RIVER RECREATION: PUBLIC ACCESS VS. RIPARIAN RIGHTS1

ABSTRACT: The issues involved in the conflict between the rights of the public and those of riparian landowners are examined by reviewing the public access situation with regard to inland streams in the State of Virginia. Consideration is given to the legal framework defining access rights and to the attitudes of riparian landowners regarding the access question. Existing provisions of law suggest only limited recognition of public rights, but this law is incompletely developed. A considerably broader concept of public rights could be developed within the existing framework due to the existence of unresolved questions. The analysis of landowner attitudes is based on a survey of a sample of riparian owners chosen from throughout the state. The questionnaire used in the survey contained 123 questions in a variety of areas, including landowners' perceptions of public rights, problems encountered as the result of recreational water use, attitudes toward state designation and protection of scenic rivers, and the acceptability of alternatives for increasing public access. Although the survey results indicate substantial acceptance of the concept of public use, the landowners expressed concern over governmental control of land use and did not indicate a generally acceptable means for increasing public use.     

PHREATOPHYTE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AND ITS POTENTIAL REDUCTION WITHOUT ERADICATION1

ABSTRACT: The continuous availability of ground water to riparian phreatophytic vegetation results in large evapotranspiration (ET) losses in summer. Chemical or physical eradication of this vegetation can have undesirable environmental side effects. Spraying phreatophyte foliage with a nontoxic antitranspirant (AT) may reduce transpiration without eradication. Transpiration rate per unit leaf area was similar for several phreatophyte species, but ET per unit land area of phreatophytes depneds more on stand density than species. The mean ET for saltcedar in June was 8.1 mm/day measured by Bowen ratio, compared with 7.9 mm by lysimeters. ATs and growth-retardants reduced transpiration by over 50 percent in laboratory tests where foliage was thoroughly sprayed. In the field AT sprayed by a back-pack mistblower reduced ET by 20–35 percent initially and 10 percent after a month. No ET reduction occurred when AT was sprayed by helicopter on saltcedar, because excessive droplet size and heavy salt deposits on the foliage resulted in poor spray adherence. Wax-based AT was relatively nontoxic to fish and wildlife. Dissolved oxygen could be reduced for aquatic life, but further AT dilution in streams and ponds would minimize this. Helicopter spraying may affect bird nests and egg hatchability. Although ATs significantly reduce ET, their high cost and spraying difficulties preclude current use on phreatophytes. With improvement they may economically help to conserve water in riparian areas in future years.     

THE EVOLUTION OF TEXAS WATER LAW AND THE IMPACT OF ADJUDICATION1

Texas' surface water law began its evolution during the Hispanic period of occupance. Later, the English riparian doctrine was adopted, and finally, in the late 1800's, the prior appropriation doctrine was superimposed, resulting in an exceedingly complex dual system. Though the judiciary, legislature, and state water agencies have wrestled with the problem of coordinating these diverse water rights and more accurately delineating and measuring riparian rights and water use since early in this century, until recently all attempts were unsuccessful. The unknown riparian element, in particular, made coordinated and efficient management and administration of the state's surface water resources impossible. Finally, measurable progress toward solution of these problems began in 1967 with passage of the Water Rights Adjudication Act, aimed at identifying all unrecorded surface water rights claims and eventually merging all claims into the permit system. This paper examines the gradual evolution of Texas' curious blend of Hispanic-English riparian rights and later appropriate rights; discusses the resultant problems of water resource administration; and traces the progress of the ongoing water rights adjudication, a lengthy, expensive, and complex procedure, which should eventually make possible more efficient administration of all surface water rights.     

GEOMORPHIC PARAMETERS PREDICT HYDROGRAPH CHARACTERISTICS IN THE SOUTHWEST1

ABSTRACT: Critical design characteristics of ephermal runoff such as hydrograph rise time, duration, mean peak discharge, volume, peak-volume ratio, and maximum flood were related to physical basin parameters such as area, shape, slope, drainage density, basin relief, stream length, and combinations of these in intermontane watersheds representative of the Mexican Highland section of the Basin and Range Province. Parameters used were restricted to those easily obtainable from maps or aerial photographs. A parameter expressing basin shape and size was developed which proved to be as accurate a predictor as others used in existing prediction equations tested and was simpler and faster to derive. Simple prediction equations derived for hydrograph characteristics were all significant except for volume at the 5% level; three were significant at the 1% level. Relationships determined are applicable in semi-arid basins of the Southwest up to 60 square miles (155 km²) in area.     

亚热带城市河流生态河岸的研究

随着生活水平的提高,城市河流生态河岸日益受到重视.从城市河流河岸的现状分析,到国内外城市河流生态河岸的研究,包括城市河流生态河岸的规划与实践,较为全面的体现了城市河流生态河岸的结构与功能,并提供了亚热带城市河流生态河岸的研究案例,基于亚热带的气候条件及研究基础,为亚热带城市河流生态河岸进一步研究提供参考.     

三峡库区消落带落羽杉人工林土壤细菌群落结构多样性及动态变化

消落带是连接陆地与水域的交错地带,具有重要的生态功能,其适生木本植物的种植对消落带土壤的生物地球化学循环起着重要的作用.为探究适生植物对三峡库区消落带环境的适应机制,采用高通量测序技术对消落带退水后适生植物落羽杉(Taxodium distichum)不同生长时期(T1:5月、 T2:7月和T3:9月)的土壤细菌群落组成及多样性进行研究,同时采用PICRUSt2对细菌功能进行预测.结果表明,土壤pH值、硝态氮、铵态氮、土壤蔗糖酶、磷酸酶和脲酶等理化指标随时间变化显著(P<0.05);土壤细菌多样性、丰富度和结构也随时间变化而变化,除Chao1以外,根际土壤细菌的α多样性均表现为：T1>T2>T3,非根际土壤细菌α多样性则表现为：T3>T1>T2. RDA分析表明,影响细菌群落的理化指标主要有土壤pH值、脲酶、铵态氮和硝态氮.所有土壤样本中共检测到细菌60门,其中以变形菌门和酸杆菌门为优势细菌门.根据PICRUSt2预测,代谢是落羽杉土壤细菌群落中普遍存在的基本功能,与C、 N和P有关的各代谢途径存在一定的时间差异.以上研究结果有助于加深对三峡消落带植被修复...     

Postemergence Control of Microstegium vimineum on Riparian Restoration Sites with Aquatic‐Use Registered Herbicides

Microstegium vimineum is an invasive grass introduced from Asia that has spread throughout riparian areas of the eastern United States threatening native riparian vegetation. Postemergence (POST) herbicides registered for aquatic use were evaluated for control of M. vimineum on two riparian restoration sites in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain of North Carolina. This study found that standard and lower than standard rates of diquat, fluridone, flumioxazin, glyphosate, imazamox, and imazapyr reduced weed stem density and biomass at 6 and 30 weeks after treatment (WAT). Both rates of bispyribac and penoxsulam provided less control of M. vimineum. Visual ratings showed both rates of diquat, flumioxazin, imazamox, and imazapyr controlled 63‐100% of M. vimineum at 6 WAT and 84‐100% at 30 WAT. Fluridone and glyphosate provided slightly less control. Bispyribac and penoxsulam treatments provided less control at 6 and 30 WAT compared to the other treatments. Plots treated with both rates of diquat, flumioxazin, imazamox, and imazapyr were nearly devoid of all vegetation at 30 WAT. Recommendations include POST application of lower than standard rates of diquat, flumioxazin, fluridone, glyphosate, imazamox, and imazapyr on riparian restoration sites infested with M. vimineum. Immediate vegetation management measures including temporary and permanent plant cover should be employed on treated sites where weeds are completely eradicated to prevent erosion.     

A General Equilibrium Model of Ecosystem Services in a River Basin

This study builds a general equilibrium model of ecosystem services, with sectors of the economy competing for use of the environment. The model recognizes that production processes in the real world require a combination of natural and human inputs, and understanding the value of these inputs and their competing uses is necessary when considering policies of resource conservation. We demonstrate the model with a numerical example of the Mississippi‐Atchafalaya river basin, in which grain production in the upper basin causes hypoxia that causes damages to the downstream fishing industry. We show that the size of damages is dependent on both environmental and economic shocks. While the potential damages to fishing are large, most of the damage occurs from economic forces rather than a more intensive use of nitrogen fertilizers. We show that these damages are exacerbated by increases in rainfall, which will likely get worse with climate change. We discuss welfare effects from a tax on nitrogen fertilizers and investments in riparian buffers. A 3% nitrogen tax would reduce the size of the hypoxic zone by 11% at a cost of 2% of Iowa's corn output. In comparison, riparian buffers are likely to be less costly and more popular politically.     

Does Riparian Forest Restoration Thinning Enhance Biodiversity? The Ecological Importance of Large Wood

Intact riparian ecosystems are rich in biological diversity, but throughout the world, many have been degraded. Biodiversity declines, particularly of vertebrates, have led to experimental efforts to restore riparian forests by thinning young stands to accelerate creation of large diameter live trees. However, many vertebrates depend on large diameter deadwood that is standing as snags or fallen to the forest floor or fallen into streams. Therefore, we reviewed the sizes of deadwood and live trees used by different vertebrate species to understand which species are likely to benefit from different thinning treatments. We then examined how riparian thinning affects the long‐term development of both large diameter live trees and deadwood. To this end, we used a forest growth model to examine how different forest thinning intensities might affect the long‐term production and abundance of live trees and deadwood. Our results suggest that there are long‐term habitat tradeoffs associated with different thinning intensities. Species that utilize large diameter live trees will benefit most from heavy thinning, whereas species that utilize large diameter deadwood will benefit most from light or no thinning. Because far more vertebrate species utilize large deadwood rather than large live trees, allowing riparian forests to naturally develop may result in the most rapid and sustained development of structural features important to most terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates.     

装甲车辆沙漠戈壁地区环境适应性试验设计

针对我军当前装甲车辆鉴定定型试验中，沙漠戈壁地区适应性试验考核试验覆盖度较低、考核强度不足、试验标准老旧等问题，导致作战效能大幅下降，甚至无法满足作战使用要求。在参照当前传统的严寒、湿热、高原地区适应试验组织方法基础上，结合当前复杂环境试验及边界条件考核要求，分析了沙漠戈壁地区敏感环境因素，提出了2种新型试验方法，一是“基础+复杂”组合的沙漠戈壁地区适应性试验方法，二是基于作战使用任务剖面循环的试验方法，进一步提升试验考核强度及深度，为装甲车辆沙漠戈壁地区适应性试验开展提供了设计新思路。