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Clarke, Derek. "Birch River watershed baseline study." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ35056.pdf.
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Smailes, Angela Mary. "Catalyzing community-based watershed stewardship, Coquitlam River Watershed : a case study." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0005/MQ37633.pdf.
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Munson, Amy D. 1971. "HSPF modeling of the Charles River Watershed." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9603.
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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technology and Policy Program, 1998.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 410-414).<br>This thesis develops a hydrological and water quality model of the Charles River Watershed in eastern Massachusetts. The model used for this project is HSPF, an EPA-sponsored continuous simulation model. Based on land use information from MassGIS, six land use types-open space/agriculture, wetland/riparian, forest, highdensity residential, low-density residential, and impervious land-were defined. The watershed was discretized into 160 reaches and subwatersheds based on physical structures and transport constraints. Stage-discharge relationships in each river reach, required by HSPF, were computed using backwater curves. Discharges of three wastewater treatment plants were added as point sources to the river. To compensate for this input of water, the groundwater pumping contributing to each treatment plant was withdrawn from the appropriate reaches. The hydrologic model in HSPF was calibrated against four streamflow gages at Milford, Dover, Wellesley, and Waltham until the highest r-squared values, lowest root mean square errors, and a reasonable surface runoff to interflow ratio were obtained. Once the hydrology was calibrated, fecal coliform was simulated in the river. Coliform sources in both wet and dry weather were identified. Postulated dry weather sources include illegal sewer connections and wastewater treatment plant discharge. Additional sources occurring during wet weather include washoff of animal feces from the watershed, combined sewer overflow discharge, increased contributions from illegal connections, and bed resuspension of coliform organisms. An inverse model was applied to measured coliform concentrations to determine coliform loads for each reach during dry weather. HSPF's build-up and washoff equations were used to calibrate the wet weather sources to the existing coliform data set. An attempt to simulate water quality-including nutrients, phytoplankton, and dissolved oxygen-was made. Because most water quality processes are temperature dependent, water temperature was first calibrated. Abundant data was available from continuous recording gages and point measurements collected by watershed volunteers. However, not enough data was available to calibrate a complete dissolved oxygen model. Parameters for instream water quality processes were adapted from a previous study done in the Charles River with QUAL2E, a steady-state model which shares many of the same water quality processes with HSPF. Nutrients were input to the river using constant concentrations based on EPA's NURP study and measurements taken in tributaries. Simulations of the available calibration data indicate that concentrations of nitrate, phosphate, and chlorophyll A in the river are reasonably simulated, but BOD concentrations are severely underestimated. Simulated dissolved oxygen agrees with point measurements quite well, although the simulated diurnal cycle has a smaller amplitude than measured and also does not capture complexity observed in the data. Further data must be collected and additional calibration performed before the water quality model can be applied to watershed management scenarios. The calibrated hydrologic model was used to test scenarios of future development in the town of Franklin. The HSPF model helped quantify reductions of streamflow that may occur if municipal pumping is increased in the upper watershed. It also helped predict changes in runoff and streamflow as forested land is converted to residential land. These brief applications indicate that this HSPF model should be a good tool for helping direct and evaluate future watershed policy.<br>by Amy D. Munson.<br>S.M.
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Yazawa, Taishi. "Design Flood Criteria toward Integrated Watershed Management in the Johor River Watershed, Malaysia." 京都大学 (Kyoto University), 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/225577.
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Vilanculos, Agostinho Chuquelane Fadulo. "The use of hydrological information to improve flood management-integrated hydrological modelling of the Zambezi River basin." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018915.
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The recent high profile flooding events – that have occurred in many parts of the world – have drawn attention to the need for new and improved methods for water resources assessment, water management and the modelling of large-scale flooding events. In the case of the Zambezi Basin, a review of the 2000 and 2001 floods identified the need for tools to enable hydrologists to assess and predict daily stream flow and identify the areas that are likely to be affected by flooding. As a way to address the problem, a methodology was set up to derive catchment soil moisture statistics from Earth Observation (EO) data and to study the improvements brought about by an assimilation of this information into hydrological models for improving reservoir management in a data scarce environment. Rainfall data were obtained from the FEWSNet Web site and computed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climatic Prediction Center (NOAA/CPC). These datasets were processed and used to monitor rainfall variability and subsequently fed into a hydrological model to predict the daily flows for the Zambezi River Basin. The hydrological model used was the Geospatial Stream Flow Model (GeoSFM), developed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). GeoSFM is a spatially semi-distributed physically-based hydrological model, parameterised using spatially distributed topographic data, soil characteristics and land cover data sets available globally from both Remote Sensing and in situ sources. The Satellite rainfall data were validated against data from twenty (20) rainfall gauges located on the Lower Zambezi. However, at several rain gauge stations (especially those with complex topography, which tended to experience high rainfall spatial variability), there was no direct correlation between the satellite estimates and the ground data as recorded in daily time steps. The model was calibrated for seven gauging stations. The calibrated model performed quite well at seven selected locations (R2=0.66 to 0.90, CE=0.51 to 0.88, RSR=0.35 to 0.69, PBIAS=−4.5 to 7.5). The observed data were obtained from the National Water Agencies of the riparian countries. After GeoSFM calibration, the model generated an integration of the flows into a reservoir and hydropower model to optimise the operation of Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams. The Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams were selected because this study considers these two dams as the major infrastructures for controlling and alleviating floods in the Zambezi River Basin. Other dams (such as the Kafue and Itezhi-Thezi) were recognised in terms of their importance but including them was beyond the scope of this study because of financial and time constraints. The licence of the reservoir model was limited to one year for the same reason. The reservoir model used was the MIKE BASIN, a professional engineering software package and quasi-steady-state mass balance modelling tool for integrated river basin and management, developed by the Denmark Hydraulic Institute (DHI) in 2003. The model was parameterised by the geometry of the reservoir basin (level, area, volume relationships) and by the discharge-level (Q-h) relationship of the dam spillways. The integrated modelling system simulated the daily flow variation for all Zambezi River sub-basins between 1998 and 2008 and validated between 2009 and 2011. The resulting streamflows have been expressed in terms of hydrograph comparisons between simulated and observed flow values at the four gauging stations located downstream of Cahora Bassa dam. The integrated model performed well, between observed and forecast streamflows, at four selected gauging stations (R2=0.53 to 0.90, CE=0.50 to 0.80, RSR=0.49 to 0.69, PBIAS=−2.10 to 4.8). From the results of integrated modelling, it was observed that both Kariba and Cahora Bassa are currently being operated based on the maximum rule curve and both remain focused on maximising hydropower production and ensuring dam safety rather than other potential influences by the Zambezi River (such as flood control downstream – where the communities are located – and environmental issues). In addition, the flood mapping analysis demonstrated that the Cahora Bassa dam plays an important part in flood mitigation downstream of the dams. In the absence of optimisation of flow releases from both the Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams, in additional to the contribution of any other tributaries located downstream of the dams, the impact of flooding can be severe. As such, this study has developed new approaches for flood monitoring downstream of the Zambezi Basin, through the application of an integrated modelling system. The modelling system consists of: predicting daily streamflow (using the calibrated GeoSFM), then feeding the predicted streamflow into MIKE BASIN (for checking the operating rules) and to optimise the releases. Therefore, before releases are made, the flood maps can be used as a decision-making tool to both assess the impact of each level of release downstream and to identify the communities likely to be affected by the flood – this ensures that the necessary warnings can be issued before flooding occurs. Finally an integrated flood management tool was proposed – to host the results produced by the integrated system – which would then be accessible for assessment by the different users. These results were expressed in terms of water level (m). Four discharge-level (Q-h) relationships were developed for converting the simulated flow into water level at four selected sites downstream of Cahora Bassa dam – namely: Cahora Bassa dam site, Tete (E-320), Caia (E-291) and Marromeu (E-285). However, the uncertainties in these predictions suggested that improved monitoring systems may be achieved if data access at appropriate scale and quality was improved.
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Nagel, Alexander Cameron. "Analyzing Dam Feasibility in the Willamette River Watershed." PDXScholar, 2017. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/4012.
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This study conducts a dam-scale cost versus benefit analysis in order to explore the feasibility of each the 13 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commissioned dams in Oregon’s Willamette River network. Constructed between 1941 and 1969, these structures function in collaboration to comprise the Willamette River Basin Reservoir System (WRBRS). The motivation for this project derives from a growing awareness of the biophysical impacts that dam structures can have on riparian habitats. This project compares each of the 13 dams being assessed, to prioritize their level of utility within the system. The study takes the metrics from the top three services (flood regulation, hydropower generation and recreation) and disservices (fish mortality, structural risk and water temperature hazards) and creates a rubric that scores the feasibility of each dam within the system. Within a range between 0 to 3 for three dam services and 0 to -4.5 for two disservices, the overall calculated score elucidates for each structure whether its contribution to the WRBRS is positive or negative.
Further analysis searches for spatiotemporal trends such as anomalous tributaries or magnified structural risk for structures exceeding a certain age. GIS data from the National Inventory of Dams (NID), U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) water measurements, raw data from USACE, and peer-reviewed studies comprise the statistics that generate results for this analysis. The computed scores for each dam yield an average overall score of -1.31, and nine of the 13 structures have negative results, indicating that the WRBRS faces challenges going forward. The study seeks to contribute to the increasingly relevant examination of dam networks at the watershed scale.
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Dean, John R. "Improving summer drought prediction in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin with empirical downscaling." unrestricted, 2008. http://etd.gsu.edu/theses/available/etd-07152008-200815/.
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Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2008.<br>Title from file title page. Jeremy E. Diem, committee chair; Jeremy W. Crampton, John W. Matthews, committee members. Electronic text (84 p. : ill. (some col., maps (some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Oct. 1, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-84).
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Slemp, Christopher T. "An assessment of community capacity for sustainable watershed management in the lower Kaskaskia River watershed /." Available to subscribers only, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1966551511&sid=3&Fmt=2&clientId=1509&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Friedlich, Brian J. (Brian Joseph) 1982. "Low-impact development in the Assabet River Watershed : site hydrologic design and watershed-scal implications." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/31118.
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Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2005.<br>Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-85).<br>Low-Impact Development (LID) is a relatively new approach to stormwater management. It aims to mimic natural hydrology through increased recharge and decreased runoff. LID technologies focus on distributed treatment of stormwater, as opposed to traditional centralized management. The potential benefits include improved water quality in runoff, decreased flooding in rivers and streams, and increased baseflow critical to surface water quality. This thesis investigates two important aspects of any new stormwater management technology: the site level design and large-scale implications. A case study for site-level design is performed in the town of Acton in central Massachusetts. An LID stormwater management design is completed on a three-acre site. The design implements LID technologies, such as rain garden storage areas, pervious pavement, and curb cuts. Pre-developed, existing, and LID-designed scenarios are analyzed. A computer program called the Site Low-Impact Development Design (SLIDD) Model is developed to account for the distributed nature and unique characteristics of the LID technologies. Analysis reveals that LID is capable of not only improving the existing site hydrology, but returning a developed site to natural hydrologic conditions. The design is able to control both peak runoff rates and runoff volume. The watershed-scale implications of LID are of great importance, especially as implementation of such technologies increase. The potential benefits are analyzed using a water balance model of the Upper Nashoba Brook Watershed in Massachusetts. It is observed that LID implementation on a large scale can improve baseflow during critical summer low-flow months.<br>(cont.) It is also noted that LID can decrease flooding through the reduction of overland flow and interflow. The importance of using progressive stormwater management techniques like LID in the further development of the area is highlighted by an analysis of the decline of baseflow to zero during summer months with increased development. While the benefits strongly support LID, several concerns are noted. Both the decrease of ground water quality through increased recharge of contaminated stormwater and potential economic and logistic concerns of an increasing water table are potential liabilities of LID. The conditions under which LID could cause these problems are discussed, as well as potential solutions.<br>by Brian J. Friedlich.<br>M.Eng.
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Viers, Joshua Hunter. "Remote methodologies of watershed assessment : applications toward conservation and restoration in the Navarro River watershed /." For electronic version search Digital dissertations database. Restricted to UC campuses. Access is free to UC campus dissertations, 2003. http://uclibs.org/PID/11984.
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Slemp, Christopher Thomas. "An Assessment of Community Capacity for Sustainable Watershed Management in the Lower Kaskaskia River Watershed." OpenSIUC, 2009. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/131.
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Sprawling low density housing and retail developments characterize the growth patterns of many communities nationally. These patterns of development have been associated with impairments in ecosystem services that are critical to the functioning of social and natural systems. In response to the negative implications of these patterns, watershed initiatives are taking place across the U.S. These initiatives are characterized by participatory decision making processes involving diverse community interest groups. Studies have indicated that leadership and social capital contribute to the success of these initiatives. A qualitative assessment of community capacity for sustainable watershed management was conducted in two Lower Kaskaskia River watersheds. The study communities of Belleville and O'Fallon, Illinois are located in the eastern metropolitan region of St. Louis, MO. The primary concerns of community managers and planners are related to managing growth and its negative impacts on economic, social, and natural capitals. Six research questions drove this capacity assessment: (1) How do diverse community managers and residents define community health, (2) What role does the natural environment play in perceptions of community health, (3) What are the perceived effects of urbanization on the study communities, (4) What are community stakeholders' beliefs about the level of environmental protection within their communities, (5) What are stakeholders' perceptions of their communities' ability to solve problems and (6) What are critical indicators of community capacity to engage in sustainable watershed management. Study findings suggest that healthy natural environments are an essential element of healthy communities. Indicators of community capacity for watershed management were identified by participants. This list of indicators can be used as a tool by residents that have identified a need for a watershed initiative in their community. Key findings suggest that developing a sustainable vision, networking between groups, and leadership play important roles in the successful implementation of community based watershed initiatives.
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Tshimanga, Raphael Muamba. "Hydrological uncertainty analysis and scenario-based streamflow modelling for the Congo River Basin." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006158.
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The effects of climate and environmental change are likely to exacerbate water stress in Africa over the next five decades. It appears obvious, therefore, that large river basins with considerable total renewable water resources will play a prominent role in regional cooperation to alleviate the pressure of water scarcity within Africa. However, managing water resources in the large river basins of Africa involves problems of data paucity, lack of technical resources and the sheer scale of the problem. These river basins are located in regions that are characterized by poverty, low levels of economic development and little food security. The rivers provide multiple goods and services that include hydro-power, water supply, fisheries, agriculture, transportation, and maintenance of aquatic ecosystems. Sustainable water resources management is a critical issue, but there is almost always insufficient data available to formulate adequate management strategies. These basins therefore represent some of the best test cases for the practical application of the science associated with the Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB). The thesis presents the results of a process-based hydrological modelling study in the Congo Basin. One of the primary objectives of this study was to establish a hydrological model for the whole Congo Basin, using available historical data. The secondary objective of the study was to use the model and assess the impacts of future environmental change on water resources of the Congo Basin. Given the lack of adequate data on the basin physical characteristics, the preliminary work consisted of assessing available global datasets and building a database of the basin physical characteristics. The database was used for both assessing relationships of similarities between features of physiographic settings in the basin (Chapters 3 and 4), and establishing models that adequately represent the basin hydrology (Chapters 5, 6, and 7). The representative model of the Congo Basin hydrology was then used to assess the impacts of future environmental changes on water resources availability of the Congo Basin (Chapter 8). Through assessment of the physical characteristics of the basin, relationships of similarities were used to determine homogenous regions with regard to rainfall variability, physiographic settings, and hydrological responses. The first observation that comes from this study is that these three categories of regional groups of homogenous characteristics are sensible with regards to their geographical settings, but the overlap and apparent relationships between them are weak. An explanation of this observation is that there are insufficient data, particularly associated with defining sub-surface processes, and it is possible that additional data would have assisted in the discrimination of more homogenous groups and better links between the different datasets. The model application in this study consisted of two phases: model calibration, using a manual approach, and the application of a physically-based a priori parameter estimation approach. While the first approach was designed to assess the general applicability of the model and identify major errors with regard to input data and model structure, the second approach aimed to establish an understanding of the processes and identify useful relationships between the model parameters and the variations in real hydrological processes. The second approach was also designed to quantify the sensitivity of the model outputs to the parameters of the model and to encompass information sharing between the basin physical characteristics and quantifying the parameters of the model. Collectively, the study’s findings show that these two approaches work well and are appropriate to represent the real hydrological processes of Congo Basin. The secondary objective of this study was achieved by forcing the hydrological model developed for the Congo Basin with downscaled Global Climate Model (GCMs) data in order to assess scenarios of change and future possible impacts on water resources availability within the basin. The results provide useful lessons in terms of basin-wide adaptation measures to future climates. The lessons suggest that there is a risk of developing inappropriate adaptation measures to future climate change based on large scale hydrological response, as the response at small scales shows a completely different picture from that which is based on large scale predictions. While the study has concluded that the application of the hydrological model has been successful and can be used with some degree of confidence for enhanced decision making, there remain a number of uncertainties and opportunities to improve the methods used for water resources assessment within the basin. The focus of future activities from the perspective of practical application should be on improved access to data collection to increase confidence in model predictions, on dissemination of the knowledge generated by this study, and on training in the use of the developed water resources assessment techniques.
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Gala, Satya Sumanth Reddy. "HSPF Modeling of Nonpoint Sources in Tickfaw River Watershed." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2007. http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/550.
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The Tickfaw watershed is located in southeastern Louisiana with the Tickfaw River originating in Southern Mississippi, flowing through St. Helena and Livingston Parishes, and eventually emptying into Lake Maurepas. The total drainage area is 1,896 km2. Forests cover 66% of the watershed and agriculture is the second predominant land use type. The elevation of the watershed changes from 0 m above sea level in the south to 130 m in the north. According to the 2004 Louisiana Water Quality Inventory report section 303(d), outstanding natural resource and secondary contact recreation designated uses are fully supported, but fish and wildlife propagation and primary contact recreation are not supported. According to the 303(d) list, the impairments in Tickfaw River are mercury, total dissolved solids, fecal coliform, phosphorus and dissolved oxygen. There are many suspected sources of impairment, including agriculture, construction, forest management, and industrial sources. The goal of this study is to make use of a Geographic Information System (GIS), the EPA's BASINS tools, and the HSPF water quantity and quality modeling program to quantify and differentiate the sources of pollution that arise from storm water runoff coming from agriculture, forestry, and other sources. This will allow the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LADEQ) personnel to better focus implementation efforts on those areas and practices that appear most critical to water quality problems. In the process, a water quality model has been calibrated and validated for annual flows; seasonal flows and for water quality parameters like dissolved oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus. An assessment analysis was performed to determine the loading of nitrogen and phosphorus coming from each land use. Various land use scenarios were created in Tickfaw watershed and total loading resulting from these landuses were integrated with the watershed’s subbasins in the GIS for graphical presentation. These landuse scenarios were also ranked based on its resultant total loading. Based on these loading rates, total loading of nitrogen and phosphorus resulting from these land use scenarios were significantly higher when current landuse was converted to cropland and pasture, thereby adversely affecting the water quality in rivers.
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Schwab, Elizabeth Rose. "Maumee River Watershed Farmers’ Perceptions of Nutrient Loss Risk." The Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587662279052842.
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Kandel, Hari P. "Spatial Variability of Sediment Delivery in Sandusky River Watershed, Ohio." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1281362682.
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N'Diaye, Abdoulaye. "Streamflow generation for the Senegal River basin." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1985. http://etd.library.arizona.edu/etd/GetFileServlet?file=file:///data1/pdf/etd/azu_e9791_1985_157_sip1_w.pdf&type=application/pdf.
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Romero, David R. "Hydrologic modelling on the Saint Esprit watershed." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ64442.pdf.
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Stancil, Vann Franklin. "Effects of Watershed and Habitat Conditions on Stream Fishes in the Upper Roanoke River Watershed, Virginia." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33909.
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I collected fish samples and habitat data at 43 sites throughout the upper Roanoke River watershed, Virginia. Sites were separated into three watershed areas size classes: 10 - 15, 20 - 30, and 70 - 80 km <sup>2</sup>. I correlated physical in-stream conditions with proportions of forest, disturbed, and herbaceous/agricultural land at various watershed-scales to determine factors affecting stream habitat. I grouped fishes into metrics commonly used in indexes of biotic integrity and created a multimetric index called the mean metric score to represent fish communities at sites. Fish variables and metric values were compared with stream habitat and watershed variables to determine primary influences on fish communities. I correlated land use at 24 spatial scales, which differed by buffer width and stream network area, with mean metric scores to determine zones of greatest influence on fish communities.<p>In-stream habitat conditions and amounts of forest, herbaceous/agricultural, and disturbed land varied greatly among sites. Habitat varied due to natural differences among sites, such as elevation and watershed area, and due to land use. Disturbed land use was greatest at lower elevations while forests were more abundant at higher elevations. Substrate size distribution was highly correlated with all three land use types at several spatial scales. Correlations between land use within various buffers and median particle size became stronger as larger proportions of watersheds were included in analysis. <p> Fish species richness increased from small to large sites by species addition. Species collected at small sites were also collected at large sites, but several species collected at large sites were absent elsewhere. For example, orangefin madtoms and bigeye jumprocks were only collected at three large sites. Fish distribution was a result of several factors such as watershed area, elevation, proportions of pools and of riffles, particle size, and land use within buffers and entire watersheds. <p> Sites with high mean metric scores were primarily limited to tributaries of the North and South Forks of the Roanoke River. Most sites with low mean metric scores were located near the cities of Roanoke and Salem. Forest and disturbed land use were highly correlated with mean metric scores. Elevation was also highly correlated with mean metric scores but herbaceous/agricultural land use was not. Correlations between percent forest within 24 buffers and mean metric scores were highest for small stream network areas and declined as more land farther from sites was included for analysis. Correlations between disturbed land use and mean metric scores were strong regardless of the area considered. Mean metric scores declined precipitously as disturbed land use within watersheds and buffers increased from 0 to 10 %, but reached a plateau at 10 to 20 % after which increases in disturbed land use did not result in lower mean metric scores. <p> My results suggest that species addition and ecological shifts from more generalized to more specialized species occur with increased stream size. Forested buffers are important for maintaining ecological integrity, and buffers along sites with adequate integrity should be candidates for riparian restoration. Future development should be concentrated in watersheds that are already developed and reforestation of riparian areas in developed watersheds may reduce the impacts of watershed-level disturbance.<br>Master of Science
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Zhao, Xiaobing. "A spatial-temporal optimization approach to watershed management AMD treatment in the Cheat River Watershed, WV /." Morgantown, W. Va. : [West Virginia University Libraries], 2004. https://etd.wvu.edu/etd/controller.jsp?moduleName=documentdata&jsp%5FetdId=3790.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2004.<br>Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 213 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 164-172).
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Herman, Julie D. "Sediment budgets, estuarine sediment loads, and wetland sediment storage at watershed scales, York River watershed, Virginia." W&M ScholarWorks, 2001. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539616693.
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Three separate but related aspects of sediment allocation in a river/estuarine system were examined. The main purpose was to compare sediment budgets for a series of eleven nested sub-watersheds as a function of watershed size, ranging from 65 to 6900 km2. The approach quantified six budget components: upland erosion; stream bank erosion; colluvial storage; wetland storage; stream channel erosion and storage; and sediment flux at the outlets. Three budgets were developed for each sub-watershed to examine the relative proportions of budget components, budget sensitivity (the influence of individual components on the overall budget), and the uncertainty of budget components. The study area was the rural, forested, low relief York River watershed in southeastern Virginia. The relative proportions of budget components do not change with sub-watershed size. Budgets are more influenced by the tributary system than by the sub-watershed size. The budget is sensitive to most components because they are large in size and are highly variable. The uncertainties of budget components are proportional to the magnitude of the best estimates. Management efforts should focus on locally-derived sediment to improve water quality because little sediment from the upper parts of the watershed reaches the estuary. Sediment loads were needed in the sediment budgets for three estuarine sampling stations. The loads were estimated by separating the gravitational circulation, tidal pumping, and river input components of long-term total suspended solids data. The load for the station closest to the river mouth was somewhat larger than literature values. The contribution to the estuary of the two tributary stations was previously unknown. Tidal pumping, rather than gravitational circulation, is the dominant process moving suspended sediment up the estuary. The potential supply and storage of sediment in wetlands at the watershed level was examined by quantifying the areal extent of wetland type and location in the watershed, and surrounding land use, slope, and soil type. Results showed that these landscape characteristics are unevenly distributed within the York River watershed and its subdivisions. The differences in landscape characteristics between subdivisions suggest that wetland performance and its impact on water quality may vary within a watershed. Separate management approaches may be needed to accommodate these differences.
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Jacquemin, Stephen J. "Impacts of past glaciation events on contemporary fish assemblages of the Ohio River basin." CardinalScholar 1.0, 2010. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1567412.
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I tested if spatial variation of Ohio River drainage basin fish assemblages, current habitat,
water quality, and hydrology were concordant with historic glaciation boundaries.
Assemblage analyses were organized using taxonomic and functional groups.
Multivariate analyses, principal components analysis (PCA) and indicator species
analyses, were used to test whether taxonomic and functional assemblages were distinct
among regions with varying glacial histories. Principal components analysis was used to
identify habitat and water quality as well as hydrologic gradients that could be discerned
by glacial region. I identified significant differences in both taxonomic and functional
fish assemblage structure and habitat variation among regions that had different
glaciation histories. Recently glaciated Wisconsinan sites were characterized by
assemblages of Cyprinidae and Catostomidae families, with high abundances of tolerant
fishes that tended to occur in habitats with reduced current velocity. Sites in the Pre-
Wisconsinan region were characterized by Cyprinidae, Catostomidae, Centrarchidae, and
Percidae families, with increased abundances of intolerant fishes that tended to occur in
habitats with coarser substrates and increased water velocity in streams of varying size.
Sites in the unglaciated region were dominated by Cyprinidae and Percidae families but
were not closely associated with any habitat-based functional group. Taxonomic and
functional analyses explained 25% and 40%, respectively, of the variance in assemblage
structure. Mean habitat PCA component scores in the unglaciated and Pre-Wisconsinan
sites were significantly different than Wisconsinan sites, which were characterized by
increased channel structure and reduced stream size. While a multitude of factors impact
the distribution of fishes, these results suggest that historical influences such as glaciation
may be used to further explain underlying mechanisms of spatial variation in fish
assemblages.<br>Department of Biology
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Vanags, Christopher P. "A geophysical and hydrological investigation of palaeochannels in northern New South Wales." Phd thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/7019.
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Hess, Anna N. "The Wolf River and Rock River watersheds : developing a regional curve for bankfull stage /." Link to full text, 2009. http://epapers.uwsp.edu/thesis/2009/Hess.pdf.
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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point, 2009.<br>Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree Master of Science in Natural Resources (Water Resources), College of Natural Resources. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-115).
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Stephenson, Jaynie M. "Macroinvertebrate Community Structure as an Indicator of Watershed Health in the Upper Trinity River Basin, North Central Texas." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2000. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2445/.
Full textAbstract:
This study describes macroinvertebrate community structure and assesses its potential in detecting point and non-point sources of disturbance associated with rural and urban areas in the Upper Trinity River Basin. Geospatial techniques were used to quantify landuse within the watershed in a GIS. At rural sites near the headwaters of the Trinity River, collector-gathering burrowers that are adapted to minimal flow comprised the majority of taxa. Destinies of taxa compositions at downstream sites increased and shifted toward psammophilic and rheophilic invertebrates, including primarily collector-filtering clingers, that are characteristic of shifting sand habitats in large prairie rivers. Benthic community structure generally benefited from point source impacts including wastewater treatment plant effluents that maintained higher flow. Community indices were negatively associated with forest landuse and positively associated with urban landuse. Partial CCA determined that flow and landuse contributed equally to species dispersions. Comparisons with historical biomonitoring studies in upper Trinity River Basin indicate improved watershed health.
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Kenney, Douglas S. 1964. "River basin administration and the Colorado: past practices and future alternatives." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/191177.
Full textAbstract:
The vast majority of large river systems in the United States cross (or comprise) one or more state lines, creating numerous administrative challenges. Addressing these multijurisdictional challenges in an efficient and equitable manner often requires the development of sophisticated institutional arrangements. Several types of "regional organizations" have been created for this purpose, including compact commissions, interstate councils, basin interagency committees, interagency-interstate commissions, federal-interstate compact commissions, federal regional agencies, and the single federal administrator format. These organizations feature a wide variety of authorities and responsibilities; what they inevitably share in common is a hostile political environment, a consequence of political geography and bureaucratic entrenchment. In this study, the challenges associated with the governance, administration, and management of interstate water resources are examined, using the Colorado River Basin as a case study. The Colorado is the only major river in the United States utilizing the "single federal administrator" format, an institutional arrangement that is often criticized for its subordination of the states and its concentration of policy-making authorities in the hands of administrators. When evaluated against carefully defined normative criteria, the Colorado is shown to feature many institutional deficiencies that are, in part, derivative of the Colorado's unique institutional arrangements. The primary objective of this study is to determine if the governance and management of the Colorado could be improved by the establishment of an alternative form of regional water organization. It is concluded that a type of federal-interstate compact commission, if carefully tailored to the political realities of the region, could improve many of the observed institutional deficiencies. This study also presents a widely-applicable methodology for the description and evaluation of institutional arrangements.
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Snidow, Dean C. "Assessing the impact of urbanization on White River water and sediment geochemistry in an agricultural watershed." CardinalScholar 1.0, 2009. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1477281.
Full textAbstract:
Increased urbanization in the United States and the rest of the world, has led to more research on the effects it has on the local ecology. Urbanization can be defined as the creation of impervious cover in areas previously covered by natural vegetation (forest, grassland or farmland) as well as the potential influence of sewage treatment plants. Small increases in impervious cover can cause noticeable changes in stream chemistry. The goal of this study is to quantify the impact of smaller industrial cities on water and sediment geochemistry in a largely agricultural watershed. The study area is in east-central Indiana along the west fork of the White River and includes the cities of Winchester, Muncie and Anderson. This area is dominated by agriculture and the impact of cities in the region on water chemistry has not been studied. To evaluate this impact, sampling sites were selected up- and downstream of the three cities to characterize White River water chemistry before and after it flows through the cities as well as sewage treatment plants. Sampling was done over the course of one year to obtain samples characteristic of high and low flow river conditions. Samples were analyzed for major cation and anion concentrations as well as total suspended solids. Metals data was also obtained in sediments, although sampled only twice throughout the study. Results show that sediment load, on average, increases on the downstream side as the river flows through urbanized areas. Chemical analyses show that major cations and anions, Na, K, SO4 and Cl, have distinct spikes in concentration on the downstream side of the cities, as well. Na and Cl are specifically linked to human and urbanized activity, and were up to four times higher downstream of urbanized cities. The concentration of other major ions, including Ca, Mg and NO3, was mostly due to agricultural land use and local bedrock
geology. Trace metals characteristic of pollution from automobiles, including Cd, Cr and Zn, showed large increases downstream of urban areas as well. This indicates that even in an area that is largely dominated by agriculture, smaller cities have a quantifiable impact to White River water quality.<br>Department of Geology
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Scott, Casey G. "Biological water quality assessment of the Little Wolf River watershed /." Link to full text, 2007. http://epapers.uwsp.edu/thesis/2007/scott.pdf.
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Smith, Mia (Mia Sakura). "Evaluation of stormwater BMP alternatives in the Malden River Watershed." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99628.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2015.<br>Title as it appears in MIT Commencement Exercises program, June 5, 2015: Evaluation of stormwater BMP alternatives in urbanized watershed. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-52).<br>Stormwater runoff degrades urban streams through a variety of hydrologic and water quality changes. Green infrastructure is one alternative to traditional methods of stormwater management. This report evaluates the feasibility of four green infrastructure Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Malden River watershed. The WERF BMP SELECT model was used to generate performance and cost data for bioretention systems, swales, permeable pavement, and constructed wetlands in a portion of the Malden River watershed. Due to space constraints, bioretention systems and swales were found to have limited applicability within the streets of the study site. Permeable pavement was 5 to 70 times more expensive than the other BMP alternatives. Wetlands were found to be the most cost-effective alternative. A 5.3 acre wetland would cost $3.9 million and provide 50% Total Phosphorus reduction, 57% Total Suspended Solids reduction, and 33% flow reduction. However, limited land availability constrains the development of a wetland within the study site.<br>by Mia Smith.<br>M. Eng.
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Waltner, Mason. "Quantifying Legacy Sediment in the Upper Charles River Watershed, Massachusetts." Thesis, Boston College, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:108052.
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Thesis advisor: Noah Snyder<br>While it has been shown that extensive sedimentation in historic millponds has greatly affected streams in the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont region (Walter and Merritts, 2008), much less is known about the phenomenon in the heavily dammed areas of post-glacial New England. Some research has found similar deposits behind breached historic dams in the Sheepscot River watershed in mid-coast Maine, but at a smaller scale than those seen in the Mid-Atlantic region (Strouse, 2013; Hopkins, 2014). I attempt to further explore millpond sedimentation in New England by quantifying the volume of millpond sediment, also called legacy sediment, in the 171.3 km² upper Charles River watershed in eastern Massachusetts. Twenty three milldams were located in the watershed on 1850s maps, giving a damming density of 0.177 dams/km². Each historic dam that had since breached, 14 in total, was visited in the field to identify possible legacy sediment deposits. Legacy sediments were identified by their meter or higher terraces made of fine sands and silt and verified by comparison to sedimentary patterns found in other legacy sediment deposits and radiocarbon dating of material both within the legacy sediment and in the underlying layer. Legacy sediment terraces with an area of 1.68*10⁴ m² and a total volume of 1.29 - 2.57*10⁴ m³ were found upstream of two adjacent breached historic dam sites on the Charles River in Medway, MA. Radiocarbon dates from a coarse sand and gravel lower at 1.8 m depth returned pre-settlement dates of 1281-1391 cal AD (two σ). These dams were immediately downstream of a large glacial feature with steep banks along the river. The lack of legacy sediment at other dam sites and the lack of sedimentation behind intact dams suggest that a low sediment supply to millponds prevented legacy sediment deposits from forming in most of the watershed<br>Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2016<br>Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences<br>Discipline: Departmental Honors<br>Discipline: Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Klotz, Jason, and Aregai Tecle. "RESTORING THE WATER QUALITY OF THE SAN PEDRO RIVER WATERSHED." Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/621703.
Full textAbstract:
This paper is concerned with restoring the quality of water in some portions of the San Pedro River. There are high concentrations of bacteria in some parts of the San Pedro River. Our aim is to find ways of improving the situation. Specifically, there are two objectives in the study. The first one attempts to identify the possible sources of the bacterial contamination and assess its trends within the watershed. The second objective is to determine appropriate methods of restoring the water quality. The main water quality problem is nonpoint source pollution, which enters the stream and moves along with it. The magnitude of the problem is affected by the size and duration of the streamflow, which brings bacteria-laden sediment. The amount of sediment brought into the system is large during the monsoonal events. At this time, the streamflow becomes highly turbid in response to the organic and inorganic sediments entering the system. Based on research done for this paper, the amount of bacterial concentration is strongly related to turbidity. Best management practices (BMPs) have been designed and implemented to restore the water quality problem in the area. The BMP's consist of actions such as monitoring, educational outreach, proper signage, and other range/watershed related improvement practices. Other issues that contribute to the increasing amount of bacteria that are briefly addressed in this paper are bank and gully erosion, flood control, and surface water and streamflow issues that occur on the stream headwaters.
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McKinney, Julie Michelle. "Identifying Sources of Fecal Pollution in the Appomattox River Watershed." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/9951.
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Sources of E. coli were determined from impaired waterways in the Appomattox River watershed (in the lower Piedmont and South-Central Virginia) for the development of bacterial Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The Appomattox River watershed is primarily undeveloped with 70.8% of the land forested, 17.0% used for agriculture (mainly livestock production), and 7.7% classified as water, wetland or barren land. The remaining 4.5% is developed for residential, commercial, and industrial land uses (mainly within the city of Petersburg).
Using Antibiotic Resistance Analysis, a known source library of 1,280 E. coli isolates (320 isolates per source) was constructed. Water samples were collected monthly for between eleven and fourteen months (11/02-12/03) from 40 locations throughout the Appomattox watershed and analyzed for fecal coliforms, E. coli, and resistance to 7 antibiotics of varying concentrations. A total of 486 water samples (9,907 isolates) were analyzed during the study. The objectives of this study were verify that each sampling site exceeded state bacterial count standards (using fecal coliform data), to compare the Discriminate Analysis and Logistic Regression statistical models for use in the classification of isolates, and finally to determine the source of contamination at each site.
The fecal coliform and E.coli data was used to determine if each site exceeded state standards during the assessment period. Thirty-eight of the sites exceeded the fecal coliform standard at least 10% of the time, and thirty-three exceeded the E.coli standard at least 10% of the time.
Discriminate Analysis (DA) is typically used to classify isolates, but the results obtained from the DA model were unrealistic based on the watershed land uses. By statistically analyzing the original 1,280 E.coli isolates six different ways, a more appropriate classification of isolates was determined. The six analyzing methods were Regular DA and Logistic Regression (LR); DA and LR where each isolate whose probability fell below 80% was deleted; DA and LR where each isolate whose probability fell below 80% was used to create an Unknown category. The Logistic Regression model with an Unknown category proved to be the most appropriate. By using the Logistic Regression model, with Unknown category, to classify isolates, twenty five of the forty sites were discovered to be contaminated predominately with Livestock and fourteen of the sites predominately by Wildlife. One site was equally divided between these two categories. Human and Pet contamination were not dominant at any of the forty sites.
This comparison of the DA and LR statistical methods could change the analysis standard for Bacterial Source Tracking and suggests that the model required to classify isolates depends on the watershed characteristics.<br>Master of Science
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Kim, Taewook. "GSFLOW Modeling of the Souhegan River watershed, New Hampshire, USA." The Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1418723314.
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Rinehart, Nathan DeMille. "Watershed Condition Assessment for Little River Canyon National Preserve, Alabama." TopSCHOLAR®, 2008. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/39.
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Asay, Maria Nicole. "Quantification of glacier melt volume in the Indus River watershed." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2011. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/2684.
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Quantifying the contribution of glaciers to water resources is particularly important in locations where glaciers may provide a large percentage of total river discharge. In some remote locations, direct field measurements of melt rates are difficult to acquire, so alternate approaches are needed. Positive degree-day modeling (PDD) of glacier melt is a valuable tool to making first order approximations of the volume of melt coming from glaciers. In this study, a PDD-melt model is applied to glaciers in the Indus River watershed located in Afghanistan, China, India, and Pakistan. Here, millions of people rely on the water from the Indus River, which previous work suggests may be heavily dependent on glacier melt from high mountain regions in the northern part of the watershed. In this region, the PDD melt model calculates the range of melt volumes from more than 45,000 km2 of glaciated area. It relies on a limited suite of input variables for glaciers in the region: elevation, temperature, temperature lapse rate, melt factor, and surface area. Three global gridded climate datasets were used to determine the bounds of temperature at each glacier: UEA CRU CL 2.0, UEA CRU TS 2.1, and NCEP/NCAR 40 year reanalysis. The PDD melt model was run using four different melt scenarios: mean, minimum, maximum, and randomized. These scenarios account for differences in melt volume not captured by temperature, and take uncertainties in all input parameters into account to bound the possible melt volume. The spread in total melt volume from the model scenarios ranges between 27 km3 and 439 km3. While the difference in these calculations is large, it is highly likely the real value falls within this range. Importantly, even the smallest model volume output is a significant melt water value. This suggests that even when forcing the absolute smallest volume of melt, the glacier contribution to the Indus watershed is significant. In addition to providing information about melt volume, this model helps to highlight glaciers with the greatest contribution to total melt. Despite differences in the individual climate models, the spatial pattern in glacier melt is similar, with glaciers contributing the majority of total melt volume occurring in similar geographic regions regardless of which temperature dataset is used. For regions where glacier areas are reasonably well-constrained, contributions from individual glaciers can be quantified. Importantly, less than 5% of glaciers contribute at least 70% of the total melt volume in the watershed. The majority of these glaciers are in Pakistan, the region with the largest percentage of known glaciers with large surface areas at lower elevations. In addition to calculating current melt volumes over large glaciated areas, this model can also be used to determine future melt rates under differing climate scenarios. By applying suggested future regional temperature change to the temperature data, the impact on average melt rate over the watershed was found to increase from 3.02 m/year to 4.69 m/year with up to 2 °C temperature increase. Assuming glacier area remains relatively constant over short time periods, this would amount to a 145 km3 increase in melt volume.
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Wright, Andrew W. "Land cover effects on water quality and biotic integrity in the upper White River Basin, Indiana." Virtual Press, 2005. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1315179.
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The aquatic ecology of the White River basin has been studied since 1875 with researchers having reported 158 fish species belonging to 25 families. Recently, an EPA 319 grant allowed for further research in the Upper White River basin. The two-year study (2002-2004) examined three watersheds in Delaware County for biotic integrity, habitat quality, and stream water quality parameters. Twenty-two sites were selected to gain a perspective on agricultural, urban, and wooded landscape influences in order to locate and implement Best Management Practices (BMPs). Samples exceeded established state regulations and guideline criteria as follows: E. col/ (80%), ammonia-N (71%), dissolved oxygen (55%), nitrate+nitrite-N (38%), orthophosphate (33%), and total suspended solids (18%). A general linear model indicated that the effects of watershed and location within each watershed were significant (p <0.001) for both the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) and Index of Biotic hntegrity (IBI) index scores. Digitized land cover developed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was created to determine the effects of agricultural and wooded land cover ratios on the IBI and QHEI indices. A significant positive linear relationship between the amount of woodland land cover in a 5-m streamside riparian buffer and QHEI (p<0.001, r2 = 0.55) and with IBI (p<0.001, r-2 = 0.49) was found. A significant negative linear relationship was found with the amount of agricultural land in the created 5-m riparian buffer and IBI (p<0.001, r' 0.41), QHEI (p<0.001, r2 _- 0.36). The 30-nm streamside riparian buffer and delineated subwatershed land cover ratios were significant for the biotic integrity and habitat quality parameters, but were less predictive than the 5-m buffers. In addition, the amount of high runoff soils in the subwatersheds had significant negative effects on the IBI (p < 0.001, r' = 0.47) and QHEI (p = <0.001,r' = 0.43). Wetness accumulation and soil erosion was modeled in each watershed with the use of GIS, soils, and terrain parameters. The maps produced detailed locations where BMPs (wetlands, grassed waterways, riparian buffer strips etc.) could be targeted to reduce non-point source pollutants.<br>Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
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Csekitz, Jill Diane. "Monitoring Watershed Health in the Upper Trinity River Basin, North Central Texas." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1999. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc935823/.
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This study conducts watershed analysis using biological and geo-spatial techniques. Incorporating landscape features with biological attributes has been shown to be an effective method of monitoring environmental quality within watersheds. In situ biomonitoring using the Asiatic Clam, Corbicula fluminea, habitat suitability, and water quality data were evaluated for their potential to describe ecological conditions in agricultural and urban areas within the Upper Trinity River watershed. These data were analyzed with GIS to identify effects of land use on ecological conditions. C. fluminea downstream of point source effluents was effective detecting in-stream toxicity. Ambient toxicity appears to have improved in the Trinity, although urban influences limit aspects of aquatic life. No association between habitat quality and land use was identified.
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Sill, Paul E. (Paul Eric). "Assessing Regional Gully Erosion Risk: A Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Approach." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1995. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332453/.
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Gully erosion has been established as a major source of sediment pollution in the upper Trinity River watershed in north-central Texas. This fact, along with a lack of models appropriate for a large-area gully erosion analysis established a need for a gully erosion study in the upper Trinity basin. This thesis project attempted to address this need by deriving an index indicative of gully erosion risk using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) methodology. In context of previous field studies, the coarse spatial resolution of the input GIS data layers presented a challenge to prediction of gully prone areas. However, the remote sensing/GIS approach was found to provide useful reconnaissance information on gully risk over large areas.
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Castern, Maureen P. "Stormwater quality management strategy: Peters Creek watershed." Thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50033.
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The effect of stormwater runoff on the water quality of Peters Creek was investigated. Creek water was sampled at rural, suburban and urban sites. Background and runoff samples were analyzed for sediment, nutrient and heavy metal concentrations.
The area upstream of the suburban site was found to contribute the greatest contamination to the creek but the heavy metal contributions were accumulated throughout the watershed. The creek water contained sufficient nutrients to potentially contribute to the eutrophication of Smith Mountain Lake downstream. As the watershed has been developed, flooding has increased in frequency.
The detrimental effects of runoff can be reduced in the watershed by clearing the trash from the creek bed, enforcing construction erosion control and creek bed alteration ordinances and by building a series of detention basins in the creek upstream from common sites of flooding.<br>Master of Science<br>incomplete_metadata
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Boshoven, Judith L. (Judith Lynn). "A case for a "watershed protection approach" to water resources use and allocation : the Merrimack River watershed." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/64513.
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Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1992.<br>Title as it appears in the June 1990 MIT Graduate List: A case for a "watershed approach" to water resources management.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 157-161).<br>by Judith L. Boshoven.<br>M.C.P.
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Lapp, Paul 1968. "The hydrology and water quality of an intensive agricultural watershed in Quebec." Thesis, McGill University, 1996. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=23906.
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A research project was undertaken to study the hydrology and water quality of a 26 km$ sp2$ intensive agricultural watershed over an 18 month period. Flow and precipitation data were used to establish hydrologic parameters for the watershed and to empirically model hydrologic processes. Water samples taken from the outlet of the watershed were analyzed for nitrate, phosphate, suspended sediment and atrazine. Water quality data were analyzed to establish temporal trends in pollutant concentration and load in the watercourse.<br>The measured time of concentration was found to be consistent with a mean of 6.89 hours for the 25 storms profiled. The time to peak was found to vary linearly with storm duration. The event recession constant was measured to be 0.9715. Regression analysis was performed on measured hydrologic properties. The strongest relationship was found between the percentage of rainfall appearing as runoff versus the sum of the 72 hour antecedent rainfall plus the storm rainfall.<br>Spring snowmelt was identified as a significant period of pollutant material export. All pollutant materials displayed seasonal variability in the export process. Temporal variability accounted for poor correlations between observed hydrologic and water quality parameters in the two seasons for which data were available.<br>Peak pollutant concentrations were associated with high flow events. Maximum observed concentrations for nitrate, phosphate, suspended sediment and atrazine were 8.6 mg/l, 0.478 mg/l, 0.7 g/l, and 8.06 ug/l respectively.
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Sobieszczyk, Steven. "Using Turbidity Monitoring and LiDAR-Derived Imagery to Investigate Sources of Suspended Sediment in the Little North Santiam River Basin, Oregon, Winter 2009-2010." PDXScholar, 2010. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/176.
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The Little North Santiam River Basin is a 111-square mile watershed located in the Cascade Range of western Oregon. The Little North Santiam River is a major tributary to the North Santiam River, which is the primary source of drinking water for Salem, Oregon and surrounding communities. Consequently, water quality conditions in the Little North Santiam River, such as high turbidity, affect treatment and delivery of the drinking water. Between 2001 and 2008, suspended-sediment loads from the Little North Santiam River accounted for 69% of the total suspended-sediment load that passed the treatment plant. Recent studies suggest that much of this sediment originates from landslide activity in the basin. Using airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived imagery, 401 landslides were mapped in the Little North Santiam River Basin. Landslide types vary by location, with deep-seated earth flows and earth slumps common in the lower half of the basin and channelized debris flows prominent in the upper basin. Over 37% of the lower basin shows evidence of landslide activity compared to just 4% of the upper basin. Instream turbidity monitoring and suspended-sediment load estimates during the winter of 2009-2010 demonstrate a similar distribution of sediment transport in the basin. During a 3-month study period, from December 2009 through February 2010, the lower basin supplied 2,990 tons, or 91% of the suspended-sediment load to the Little North Santiam River, whereas the upper basin supplied only 310 tons of sediment. One small 23-acre earth flow in the lower basin, the Evans Creek Landslide, supplied 28% of the total suspended-sediment load, even though it only comprises 0.0004% of the basin. The Evans Creek Landslide is an active earth flow that has been moving episodically since at least 1945, with surges occurring between 1945 and 1955, 1970 and 1977, in February 1996, and in January 2004. Recent erosion of the landslide toe by Evans Creek continues to destabilize the slope, supplying much of the sediment measured in the Little North Santiam River. Over the last 64 years, the average landslide movement rate has been between 5 and 12 feet per year.
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Torpen, David Randal. "Stakeholder Preferences for Water Quality Alternatives in the Red River Basin." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2007. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29799.
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The objective of this research is to estimate stakeholder preferences for management alternatives within the Red River of the North basin. Specifically, this thesis analyzes preferences related to water quality, water-based recreation, water supply, and institution. Results are estimated using choice experiments. Data show that residents are willing to pay approximately $84 per year for wetland restoration, $76 per year for additional bike trails, and $117 for enhanced fishery management. Taken to an aggregate level of all counties with land in the basin, willingness to pay is approximately $24 million for wetlands, $22 million for bike trails, and $34 million for enhanced fishery management. These values can assist institutions in making decisions related to the basin's water resources.<br>National Institute for Water Research<br>Geological Survey (U.S.)
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Hood, Paula Elizabeth. "Effects of Selective Logging and Roads on Instream Fine Sediments and Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in the Clackamas Basin, Oregon." PDXScholar, 2015. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/2407.
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Logging and associated skid trails, haul routes, and roads can have significant impacts on the magnitude and timing of sediments in streams in forested watersheds. Loss of vegetation, soil compaction, use of heavy logging equipment, and alteration of natural hydrologic patterns within the watershed can increase landslide rates, create erosion, and generate fine sediments. Selective logging, also called thinning, is a logging practice that leaves some trees within sale units unharvested. The ecological impacts of thinning on stream ecosystems are not fully understood and need further study. My hypothesis was that macroinvertebrate assemblages would be different in streams in non-reference areas that contain recent selective logging compared to streams in reference areas, and in downstream vs. upstream of selective logging units. I also hypothesized that selective logging and high road densities would be associated with increased instream fine sediments. I sampled water quality parameters and macroinvertebrates in three managed and three reference streams in the Clackamas River Basin during the field season of 2013. Turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), and flow were sampled at each stream on four occasions during spring through early fall. Macroinvertebrates were sampled once in late summer or early fall. EPA rapid habitat assessments, canopy cover, pebble counts, embeddedness, and slope were also determined. Water quality parameters and macroinvertebrate indices in reference and non-reference sites were compared using t-tests, Welch's tests, or rank based equivalents. Macroinvertebrate assemblage patterns and associated environmental variables were characterized using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination plots and envfit overlays. Macroinvertebrates had higher abundance and taxa richness in non-reference streams, and indices suggested poorer water quality in non-reference streams. Non-reference streams had a lower percentage of shredders and a higher portion of gatherer-collectors. Associations between land use, fine sediments, and changes in macroinvertebrate metrics and community assemblages were apparent at the reference vs. non-reference scale. It is likely that macroinvertebrates are responding, at least in part, to past logging and high road densities in non-reference streams. Fewer indications were found that recent logging may be affecting water quality and macroinvertebrates. Pearson's correlation coefficients show that the percent of recent logging upstream of study sites was correlated with several measures of fine sediments, suggesting that recent land use may be affecting sediment levels at the subwatershed scale. Stream temperatures increased from upstream to downstream in non-reference sites. Though no continual stream temperature data were collected in this study, the history of continuing temperature standard exceedances in the area suggest that further investigation of how selective logging may be affecting stream temperature and other water quality parameters in the Clackamas Basin is warranted. No other differences in water quality parameters were found from upstream to downstream, possibly because water quality was sufficiently protected, or because signals from land use impacts may be obscured by a several factors, including upstream confounding factors such as roads and past logging, and natural variability.
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Abdulla, Fayez Ahmad. "Regionalization of a macroscale hydrological model /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/10151.
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Daigle, Ashley R. 1986. "Investigating Groundwater Arsenic Contamination using Aquifer Push-Pull Tests." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/10636.
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xiii, 67 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.<br>The bedrock aquifer of the Southern Willamerte Basin, Oregon, USA, is
contaminated with arsenic at concentrations as high as several ppm. Single-well
push-pull tests were conducted to investigate how microbial metabolisms control arsenic
occurrence and levels in the aquifer. Test solutions containing ethanol were injected into
the aquifer; dissolved gases, groundwater, and sediments were then sampled to monitor
the speciation of carbon, iron, sulfur, and arsenic. Ethanol amendment stimulated a series
of microbial metabolisms, including arsenate reduction, iron reduction, and sulfate
reduction. Arsenate reduction converts arsenate to arsenite; iron reduction produces
ferrous iron; sulfate reduction releases sulfide. Arsenite and ferrous iron then combine
with sulfide and form arsenic sulfide and iron sulfide minerals. Results of the
experiments demonstrate that the interactions among microbial metabolisms and mineral precipitation influenced arsenic contamination in the aquifer. These results shed new
light on potential bioremediation strategies in the area.<br>Committee in Charge:
Dr. Qusheng Jin, Chair;
Dr. Mark Reed;
Dr. Samantha Hopkins
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Melady, Jason Michael. "Hydrogeologic Investigation of the Klamath Marsh, Klamath County, Oregon." PDXScholar, 2002. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/753.
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Klamath Marsh is a wetland complex that lies in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range in the Williamson River sub-basin of the Klamath Basin. The marsh lies directly east of Crater Lake in an area inundated by pyroclastic-flow and -fall deposits from the Holocene eruptions of Mount Mazama. The physical characteristics of rocks of Pleistocene versus Pliocene age combined with NNW -striking fault systems divide the Williamson River basin into two distinct hydrogeologic regimes. The northwestern regime includes the east slope of the Cascades and consists of at least 150 m of interbedded sand, gravel, and stacks (15 to 45 m) of thin (3-5 m) and vesiculated basalt lava flows. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 150 cm near the crest of the Cascades to 50 cm near Klamath Marsh. Moderate to high yield (100 to 4000 gpm) water wells, springs and flowing wells suggest high permeability and ground water potential. The southeastern regime is underlain by Pliocene pyroclastic flows (∼ 40 m) and lava flows (>30 m). Mean annual precipitation ranges from 70 cm in the highlands to 50 cm in the lowlands. Low-yield (20-100 gpm) water wells and perched unconfined aquifers in Holocene pumice deposits suggest low permeability and low ground water potential in areas underlain by the pyroclastic flows. Volumetric analysis of inflows and outflows in Klamath Marsh for 2000 indicates approximately 86% of inflow is from groundwater and 14% from surface water, with nearly 200 x 10⁶ m³ of water removed by evapotranspiration
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Kast, Jeffrey Benjamin. "Manure Management in the Maumee River Watershed and Watershed Modeling to Assess Impacts on Lake Erie's Water Quality." The Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1532009053900119.
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Emanuel, Robert M. "Parting the Watershed: The Political Ecology of a Corporate Community in the Santa Cruz River Watershed, Sonora, Mexico." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/195719.
Full textAbstract:
Ecological change very often parallels social change. The concept of the social-ecological system (SES) provides a holistic means of accounting for the dualistic nature of human-environmental interactions by acknowledging that social, political and economic factors influence and are in turn influenced by the processes of ecological change. These transformations can be contextualized within nested adaptive cycles of change that respond to pre-existing conditions and which provide new opportunities for system actors. The adaptive cycle also grants that processes of social and ecological change may be permanent, irreversible and result in new configurations not previously imaginable. The ability for an SES to respond to these processes of change depends upon its resilience which defines the range of reversible change within a stable state. Resilience is determined by a system's vulnerability, by the pre-existing or available capital.Within this dissertation, I assert that resilience is an important factor to consider in studying arid land political ecology. Resilience can be influenced by both institutional and environmental factors. I assert here that institutional factors alone cannot explain the pace of change in a particular political ecology. While institutions constitute the dominant signals with regards to economic decision making, environmental signals may be ultimately more significant. I utilize a detailed case study focused upon a watershed and ejido in northwestern Mexico. This case study demonstrates the influence of strong political and economic signals that influence local economics. Nature bats last and can exert powerful forces over institutional choices. Using this case study, I demonstrate how a dramatic shift in climatic as well as hydrologic regimes leads ultimately to a general degradation of agropastoral ecological resources and their replacement with new, stable but less desirable states. Land-use has subsequently changed. The latter set of ecological changes has become a sort of death of a thousand cuts that has reduced the community's ability to tap local natural capital and thereby generate economic capital. This study is intends to contribute to our knowledge of political ecology by evaluating the concepts of ecological resilience, multiple stable states, and adaptive cycles to the study of these social-ecological systems.
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Friedmann, Julia Dawn. "EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND COVER ON WATER QUALITY AT THE WATERSHED SCALE IN THE LOWER KASKASKIA RIVER WATERSHED." OpenSIUC, 2010. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/192.
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Agriculture is currently the leading cause of stream impairment in the United States. As the population continues to grow as well as the demand for biofuels, more pressure is being exerted on land to produce greater quantities of food. To satisfy the need for increased production marginal forest and grasslands have been converted to agriculture, fertilizers and equipment have rapidly evolved, and land has been taken out of conservation programs. Unfortunately, water quality impairment often accompanies these efforts to increase crop production. To reduce the impacts of agriculture on water quality, best management practices (BMPs) have been developed and tested at the field scale, with fewer studies focusing on the effects of agricultural land cover and BMPs (e.g., riparian buffers) on water quality at the watershed scale. Thus, a study was designed to assess the effects of riparian buffers and agricultural land cover on water quality at the watershed scale. Within Richland and Silver Creek watersheds, tributaries of the Lower Kaskaskia River Watershed in Illinois, forty-three catchments ranging from 12 to 50 km2 were selected across an agricultural to urban land cover gradient. Between January 18, 2008 and August 3, 2009, grab samples were collected twice a month during the wet portion of the year and once a month during the dry portion of the year and analyzed for nutrients (ammonium, nitrate, and orthophosphate), bacteria (total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli), and total suspended solids (TSS). Correlation analyses were performed on the data to determine relationships between the water quality variables, whole-catchment land cover (agriculture, forest, and urban), and percent forest canopy cover within 50 m of the stream using two different stream layers (National Hydrologic Dataset (NHD), and Flow Accumulation Boundaries (FAB)). Also, riparian buffer characteristics were quantified in headwater streams to determine if they were more highly correlated with water quality variables than in larger order streams. The percent of agricultural land cover within a watershed was significantly correlated with TSS (r = 0.4556, p = 0.0021) and ammonium-N (r = 0.3043, p = 0.0473) during baseflow, and TSS (r = 0.2837, p = 0.0652), ammonium-N (r = 0.5306, p = 0.0003), nitrate-N (r = 0.2654, p = 0.0854), and orthophosphate (r = 0.3783, p = 0.0124) during stormflow. Total amount of enrolled Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land within Richland Creek and Silver Creek watersheds were found not to be correlated with water quality. A possible reason for these results could be because only a very small percent of lands in Richland Creek and Silver Creek were enrolled in CRP. Whole-catchment land cover in most cases explained more variance than percent forest canopy cover within 50 m of streams for the water quality parameters analyzed. There were only slight differences between the two stream layers (NHD and FAB). However, the headwater streams of the FAB stream layer explained more variance in critical water quality parameters, ammonium-N (r = -0.5309, p = 0.002) during baseflow and ammonium-N (r = -0.6107 p <0.0001), and orthophosphate (r = -0.5273 p = 0.0003) during stormflow. Having an understanding of the impacts that riparian buffers and headwater streams have on water quality is key for watershed managers to focus restoration efforts in the most critical areas for maintaining stream quality.
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Turner, Andy W. Rabeni Charles F. "Watershed-sediment-biotic linkages in small streams of Missouri's Osage River Basin." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri--Columbia, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/5358.
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The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on January 19, 2010). Thesis advisor: Dr. Charles F. Rabeni. Includes bibliographical references.