MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS OF WATER-USE DATA USING A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM1

ASSTRACT: As part of its mission, the U.S. Geological Survey conducts water-resources research. Site-specific and aggregate water-use data are used in the Survey's National Water-Use Information Program and in various hydrologic investigations. Both types of activities have specific requirements in terms of water-use data access, analysis, and display. In Kansas, the Survey obtains water-use information from several sources. Trpically, this information is in a format that is not readily usable by the Survey. Geographic information system (GIS) technology is being used to restructure the available water-use data into a format that allows users to readily access and summarize site-specific water-use data by source (i.e., surface or ground water), type of use, and user-defined area.     

Traffic speeds associated with implementation of 80 mph speed limits on West Texas rural interstates

Problem

In 2006 Texas raised the daytime speed limit for passenger vehicles on segments of I-10 and I-20 from 75 to 80 mph. Methods: Traffic speeds were measured before and 3, 12, and 16 months after the limit was changed. Results: During the 16-month period following the speed limit increase, mean speeds of passenger vehicles on I-20 increased by 9 mph relative to the comparison road, where no speed limit change occurred and traffic speeds declined. On I-10 mean speeds increased by 4 mph relative to the comparison road. Limiting the analysis to the month before the speed limit change and 1 year later, the proportion of drivers exceeding 80 mph was 18 times higher on I-20 and 2 times higher on I-10. Discussion: The smaller speed increases on I-10 may be related to its proximity to the U.S. border with Mexico. Highly visible border patrol activity coincided with posting of the higher speed limit. Long-term monitoring in other states suggests that traffic speeds in Texas are likely to continue to increase. Impact on Industry: The present study adds to the wealth of evidence that increased speed limits lead to increased travel speeds. The primary countermeasures to reduce the risk of speed-related crashes include highly visible police traffic enforcement and the use of speed cameras accompanied by publicity.     

成渝地区《大气污染防治行动计划》实施的成本效益评估

本文基于大气污染导致的疾病负担模型和投入产出模型,利用成渝地区环境统计基表以及《大气污染防治行动计划》（以下简称\"大气十条\"）自查报告的详细数据,对成渝地区\"大气十条\"实施的大气污染治理成本、健康效益和社会经济影响进行全面评估,得出如下结论：①成渝地区\"大气十条\"实施的环境健康效益大于其治理成本,成渝地区\"大气十条\"实施成本为376.3亿元,环境健康效益为670亿元,环境健康效益比实施成本高78%。②重点工业行业是成渝地区\"大气十条\"治理的重点,其治理成本为309.3亿元;其次是机动车治理成本,为50.1亿元。③成渝地区\"大气十条\"实施的环保投资为746亿元,对GDP拉动效应为1004.7亿元,增加就业5.24万人,有一定的社会经济拉动效益。④成渝地区PM_2.5降低1μg/m³需花费8.2亿元,其中,四川省PM_2.5降低1μg/m³成本为10.4亿元,重庆市为6.0亿元。     

黑龙江凉水国家级自然保护区大气氮沉降特征

为了监测黑龙江凉水国家级自然保护区的大气氮沉降水平,在2015年生长季用干湿沉降采集器连续观测了大气氮湿沉降和颗粒物干沉降量,并在非生长季用自制观测桶观测了大气混合氮沉降量.结果表明:（1）该区2015～2016年度大气氮沉降总通量（生长季湿沉降+颗粒物干沉降以及非生长季混合沉降）为12.93 kg·（hm²·a）^-1,其中无机氮沉降总通量为8.27kg·（hm²·a）^-1,NH₄⁺/NO₃^-为1.3;有机氮沉降总通量为4.66 kg·（hm²·a）^-1,占全氮比例为36.0%.（2）生长季（湿沉降+颗粒物干沉降）和非生长季（混合沉降）氮沉降总量分别为11.42 kg·hm^-2和1.51 kg·hm^-2,分别占全年氮沉降总通量的88.3%和11.7%.（3）生长季氮湿沉降总量为9.28 kg·hm^-2,占生长季氮干湿沉降总量的81.3%,且与降水量显著正相关（R2=0.87,P<0.001）;生长季颗粒物干沉降总量为2.14 kg·hm^-2,占生长季干湿沉降总量的18.7%.该区氮湿沉降量受降水量影响明显,且在全国属于中等水平,存在一定的环境风险,当地在生活生产过程中应注意环境保护与水质监测.     

Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009): Missed Opportunities for Environmental Messages

Ken Burns, over the course of a long and celebrated career, has developed an effective and popular formula for his documentary films, and a comfortable relationship with the Public Broadcasting System. With such a convincing, accomplished style, his work has the opportunity to tackle ecological concerns in his latest series, but Burns chooses not to do so, offering no explicit lessons to apply to current problems. While stressing the importance of the people's parks, ecological debates on land use for future citizen-owners are minimized; the conflict of conservation versus preservation policies is barely differentiated. With the skill and reputation of Burns, his researchers, and his production team, there is a singular opportunity for their films to address ecological issues, creating productive conversation using America as a microcosm of the larger global issues faced today. Nostalgia and national pride are useful, but those attributes should be channeled to look to the future.     

生态工业园建设中的绿色物流规划研究

通过分析现代物流对生态工业园建设带来的环境影响,论述了在可持续发展原则下的绿色物流战略;并以苏州新加坡工业园为例,探讨了绿色物流的发展模式,以及这种模式对生态工业园建设的意义。     

敦煌市鸣沙山月牙泉自然遗产保全的研究

鸣沙山月牙泉自然遗产是世界上罕见的奇特沙漠景观。随着当地旅游业的发展和地下水的不合理开采利用,使月牙泉呈现干涸的趋势,鸣沙山的生态景观受到严重破坏。为了保全这一自然遗产,通过实地考察和数据资料的比较分析研究,提出4个方面的措施:第一,合理开发利用祁连山雪山融水、“引哈济党”,解决区域的用水水源问题;第二,狭管效应、生物降解被(BiodegradableScreen)护岸、生态理念,改善月牙泉形成的地理环境;第三,建立绿色植被隔离带;第四,建立国家级沙漠公园。     

Contaminants evaluation of Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas and Missouri,USA

At the new Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge in Linn County, Kansas, and Bates County, Missouri, USA, we evaluated long-lived contaminants before acquisition of the land for the refuge. We sampled sediments at 16 locations and fish at seven locations. The samples were analyzed for metals and for chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds. Selected sediment samples also were analyzed for aliphatic hydrocarbons. Arsenic concentrations in sediment samples from six locations were elevated compared to US norms, but arsenic was not detected in any fish composite. Mercury concentrations in largemouth bass from two locations were comparable to the 85th percentile concentrations in nationwide fish collections. Most sediment concentrations of other metals were unlikely to have detrimental effects on biota. No chlorinated hydrocarbons were detected in any sediment sample. Chlordane compound concentrations in fish composites from two sites at the eastern end of the sampling area were 0.127 and 0.228 μg/g wet weight, respectively, which are high enough to cause concern. Most aliphatic hydrocarbons detected were found at low concentrations and probably were natural in origin. We concluded that there are no serious contaminants concerns within the project area, but past use of arsenical pesticides may mean a legacy of elevated soil arsenic levels in parts of the area and some use of banned pesticides such as chlordane and DDT likely is still occurring near the refuge.