FLUSHING CHARACTERISTICS OF A MISSISSIPPI DEAD-END CANAL SYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: A study of residential canal system on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and adjacent natural water bodies was conducted to determine the relationship in flushing characteristics between man-made and natural systems. The comparison was based on measurements of temperature, salinity, conductivity, coliform, pH, transparency, biological oxidation demand, dissolved oxygen, bathymetry, tides, water velocity, and Rhodamine dye concentrations. The results indicate that coliform bacteria increase with increasing distance of stations from St. Louis Bay and dissolved oxygen decreases in a similar manner. Biological oxidation demand was low at all stations; showing no differences between natural and man-made systems. The canal system Studied was shallower than adjacent water bodies and water velocities in the canal system are a function of tidal amplitude while velocities in the river are affected by both tides and runoff. The other parameters measured show little or no differences between natural and man-made systems, but reflect overall seasonal changes. Flushing rates between the residential canal systems and an adjacent natural system are equivalent on the basis of decline in dye concentrations measured over a five-day period.     

NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE AND THE COASTAL ZONE: A CASE STUDY OF HURRICANE ELOISE1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents evidence that currently published flood insurance premiums may be insufficient to cover expected losses in coastal areas subject to hurricane. The problems of developing flood premiums in coastal zones are discussed and Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) reaction to these problems analyzed. Flood losses in the coastal zone of Bay County, Florida due to hurricane Eloise are compared with losses which would be predicted by the FIA. This comparison raises important questions concerning the adequacy of flood premiums in coastal zones and the undesirable indirect effects that underpricing flood risk will have on location decisions in the coastal floodplain.     

Novel dimensionless index for physically based assessment of thermal refugia characterizes off-channel habitat on gravel bed river

In the Willamette River, OR, main channel temperatures can be too warm for cold water fishes, causing fish to concentrate in secondary channel features that provide thermal refugia. However, temperature regimes vary among and within features. Improved understanding of physical processes controlling thermal regimes is needed. This study developed a dimensionless index for assessment of thermal refugia on the upper Willamette River. The novel hyporheic insolation (HIN) index uses minimal field measurements to predict thermal refugia resulting from buffering. Continuous water temperature measurements at one side channel, eight alcoves, and six beaver ponds provided data to ground truth calculated ${ℍ}_{\text{in}}$ predictions. Water temperature records were first used to characterize stratification at sites. Calculation of the Richardson number, an index of stability, showed two well-mixed sites and 13 stratified sites. At stratified sites, calculated ${ℍ}_{\text{in}}$ values characterized the ratio of cooling flux from hyporheic discharge to heat flux from incoming solar radiation. As ${ℍ}_{\text{in}}$ increased, measured temperatures at sites decreased. Despite overall scatter, a logarithmic fit to bin-averaged ${ℍ}_{\text{in}}$ values showed R² = 0.91. Calculations suggest that secondary channel features characterized by stratification and cool hyporheic discharge can provide thermal refugia. Accordingly, the HIN index may serve as a practical tool grounded in physical processes governing temperature across a floodplain.     

PRECISE WATER VELOCITY MEASUREMENTS USING PHOTOGRAMMETRIC TECHNIQUES1

ABSTRACT Necessary input parameters for studying mixing zone characteristics of thermal plumes are horizontal surface and subsurface water velocities. Using time lapse aerial photography and analytical photogrammetric techniques, movements of drogues in an effluent plume were traced. From these traces accurate velocity vectors were obtained. Photographic coordinates of drogue images were measured using a glass scale. From the photo coordinates and the results of a ground control survey, an analytical solution was made for positions of drogues in the water at known intervals of time. Drogue positions were mapped for selected exposures thereby providing a visual display of velocity vectors in the study area. A rigorous error analysis was performed to determine the validity of the computed results.     

Road traffic and nearby grassland bird patterns in a suburbanizing landscape

An extensive road system with rapidly increasing traffic produces diverse ecological effects that cover a large land area. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of roads with different traffic volumes on surrounding avian distributions, and its importance relative to other variables. Grassland bird data (5 years) for 84 open patches in an outer suburban/rural landscape near Boston were analyzed relative to: distance from roads with 3000–8000 to >30,000 vehicles/day; open-habitat patch size; area of quality microhabitat within a patch; adjacent land use; and distance to other open patches. Grassland bird presence and regular breeding correlated significantly with both distance from road and habitat patch size. Distance to nearest other open patch, irrespective of size, was not significant. Similarly, except for one species, adjacent land use, in this case built area, was not significant. A light traffic volume of 3000–8000 vehicles/day (local collector street here) had no significant effect on grassland bird distribution. For moderate traffic of 8000–15,000 (through street), there was no effect on bird presence although regular breeding was reduced for 400 m from a road. For heavier traffic of 15,000–30,000 (two-lane highway), both bird presence and breeding were decreased for 700 m. For a heavy traffic volume of ≥30,000 vehicles/day (multilane highway), bird presence and breeding were reduced for 1200 m from a road. The results suggest that avian studies and long-term surveys near busy roads may be strongly affected by traffic volume or changes in volume. We conclude that road ecology, especially the effects extending outward >100 m from roads with traffic, is a sine qua non for effective land-use and transportation policy.     

资源型矿区可持续发展系统的协调性分析

资源型矿区可持续发展问题已成为人们关注的焦点.矿产资源需求的增加,开采力度的加强,资源不可避免的减少,而与矿产资源紧密相连的矿区,其生存和发展也随之面临着严峻挑战.从资源型矿区的现状出发,分析了我国矿区目前面临的问题,并从这些问题着手,提出了协调性的观点.基于协调性的观点,采用矿区可持续发展系统整体协调发展指数对资源型矿区可持续发展整体协调性进行了评价,认为资源型矿区的持续发展必须依靠其自身内部子系统的协调.     

Riparian ecotone: A functional definition and delineation for resource assessment

We propose a geomorphic basis for defining riparian areas using the term: riparian ecotone, discuss how past definitions fall short, and illustrate how a linked sequence of definition, delineation, and riparian sampling are used to accurately assess riparian resources on the ground. Our riparian ecotone is based on the width of the valley (its floodprone area width) plus 30 meters on each side to encompass the important adjacent riparian functions, and 15 meters around obvious landslides. A functionally consistent riparian definition and delineation does not derive from land adjacent to a stream, rather it derives from the valley the stream runs through.     

THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A GIS-BASED CONTAMINANT SOURCE INVENTORY OVER THE SPOKANE AQUIFER,SPOKANE COUNTY WASHINGTON1

ABSTRACT: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) statutes require identification of all potential sources of contamination within a wellhead protection area. All wells over Spokane County's aquifer are included in one wellhead protection zone called the Aquifer Sensitive Area (ASA). A GIS-based Contaminant Source Inventory (CSI) was developed for the ASA. Datasets listing businesses and agencies within the ASA were imported into the GIS from state, county, city, and local agencies. These datasets were selected, joined, and sorted using GIS relational database capabilities into one ASA “business master file.” Map files were projected and transformed into common coordinates. Next, business sites within the master file were spatially related by address to the digital map files. Likely Critical Materials Users (CMU) were identified by sorting on selected standard Industrial Codes (SIC). Additional files of CMUs were imported into the Contaminant Source Inventory. GIS queries were performed to locate specific materials, quantities, and storage facilities, and to analyze CMU activity within selected buffer zones. This project demonstrated the usefulness of GIS technology in the development, management, maintenance, and analysis of vast quantities of data associated with a local wellhead protection pro. gram.     

利用修改的震级—频度关系研究扬—铜地震带的未来地震

本文对修改的震级-频度关系进行了全面的统计检验。结果表明,修改的震级-频度关系从整体上讲拟合精度是令人满意的,可用于预测。本文根据扬—铜带修改的震级-频度关系,以及极值方法的结果,预测扬—铜带未来可能发生一次6.5—6.8级地震。     

中国东部应力场与板块运动

随着空间观测技术发展,板块运动有可能从定性进入定量化研究.本文运用空间观测技术和大地测量采集的数据,探讨板块运动方向、速度对中国东部应力场构成的作用和影响.着重研究了该地区有代表性构造——郯庐深大断裂带的应力分布状态.结果表明,华北地块是受太平洋板块向北西西和欧亚板块向北东挤压,形成了最大水平压应力方向为北东东;华南地块最大水平压应力方向为北西西,它是由菲律宾板块向北西挤压和印度板块向北东推移影响引起的。同时,据初步研究认为,原区域应力场与震源应力场展布存在着较为明显的差异,故对预测地震,加强应力场演变过程研究是一项有意义和重要的工作.