Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Stage And Discharge Prediction From Documentary Time-Lapse Imagery, Kenneth W. Chapman, Troy E. Gilmore, Mehrube Mehrubeoglu, Christian D. Chapman, Aaron R. Mittelstet, John E. Stranzl Jr.

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Imagery from fixed, ground-based cameras is rich in qualitative and quantitative information that can improve stream discharge monitoring. For instance, time-lapse imagery may be valuable for filling data gaps when sensors fail and/or during lapses in funding for monitoring programs. In this study, we used a large image archive (> 40,000 images from 2012 to 2019) from a fixed, ground-based camera that is part of a documentary watershed imaging project (https://plattebasintimelapse.com/). Scalar image features were extracted from daylight images taken at one-hour intervals. The image features were fused with United States Geological Survey stage and discharge data as …

The "Upside-Down" River: Trends In Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, And Microcystin Concentration In The Klamath Basin, 2010-2021, Kayla M. Fitzpatrick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Klamath River tends to experience impaired upstream water quality, which improves downstream. Although this consensus is accepted, an updated spatiotemporal analysis of certain water quality parameters has not been conducted since 2017. With four of the Klamath River’s dams slated for removal by the end of 2024, it is critical to have an updated assessment of current water quality conditions from which to compare conditions following dam removal. In this study, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and microcystin data from 2010-2021 were analyzed to determine concentration trends from Link Dam to the Klamath River Estuary.

Concentrations of TN …

Comparison Between Two Global Models Approaches For He + H2o Atmospheric Pressure Radio-Frequency Capacitive Discharges, Osama Ahmed Shabaek, Farouk Fahmi Elakshar, Osama Mohamed Yassin

Al-Azhar Bulletin of Science

In the present paper, we have proposed a chemical kinetic global model to simulate discharge systems with He, working gas, in the existence of different humidity levels. Comparing model results and simulation and experiment in literature establishes satisfaction of model results in qualitative and quantitative levels. The effect of varying model input parameters on densities of OH, H2O2, and HO2 has been investigated. Rising input power increases the yield of the system but raising it over 2W has a minor benefit. Keeping the gas temperature at 300 K has a negligible effect on yield of OH and H2O2 and small …

Bmp Training Instructional Aid For Protection Of Edwards Aquifer Water Quality From Firefighting Runoff, Walter Den, Mark Black

Other Materials

No abstract provided.

The Surface Chemistry And Binding Interactions Of Lignin With Polymer-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles Acting As Model Microplastics, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Akinsola

All Master's Theses

This study investigates the surface chemistry and molecular-level interactions between lignin, a special type of natural organic matter, and polymer-capped gold nanoparticles, shedding light on the strength of adsorption between lignin and nanoscale polymer surfaces. Specifically, the study presents a variety of nanoscale polymer surfaces displaying different charged functional groups, using layer-by-layer assembly of three polyelectrolytes (polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH)), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC)) on 90 nm citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This approach provides a library of polymer-encapsulated AuNPs for investigating the binding interactions of lignin to nanoscale polymers via spectroscopic techniques. ζ-potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), …

A Comparison Of Sediment Accumulation Effectiveness Behind Beaver Dam Analogues, One Rock Dams, And Post-Assisted Log Structures On East Foster Creek, Douglas County, Wa, Griffin Hansen

All Master's Theses

Waterways are valuable resources for communities and habitats, but are subject to degradation in the form of incision. This is a type of streambed erosion where streams narrow and deepen. Sediment control dams were placed on East Foster Creek in Douglas County, WA to control incision following the 2020 Pearl Hill fire. This study examined sediment capture in the ponds behind these dams, which included beaver dam analogues (BDAs), one rock dams (ORDs), and post-assisted log structures (PALS). Sediment capture may be influenced by several factors, including dam type, height, width, distance between dams, vegetation, land use, topography, soil type, …

Utah Growing Water Smart: The Water-Land Use Integration Guidebook For Southwestern Utah, Kelly Kopp, Joanna Endter-Wada

Utah Growing Water Smart

The Utah Growing Water Smart workshops bring together teams of key community staff and water and land use planning decision makers to help build a more resilient and sustainable water future. The workshops use a range of public engagement, planning, communication, and policy implementation tools to help community teams realize their water efficiency, smart growth, watershed health, and water resiliency goals.

This 3^rd edition of the Utah Growing Water Smart curriculum guidebook was prepared for the workshop focused on the Washington County Water Conservancy District service area and held on the campus of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, …

Household Water Conservation For The Upper Colorado River Basin, Lauren Ott

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Fresh, clean, potable water is the most important natural resource to sustain human life. Concern over the continued, equitable and affordable access to such water is therefore top of mind. Calls for climate change mitigation practices, improved natural resource management, and enhanced attention to water conservation have therefore become increasingly prevalent. These water conservation practices require population-wide political, attitudinal and behavioral shifts and it will be especially impactful for wealthy nations and wealthy people to be mindful of instituting these changes in their own spaces.

In this project, I conduct a literature review to investigate current challenges surrounding water from …

The Efficacy Of Wetland Treatment Systems Used To Treat Runoff Mixtures From Different Landscapes Across Kentucky, Emily Nottingham

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The overarching goal was to improve our understanding of the cumulative effect of increased use and occurrence of commonly detected contaminants of potential concern (CPCs) on nitrogen (N) transformation processes in wetlands. The central hypothesis was that those various mixtures of nutrients and CPCs entering treatment wetlands impact N removal pathways. The first study assessed the current state of the literature on the implications to N removal in wetlands in the presence of pesticides and antibiotics. 181 primary studies were identified. Removal efficiencies for nitrate varied widely across the studies, with CPCs impacting microbial communities. A knowledge gap remains in …

Dam Dimensions And Surface Porosity Affect The Water Storage Capacity Of Beaver Dam Analogs Compared To Natural Beaver Dams, Sawyer Nagle

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Widespread stream incision in the Western United States, exacerbated by climate change and anthropogenic activities, necessitates effective restoration strategies. My study compares water retention by Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) to natural beaver dams and undammed control reaches. I compared how dam dimensions affect the hydraulic performance of both BDAs and beaver dams, revealing gaps in research on their comparative effectiveness. My study was conducted across eight watersheds in Washington state and two in Idaho. Hydraulic retention time (HRT), water travel time, and pool volume were response variables used to determine dam effectiveness. Dam height, thickness, length and porosity were the …

A Social-Ecological Approach To Evaluating Short-Term Water Leasing For Streamflow Conservation In Montana, Usa, Logan A. Brauer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Streams throughout Montana are increasingly caught between increasing temperatures, decreasing summer precipitation, and heavy water demand for irrigated agriculture. Amid rapidly growing urban populations and uncertain climatic futures, many watersheds in Montana may face water shortages that impact aquatic species and habitat in the upcoming years. Conservation efforts around the state are working to mitigate water stress in these streams especially during the late summer season, when streamflow is naturally lower, and/or in times of drought. One policy solution to address low flows is a concept known as temporary leasing or split season leasing programs (SSLP), whereby an entity (e.g., …

Factors Affecting Electrocoagulation Process For Different Water Types: A Review, Shahad Fadhil Abed Al-Rubaye, Naseer A. Alhaboubi, Aiman H. Al-Allaq

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Raw water must meet specific physical, chemical, and biological requirements to be suitable for drinking. There are various techniques available for treating wastewater, and aside from conventional methods that involve chemicals, electrocoagulation is an efficient and advanced approach. Electrocoagulation has proven effective in treating many pollutants, including bacteria, viruses, iron, fluoride, sulfate, boron, hardness, and turbidity. Total suspended solids, organic and inorganic materials, chemical oxygen demand COD, biochemical oxygen demand BOD, and color. It finds extensive application in treating different types of water and wastewater due to its exceptional ability to remove diverse contaminants. Recently, electrocoagulation has garnered significant attention …

Mapping With The Land: Co-Developing A Cumulative Impact Monitoring And Land Stewardship Framework With Sambaa K’E First Nation, Northwest Territories, Canada, Michael S. Mcphee

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Across the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, Indigenous populations are striving to achieve effective environmental protection, whilst navigating complex methods, policies, and research relationships within co-management contexts. This thesis seeks to identify how differing cultural systems, environmental change, and fractured partnerships may be unified to align with the needs of the Sambaa K’e First Nation (SKFN), a remote Dehcho Dene community. Indigenous methodologies guided co-development of research questions with SKFN leadership which yielded objectives a) develop a GIS-based method to manage, organize and mobilize cultural and environmental data; b) develop a new stewardship monitoring procedure so that users can apply the …

Measuring And Modeling Riparian Wetland Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity, Nutrient Concentrations And Shallow Groundwater Dynamics In An Appalachian Mixed Land Use Catchment, Bidisha Faruque Abesh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The paucity of research on accurate predictions of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), spatiotemporal analysis of nutrient concentrations relative to water source types (stream and shallow groundwater (SGW)), water flow directions, and land use in riparian wetlands of Appalachian mixed land use catchments underscored the need for this study. Additionally, the lack of SGW flow simulations and stream-SGW interactions using three-dimensional (3D) numerical models (i.e., MODFLOW) in these riparian wetlands further highlighted the research gap. Observed data including soil properties, Ksat, surface water (SW) and SGW levels, and nutrient concentrations, including nitrate (NO3-N), nitrite (NO2-N), ammonium (NH4-N), orthophosphate (PO43-P), total nitrogen …

Performance Evaluation Of A Dual-Chamber Plant Microbial Fuel Cell Developed For Electricity Generation And Wastewater Treatment, Mahmood Golzarian, M. Ghiasvand, S. Shokri, M. Bahreini, Fatemeh Kazemi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Plant microbial fuel cells (PMFC) have attracted great scholarly attention as a renewable energy source. These cells have three main components: anode, cathode chambers, and a proton exchange membrane. In this study, a dual-chamber plant microbial fuel cell system was designed using Cyperus papyrus and Shewanella oneidensis. The effects of various factors, including the size of the electrodes, the distance between the electrodes, and the inoculation volume of Shewanella oneidensis, on the ability of electricity generation, were scrutinized. The results indicated that increasing the size area of the electrodes from 2 × 2 to 4 × 4 and 6 × …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Ecological Operation In Yangtze River Basin With Yangtze River Simulator, Jun Xia, Zhonghui Lin, Chesheng Zhan, Wenjuan Gao, Yunliang Li, Jing Yao, Sidong Zeng, Renyong Huang, Hongzhu Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Ecological protection and green development in the Yangtze River basin are critical to the ecological construction of a Beautiful China. This study analyzes the current situation and main problems of the water ecology in the Yangtze River basin, and introduces the development of the Yangtze River Simulator, and the design for the ecological operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir, the main river, and the lakes connected to the river. Through the simulation of the main stream water ecology and lake water ecology by the Yangtze River Simulator, the optimization plan for the ecological regulation of the Three Gorges Reservoir was …

Effectiveness And Challenges Of Aquatic Ecological Restoration Of Chishui River In Upper Yangtze River, Fei Liu, Huanzhang Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

“To set an example of green development and strength ecological environmental protection in the Chishui River basin” is an important proposal listed in the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021--2025) for National Economic and Social Development and Vision 2035 of the People’s Republic of China. Strengthening eco-environmental protection in the Chishui River will play an exemplary and leading role in maintaining fish diversity of the upper Yangtze River, promoting regional high-quality development, and creating a new situation of ecological civilization and Beautiful China. This study interprets the ecological functions of the Chishui River in the upper Yangtze River, expounds …

Impacts, Contributing Factors And Countermeasures Of Extreme Droughts In Poyang Lake, Qi Zhang, Chenyang Xue, Jun Xia

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In the past 20 years, the hydrological regime of Poyang Lake changed significantly. The lake water level has been continuously decreasing, resulting in severe droughts. In particular, an extreme drought occurred in 2022, when the lake area shrank to less than 300 km2. The 2022 extreme drought in Poyang Lake had great impacts on economy, society and ecological environment, which aroused great attentions and wide concerns. Based on long-term data series of meteorological and hydrological data and the existing research outcomes and with the aid of hydrological modeling, this study analyzed the impacts and contributing factors of the 2022 drought …

Environmental Fate Of Sulfur In Sulphur Creek, Valles Caldera, Nm: Implications For Metal Transport And Water Quality, Daniel Lavery

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The 1.2 Ma Valles Caldera in north-central New Mexico hosts a young igneous volcanic hydrothermal system after the model proposed in Goff and Janik (2000). The Sulphur Springs area within Valles Caldera is an acid-sulfate area typical of this model, discharging acidic waters (pH 1.5-3) formed by oxidation of magmatic H₂S at the surface. We report on samples obtained from springs and streams collected between October 2021 and May 2023 in the Sulphur Creek and Alamo watersheds. Sulphur Creek receives input from Sulphur Springs and exhibits low pH (2-4) and high concentrations of Al (≤110 mg/L), Fe (≤60 …

Targeting Macrophytes: Increased Water Quality Through Optimized Vegetation Considerations For Constructed Wetlands, Austin Mcbrady

Masters Theses

This study of constructed wetland design investigated relationships between macrophyte species selection and planting density for water quality improvement. A lab-scale wetland was compared against a pilot-scale wetland in San Antonio, Texas at Mitchell Lake to measure differences in effluent water quality improvement using three native macrophyte species. Using a novel, two-phase method, a targeting macrophyte was identified from among other species based on its marked capability for improving water quality factors, then was planted in varied majority densities to compare differences in treatment effectiveness. The results of this study showed that this complimentary approach to wetland design displayed significant …

The Influence Of Invasive Species On Fishers’ Satisfactions, Caroline M. Laplante

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Invasives species are prevalent and widespread in North America. Outdoor recreational activities, such as fishing, introduce a point in which humans may interact with invasive species and have to adapt their own behaviors. Bigheaded carp in the Missouri River below Gavin’s Point Dam are a group of invasive fish species that were thought to be negatively relating to recreational fishers’ satisfactions. Using a content analysis and an importance-grid, we conclude that invasive species do not strongly relate to recreational paddlefish fishers’ satisfactions. Paddlefish fishers represent a small sub-set of recreational fishers in Nebraska and South Dakota. The content analysis revealed …

Population Demography Of A Glacial-Relict Stream Fish Mediated Via Anthropogenic Alteration, Joseph M. Spooner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi are a small-bodied glacial-relict fish species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) found throughout Canada and the northern United Sates. Their distribution within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion is isolated from the northern core distribution of the species following the last glaciation period approximately 18,000 years ago. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion are predominately groundwater fed and provide the cool water temperatures needed to support Northern Pearl Dace and other glacial-relict SGCN. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion have been geomorphically altered through anthropogenic processes such as channelization whereby habitat homogenization has occurred. Evidence …

Habitat Heterogeneity In Nebraska Streams And Distribution Prediction For Tier-1 Cyprinids Using Multi-Scale Modeling Of Fluvial And Landscape Features, Connor P. Hart

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Multiscale environmental processes determine in-stream habitat conditions which drive species distributions. Habitat constitutes the physical template upon which ecological processes occur and species conduct life stage activities. Habitat heterogeneity promotes biodiversity of aquatic systems. Stream classification informs freshwater conservation by providing a useful framework to account for habitat heterogeneity, often based on landscape regions of similar environmental processes. A greater understanding of landscape-based classification frameworks as means to classify stream systems may improve understanding of drivers of biodiversity. Using Nebraska as a case study, on a statewide scale, objectives were 1) to characterize habitat availability for several at-risk fish species, …

Human Dimensions Of Woody Encroachment Management In Nebraska, Emily Rowen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Woody plant encroachment (WPE) is a social-ecological problem that will challenge conservation professionals and agricultural producers to adapt their management strategies. This research first examined WPE from the perspective of individual conservation professionals through an online survey. Conservation professionals’ attitudes about adaptation to vegetation transitions, such as WPE, were of interest because these attitudes are one measure of how prepared this group is to respond to WPE. Hypothesized predictors of adaptation attitude were tested through linear regression modeling. These predictors included ecological change, observation of WPE, or risk perception. It was found that risk perception was the strongest predictor of …

Stream Restoration Effectiveness In Mullins Creek In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amadeo Scott

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lotic waterways are vital for habitat, food, water, and flood protection, but urbanization poses a major threat to their integrity. Runoff from urban surfaces leads to pollution, flashiness, loss of biodiversity, and other symptoms, also known as Urban Stream Syndrome (USS). To combat USS, streams can be restored, but most restorations are not monitored so their long-term effectiveness is unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated a decade-old stream restoration in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to assess its effectiveness in combating USS and achieving set restoration goals, and to gain insights for future restoration projects. Restoration goals included decreasing erosion and sedimentation, increasing pool …

Movement Patterns Of A Federally Endangered Minnow In A Fragmented Desert River, Martinique J. Chavez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Fishes are unified in their need to move within the systems they occupy, and their movement patterns can be fundamental to their ecology and survival. Many large rivers in North America are fragmented by dams that modify natural flow regimes, compromise connectivity, and imperil freshwater fishes dependent on unrestricted movement in order to complete their life history. Coincident with widespread river fragmentation, are the declines of numerous endemic desert fishes in the American southwest. The Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus, RGSM), has experienced a 95% reduction in its historical range and is now restricted to a highly …

A Control Study Analysis Application Of Unoccupied Aerial Systems (Drones) To Monitor Eutrophication, Chrystal Mata

Water Resources Science and Technology Theses and Graduate Research Reports

Unmanned Aircraft systems (UAS) can offer a valuable perspective for detecting and monitoring for eutrophication in bodies of water by providing high-resolution images and data assignments for algal blooms and nutrient levels. Eutrophication, the process by which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, has emerged as a critical factor in evaluating and maintaining water quality. In this study, we use DJI Inspire Pro 1 equipped with a Zenmuse X3 camera, attached with a Parrot Sequoia multispectral sensor was used to in conjunction with algorithms to retrieve Chlorophyll parameters for monitoring eutrophication. Although water quality parameters such as pH, nitrate, phosphate, …

Trashed: A Review Of Anthropogenic Litter In An Urban Watershed, John D. Hamilton

Water Resources Science and Technology Theses and Graduate Research Reports

Urban creeks, streams and rivers have become an unfortunate destination for trash pollution. Within an urban watershed trash pollution is harmful to fish, wildlife, public health, contributes to microplastic proliferation, and aesthetically tarnishes an otherwise unscathed ecosystem. With lots of attention focused on trash in marine and coastal ecosystems, this study aims to contribute to the growing research on inland urban watersheds and their involvement. This study highlights issues associated with trash pollution, and investigates the associated vectors, origins, behaviors, and contributing factors that create trash ladened urban watersheds. Datasets and site surveys from repeated trash cleanups in three creekside …

Controls On Sediment Connectivity In Fluvial Networks Impacted By Wildfire Across Utah, Alec Arditti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Flooding and sedimentation caused by wildfire are among the greatest threats to watersheds, fish populations and reservoirs in the western US. Burned landscapes are at risk for increased runoff and erosion and have the potential to transport sediment that may put downstream resources at risk. The ability of the channel to transport sediment downstream, known as the connectivity, is important for determining where impacts may occur. Sediment bottlenecks are locations within the watershed where local conditions produce a persistent decrease in downstream connectivity of sediment, resulting in increased sediment deposition and potentially a substantial modification of the local channel and …