errors; and (3) failure of the raingage network to adequately sample the region of interest. This paper attempts to evaluate the last of these types of error by applying kriging in two different approaches to estimating MAP in New Hampshire and Vermont, USA. The data base is the 1951–1980 normal precipitation at 120 raingages in the two states and in adjacent portions of bordering states and provinces. In the first approach, kriging is applied directly to the MAP values, while in the second, kriging is applied to a “precipitation delivery factor” that represents the MAP with the orographic effect removed. The first approach gives slightly better kriged estimates of MAP at seven validation stations that were not included in the original analysis, but results in an error surface that is highly contorted and in larger maximum errors over most of the region. The second approach had a considerably smoother error surface and, thus, is generally preferable as a basis for point and areal estimates of MAP. MAP estimates in the region have 95 percent confidence intervals of about 20 cm/yr at low and moderate elevations, and up to 35 cm/yr at high elevations. These uncertainties amount to about 20 percent of estimated MAP values.     

MULTI-MEDIA CONCENTRATIONS OF HEAVY METALS AND MAJOR IONS FROM URBAN AND RURAL SITES IN NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

Concentrations of heavy metals and major ions were measured in precipitation, snowpack, garden soils and vegetables from urban and rural sites in New Brunswick in Atlantic Canada. Atmospheric loading of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, strontium, and vanadium need further assessment. Vanadium concentrations in precipitation, snowpack, soils and vegetables showed an urban influence. Vanadium concentrations in the snowpack ranged between <2.0 ppb at 50 kilometers from the city center to 31.4 ppb in the city. Concentrations of all heavy metals in urban soils were less than CCME remediation guidelines but selected metals exceeded the assessment benchmark non-regulatory guidelines. Major ions were consistently higher in event precipitation than the snowpack. The order of ion elution from the snowpack was NO3 > SO4 > NH4 > H > Mg > Cl > Na > K. Hydrogen ion equivalents were highest in the snowpack and precipitation from urban samples. Mean hydrogen ion concentrations ranged from 11 to 22 eq L-1 in the snowpack compared with 18 to 41 eq L-1 in event precipitation.     

Distribution and partitioning of trace metals in sediments of the lower reaches of the New Calabar River,Port Harcourt,Nigeria

The distribution of trace metals in sediments of the lower reaches of the New Calabar River, Nigeria was evaluated togetherwith the partitioning of their chemical species between fivegeochemical phases. Samplings were made in five zones at the lower reaches of the New Calaber River. All the trace metals were determined by AAS after selective chemical extractions andconcentrations given in g gm^-1 (dry weight basis). The average totalconcentrations found for trace metals in the sediment were (mean ± rsd.) Pb: 41.6 ± 0.29, Zn: 31.60 ± 0.42, Cd: 12.80 ± 0.92, Co: 92 ± 0.25, Cu: 25.5 ± 0.65 and Ni: 3.2 ± 0.25. Maxima and minima concentrations are inconsistent with previous studies in other rivers of this region. Spatial distribution revealed that the sources of trace metals into theriver appeared to be of non-point. Five contamination indices were applied in studying the partitioning of the trace metals inthe sediment. These indices provided bases for ascertaining the potential environmental risk of trace metals in the river system.The results denote high partition levels in the more mobile andmore dangerous phases.     

新型厌氧反应器处理生活污水的研究进展

新型高速厌氧反应器的发生使生活污水的厌氧处理成功可能，介绍了几种厌氧反应器的特点及其在生活污水处理中的研究现状。     

以人为本 开拓创新 不断提高海淀区的地震应急能力

近一两年来，海淀区地震办公室树立科学的发展观，勇于创新，敢为人先，以《海淀区破坏性地震应急预案》为中心，围绕落实《海淀区破坏性地震应急预案》的物质载体，开展了一系列地震应急工作。在建设《海淀区地震信息应急指挥中心》、开展应急避险场所建设、成立防灾减灾志愿者队伍、开展灾情速报网建设等方面进行了有益的探索，并取得了一定的成效。     

Spatial Modeling and Habitat Quantification for Two Diadromous Fish in New Zealand Streams: A GIS-Based Approach with Application for Conservation Management

We developed logistic regression models from data on biotic and abiotic variables for 172 sites on Banks Peninsula, New Zealand, to predict the probability of occurrence of two diadromous fish, banded kokopu (Galaxias fasciatus) and koaro (G. brevipinnis). Banded kokopu occurrence was positively associated with small streams and low-intensity land uses (e.g., sheep grazing or forested), whereas intensive land uses (e.g., mixed sheep and cattle farming) and lack of riparian forest cover impacted negatively on occurrence at sampled sites. Also, if forests were positioned predominantly in lowland areas, banded kokopu occurrence declined with increasing distance to stream mouth. Koaro occurrence was positively influenced by catchment forest cover, high stream altitudes, and areas of no farming activity or mixed land uses. Intensive land uses, distance to stream mouth, and presence of banded kokopu negatively influenced koaro occupancy of stream reaches. Banded kokopu and koaro presence was predicted in 86.0% and 83.7% agreement, respectively, with field observations. We used the models to quantify the amount of stream reaches that would be of good, moderate, and poor quality, based on the probability of occurrences of the fish being greater than 0.75, between 0.75 and 0.5, or less than 0.5, respectively. Hindcasting using historical data on vegetation cover undertaken for one catchment, Pigeon Bay, showed they would have occupied most of the waterway before anthropogenic modification. We also modeled potential future scenarios to project potential fish distribution.     

APPLICATION OF ROSGEN ANALYSIS TO THE NEW JERSEY PINE BARRENS1

ABSTRACT: Rosgen analysis, developed for assessing channel stability in streams from the western United States, is applied to the Oswego River watershed in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The Rosgen method requires calibration to local conditions due to the impact of peat substrates on channel morphology. In particular, the presence of peat induces low width to depth ratios and greater channel confinement, reversing typical downstream morphologic trends observed in other rivers. Therefore peat is added to those substrates already evaluated by Rosgen. A consistent sequence of Rosgen stream types develops along the Oswego River and its tributaries created by spatially overlapping processes of water table emergence, peat development, and channel formation. This sequence delineates a “natural” transition of stream channel morphology downslope through the watershed. First, as the water table reaches the surface of dry sloughs, Sphagnum growth is stimulated and peat substrates result. These substrates have lower permeability than the underlying gravelly sands. Next, surface runoff, through braided pathways over the peat, eventually erodes mainly anastomosing channels into the peat. Finally, single‐thread channels develop in underlying gravelly sands further downslope. This downslope sequence, expressed as Rosgen stream types, begins generally with DA7 streams arising from dry sloughs. These pass to E7, C7 or DA5 stream types that in turn pass to B5c, C5 and C4 stream types. Departures from the “natural” stream type sequence occur along the course of the Oswego and its tributaries due to human activities such as the construction of dams, bridges and drainage ditches, stream bank erosion at streamside camping and picnic areas and the clear‐cutting of adjacent stands of Atlantic white cedar.     

生态城区建设中的生态第三产业发展对策--以长沙市芙蓉区为例

发展生态第三产业是生态城区建设的必然要求.本文以长沙市芙蓉区为例,在分析了芙蓉区第三产业现状的基础上,提出了建设生态第三产业的发展对策.