Sample records for collaborative watershed groups

  1. Citizen Participation in Collaborative Watershed Partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koehler, Brandi; Koontz, Tomas M.

    2008-02-01

    Collaborative efforts are increasingly being used to address complex environmental problems, both in the United States and abroad. This is especially true in the growing field of collaborative watershed management, where diverse stakeholders work together to develop and advance water-quality goals. Active citizen participation is viewed as a key component, yet groups often struggle to attract and maintain citizen engagement. This study examined citizen participation behavior in collaborative watershed partnerships by way of a written survey administered to citizen members of 12 collaborative watershed groups in Ohio. Results for the determination of who joins such groups were consistent with the dominant-status model of participation because group members were not demographically representative of the broader community. The dominant-status model, however, does not explain which members are more likely to actively participate in group activities. Instead, individual characteristics, including political activity, knowledge, and comfort in sharing opinions with others, were positively correlated with active participation. In addition, group characteristics, including government-based membership, rural location, perceptions of open communication, perceptions that the group has enough technical support to accomplish its goals, and perceived homogeneity of participant opinions, were positively correlated with active participation. Overall, many group members did not actively participate in group activities.

  2. Citizen participation in collaborative watershed partnerships.

    PubMed

    Koehler, Brandi; Koontz, Tomas M

    2008-02-01

    Collaborative efforts are increasingly being used to address complex environmental problems, both in the United States and abroad. This is especially true in the growing field of collaborative watershed management, where diverse stakeholders work together to develop and advance water-quality goals. Active citizen participation is viewed as a key component, yet groups often struggle to attract and maintain citizen engagement. This study examined citizen participation behavior in collaborative watershed partnerships by way of a written survey administered to citizen members of 12 collaborative watershed groups in Ohio. Results for the determination of who joins such groups were consistent with the dominant-status model of participation because group members were not demographically representative of the broader community. The dominant-status model, however, does not explain which members are more likely to actively participate in group activities. Instead, individual characteristics, including political activity, knowledge, and comfort in sharing opinions with others, were positively correlated with active participation. In addition, group characteristics, including government-based membership, rural location, perceptions of open communication, perceptions that the group has enough technical support to accomplish its goals, and perceived homogeneity of participant opinions, were positively correlated with active participation. Overall, many group members did not actively participate in group activities.

  3. The role of agency partnerships in collaborative watershed groups: lessons from the pacific northwest experience.

    PubMed

    Chaffin, Brian C; Mahler, Robert L; Wulfhorst, J D; Shafii, Bahman

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative watershed group experiences reveal commonalities in their approaches to facilitate decentralized and inclusive watershed planning and management in the United States, and increasingly around the world. Although watershed groups are widely recognized in the United States for positive accomplishments across local, state, and regional scales, the role of government agencies as watershed group partners often remains ambiguous and inconsistent. This paper details results of a survey used to determine the status of Pacific Northwest (PNW) watershed group-agency partnerships relative to planning and management. Specific inquiry was directed toward: (1) the role of technical information flow; and (2) watershed group needs. Mail surveys were administered to 304 watershed group participants in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Sixty-nine percent of the surveys were completed and returned. Based on the collected survey data, PNW watershed groups rely heavily on agency officials for technical watershed information. Respondents perceive support of state government to be the highest relative to federal agencies, local governments, and university Extension offices. However, evidence from the survey suggests that partnerships are underutilized across all agencies and organizations concurrently vested in watershed planning and management in the PNW. Sustained operational funding, increased group participation, and baseline watershed data are the most pressing needs of PNW watershed groups and present a significant opportunity for expanding watershed group-agency partnerships.

  4. The Role of Agency Partnerships in Collaborative Watershed Groups: Lessons from the Pacific Northwest Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaffin, Brian C.; Mahler, Robert L.; Wulfhorst, J. D.; Shafii, Bahman

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative watershed group experiences reveal commonalities in their approaches to facilitate decentralized and inclusive watershed planning and management in the United States, and increasingly around the world. Although watershed groups are widely recognized in the United States for positive accomplishments across local, state, and regional scales, the role of government agencies as watershed group partners often remains ambiguous and inconsistent. This paper details results of a survey used to determine the status of Pacific Northwest (PNW) watershed group-agency partnerships relative to planning and management. Specific inquiry was directed toward: (1) the role of technical information flow; and (2) watershed group needs. Mail surveys were administered to 304 watershed group participants in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Sixty-nine percent of the surveys were completed and returned. Based on the collected survey data, PNW watershed groups rely heavily on agency officials for technical watershed information. Respondents perceive support of state government to be the highest relative to federal agencies, local governments, and university Extension offices. However, evidence from the survey suggests that partnerships are underutilized across all agencies and organizations concurrently vested in watershed planning and management in the PNW. Sustained operational funding, increased group participation, and baseline watershed data are the most pressing needs of PNW watershed groups and present a significant opportunity for expanding watershed group-agency partnerships.

  5. Who's in Charge: Role Clarity in a Midwestern Watershed Group

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Floress, Kristin; Prokopy, Linda Stalker; Ayres, Janet

    2011-10-01

    Studies of collaborative watershed groups show that effective leadership is an important factor for success. This research uses data from in-depth interviews and meeting observation to qualitatively examine leadership in a Midwestern collaborative watershed group operating with government funding. One major finding was a lack of role definition for volunteer steering-committee members. Lack of role clarity and decision-making processes led to confusion regarding project management authority among the group, paid project staff members, and agency personnel. Given the important role of government grants for funding projects to protect water quality, this study offers insight into leadership issues that groups with Clean Water Act Section 319 (h) funds may face and suggestions on how to resolve them.

  6. Reducing nonpoint source pollution through collaboration: policies and programs across the U.S. States.

    PubMed

    Hardy, Scott D; Koontz, Tomas M

    2008-03-01

    Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution has emerged as the largest threat to water quality in the United States, influencing policy makers and resource managers to direct more attention toward NPS prevention and remediation. In response, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) spent more than $204 million in fiscal year (FY) 2006 on the Clean Water Act's Section 319 program to combat NPS pollution, much of it on the development and implementation of watershed-based plans. State governments have also increasingly allocated financial and technical resources to collaborative watershed efforts within their own borders to fight NPS pollution. With increased collaboration among the federal government, states, and citizens to combat NPS pollution, more information is needed to understand how public resources are being used, by whom, and for what, and what policy changes might improve effectiveness. Analysis from a 50-state study suggests that, in addition to the average 35% of all Section 319 funds per state that are passed on to collaborative watershed groups, 35 states have provided financial assistance beyond Section 319 funding to support collaborative watershed initiatives. State programs frequently provide technical assistance and training, in addition to financial resources, to encourage collaborative partnerships. Such assistance is typically granted in exchange for requirements to generate a watershed action plan and/or follow a mutually agreed upon work plan to address NPS pollution. Program managers indicated a need for greater fiscal resources and flexibility to achieve water quality goals.

  7. Watershed Central: Dynamic Collaboration for Improving Watershed Management (Philadelphia)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Watershed Central web and wiki pages will be presented and demonstrated real-time as part of the overview of Web 2.0 collaboration tools for watershed management. The presentation portion will discuss how EPA worked with watershed practitioners and within the Agency to deter...

  8. Collaborative planning to reduce risk

    Treesearch

    Victoria Sturtevant; Pamela Jakes

    2008-01-01

    Wildland fire knows no political boundaries, nor should efforts to address its risk. Collaboration is not a new idea; many examples of natural resource managers and community groups working together can be found in forest management planning, watershed restoration, and wildland fire suppression (Sturtevant et al. 2005). Direction from a number of sources has urged...

  9. A Science Framework for Connecticut River Watershed Sustainability

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rideout, Stephen; Nicolson, Craig; Russell-Robinson, Susan L.; Mecray, Ellen L.

    2005-01-01

    Introduction: This document outlines a research framework for water resource managers and land-use planners in the four-state Connecticut River Watershed (CRW). It specifically focuses on developing the decision-support tools and data needed by managers in the watershed. The purpose of the Science Framework is to identify critical research issues and information required to better equip managers to make decisions on desirable changes in the CRW. This Science Framework is the result of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass-Amherst), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The cooperative project was guided by a Science Steering Committee (SC) and included several focus groups, a 70-person workshop in September 2004, and an open collaborative process by which the workshop outcomes were synthesized, written up, and then progressively refined through peer review. This document is the product of that collaborative process.

  10. Watershed Stewardship Education Program--A Multidisciplinary Extension Education Program for Oregon's Watershed Councils.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conway, Flaxen D. L.; Godwin, Derek; Cloughesy, Mike; Nierenberg, Tara

    2003-01-01

    The Watershed Stewardship Education Program (WSEP) is a multidisciplinary Oregon Extension designed to help watershed councils, landowners, and others work effectively together on water management. Components include practical, easy-to-use educational materials, training in effective collaboration, a Master Watershed Stewards program, and advanced…

  11. Mud, models, and managers: Reaching consensus on a watershed strategy for sediment load reduction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilcock, P. R.; Cho, S. J.; Gran, K.; Belmont, P.; Hobbs, B. F.; Heitkamp, B.; Marr, J. D.

    2017-12-01

    Agricultural nonpoint source sediment pollution is a leading cause of impairment of U.S. waters. Sediment sources are often on private land, such that solutions require not only considerable investment, but broad acceptance among landowners. We present the story of a participatory modeling exercise whose goal was to develop a consensus strategy for reducing sediment loading from the Greater Blue Earth River Basin, a large (9,200 km2) watershed in southern Minnesota dominated by row crop agriculture. The Collaborative for Sediment Source Reduction was a stakeholder group of farmers, industry representatives, conservation groups, and regulatory agencies. We used a participatory modeling approach to promote understanding of the problem, to define the scope of solutions acceptable to farmers, to develop confidence in a watershed model, and to reach consensus on a watershed strategy. We found that no existing watershed model could provide a reliable estimate of sediment response to management actions and developed a purpose-built model that could provide reliable, transparent, and fast answers. Because increased stream flow was identified as an important driver of sediment loading, the model and solutions included both hydrologic and sediment transport components. The model was based on an annual sediment budget with management actions serving to proportionally reduce both sediment sources and sediment delivery. Importantly, the model was developed in collaboration with stakeholders, such that a shared understanding emerged regarding of the modeling challenges and the reliability of information used to strongly constrain model output. The simplicity of the modeling approach supported stakeholder engagement and understanding, thereby lowering the social barrier between expert modeler and concerned stakeholder. The consensus strategy focused on water storage higher in the watershed in order to reduce river discharge and the large supply of sediment from near-channel sources. Because water storage must occur largely on private farmland, this strategy was initially opposed by some stakeholders, such that model simplicity and transparency was essential in reaching a consensus strategy.

  12. Working for Water: A Transdisciplinary Collaboration for Wetlands Restoration in an Urbanizing Watershed

    EPA Science Inventory

    In 2013, I collaborated with staff at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Atlantic Ecology Division to explore the public perceptions of services and disservices associated with restoration of riparian areas and wetlands in the urbanizing Woonasquatucket River watershed i...

  13. Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Church, Stan E.; Von Guerard, Paul; Finger, Susan E.

    2007-01-01

    This publication comprises a Volume Contents of chapters (listed below) and a CD-ROM of data (contents shown in column at right). The Animas River watershed in southwest Colorado is one of many watersheds in the western United States where historical mining has left a legacy of acid mine drainage and elevated concentrations of potentially toxic trace elements in surface streams. U.S. Geological Survey scientists have completed a major assessment of the environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed focusing on the area upstream of Silverton, Colo.?the Mineral Creek, Cement Creek, and upper Animas River basins. The study demonstrated how the watershed approach can be used to assess and rank mining-affected sites for possible cleanup. The study was conducted in collaboration with State and Federal land-management agencies and regional stakeholders groups. This book is available for purchase at Information Services, U.S. Geological Survey (1-888-ASK-USGS).

  14. Cross-boundary cooperation in a watershed context: the sentiments of private forest landowners.

    PubMed

    Rickenbach, Mark G; Reed, A Scott

    2002-10-01

    Ecosystem management and sustainable forestry on mixed ownership landscapes will require some level of cross-boundary coordination or management. Oregon's experiment with local, voluntary, collaborative forums, called watershed councils, is one mechanism to foster cross-boundary management. Fifty qualitative, in-depth interviews in three study areas were conducted with nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners, watershed council members, and agency employees to learn how and why landowners participate (or not) on watershed councils. Study areas were located in three different areas of the state to reflect different ecological and organizational settings. Our case study identified three themes-stewardship ethic, property rights amid uncertainty, and action orientation-that were most salient among landowners when deciding to participate in their local watershed council. Other factors related to competing opportunities were also identified. Our results relate to the social psychological antecedents to cooperation of perceived consensus, group identity, and legitimacy of authority as well as to applied situations where cross-boundary coordination and management are goals.

  15. Building multi-country collaboration on watershed management: lessons on linking environment and public health from the Western Balkans

    EPA Science Inventory

    Community-based watershed resilience programs that bridge public health and environmental outcomes often require cross-boundary, multi-country collaboration. The CRESSIDA project, led by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and supported by the U...

  16. The Environmental Protection Agency's Watershed-based Approach: where social and natural sciences meet to address today's water resource challenges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biddle, J. C.

    2010-12-01

    A growing number of governmental organizations at the local, state, and federal level collaborate with nongovernmental organizations and individuals to solve watershed scale problems (Imperial and Koontz, 2007). Such a shift in policy approach from hierarchical regulation to bottom-up collaboration is largely a result of regulator’s recognition of the interdependence of natural and socio-economic systems on a watershed scale (Steelman and Carmin, 2002. Agencies throughout the federal government increasingly favored new governing institutions that encourage cooperation between local actors with conflicting interests, divergent geographic bases, and overlapping administrative jurisdictions to resolve continuing disputes over resource management (Bardach 1998). This favoritism of collaborative over command-and-control approaches for managing nonpoint source pollution led to the development of watershed partnerships and the watershed-based approach (Lubell et al., 2002). This study aims to further collaborative governance scholarship and aid decision-makers in identifying the critical elements of collaborative governance resulting in environmental improvements. To date, this relationship has not been empirically determined, in spite of the fact that collaborative governance is used routinely by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in resolving issues related to watershed management and other applications. This gap in the research is largely due to the lack of longitudinal data. In order to determine whether changes have occurred, environmental data must be collected over relatively long time periods (Koontz and Thomas, 2006; Sabatier, et al., 2005). However, collecting these data is often cost prohibitive. Monitoring water quality is expensive and requires technical expertise, and is often the first line item cut in environmental management budgets. This research is interdisciplinary, looking at the physical, chemical, and biological parameters for 44 waterbodies, assessing changes in water quality and the sociological characteristics of a collaborative policy approach. This research relied upon a unique longitudinal water quality data set collected through EPA’s National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Program’s (NNPSMP), simultaneously controlling for confounding effects related to political/institutional, socioeconomic, and physical conditions. These data were coupled with survey data of individuals who participated in this collaborative monitoring program to assess the relationship between programmatic elements of the NNPSMP and changes in water quality. The choice to use the NNPSMP’s data was two-fold. First, the program has conducted long-term monitoring on water quality improvements, which has been the limiting factor in testing causality. Changes in water quality take decades to occur and are not often realized due to the lack of longitudinal data. Second, baseline data exist for each waterbody within the watershed prior to the implementation of the collaborative governance process. These baseline data will serve as pre-intervention data and allow for the attribution of measured outcomes to the watershed initiatives (Thomas, 2008).

  17. 76 FR 68499 - Draft WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Funding Opportunity Announcement

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-04

    ... local watersheds through collaborative conservation. We plan to publish a final announcement as soon as... watershed needs. Through this program, we provide Federal leadership and assistance on; Efficient use of...

  18. Annual Report Card Shows Water Quality Improvements in Parts of the Mystic River Watershed in 2017

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA), announced its annual Water Quality Report Card on the Mystic River watershed for 2017.

  19. Annual Report Card Shows Water Quality Improvements in Parts of the Mystic River Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Each year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA), issues a Water Quality Report Card on water quality in the Mystic River watershed.

  20. Rural watershed partnerships: lessons from West Virginia

    Treesearch

    Steve W. Selin; Alan Collins; Susan Hunter

    1998-01-01

    The goal of this study is to examine the efforts by one state government (West Virginia) to facilitate collaborative, watershed-based planning. This paper provides an overview of the state watershed planning process and includes a summary of a baseline study of rural watershed partnerships operating within West Virginia. Implication of the study for state policies and...

  1. Hydrological Modeling Reproducibility Through Data Management and Adaptors for Model Interoperability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turner, M. A.

    2015-12-01

    Because of a lack of centralized planning and no widely-adopted standards among hydrological modeling research groups, research communities, and the data management teams meant to support research, there is chaos when it comes to data formats, spatio-temporal resolutions, ontologies, and data availability. All this makes true scientific reproducibility and collaborative integrated modeling impossible without some glue to piece it all together. Our Virtual Watershed Integrated Modeling System provides the tools and modeling framework hydrologists need to accelerate and fortify new scientific investigations by tracking provenance and providing adaptors for integrated, collaborative hydrologic modeling and data management. Under global warming trends where water resources are under increasing stress, reproducible hydrological modeling will be increasingly important to improve transparency and understanding of the scientific facts revealed through modeling. The Virtual Watershed Data Engine is capable of ingesting a wide variety of heterogeneous model inputs, outputs, model configurations, and metadata. We will demonstrate one example, starting from real-time raw weather station data packaged with station metadata. Our integrated modeling system will then create gridded input data via geostatistical methods along with error and uncertainty estimates. These gridded data are then used as input to hydrological models, all of which are available as web services wherever feasible. Models may be integrated in a data-centric way where the outputs too are tracked and used as inputs to "downstream" models. This work is part of an ongoing collaborative Tri-state (New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho) NSF EPSCoR Project, WC-WAVE, comprised of researchers from multiple universities in each of the three states. The tools produced and presented here have been developed collaboratively alongside watershed scientists to address specific modeling problems with an eye on the bigger picture of scientific reproducibility and transparency, and data publication and reuse.

  2. Photo Gallery for Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating

  3. Conservation efforts and possibilities for increased collaboration in the Santa Cruz River watershed

    Treesearch

    Claire A. Zugmeyer; Emily M. Brott

    2013-01-01

    Attendees of the annual Santa Cruz River Researchers’ Day meetings have identified a need to expand collaboration, partnership, and sharing of lessons learned across the watershed. To help guide this interest, Sonoran Institute organized a symposium on 2 May 2012 entitled “Santa Cruz River Conservation.” The symposium had simultaneous Spanish/English translation and...

  4. Managing a Watershed Monitoring Project with Innovative Data Telemetry and Communications Software

    EPA Science Inventory

    In collaboration with Clermont County, the U.S. EPA is developing watershed-wide load and transport models to better understand environmental stressors in stream flow and the structure and function of stream ecosystems in the tributaries of the Lower East Fork River. Watershed s...

  5. Managing a Watershed Monitoring Project with Innovative Data Telemetry and Communications Software

    EPA Science Inventory

    In collaboration with Clermont County, the U.S. EPA is developing watershed-wide load and transport models to better understand environmental stressors in stream flow and the structure and function of stream ecosystems in the tributaries of the Lower East Fork River. Watershed se...

  6. Accomplishments of South Platte Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Accomplishments of the South Platte Watershed of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  7. Links Related to Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  8. Urban Waters and the Patapsco Watershed/Baltimore Region (Maryland)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Patapsco Watershed / Baltimore Area of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  9. Meetings & Events about Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  10. Hydrologic processes of forested headwater watersheds across a physiographaic gradient in the southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Ge Sun; Johnny Boggs; Steven G. McNulty; Devendra M. Amatya; Carl C. Trettin; Zhaohua Dai; James M. Vose; Ileana B. La Torre Torres; Timothy Callahan

    2008-01-01

    Understanding the hydrologic processes is the first step in making sound watershed management decisions including designing Best Management Practices for nonpoint source pollution control. Over the past fifty years, various forest experimental watersheds have been instrumented across the Carolinas through collaborative studies among federal, state, and private...

  11. Building multi-country collaboration on watershed ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Community-based watershed resilience programs that bridge public health and environmental outcomes often require cross-boundary, multi-country collaboration. The CRESSIDA project, led by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), forwards a resilience-focused approach for Western Balkan communities in the Drini and Drina river watersheds with the goal of safeguarding public health and the environment. The initial phases of this project give a contextualized example of how to advance resilience-driven environmental health goals in Western Balkan communities, and experience within the region has garnered several theme areas that require focus in order to promote a holistic watershed management program. In this paper, using CRESSIDA as a case study, we show (1) how watershed projects designed with resilience-driven environmental health goals can work in context, (2) provide data surrounding contextualized problems with resilience and suggest tools and strategies for the implementation of projects to address these problems, and (3) explore how cross-boundary foci are central to the success of these approaches in watersheds that comprise several countries. Published in the journal, Reviews on Environmental Health.

  12. Photo Gallery for South Platte Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating

  13. Program Contacts for Patapsco Watershed/Baltimore Region (Maryland)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Patapsco Watershed/Baltimore Region (Maryland) Area of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  14. Links from South Platte Watershed Partners

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating.

  15. Urban Waters and the Proctor Creek Watershed/Atlanta (Georgia)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Proctor Creek Watershed/Atlanta (Georgia) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  16. Mission, Goals and Workgroups of South Platte Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating

  17. Meetings and Events about South Platte Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating.

  18. Redefining Region: Social Construction in a Regional Watershed Education Partnership.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alibrandi, Marsha

    What constitutes a region? In what ways do people define or construct the regions in which they live and work? This paper presents findings of a case study of a regional watershed partnership that examined the social ecological processes of social construction-in-action. The study sought to examine how a major watershed's educators collaborated to…

  19. Photo Gallery from the Los Angeles River Watershed (California)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Photo gallery of the Los Angeles River Watershed area of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  20. Public-Private Partnerships Working Beyond Scale Challenges toward Water Quality Improvements from Private Lands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Enloe, Stephanie K.; Schulte, Lisa A.; Tyndall, John C.

    2017-10-01

    In recognition that Iowa agriculture must maintain long-term production of food, fiber, clean water, healthy soil, and robust rural economies, Iowa recently devised a nutrient reduction strategy to set objectives for water quality improvements. To demonstrate how watershed programs and farmers can reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in Iowa waters, the Iowa Water Quality Initiative selected the Boone River Watershed Nutrient Management Initiative as one of eight demonstration projects. For over a decade, diverse public, private, and non-profit partner organizations have worked in the Boone River Watershed to engage farmers in water quality management efforts. To evaluate social dynamics in the Boone River Watershed and provide partners with actionable recommendations, we conducted and analyzed semi-structured interviews with 33 program leaders, farmers, and local agronomists. We triangulated primary interview data with formal analysis of Boone River Watershed documents such as grant applications, progress reports, and outreach materials. Our evaluation suggests that while multi-stakeholder collaboration has enabled partners to overcome many of the traditional barriers to watershed programming, scale mismatches caused by external socio-economic and ecological forces still present substantial obstacles to programmatic resilience. Public funding restrictions and timeframes, for example, often cause interruptions to adaptive management of water quality monitoring and farmer engagement. We present our findings within a resilience framework to demonstrate how multi-stakeholder collaboration can help sustain adaptive watershed programs to improve socio-ecological function in agricultural watersheds such as the Boone River Watershed.

  1. South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado) Systems Thinking

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating

  2. REMOTE AND PROXIMATE SENSING IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    Inter-generationally prudent management of watershed resources will require attention to a complex array of interdependent variables. An interdisciplinary team of investigators from four national research laboratories in EPA's ORD are collaborating to develop stratagems for water...

  3. Nisqually Community Forest VELMA modeling

    EPA Science Inventory

    We developed a set of modeling tools to support community-based forest management and salmon-recovery planning in Pacific Northwest watersheds. Here we describe how these tools are being applied to the Mashel River Watershed in collaboration with the Board of Directors of the Nis...

  4. Evaluation of a collaborative model: a case study analysis of watershed planning in the intermountain west

    Treesearch

    Gary Bentrup

    2001-01-01

    Collaborative planning processes have become increasingly popular for addressing environmental planning issues, resulting in a number of conceptual models for collaboration. A model proposed by Selin and Chavez suggests that collaboration emerges from a series of antecedents and then proceeds sequentially through problem-setting, direction-setting, implementation, and...

  5. Tillamook Estuary Case Study: Local Drivers Influencing Coastal Acidification

    EPA Science Inventory

    US EPA initiated a study in the Tillamook estuary and watershed focused on the impact of changes in watershed land use, ocean conditions, and weather on estuarine water quality and ecosystem goods and services production within the estuary. This project is a collaboration betwee...

  6. Whole Watershed Restoration Planning Tools for Estimating Tradeoffs Among Multiple Objectives

    EPA Science Inventory

    We developed a set of decision support tools to assist whole watershed restoration planning in the Pacific Northwest. Here we describe how these tools are being integrated and applied in collaboration with tribes and community stakeholders to address restoration of hydrological ...

  7. Development and Adoption of a Watershed Approach to Compensatory Mitigation: Experiences in Colorado and California

    EPA Science Inventory

    In this article, we examine the adoption of the watershed approach and its technical methods into regulatory programs in Colorado and California. Specific steps and motives for the adoption are explained. Through close collaboration, regulators have systematically been made aware...

  8. Urban/rural connections: the New York City watershed

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The Cannonsville Reservoir, which was placed in service in 1964, is a major component of the unfiltered New York City water supply system. This year, the Watershed Agricultural Program marks a 17-year history of collaboration among producers, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the De...

  9. Identifying Local Factors that May Exacerbate Coastal Acidification in Pacific Northwest Estuaries

    EPA Science Inventory

    US EPA initiated a study in the Tillamook estuary and watershed focused on the impact of changes in watershed land use, ocean conditions, and weather on estuarine water quality and ecosystem goods and services production within the estuary. This project is a collaboration betwee...

  10. Ecosystem Services Research Program (ESRP) Albemarle-Pamlico Watershed and Estuary Study (APWES) Research Plan

    EPA Science Inventory

    The APWES is a place-based study for the U.S. EPA Ecosystem Services Research Program conducted through the collaboration across the EPA Office of Research and Development. The mission of the APWES is to develop ecosystem services science to inform watershed and coastal manageme...

  11. Status and Trends of Narragansett Bay and its Watershed: A Geographical Approach

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program developed 24 environmental indicators for its 2017 State of the Bay and its Watershed report with the collaboration of over 50 bi-state and regional partners. A geographical approach was undertaken at different scales using an array of geospat...

  12. Undoing the Past: Restoration in the Monday Creek Watershed.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reed, Mary

    2000-01-01

    Monday Creek Restoration Project is a collaborative effort of 20 organizations to clean up an Appalachian Ohio stream fouled for generations by acid mine drainage and industrial waste. The grassroots effort has involved state and federal agencies, VISTA volunteers, community volunteers, and college students who monitor the watershed and share…

  13. Watershed Implications of Sediment and Nutrient Pollution in the Guánica Bay Watershed

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF), a collaboration of federal, commonwealth, and non-government agencies, recently initiated a program to limit sediment runoff to the coral reefs outside Guánica Bay, Puerto Rico. Municipal and agricultural growth in the Guánic...

  14. Rhododendron leaf baiting of coastal California watersheds for Phytophthora

    Treesearch

    Tyler B. Bourret; Heather K. Mehl; Kamyar Aram; David M. Rizzo

    2017-01-01

    For more than a decade, the Rizzo lab and collaborators have monitored northern and central coastal California watersheds each spring and early summer for the presence of Phytophthora using submerged Rhododendron leaves as bait. This served as an early detection tool for the sudden oak death (SOD) pathogen, P. ramorum...

  15. On-line Toxicity Monitors and Their Use in an Upper Mississippi Watershed Water Quality Monitoring Network

    EPA Science Inventory

    A collaborative effort to monitor the upper Mississippi River watershed using On-line Toxicity Monitors (OTMs) is underway with three sites currently deployed and several more at various stages of development. Federal, State, and Local, agencies as well as utilities and Universi...

  16. 2017 STATE OF NARRAGANSETT BAY AND ITS WATERSHED – MAPPING DRIVERS OF CHANGE AND VARIATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) developed 24 environmental indicators for its 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed report with the collaboration of over 50 bi-state (MA and RI) and regional partners. The report presents and tracks the 24 indicators in ord...

  17. Collaborative Research and Watershed Management for Optimization of Forest Road Best Management Practices

    Treesearch

    Mark S. Riedel; James M. Vose

    2003-01-01

    The Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, USFS Southern Research Station, worked with state and local agencies and various organizations to provide guidance and tools to reduce sedimentation and facilitate restoration of the 1900km2 Conasauga River watershed in northern Georgia and southern Tennessee. The Conasauga River has the most diverse aquatic...

  18. EstuRe Project: U.S. Pacific Coast Estuary/Watershed Data and R Tools

    EPA Science Inventory

    The EstuRe Project is a collaborative effort of the U.S. EPA and USGS to standardize and improve the accessibility of data for U.S. Pacific Coast estuaries and their corresponding watersheds. We are presenting a preview of the datasets and tools that will soon be available from ...

  19. Revealing the Role of Microbes in Controlling Contaminants

    ScienceCinema

    Williams, Kenneth Hurst

    2018-05-11

    In Rifle, Colorado, Berkeley Lab earth scientist, Kenneth Hurst Williams, highlights the role subsurface microbial communities can play in controlling the flow of contaminants in groundwater. The DOE Joint Genome Institute is a key collaborator in the research. Williams is Component Lead of Watershed Structure and Controls within Berkeley Lab's Genomes-to-Watershed Scientific Focus Area.

  20. Revealing the Role of Microbes in Controlling Contaminants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, Kenneth Hurst

    2015-04-02

    In Rifle, Colorado, Berkeley Lab earth scientist, Kenneth Hurst Williams, highlights the role subsurface microbial communities can play in controlling the flow of contaminants in groundwater. The DOE Joint Genome Institute is a key collaborator in the research. Williams is Component Lead of Watershed Structure and Controls within Berkeley Lab's Genomes-to-Watershed Scientific Focus Area.

  1. USING LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY TO MAP WATERSHEDS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION IN THE OZARKS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development, and U.S. EPA Region 7 have collaborated to map and interpret landscape-scale (i.e. broad-scale) ecological metrics among watershed of the Upper White River, and have produced the first geospatial models of water quality vulnerabi...

  2. Collaborative management and research in the Great Basin - examining the issues and developing a framework for action

    Treesearch

    Jeanne C. Chambers; Nora Devoe; Angela Evenden

    2008-01-01

    The Great Basin is one of the most imperiled regions in the United States. Sustaining its ecosystems, resources, and human populations requires strong collaborative partnerships among the region's research and management organizations. This GTR is the product of a workshop on "Collaborative Watershed Research and Management in the Great Basin" held in...

  3. Participative approach to elicit water quality monitoring needs from stakeholder groups - An application of integrated watershed management.

    PubMed

    Behmel, S; Damour, M; Ludwig, R; Rodriguez, M J

    2018-07-15

    Water quality monitoring programs (WQMPs) must be based on monitoring objectives originating from the real knowledge needs of all stakeholders in a watershed and users of the resource. This paper proposes a participative approach to elicit knowledge needs and preferred modes of communication from citizens and representatives of organized stakeholders (ROS) on water quality and quantity issues. The participative approach includes six steps and is adaptable and transferable to different types of watersheds. These steps are: (1) perform a stakeholder analysis; (2) conduct an adaptable survey accompanied by a user-friendly public participation geographical information system (PPGIS); (3) hold workshops to meet with ROS to inform them of the results of the survey and PPGIS; discuss attainment of past monitoring objectives; exchange views on new knowledge needs and concerns on water quality and quantity; (4) meet with citizens to obtain the same type of input (as from ROS); (5) analyze the data and information collected to identify new knowledge needs and modes of communication and (6) identify, in collaboration with the individuals in charge of the WQMPs, the short-, medium- and long-term monitoring objectives and communication strategies to be pursued. The participative approach was tested on two distinct watersheds in the province of Quebec, Canada. It resulted in a series of optimization objectives of the existing WQMPs, new monitoring objectives and recommendations regarding communication strategies of the WQMPs' results. The results of this study show that the proposed methodology is appreciated by all parties and that the outcomes and monitoring objectives are acceptable. We also conclude that successful integrated watershed management is a question of scale, and that every aspect of integrated watershed management needs to be adapted to the surface watershed, the groundwater watershed (aquifers) and the human catchment area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Urbanization and watershed sustainability: Collaborative simulation modeling of future development states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Randhir, Timothy O.; Raposa, Sarah

    2014-11-01

    Urbanization has a significant impact on water resources and requires a watershed-based approach to evaluate impacts of land use and urban development on watershed processes. This study uses a simulation with urban policy scenarios to model and strategize transferable recommendations for municipalities and cities to guide urban decisions using watershed ecohydrologic principles. The watershed simulation model is used to evaluation intensive (policy in existing built regions) and extensive (policy outside existing build regions) urban development scenarios with and without implementation of Best Management practices (BMPs). Water quantity and quality changes are simulated to assess effectiveness of five urban development scenarios. It is observed that optimal combination of intensive and extensive strategies can be used to sustain urban ecosystems. BMPs are found critical to reduce storm water and water quality impacts on urban development. Conservation zoning and incentives for voluntary adoption of BMPs can be used in sustaining urbanizing watersheds.

  5. Nitrogen input from residential lawn care practices in suburban watersheds in Baltimore county, MD

    Treesearch

    Neely L. Law; Lawrence E. Band; J. Morgan Grove

    2004-01-01

    A residential lawn care survey was conducted as part of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, a Long-term Ecological Research project funded by the National Science Foundation and collaborating agencies, to estimate the nitrogen input to urban watersheds from lawn care practices. The variability in the fertilizer N application rates and the factors affecting the application...

  6. Kootenai River Focus Watershed Coordination, 2001-2002 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kruse, Gretchen

    2002-07-01

    The 2001-2002 Kootenai River Network Annual Report reflects the organization's defined set of goals and objectives, and how by accomplishing these goals, we continue to meet the needs of communities and landowners throughout the Kootenai River Basin by protecting the resource. Our completed and ongoing projects throughout the watershed reflect the cooperation and support received and needed to accomplish the rehabilitation and restoration of critical habitat. They show that our mission of facilitation through collaboration with public and private interests can lead to improved resource management, the restoration of water quality and the preservation of pristine aquatic resources. Our visionmore » to empower local citizens and groups from two states, one province, two countries and affected tribal nations to collaborate in natural resource management within the basin is largely successful due to the engagement of the basin's residents--the landowners, town government, local interest groups, businesses and agency representatives who live and work here. We are proof that forging these types of cooperative relationships, such as those exhibited by the Kootenai River subbasin planning process, leads to a sense of entitlement--that the quality of the river and its resources enriches our quality of life. Communication is essential in maintaining these relationships. Allowing ourselves to network and receive ideas and information, as well as to produce quality, accessible research data such as KRIS, shared with like organizations and individuals, is the hallmark of this facilitative organization. We are fortunate in the ability to contribute such information, and continue to strive to meet the standards and the needs of those who seek us out as a model for watershed rehabilitative planning and restoration. Sharing includes maintaining active, ongoing lines of communication with the public we serve--through our web site, quarterly newsletter, public presentations and stream table education--at every opportunity. We continue to seek ideas to guide us as we grow. We want to enlarge that sense of ownership that the river does indeed run through it, and belongs to us all. Through a continued and common effort, we hope to carry forward the good work and the momentum that underscores our intent. We are proud to report our accomplishments of this past year because they reflect our renewed sense of purpose. In alliance with diverse citizen groups, individuals, business, industry and tribal and government water resource management agencies, we strive to continue to protect and restore the beauty and integrity that is the Kootenai River watershed.« less

  7. Synthesis of 10-years of Ecohydrologic studies on Turkey Creek watershed

    Treesearch

    Devendra Amatya; Timothy Callahan; Carl Trettin

    2016-01-01

    Since the establishment of a collaborative study 10 years ago, research on the third-order, 5240 ha forested Turkey Creek watershed in South Carolina’s coastal plain has advanced the understanding of rainfall-runoff relationships, stream hydrograph characteristics, and water table dynamics for dominant soil types. Surface water dynamics were shown to be regulated...

  8. SWATShare- A Platform for Collaborative Hydrology Research and Education with Cyber-enabled Sharing, Running and Visualization of SWAT Models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rajib, M. A.; Merwade, V.; Song, C.; Zhao, L.; Kim, I. L.; Zhe, S.

    2014-12-01

    Setting up of any hydrologic model requires a large amount of efforts including compilation of all the data, creation of input files, calibration and validation. Given the amount of efforts involved, it is possible that models for a watershed get created multiple times by multiple groups or organizations to accomplish different research, educational or policy goals. To reduce the duplication of efforts and enable collaboration among different groups or organizations around an already existing hydrology model, a platform is needed where anyone can search for existing models, perform simple scenario analysis and visualize model results. The creator and users of a model on such a platform can then collaborate to accomplish new research or educational objectives. From this perspective, a prototype cyber-infrastructure (CI), called SWATShare, is developed for sharing, running and visualizing Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models in an interactive GIS-enabled web environment. Users can utilize SWATShare to publish or upload their own models, search and download existing SWAT models developed by others, run simulations including calibration using high performance resources provided by XSEDE and Cloud. Besides running and sharing, SWATShare hosts a novel spatio-temporal visualization system for SWAT model outputs. In temporal scale, the system creates time-series plots for all the hydrology and water quality variables available along the reach as well as in watershed-level. In spatial scale, the system can dynamically generate sub-basin level thematic maps for any variable at any user-defined date or date range; and thereby, allowing users to run animations or download the data for subsequent analyses. In addition to research, SWATShare can also be used within a classroom setting as an educational tool for modeling and comparing the hydrologic processes under different geographic and climatic settings. SWATShare is publicly available at https://www.water-hub.org/swatshare.

  9. Gender sensitive education in watershed management to support environmental friendly city

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asteria, D.; Budidarmono; Herdiansyah, H.; Ni’mah, N. L.

    2018-03-01

    This study is about gender-sensitive perspective in watershed management education program as one of capacity building for citizens in watershed management with community-based strategy to support environmental friendly cities and security for women from flood disasters. Involving women and increasing women’s active participation in sustainable watershed management is essential in urban area. In global warming and climate change situations, city management should be integrated between social aspect and environmental planning. This study used mix method (concurrent embedded type, with quantitative as primary method) with research type is descriptive-explanatory. The result of this study is education strategies with gender approaches and affirmative action through emancipation approach and local knowledge from women’s experiences can increase women’s participation. Women’s empowerment efforts need integrated intervention and collaboration from government, NGO, and other stakeholders to optimize women’s role in watershed management for support environmental friendly city. The implication of this study is an educational strategy on watershed conservation with gender perspective to offer social engineering alternatives for decision makers to policy of sustainable watershed management in urban area related to flood mitigation efforts.

  10. Watershed Restoration Project

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Julie Thompson; Betsy Macfarlan

    2007-09-27

    In 2003, the U.S. Department of Energy issued the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition (ENLC) funding to implement ecological restoration in Gleason Creek and Smith Valley Watersheds. This project was made possible by congressionally directed funding that was provided through the US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of the Biomass Program. The Ely District Bureau of Land Management (Ely BLM) manages these watersheds and considers them priority areas within the Ely BLM district. These three entities collaborated to address the issues and concerns of Gleason Creek and Smith Valley and prepared a restoration plan to improve themore » watersheds’ ecological health and resiliency. The restoration process began with watershed-scale vegetation assessments and state and transition models to focus on restoration sites. Design and implementation of restoration treatments ensued and were completed in January 2007. This report describes the restoration process ENLC undertook from planning to implementation of two watersheds in semi-arid Eastern Nevada.« less

  11. Integrated watershed planning across jurisdictional boundaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watts, A. W.; Roseen, R.; Stacey, P.; Bourdeau, R.

    2014-12-01

    We will present the foundation for an Coastal Watershed Integrated Plan for three communities in southern New Hampshire. Small communities are often challenged by complex regulatory requirements and limited resources, but are wary of perceived risks in engaging in collaborative projects with other communities. Potential concerns include loss of control, lack of resources to engage in collaboration, technical complexity, and unclear benefits. This project explores a multi-town subwatershed application of integrated planning across jurisdictional boundaries that addresses some of today's highest priority water quality issues: wastewater treatment plant upgrades for nutrient removal; green infrastructure stormwater management for developing and re-developing areas; and regional monitoring of ecosystem indicators in support of adaptive management to achieve nutrient reduction and other water quality goals in local and downstream waters. The project outcome is a collaboratively-developed inter-municipal integrated plan, and a monitoring framework to support cross jurisdictional planning and assess attainment of water quality management goals. This research project has several primary components: 1) assessment of initial conditions, including both the pollutant load inputs and the political, economic and regulatory status within each community, 2) a pollutant load model for point and non-point sources, 3) multi-criteria evaluation of load reduction alternatives 4) a watershed management plan optimized for each community, and for Subwatersheds combining multiple communities. The final plan will quantify the financial and other benefits/drawbacks to each community for both inter municipal and individual pollution control approaches. We will discuss both the technical and collaborative aspects of the work, with lessons learned regarding science to action, incorporation of social, economic and water quality assessment parameters, and stakeholder/researcher interaction.

  12. Guide to effective research-management collaboration at long-term environmental research sites

    Treesearch

    Frederick J. Swanson; Steve Eubanks; Mary Beth Adams; John C. Brissette

    2010-01-01

    The Forest Service system of experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) and other sites of long-term silvicultural, watershed, and ecological research have contributed to science and natural resource management for more than a century. An important aspect of the success of EFR programs is strong collaboration between the research and land manager communities. This guide...

  13. Southeast New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Southeast New England Program aims to enhance collaboration among stakeholders and promote innovation in policy, monitoring and best management practices in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts.

  14. GSD Update: All together now: Collaboration in research and stewardship for our 21st century lands

    Treesearch

    Lisa-Natalie Anjozian

    2012-01-01

    Collaboration is the way the USDA Forest Service operates in this new era, where the challenges in our natural world - to soil, air, plants, animals, watersheds - require the talents of devoted scientists, managers, citizens, communities. Conservation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems depends on the success of these networks of involved participants in finding...

  15. Westerly Creek Environmental Justice of the South Platte Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte River of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  16. Baltimore Urban Waters Partnership Conceptual Framework

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Patapsco Watershed/Baltimore Region (Maryland) Area of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  17. Watershed Management and Public Health: An Exploration of the Intersection of Two Fields as Reported in the Literature from 2000 to 2010

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bunch, Martin J.; Parkes, Margot; Zubrycki, Karla; Venema, Henry; Hallstrom, Lars; Neudorffer, Cynthia; Berbés-Blázquez, Marta; Morrison, Karen

    2014-08-01

    Watersheds are settings for health and well-being that have a great deal to offer the public health community due to the correspondence between the spatial form of the watershed unit and the importance to health and well-being of water. However, managing watersheds for human health and well-being requires the ability to move beyond typical reductionist approaches toward more holistic methods. Health and well-being are emergent properties of inter-related social and biophysical processes. This paper characterizes points of connection and integration between watershed management and public health and tests a new conceptual model, the Watershed Governance Prism, to determine the prevalence in peer-reviewed literature of different perspectives relating to watersheds and public health. We conducted an initial search of academic databases for papers that addressed the interface between watershed management (or governance) and public health themes. We then generated a sample of these papers and undertook a collaborative analysis informed by the Watershed Governance Prism. Our analysis found that although these manuscripts dealt with a range of biophysical and social determinants of health, there was a tendency for social factors and health outcomes to be framed as context only for these studies, rather than form the core of the relationships being investigated. At least one cluster of papers emerged from this analysis that represented a cohesive perspective on watershed governance and health; "Perspective B" on the Watershed Governance Prism, "water governance for ecosystems and well-being," was dominant. Overall, the integration of watershed management/governance and public health is in its infancy.

  18. Watershed management and public health: an exploration of the intersection of two fields as reported in the literature from 2000 to 2010.

    PubMed

    Bunch, Martin J; Parkes, Margot; Zubrycki, Karla; Venema, Henry; Hallstrom, Lars; Neudorffer, Cynthia; Berbés-Blázquez, Marta; Morrison, Karen

    2014-08-01

    Watersheds are settings for health and well-being that have a great deal to offer the public health community due to the correspondence between the spatial form of the watershed unit and the importance to health and well-being of water. However, managing watersheds for human health and well-being requires the ability to move beyond typical reductionist approaches toward more holistic methods. Health and well-being are emergent properties of inter-related social and biophysical processes. This paper characterizes points of connection and integration between watershed management and public health and tests a new conceptual model, the Watershed Governance Prism, to determine the prevalence in peer-reviewed literature of different perspectives relating to watersheds and public health. We conducted an initial search of academic databases for papers that addressed the interface between watershed management (or governance) and public health themes. We then generated a sample of these papers and undertook a collaborative analysis informed by the Watershed Governance Prism. Our analysis found that although these manuscripts dealt with a range of biophysical and social determinants of health, there was a tendency for social factors and health outcomes to be framed as context only for these studies, rather than form the core of the relationships being investigated. At least one cluster of papers emerged from this analysis that represented a cohesive perspective on watershed governance and health; "Perspective B" on the Watershed Governance Prism, "water governance for ecosystems and well-being," was dominant. Overall, the integration of watershed management/governance and public health is in its infancy.

  19. Documenting Models for Interoperability and Reusability (proceedings)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Many modeling frameworks compartmentalize science via individual models that link sets of small components to create larger modeling workflows. Developing integrated watershed models increasingly requires coupling multidisciplinary, independent models, as well as collaboration be...

  20. Documenting Models for Interoperability and Reusability

    EPA Science Inventory

    Many modeling frameworks compartmentalize science via individual models that link sets of small components to create larger modeling workflows. Developing integrated watershed models increasingly requires coupling multidisciplinary, independent models, as well as collaboration be...

  1. Mapping Application Partnership Tool for Anacostia Watershed (Washington, DC/Maryland)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Mapping Application Partnership Tool (MAPT) of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  2. URBAN STORMWATER BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP) RESEARCH

    EPA Science Inventory

    Presentation on urban best management practice research conducted by the Urban Watershed Research Branch. The presentation to Region 3 started with Branch history, discussed results of recent projects, identified mechanisms for collaboration between ORD and Regions and discussed ...

  3. Urban Waters and the South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    South Platte River of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts.

  4. THE AUTOMATED GEOSPATIAL WATERSHED ASSESSMENT TOOL

    EPA Science Inventory

    A toolkit for distributed hydrologic modeling at multiple scales using a geographic information system is presented. This open-source, freely available software was developed through a collaborative endeavor involving two Universities and two government agencies. Called the Auto...

  5. 76 FR 6761 - Federal Advisory Committee Meeting To Be Held Authorized Under the Secure Rural Schools Act and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-08

    ... varied interests and areas of expertise. They will work collaboratively to improve working relationships... National Forests lands and can maintain infrastructure, improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems...

  6. Engaging Watershed Stakeholders for Cost-Effective Environmental Management Planning with "Watershed Manager"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Jeffery R.; Smith, Craig M.; Roe, Josh D.; Leatherman, John C.; Wilson, Robert M.

    2012-01-01

    "Watershed Manager" is a spreadsheet-based model that is used in extension education programs for learning about and selecting cost-effective watershed management practices to reduce soil, nitrogen, and phosphorus losses from cropland. It can facilitate Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) stakeholder groups' development…

  7. STEPS FORWARD IN WETLAND MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The recent report of the National Research Council on wetland mitigation again highlighted the need for regional watershed evaluation as a context from which to determine the efficacy of past regulatory decisions and to improve the effectiveness of future actions. Collaborative ...

  8. Salmon recovery planning using the VELMA model

    EPA Science Inventory

    We developed a set of tools to provide decision support for community-based salmon recovery planning in Pacific Northwest watersheds. This seminar describes how these tools are being integrated and applied in collaboration with Puget Sound tribes and community stakeholders to add...

  9. Model My Watershed - A Robust Online App to Enable Citizen Scientists to Model Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality at Regulatory-Level Standards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Daniels, M.; Kerlin, S.; Arscott, D.

    2017-12-01

    Citizen-based watershed monitoring has historically lacked scientific rigor and geographic scope due to limitation in access to watershed-level data and the high level skills and resources required to adequately model watershed dynamics. Public access to watershed information is currently routed through a variety of governmental data portals and often requires advanced geospatial skills to collect and present in useable forms. At the same time, tremendous financial resources are being invested in watershed restoration and management efforts, and often these resources pass through local stakeholder groups such as conservation NGO, watershed interest groups, and local municipalities without extensive hydrologic knowledge or access to sophisticated modeling resources. Even governmental agencies struggle to understand how to best steer or prioritize restoration investments. A new app, Model My Watershed, was built to improve access to watershed data and modeling capabilities in a fast, accessible, free web-app format. Working across the contiguous United States, the Model My Watershed app provides land cover, soils, aerial imagery and relief, watershed delineation, and stream network delineation. Users can model watersheds or areas of interest and create management scenarios to evaluate implementation of land cover changes and best management practice implementation with both hydrologic and water quality outputs that meet TMDL regulatory standards.

  10. EPA'S WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND MODELING RESEARCH PROGRAM

    EPA Science Inventory

    Watershed management presumes that community groups can best solve many water quality and ecosystem problems at the watershed level rather than at the individual site, receiving waterbody, or discharger level. After assessing and ranking watershed problems, and setting environ...

  11. REAL-TIME WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND MODELING FOR EQUITABLE RECREATION ON THE MYSTIC RIVER

    EPA Science Inventory

    City of Somerville, Massachusetts, in collaboration with Tufts University and the Mystic River Watershed Association, proposes this project that combines advanced technology for real-time water quality and meteorological monitoring with sampling of bacterial levels...

  12. Development of Land Segmentation, Stream-Reach Network, and Watersheds in Support of Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) Modeling, Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and Adjacent Parts of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Martucci, Sarah K.; Krstolic, Jennifer L.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Hopkins, Katherine J.

    2006-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, Maryland Department of the Environment, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are collaborating on the Chesapeake Bay Regional Watershed Model, using Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN to simulate streamflow and concentrations and loads of nutrients and sediment to Chesapeake Bay. The model will be used to provide information for resource managers. In order to establish a framework for model simulation, digital spatial datasets were created defining the discretization of the model region (including the Chesapeake Bay watershed, as well as the adjacent parts of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia outside the watershed) into land segments, a stream-reach network, and associated watersheds. Land segmentation was based on county boundaries represented by a 1:100,000-scale digital dataset. Fifty of the 254 counties and incorporated cities in the model region were divided on the basis of physiography and topography, producing a total of 309 land segments. The stream-reach network for the Chesapeake Bay watershed part of the model region was based on the U.S. Geological Survey Chesapeake Bay SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) model stream-reach network. Because that network was created only for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the rest of the model region uses a 1:500,000-scale stream-reach network. Streams with mean annual streamflow of less than 100 cubic feet per second were excluded based on attributes from the dataset. Additional changes were made to enhance the data and to allow for inclusion of stream reaches with monitoring data that were not part of the original network. Thirty-meter-resolution Digital Elevation Model data were used to delineate watersheds for each stream reach. State watershed boundaries replaced the Digital Elevation Model-derived watersheds where coincident. After a number of corrections, the watersheds were coded to indicate major and minor basin, mean annual streamflow, and each watershed's unique identifier as well as that of the downstream watershed. Land segments and watersheds were intersected to create land-watershed segments for the model.

  13. WATERSHED SCALE RAINFALL INTERCEPTION ON TWO FORESTED WATERSHEDS IN THE LUQUILLO MOUNTAINS OF PUERTO RICO

    Treesearch

    F.N. SCATENA

    1990-01-01

    Interception losses were monitored for one year and related to vegetation characteristics in two forested watersheds in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico. Total watershed interception was then modeled by weighting values of throughfall measured in representative areas of different vegetation types by the total watershed area of that vegetation group....

  14. Watershed management and organizational dynamics: nationwide findings and regional variation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clark, B.T.; Burkardt, N.; King, M.D.

    2005-01-01

    Recent attention has focused on resource management initiatives at the watershed scale with emphasis on collaborative, locally driven, and decentralized institutional arrangements. Existing literature on limited selections of well-established watershed-based organizations has provided valuable insights. The current research extends this focus by including a broad survey of watershed organizations from across the United States as a means to estimate a national portrait. Organizational characteristics include year of formation, membership size and composition, budget, guiding principles, and mechanisms of decision-making. These characteristics and the issue concerns of organizations are expected to vary with respect to location. Because this research focuses on organizations that are place based and stakeholder driven, the forces driving them are expected to differ across regions of the country. On this basis of location, we suggest basic elements for a regional assessment of watershed organizations to channel future research and to better approximate the organizational dynamics, issue concerns, and information needs unique to organizations across the country. At the broadest level, the identification of regional patterns or organizational similarities may facilitate the linkage among organizations to coordinate their actions at the much broader river basin or ecosystem scale.

  15. Watershed management and organizational dynamics: nationwide findings and regional variation.

    PubMed

    Clark, Brad T; Burkardt, Nina; King, Dawn

    2005-08-01

    Recent attention has focused on resource management initiatives at the watershed scale with emphasis on collaborative, locally driven, and decentralized institutional arrangements. Existing literature on limited selections of well-established watershed-based organizations has provided valuable insights. The current research extends this focus by including a broad survey of watershed organizations from across the United States as a means to estimate a national portrait. Organizational characteristics include year of formation, membership size and composition, budget, guiding principles, and mechanisms of decision-making. These characteristics and the issue concerns of organizations are expected to vary with respect to location. Because this research focuses on organizations that are place based and stakeholder driven, the forces driving them are expected to differ across regions of the country. On this basis of location, we suggest basic elements for a regional assessment of watershed organizations to channel future research and to better approximate the organizational dynamics, issue concerns, and information needs unique to organizations across the country. At the broadest level, the identification of regional patterns or organizational similarities may facilitate the linkage among organizations to coordinate their actions at the much broader river basin or ecosystem scale.

  16. WC WAVE - Integrating Diverse Hydrological-Modeling Data and Services Into an Interoperable Geospatial Infrastructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hudspeth, W. B.; Baros, S.; Barrett, H.; Savickas, J.; Erickson, J.

    2015-12-01

    WC WAVE (Western Consortium for Watershed Analysis, Visualization and Exploration) is a collaborative research project between the states of Idaho, Nevada, and New Mexico that is funded under the National Science Foundation's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The goal of the project is to understand and document the effects of climate change on interactions between precipitation, vegetation growth, soil moisture and other landscape properties. These interactions are modeled within a framework we refer to as a virtual watershed (VW), a computer infrastructure that simulates watershed dynamics by linking scientific modeling, visualization, and data management components into a coherent whole. Developed and hosted at the Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico, the virtual watershed has a number of core functions which include: a) streamlined access to data required for model initialization and boundary conditions; b) the development of analytic scenarios through interactive visualization of available data and the storage of model configuration options; c) coupling of hydrological models through the rapid assimilation of model outputs into the data management system for access and use by sequent models. The WC-WAVE virtual watershed accomplishes these functions by provision of large-scale vector and raster data discovery, subsetting, and delivery via Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and REST web service standards. Central to the virtual watershed is the design and use of an innovative array of metadata elements that permits the stepwise coupling of diverse hydrological models (e.g. ISNOBAL, PRMS, CASiMiR) and input data to rapidly assess variation in outcomes under different climatic conditions. We present details on the architecture and functionality of the virtual watershed, results from three western U.S. watersheds, and discuss the realized benefits to watershed science of employing this integrated solution.

  17. Adaptation in Collaborative Governance Regimes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Emerson, Kirk; Gerlak, Andrea K.

    2014-10-01

    Adaptation and the adaptive capacity of human and environmental systems have been of central concern to natural and social science scholars, many of whom characterize and promote the need for collaborative cross-boundary systems that are seen as flexible and adaptive by definition. Researchers who study collaborative governance systems in the public administration, planning and policy literature have paid less attention to adaptive capacity specifically and institutional adaptation in general. This paper bridges the two literatures and finds four common dimensions of capacity, including structural arrangements, leadership, knowledge and learning, and resources. In this paper, we focus on institutional adaptation in the context of collaborative governance regimes and try to clarify and distinguish collaborative capacity from adaptive capacity and their contributions to adaptive action. We posit further that collaborative capacities generate associated adaptive capacities thereby enabling institutional adaptation within collaborative governance regimes. We develop these distinctions and linkages between collaborative and adaptive capacities with the help of an illustrative case study in watershed management within the National Estuary Program.

  18. Experimental Watershed Study Designs: A Tool for Advancing Process Understanding and Management of Mixed-Land-Use Watersheds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hubbart, J. A.; Kellner, R. E.; Zeiger, S. J.

    2016-12-01

    Advancements in watershed management are both a major challenge, and urgent need of this century. The experimental watershed study (EWS) approach provides critical baseline and long-term information that can improve decision-making, and reduce misallocation of mitigation investments. Historically, the EWS approach was used in wildland watersheds to quantitatively characterize basic landscape alterations (e.g. forest harvest, road building). However, in recent years, EWS is being repurposed in contemporary multiple-land-use watersheds comprising a mosaic of land use practices such as urbanizing centers, industry, agriculture, and rural development. The EWS method provides scalable and transferrable results that address the uncertainties of development, while providing a scientific basis for total maximum daily load (TMDL) targets in increasing numbers of Clean Water Act 303(d) listed waters. Collaborative adaptive management (CAM) programs, designed to consider the needs of many stakeholders, can also benefit from EWS-generated information, which can be used for best decision making, and serve as a guidance tool throughout the CAM program duration. Of similar importance, long-term EWS monitoring programs create a model system to show stakeholders how investing in rigorous scientific research initiatives improves decision-making, thereby increasing management efficiencies through more focused investments. The evolution from classic wildland EWS designs to contemporary EWS designs in multiple-land-use watersheds will be presented while illustrating how such an approach can encourage innovation, cooperation, and trust among watershed stakeholders working to reach the common goal of improving and sustaining hydrologic regimes and water quality.

  19. Community Capacity for Watershed Conservation: A Quantitative Assessment of Indicators and Core Dimensions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brinkman, Elliot; Seekamp, Erin; Davenport, Mae A.; Brehm, Joan M.

    2012-10-01

    Community capacity for watershed management has emerged as an important topic for the conservation of water resources. While much of the literature on community capacity has focused primarily on theory construction, there have been few efforts to quantitatively assess community capacity variables and constructs, particularly for watershed management and conservation. This study seeks to identify predictors of community capacity for watershed conservation in southwestern Illinois. A subwatershed-scale survey of residents from four communities located within the Lower Kaskaskia River watershed of southwestern Illinois was administered to measure three specific capacity variables: community empowerment, shared vision and collective action. Principal component analysis revealed key dimensions of each variable. Specifically, collective action was characterized by items relating to collaborative governance and social networks, community empowerment was characterized by items relating to community competency and a sense of responsibility and shared vision was characterized by items relating to perceptions of environmental threats, issues with development, environmental sense of place and quality of life. From the emerging factors, composite measures were calculated to determine the extent to which each variable contributed to community capacity. A stepwise regression revealed that community empowerment explained most of the variability in the composite measure of community capacity for watershed conservation. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of community capacity by quantifying the role of collective action, community empowerment and shared vision in community capacity, highlighting the need for multilevel interaction to address watershed issues.

  20. Future of the Middle Rio Grande

    Treesearch

    Barbara A. Coe

    1999-01-01

    Because decisions made today about the Middle Rio Grande will influence future conditions, symposium participants - the stakeholders - collaborated in a final session to plan improvements for the watershed and river corridor. The result included several action plans focusing on desired future conditions and actions to achieve them.

  1. Complex watersheds, collaborative teams: Assessing pollutant presence and effects in the San Francisco Delta

    EPA Science Inventory

    There is a great diversity of sources of chemical contaminants and stressors over large geographic areas. Chemical contaminant inputs and magnitude can potentially exhibit wide seasonal variation over large geographic areas. Together, these factors make linking exposure to monito...

  2. Integrated decision support tools for Puget Sound salmon recovery planning

    EPA Science Inventory

    We developed a set of tools to provide decision support for community-based salmon recovery planning in Salish Sea watersheds. Here we describe how these tools are being integrated and applied in collaboration with Puget Sound tribes and community stakeholders to address restora...

  3. Environmental chemical mixtures: Assessing ecological exposure and effects in streams

    EPA Science Inventory

    This product is a USGS fact sheet that describes a collaborative effort between USGS and US EPA to characterize exposures to chemical mixtures and associated biological effects for a diverse range of US streams representing varying watershed size, land-use patterns, and ecotypes.

  4. EVALUATING THE WATER QUALITY EFFECTIVENESS OF WATERSHED-SCALE SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAMS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The US EPA Office of Research and Development, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) and the Upper Big Walnut Creek Quality Partnership created a collaborative team of eleven agencies and universities to develop a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness...

  5. Decision-making in Coastal Management and a Collaborative Governance Framework

    EPA Science Inventory

    Over half of the US population lives in coastal watersheds, creating a regional pressure for coastal ecosystems to provide a broad spectrum of services while continuing to support healthy communities and economies. The National Ocean Policy, issued in 2010, and Coastal and Marin...

  6. East Fork Watershed Cooperative: Toward better system-scale watershed management

    EPA Science Inventory

    The East Fork Watershed Cooperative is a group intent on understanding how to best manage water quality in a large mixed-use Midwestern watershed system. The system contains a reservoir that serves as a source of drinking water and is popular for water recreation. The reservoir i...

  7. Computer simulation of the cumulative effects of brushland fire-management policies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonnicksen, Thomas M.

    1980-01-01

    A mathematical model simulates the cumulative volume of debris produced from brushland watersheds. Application of this model to a 176-km2 (0.678 = mi2) watershed along the southern flank of the Central San Gabriel Mountains permits assessment of expected debris production associated with alternative fire-management policies. The political implications of simulated debris production are evaluated through a conceptual model that links interest groups to particular successional stages in brushland watersheds by means of the resources claimed by each group. It is concluded that in theory, a rotation burn policy would provide benefits to more interest groups concerned about southern California's brushland watersheds than does the current fire exclusion policy.

  8. WETLAND MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT TO SUPPORT DECISION MAKING: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The recent report of the National Research Council on wetland mitigation again highlighted the need for regional watershed evaluation as a context from which to determine the efficacy of past regulatory decisions and to improve the effectiveness of future actions. Collaborative ...

  9. Building Capacity for Collaborative Decisions, Resilient Ecosystems, and Sustainable Practices: Water, Land, Communtiy and People in Estuarine Watersheds

    EPA Science Inventory

    Population growth, urban expansion, and the warming climate have and will continue to stress our coastal ecosystems. Decisions on how and when to respond with stewardship, adaptation, and mitigation are made by individuals, municipalities, states, and agencies. These decisions ...

  10. DIAGNOSING THE CAUSES OF BIOLOGICAL IMPAIRMENT IN MOBILE BAY, ALABAMA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Mobile Bay is the fourth largest estuary in the conterminous U.S. with a watershed of more than 43,000 square miles. Biological condition in Mobile Bay has been assessed annually since 2000 through the National Coastal Assessment, a monitoring collaboration between US EPA and Al...

  11. Tribal Watershed Management: Culture, Science, Capacity, and Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cronin, Amanda; Ostergren, David M.

    2007-01-01

    This research focuses on two elements of contemporary American Indian natural resource management. First, the authors explore the capacity of tribes to manage natural resources, including the merging of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with Western science. Second, they analyze tribal management in the context of local and regional…

  12. Centers for Environmental Education: Guidelines for Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Terry; Martin, Joan

    This report presents a model of collaborative effort that established a network of 15 university-based and 2 non-university based Centers for Environmental Education (CEE) in the Tennessee River watershed region. The report begins by establishing definitions for a Center for Environmental Education and a network system, both of which are…

  13. Agencies collaborate, develop a cyanobacteria assessment network

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schaeffer, Blake A.; Loftin, Keith A.; Stumpf, Richard P.; Werdell, P. Jeremy

    2015-01-01

    Satellite remote sensing tools may enable policy makers and environmental managers to assess the sustainability of watershed ecosystems and the services they provide, now and in the future. Satellite technology allows us to develop early-warning indicators of cyanobacteria blooms at the local scale while maintaining continuous national coverage.

  14. Evaluating channel morphology in small watersheds of oak savannas Southeastern New Mexico, USA: Do seasonal prescribed burn treatments have a significant impact on sediment processes?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koestner, Karen; Neary, Daniel; Gottfried, Gerald; Tecle, Aregai

    2010-05-01

    Oak-savannas comprise over 80,000 km2 of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. However, there is a paucity of data to assist in the management of this vast ecotype. Fire, which was once the most important natural disturbance in this system, has been excluded due to over-grazing and fire suppression practices. This has resulted in ecosystem changes and fuel accumulations. Prescribed fire is one management technique to restore natural processes within southwestern oak-savannas by reducing woody species density, increasing herbaceous plant production, and creating vegetative mosaics on the landscape. However, questions concerning the seasonality of burn treatments and the overall effects of these treatments on physical and ecological processes need to be addressed prior to broad management application. The Cascabel Watershed Study is a collaborative effort between multiple government agencies, universities, local land managers, and environmental interest groups to evaluate the impacts of warm and cool season burn treatments on an array of ecosystem processes. Established in 2000, the Cascabel Watershed study takes an "ecosystem approach" to watershed research by examining an array of physical and biological components, including geomorphologic, climatologic, hydrologic, and biologic (flora and fauna) data to determine ecosystem response to prescribed fire. The 182.6 ha study area is located in the eastern Peloncillo Mountains, New Mexico at about the 1,640 m elevation. It consists of 12 small watersheds dominated by an oak (Quercus spp.) overstory and bunch-grass (Bouteloua spp.), savanna component. The parent material is fine-grained Tertiary rhyolite that is part of an extensive lava field that was formed about 25 to 27 M ybp. A US Forest Service soil survey in the area classified 45% of the soils as Typic Haplustolls, coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic, 25% as Typic Haplustalfs, and 15% rock outcrops. Here, we evaluate within-channel processes to establish baseline denudation rates and sediment production estimates, and to determine whether or not either of the burn treatments applied has a significant effect on channel morphology. Initial results indicate that burn treatments have not had a discernable impact on basin morphology across the 12 watersheds. These data assist land managers in making informed decisions regarding prescribed burn treatments.

  15. Protecting water quality in the watershed

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    James, C.R.; Johnson, K.E.; Stewart, E.H.

    1994-08-01

    This article highlights the water quality component of a watershed management plan being developed for the San Francisco (CA) Water Department. The physical characteristics of the 63,000-acre watersheds were analyzed for source and transport vulnerability for five groups of water quality parameters--particulates, THM precursors, microorganisms (Giardia and cryptosporidium), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and synthetic organic chemicals--and vulnerability zones were mapped. Mapping was achieved through the use of an extensive geographic information system (GIS) database. Each water quality vulnerability zone map was developed based on five watershed physical characteristics--soils, slope, vegetation, wildlife concentration, and proximity to water bodies--and their relationships tomore » each of the five groups of water quality parameters. An approach to incorporate the watershed physical characteristics information into the five water quality vulnerability zone maps was defined and verified. The composite approach was based in part on information gathered from existing watershed management plans.« less

  16. DATA TOOLS AND INTERPRETATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    As watershed groups in the state of Georgia form and develop, they have a need for collecting, managing, and analyzing data associated with their watershed. Possible sources of data for flow, water quality, biology, habitat, and watershed characteristics include the U.S. Geologic...

  17. Conservation practice establishment in two northeast Iowa watersheds: Strategies, water quality implications, and lessons learned

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gassman, Philip W.; Tisl, J.A.; Palas, E.A.; Fields, C.L.; Isenhart, T.M.; Schilling, K.E.; Wolter, C.F.; Seigley, L.S.; Helmers, M.J.

    2010-01-01

    Coldwater trout streams are important natural resources in northeast Iowa. Extensive efforts have been made by state and federal agencies to protect and improve water quality in northeast Iowa streams that include Sny Magill Creek and Bloody Run Creek, which are located in Clayton County. A series of three water quality projects were implemented in Sny Magill Creek watershed during 1988 to 1999, which were supported by multiple agencies and focused on best management practice (BMP) adoption. Water quality monitoring was performed during 1992 to 2001 to assess the impact of these installed BMPs in the Sny Magill Creek watershed using a paired watershed approach, where the Bloody Run Creek watershed served as the control. Conservation practice adoption still occurred in the Bloody Run Creek watershed during the 10-year monitoring project and accelerated after the project ended, when a multiagency supported water quality project was implemented during 2002 to 2007. Statistical analysis of the paired watershed results using a pre/post model indicated that discharge increased 8% in Sny Magill Creek watershed relative to the Bloody Run Creek watershed, turbidity declined 41%, total suspended sediment declined 7%, and NOx-N (nitrate-nitrogen plus nitrite-nitrogen) increased 15%. Similar results were obtained with a gradual change statistical model.The weak sediment reductions and increased NOx-N levels were both unexpected and indicate that dynamics between adopted BMPs and stream systems need to be better understood. Fish surveys indicate that conditions for supporting trout fisheries have improved in both streams. Important lessons to be taken from the overall study include (1) committed project coordinators, agency collaborators, and landowners/producers are all needed for successful water quality projects; (2) smaller watershed areas should be used in paired studies; (3) reductions in stream discharge may be required in these systems in order for significant sediment load decreases to occur; (4) long-term monitoring on the order of decades can be required to detect meaningful changes in water quality in response to BMP implementation; and (5) all consequences of specific BMPs need to be considered when considering strategies for watershed protection.

  18. From community preferences to design: Investigation of human-centered optimization algorithms in web-based, democratic planning of watershed restoration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babbar-Sebens, M.; Mukhopadhyay, S.

    2014-12-01

    Web 2.0 technologies are useful resources for reaching out to larger stakeholder communities and involve them in policy making and planning efforts. While these technologies have been used in the past to support education and communication endeavors, we have developed a novel, web-based, interactive planning tool that involves the community in using science-based methods for the design of potential runoff management strategies on their landscape. The tool, Watershed REstoration using Spatio-Temporal Optimization of Resources (WRESTORE), uses a democratic voting process coupled with visualization interfaces, computational simulation and optimization models, and user modeling techniques to support a human-centered design approach. The tool can be used to engage diverse watershed stakeholders and landowners via the internet, thereby improving opportunities for outreach and collaborations. Users are able to (a) design multiple types of conservation practices at their field-scale catchment and at the entire watershed scale, (b) examine impacts and limitations of their decisions on their neighboring catchments and on the entire watershed, (c) compare alternatives via a cost-benefit analysis, (d) vote on their "favorite" designs based on their preferences and constraints, and (e) propose their "favorite" alternatives to policy makers and other stakeholders. In this presentation, we will demonstrate the effectiveness of WRESTORE for designing alternatives of conservation practices to reduce peak flows in a Midwestern watershed, present results on multiple approaches for engaging with larger communities, and discuss potential for future developments.

  19. Stakeholder Partnerships as Collaborative Policymaking: Evaluation Criteria Applied to Watershed Management in California and Washington

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leach, William D.; Pelkey, Neil W.; Sabatier, Paul A.

    2002-01-01

    Public policymaking and implementation in the United States are increasingly handled through local, consensus-seeking partnerships involving most affected stakeholders. This paper formalizes the concept of a stakeholder partnership, and proposes techniques for using interviews, surveys, and documents to measure each of six evaluation criteria.…

  20. RESTORATION PLUS: A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO ACHIEVE ECOLOGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA is evaluating ecosystem restoration and management techniques to ensure they create sustainable solutions for degraded watersheds. ORD NRMRL initiated the Restoration Plus (RePlus) program in 2002 to a) evaluate ecosystem restoration and management options, b) assess the non-...

  1. ASSESSMENT OF NEAR-STREAM GROUND WATER-SURFACE WATER INTERACTION (GSI) OF A DEGRADED STREAM BEFORE RESTORATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    In Fall 2001, EPA undertook an intensive collaborative research effort with the USGS and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies (IES) to evaluate the impact of restoration on water quality at a degraded stream in an urban watershed using a before/after stream restoration study design...

  2. A LANDSCAPE ATLAS OF ECOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY: ARKANSAS' WHITE RIVER WATERSHED AND THE MISSISSIPPI ALLUVIAL VALLEY

    EPA Science Inventory

    In July, 2000 the U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development was requested to collaborate in a U.S. EPA Region 6 'Regional Applied Research Effort' (RARE). The primary goal of this RARE is to utilize current science and technology to improve the ecological vulnerability asses...

  3. CONTRIBUTION OF NUTRIENTS AND E. COLI TO SURFACE WATER CONDITION IN THE OZARKS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development, and U.S. EPA Region 7 have collaborated to map and interpret landscape-scale (i.e., broad-scale) ecological metrics among watersheds of the Upper White River, and have produced the first geospatial models of water quality vulnera...

  4. The Year We Learned to Collaborate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silva, Janice; Contreras, Kathia

    2011-01-01

    In 2008-09, Colegio Ingles had a watershed year in terms of teachers learning to enhance one another's skills. Beneath a deceptively congenial surface, teachers at this Mexican preK-9th grade school were avoiding professional confrontations and rarely observed one another's classes or shared teaching solutions and innovations. That same year, the…

  5. Conservation Action Planning: Lessons learned from the St. Marys River watershed biodiversity conservation planning process

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Patterson, Tamatha A.; Grundel, Ralph

    2014-01-01

    Conservation Action Planning (CAP) is an adaptive management planning process refined by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and embraced worldwide as the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation. The CAP process facilitates open, multi-institutional collaboration on a common conservation agenda through organized actions and quantified results. While specifically designed for conservation efforts, the framework is adaptable and flexible to multiple scales and can be used for any collaborative planning effort. The CAP framework addresses inception; design and development of goals, measures, and strategies; and plan implementation and evaluation. The specific components of the CAP include defining the project scope and conservation targets; assessing the ecological viability; ascertaining threats and surrounding situation; identifying opportunities and designing strategies for action; and implementing actions and monitoring results. In 2007, TNC and a multidisciplinary graduate student team from the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment initiated a CAP for the St. Marys River, the connecting channel between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, and its local watershed. The students not only gained experience in conservation planning, but also learned lessons that notably benefited the CAP process and were valuable for any successful collaborative effort—a dedicated core team improved product quality, accelerated the timeline, and provided necessary support for ongoing efforts; an academic approach in preparation for engagement in the planning process brought applicable scientific research to the forefront, enhanced workshop facilitation, and improved stakeholder participation; and early and continuous interactions with regional stakeholders improved cooperation and built a supportive network for collaboration.

  6. Long-term forest watershed studies in the Southwest: recycled for wildfire and prescribed fire

    Treesearch

    Daniel G. Neary; Gerald J. Gottfried; Peter F. Ffolliott; Boris Poff

    2012-01-01

    A hydrologic research network was established in Arizona in the 1950s and 1960s called the Arizona Watershed Program (Baker et al. 1999). It consisted of a number of public agencies and private groups interested in obtaining more water for future economic growth while maintaining the State's watersheds in good condition. As part of the Program. paired watershed...

  7. The StreamCat Dataset: Accumulated Attributes for NHDPlusV2 (Version 2.1) Catchments Riparian Buffer for the Conterminous United States: 2010 US Census Housing Unit and Population Density

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This dataset represents the population and housing unit density within individual, local NHDPlusV2 catchments and upstream, contributing watersheds riparian buffers based on 2010 US Census data. Densities are calculated for every block group and watershed averages are calculated for every local NHDPlusV2 catchment(see Data Sources for links to NHDPlusV2 data and Census Data). This data set is derived from The TIGER/Line Files and related database (.dbf) files for the conterminous USA. It was downloaded as Block Group-Level Census 2010 SF1 Data in File Geodatabase Format (ArcGIS version 10.0). The landscape raster (LR) was produced based on the data compiled from the questions asked of all people and about every housing unit. The (block-group population / block group area) and (block-group housing units / block group area) were summarized by local catchment and by watershed to produce local catchment-level and watershed-level metrics as a continuous data type (see Data Structure and Attribute Information for a description).

  8. Implementing watershed investment programs to restore fire-adapted forests for watershed services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Springer, A. E.

    2013-12-01

    Payments for ecosystems services and watershed investment programs have created new solutions for restoring upland fire-adapted forests to support downstream surface-water and groundwater uses. Water from upland forests supports not only a significant percentage of the public water supplies in the U.S., but also extensive riparian, aquatic, and groundwater dependent ecosystems. Many rare, endemic, threatened, and endangered species are supported by the surface-water and groundwater generated from the forested uplands. In the Ponderosa pine forests of the Southwestern U.S., post Euro-American settlement forest management practices, coupled with climate change, has significantly impacted watershed functionality by increasing vegetation cover and associated evapotranspiration and decreasing runoff and groundwater recharge. A large Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program project known as the Four Forests Restoration Initiative is developing landscape scale processes to make the forests connected to these watersheds more resilient. However, there are challenges in financing the initial forest treatments and subsequent maintenance treatments while garnering supportive public opinion to forest thinning projects. A solution called the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project is utilizing City tax dollars collected through a public bond to finance forest treatments. Exit polling from the bond election documented the reasons for the 73 % affirmative vote on the bond measure. These forest treatments have included in their actions restoration of associated ephemeral stream channels and spring ecosystems, but resources still need to be identified for these actions. A statewide strategy for developing additional forest restoration resources outside of the federal financing is being explored by state and local business and governmental leaders. Coordination, synthesis, and modeling supported by a NSF Water Sustainability and Climate project has been instrumental in facilitating the forest restoration and watershed health decision making processes.

  9. Updates to watershed modeling in the Potholes Reservoir basin, Washington-a supplement to Scientific Investigation Report 2009-5081

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mastin, Mark

    2012-01-01

    A previous collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation resulted in a watershed model for four watersheds that discharge into Potholes Reservoir, Washington. Since the model was constructed, two new meteorological sites have been established that provide more reliable real-time information. The Bureau of Reclamation was interested in incorporating this new information into the existing watershed model developed in 2009, and adding measured snowpack information to update simulated results and to improve forecasts of runoff. This report includes descriptions of procedures to aid a user in making model runs, including a description of the Object User Interface for the watershed model with details on specific keystrokes to generate model runs for the contributing basins. A new real-time, data-gathering computer program automates the creation of the model input files and includes the new meteorological sites. The 2009 watershed model was updated with the new sites and validated by comparing simulated results to measured data. As in the previous study, the updated model (2012 model) does a poor job of simulating individual storms, but a reasonably good job of simulating seasonal runoff volumes. At three streamflow-gaging stations, the January 1 to June 30 retrospective forecasts of runoff volume for years 2010 and 2011 were within 40 percent of the measured runoff volume for five of the six comparisons, ranging from -39.4 to 60.3 percent difference. A procedure for collecting measured snowpack data and using the data in the watershed model for forecast model runs, based on the Ensemble Streamflow Prediction method, is described, with an example that uses 2004 snow-survey data.

  10. Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Salmon Research and Restoration Plan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    2006-01-01

    The Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative (AYK SSI) is an innovative partnership between public and private institutions which provides a forum for non-governmental organizations and state and federal agencies to cooperatively identify and address salmon research and restoration needs. The affected region encompasses over 40% of the State of Alaska; the AYK region includes the watersheds of the Norton Sound region up to and including the village of Shishmaref, the Yukon River Watershed within Alaska, and the Kuskokwim River Watershed (including the coastal watersheds north of Cape Newenham), plus the Bering Sea marine ecosystem. The AYK SSI is a response to disastrously low salmon returns to western Alaska in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which created numerous hardships for the people and communities that depend heavily on the salmon fishery. Some stocks in the region have been in a decline for more than a decade and a half, leading to severe restrictions on commercial and subsistence fisheries. The first step for the AYK SSI has been to collaboratively develop and implement a comprehensive research plan to understand the causes of the declines and recoveries of AYK salmon.

  11. Mitigating the effects of landscape development on streams in urbanizing watersheds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hogan, Dianna M.; Jarnagin, S. Taylor; Loperfido, John V.; Van Ness, Keith

    2013-01-01

    This collaborative study examined urbanization and impacts on area streams while using the best available sediment and erosion control (S&EC) practices in developing watersheds in Maryland, United States. During conversion of the agricultural and forested watersheds to urban land use, land surface topography was graded and vegetation was removed creating a high potential for sediment generation and release during storm events. The currently best available S&EC facilities were used during the development process to mitigate storm runoff water quality, quantity, and timing before entering area streams. Detailed Geographic Information System (GIS) maps were created to visualize changing land use and S&EC practices, five temporal collections of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) imagery were used to map the changing landscape topography, and streamflow, physical geomorphology, and habitat data were used to assess the ability of the S&EC facilities to protect receiving streams during development. Despite the use of the best available S&EC facilities, receiving streams experienced altered flow, geomorphology, and decreased biotic community health. These impacts on small streams during watershed development affect sediment and nutrient loads to larger downstream aquatic ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay.

  12. Sediment and solute transport in a mountainous watershed in Valle del Cauca, Colombia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzman, C. D.; Castro, A.; Morales, A.; Hoyos, F.; Moreno, P.; Steenhuis, T. S.

    2014-12-01

    A main goal of this study was to improve prediction of sediment and solute transport using soil surface and soil nutrient changes, based on field measurements, within small watersheds receiving conservation measures. Sediment samples and solute concentrations were measured from two streams in the southwestern region of the Colombian Andes. Two modeling approaches for stream discharge and sediment transport predicted were used with one of these being used for nutrient transport prediction. These streams are a part of a recent initiative from a water fund established by Asobolo, Asocaña, and Cenicaña in collaboration with the Natural Capital Project to improve conservation efforts and monitor their effects. On-site soil depth changes, groundwater depth measurements, and soil nutrient concentrations were also monitored to provide more information about changes within this mountainous watershed during one part of the yearly rainy season. This information is being coupled closely with the outlet sediment concentration and solute concentration patterns to discern correlations. Lateral transects in the upper, middle, and lower part of the hillsides in the Aguaclara watershed of the Rio Bolo watershed network showed differences in soil nutrient status and soil surface depth changes. The model based on semi-distributed hydrology was able to reproduce discharge and sediment transport rates as well as the initially used model indicating available options for comparison of conservation changes in the future.

  13. Simulating land-use changes and stormwater-detention basins and evaluating their effect on peak streamflows and stream-water quality in Irondequoit Creek basin, New York—A user's manual for HSPF and GenScn

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Coon, William F.

    2003-01-01

    A computer model of hydrologic and water-quality processes of the Irondequoit Creek basin in Monroe and Ontario Counties, N.Y., was developed during 2000-02 to enable water-resources managers to simulate the effects of future development and stormwater-detention basins on peak flows and water quality of Irondequoit Creek and its tributaries. The model was developed with the program Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) such that proposed or hypothetical land-use changes and instream stormwater-detention basins could be simulated, and their effects on peak flows and loads of total suspended solids, total phosphorus, ammonia-plus-organic nitrogen, and nitrate-plus-nitrite nitrogen could be analyzed, through an interactive computer program known as Generation and Analysis of Model Simulation Scenarios for Watersheds (GenScn). This report is a user's manual written to guide the Irondequoit Creek Watershed Collaborative in (1) the creation of land-use and flow-detention scenarios for simulation by the HSPF model, and (2) the use of GenScn to analyze the results of these simulations. These analyses can, in turn, aid the group in making basin-wide water-resources-management decisions.

  14. Shell Creek Summers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seier, Mark; Goedeken, Suzy

    2005-01-01

    In 2002 Shell Creek Watershed Improvement Group turned to the Newman Grove Public Schools' science department to help educate the public on water quality in the watershed and to establish a monitoring system that would be used to improve surface and groundwater quality in the creek's watershed. Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality provided…

  15. An annotated bibliography of scientific literature on research and management activities conducted in Manitou Experimental Forest

    Treesearch

    Ilana Abrahamson

    2012-01-01

    The Manitou Experimental Forest (MEF) is part of the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. Established in 1936, its early research focused on range and watershed management. Currently, the site is home to several meteorological, ecological and biological research initiatives. Our collaborators include the University of Colorado, Colorado State University...

  16. Imagined Communities, Contested Watersheds: Challenges to Integrated Water Resources Management in Agricultural Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferreyra, Cecilia; de Loe, Rob C.; Kreutzwiser, Reid D.

    2008-01-01

    Integrated water resources management is one of the major bottom-up alternatives that emerged during the 1980s in North America as part of the trend towards more holistic and participatory styles of environmental governance. It aims to protect surface and groundwater resources by focusing on the integrated and collaborative management of land and…

  17. RESTORATION PLUS: A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO ACHIEVE ECOLOGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is evaluating ecosystem restoration and management techniques to ensure they create sustainable solutions for degraded watersheds. The ORD/NRMRL initiated the Restoration Plus (RePlus) program in 2002, which emphasizes collabora...

  18. Erosion and restoration of two headwater wetlands following an extreme wildfire

    Treesearch

    Jonathan Long; Javis Davis

    2016-01-01

    Wildfire can damage headwater wetlands, yet the value of post-fire restoration treatments in channels has been contested. Staff from the White Mountain Apache Tribe, students from the local Cibecue Community School, and researchers from the U.S. Forest Service collaboratively recorded channel responses over 13 years at two headwater wetlands lying within watersheds...

  19. Chemistry and biology data

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Chemical monitoring data and biological data from field collected samples.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Biales , A., D. Denton , D. Riordan, R. Breuer, A. Batt , D. Crane, and H. Schoenfuss. Complex watersheds, collaborative teams: Assessing pollutant presence and effects in the San Francisco Delta. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS, USA, 11(4): 674-688, (2015).

  20. Assessment of conservation practices in the Fort Cobb Reservoir watershed, southwestern Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Becker, Carol J.

    2011-01-01

    The Fort Cobb Reservoir watershed encompasses about 813 square kilometers of rural farm land in Caddo, Custer, and Washita Counties in southwestern Oklahoma. The Fort Cobb Reservoir and six stream segments were identified on the Oklahoma 1998 303(d) list as not supporting designated beneficial uses because of impairment by nutrients, suspended solids, sedimentation, pesticides, and unknown toxicity. As a result, State and Federal agencies, in collaboration with conservation districts and landowners, started conservation efforts in 2001 to decrease erosion and transport of sediments and nutrients to the reservoir and improve water quality in tributaries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture selected the Fort Cobb Reservoir watershed in 2003 as 1 of 14 benchmark watersheds under the Conservation Effectiveness Assessment Project with the objective of quantifying the environmental benefits derived from agricultural conservation programs in reducing inflows of sediments and phosphorus to the reservoir. In November 2004, the Biologic, Geographic, Geologic, and Water Disciplines of the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Service, Grazinglands Research Laboratory in El Reno, Oklahoma, began an interdisciplinary investigation to produce an integrated publication to complement this program. This publication is a compilation of 10 report chapters describing land uses, soils, geology, climate, and water quality in streams and the reservoir through results of field and remote sensing investigations from 2004 to 2007. The investigations indicated that targeting best-management practices to small intermittent streams draining to the reservoir and to the Cobb Creek subwatershed may effectively augment efforts to improve eutrophic to hypereutrophic conditions that continue to affect the reservoir. The three major streams flowing into the reservoir contribute nutrients causing eutrophication, but minor streams draining cultivated fields near the reservoir appeared to be disproportionate contributors of nutrients. Increasing conservation practices on small streams may have a greater effect in mitigating eutrophication in the reservoir than additional installation of such measures on the larger creeks.

  1. The ambiguity of "watershed": the politics of people and conservation in northern Thailand.

    PubMed

    Pinkaew Laungaramsri

    2000-04-01

    The current conflict over watershed management between the lowlanders and highlanders in Chomthong has unveiled various aspects of the politics of people versus nature conservation. What is important is that the conflict has exposed the shifting and inconsistent views of the Thai state towards the peripheral areas and its people. Thus, on the one hand, the official discourse on "watershed" was appropriated by the urban middle-class conservationists and lowlanders to legitimize their control of highland resources to the exclusion of the highland minorities. The two groups also used ethnic differences to justify their control over the highland resources. On the other hand, the conflict also showed that the control by the dominant power could never be absolute. Highlanders responded to the "watershed regime" by redefining watershed integrity, adapting to the state conservation pressure, and seeking and forming alliances with other groups.

  2. Co-production of science for regional integrated assessment and management of climate change impacts: The case study of Aspen, CO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arnott, J. C.; Katzenberger, J.

    2015-12-01

    The impacts of global climate change to regional scales are complex and cut across sectorial and jurisdictional boundaries, and therefore, a unique enterprise of collaboration between scientists, resource managers, and other stakeholders for development of adequate response strategies is required. Such collaboration has been exhibited between stakeholders, researchers, and a boundary organization—the Aspen Global Change Institute—since 2005 in assessing impacts and crafting policies in response with regard to climate change impacts in the mountain watershed surrounding Aspen, CO. A series of structured stakeholder interviews and town hall sessions, impact assessment reports, and intensive collaboration between various information providers and user groups has set the stage for development of both mitigation of and adaptation to climate change impacts. The most recent example of this has included the use of global scale climate model output to inform the development of resiliency strategies in response to extreme precipitation projections. The use of this kind of resource has been considered in a variety of decision-making contexts and has included the development of region- and decision-relevant qualitative scenarios that make use of quantitative model-based information. Results from this line of work that include feedback from actual users', a boundary organization, and researchers' perspectives will be reported along with examples of policy and implementation results.

  3. Periconal arterial anastomotic circle and posterior lumbosacral watershed zone of the spinal cord.

    PubMed

    Gailloud, Philippe; Gregg, Lydia; Galan, Peter; Becker, Daniel; Pardo, Carlos

    2015-11-01

    The existence of spinal cord watershed territories was suggested in the 1950s. Segmental infarcts within the junctional territories of adjacent radiculomedullary contributors and isolated spinal gray matter ischemia constitute two well-recognized types of watershed injury. This report describes the existence of another watershed territory related to the particular configuration of the spinal vasculature in the region of the conus medullaris. The anatomical bases underlying the concept of a posterior lumbosacral watershed zone are demonstrated with angiographic images obtained in a 16-year-old child. The clinical importance of this watershed zone is illustrated with MRI and angiographic data of three patients with a conus medullaris infarction. In all three cases of spinal ischemia an intersegmental artery providing a significant radiculomedullary contribution for the lower cord was compromised by a compressive mechanism responsible for decreased spinal cord perfusion (diaphragmatic crus syndrome in two cases, disk herniation in one). The ischemic injury, located at the junction of the anterior and posterior spinal artery territories along the dorsal aspect of the conus medullaris, was consistent with a watershed mechanism. This zone is at risk because of the caudocranial direction of flow within the most caudal segment of the posterior spinal arterial network which, from a functional standpoint, depends on the anterior spinal artery. The posterior thoracolumbar watershed zone of the spinal cord represents an area at increased risk of ischemic injury, particularly in the context of partial flow impairment related to arterial compression mechanisms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  4. Collaborative environmental planning in river management: An application of multicriteria decision analysis in the White River Watershed in Vermont

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hermans, C.; Erickson, J.; Noordewier, T.; Sheldon, A.; Kline, M.

    2007-01-01

    Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a well-established family of decision tools to aid stakeholder groups in arriving at collective decisions. MCDA can also function as a framework for the social learning process, serving as an educational aid in decision problems characterized by a high level of public participation. In this paper, the framework and results of a structured decision process using the outranking MCDA methodology preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) are presented. PROMETHEE is used to frame multi-stakeholder discussions of river management alternatives for the Upper White River of Central Vermont, in the northeastern United States. Stakeholders met over 10 months to create a shared vision of an ideal river and its services to communities, develop a list of criteria by which to evaluate river management alternatives, and elicit preferences to rank and compare individual and group preferences. The MCDA procedure helped to frame a group process that made stakeholder preferences explicit and substantive discussions about long-term river management possible. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Collaborative environmental planning in river management: an application of multicriteria decision analysis in the White River Watershed in Vermont.

    PubMed

    Hermans, Caroline; Erickson, Jon; Noordewier, Tom; Sheldon, Amy; Kline, Mike

    2007-09-01

    Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a well-established family of decision tools to aid stakeholder groups in arriving at collective decisions. MCDA can also function as a framework for the social learning process, serving as an educational aid in decision problems characterized by a high level of public participation. In this paper, the framework and results of a structured decision process using the outranking MCDA methodology preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) are presented. PROMETHEE is used to frame multi-stakeholder discussions of river management alternatives for the Upper White River of Central Vermont, in the northeastern United States. Stakeholders met over 10 months to create a shared vision of an ideal river and its services to communities, develop a list of criteria by which to evaluate river management alternatives, and elicit preferences to rank and compare individual and group preferences. The MCDA procedure helped to frame a group process that made stakeholder preferences explicit and substantive discussions about long-term river management possible.

  6. Go with the flow by way of interdisciplinary collaboration: Sharing, integrating and opening access to data from various studies in the Cache la Poudre watershed following fire and flood

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network consists of 18 sites across the continental United States. LTAR scientists seek to determine ways to ensure sustainability and enhance food production and ecosystem services at ...

  7. Sediment and solute transport in a mountainous watershed in Valle del Cauca, Colombia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzman, Christian; Hoyos Villada, Fanny; Morales Vargas, Amalia; Rivera, Baudelino; Da Silva, Mayesse; Moreno Padilla, Pedro; Steenhuis, Tammo

    2015-04-01

    Sediment samples and solute concentrations were measured from the La Vega micro watershed in the southwestern region of the Colombian Andes. A main goal of this study was to improve prediction of soil surface and soil nutrient changes, based on field measurements, within small basin of the Aguaclara watershed network receiving different types of conservation measures. Two modeling approaches for stream discharge and sediment transport predictions were used with one of these based on infiltration-excess and the other on saturation-excess runoff. These streams are a part of a recent initiative from a water fund established by Asobolo, Asocaña, and Cenicaña in collaboration with the Natural Capital Project to improve conservation efforts and monitor their effects. On-site soil depth changes, groundwater depth measurements, and soil nutrient concentrations were also monitored to provide more information about changes within this mountainous watershed during one part of the yearly rainy season. This information is being coupled closely with the outlet sediment concentration and solute concentration patterns to discern correlations between scales. Lateral transects in the upper, middle, and lower part of the hillsides in the La Vega micro watershed showed differences in soil nutrient status and soil surface depth changes. The model based on saturation-excess, semi-distributed hydrology was able to reproduce discharge and sediment transport rates as well as the initially used infiltration excess model indicating available options for comparison of conservation changes in the future.

  8. Using causal loop diagrams for the initialization of stakeholder engagement in soil salinity management in agricultural watersheds in developing countries: a case study in the Rechna Doab watershed, Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Inam, Azhar; Adamowski, Jan; Halbe, Johannes; Prasher, Shiv

    2015-04-01

    Over the course of the last twenty years, participatory modeling has increasingly been advocated as an integral component of integrated, adaptive, and collaborative water resources management. However, issues of high cost, time, and expertise are significant hurdles to the widespread adoption of participatory modeling in many developing countries. In this study, a step-wise method to initialize the involvement of key stakeholders in the development of qualitative system dynamics models (i.e. causal loop diagrams) is presented. The proposed approach is designed to overcome the challenges of low expertise, time and financial resources that have hampered previous participatory modeling efforts in developing countries. The methodological framework was applied in a case study of soil salinity management in the Rechna Doab region of Pakistan, with a focus on the application of qualitative modeling through stakeholder-built causal loop diagrams to address soil salinity problems in the basin. Individual causal loop diagrams were developed by key stakeholder groups, following which an overall group causal loop diagram of the entire system was built based on the individual causal loop diagrams to form a holistic qualitative model of the whole system. The case study demonstrates the usefulness of the proposed approach, based on using causal loop diagrams in initiating stakeholder involvement in the participatory model building process. In addition, the results point to social-economic aspects of soil salinity that have not been considered by other modeling studies to date. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Connecting Hydrologic Research and Management in American Samoa through Collaboration and Capacity Building

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuler, C. K.; El-Kadi, A. I.; Dulai, H.; Glenn, C. R.; Mariner, M. K. E.; DeWees, R.; Schmaedick, M.; Gurr, I.; Comeros, M.; Bodell, T.

    2017-12-01

    In small-island developing communities, effective communication and collaboration with local stakeholders is imperative for successful implementation of hydrologic or other socially pertinent research. American Samoa's isolated location highlights the need for water resource sustainability, and effective scientific research is a key component to addressing critical challenges in water storage and management. Currently, aquifer degradation from salt-water-intrusion or surface-water contaminated groundwater adversely affects much of the islands' municipal water supply, necessitating an almost decade long Boil-Water-Advisory. This presentation will share the approach our research group, based at the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center, has taken for successfully implementing a collaboration-focused water research program in American Samoa. Instead of viewing research as a one-sided activity, our program seeks opportunities to build local capacity, develop relationships with key on-island stakeholders, and involve local community through forward-looking projects. This presentation will highlight three applications of collaborative research with water policy and management, water supply and sustainability, and science education stakeholders. Projects include: 1) working with the island's water utility to establish a long-term hydrological monitoring network, motivated by a need for data to parameterize numerical groundwater models, 2) collaboration with the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency to better understand groundwater discharge and watershed scale land-use impacts for management of nearshore coral reef ecosystems, and 3) participation of local community college and high school students as research interns to increase involvement in, and exposure to socially pertinent water focused research. Through these innovative collaborative approaches we have utilized resources more effectively, and focused research efforts on more pertinent locally-driven research questions. Additionally, this approach has enhanced our ability to provide technical support and knowledge transfer for on-island scientific needs, and helped overcome data availability barriers faced by water managers, planners, and future investigators.

  10. Selected achievements, science directions, and new opportunities for the WEBB small watershed research program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Glynn, Pierre D.; Larsen, Matthew C.; Greene, Earl A.; Buss, Heather L.; Clow, David W.; Hunt, Randall J.; Mast, M. Alisa; Murphy, Sheila F.; Peters, Norman E.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shanley, James B.; Walker, John F.

    2009-01-01

    Over nearly two decades, the Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) small watershed research program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has documented how water and solute fluxes, nutrient, carbon, and mercury dynamics, and weathering and sediment transport respond to natural and humancaused drivers, including climate, climate change, and atmospheric deposition. Together with a continued and increasing focus on the effects of climate change, more investigations are needed that examine ecological effects (e.g., evapotranspiration, nutrient uptake) and responses (e.g., species abundances, biodiversity) that are coupled with the physical and chemical processes historically observed in the WEBB program. Greater use of remote sensing, geographic modeling, and habitat/watershed modeling tools is needed, as is closer integration with the USGS-led National Phenology Network. Better understanding of process and system response times is needed. The analysis and observation of land-use and climate change effects over time should be improved by pooling data obtained by the WEBB program during the last two decades with data obtained earlier and (or) concurrently from other research and monitoring studies conducted at or near the five WEBB watershed sites. These data can be supplemented with historical and paleo-environmental information, such as could be obtained from tree rings and lake cores. Because of the relatively pristine nature and small size of its watersheds, the WEBB program could provide process understanding and basic data to better characterize and quantify ecosystem services and to develop and apply indicators of ecosystem health. In collaboration with other Federal and State watershed research programs, the WEBB program has an opportunity to contribute to tracking the short-term dynamics and long-term evolution of ecosystem services and health indicators at a multiplicity of scales across the landscape. 

  11. Biological integrity in mid-atlantic coastal plains headwater streams.

    PubMed

    Megan, Mehaffey H; Nash, Maliha S; Neale, Anne C; Pitchford, Ann M

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the applicability of using landscape variables in conjunction with water quality and benthic data to efficiently estimate stream condition of select headwater streams in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plains. Eighty-two streams with riffle sites were selected from eight-two independent watersheds across the region for sampling and analyses. Clustering of the watersheds by landscape resulted in three distinct groups (forest, crop, and urban) which coincided with watersheds dominant land cover or use. We used non-parametric analyses to test differences in benthos and water chemistry between groups, and used regression analyses to evaluate responses of benthic communities to water chemistry within each of the landscape groups. We found that typical water chemistry measures associated with urban runoff such as specific conductance and dissolved chloride were significantly higher in the urban group. In the crop group, we found variables commonly associated with farming such as nutrients and pesticides significantly greater than in the other two groups. Regression analyses demonstrated that the numbers of tolerant and facultative macroinvertebrates increased significantly in forested watersheds with small shifts in pollutants, while in human use dominated watersheds the intolerant macroinvertebrates were more sensitive to shifts in chemicals present at lower concentrations. The results from this study suggest that landscape based clustering can be used to link upstream landscape characteristics, water chemistry and biotic integrity in order to assess stream condition and likely cause of degradation without the use of reference sites. Notice: Although this work was reviewed by EPA and approved for publication, it may not necessarily reflect official Agency policy.

  12. Impact of India's watershed development programs on biomass productivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhalla, R. S.; Devi Prasad, K. V.; Pelkey, Neil W.

    2013-03-01

    Watershed development (WSD) is an important and expensive rural development initiative in India. Proponents of the approach contend that treating watersheds will increase agricultural and overall biomass productivity, which in turn will reduce rural poverty. We used satellite-measured normalized differenced vegetation index as a proxy for land productivity to test this crucial contention. We compared microwatersheds that had received funding and completed watershed restoration with adjacent untreated microwatersheds in the same region. As the criteria used can influence results, we analyzed microwatersheds grouped by catchment, state, ecological region, and biogeographical zones for analysis. We also analyzed pre treatment and posttreatment changes for the same watersheds in those schemes. Our findings show that WSD has not resulted in a significant increase in productivity in treated microwatersheds at any grouping, when compared to adjacent untreated microwatershed or the same microwatershed prior to treatment. We conclude that the well-intentioned people-centric WSD efforts may be inhibited by failing to adequately address the basic geomorphology and hydraulic condition of the catchment areas at all scales.

  13. Kootenai River Focus Watershed Coordination, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kootenai River Network,

    2006-02-01

    The Kootenai River Network (KRN) was contracted by the Bonneville Power Administration; PPA Project Number 96087200 for the period June 1, 2003 to May 31, 2004 to provide Kootenai River basin watershed coordination services. The prime focus of the KRN is coordinating activities and disseminating information related to watershed improvement and education and outreach with other interest groups in the Kootenai River basin. To this end, the KRN primarily focuses on maintaining communication networks among private and public watershed improvement groups in the Columbia River Basin. The KRN willing shares its resources with these groups. The 2003-2004 BPA contract extendedmore » the original Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks contract, which was transferred to the Kootenai River Network through a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2001. The KRN objectives of this contract were carried out through Watershed Coordinator position. The highly successful Kootenai River Network Annual General Meeting in Bonners Ferry in May 2003 demonstrated the tremendous gains that the Kootenai River Network has made in trans-boundary networking of watershed issues and accomplishments. The Annual General Meeting included seventy five participants representing more than forty US and Canadian citizen groups, tribes, first nations, agencies, ministries, businesses and private land owners from Montana, British Columbia, Idaho and Alberta. The International Restoration Tour in July 2004 featured the Grave Creek and Therriault Wetlands restoration projects in Montana and the Sand Creek and Wolf Creek restoration projects in British Columbia. The tour was attended by more than thirty people representing US and Canadian Federal and State/Provincial agencies, schools, colleges, conservation groups, private land owners, consultants, tribes, first nations, and politicians. These exciting trans-boundary successes encouraged the KRN to establish half-time Watershed Coordinator positions in both the United States and Canada. In September 2004 Kim Laub was hired as US-Watershed Coordinator and Jim and Laura Duncan were hired as Canadian Watershed Coordinators. To rejuvenate and revitalize the KRN, the Board conducted a strategic thinking and planning meeting in November 2004. All Board, staff and Advisory members participated in a combined effort to clearly define the goals of the KRN and to design ways of achieving those goals. Affirming and integrating board policy was a primary focus and it included writing accurate job descriptions for all KRN positions. KRN committee goals, the BPA contract and the Statement of Work plan were reviewed to establish future directions for a complex organization.« less

  14. The StreamCat Dataset: Accumulated Attributes for NHDPlusV2 Catchments (Version 2.1) for the Conterminous United States: 2010 US Census Housing Unit and Population Density

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This dataset represents the population and housing unit density within individual, local NHDPlusV2 catchments and upstream, contributing watersheds based on 2010 US Census data. Densities are calculated for every block group and watershed averages are calculated for every local NHDPlusV2 catchment(see Data Sources for links to NHDPlusV2 data and Census Data). This data set is derived from The TIGER/Line Files and related database (.dbf) files for the conterminous USA. It was downloaded as Block Group-Level Census 2010 SF1 Data in File Geodatabase Format (ArcGIS version 10.0). The landscape raster (LR) was produced based on the data compiled from the questions asked of all people and about every housing unit. The (block-group population / block group area) and (block-group housing units / block group area) were summarized by local catchment and by watershed to produce local catchment-level and watershed-level metrics as a continuous data type (see Data Structure and Attribute Information for a description). Using a riparian buffer(see Process Steps), statistics were generated for areas within each catchment that are within 100 meters of the stream reach in an attempt to evaluate for the riparian zone.

  15. A Collaborative Effort to Increase Enrollment and Retention in Geoscience Majors in North Carolina

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, C. J.; Fountain, J. C.; Bartek, C. S.; Tang, G.

    2004-12-01

    Under an NSF Opportunities for Enhancement of Diversity in Geosciences grant, the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University partnered with NC A&T University, a HBCU, to implement a multi-faceted effort to increase enrollment and retention in geoscience majors, with particular emphasis on under represented groups. New student recruitment is facilitated by a trained graduate student who visits high schools and presents a multi-media presentation on research at NCSU and career opportunities in the geosciences. Interested high school students are then invited to participate in a hands-on, summer science camp. Community college students are recruited through a new introductory geology course developed for and offered at Robeson Community College (77% of students from under represented groups). NC A&T has developed a track in their physics curriculum to prepare students for a geophysics career. The track includes a planned semester in residence at NCSU. Students who choose to enroll at NCSU, register for an introductory course developed as part of our NSF STEP grant, Environmental Issues in Water Resources, during which geoscience careers are highlighted and in-class research focuses on a local watershed. The emphasis on undergraduate research continues with Environmental Geology, an upper division course in which the entire class studies water and sediment contamination on local watersheds. All courses developed build upon our physics department's successful model of integrating lectures and laboratories and engaging first-year students in group-oriented, undergraduate research (http://www.physics.ncsu.edu/physics_ed/). Following the group research courses, advanced undergraduate students are placed in traditional research labs with faculty mentors while participating in a career development seminar in which research methods, proposal writing and presentation skills are introduced. Tutoring and mentoring programs provide support for all majors. Formative assessment is ongoing, including pre and post surveys to assess course effectiveness and changes in attitudes toward science.

  16. Water quality in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska, water years 2006-2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schuster, Paul F.; Maracle, Karonhiakta'tie Bryan; Herman-Mercer, Nicole

    2010-01-01

    The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and the U.S. Geological Survey developed a water-quality monitoring program to address a shared interest in the water quality of the Yukon River and its relation to climate. This report contains water-quality data from samples collected in the Yukon River Basin during water years 2006 through 2008. A broad range of chemical analyses from 44 stations throughout the YRB are presented. On August 8, 2009 the USGS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council representing the culmination of 5 years of dedicated efforts to forge a working collaboration and partnership with expectations of continuing into the foreseeable future. The Memorandum of Understanding may be viewed at http://www.usgs.gov/mou/docs/yritwc_mou.pdf.

  17. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE MID-ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS (USA) USING WHAT IF: A COLLABORATION OF THE CANAAN VALLEY INSTITUTE, THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND REGION III

    EPA Science Inventory

    As described in its Highlands Action Program, the Canaan Valley Institute (CVI) partnered with the US EPA to develop a watershed assessment and management tool that allows managers to evaluate riparian restoration actions to improve instream habitat quality and aquatic community ...

  18. Clinical features and the degree of cerebrovascular stenosis in different types and subtypes of cerebral watershed infarction.

    PubMed

    Li, Yue; Li, Man; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Yang, Shuna; Fan, Huimin; Qin, Wei; Yang, Lei; Yuan, Junliang; Hu, Wenli

    2017-08-29

    Whether there are differences in pathogenesis among different types and subtypes of cerebral watershed infarction (WSI) is controversial since they have been combined into a single group in most previous studies. We prospectively identified 340 supratentorial WSI patients at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, China and classified them based on diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) templates. Baseline characteristics, clinical courses and neuroradiological features were compared among patients with different types and subtypes of WSI. We identified 92 patients with cortical watershed infarction (CWI), 112 with internal watershed infarction (IWI) and 136 with mixed-type infarction. Compared with CWI patients, more IWI patients had critical stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA) (P < 0.001). For the CWI group, patients with anterior watershed infarction (AWI) were more prone to critical ICA stenosis than those with posterior watershed infarction (PWI) (P = 0.011). For the IWI group, critical ICA stenosis was more prevalent in patients with partial IWI (P-IWI) than in those with confluent IWI (C-IWI) (P = 0.026). IWI patients were more frequently found to have clinical deterioration during the first 7 days of hospitalization and a poor prognosis at the 90th day than in CWI patients (P = 0.003 and P = 0.014, respectively). IWI, especially the P-IWI subtype, is associated with hemodynamic impairment (HDI), whereas CWI has a weaker correlation with ICA steno-occlusion. Furthermore, IWI patients are more prone to poor prognosis.

  19. Watershed and longitudinal monitoring events

    Treesearch

    Harold Harbert; Steven Blackburn

    2016-01-01

    Georgia Adopt-A-Stream partners annually with many organizations, universities and watershed groups to conduct sampling events with volunteers at a watershed level. These monitoring events range from one-day snapshots to week-long paddle trips. One-day sampling events, also called “Blitzs,” River Adventures and River Rendezvous, generally target 20-50 sites within a...

  20. Collaborative Observation and Research (CORE) Watersheds: new strategies for tracking the regional effects of climate change on complex systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murdoch, P. S.

    2007-12-01

    The past 30 years of environmental research have shown that our world is not made up of discrete components acting independently, but rather of a mosaic of complex relations among air, land, water, living resources, and human activities. Recent warming of the climate is having a significant effect on the functioning of those systems. A national imperative is developing to quickly establish local, regional, and national systems for anticipating environmental degradation from a changing climate and developing cost-effective adaptation or mitigation strategies. In these circumstances, the debate over research versus monitoring becomes moot--there is a clear need for the integrated application of both across a range of temporal and spatial scales. A national framework that effectively addresses the multiple scales and complex multi-disciplinary processes of climate change is being assembled largely from existing programs through collaboration among Federal, State, local, and NGO organizations. The result will be an observation and research network capable of interpreting complex environmental changes at a range of spatial and temporal scales, but at less cost than if the network were funded as an independent initiative. A pilot implementation of the collaborative framework in the Delaware River Basin yielded multi-scale assessments of carbon storage and flux, and the effects of forest fragmentation and soil calcium depletion on ecosystem function. A prototype of a national climate-effects observation and research network linking research watersheds, regional surveys, remote sensing, and ecosystem modeling is being initiated in the Yukon River Basin where carbon flux associated with permafrost thaw could accelerate global warming.

  1. Grouping like catchments: A novel means to compare 40+ watersheds in the Northeastern U.S.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaw, S. B.; Walter, M.; Marjerison, R. D.

    2008-12-01

    One difficulty in understanding the effect of multi-scale patterns in watersheds comes from finding a concise way to identify and compare features across many basins. Comparing raw data (i.e. discharge time series) requires one to account for highly variable climate drivers while extracting meaningful metrics from the data series. Comparing model parameters imposes model assumptions that may obscure fundamental differences, potentially making it an exercise in comparing calibration factors. As a possible middle ground, we have found that the probability of a given basin-wide runoff response can be predicted by combining rainfall frequency with 1. a curve establishing a relationship between basin storage and base flow and 2. the baseflow flow-duration curve. In addition to providing a means to predict runoff, these curves succinctly present empirical runoff-response information, allowing ready graphical comparison of multiple watersheds. From 40+ watersheds throughout the Northeastern U.S., we demonstrate the potential to group watersheds and identify critical hydrologic features, providing particular insight into the influence of land use patterns as well as basin scale.

  2. Efficient and resilient governance of social-ecological systems.

    PubMed

    Erickson, Adam

    2015-09-01

    New institutions are critically needed to improve the resilience of social-ecological systems globally. Watershed management offers an important model due to its ability to govern mixed-ownership landscapes through common property regimes, translating national goals into local action. Here, I assess the efficacy of state watershed management institutions in the Pacific Northwest, based on their ability to support local watershed groups. I use document analysis to describe and compare state institutions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Results indicate that state institutional efficiency and resilience are the key factors determining watershed group activity and stability. The primary drivers of institutional efficiency and resilience were institutional unification, robust funding portfolios, low agency conflict, and strong support for economic multiplier effects, creative partnerships, and scholarly research. My findings elucidate the critical role of institutional efficiency and resilience in governing dynamic and complex social-ecological systems, enabling the flexibility to address emergent transformations.

  3. Lessons learned from the U.S. Geological Survey abandoned mine lands initiative: 1997-2002

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kimball, Briant A.; Church, Stan E.; Besser, John M.

    2006-01-01

    Growth of the United States has been facilitated, in part, by hard-rock mining in the Rocky Mountains. Abandoned and inactive mines cause many significant environmental concerns in hundreds of watersheds. Those who have responsibility to address these environmental concerns must have a basic level of scientific information about mining and mine wastes in a watershed prior to initiating remediation activities. To demonstrate what information is needed and how to obtain that information, the U.S. Geological Survey implemented the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Initiative from 1997 to 2002 with demonstration studies in the Boulder River watershed in Montana and the Animas River watershed in Colorado. The AML Initiative included collection and analysis of geologic, hydrologic, geochemical, geophysical, and biological data. The synergy of this interdisciplinary analysis produced a perspective of the environmental concerns that could not have come from a single discipline. Two examples of these perspectives include (1) the combination of hydrological tracer techniques, structural geology, and geophysics help to understand the spatial distribution of loading to the streams in a way that cannot be evaluated by monitoring at a catchment outlet, and (2) the combination of toxicology and hydrology combine to illustrate that seasonal variability of toxicity conditions occurs. Lessons have been learned by listening to and collaborating with land-management agencies to understand their needs and by applying interdisciplinary methods to answer their questions.

  4. Improving Baseline Model Assumptions: Evaluating the Impacts of Typical Methodological Approaches in Watershed Models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muenich, R. L.; Kalcic, M. M.; Teshager, A. D.; Long, C. M.; Wang, Y. C.; Scavia, D.

    2017-12-01

    Thanks to the availability of open-source software, online tutorials, and advanced software capabilities, watershed modeling has expanded its user-base and applications significantly in the past thirty years. Even complicated models like the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) are being used and documented in hundreds of peer-reviewed publications each year, and likely more applied in practice. These models can help improve our understanding of present, past, and future conditions, or analyze important "what-if" management scenarios. However, baseline data and methods are often adopted and applied without rigorous testing. In multiple collaborative projects, we have evaluated the influence of some of these common approaches on model results. Specifically, we examined impacts of baseline data and assumptions involved in manure application, combined sewer overflows, and climate data incorporation across multiple watersheds in the Western Lake Erie Basin. In these efforts, we seek to understand the impact of using typical modeling data and assumptions, versus using improved data and enhanced assumptions on model outcomes and thus ultimately, study conclusions. We provide guidance for modelers as they adopt and apply data and models for their specific study region. While it is difficult to quantitatively assess the full uncertainty surrounding model input data and assumptions, recognizing the impacts of model input choices is important when considering actions at the both the field and watershed scales.

  5. LiDAR collection in August 2015 over the East River Watershed, Colorado, USA

    DOE Data Explorer

    Wainwright, Haruko [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Williams, Kenneth

    2017-01-01

    Airborne LiDAR data were acquired over the study area on August 10th, 2015, using a Riegl Q1560 dual-channel LiDAR system mounted on a Piper Navajo. The survey was performed by Quantum Spatial in collaboration with Eagle Mapping Ltd. The data complies with the USGS QL1 standard [Heideman, 2014] with the point density more than 8 pulse per m2.

  6. Forest management to protect Colorado’s water resources: A synthesis report to support House Bill 16-1255

    Treesearch

    Niah B. H. Venable; Ryan Lockwood; Joseph DiMaria; Joseph Duda; Chuck Rhoades; Lisa Mason

    2017-01-01

    The Colorado Water Plan is a collaborative framework that sets forth objectives, goals and actions by which Coloradans can collectively address current and future water challenges through feasible and innovative solutions. As a majority of the state’s water supply flows from forested watersheds, the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), a service and outreach agency of...

  7. Kootenai River Focus Watershed Coordination, 2004-2005 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kootenai River Network,

    2005-07-01

    The Kootenai River Network (KRN) was contracted by the Bonneville Power Administration; PPA Project Number 96087200 for the period June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2005 to provide Kootenai River basin watershed coordination services. The prime focus of the KRN Watershed Coordination Program is coordinating projects and disseminating information related to watershed improvement and education and outreach with other interest groups in the Kootenai River basin. The KRN willingly shares its resources with these groups. The 2004-2005 BPA contract extended the original Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks contract, which was transferred to the Kootenai River Network through a Memorandum ofmore » Understanding in November 2001. The KRN objectives of this contract were carried out by one half-time Watershed Coordinator position in Montana-Idaho (Nancy Zapotocki) and one half-time Watershed Coordination team in British Columbia (Laura and Jim Duncan). Nancy Zapotocki was hired as the KRN US Watershed Coordinator in July 2004. Her extensive work experience in outreach and education and watershed planning complements the Duncans in British Columbia. To continue rejuvenating and revitalizing the KRN, the Board conducted a second retreat in November 2004. The first retreat took place in November 2003. Board and staff members combined efforts to define KRN goals and ways of achieving them. An Education and Outreach Plan formulated by the Watershed Coordinators was used to guide much of the discussions. The conclusions reached during the retreat specified four ''flagship'' projects for 2005-2006, to: (1) Provide leadership and facilitation, and build on current work related to the TMDL plans and planning efforts on the United States side of the border. (2) Continue facilitating trans-boundary British Columbia projects building on established work and applying the KRN model of project facilitation to other areas of the Kootenai basin. (3) Finalize and implement the KRN Education and Outreach plan. (4) Use GIS mapping to prioritize US and BC projects and prioritize education and outreach efforts. The KRN established Kootenay River Network-BC as a registered Society and are pursuing charitable status for this sister organization. Having an organization in both the US and Canada will allow the KRN to apply for and to manage funds as well as to coordinate education and outreach workshops, seminars and tours with greater ease. The recent accomplishments by the Joseph Creek Community Action Team in Cranbrook demonstrate the significant trans-boundary abilities of the KRN. On May 26, 2005, KRN received a prestigious Watershed Stewardship award from the Montana Watershed Coordination Council, which represents over 80 watershed groups in the State of Montana. The award was presented by Governor Brian Schweitzer in the rotunda of the State Capital building in Helena Montana.« less

  8. Using Watershed Boundaries to Map Adverse Health Outcomes: Examples From Nebraska, USA

    PubMed Central

    Corley, Brittany; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon; Rogan, Eleanor; Coulter, Donald; Sparks, John; Baccaglini, Lorena; Howell, Madeline; Liaquat, Sidra; Commack, Rex; Kolok, Alan S

    2018-01-01

    In 2009, a paper was published suggesting that watersheds provide a geospatial platform for establishing linkages between aquatic contaminants, the health of the environment, and human health. This article is a follow-up to that original article. From an environmental perspective, watersheds segregate landscapes into geospatial units that may be relevant to human health outcomes. From an epidemiologic perspective, the watershed concept places anthropogenic health data into a geospatial framework that has environmental relevance. Research discussed in this article includes information gathered from the literature, as well as recent data collected and analyzed by this research group. It is our contention that the use of watersheds to stratify geospatial information may be both environmentally and epidemiologically valuable. PMID:29398918

  9. Increased variability of watershed areas in patients with high-grade carotid stenosis.

    PubMed

    Kaczmarz, Stephan; Griese, Vanessa; Preibisch, Christine; Kallmayer, Michael; Helle, Michael; Wustrow, Isabel; Petersen, Esben Thade; Eckstein, Hans-Henning; Zimmer, Claus; Sorg, Christian; Göttler, Jens

    2018-03-01

    Watershed areas (WSAs) of the brain are most susceptible to acute hypoperfusion due to their peripheral location between vascular territories. Additionally, chronic WSA-related vascular processes underlie cognitive decline especially in patients with cerebral hemodynamic compromise. Despite of high relevance for both clinical diagnostics and research, individual in vivo WSA definition is fairly limited to date. Thus, this study proposes a standardized segmentation approach to delineate individual WSAs by use of time-to-peak (TTP) maps and investigates spatial variability of individual WSAs. We defined individual watershed masks based on relative TTP increases in 30 healthy elderly persons and 28 patients with unilateral, high-grade carotid stenosis, being at risk for watershed-related hemodynamic impairment. Determined WSA location was confirmed by an arterial transit time atlas and individual super-selective arterial spin labeling. We compared spatial variability of WSA probability maps between groups and assessed TTP differences between hemispheres in individual and group-average watershed locations. Patients showed significantly higher spatial variability of WSAs than healthy controls. Perfusion on the side of the stenosis was delayed within individual watershed masks as compared to a watershed template derived from controls, being independent from the grade of the stenosis and collateralization status of the circle of Willis. Results demonstrate feasibility of individual WSA delineation by TTP maps in healthy elderly and carotid stenosis patients. Data indicate necessity of individual segmentation approaches especially in patients with hemodynamic compromise to detect critical regions of impaired hemodynamics.

  10. Watershed Hepatocellular Carcinomas: The Risk of Incomplete Response following Transhepatic Arterial Chemoembolization.

    PubMed

    Kothary, Nishita; Takehana, Chris; Mueller, Kerstin; Sullivan, Patrick; Tahvildari, Ali; Sidhar, Vishal; Rosenberg, Jarrett; Louie, John D; Sze, Daniel Y

    2015-08-01

    Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) bridging two or more Couinaud-Bismuth segments of the liver ("watershed tumors") can recruit multiple segmental arteries. The primary hypothesis of this study was that fewer watershed tumors show complete response (CR) after chemoembolization, with shorter time to local recurrence. Secondary analysis on the impact on transplantation eligibility in the presence of progressive disease was also performed. A total of 155 transplantation-eligible patients whose HCC met Milan criteria (watershed, n = 83; nonwatershed, n = 72) and was treated with chemoembolization were included. Cone-beam computed tomography (CT) was used for guidance and for confirmation of circumferential uptake. Local response to chemoembolization per modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors and local disease-free survival (DFS) for the index tumor were calculated. Differences were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. CR after a single of chemoembolization was observed in 55.4% of watershed tumors and in 72.2% of nonwatershed tumors (P = .045). Estimated DFS intervals were 151 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 93-245 d) and 336 days (95% CI, 231-747 d; P = .040) in the watershed and nonwatershed groups, respectively. Worse DFS was observed with a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score > 20 (P = .0001), higher Child-Pugh-Turcotte score (P = .049), and watershed location (P = .040). Waiting list drop-off rates were statistically similar between groups. Hepatocellular carcinomas located in the watershed region of the liver have a poorer response to chemoembolization than those located elsewhere. These tumors are associated with worse DFS and require additional treatments to maintain transplantation eligibility per Milan criteria. Cone-beam CT can identify crossover supply and confirm complete geographic drug uptake, possibly reducing (but not eliminating) the risk of incomplete response. Copyright © 2015 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Stable isotopes of algae and macroinvertebrates in streams respond to watershed urbanization, inform management goals, and indicate food web relationships.

    PubMed

    Smucker, Nathan J; Kuhn, Anne; Cruz-Quinones, Carlos J; Serbst, Jonathan R; Lake, James L

    2018-01-07

    Watershed development and anthropogenic sources of nitrogen are among leading causes of negative impacts to aquatic ecosystems around the world. The δ 15 N of aquatic biota can be used as indicators of anthropogenic sources of nitrogen enriched in 15 N, but this mostly has been done at small spatial extents or to document effects of point sources. In this study, we sampled 77 sites along a forest to urban land cover gradient to examine food webs and the use of δ 15 N of periphyton and macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) as indicators of watershed development and nitrogen effects on streams. Functional feeding groups had low δ 15 N variability among taxa within sites. Mean absolute differences between individual taxa and their respective site FFG means were < 0.55‰, whereas site means of δ 15 N of FFGs had ranges of approximately 7-12‰ among sites. The δ 15 N of periphyton and macroinvertebrate FFGs distinguished least disturbed streams from those with greater watershed urbanization, and they were strongly correlated with increasing nitrogen concentrations and watershed impervious cover. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, using δ 15 N of taxa, showed that changes in macroinvertebrate assemblages as a whole were associated with forest-to-urban and increasing nitrogen gradients. Assuming an average +3.4‰ per trophic level increase, δ 15 N of biota indicated that detrital pathways likely were important to food web structure, even in streams with highly developed watersheds. We used periphyton and macroinvertebrate FFG δ 15 N to identify possible management goals that can inform decisions affecting nutrients and watershed land use. Overall, the δ 15 N of periphyton and macroinvertebrates were strong indicators of watershed urban development effects on stream ecosystems, and thus, also could make them useful for quantifying the effectiveness of nitrogen, stream, and watershed management efforts.

  12. INTENSIVE WATERSHED STUDY: THE PATUXENT RIVER BASIN

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study was one of five intensive watershed studies designed by the Chesapeake Bay Program's Eutrophication Work Group to provide detailed nonpoint source loading rates and ambient water quality data within the Chesapeake Bay drainage area. The study was conducted within the P...

  13. Nitrogen Assessment in the Nooksack-Abbotsford-Sumas Transboundary Watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, J.; Compton, J.; Baron, J.; Schwede, D. B.; Bittman, S.; Hooper, D. U.; Kiffney, P.; Embertson, N.; Carey, B.; MacKay, H.; Black, R.; Bahr, G.; Harrison, J.; Davidson, E. A.

    2017-12-01

    The Nooksack-Abbotsford-Sumas (NAS) Transboundary Watershed, which spans a portion of the western interface of British Columbia, Washington State, as well as the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribal lands, supports agriculture, estuarine fisheries, diverse wildlife, and urban areas. Excess N has contributed to surface and ground water pollution, shellfish closure, and impaired air quality (such as haze or smog) in some areas in the watershed. The goal of this project is to determine the distribution and quantities of N fluxes of the watershed using site-specific and high-resolution data on N that originates from energy use, transportation, fertilization, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), animal feeding and manure production, crops and more. This project is one of seven international demonstration projects contributing knowledge of regional N budgets and collaborative approaches toward N management as part of the International Nitrogen Management System (INMS). Successful N reduction relies on the partnership of all stakeholders with appropriate institutions to integrate science, outreach and management efforts. This project will bring together stakeholders on both sides of the international border for a first comprehensive, quantitative characterization of all N inventories and fluxes across this international watershed. Using crop-specific fertilizer application rates and wind-shield-survey land use data, we estimated that the annual fertilizer N input to the U.S. portion of the watershed was about 3779 metric tons (MT), which is very close to the USGS estimate of 3955 MT. Based on county level animal census data, we estimated total excretion N from major livestock (cattle) to be 7895 MT on the U.S. side. Using existing model results from other studies, we estimated that the annual N loading on the U.S. side was about 351 MT from point sources, 527 MT from atmospheric deposition, and about 7 MT from alder fixation. The preliminary results demonstrate an important role for N from the agricultural sector in the watershed. The results will be refined by improving current estimations, adding other N sources and the Canadian portion, and including high-frequency ground and surface water monitoring data and knowledge about N transfers to estimate the residual/retention N.

  14. Regulatory approaches for addressing dissolved oxygen concerns at hydropower facilities

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Peterson, Mark J.; Cada, Glenn F.; Sale, Michael J.

    Low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations are a common water quality problem downstream of hydropower facilities. At some facilities, structural improvements (e.g. installation of weir dams or aerating turbines) or operational changes (e.g., spilling water over the dam) can be made to improve DO levels. In other cases, structural and operational approaches are too costly for the project to implement or are likely to be of limited effectiveness. Despite improvements in overall water quality below dams in recent years, many hydropower projects are unable to meet state water quality standards for DO. Regulatory agencies in the U.S. are considering or implementingmore » dramatic changes in their approach to protecting the quality of the Nation’s waters. New policies and initiatives have emphasized flexibility, increased collaboration and shared responsibility among all parties, and market-based, economic incentives. The use of new regulatory approaches may now be a viable option for addressing the DO problem at some hydropower facilities. This report summarizes some of the regulatory-related options available to hydropower projects, including negotiation of site-specific water quality criteria, use of biological monitoring, watershed-based strategies for the management of water quality, and watershed-based trading. Key decision points center on the health of the local biological communities and whether there are contributing impacts (i.e., other sources of low DO effluents) in the watershed. If the biological communities downstream of the hydropower project are healthy, negotiation for site-specific water quality standards or biocriteria (discharge performance criteria based on characteristics of the aquatic biota) might be pursued. If there are other effluent dischargers in the watershed that contribute to low DO problems, watershed-scale strategies and effluent trading may be effective. This report examines the value of regulatory approaches by reviewing their use in other« less

  15. Interferometric Sidescan Bathymetry, Sediment and Foraminiferal Analyses; a New Look at Tomales Bay, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Anima, Roberto J.; Chin, John L.; Finlayson, David P.; McGann, Mary; Wong, Florence L.

    2008-01-01

    The United States Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with Point Reyes National Sea Shore (PRNS), and the Tomales Bay Watershed Council [http://www.tomalesbaywatershed.org/] has completed a detailed bathymetric survey, and sediment and foraminiferal analyses of the floor of Tomales Bay, California. The study goals are to detail the submarine morphology, the sediment distribution, sedimentary features, and distribution of foraminifera to provide a framework for future studies. The USGS collected swath bathymetric data with a SEA SWATHplus interferometric sidescan sonar system (2004, 2005) and an echo sounder system (2006). The data were processed into continuous mosaic images that show bathymetric detail of the bay floor with 0.2-m vertical and 4.0-m horizontal resolution. Acoustic backscatter data from the 2004 and 2005 surveys were processed into 2-m resolution grids. In addition, 27 sediment samples were collected from various parts of the bay for grain size analyses and a comprehensive study of the distribution of foraminifera in Tomales Bay. The foraminiferal analysis determined that the invasive foraminifera Trochammina hadai from Japan was present in Tomales Bay. The project was conducted in response to a request from the National Park Service, and the Tomales Bay Watershed Council who voiced a need to look at the environmental impacts of human input to the surrounding watersheds that ultimately flow into the bay. The mapping, sediment, and foraminiferal data establish a baseline survey for future comparisons of possible geologic and anthropogenic changes that might occur due to changes in land use or development in the surrounding watershed. These data may also aid in determining the possible pathways of pollutants entering the bay from the surrounding watersheds.

  16. Modeling and measuring snow for assessing climate change impacts in Glacier National Park, Montana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fagre, Daniel B.; Selkowitz, David J.; Reardon, Blase; Holzer, Karen; Mckeon, Lisa L.

    2002-01-01

    A 12-year program of global change research at Glacier National Park by the U.S. Geological Survey and numerous collaborators has made progress in quantifying the role of snow as a driver of mountain ecosystem processes. Spatially extensive snow surveys during the annual accumulation/ablation cycle covered two mountain watersheds and approximately 1,000 km2 . Over 7,000 snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements have been made through spring 2002. These augment two SNOTEL sites, 9 NRCS snow courses, and approximately 150 snow pit analyses. Snow data were used to establish spatially-explicit interannual variability in snowpack SWE. East of the Continental Divide, snowpack SWE was lower but also less variable than west of the Divide. Analysis of snowpacks suggest downward trends in SWE, a reduction in snow cover duration, and earlier melt-out dates during the past 52 years. Concurrently, high elevation forests and treelines have responded with increased growth. However, the 80 year record of snow from 3 NRCS snow courses reflects a strong influence from the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, resulting in 20-30 year phases of greater or lesser mean SWE. Coupled with the fine-resolution spatial snow data from the two watersheds, the ecological consequences of changes in snowpack can be empirically assessed at a habitat patch scale. This will be required because snow distribution models have had varied success in simulating snowpack accumulation/ablation dynamics in these mountain watersheds, ranging from R2=0.38 for individual south-facing forested snow survey routes to R2=0.95 when aggregated to the watershed scale. Key ecological responses to snowpack changes occur below the watershed scale, such as snow-mediated expansion of forest into subalpine meadows, making continued spatially-explicit snow surveys a necessity. 

  17. Quantitative analysis and implications of drainage morphometry of the Agula watershed in the semi-arid northern Ethiopia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fenta, Ayele Almaw; Yasuda, Hiroshi; Shimizu, Katsuyuki; Haregeweyn, Nigussie; Woldearegay, Kifle

    2017-11-01

    This study aimed at quantitative analysis of morphometric parameters of Agula watershed and its sub-watersheds using remote sensing data, geographic information system, and statistical methods. Morphometric parameters were evaluated from four perspectives: drainage network, watershed geometry, drainage texture, and relief characteristics. A sixth-order river drains Agula watershed and the drainage network is mainly dendritic type. The mean bifurcation ratio ( R b) was 4.46 and at sub-watershed scale, high R b values ( R b > 5) were observed which might be expected in regions of steeply sloping terrain. The longest flow path of Agula watershed is 48.5 km, with knickpoints along the main river which could be attributed to change of lithology and major faults which are common along the rift escarpments. The watershed has elongated shape suggesting low peak flows for longer duration and hence easier flood management. The drainage texture analysis revealed fine drainage which implies the dominance of impermeable soft rock with low resistance against erosion. High relief and steep slopes dominates, by which rough landforms (hills, breaks, and low mountains) make up 76% of the watershed. The S-shaped hypsometric curve with hypsometric integral of 0.4 suggests that Agula watershed is in equilibrium or mature stage of geomorphic evolution. At sub-watershed scale, the derived morphometric parameters were grouped into three clusters (low, moderate, and high) and considerable spatial variability was observed. The results of this study provide information on drainage morphometry that can help better understand the watershed characteristics and serve as a basis for improved planning, management, and decision making to ensure sustainable use of watershed resources.

  18. Predicting nitrogen loading with land-cover composition: how can watershed size affect model performance?

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tao; Yang, Xiaojun

    2013-01-01

    Watershed-wide land-cover proportions can be used to predict the in-stream non-point source pollutant loadings through regression modeling. However, the model performance can vary greatly across different study sites and among various watersheds. Existing literature has shown that this type of regression modeling tends to perform better for large watersheds than for small ones, and that such a performance variation has been largely linked with different interwatershed landscape heterogeneity levels. The purpose of this study is to further examine the previously mentioned empirical observation based on a set of watersheds in the northern part of Georgia (USA) to explore the underlying causes of the variation in model performance. Through the combined use of the neutral landscape modeling approach and a spatially explicit nutrient loading model, we tested whether the regression model performance variation over the watershed groups ranging in size is due to the different watershed landscape heterogeneity levels. We adopted three neutral landscape modeling criteria that were tied with different similarity levels in watershed landscape properties and used the nutrient loading model to estimate the nitrogen loads for these neutral watersheds. Then we compared the regression model performance for the real and neutral landscape scenarios, respectively. We found that watershed size can affect the regression model performance both directly and indirectly. Along with the indirect effect through interwatershed heterogeneity, watershed size can directly affect the model performance over the watersheds varying in size. We also found that the regression model performance can be more significantly affected by other physiographic properties shaping nitrogen delivery effectiveness than the watershed land-cover heterogeneity. This study contrasts with many existing studies because it goes beyond hypothesis formulation based on empirical observations and into hypothesis testing to explore the fundamental mechanism.

  19. Interim report on the scientific investigations in the Animas River watershed, Colorado to facilitate remediation decisions by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, March 29, 2000 meeting, Denver, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2000-01-01

    INTRODUCTION The joint U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative (AMLI) was developed as a collaborative effort between the Federal land management agencies (FLMA, that is the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1996. The stated goal of the AML Initiative was to develop a strategy for gathering and communicating the scientific information needed to develop effective and cost-efficient remediation of abandoned mines within the framework of a watershed. Four primary objectives of the AMLI are to: 1. Provide the scientific information needed (in the short-term) by the FLMAs to make decisions related to the design and implementation of cleanup actions, 2. Develop a multi-disciplined, multi-division approach that integrates geologic, hydrologic, geochemical and ecological information into a knowledge base for sound decision making, 3. Transfer technologies developed within the scientific programs of the USGS to the field and demonstrate their suitability to solve real, practical problems, and 4. Establish working relationships among involved members of land management and regulatory agencies within the framework of a watershed approach to the cleanup of abandoned mines. Long-term process-based research, including development of analytical tools, is recognized as being critical to the long-term success in remediating watersheds impacted by historical mining activities (AML 5-year plan, http://amli.usgs.gov/amli). In a meeting of Federal agencies (U.S. Bureau of Land Management [BLM], U.S. Bureau of Reclamation [BOR], U.S. National Park Service [NPS], U.S. Forest Service [USFS], the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [F&WS]), and State agencies (Colorado Division of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Division of Mines and Geology), several watersheds were examined within the state whose water quality was presumed to be impacted by historical mining activities. The Animas River watershed (fig. 1) was selected by the State and Federal agencies as one of two watersheds in the U.S. to be studied in detail by the USGS in the AML Initiative. Beginning in October 1997, each of the four Divisions of the USGS (Water Resources, Geologic, Biological Resources, and National Mapping) initiated a collaborative integrated science study of the watershed. Funds were provided from USGS base funding to each of the four Divisions in response to the priorities set by Congressional action and within the flexibility provided by the budgetary framework funding individual research programs. The AML Initiative provides for a five-year focused scientific effort in the two watersheds with final synthesis of the scientific results from each to be published in 2001. Publications are released on the AML web site on a regular basis (http://amli.usgs.gov/amli). On March 29, 2000, the USGS hosted a meeting for the BLM and USFS to discuss remediation options that were under consideration for the summer of 2000. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the scientific rational provided by the USGS to meet objective one above, and to summarize our preliminary interpretations of our data. Additional information from sites on private lands have been collected by the State of Colorado, EPA, and the ARSG. Unfortunately, these data have not been fully supplied to the USGS so our conclusions are based only upon our data. These interpretations provide science-based constraints on possible remediation options to be considered by the FLMA, the State, and local property owners in the Animas River watershed. The report is presented in outline format to facilitate discussion of remediation options at the March 29, 2000 meeting. Not all historical mining sites within the watershed are on public lands. This should not be construed to be a final report of the USGS

  20. Enabling global collaborations through policy engagement and CMS applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Escobar, V. M.; Sepulveda Carlo, E.; Delgado Arias, S.

    2015-12-01

    Different spatial scales prompt different discussions among carbon data stakeholders. NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) initiative has enabled collaboration opportunities with stakeholders whose data needs and requirements are unique to the spatial scope of their work: from county to the international scale. At the very local level, the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District leverages CMS high-resolution biomass estimates to develop a Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system in support of the District's 10-year land stewardship plan and the California's Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32). On the eastern coast, at the state level, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources utilizes the same high-resolution biomass estimates on a larger scale to better strategize in achieving the goal of 40% canopy cover statewide by 2020. At a regional scale that encompasses the three states of Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, LiDAR data collection of the Chesapeake Bay watershed dominate the stakeholder discussions. By collaborating with the U.S. Geological Survey's 3-D Elevation Program (3DEP), high-resolution LiDAR data will fill critical data gaps to help implement watershed protection strategies such as increasing riparian forest buffers to reduce runoff. Outside of the U.S., the World Resources Institute seeks to harness CMS reforestation products and technical expertise in addressing land restoration priorities specific to each Latin American country. CMS applications efforts expand beyond forest carbon examples discussed above to include carbon markets, ocean acidification, national greenhouse gas inventory, and wetlands. The broad array of case studies and lessons learned through CMS Applications in scaling carbon science for policy development at different spatial scales is providing unique opportunities that leverage science through policy needs.

  1. Relation of watershed setting and stream nutrient yields at selected sites in central and eastern North Carolina, 1997-2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harden, Stephen L.; Cuffney, Thomas F.; Terziotti, Silvia; Kolb, Katharine R.

    2013-01-01

    Data collected between 1997 and 2008 at 48 stream sites were used to characterize relations between watershed settings and stream nutrient yields throughout central and eastern North Carolina. The focus of the investigation was to identify environmental variables in watersheds that influence nutrient export for supporting the development and prioritization of management strategies for restoring nutrient-impaired streams. Nutrient concentration data and streamflow data compiled for the 1997 to 2008 study period were used to compute stream yields of nitrate, total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) for each study site. Compiled environmental data (including variables for land cover, hydrologic soil groups, base-flow index, streams, wastewater treatment facilities, and concentrated animal feeding operations) were used to characterize the watershed settings for the study sites. Data for the environmental variables were analyzed in combination with the stream nutrient yields to explore relations based on watershed characteristics and to evaluate whether particular variables were useful indicators of watersheds having relatively higher or lower potential for exporting nutrients. Data evaluations included an examination of median annual nutrient yields based on a watershed land-use classification scheme developed as part of the study. An initial examination of the data indicated that the highest median annual nutrient yields occurred at both agricultural and urban sites, especially for urban sites having large percentages of point-source flow contributions to the streams. The results of statistical testing identified significant differences in annual nutrient yields when sites were analyzed on the basis of watershed land-use category. When statistical differences in median annual yields were noted, the results for nitrate, total N, and total P were similar in that highly urbanized watersheds (greater than 30 percent developed land use) and (or) watersheds with greater than 10 percent point-source flow contributions to streamflow had higher yields relative to undeveloped watersheds (having less than 10 and 15 percent developed and agricultural land uses, respectively) and watersheds with relatively low agricultural land use (between 15 and 30 percent). The statistical tests further indicated that the median annual yields for total P were statistically higher for watersheds with high agricultural land use (greater than 30 percent) compared to the undeveloped watersheds and watersheds with low agricultural land use. The total P yields also were higher for watersheds with low urban land use (between 10 and 30 percent developed land) compared to the undeveloped watersheds. The study data indicate that grouping and examining stream nutrient yields based on the land-use classifications used in this report can be useful for characterizing relations between watershed settings and nutrient yields in streams located throughout central and eastern North Carolina. Compiled study data also were analyzed with four regression tree models as a means of determining which watershed environmental variables or combination of variables result in basins that are likely to have high or low nutrient yields. The regression tree analyses indicated that some of the environmental variables examined in this study were useful for predicting yields of nitrate, total N, and total P. When the median annual nutrient yields for all 48 sites were evaluated as a group (Model 1), annual point-source flow yields had the greatest influence on nitrate and total N yields observed in streams, and annual streamflow yields had the greatest influence on yields of total P. The Model 1 results indicated that watersheds with higher annual point-source flow yields had higher annual yields of nitrate and total N, and watersheds with higher annual streamflow yields had higher annual yields of total P. When sites with high point-source flows (greater than 10 percent of total streamflow) were excluded from the regression tree analyses (Models 2–4), the percentage of forested land in the watersheds was identified as the primary environmental variable influencing stream yields for both total N and total P. Models 2, 3 and 4 did not identify any watershed environmental variables that could adequately explain the observed variability in the nitrate yields among the set of sites examined by each of these models. The results for Models 2, 3, and 4 indicated that watersheds with higher percentages of forested land had lower annual total N and total P yields compared to watersheds with lower percentages of forested land, which had higher median annual total N and total P yields. Additional environmental variables determined to further influence the stream nutrient yields included median annual percentage of point-source flow contributions to the streams, variables of land cover (percentage of forested land, agricultural land, and (or) forested land plus wetlands) in the watershed and (or) in the stream buffer, and drainage area. The regression tree models can serve as a tool for relating differences in select watershed attributes to differences in stream yields of nitrate, total N, and total P, which can provide beneficial information for improving nutrient management in streams throughout North Carolina and for reducing nutrient loads to coastal waters.

  2. Hydrologic connectivity as a framework for understanding biogeochemical flux through watersheds and along fluvial networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Covino, Tim

    2017-01-01

    Hydrologic connections can link hillslopes to channel networks, streams to lakes, subsurface to surface, land to atmosphere, terrestrial to aquatic, and upstream to downstream. These connections can develop across vertical, lateral, and longitudinal dimensions and span spatial and temporal scales. Each of these dimensions and scales are interconnected, creating a mosaic of nested hydrologic connections and associated processes. In turn, these interacting and nested processes influence the transport, cycling, and transformation of organic material and inorganic nutrients through watersheds and along fluvial networks. Although hydrologic connections span dimensions and spatiotemporal scales, relationships between connectivity and carbon and nutrient dynamics are rarely evaluated within this framework. The purpose of this paper is to provide a cross-disciplinary view of hydrologic connectivity - highlighting the various forms of hydrologic connectivity that control fluxes of organic material and nutrients - and to help stimulate integration across scales and dimensions, and collaboration among disciplines.

  3. MANAGEMENT OF DIFFUSE POLLUTION IN AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS: LESSONS FROM THE MINNESOTA RIVER BASIN. (R825290)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract

    The Minnesota River (Minnesota, USA) receives large non-point source pollutant loads. Complex interactions between agricultural, state agency, environmental groups, and issues of scale make watershed management difficult. Subdividing the basin's 12 major water...

  4. Estimating the value of watershed services following forest restoration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mueller, Julie M.; Swaffar, Wes; Nielsen, Erik A.; Springer, Abraham E.; Lopez, Sharon Masek

    2013-04-01

    Declining forest health, climate change, and development threaten the sustainability of water supplies in the western United States. While forest restoration may buffer threats to watershed services, funding shortfalls for landscape-scale restoration efforts limit management action. The hydrologic response and reduction in risk to watersheds following forest restoration treatments could create significant nonmarket benefits for downstream water users. Historic experimental watershed studies indicate a significant and positive response from forest thinning by a reallocation of water from evapotranspiration to surface-water yield. In this study, we estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for improved watershed services for one group of downstream users, irrigators, following forest restoration activities. We find a positive and statistically significant WTP within our sample of 183.50 per household, at an aggregated benefit of more than 400,000 annually for 2181 irrigators. Our benefit estimate provides evidence that downstream irrigators may be willing to invest in landscape-scale forest restoration to maintain watershed services.

  5. Spatiotemporal variation of watershed health propensity through reliability-resilience-vulnerability based drought index (case study: Shazand Watershed in Iran).

    PubMed

    Sadeghi, Seyed Hamidreza; Hazbavi, Zeinab

    2017-06-01

    Quantitative response of the watershed health to climate variability is of critical importance for watershed managers. However, existing studies seldom considered the impact of climate variability on watershed health. The present study therefore aimed to analyze the temporal and spatial variability of reliability (R el ), resilience (R es ) and vulnerability (V ul ) indicators in node years of 1986, 1998, 2008 and 2014 in connection with Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for 24 sub-watersheds in the Shazand Watershed of Markazi Province in Iran. The analysis was based on rainfall variability as one of the main climatic drivers. To achieve the study purposes, the monthly rainfall time series of eight rain gauge stations distributed across the watershed or neighboring areas were analyzed and corresponding SPIs and R el R es V ul indicators were calculated. Ultimately, the spatial variation of SPI oriented R el R es V ul was mapped for the study watershed using Geographic Information System (GIS). The average and standard deviation of SPI-R el R es V ul index for the study years of 1986, 1998, 2008 and 2014 was obtained 0.240±0.025, 0.290±0.036, 0.077±0.0280 and 0.241±0.081, respectively. In overall, the results of the study proved the spatiotemporal variations of SPI-R el R es V ul watershed health index in the study area. Accordingly, all the sub-watersheds of the Shazand Watershed were grouped in unhealthy and very unhealthy conditions in all the study years. For 1986 and 1998 all the sub-watersheds were assessed in unhealthy status. Whilst, it declined to very unhealthy condition in 2008 and then some 75% of the watershed ultimately referred again to unhealthy and the rest still remained under very unhealthy conditions in 2014. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Spatial patterns of soil nutrients and groundwater levels within the Debre Mawi watershed of the Ethiopian highlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzman, Christian; Tilahun, Seifu; Dagnew, Dessalegn; Zegeye, Assefe; Tebebu, Tigist; Yitaferu, Birru; Steenhuis, Tammo

    2015-04-01

    Persistent patterns of erosion have emerged in the Ethiopian highlands leading to soil and water conservation practices being implemented throughout the countryside. A common concern is the loss of soil fertility and loss of soil water. This study investigates the spatial patterns of soil nutrients and water table depths in a small sub-watershed in the northwestern Ethiopian highlands. NPK, a particularly important group of nutrients for inorganic fertilizer considerations, did not follow a consistent trend as a group along and across slope and land use transects. Whereas nitrogen content was greatest in the upslope regions (~0.1% TN), available phosphorus had comparably similar content in the different slope regions throughout the watershed (~2.7 mg/kg). The exchangeable cations (K, Ca, Mg) did increase in content in a downslope direction (in most cases though, they were highest in the middle region) but not consistently later in the season. On average, calcium (40 cmol/kg), magnesium (5 cmol/kg), and potassium (0.5 cmol/kg) were orders of magnitudes different in content. The perched water table in different areas of the watershed showed a very distinct trend. The lower part of the sub-watershed had shallower levels of water table depths (less than 10 cm from the surface) than did the upper parts of the sub-watershed (usually greater than 120 cm from the surface). The middle part of the sub-watershed had water table depths located at 40 to 70 cm below the surface. These results show how the landscape slope position and land use may be important for planning where and when soil nutrients and water would be expected to be appropriately "conserved" or stored.

  7. A proposed international watershed research network

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Osterkamp, W.R.; Gray, J.R.

    2003-01-01

    An “International Watershed Research Network” is to be an initial project of the Sino-U. S. Centers for Soil and Water Conservation and Environmental Protection. The Network will provide a fundamental database for research personnel of the Centers, as well as of the global research community, and is viewed as an important resource for their successful operation. Efforts are under way to (a) identify and select candidate watersheds, (b) develop standards and protocols for data collection and dissemination, and (c) specify other data sources on erosion, sediment transport, hydrology, and ancillary information of probable interest and use to participants of the Centers. The initial focus of the Network will be on water-deficient areas. Candidate watersheds for the Network are yet to be determined although likely selections include the Ansai Research Station, northern China, and the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, Arizona, USA. The Network is to be patterned after the Vigil Network, an open-ended group of global sites and small drainage basins for which Internet-accessible geomorphic, hydrologic, and biological data are periodically collected or updated. Some types of data, using similar instruments and observation methods, will be collected at all watersheds selected for the Network. Other data from the watersheds that may reflect individual watershed characteristics and research objectives will be collected as well.

  8. Nutrient export from watersheds on Mt. Desert Island, maine, as a function of land use and fire history

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nielsen, M.G.; Kahl, J.S.

    2007-01-01

    A study of 13 small (less than 7.5 km2) watersheds on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, was conducted from January 1999 to September 2000 to determine nutrient export delivery to coastal waters around the island, and to determine whether a series of wildfires in 1947 have affected nutrient export in burned watersheds. Nutrient export (nitrate-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus) was determined for each watershed during the study period, and was normalized by watershed area. The yield of nitrate-nitrogen (N) ranged from 10 to 140 kg/km2/year. Total N yield ranged from 42 to 250 kg/ km2/year. Total phosphorus (P) yield ranged from 1.4 to 7.9 kg/km2/year. Watersheds entirely within Acadia National Park (lacking human land-based nutrient sources) exported significantly less total N and total P than watersheds that were partly or entirely outside the park boundary. Nitrate-N export was not significantly different in these two groups of watersheds, perhaps because atmospheric deposition is a dominant source of nitrate in the study area. No relation was observed between burn history and nutrient export. Any effect of burn history may be masked by other landscape-level factors related to nutrient export. ?? Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007.

  9. Improving the effectiveness of interventions and investment in Andean watersheds through a participatory network of research basins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ochoa-Tocachi, B. F.; Buytaert, W.; De Bièvre, B.

    2016-12-01

    Many watershed interventions in remote data-scarce areas respond to information gaps by extrapolating conventional approaches based on very limited local evidence. However, most interventions, including conservation strategies and adaptation measures, have not been evaluated properly for their hydrological benefits. This is particularly the case for the Andean region, where the complex climatic and hydrological characteristics combined with a very dynamic anthropogenic disturbance, require better monitoring. Here, we present the experience of a partnership of academic and non-governmental institutions who pioneered participatory hydrological monitoring in the Andes. Established in 2009, the Regional Initiative for Hydrological Monitoring of Andean Ecosystems (iMHEA), is a bottom-up initiative that complements the national monitoring networks and more conventional scientific observatories. Using a design based on a trading-space-for-time approach, over 30 paired catchments with a variety of watershed interventions are currently being monitored by 18 local stakeholders in 15 sites in the tropical Andes. Pooling these data into a hydrological impact model allowed the consortium to make more robust predictions about the effectiveness of catchment interventions to improve water resources management and to reduce risks. The collaborative nature of iMHEA has several strengths. We identify as most important of those the ability to: (i) standardize monitoring practices; (ii) ensure quality and technical support; (iii) share responsibility of monitoring activities; (iv) obtain project co-funding and complementarity; and, (v) promote decision maker-scientist engagement. As a result, this network has started to deliver useful information to multi-scale and multi-stakeholder decision making arenas. For example, in the context of growing investment in hydrological ecosystem services in Peru, the sites provide a new generation of hydrological information that allows for evidence-based, cost-benefit comparisons. However, some challenges still remain in the scientific, technological and social domains, opening wide perspectives for future collaborative work.

  10. Long-Term Environmental Research Programs - Evolving Capacity for Discovery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swanson, F. J.

    2008-12-01

    Long-term forestry, watershed, and ecological research sites have become critical, productive nodes for environmental science research and in some cases for work in the social sciences and humanities. The Forest Service's century-old Experimental Forests and Ranges and the National Science Foundation's 28- year-old Long-Term Ecological Research program have been remarkably productive in both basic and applied sciences, including characterization of acid rain and old-growth ecosystems and development of forest, watershed, and range management systems for commercial and other land use objectives. A review of recent developments suggests steps to enhance the function of collections of long-term research sites as interactive science networks. The programs at these sites have evolved greatly, especially over the past few decades, as the questions addressed, disciplines engaged, and degree of science integration have grown. This is well displayed by small, experimental watershed studies, which first were used for applied hydrology studies then more fundamental biogeochemical studies and now examination of complex ecosystem processes; all capitalizing on the legacy of intensive studies and environmental monitoring spanning decades. In very modest ways these collections of initially independent sites have functioned increasingly as integrated research networks addressing inter-site questions by using common experimental designs, being part of a single experiment, and examining long-term data in a common analytical framework. The network aspects include data sharing via publicly-accessible data-harvester systems for climate and streamflow data. The layering of one research or environmental monitoring network upon another facilitates synergies. Changing climate and atmospheric chemistry highlight a need to use these networks as continental-scale observatory systems for assessing the impacts of environmental change on ecological services. To better capitalize on long-term research sites and networks, agencies and universities 1) need to encourage collaboration among sites and between science and land manager communities while 2) maintaining long- term studies and monitoring efforts, and staffing the collaboration in each partner organization, including positions specifically designated as liaisons among the participating communities.

  11. Interactions between natural-occurring landscape conditions and land use influencing the abundance of riverine smallmouth bass, micropterus dolomieu

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brewer, S.K.; Rabeni, C.F.

    2011-01-01

    This study examined how interactions between natural landscape features and land use influenced the abundance of smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu, in Missouri, USA, streams. Stream segments were placed into one of four groups based on natural-occurring watershed characteristics (soil texture and soil permeability) predicted to relate to smallmouth bass abundance. Within each group, stream segments were assigned forest (n = 3), pasture (n = 3), or urban (n = 3) designations based on the percentages of land use within each watershed. Analyses of variance indicated smallmouth bass densities differed between land use and natural conditions. Decision tree models indicated abundance was highest in forested stream segments and lowest in urban stream segments, regardless of group designation. Land use explained the most variation in decision tree models, but in-channel features of temperature, flow, and sediment also contributed significantly. These results are unique and indicate the importance of natural-occurring watershed conditions in defining the potential of populations and how finer-scale filters interact with land use to further alter population potential. Smallmouth bass has differing vulnerabilities to land-use attributes, and the better the natural watershed conditions are for population success, the more resilient these populations will be when land conversion occurs.

  12. Goal specificity: a proxy measure for improvements in environmental outcomes in collaborative governance.

    PubMed

    Biddle, Jennifer C; Koontz, Tomas M

    2014-12-01

    Collaborative governance critics continually call for evidence to support its prevalent use. As is often the case in environmental policy, environmental outcomes occur at a rate incompatible with political agendas. In addition, a multitude of possibly confounding variables makes it difficult to correlate collaborative governance processes with environmental outcomes. The findings of this study offer empirical evidence that collaborative processes have a measurable, beneficial effect on environmental outcomes. Through the use of a unique paired-waterbody design, our dataset reduced the potential for confounding variables to impact our environmental outcome measurements. The results of a path analysis indicate that the output of setting specific pollutant reduction goals is significantly related to watershed partnerships' level of attainment of their environmental improvement goals. The action of setting specific goals (e.g. percentage of load reductions in pollutant levels) is fostered by sustained participation from partnership members throughout the lifecycle of the collaborative. In addition, this study demonstrates the utility of logic modeling for environmental planning and management, and suggests that the process of setting specific pollutant reduction goals is a useful proxy measure for reporting progress towards improvements in environmental outcomes when long-term environmental data are not available. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Structure and composition of a watershed-scale sediment information network

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Osterkamp, W.R.; Gray, J.R.; Laronne, J.B.; Martin, J.R.

    2007-01-01

    A 'Watershed-Scale Sediment Information Network' (WaSSIN), designed to complement UNESCO's International Sedimentation Initiative, was endorsed as an initial project by the World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research. WaSSIN is to address global fluvial-sediment information needs through a network approach based on consistent protocols for the collection, analysis, and storage of fluvial-sediment and ancillary information at smaller spatial scales than those of the International Sedimentation Initiative. As a second step of implementation, it is proposed herein that the WaSSIN have a general structure of two components, (1) monitoring and data acquisition and (2) research. Monitoring is to be conducted in small watersheds, each of which has an established database for discharge of water and suspended sediment and possibly for bed load, bed material, and bed topography. Ideally, documented protocols have been used for collecting, analyzing, storing, and sharing the derivative data. The research component is to continue the collection and interpretation of data, to compare those data among candidate watersheds, and to determine gradients of fluxes and processes among the selected watersheds. To define gradients and evaluate processes, the initial watersheds will have several common attributes. Watersheds of the first group will be: (1) six to ten in number, (2) less than 1000 km2 in area, (3) generally in mid-latitudes of continents, and (4) of semiarid climate. Potential candidate watersheds presently include the Weany Creek Basin, northeastern Australia, the Zhi Fanggou catchment, northern China, the Eshtemoa Watershed, southern Israel, the Metsemotlhaba River Basin, Botswana, the Aiuaba Experimental Basin, Brazil, and the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, southwestern United States.

  14. Baseline for Climate Change: Modeling Watershed Aquatic Biodiversity Relative to Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Maurakis, Eugene G

    Objectives of the two-year study were to (1) establish baselines for fish and macroinvertebrate community structures in two mid-Atlantic lower Piedmont watersheds (Quantico Creek, a pristine forest watershed; and Cameron Run, an urban watershed, Virginia) that can be used to monitor changes relative to the impacts related to climate change in the future; (2) create mathematical expressions to model fish species richness and diversity, and macroinvertebrate taxa and macroinvertebrate functional feeding group taxa richness and diversity that can serve as a baseline for future comparisons in these and other watersheds in the mid-Atlantic region; and (3) heighten people’s awareness, knowledgemore » and understanding of climate change and impacts on watersheds in a laboratory experience and interactive exhibits, through internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, a week-long teacher workshop, and a website about climate change and watersheds. Mathematical expressions modeled fish and macroinvertebrate richness and diversity accurately well during most of the six thermal seasons where sample sizes were robust. Additionally, hydrologic models provide the basis for estimating flows under varying meteorological conditions and landscape changes. Continuations of long-term studies are requisite for accurately teasing local human influences (e.g. urbanization and watershed alteration) from global anthropogenic impacts (e.g. climate change) on watersheds. Effective and skillful translations (e.g. annual potential exposure of 750,000 people to our inquiry-based laboratory activities and interactive exhibits in Virginia) of results of scientific investigations are valuable ways of communicating information to the general public to enhance their understanding of climate change and its effects in watersheds.« less

  15. EVALUATING HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Studies of future management and policy options based on different assumptions provide a mechanism to examine possible outcomes and especially their likely benefits or consequences. Planning and assessment in land and water resource management are evolving toward complex, spatially explicit regional assessments. These problems have to be addressed with distributed models that can compute runoff and erosion at different spatial and temporal scales. The extensive data requirements and the difficult task of building input parameter files, however, have long been an obstacle to the timely and cost-effective use of such complex models by resource managers. The U.S. EPA Landscape Ecology Branch in collaboration with the USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center has developed a geographic information system (GIS) tool to facilitate this process. A GIS provides the framework within which spatially distributed data are collected and used to prepare model input files, and model results are evaluated. The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool uses widely available standardized spatial datasets that can be obtained via the internet at no cost to the user. The data are used to develop input parameter files for KINEROS2 and SWAT, two watershed runoff and erosion simulation models that operate at different spatial and temporal scales. AGWA automates the process of transforming digital data into simulation model results and provides a visualization tool

  16. Physically-based extreme flood frequency with stochastic storm transposition and paleoflood data on large watersheds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    England, John F.; Julien, Pierre Y.; Velleux, Mark L.

    2014-03-01

    Traditionally, deterministic flood procedures such as the Probable Maximum Flood have been used for critical infrastructure design. Some Federal agencies now use hydrologic risk analysis to assess potential impacts of extreme events on existing structures such as large dams. Extreme flood hazard estimates and distributions are needed for these efforts, with very low annual exceedance probabilities (⩽10-4) (return periods >10,000 years). An integrated data-modeling hydrologic hazard framework for physically-based extreme flood hazard estimation is presented. Key elements include: (1) a physically-based runoff model (TREX) coupled with a stochastic storm transposition technique; (2) hydrometeorological information from radar and an extreme storm catalog; and (3) streamflow and paleoflood data for independently testing and refining runoff model predictions at internal locations. This new approach requires full integration of collaborative work in hydrometeorology, flood hydrology and paleoflood hydrology. An application on the 12,000 km2 Arkansas River watershed in Colorado demonstrates that the size and location of extreme storms are critical factors in the analysis of basin-average rainfall frequency and flood peak distributions. Runoff model results are substantially improved by the availability and use of paleoflood nonexceedance data spanning the past 1000 years at critical watershed locations.

  17. Characterization and evaluation of controls on post-fire streamflow response across western US watersheds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saxe, Samuel; Hogue, Terri S.; Hay, Lauren

    2018-02-01

    This research investigates the impact of wildfires on watershed flow regimes, specifically focusing on evaluation of fire events within specified hydroclimatic regions in the western United States, and evaluating the impact of climate and geophysical variables on response. Eighty-two watersheds were identified with at least 10 years of continuous pre-fire daily streamflow records and 5 years of continuous post-fire daily flow records. Percent change in annual runoff ratio, low flows, high flows, peak flows, number of zero flow days, baseflow index, and Richards-Baker flashiness index were calculated for each watershed using pre- and post-fire periods. Independent variables were identified for each watershed and fire event, including topographic, vegetation, climate, burn severity, percent area burned, and soils data. Results show that low flows, high flows, and peak flows increase in the first 2 years following a wildfire and decrease over time. Relative response was used to scale response variables with the respective percent area of watershed burned in order to compare regional differences in watershed response. To account for variability in precipitation events, runoff ratio was used to compare runoff directly to PRISM precipitation estimates. To account for regional differences in climate patterns, watersheds were divided into nine regions, or clusters, through k-means clustering using climate data, and regression models were produced for watersheds grouped by total area burned. Watersheds in Cluster 9 (eastern California, western Nevada, Oregon) demonstrate a small negative response to observed flow regimes after fire. Cluster 8 watersheds (coastal California) display the greatest flow responses, typically within the first year following wildfire. Most other watersheds show a positive mean relative response. In addition, simple regression models show low correlation between percent watershed burned and streamflow response, implying that other watershed factors strongly influence response. Spearman correlation identified NDVI, aridity index, percent of a watershed's precipitation that falls as rain, and slope as being positively correlated with post-fire streamflow response. This metric also suggested a negative correlation between response and the soil erodibility factor, watershed area, and percent low burn severity. Regression models identified only moderate burn severity and watershed area as being consistently positively/negatively correlated, respectively, with response. The random forest model identified only slope and percent area burned as significant watershed parameters controlling response. Results will help inform post-fire runoff management decisions by helping to identify expected changes to flow regimes, as well as facilitate parameterization for model application in burned watersheds.

  18. Understanding Urban Watersheds through Digital Interactive Maps, San Francisco Bay Area, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sowers, J. M.; Ticci, M. G.; Mulvey, P.

    2014-12-01

    Dense urbanization has resulted in the "disappearance" of many local creeks in urbanized areas surrounding the San Francisco Bay. Long reaches of creeks now flow in underground pipes. Municipalities and water agencies trying to reduce non-point-source pollution are faced with a public that cannot see and therefore does not understand the interconnected nature of the drainage system or its ultimate discharge to the bay. Since 1993, we have collaborated with the Oakland Museum, the San Francisco Estuary Institute, public agencies, and municipalities to create creek and watershed maps to address the need for public understanding of watershed concepts. Fifteen paper maps are now published (www.museumca.org/creeks), which have become a standard reference for educators and anyone working on local creek-related issues. We now present digital interactive creek and watershed maps in Google Earth. Four maps are completed covering urbanized areas of Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. The maps provide a 3D visualization of the watersheds, with cartography draped over the landscape in transparent colors. Each mapped area includes both Present and Past (circa 1800s) layers which can be clicked on or off by the user. The Present layers include the modern drainage network, watershed boundaries, and reservoirs. The Past layers include the 1800s-era creek systems, tidal marshes, lagoons, and other habitats. All data are developed in ArcGIS software and converted to Google Earth format. To ensure the maps are interesting and engaging, clickable icons pop-up provide information on places to visit, restoration projects, history, plants, and animals. Maps of Santa Clara Valley are available at http://www.valleywater.org/WOW.aspx. Maps of western Alameda County will soon be available at http://acfloodcontrol.org/. Digital interactive maps provide several advantages over paper maps. They are seamless within each map area, and the user can zoom in or out, and tilt, and fly over to explore any area of interest. They can be easily customized, for example, adding placemarks or notes. Enrichment information can be added, using clickable icons, without cluttering the map. Best, the maps are fun to use. Digital interactive maps will be another effective tool for enhancing public understanding of urban creeks & watersheds.

  19. Case studies of riparian and watershed restoration in the southwestern United States—Principles, challenges, and successes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ralston, Barbara E.; Sarr, Daniel A.; Ralston, Barbara E.; Sarr, Daniel A.

    2017-07-18

    Globally, rivers and streams are highly altered by impoundments, diversions, and stream channelization associated with agricultural and water delivery needs. Climate change imposes additional challenges by further reducing discharge, introducing variability in seasonal precipitation patterns, and increasing temperatures. Collectively, these changes in a river or stream’s annual hydrology affects surface and groundwater dynamics, fluvial processes, and the linked aquatic and riparian responses, particularly in arid regions. Recognizing the inherent ecosystem services that riparian and aquatic habitats provide, society increasingly supports restoring the functionality of riparian and aquatic ecosystems.Given the wide range in types and scales of riparian impacts, approaches to riparian restoration can range from tactical, short-term, and site-specific efforts to strategic projects and long-term collaborations best pursued at the watershed scale. In the spirit of sharing information, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center convened a workshop June 23-25, 2015, in Flagstaff, Ariz. for practitioners in restoration science to share general principles, successful restoration practices, and discuss the challenges that face those practicing riparian restoration in the southwestern United States. Presenters from the Colorado River and the Rio Grande basins, offered their perspectives and experiences in restoration at the local, reach and watershed scale. Outcomes of the workshop include this Proceedings volume, which is composed of extended abstracts of most of the presentations given at the workshop, and recommendations or information needs identified by participants. The organization of the Proceedings follows a general progression from local scale restoration to river and watershed scale approaches, and finishes with restoration assessments and monitoring.

  20. Workshop to transfer VELMA watershed model results to ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    An EPA Western Ecology Division (WED) watershed modeling team has been working with the Snoqualmie Tribe Environmental and Natural Resources Department to develop VELMA watershed model simulations of the effects of historical and future restoration and land use practices on streamflow, stream temperature, and other habitat characteristics affecting threatened salmon populations in the 100 square mile Tolt River watershed in Washington state. To date, the WED group has fully calibrated the watershed model to simulate Tolt River flows with a high degree of accuracy under current and historical conditions and practices, and is in the process of simulating long-term responses to specific watershed restoration practices conducted by the Snoqualmie Tribe and partners. On July 20-21 WED Researchers Bob McKane, Allen Brookes and ORISE Fellow Jonathan Halama will be attending a workshop at the Tolt River site in Carnation, WA, to present and discuss modeling results with the Snoqualmie Tribe and other Tolt River watershed stakeholders and land managers, including the Washington Departments of Ecology and Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, City of Seattle, King County, and representatives of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. The workshop is being co-organized by the Snoqualmie Tribe, EPA Region 10 and WED. The purpose of this 2-day workshop is two-fold. First, on Day 1, the modeling team will perform its second site visit to the watershed, this time focus

  1. Modeling fate and transport of fecally-derived microorganisms at the watershed scale: state of the science and future opportunities

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Natural waters provide habitats for various groups of fecal indicator organisms (FIOs) and pathogenic microorganisms originating from animal manures and animal waste. A number of watershed modeling works have been carried out to have a better understanding to the fate and transport of fecal indicato...

  2. Training Organizations in Use of a Modified Stream Visual Assessment Protocol

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obropta, Christopher C.; Yergeau, Steven E.

    2011-01-01

    The Stream Visual Assessment Protocol (SVAP) was evaluated as a means to increase watershed surveys in New Jersey. Groups were trained in an SVAP modified for New Jersey streams. Participants in three training workshops were surveyed to determine the usefulness of SVAP as a cost-effective method to evaluate watershed health. Many respondents found…

  3. Optimal implementation of best management practices to improve agricultural hydrology and water quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Y.; Engel, B.; Collingsworth, P.; Pijanowski, B. C.

    2017-12-01

    Nutrient loading from the Maumee River watershed is a significant reason for the harmful algal blooms (HABs) problem in Lake Erie. Strategies to reduce nutrient loading from agricultural areas in the Maumee River watershed need to be explored. Best management practices (BMPs) are popular approaches for improving hydrology and water quality. Various scenarios of BMP implementation were simulated in the AXL watershed (an agricultural watershed in Maumee River watershed) using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a new BMP cost tool to explore the cost-effectiveness of the practices. BMPs of interest included vegetative filter strips, grassed waterways, blind inlets, grade stabilization structures, wetlands, no-till, nutrient management, residue management, and cover crops. The following environmental concerns were considered: streamflow, Total Phosphorous (TP), Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus (DRP), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), and Nitrate+Nitrite (NOx). To obtain maximum hydrological and water quality benefits with minimum cost, an optimization tool was developed to optimally select and place BMPs by connecting SWAT, the BMP cost tool, and optimization algorithms. The optimization tool was then applied in AXL watershed to explore optimization focusing on critical areas (top 25% of areas with highest runoff volume/pollutant loads per area) vs. all areas of the watershed, optimization using weather data for spring (March to July, due to the goal of reducing spring phosphorus in watershed management plan) vs. full year, and optimization results of implementing BMPs to achieve the watershed management plan goal (reducing 2008 TP levels by 40%). The optimization tool and BMP optimization results can be used by watershed groups and communities to solve hydrology and water quality problems.

  4. Is a clean river fun for all? Recognizing social vulnerability in watershed planning.

    PubMed

    Cutts, Bethany B; Greenlee, Andrew J; Prochaska, Natalie K; Chantrill, Carolina V; Contractor, Annie B; Wilhoit, Juliana M; Abts, Nancy; Hornik, Kaitlyn

    2018-01-01

    Watershed planning can lead to policy innovation and action toward environmental protection. However, groups often suffer from low engagement with communities that experience disparate impacts from flooding and water pollution. This can limit the capacity of watershed efforts to dismantle pernicious forms of social inequality. As a result, the benefits of environmental changes often flow to more empowered residents, short-changing the power of watershed-based planning as a tool to transform ecological, economic, and social relationships. The objectives of this paper are to assess whether the worldview of watershed planning actors are sufficiently attuned to local patterns of social vulnerability and whether locally significant patterns of social vulnerability can be adequately differentiated using conventional data sources. Drawing from 35 in-depth interviews with watershed planners and community stakeholders in the Milwaukee River Basin (WI, USA), we identify five unique definitions of social vulnerability. Watershed planners in our sample articulate a narrower range of social vulnerability definitions than other participants. All five definitions emphasize spatial and demographic characteristics consistent with existing ways of measuring social vulnerability. However, existing measures do not adequately differentiate among the spatio-temporal dynamics used to distinguish definitions. In response, we develop two new social vulnerability measures. The combination of interviews and demographic analyses in this study provides an assessment technique that can help watershed planners (a) understand the limits of their own conceptualization of social vulnerability and (b) acknowledge the importance of place-based vulnerabilities that may otherwise be obscured. We conclude by discussing how our methods can be a useful tool for identifying opportunities to disrupt social vulnerability in a watershed by evaluating how issue frames, outreach messages, and engagement tactics. The approach allows watershed planners to shift their own culture in order to consider socially vulnerable populations comprehensively.

  5. Is a clean river fun for all? Recognizing social vulnerability in watershed planning

    PubMed Central

    Greenlee, Andrew J.; Prochaska, Natalie K.; Chantrill, Carolina V.; Contractor, Annie B.; Wilhoit, Juliana M.; Abts, Nancy; Hornik, Kaitlyn

    2018-01-01

    Watershed planning can lead to policy innovation and action toward environmental protection. However, groups often suffer from low engagement with communities that experience disparate impacts from flooding and water pollution. This can limit the capacity of watershed efforts to dismantle pernicious forms of social inequality. As a result, the benefits of environmental changes often flow to more empowered residents, short-changing the power of watershed-based planning as a tool to transform ecological, economic, and social relationships. The objectives of this paper are to assess whether the worldview of watershed planning actors are sufficiently attuned to local patterns of social vulnerability and whether locally significant patterns of social vulnerability can be adequately differentiated using conventional data sources. Drawing from 35 in-depth interviews with watershed planners and community stakeholders in the Milwaukee River Basin (WI, USA), we identify five unique definitions of social vulnerability. Watershed planners in our sample articulate a narrower range of social vulnerability definitions than other participants. All five definitions emphasize spatial and demographic characteristics consistent with existing ways of measuring social vulnerability. However, existing measures do not adequately differentiate among the spatio-temporal dynamics used to distinguish definitions. In response, we develop two new social vulnerability measures. The combination of interviews and demographic analyses in this study provides an assessment technique that can help watershed planners (a) understand the limits of their own conceptualization of social vulnerability and (b) acknowledge the importance of place-based vulnerabilities that may otherwise be obscured. We conclude by discussing how our methods can be a useful tool for identifying opportunities to disrupt social vulnerability in a watershed by evaluating how issue frames, outreach messages, and engagement tactics. The approach allows watershed planners to shift their own culture in order to consider socially vulnerable populations comprehensively. PMID:29715285

  6. Interacting With A Near Real-Time Urban Digital Watershed Using Emerging Geospatial Web Technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Y.; Fazio, D. J.; Abdelzaher, T.; Minsker, B.

    2007-12-01

    The value of real-time hydrologic data dissemination including river stage, streamflow, and precipitation for operational stormwater management efforts is particularly high for communities where flash flooding is common and costly. Ideally, such data would be presented within a watershed-scale geospatial context to portray a holistic view of the watershed. Local hydrologic sensor networks usually lack comprehensive integration with sensor networks managed by other agencies sharing the same watershed due to administrative, political, but mostly technical barriers. Recent efforts on providing unified access to hydrological data have concentrated on creating new SOAP-based web services and common data format (e.g. WaterML and Observation Data Model) for users to access the data (e.g. HIS and HydroSeek). Geospatial Web technology including OGC sensor web enablement (SWE), GeoRSS, Geo tags, Geospatial browsers such as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth and other location-based service tools provides possibilities for us to interact with a digital watershed in near-real-time. OGC SWE proposes a revolutionary concept towards a web-connected/controllable sensor networks. However, these efforts have not provided the capability to allow dynamic data integration/fusion among heterogeneous sources, data filtering and support for workflows or domain specific applications where both push and pull mode of retrieving data may be needed. We propose a light weight integration framework by extending SWE with open source Enterprise Service Bus (e.g., mule) as a backbone component to dynamically transform, transport, and integrate both heterogeneous sensor data sources and simulation model outputs. We will report our progress on building such framework where multi-agencies" sensor data and hydro-model outputs (with map layers) will be integrated and disseminated in a geospatial browser (e.g. Microsoft Virtual Earth). This is a collaborative project among NCSA, USGS Illinois Water Science Center, Computer Science Department at UIUC funded by the Adaptive Environmental Infrastructure Sensing and Information Systems initiative at UIUC.

  7. Determining Water Quality Trends in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed in the Face of Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kynett, K.; Azimi-Gaylon, S.; Doidic, C.

    2014-12-01

    The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh (Delta) is the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas and is a resource of local, State, and national significance. The Delta is simultaneously the most critical component of California's water supply, a primary focus of the state's ecological conservation measures, and a vital resource deeply imperiled by degraded water quality. Delta waterbodies are identified as impaired by salinity, excess nutrients, low dissolved oxygen, pathogens, pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants. Climate change is expected to exacerbate the impacts of existing stressors in the Delta and magnify the challenges of managing this natural resource. A clear understanding of the current state of the watershed is needed to better inform scientists, decision makers, and the public about potential impacts from climate change. The Delta Watershed Initiative Network (Delta WIN) leverages the ecological benefits of healthy watersheds, and enhances, expands and creates opportunities for greater watershed health by coordinating with agencies, established programs, and local organizations. At this critical junction, Delta WIN is coordinating data integration and analysis to develop better understanding of the existing and emerging water quality concerns. As first steps, Delta WIN is integrating existing water quality data, analyzing trends, and monitoring to fill data gaps and to evaluate indicators of climate change impacts. Available data will be used for trend analysis; Delta WIN will continue to monitor where data is incomplete and new questions arise. Understanding how climate change conditions may affect water quality will be used to inform efforts to build resilience and maintain water quality levels which sustain aquatic life and human needs. Assessments of historical and new data will aid in recognition of potential climate change impacts and in initiating implementation of best management practices in collaboration with State and local agencies. Ultimately, Delta WIN can inform responsive science and adaptive management in other estuaries and critical natural resource areas facing times of change.

  8. Integrating land use and climate change scenarios and models into assessment of forested watershed services in Southern Thailand.

    PubMed

    Trisurat, Yongyut; Eawpanich, Piyathip; Kalliola, Risto

    2016-05-01

    The Thadee watershed, covering 112km(2), is the main source of water for agriculture and household consumption in the Nakhon Srithammarat Province in Southern Thailand. As the natural forests upstream have been largely degraded and transformed to fruit tree and rubber plantations, problems with landslides and flooding have resulted. This research attempts to predict how further land-use/land-cover changes during 2009-2020 and conceivable changes in rainfall may influence the future levels of water yield and sediment load in the Thadee River. Three different land use scenarios (trend, development and conservation) were defined in collaboration with the local stakeholders, and three different rainfall scenarios (average rainfall, climate change and extreme wet) were determined on the basis of literature sources. Spatially explicit empirical modelling was employed to allocate future land demands and to assess the contributions of land use and rainfall changes, considering both their separate and combined effects. The results suggest that substantial land use changes may occur from a large expansion of rubber plantations in the upper sub-watersheds, especially under the development land use scenario. The reduction of the current annual rainfall by approximately 30% would decrease the predicted water yields by 38% from 2009. According to the extreme rainfall scenario (an increase of 36% with respect to current rainfall), an amplification of 50% of the current runoff could result. Sensitivity analyses showed that the predicted soil loss is more responsive to changes in rainfall than to the compared land use scenarios alone. However, very high sediment load and runoff levels were predicted on the basis of combined intensified land use and extreme rainfall scenarios. Three conservation activities-protection, reforestation and a mixed-cropping system-are proposed to maintain the functional watershed services of the Thadee watershed region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Spatial Translation and Scaling Up of LID Practices in Deer Creek Watershed in East Missouri

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Vittorio, Damien

    This study investigated two important aspects of hydrologic effects of low impact development (LID) practices at the watershed scale by (1) examining the potential benefits of scaling up of LID design, and (2) evaluating downstream effects of LID design and its spatial translation within a watershed. The Personal Computer Storm Water Management Model (PCSWMM) was used to model runoff reduction with the implementation of LID practices in Deer Creek watershed (DCW), Missouri. The model was calibrated from 2003 to 2007 (R2 = 0.58 and NSE = 0.57), and validated from 2008 to 2012 (R2 = 0.64 and NSE = 0.65) for daily direct runoff. Runoff simulated for the study period, 2003 to 2012 (NSE = 0.61; R2 = 0.63), was used as the baseline for comparison to LID scenarios. Using 1958 areal imagery to assign land cover, a predevelopment scenario was constructed and simulated to assess LID scenarios' ability to restore predevelopment hydrologic conditions. The baseline and all LID scenarios were simulated using 2006 National Land Cover Dataset. The watershed was divided in 117 subcatchments, which were clustered in six groups of approximately equal areas and two scaling concepts consisting of incremental scaling and spatial scaling were modelled. Incremental scaling was investigated using three LID practices (rain barrel, porous pavement, and rain garden). Each LID practice was simulated at four implementation levels (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) in all subcatchments for the study period (2003 to 2012). Results showed an increased runoff reduction, ranging from 3% to 31%, with increased implementation level. Spatial scaling was investigated by increasing the spatial extent of LID practices using the subcatchment groups and all three LID practices (combined) implemented at 50% level. Results indicated that as the spatial extent of LID practices increased the runoff reduction at the outlet also increased, ranging from 3% to 19%. Spatial variability of LID implementation was examined by normalizing LID treated area to impervious area for each subcatchment group. The normalized LID implementation levels for each group revealed a reduction in runoff at the outlet of the watershed, ranging from 0.6% to 3.7%. This study showed that over a long-term period LID practices could restore pre-development hydrologic conditions. The optimal location for LID practice implementation within the study area was found to be near the outlet; however, these results cannot be generalized for all watersheds.

  10. Accounting for inter-annual and seasonal variability in regionalization of hydrologic response in the Great Lakes basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kult, J. M.; Fry, L. M.; Gronewold, A. D.

    2012-12-01

    Methods for predicting streamflow in areas with limited or nonexistent measures of hydrologic response typically invoke the concept of regionalization, whereby knowledge pertaining to gauged catchments is transferred to ungauged catchments. In this study, we identify watershed physical characteristics acting as primary drivers of hydrologic response throughout the US portion of the Great Lakes basin. Relationships between watershed physical characteristics and hydrologic response are generated from 166 catchments spanning a variety of climate, soil, land cover, and land form regimes through regression tree analysis, leading to a grouping of watersheds exhibiting similar hydrologic response characteristics. These groupings are then used to predict response in ungauged watersheds in an uncertainty framework. Results from this method are assessed alongside one historical regionalization approach which, while simple, has served as a cornerstone of Great Lakes regional hydrologic research for several decades. Our approach expands upon previous research by considering multiple temporal characterizations of hydrologic response. Due to the substantial inter-annual and seasonal variability in hydrologic response observed over the Great Lakes basin, results from the regression tree analysis differ considerably depending on the level of temporal aggregation used to define the response. Specifically, higher levels of temporal aggregation for the response metric (for example, indices derived from long-term means of climate and streamflow observations) lead to improved watershed groupings with lower within-group variance. However, this perceived improvement in model skill occurs at the cost of understated uncertainty when applying the regression to time series simulations or as a basis for model calibration. In such cases, our results indicate that predictions based on long-term characterizations of hydrologic response can produce misleading conclusions when applied at shorter time steps. This study suggests that measures of hydrologic response quantified at these shorter time steps may provide a more robust basis for making predictions in applications of water resource management, model calibration and simulations, and human health and safety.

  11. Host Specificity and Source of Enterocytozoon bieneusi Genotypes in a Drinking Source Watershed

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yaqiong; Alderisio, Kerri A.; Yang, Wenli; Cama, Vitaliano; Xiao, Lihua

    2014-01-01

    To assess the host specificity of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and to track the sources of E. bieneusi contamination, we genotyped E. bieneusi in wildlife and stormwater from the watershed of New York City's source water, using ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based PCR and sequence analyses. A total of 255 specimens from 23 species of wild mammals and 67 samples from stormwater were analyzed. Seventy-four (29.0%) of the wildlife specimens and 39 (58.2%) of the stormwater samples from streams were PCR positive. Altogether, 20 E. bieneusi genotypes were found, including 8 known genotypes and 12 new ones. Sixteen and five of the genotypes were seen in animals and stormwater from the watershed, respectively, with WL4 being the most common genotype in both animals (35 samples) and stormwater (23 samples). The 20 E. bieneusi genotypes belonged to five genogroups (groups 1, 3, 4, and 7 and an outlier), with only 23/113 (20.4%) E. bieneusi-positive samples belonging to zoonotic genogroup 1 and 3/20 genotypes ever being detected in humans. The two genogroups previously considered host specific, groups 3 and 4, were both detected in multiple groups of mammals. Thus, with the exception of the type IV, Peru11, and D genotypes, which were detected in only 7, 5, and 2 animals, respectively, most E. bieneusi strains in most wildlife samples and all stormwater samples in the watershed had no known public health significance, as these types have not previously been detected in humans. The role of different species of wild mammals in the contribution of E. bieneusi contamination in stormwater was supported by determinations of host-adapted Cryptosporidium species/genotypes in the same water samples. Data from this study indicate that the host specificity of E. bieneusi group 3 is broader than originally thought, and wildlife is the main source of E. bieneusi in stormwater in the watershed. PMID:24141128

  12. Correction of false memory for associated word lists by collaborating groups.

    PubMed

    Weigold, Arne; Russell, Elizabeth J; Natera, Sara N

    2014-01-01

    Collaborative inhibition is often observed for both correct and false memories. However, research examining the mechanisms by which collaborative inhibition occurs, such as retrieval disruption, reality monitoring, or group filtering, is lacking. In addition, the creation of the nominal groups (i.e., groups artificially developed by combining individuals' recall) necessary for examining collaborative inhibition do not use statistical best practices. Using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, we examined percentages of correct and false memories in individuals, collaborative interactive groups, and correctly created nominal groups, as well as the processes that the collaborative interactive groups used to determine which memories to report. Results showed evidence of the collaborative inhibition effect. In addition, analyses of the collaborative interactive groups' discussions found that these groups wrote down almost all presented words but less than half of nonpresented critical words, after discussing them, with nonpresented critical words being stated to the group with lower confidence and rejected by other group members more often. Overall, our findings indicated support for the group filtering hypothesis.

  13. Improvement in health and empowerment of families as a result of watershed management in a tribal area in India - a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Tribal people in India, as in other parts of the world, reside mostly in forests and/or hilly terrains. Water scarcity and health problems related to it are their prime concern. Watershed management can contribute to resolve their health related problems and can put them on a path of socio-economic development. Integrated management of land, water and biomass resources within a watershed, i.e. in an area or a region which contributes rainfall water to a river or lake, is referred to as watershed management. Watershed management includes soil and water conservation to create water resources, management of drinking water, improving hygiene and sanitation, plantation of trees, improving agriculture, formation of self-help groups and proper utilisation and management of available natural resources. For successful implementation of such a solution, understanding of perceptions of the tribal community members with regard to public health and socioeconomic implications of watershed management is essential. Methods A qualitative study with six focus group discussions (FGDs), three each separately for men and women, was conducted among tribal community members of the Maharashtra state of India. The data collected from the FGDs were analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis. Results “Improvement in health and empowerment of families as a result of watershed management” was identified as the main theme. Participants perceived that their health problems and socio-economic development are directly and/or indirectly dependent upon water availability. They further perceived that watershed management could directly or indirectly result in reduction of their public health related challenges like waterborne diseases, seasonal migration, alcoholism, intimate partner violence, as well as drudgery of women and may enhance overall empowerment of families through agricultural development. Conclusions Tribal people perceived that water scarcity is the main reason for their physical, mental and social health problems and a major obstacle for their overall development. The perceptions of tribal participants indicate that infectious diseases, migration, alcoholism, intimate partner violence and drudgery of women are end results of water scarcity and efforts to increase water availability through watershed management may help them to achieve their right to health which is embedded in their right to access to water. PMID:24119537

  14. Improvement in health and empowerment of families as a result of watershed management in a tribal area in India - a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Nerkar, Sandeep S; Tamhankar, Ashok J; Johansson, Eva; Lundborg, Cecilia Stålsby

    2013-10-12

    Tribal people in India, as in other parts of the world, reside mostly in forests and/or hilly terrains. Water scarcity and health problems related to it are their prime concern. Watershed management can contribute to resolve their health related problems and can put them on a path of socio-economic development. Integrated management of land, water and biomass resources within a watershed, i.e. in an area or a region which contributes rainfall water to a river or lake, is referred to as watershed management. Watershed management includes soil and water conservation to create water resources, management of drinking water, improving hygiene and sanitation, plantation of trees, improving agriculture, formation of self-help groups and proper utilisation and management of available natural resources. For successful implementation of such a solution, understanding of perceptions of the tribal community members with regard to public health and socioeconomic implications of watershed management is essential. A qualitative study with six focus group discussions (FGDs), three each separately for men and women, was conducted among tribal community members of the Maharashtra state of India. The data collected from the FGDs were analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis. "Improvement in health and empowerment of families as a result of watershed management" was identified as the main theme. Participants perceived that their health problems and socio-economic development are directly and/or indirectly dependent upon water availability. They further perceived that watershed management could directly or indirectly result in reduction of their public health related challenges like waterborne diseases, seasonal migration, alcoholism, intimate partner violence, as well as drudgery of women and may enhance overall empowerment of families through agricultural development. Tribal people perceived that water scarcity is the main reason for their physical, mental and social health problems and a major obstacle for their overall development. The perceptions of tribal participants indicate that infectious diseases, migration, alcoholism, intimate partner violence and drudgery of women are end results of water scarcity and efforts to increase water availability through watershed management may help them to achieve their right to health which is embedded in their right to access to water.

  15. Performance of the Hydrological Portion of a Simple Water Quality Model in Different Climatic Regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moore, K.; Pierson, D.; Pettersson, K.; Naden, P.; Allott, N.; Jennings, E.; Tamm, T.; Järvet, A.; Nickus, U.; Thies, H.; Arvola, L.; Järvinen, M.; Schneiderman, E.; Zion, M.; Lounsbury, D.

    2004-05-01

    We are applying an existing watershed model in the EU CLIME (Climate and Lake Impacts in Europe) project to evaluate the effects of weather on seasonal and annual delivery of N, P, and DOC to lakes. Model calibration is based on long-term records of weather and water quality data collected from sites in different climatic regions spread across Europe and in New York State. The overall aim of the CLIME project is to develop methods and models to support lake and catchment management under current climate conditions and make predictions under future climate scenarios. Scientists from 10 partner countries are collaborating on developing a consistent approach to defining model parameters for the Generalized Watershed Loading Functions (GWLF) model, one of a larger suite of models used in the project. An example of the approach for the hydrological portion of the GWLF model will be presented, with consideration of the balance between model simplicity, ease of use, data requirements, and realistic predictions.

  16. East Fork Watershed Cooperative: Toward better system-scale ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The East Fork Watershed Cooperative is a group intent on understanding how to best manage water quality in a large mixed-use Midwestern watershed system. The system contains a reservoir that serves as a source of drinking water and is popular for water recreation. The reservoir is experience harmful algal blooms. The system including the reservoir has become a significant case study for EPA ORD research and development. The Cooperative includes affiliates from the USACE, the OHIO EPA, the USGS, the USDA, and local Soil and Water Conservation districts as well as utility operators and water quality protection offices. The presentation includes a description of the water quality monitoring and modeling program in the watershed, followed by the results of using the watershed model to estimate the costs associated with nutrient reduction to Harsha Lake, and then ends with an explanation of temporal changes observed for important factors controlling harmful algae in Harsha Lake and how this lake relates to other reservoirs in the Ohio River Basin. This presentation is an invited contribution to the Ohio River Basin Water Quality Workshop sponsored by the US ACE and the US EPA. The presentation describes the activities of the East Fork Watershed Cooperative and the knowledge it has gained to help better manage a case study watershed system over the last few years. The East Fork of the Little Miami River is the focal watershed. It is a significant tributary to the Lit

  17. Who collaborates and why: Assessment and diagnostic of governance network integration for salmon restoration in Puget Sound, USA.

    PubMed

    Sayles, Jesse S; Baggio, Jacopo A

    2017-01-15

    Governance silos are settings in which different organizations work in isolation and avoid sharing information and strategies. Siloes are a fundamental challenge for environmental planning and problem solving, which generally requires collaboration. Siloes can be overcome by creating governance networks. Studying the structure and function of these networks is important for understanding how to create institutional arrangements that can respond to the biophysical dynamics of a specific natural resource system (i.e., social-ecological, or institutional fit). Using the case of salmon restoration in a sub-basin of Puget Sound, USA, we assess network integration, considering three different reasons for network collaborations (i.e., mandated, funded, and shared interest relationships) and analyze how these different collaboration types relate to productivity based on practitioner's assessments. We also illustrate how specific and targeted network interventions might enhance the network. To do so, we use a mixed methods approach that combines quantitative social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative interview analysis. Overall, the sub-basin's governance network is fairly well integrated, but several concerning gaps exist. Funded, mandated, and shared interest relationships lead to different network patterns. Mandated relationships are associated with lower productivity than shared interest relationships, highlighting the benefit of genuine collaboration in collaborative watershed governance. Lastly, quantitative and qualitative data comparisons strengthen recent calls to incorporate geographic space and the role of individual actors versus organizational culture into natural resource governance research using SNA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Aspect induced differences in vegetation, soil, and microclimatic characteristics of an Appalachian watershed

    Treesearch

    Fekedulegn Desta; J.J. Colbert; James S. Rentch; Kurt W. Gottschalk

    2004-01-01

    This study evaluates and quantifies the variation in vegetation, plant nutrients, and microclimate across four topographic aspects in an Appalachian watershed (39°39'43"N, 79°45'28"W). The study found that the north and east aspects were 27-50% more productive than the west and southwest aspects. Species groups that showed strong...

  19. Water Quality and Fecal-Indicator Detection in Response to an Impaired Urban Watershed: Turkey Creek "Gulf of Mexico Initiative Focus"; and a "Making a Visible Difference" Program

    EPA Science Inventory

    The historical communities of Turkey Creek originated in 1866, when a group of emancipated African-Americans purchased land in Harrison County, MS, along the Turkey Creek watershed. Many of the current members of this community are descendants from the original settlers. This wa...

  20. Landscape, vegetation characteristics, and group identity in an urban and suburban watershed: why the 60s matter

    Treesearch

    Christopher G. Boone; Mary L. Cadenasso; J. Morgan Grove; Kirsten Schwarz; Geoffrey L. Buckley

    2010-01-01

    As highly managed ecosystems, urban areas should reflect the social characteristics of their managers, who are primarily residents. Since landscape features develop over time, we hypothesize that present-day vegetation should also reflect social characteristics of past residents. Using an urban-to-suburban watershed in the Baltimore Metropolitan Region, this paper...

  1. Characterizing Storm Event Dynamics of a Forested Watershed in the Lower Atlantic Coastal Plain, South Carolina USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Latorre Torres, I. B.; Amatya, D. M.; Callahan, T. J.; Levine, N. S.

    2007-12-01

    Hydrology research in the Southeast U.S. has primarily focused on upland mountainous areas; however, much less is known about hydrological processes in Lower Coastal Plain (LCP) watersheds. Such watersheds are difficult to characterize due to shallow water table conditions, low topographic gradient, complex surface- subsurface water interaction, and lack of detailed soil information. Although opportunities to conduct long term monitoring in relatively undeveloped watersheds are often limited, stream flow and rainfall in the Turkey Creek watershed (third-order watershed, about 7200 ha in the Francis Marion National Forest near Charleston, SC) have been monitored since 1964. In this study, event runoff-rainfall ratios have been determined for 51 storm events using historical data from 1964-1973. One of our objectives was to characterize relationships between seasonal event rainfall and storm outflow in this watershed. To this end, observed storm event data were compared with values predicted by established hydrological methods such as the Soil Conservation Service runoff curve number (SCS-CN) and the rational method integrated within a Geographical Information System (GIS), to estimate total event runoff and peak discharge, respectively. Available 1:15000 scale aerial images were digitized to obtain land uses, which were used with the SCS soil hydrologic groups to obtain the runoff coefficients (C) for the rational method and the CN values for the SCS-CN method. These methods are being tested with historical storm event responses in the Turkey Creek watershed scale, and then will be used to predict event runoff in Quinby Creek, an ungauged third-order watershed (8700 ha) adjacent to Turkey Creek. Successful testing with refinement of parameters in the rational method and SCS-CN method, both designed for small urban and agricultural dominated watersheds, may allow widespread application of these methods for studying the event rainfall-runoff dynamics for similar watersheds in the Lower Coastal Plain of the Southeast U.S.

  2. Evaluation of Intelligent Grouping Based on Learners' Collaboration Competence Level in Online Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muuro, Maina Elizaphan; Oboko, Robert; Wagacha, Waiganjo Peter

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we explore the impact of an intelligent grouping algorithm based on learners' collaborative competency when compared with (a) instructor based Grade Point Average (GPA) method level and (b) random method, on group outcomes and group collaboration problems in an online collaborative learning environment. An intelligent grouping…

  3. Hydrologic conditions and assessment of water resources in the Turkey Creek watershed, Jefferson County, Colorado, 1998-2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bossong, Clifford R.; Caine, Jonathan S.; Stannard, David I.; Flynn, Jennifer L.; Stevens, Michael R.; Heiny-Dash, Janet S.

    2003-01-01

    The 47.2-square-mile Turkey Creek watershed, in Jefferson County southwest of Denver, Colorado, is relatively steep with about 4,000 feet of relief and is in an area of fractured crystalline rocks of Precambrian age. Water needs for about 4,900 households in the watershed are served by domestic wells and individual sewage-disposal systems. Hydrologic conditions are described on the basis of contemporary hydrologic and geologic data collected in the watershed from early spring 1998 through September 2001. The water resources are assessed using discrete fracture-network modeling to estimate porosity and a physically based, distributed-parameter watershed runoff model to develop estimates of water-balance terms. A variety of climatologic and hydrologic data were collected. Direct measurements of evapotranspiration indicate that a large amount (3 calendar-year mean of 82.9 percent) of precipitation is returned to the atmosphere. Surface-water records from January 1, 1999, through September 30, 2001, indicate that about 9 percent of precipitation leaves the watershed as streamflow in a seasonal pattern, with highest streamflows generally occurring in spring related to snowmelt and precipitation. Although conditions vary considerably within the watershed, overall watershed streamflow, based on several records collected during the 1940's, 1950's, 1980', and 1990's near the downstream part of watershed, can be as high as about 200 cubic feet per second on a daily basis during spring. Streamflow typically recedes to about 1 cubic foot per second or less during rainless periods and is rarely zero. Ground-water level data indicate a seasonal pattern similar to that of surface water in which water levels are highest, rising tens of feet in some locations, in the spring and then receding during rainless periods at relatively constant rates until recharged. Synoptic measurements of water levels in 131 mostly domestic wells in fall of 2001 indicate a water-table surface that conforms to topography. Analyses of reported well-construction records indicate a median reported well yield of 4 gallons per minute and a spatial distribution for reported well yield that has relatively uniform conditions of small-scale variability. Results from quarterly samples collected in water year 1999 at about 112 wells and 22 streams indicate relatively concentrated calcium-bicarbonate to calcium-chloride type water that has a higher concentration of chloride than would be expected on the basis of chloride content in precipitation and evapotranspiration rates. Comparison of the 1999 data to similar data collected in the 1970's indicates that concentrations for many constituents appear to have increased. Reconnaissance sampling in the fall of 2000 indicates that most ground water in the watershed was recharged recently, although some ground water was recharged more than 50 years ago. Additional reconnaissance sampling in the spring and fall of 2001 identified some compounds indicative of human wastewater in ground water and surface water. Outcrop fracture measurements were used to estimate potential porosities in three rock groups (metamorphic, intrusive, and fault zone) that have distinct fracture characteristics. The characterization, assuming a uniform aperture size of 100 microns, indicates very low potential fracture porosities, on the order of hundredths of a percent for metamorphic and intrusive rocks and up to about 2 percent for fault-zone rocks. A fourth rock group, Pikes Peak Granite, was defined on the basis of weathering characteristics. Short-term continuous and synoptic measurements of streamflow were used to describe base-flow characteristics in areas of the watershed underlain by each of the four rock groups and are the basis for characterization of base flow in a physically based, distributed-parameter watershed model. The watershed model, the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), was used to characterize hydrologic conditions

  4. Vaccine innovation: lessons from World War II.

    PubMed

    Hoyt, Kendall

    2006-01-01

    World War II marked a watershed in the history of vaccine development as the military, in collaboration with academia and industry, achieved unprecedented levels of innovation in response to war-enhanced disease threats such as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia. In the 1940s alone, wartime programs contributed to the development of new or significantly improved vaccines for 10 of the 28 vaccine-preventable diseases identified in the 20th century. This article examines the historical significance of military organizations and national security concerns for vaccine development in the United States.

  5. Hydrological Modeling in the Bull Run Watershed in Support of a Piloting Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA) Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nijssen, B.; Chiao, T. H.; Lettenmaier, D. P.; Vano, J. A.

    2016-12-01

    Hydrologic models with varying complexities and structures are commonly used to evaluate the impact of climate change on future hydrology. While the uncertainties in future climate projections are well documented, uncertainties in streamflow projections associated with hydrologic model structure and parameter estimation have received less attention. In this study, we implemented and calibrated three hydrologic models (the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM), the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), and the Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC)) for the Bull Run watershed in northern Oregon using consistent data sources and best practice calibration protocols. The project was part of a Piloting Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA) project with the Portland Water Bureau (PWB) under the umbrella of the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA). Ultimately PWB would use the model evaluation to select a model to perform in-house climate change analysis for Bull Run Watershed. This presentation focuses on the experimental design of the comparison project, project findings and the collaboration between the team at the University of Washington and at PWB. After calibration, the three models showed similar capability to reproduce seasonal and inter-annual variations in streamflow, but differed in their ability to capture extreme events. Furthermore, the annual and seasonal hydrologic sensitivities to changes in climate forcings differed among models, potentially attributable to different model representations of snow and vegetation processes.

  6. Teaching a New Generation of Students: Developing an Interdisciplinary Watershed Field Course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pearce, A. R.; Bierman, P. R.; Druschel, G. K.; Massey, C. A.; Rizzo, D. M.; Watzin, M. C.; Wemple, B. C.

    2007-12-01

    As the scientific world becomes more interconnected, careers in geosciences regularly require cooperation, communication, and comprehension across disciplines. In response, faculty at the University of Vermont (UVM) have developed and are modifying an interdisciplinary watershed field course to provide both a valuable learning experience in watershed science for students and a tested prototype for collaboration and cooperation between faculty, departments, and administrators. The field course introduces concepts of watershed science, an inherently interdisciplinary field of study for which there is often no specific academic department (www.uvm.edu/watercamp). The field exercises begin in Lake Champlain, New England's&plargest inland water body. To maximize relevance, the focus is on threats and current problems associated with large water bodies. The students then move to the mountainous headwaters of a major drainage into Lake Champlain and follow it back down into Lake Champlain. The 3.5-week, 4-credit course consists of exercises created by faculty from different academic departments representing three different schools within the university including: civil and environmental engineering, geography, geology, and natural resources. A pair of faculty members from different departments lead each day's activities ensuring that students are exposed to a range of faculty interaction, connections, and cooperation between specialties. The general design of the course is modular; content and faculty can be changed as desired from year to year to take advantage of current field research projects, visiting or absent faculty, or unusual and unique field opportunities. Surveys collected from students taking the first offering show learning over a broad range of disciplines and positive attitudes about the teaching and learning styles associated with field courses. Knowledge surveys completed by the students before and after the class showed an overall increase in self assessed knowledge of the course concepts, with a positive mean survey increase of one on a three point scale (n=8). Before and after class attitude surveys showed significant increases in the students perceived benefit of writing lab reports, working in groups and using computer based materials (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test n=7: p>t = 0.063; Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test n=7: p>t=0.063; and Paired t-test n=7: p>t = 0.0391, respectively). There was also a significant decrease in the perceived usefulness of lectures (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test n=8: p

  7. Collective memory: collaborative and individual processes in remembering.

    PubMed

    Weldon, M S; Bellinger, K D

    1997-09-01

    Two experiments compared collaborative and individual recall. In Experiment 1, participants encoded pictures and words with a deep or shallow processing task, then recalled them twice either individually or collaboratively. Collaborative groups recalled more than individuals, but less than nominal groups (pooled individuals), thus exhibiting collaborative inhibition. However, group recall appeared to be more stable over time than individual recall. Groups and individuals both showed a picture-superiority effect, a level-of-processing effect, and hypermnesia. In Experiment 2, participants recalled the story "War of the Ghosts" (from F. C. Bartlett, 1932), and again collaborative groups recalled more than individuals, but less than nominal groups. Both the individual and collaborative recalls were highly organized. There was evidence that the collaborative groups tended to rely on the best individual to a greater extent in story than in list recall. Possible social and cognitive mechanisms are considered.

  8. Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project: Engaging High School and Undergraduate Students in Watershed Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ray, E.; McCabe, D.; Sheldon, S.; Jankowski, K.; Haselton, L.; Luck, M.; van Houten, J.

    2009-12-01

    The Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project engages a diverse group of undergraduates, high school students, and their teachers in hands-on water quality research and exposes them to the process of science. The project aims to (1) recruit students to science careers and (2) create a water quality database comprised of high-quality data collected by undergraduates and high school groups. The project is the training and outreach mechanism of the Complex Systems Modeling for Environmental Problem Solving research program, an NSF-funded program at the University of Vermont (UVM) that provides computational strategies and fresh approaches for understanding how natural and built environments interact. The Streams Project trains participants to collect and analyze data from streams throughout Vermont and at limited sites in Connecticut, New York, and Puerto Rico. Participants contribute their data to an online database and use it to complete individual research projects that focus on the effect of land use and precipitation patterns on selected measures of stream water quality. All undergraduates and some high school groups are paired with a mentor, who is either a graduate student or a faculty member at UVM or other college. Each year, undergraduate students and high school groups are trained to (1) collect water and macroinvertebrate samples from streams, (2) analyze water samples for total phosphorus, bacteria, and total suspended solids in an analytical laboratory, and/or (3) use geographic information systems (GIS) to assess landscape-level data for their watersheds. After training, high school groups collect samples from stream sites on a twice-monthly basis while undergraduates conduct semi-autonomous field and laboratory research. High school groups monitor sites in two watersheds with contrasting land uses. Undergraduate projects are shaped by the interests of students and their mentors. Contribution to a common database provides students with the option to expand the scope of their analyses and produce more powerful results than any one team could have produced alone. The year of research culminates in a final project that is presented at a symposium. The project is in its second year and has received positive feedback from outside reviewers. Participants leave the project with a greater understanding of watershed research. Immediate outcomes include nearly 60 participant projects, an online publicly-accessible shared dataset, and Web-based macroinvertebrate identification keys. We found that the best training strategies make the material and concepts explicit. To this end, the project is enhancing its Web interface, which will soon include tutorials on water quality and an interactive map through which participants will have access to watershed-level spatial information such as land use, bedrock, soils, and transportation infrastructure. Ultimately, the data from the project can inform public debate and aid resource managers in implementing watershed restoration and protection projects.

  9. Hydro-ecological degradation due to human impacts in the Twin Streams Watershed, Auckland, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torrecillas Nunez, C.; Miguel-rodriguez, A.

    2012-12-01

    As a collaborative project between the Faculties of Engineering of the University of Sinaloa, Mexico and the University of Auckland, an inter-disciplinary team researched historical information, monitoring results and modelling completed over the last ten years to establish the cause-effect relationship of development and human impacts in the watershed and recommend strategies to offset them .The research program analyzed the performance of the Twin Streams watershed over time with modelling of floods, hydrological disturbance indicators, analysis of water quality and ecological information, cost / benefit, harbor modelling and contaminant loads. The watershed is located in the west of Auckland and comprises 10,356 hectare: 8.19% ecologically protected area, 29.70% buffer zone, 6.67% peri-urban, 30.98% urban, 16.04% parks, and 8.42% other; average impermeability is 19.1%. Current population is 129,475 (2011) forecast to grow to 212,798 by 2051. The watershed includes 317.5 km of streams that drain to the Waitemata Harbor. The human impact can be traced back to the 1850s when the colonial settlers logged the native forests, dammed streams and altered the channel hydro-ecology resulting in significant erosion, sediment and changes to flows. In the early 1900s native vegetation started to regenerate in the headwaters, while agriculture and horticulture become established in rest of the watershed leading to the use of quite often very harmful pesticides and insecticides, such as DDT which is still detected in current environmental monitoring programs, and more erosion and channel alterations. As land become unproductive in the 1950s it stared to be urbanized, followed by more intensive urban development in the 1990s. Curiously there was no regulatory regime to control land use in the early stages and consequently over 400 houses were built in the floodplains, as well there were no legislation to control environmental impacts until 1991. Consequently today there is a wide range of impacts due to human actions which will exacerbated by future development as the population in the watershed is forecast to increase by at least 65% and the likely impacts of global warming. The rural watershed generates sediment which smothers the streams and harbor, while the urban watershed is the source of point and diffuse contamination with heavy metals which damage ecosystems. Evidence of impacts is given by the extent of flooding, reduced ecological flows and sampling results showing that more than 50% of the sites do not comply with environmental guidelines for: water clarity, turbidity, suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, copper, zinc, conductivity, Dieldrin, DDT, Dissolved Oxygen, E.Coli, macroinvertebrates ,etc. , with water quality deteriorating progressively downstream where there is greater urbanization. But perhaps the most stunning evidence of the impacts was established by comparing aerial photographs of the 1940s and 2006 and seeing the build-up of sediments in the estuaries, the change in vegetation cover and discolored water. It is highly likely that the tipping point was reached before urbanization started but there is no doubt that urban development has accelerated the impacts, which has been corroborated by studies in other watersheds in Auckland.

  10. Model My Watershed: A high-performance cloud application for public engagement, watershed modeling and conservation decision support

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aufdenkampe, A. K.; Tarboton, D. G.; Horsburgh, J. S.; Mayorga, E.; McFarland, M.; Robbins, A.; Haag, S.; Shokoufandeh, A.; Evans, B. M.; Arscott, D. B.

    2017-12-01

    The Model My Watershed Web app (https://app.wikiwatershed.org/) and the BiG-CZ Data Portal (http://portal.bigcz.org/) and are web applications that share a common codebase and a common goal to deliver high-performance discovery, visualization and analysis of geospatial data in an intuitive user interface in web browser. Model My Watershed (MMW) was designed as a decision support system for watershed conservation implementation. BiG CZ Data Portal was designed to provide context and background data for research sites. Users begin by creating an Area of Interest, via an automated watershed delineation tool, a free draw tool, selection of a predefined area such as a county or USGS Hydrological Unit (HUC), or uploading a custom polygon. Both Web apps visualize and provide summary statistics of land use, soil groups, streams, climate and other geospatial information. MMW then allows users to run a watershed model to simulate different scenarios of human impacts on stormwater runoff and water-quality. BiG CZ Data Portal allows users to search for scientific and monitoring data within the Area of Interest, which also serves as a prototype for the upcoming Monitor My Watershed web app. Both systems integrate with CUAHSI cyberinfrastructure, including visualizing observational data from CUAHSI Water Data Center and storing user data via CUAHSI HydroShare. Both systems also integrate with the new EnviroDIY Water Quality Data Portal (http://data.envirodiy.org/), a system for crowd-sourcing environmental monitoring data using open-source sensor stations (http://envirodiy.org/mayfly/) and based on the Observations Data Model v2.

  11. Rainfall prediction of Cimanuk watershed regions with canonical correlation analysis (CCA)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rustiana, Shailla; Nurani Ruchjana, Budi; Setiawan Abdullah, Atje; Hermawan, Eddy; Berliana Sipayung, Sinta; Gede Nyoman Mindra Jaya, I.; Krismianto

    2017-10-01

    Rainfall prediction in Indonesia is very influential on various development sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries, water resources, industry, and other sectors. The inaccurate predictions can lead to negative effects. Cimanuk watershed is one of the main pillar of water resources in West Java. This watersheds divided into three parts, which is a headwater of Cimanuk sub-watershed, Middle of Cimanuk sub-watershed and downstream of Cimanuk sub- watershed. The flow of this watershed will flow through the Jatigede reservoir and will supply water to the north-coast area in the next few years. So, the reliable model of rainfall prediction is very needed in this watershed. Rainfall prediction conducted with Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) method using Climate Predictability Tool (CPT) software. The prediction is every 3months on 2016 (after January) based on Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) data over West Java. Predictors used in CPT were the monthly data index of Nino3.4, Dipole Mode (DMI), and Monsoon Index (AUSMI-ISMI-WNPMI-WYMI) with initial condition January. The initial condition is chosen by the last data update. While, the predictant were monthly rainfall data CHIRPS region of West Java. The results of prediction rainfall showed by skill map from Pearson Correlation. High correlation of skill map are on MAM (Mar-Apr-May), AMJ (Apr-May-Jun), and JJA (Jun-Jul-Aug) which means the model is reliable to forecast rainfall distribution over Cimanuk watersheds region (over West Java) on those seasons. CCA score over those season prediction mostly over 0.7. The accuracy of the model CPT also indicated by the Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve of the results of Pearson correlation 3 representative point of sub-watershed (Sumedang, Majalengka, and Cirebon), were mostly located in the top line of non-skill, and evidenced by the same of rainfall patterns between observation and forecast. So, the model of CPT with CCA method is reliable to use.

  12. Kootenai River Focus Watershed Coordination, 2002-2003 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Munson, Bob; Munson, Vicki; Rogers, Rox

    2003-10-01

    The Kootenai River Network Inc. (KRN) was incorporated in Montana in early 1995 with a mission ''to involve stakeholders in the protection and restoration of the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Kootenai River Basin waters''. The KRN operates with funding from donations, membership dues, private, state and federal grants, and with funding through the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) for a Focus Watershed Coordinator Program. The Focus Watershed Program is administered to KRN as of October 2001, through a Memorandum of Understanding. Katie Randall resigned her position as Watershed Coordinator in late January 2003 and Munson Consulting was contractedmore » to fill that position through the BPA contract period ending May 30, 2003. To improve communications with in the Kootenai River watershed, the board and staff engaged watershed stakeholders in a full day KRN watershed conference on May 15 and 16 in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. This Annual General Meeting was a tremendous success with over 75 participants representing over 40 citizen groups, tribes and state/provincial/federal agencies from throughout northern Montana and Idaho as well as British Columbia and Alberta. Membership in the KRN increased during the course of the BPA 02/03 grant period. The board of directors grew in numbers during this same time frame and an Advisory Council was formed to assist in transboundary efforts while developing two reorganized KRN committees (Habitat/Restoration/Monitoring (HRM) and Communication/Education/Outreach (CEO)). These committees will serve pivotal roles in communications, outreach, and education about watershed issues, as well as habitat restoration work being accomplished throughout the entire watershed. During this BPA grant period, the KRN has capitalized on the transboundary interest in the Kootenai River watershed. Jim and Laura Duncan of Kimberley, British Columbia, have been instrumental volunteers who have acted as Canadian liaisons to the KRN. As a result, restoration work is in the planning stages for Canadian tributaries that flow into the Moyie River in northern Idaho and the Yaak River in northwest Montana.« less

  13. Soil erosion risk assessment using interviews, empirical soil erosion modeling (RUSLE) and fallout radionuclides in a volcanic crater lake watershed subjected to land use change, western Uganda

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De Crop, Wannes; Ryken, Nick; Tomma Okuonzia, Judith; Van Ranst, Eric; Baert, Geert; Boeckx, Pascal; Verschuren, Dirk; Verdoodt, Ann

    2017-04-01

    Population pressure results in conversion of natural vegetation to cropland within the western Ugandan crater lake watersheds. These watersheds however are particularly prone to soil degradation and erosion because of the high rainfall intensity and steep topography. Increased soil erosion losses expose the aquatic ecosystems to excessive nutrient loading. In this study, the Katinda crater lake watershed, which is already heavily impacted by agricultural land use, was selected for an explorative study on its (top)soil characteristics - given the general lack of data on soils within these watersheds - as well as an assessment of soil erosion risks. Using group discussions and structured interviews, the local land users' perceptions on land use, soil quality, soil erosion and lake ecology were compiled. Datasets on rainfall, topsoil characteristics, slope gradient and length, and land use were collected. Subsequently a RUSLE erosion model was run. Results from this empirical erosion modeling approach were validated against soil erosion estimates based on 137Cs measurements.

  14. Prioritization of catchments based on soil erosion using remote sensing and GIS.

    PubMed

    Khadse, Gajanan K; Vijay, Ritesh; Labhasetwar, Pawan K

    2015-06-01

    Water and soil are the most essential natural resources for socioeconomic development and sustenance of life. A study of soil and water dynamics at a watershed level facilitates a scientific approach towards their conservation and management. Remote sensing and Geographic Information System are tools that help to plan and manage natural resources on watershed basis. Studies were conducted for the formulation of catchment area treatment plan based on watershed prioritization with soil erosion studies using remote sensing techniques, corroborated with Geographic Information System (GIS), secondary data and ground truth information. Estimation of runoff and sediment yield is necessary in prioritization of catchment for the design of soil conservation structures and for identifying the critical erosion-prone areas of a catchment for implementation of best management plan with limited resources. The Universal Soil Loss Equation, Sediment Yield Determination and silt yield index methods are used for runoff and soil loss estimation for prioritization of the catchments. On the basis of soil erosion classes, the watersheds were grouped into very high, high, moderate and low priorities. High-priority watersheds need immediate attention for soil and water conservation, whereas low-priority watershed having good vegetative cover and low silt yield index may not need immediate attention for such treatments.

  15. Statistically extracted fundamental watershed variables for estimating the loads of total nitrogen in small streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kronholm, Scott C.; Capel, Paul D.; Terziotti, Silvia

    2016-01-01

    Accurate estimation of total nitrogen loads is essential for evaluating conditions in the aquatic environment. Extrapolation of estimates beyond measured streams will greatly expand our understanding of total nitrogen loading to streams. Recursive partitioning and random forest regression were used to assess 85 geospatial, environmental, and watershed variables across 636 small (<585 km2) watersheds to determine which variables are fundamentally important to the estimation of annual loads of total nitrogen. Initial analysis led to the splitting of watersheds into three groups based on predominant land use (agricultural, developed, and undeveloped). Nitrogen application, agricultural and developed land area, and impervious or developed land in the 100-m stream buffer were commonly extracted variables by both recursive partitioning and random forest regression. A series of multiple linear regression equations utilizing the extracted variables were created and applied to the watersheds. As few as three variables explained as much as 76 % of the variability in total nitrogen loads for watersheds with predominantly agricultural land use. Catchment-scale national maps were generated to visualize the total nitrogen loads and yields across the USA. The estimates provided by these models can inform water managers and help identify areas where more in-depth monitoring may be beneficial.

  16. All Property is Riverfront Property: The Raindrop App and FLOW Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carter, T.; Miss, M.; Kirn, M.; Niyogi, D.; Bachta, E.; Steckel, J.

    2011-12-01

    Rivers in the United States are essential to sustain lives of both nonhuman species and of human societies. Urban areas rely heavily upon their nearby rivers and watersheds for their survival and yet citizens are often unaware of inextricable linkages between societal and river functions. One way to overcome this lack of awareness is by exploring new avenues for engagement with the general public. In this project, we use three fields for this engagement (science, art, and technology) to produce a river awareness tool that creates connections between citizens and their watersheds through visceral and technological interfaces. The target area is the White River watershed, which is entirely contained within the state of Indiana and encompasses nearly 30,000 km2 in the central and southern portions of the state including the metropolitan region of Indianapolis. We developed a mobile device application called "Raindrop" that uses geographic information systems (GIS) and mobile device GPS technology to map a raindrop's path from a user's home to the river and identifies the various flow paths and pollutant constituents transported by this water along the way. Physical markers along the White River designed by an artist on the project team allows for the virtual features of the application to be grounded in physical space. The use of Raindrop to connect users with their urban watershed is shown to have significant promise for widespread application. A number of key advantages of using this technology over traditional forms of outreach are enumerated below. First, by collaborating with a nationally renowned artist both in the design of the application and for physical markers, the audience for Raindrop is greatly expanded and interesting dynamics between the scientific and artist members of the general public are developed. Second, in urban areas the use of mobile devices and handheld Web technology are ubiquitous and thus the information can be conveyed to an audience in a form that is familiar and relevant. By pulling the mobile device users into physical spaces along the river, the experience is enhanced further. Finally, the ability to concisely display essential watershed, weather, and climate information using iconography, predefined data analysis, and dynamic programming allows for the application to run quickly and usability to be optimized. Future work will focus on end user evaluation and replicability in other urban watersheds around the country.

  17. Watershed Scale Stable Isotope Distribution and Implications on Soil Organic Carbon Loss Monitoring under Hydrologic Uncertainty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmed, I.; Karim, A.; Boutton, T. W.; Strom, K.; Fox, J.

    2013-12-01

    The thematic focus of this 3-year period multidisciplinary USDA-CBG collaborative applied research is integrated monitoring of soil organic carbon (SOC) loss from multi-use lands using state-of-the-art stable isotope science under uncertain hydrologic influences. In this study, SOC loss and water runoff are being monitored on a 150 square kilometer watershed in Houston, Texas, using natural rainfall events, and total organic carbon/nitrogen concentration (TOC/TN) and stable isotope ratio (δ13C, δ15N) measurements with different land-use types. The work presents the interdisciplinary research results to uncover statistically valid and scientifically sound ways to monitor SOC loss by (i) application of Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo statistical models to assess the relationship between rainfall-runoff and SOC release during soil erosion in space and time, (ii) capturing the episodic nature of rainfall events and its role in the spatial distribution of SOC loss from water erosion, (iii) stable isotope composition guided fingerprinting (source and quantity) of SOC by considering various types of erosion processes common in a heterogeneous watershed, to be able to tell what percentage of SOC is lost from various land-use types (Fox and Papanicolaou, 2008), (iv) creating an integrated watershed scale statistical soil loss monitoring model driven by spatial and temporal correlation of flow and stable isotope composition (Ahmed et. al., 2013a,b), and (v) creation of an integrated decision support system (DSS) for sustainable management of SOC under hydrologic uncertainty to assist the end users. References: Ahmed, I., Karim, A., Boutton, T.W., and Strom, K.B. (2013a). 'Monitoring Soil Organic Carbon Loss from Erosion Using Stable Isotopes.' Proc., Soil Carbon Sequestration, International Conference, May 26-29, Reykjavik, Iceland. Ahmed, I, Bouttom, T.W., Strom, K. B., Karim, A., and Irvin-Smith, N. (2013b). 'Soil carbon distribution and loss monitoring in the urbanized Buffalo Bayou watershed, Houston, Texas.' Proc., 4th Annual All Investigators Meeting of the North American Carbon Program, February 4-7, Albuquerque, NM. Fox, J.F. and Papanicolaou, A.N. (2008). An un-mixing model to study watershed erosion processes. Advances in Water Resources, 31, 96-108. ______________________________ * Corresponding author';s e-mail: ifahmed@pvamu.edu

  18. Riverine discharges to Chesapeake Bay: Analysis of long-term (1927–2014) records and implications for future flows in the Chesapeake Bay basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rice, Karen; Moyer, Douglas; Mills, Aaron L.

    2017-01-01

    The Chesapeake Bay (CB) basin is under a total maximum daily load (TMDL) mandate to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads to the bay. Identifying shifts in the hydro-climatic regime may help explain observed trends in water quality. To identify potential shifts, hydrologic data (1927–2014) for 27 watersheds in the CB basin were analyzed to determine the relationships among long-term precipitation and stream discharge trends. The amount, frequency, and intensity of precipitation increased from 1910 to 1996 in the eastern U.S., with the observed increases greater in the northeastern U.S. than the southeastern U.S. The CB watershed spans the north-to-south gradient in precipitation increases, and hydrologic differences have been observed in watersheds north relative to watersheds south of the Pennsylvania—Maryland (PA-MD) border. Time series of monthly mean precipitation data specific to each of 27 watersheds were derived from the Precipitation-elevation Regression on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) dataset, and monthly mean stream-discharge data were obtained from U.S. Geological Survey streamgage records. All annual precipitation trend slopes in the 18 watersheds north of the PA-MD border were greater than or equal to those of the nine south of that border. The magnitude of the trend slopes for 1927–2014 in both precipitation and discharge decreased in a north-to-south pattern. Distributions of the monthly precipitation and discharge datasets were assembled into percentiles for each year for each watershed. Multivariate correlation of precipitation and discharge within percentiles among the groups of northern and southern watersheds indicated only weak associations. Regional-scale average behaviors of trends in the distribution of precipitation and discharge annual percentiles differed between the northern and southern watersheds. In general, the linkage between precipitation and discharge was weak, with the linkage weaker in the northern watersheds compared to those in the south. On the basis of simple linear regression, 26 of the 27 watersheds are projected to have higher annual mean discharge in 2025, the target date for implementation of the TMDL for the CB basin.

  19. A Study on the Land Use Characteristics of Urban Medium and Small stream Depending on the Width of stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seok, Song Young; Ho, Song Yang; Ho, Lee Jung; Moo Jong, Park

    2015-04-01

    Due to the increase of impervious layers caused by increased rainfall and urbanization which were brought about by the climate change after the late 1990s, the flood damage in urban watersheds is rising. The recent flood damage is occurring in medium and small stream rather than in large stream. Particularly, in medium stream which pass the cities, sudden flood occurs due to the short concentration of rainfall and urban areas suffer large damage, even though the flood damage is small, since residential areas and social infrastructures are concentrated. In spite of the importance of medium and small stream to pass the cities, there is no certain standard for classification of natural or urban stream and existing studies are mostly focused on the impervious area among the land use characteristics of watersheds. Most of existing river studies are based on the watershed scale, but in most urban watersheds where stream pass, urban areas are concentrated in the confluence, so urban areas only occupy less than 10% of the whole watershed and there is a high uncertainty in the classification of urban areas, based the watershed of stream. This study aims to suggest a classification standard of medium and small stream between local stream and small stream where suffer flood damage. According to the classified medium and small stream, this study analyzed the stream area to the stream width and distance using Arcgis Buffer tool, based on the stream line, not the existing watershed scale. This study then chose urban watersheds by analyzing the river area at certain intervals from the center of the chosen medium and small stream, in different ways. Among the land use characteristics in urban areas, the impervious area was applied to the selection standard of urban watersheds and the characteristics of urban watersheds were presented by calculating the ratio of the stream area to the impervious area using the Buffer tool. Acknowledgement "This research was supported by a grant [NEMA-NH-2011-45] from the Natural Hazard Mitigation Research Group, National Emergency Management Agency of Korea." Keywords: land use, urban watershed, medium and smaill stream, impervious area

  20. Lessons for Integrated Water Resources Management from the San Pedro HELP Basin on the U.S.-Mexico Border

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Browning, A.; Goodrich, D.; Varady, R.; Richter, H.

    2007-12-01

    The San Pedro Basin sits within an intermountain ecotone with the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts to the west and east and the Rocky Mountain and Sierra Madre Mountain habitats to the north and south. The headwaters of the basin originate in northern Sonora and flow north into southeast Arizona. As the region's only remaining perennial stream, the San Pedro River serves as an international flyway for over 400 bird species. It is one of the western hemisphere's most ecologically diverse areas with some 20 different biotic communities, and "possesses one of the richest assemblages of land mammal species in the world." Large mining, military, and municipal entities are major users of the same groundwater resources that maintain perennial flow in the San Pedro. This presentation describes empirical evidence of the positive impacts on watershed management of scientists and policy researchers working closely with water managers and elected officials in a functioning HELP basin. We posit that when hydrologists help watershed groups understand the processes controlling water quality and quantity, and when managers and stakeholders connect these processes to social, economic and legal issues then transboundary cooperation in policymaking and water management is most effective. The distinctive physical and socioeconomic characteristics of the basin as well as differences in institutional regulations, water law issues, and their local implementations in Arizona and Sonora are discussed. We illustrate how stakeholders and scientific researchers in both countries strive to balance ecosystem needs with human demands to create new, integrated basin management. Finally, we describe how the accomplishments of the San Pedro collaborative process, including the use of environmental-conflict-resolution tools, have contributed to the UNESCO HELP (Hydrology for the Environment, Life, and Policy) agenda.

  1. Piloting Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA): Planning for Climate Change at the Portland Water Bureau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heyn, K.; Campbell, E.

    2016-12-01

    The Portland Water Bureau has been studying the anticipated effects of climate change on its primary surface water source, the Bull Run Watershed, since the early 2000's. Early efforts by the bureau were almost exclusively reliant on outside expertise from climate modelers and researchers, particularly those at the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) at the University of Washington. Early work products from CIG formed the basis of the bureau's understanding of the most likely and consequential impacts to the watershed from continued GHG-caused warming. However, by mid-decade, as key supply and demand conditions for the bureau changed, it found it lacked the technical capacity and tools to conduct more refined and updated research to build on the outside analysis it had obtained. Beginning in 2010 through its participation in the Pilot Utility Modeling Applications (PUMA) project, the bureau identified and began working to address the holes in its technical and institutional capacity by embarking on a process to assess and select a hydrologic model while obtaining downscaled climate change data to utilize within it. Parallel to the development of these technical elements, the bureau made investments in qualified staff to lead the model selection, development and utilization, while working to establish productive, collegial and collaborative relationships with key climate research staff at the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute (OCCRI), the University of Washington and the University of Idaho. This presentation describes the learning process of a major metropolitan area drinking water utility as its approach to addressing the complex problem of climate change evolves, matures, and begins to influence broader aspects of the organization's planning efforts.

  2. How much structuring is beneficial with regard to examination scores? A prospective study of three forms of active learning.

    PubMed

    Reinhardt, Claus H; Rosen, Evelyne N

    2012-09-01

    Many studies have demonstrated a superiority of active learning forms compared with traditional lecture. However, there is still debate as to what degree structuring is necessary with regard to high exam outcomes. Seventy-five students from a premedical school were randomly attributed to an active lecture group, a cooperative group, or a collaborative learning group. The active lecture group received lectures with questions to resolve at the end of the lecture. At the same time, the cooperative group and the collaborative group had to work on a problem and prepare presentations for their answers. The collaborative group worked in a mostly self-directed manner; the cooperative group had to follow a time schedule. For the additional work of preparing the poster presentation, the collaborative and cooperative groups were allowed 50% more working time. In part 1, all groups worked on the citric acid cycle, and in part 2, all groups worked on molecular genetics. Collaborative groups had to work on tasks and prepare presentations for their answers. At the end of each part, all three groups were subjected to the same exam. Additionally, in the collaborative and cooperative groups, the presentations were marked. All evaluations were performed by two independent examiners. Exam results of the active lecture groups were highest. Results of the cooperative group were nonsignificantly lower than the active lecture group and significantly higher than the collaborative group. The presentation quality was nonsignificantly higher in the collaborative group compared with the cooperative group. This study shows that active lecturing produced the highest exam results, which significantly differed from collaborative learning results. The additional elaboration in the cooperative and collaborative learning setting yielded the high presentation quality but apparently could not contribute further to exam scores. Cooperative learning seems to be a good compromise if high exam and presentation scores are expected.

  3. Applying 21st century tools to watersheds of the western US ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The webinar focused on ways that ToxCast high throughput screening data and the adverse outcome pathway framework, under development in the CSS program, can be used to prioritize environmental contaminants for monitoring and management. The webinar focused on ways that ToxCast high throughput screening data and the adverse outcome pathway framework, under development in the CSS program, can be used to prioritize environmental contaminants for monitoring and management. The work presented focused on case studies conducted in Region 8, in collaboration with EPA Region 8 and NEIC, as well as other federal (USGS, US FWS) and regional partners (Northern Colorado Plateau Network). The Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants (CREEC) is a grass-roots 501(c)(3) non-profit organization comprised of world-class scientists and stakeholders with a shared interest in the source, fate, and physiological effects of contaminants of emerging concern (www.creec.net). As such, they represent an important group of stakeholders with an interest in applying the data, approaches, and tools that are being developed by the CSS program.

  4. Soil Biogeochemical Properties and Erosion Source Prediction Model Summary for the Buffalo Bayou Watershed, Houston, Texas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmed, I.

    2015-12-01

    We draw conclusions on the research output and findings from a 4-year multidisciplinary USDA-CBG collaborative program in sustainable integrated monitoring of soil organic carbon (SOC) loss prediction via erosion. The underlying method uses the state-of-the-art stable isotope science of sediment tracing under uncertain hydrologic influences. The research finds are rooted in the (i) application of Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo statistical models to assess the relationship between rainfall-runoff and soil erosion in space and time, (ii) capture of the episodic nature of rainfall events and its role in the spatial distribution of SOC loss from water erosion, (iii) stable isotope composition guided fingerprinting (source and quantity) of eroded soil, and (iv) the creation of an integrated watershed scale statistical soil loss monitoring model driven by spatial and temporal correlation of flow and stable isotope composition. The research theme was successfully applied on the urbanized Buffalo Bayou Watershed in Houston, Texas. The application brought to light novel future research conceptual outlines which will also be discussed in this deliverable to the AGU meeting. These include but not limited to: regional rainfall cluster research, physics of muddy river-bank soil and suspended sediment interaction, and friction & mobility that together make up the plasticity of soil aggregates that control erosion processes and landscape changes in a riparian corridor. References: Ahmed, I., Karim, A., Boutton, T.W., and Strom, K.B. (2013a). "Monitoring Soil Organic Carbon Loss from Erosion Using Stable Isotopes." Proc., Soil Carbon Sequestration, International Conference, May 26-29, Reykjavik, Iceland. Ahmed, I, Bouttom, T.W., Strom, K. B., Karim, A., and Irvin-Smith, N. (2013b). "Soil carbon distribution and loss monitoring in the urbanized Buffalo Bayou watershed, Houston, Texas." Proc., 4th Annual All Investigators Meeting of the North American Carbon Program, February 4-7, Albuquerque, NM. Fox, J.F. and Papanicolaou, A.N. (2008). An un-mixing model to study watershed erosion processes. Advances in Water Resources, 31, 96-108.

  5. Prevalence and characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from the Upper Oconee Watershed in Northeast Georgia

    PubMed Central

    Cho, Sohyun; Hiott, Lari M.; Barrett, John B.; McMillan, Elizabeth A.; House, Sandra L.; Humayoun, Shaheen B.; Adams, Eric S.; Jackson, Charlene R.

    2018-01-01

    Surface waters are important sources of water for drinking, industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses; hence, contamination of water by fecal, pathogenic, or antimicrobial resistant (AR) bacteria is a major environmental and public health concern. However, very little data is available on prevalence of these bacteria in surface water throughout a watershed. This study aimed to characterize Escherichia coli present in the Upper Oconee Watershed, a mixed-use watershed in Athens, GA, USA for potential pathogenicity and AR. E. coli were enumerated by colony counts, cultured by enrichment and direct plating, and characterized by phylo-groups, diarrheagenic pathotypes, and antimicrobial susceptibility. From the analysis, 99.3% (455/458) of the total samples were positive for E. coli resulting in 496 isolates. E. coli counts were as high as 1.2×104 CFU/100 ml, which is above the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) threshold for recreational water (235 CFU/100 ml based on a one-time measurement). Phylo-groups B2 (31.7%; 157/496) and B1 (30.8%; 153/496) were the most prevalent among the isolates. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (19/496) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) (1/496) were the only diarrheagenic pathotypes detected. AR was observed in 6.9% (34/496) of the isolates, 15 of which were multidrug resistant (MDR; resistance to two or more classes of antimicrobials). Tetracycline resistance was most often detected (76.5%; 26/34), followed by ampicillin (32.4%; 11/34), streptomycin (23.5%; 8/34), sulfisoxazole (23.5%; 8/34), and nalidixic acid (14.7%; 5/34). Results from this study showed that E. coli is prevalent in high levels in the Upper Oconee Watershed, suggesting possible widespread fecal contamination. The presence of pathogenic, AR E. coli in the watershed indicates that environmental water can serve as a reservoir of resistant bacteria that may be transferred to humans through drinking and recreational activities. PMID:29738574

  6. Prevalence and characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from the Upper Oconee Watershed in Northeast Georgia.

    PubMed

    Cho, Sohyun; Hiott, Lari M; Barrett, John B; McMillan, Elizabeth A; House, Sandra L; Humayoun, Shaheen B; Adams, Eric S; Jackson, Charlene R; Frye, Jonathan G

    2018-01-01

    Surface waters are important sources of water for drinking, industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses; hence, contamination of water by fecal, pathogenic, or antimicrobial resistant (AR) bacteria is a major environmental and public health concern. However, very little data is available on prevalence of these bacteria in surface water throughout a watershed. This study aimed to characterize Escherichia coli present in the Upper Oconee Watershed, a mixed-use watershed in Athens, GA, USA for potential pathogenicity and AR. E. coli were enumerated by colony counts, cultured by enrichment and direct plating, and characterized by phylo-groups, diarrheagenic pathotypes, and antimicrobial susceptibility. From the analysis, 99.3% (455/458) of the total samples were positive for E. coli resulting in 496 isolates. E. coli counts were as high as 1.2×104 CFU/100 ml, which is above the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) threshold for recreational water (235 CFU/100 ml based on a one-time measurement). Phylo-groups B2 (31.7%; 157/496) and B1 (30.8%; 153/496) were the most prevalent among the isolates. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (19/496) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) (1/496) were the only diarrheagenic pathotypes detected. AR was observed in 6.9% (34/496) of the isolates, 15 of which were multidrug resistant (MDR; resistance to two or more classes of antimicrobials). Tetracycline resistance was most often detected (76.5%; 26/34), followed by ampicillin (32.4%; 11/34), streptomycin (23.5%; 8/34), sulfisoxazole (23.5%; 8/34), and nalidixic acid (14.7%; 5/34). Results from this study showed that E. coli is prevalent in high levels in the Upper Oconee Watershed, suggesting possible widespread fecal contamination. The presence of pathogenic, AR E. coli in the watershed indicates that environmental water can serve as a reservoir of resistant bacteria that may be transferred to humans through drinking and recreational activities.

  7. Integrating limnological characteristics of high mountain lakes into the landscape of a natural area

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Larson, Gary L.; Wones, A.; McIntire, C.D.; Samora, B.

    1994-01-01

    A general conceptual watershed-lake model of the complex interactions among climatic conditions, watershed location and characteristics, lake morphology, and fish predation was used to evaluate limnological characteristics of high mountain lakes. Our main hypothesis was that decreasing elevation in mountainous terrain corresponds to an increase in diversity of watershed size and lake area, depth, temperature, nutrient concentrations, and productivity. A second hypothesis was that watershed location and aspect relative to climatic gradients within mountainous terrain influences the limnological characteristics of the lakes. We evaluated these hypotheses by examining watershed location, aspect and size; lake morphology; water quality; and phytoplankton and zooplankton community characteristics among high mountain forest and subalpine lakes in Mount Rainier National Park. Although many of the comparisons between all forest and subalpine lakes were statistically insignificant, the results revealed trends that were consistent with our hypotheses. The forest lake group included more lakes with larger watersheds, larger surface areas, greater depths, higher concentrations of nutrients, and higher algal biovolumes than did the group of subalpine lakes. Deep lakes, which were mostly of the forest lake type, exhibited thermal stratification and relatively high values of some of the water-quality variables near the lake bottoms. However, the highest near-surface water temperatures and phytoplankton densities and the taxonomic structures of the phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages were more closely related to geographical location, which corresponded to a west-east climate gradient in the park, than to lake type. Some crustacean and rotifer taxa, however, were limited in distribution by lake type. Fish predation did not appear to play an important role in the structure of the crustacean zooplankton communities at the genus level with the exception of Mowich Lake, where crustacean taxa were absent from the zooplankton community. This was the only lake inhabited by a true zooplanktivourous species of fish.

  8. Collaborative-Large scale Engineering Assessment Networks for Environmental Research: The Overview

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moo-Young, H.

    2004-05-01

    A networked infrastructure for engineering solutions and policy alternatives is necessary to assess, manage, and protect complex, anthropogenic ally stressed environmental resources effectively. Reductionist and discrete disciplinary methodologies are no longer adequate to evaluate and model complex environmental systems and anthropogenic stresses. While the reductonist approach provides important information regarding individual mechanisms, it cannot provide complete information about how multiple processes are related. Therefore, it is not possible to make accurate predictions about system responses to engineering interventions and the effectiveness of policy options. For example, experts cannot agree on best management strategies for contaminated sediments in riverine and estuarine systems. This is due, in part to the fact that existing models do not accurately capture integrated system dynamics. In addition, infrastructure is not available for investigators to exchange and archive data, to collaborate on new investigative methods, and to synthesize these results to develop engineering solutions and policy alternatives. Our vision for the future is to create a network comprising field facilities and a collaboration of engineers, scientists, policy makers, and community groups. This will allow integration across disciplines, across different temporal and spatial scales, surface and subsurface geographies, and air sheds and watersheds. Benefits include fast response to changes in system health, real-time decision making, and continuous data collection that can be used to anticipate future problems, and to develop sound engineering solutions and management decisions. CLEANER encompasses four general aspects: 1) A Network of environmental field facilities instrumented for the acquisition and analysis of environmental data; 2) A Virtual Repository of Data and information technology for engineering modeling, analysis and visualization of data, i.e. an environmental cyber-infrastructure; 3) A Mechanism for multidisciplinary research and education activities designed to exploit the output of the instrumented sites and networked information technology, to formulate engineering and policy options directed toward the protection, remediation, and restoration of stressed environments and sustainability of environmental resources; and 4) A Collaboration among engineers, natural and social scientists, educators, policy makers, industry, non-governmental organizations, the public, and other stakeholders.

  9. Salmon and Sagebrush: The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Collaborative Approach to Adaptation Planning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petersen, A.; Nasser, E.; Stone, D.; Krosby, M.; Whitley-Binder, L.; Morgan, H.; Rupp, D. E.; Dello, K.; Dalton, M. M.; Fox, M.; Rodgers, K.

    2017-12-01

    The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes reside in the Upper Snake River Watershed in southeast Idaho. Their lives and culture are intertwined with the lands where they live; lands which continue to sustain the Tribes cultural, spiritual, dietary and economic needs. Climate change presents a new threat to the region requiring innovative approaches to prepare for changes as well as to protect the natural resources within the region. As a critical first step in building climate resilience, the Tribes worked with Adaptation International, the University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group (CIG) and the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute (OCCRI) to complete a collaborative climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning process. This presentation provides an overview of collaborative process, shares the results of the project, and includes a 3-minute video presentation. The project started with the identification of 34 plant and animal species to focus the vulnerability assessment. OCCRI analyzed detailed downscaled climate projections for two key climate scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) and timescales (2050s and 2080s). CIG then used NatureServe's Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) to develop initial relative vulnerability results for these species. A core team of Tribal staff members from various departments refined these results, drawing upon and integrating rich local and traditional knowledges of the natural environmental and cultural resources. The adaptation planning phase of the project continued in a similar collaborative manner with the project team identifying promising adaptation actions and working directly with Tribal staff to refine and customize these strategies. Tailoring the actions to the local context provides a framework for action that the Tribes can continue to build on in the future. By engaging in these efforts to identify vulnerable species and adaptation strategies and actions to minimize the negative effects of climate change, the Tribes have demonstrated their continued commitment to protecting their vital natural resources. The Tribes will continue to implement projects across landscapes in the near term and utilize the information co-produced as part of this project to develop long-term strategies and projects to build resilience.

  10. Understanding Nomadic Collaborative Learning Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryberg, Thomas; Davidsen, Jacob; Hodgson, Vivien

    2018-01-01

    The paper builds on the work of Rossitto "et al." on collaborative nomadic work to develop three categories of practice of nomadic collaborative learning groups. Our study is based on interviews, workshops and observations of two undergraduate student's group practices engaged in self-organised, long-term collaborations within the frame…

  11. A watershed-scale approach to tracing metal contamination in the environment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Church, Stanley E

    1996-01-01

    IntroductionPublic policy during the 1800's encouraged mining in the western United States. Mining on Federal lands played an important role in the growing economy creating national wealth from our abundant and diverse mineral resource base. The common industrial practice from the early days of mining through about 1970 in the U.S. was for mine operators to dispose of the mine wastes and mill tailings in the nearest stream reach or lake. As a result of this contamination, many stream reaches below old mines, mills, and mining districts and some major rivers and lakes no longer support aquatic life. Riparian habitats within these affected watersheds have also been impacted. Often, the water from these affected stream reaches is generally not suitable for drinking, creating a public health hazard. The recent Department of Interior Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Initiative is an effort on the part of the Federal Government to address the adverse environmental impact of these past mining practices on Federal lands. The AML Initiative has adopted a watershed approach to determine those sites that contribute the majority of the contaminants in the watershed. By remediating the largest sources of contamination within the watershed, the impact of metal contamination in the environment within the watershed as a whole is reduced rather than focusing largely on those sites for which principal responsible parties can be found.The scope of the problem of metal contamination in the environment from past mining practices in the coterminous U.S. is addressed in a recent report by Ferderer (1996). Using the USGS1:2,000,000-scale hydrologic drainage basin boundaries and the USGS Minerals Availability System (MAS) data base, he plotted the distribution of 48,000 past-producing metal mines on maps showing the boundaries of lands administered by the various Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMA). Census analysis of these data provided an initial screening tool for prioritization of watersheds in the western U.S. A different approach to the scope of the abandoned mine problem (Church et al., 1996a) is shown by the water quality data collected by the States under the Clean Water Act, section 305(b). These data document the stream reaches affected by metals from naturally occurring sources as well as from mining, or mineral resource extraction. Permitted discharges from active industrial and mine sites are not covered in the 305(b) data base.Local citizens and state and federal agencies are all part of the collaborative decision process used to select the drainage basins chosen for the AML Initiative pilot studies. Data gathered by these three entities were brought to bear on the watershed selection process. The USGS prepared data available from Federal data bases in the form of interpretative GIS products. Maps of the states of Colorado (Plumlee et al., 1995) and a similar study of the state of Montana (USGS, unpublished data) were used to select the Animas watershed in southwestern Colorado and the Boulder watershed southwest of Helena Montana as the pilot study areas for the AML Initiative. Thus, the watersheds selected for study were public decisions made on the basis of available scientific data. The role of the U.S. Geological Survey in the Abandoned Mine Land Initiative is outlined in Buxton et al. (1997).The watershed approach to metals contamination in the environment has been studied in several drainage basins (Church et al., 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996b; Kimball et al., 1995). The underlying principles used to successfully discriminate between sources and to quantify the impact of these sources on the environment are the subject of this report.

  12. Mapping benefits from updated ifsar data in Alaska: improved source data enables better maps

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Craun, Kari J.

    2015-08-06

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and partners in other Federal and State agencies are working collaboratively toward Statewide coverage of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (ifsar) elevation data in Alaska. These data will provide many benefits to a wide range of stakeholders and users. Some applications include development of more accurate and highly detailed topographic maps; improvement of surface water information included in the National Hydrography (NHD) and Watershed Boundary Datasets (WBDs); and use in scientific modeling applications such as calculating glacier surface elevation differences over time and estimating tsunami inundation areas.

  13. The Collaborative Compact: Operating Principles Lay the Groundwork for Successful Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garmston, Robert J.; Zimmerman, Diane P.

    2013-01-01

    Leaders often have common complaints about managing meetings and feel thwarted by attempts to collaborate. Teachers feel that time spent on collaboration is often wasted because of poor meeting management. Leaders can accelerate collaboration by creating collaborative compacts. A collaborative compact is a set of accords about how a group will…

  14. Evaluating integrated watershed management using multiple criteria analysis--a case study at Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Biswas, Shampa; Vacik, Harald; Swanson, Mark E; Haque, S M Sirajul

    2012-05-01

    Criteria and indicators assessment is one of the ways to evaluate management strategies for mountain watersheds. One framework for this, Integrated Watershed Management (IWM), was employed at Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh using a multi-criteria analysis approach. The IWM framework, consisting of the design and application of principles, criteria, indicators, and verifiers (PCIV), facilitates active participation by diverse professionals, experts, and interest groups in watershed management, to explicitly address the demands and problems to measure the complexity of problems in a transparent and understandable way. Management alternatives are developed to fulfill every key component of IWM considering the developed PCIV set and current situation of the study area. Different management strategies, each focusing on a different approach (biodiversity conservation, flood control, soil and water quality conservation, indigenous knowledge conservation, income generation, watershed conservation, and landscape conservation) were assessed qualitatively on their potential to improve the current situation according to each verifier of the criteria and indicator set. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), including sensitivity analysis, was employed to identify an appropriate management strategy according to overall priorities (i.e., different weights of each principle) of key informants. The AHP process indicated that a strategy focused on conservation of biodiversity provided the best option to address watershed-related challenges in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.

  15. Virtual collaboration in the online educational setting: a concept analysis.

    PubMed

    Breen, Henny

    2013-01-01

    This study was designed to explore the concept of virtual collaboration within the context of an online learning environment in an academic setting. Rodgers' method of evolutionary concept analysis was used to provide a contextual view of the concept to identify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of virtual collaboration. Commonly used terms to describe virtual collaboration are collaborative and cooperative learning, group work, group interaction, group learning, and teamwork. A constructivist pedagogy, group-based process with a shared purpose, support, and web-based technology is required for virtual collaboration to take place. Consequences of virtual collaboration are higher order thinking and learning to work with others. A comprehensive definition of virtual collaboration is offered as an outcome of this analysis. Clarification of virtual collaboration prior to using it as a pedagogical tool in the online learning environment will enhance nursing education with the changes in nursing curriculum being implemented today. Further research is recommended to describe the developmental stages of the collaborative process among nursing students in online education and how virtual collaboration facilitates collaboration in practice. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Prioritizing Road Treatments using the Geomorphic Roads Analysis and Inventory Package (GRAIP) to Improve Watershed Conditions in the Wall Creek Watershed, Oregon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Day, K. T.; Black, T.; Clifton, C.; Luce, C.; McCune, S.; Nelson, N.

    2010-12-01

    Wall Creek, tributary to the North Fork John Day River in eastern Oregon, was identified as a priority watershed by the Umatilla National Forest for restoration in 2002. Most streams in this 518 km2 multi-ownership watershed are designated critical habitat for threatened steelhead. Eight streams are listed on the Oregon 303(d) list for elevated temperatures and excess sedimentation. Over 1000 km of public and private roads in the watershed present a major source of potential water quality and habitat impairment. We conducted a watershed-wide inventory of roads using the Geomorphic Roads Analysis and Inventory Package (GRAIP) in 2009 to quantify sediment contributions from roads to streams. GRAIP is a field and GIS-based model developed by the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station and Utah State University that georeferences and quantifies road hydrologic connectivity, sediment production and delivery, mass wasting, and risk of diversion and plugging at stream crossings. Field survey and modeling produced data for 6,473 drainage locations on 726 km of road (most of the publically owned roads) quantifying the location and mass of sediment produced and delivered to streams. Findings indicate a relatively small subset of roads deliver the majority of road-produced fine sediment; 12 percent of the road length delivers 90 percent of the total fine sediment to streams. Overall fine sediment production in the watershed is relatively low (with an estimated background erosion rate of 518,000 kg/yr for the watershed) and sediment produced and delivered from the road system appears to be a modest addition. Road surfaces produce approximately 81,455 kg of fine sediment per year, with 20,976 kg/year delivered to the stream network. Fifty-nine gullies were observed, 41 of which received road runoff. Sixteen road-related landslides were also observed. The excavated volume of these features totals 3,922,000 kg which is equivalent to 175 years of fine sediment delivery at the current rate. These data are being used by the Umatilla National Forest to prioritize road rehabilitation activities including storm risk reduction and road decommissioning, and to move toward an ecologically and economically sustainable road system. The highest sediment-delivering road segments were evaluated in 2010 to prioritize stabilization and storm damage risk reduction projects. Approximately 30 km of hydrologically connected road segments will be proposed for treatments including closure, decommissioning, and stabilization activities. Once complete, these improvements would result in the reduction of about 7,000 kg/year of fine sediment delivered to the fluvial system from the road network, or a third of the total road contribution to stream sedimentation. Methods and results presented are part of federal land management agency involvement in Total Maximum Daily Load development in the John Day Basin. The project is a collaborative effort with funding and support from the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Land Management, and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Swift, Ralph

    Idaho`s Model Watershed Project was established as part of the Northwest Power Planning Council`s plan for salmon recovery in the Columbia River Basin. The Council`s charge was simply stated and came without strings. The tasks were to identify actions within the watershed that are planned or needed for salmon habitat, and establish a procedure for implementing habitat-improvement measures. The Council gave the responsibility of developing this project to the Idaho Soil Conservation Commission. This Model Watershed Plan is intended to be a dynamic plan that helps address these two tasks. It is not intended to be the final say onmore » either. It is also not meant to establish laws, policies, or regulations for the agencies, groups, or individuals who participated in the plan development.« less

  18. Genotypic Diversity of Escherichia coli in the Water and Soil of Tropical Watersheds in Hawaii ▿

    PubMed Central

    Goto, Dustin K.; Yan, Tao

    2011-01-01

    High levels of Escherichia coli were frequently detected in tropical soils in Hawaii, which present important environmental sources of E. coli to water bodies. This study systematically examined E. coli isolates from water and soil of several watersheds in Hawaii and observed high overall genotypic diversity (35.5% unique genotypes). In the Manoa watershed, fewer than 9.3% of the observed E. coli genotypes in water and 6.6% in soil were shared between different sampling sites, suggesting the lack of dominant fecal sources in the watershed. High temporal variability of E. coli genotypes in soil was also observed, which suggests a dynamic E. coli population corresponding with the frequently observed high concentrations in tropical soils. When E. coli genotypes detected from the same sampling events were compared, limited sharing between the soil and water samples was observed in the majority of comparisons (73.5%). However, several comparisons reported up to 33.3% overlap of E. coli genotypes between soil and water, illustrating the potential for soil-water interactions under favorable environmental conditions. In addition, genotype accumulation curves for E. coli from water and soil indicated that the sampling efforts in the Manoa watershed could not exhaust the overall genotypic diversity. Comparisons of E. coli genotypes from other watersheds on Oahu, Hawaii, identified no apparent grouping according to sampling locations. The results of the present study demonstrate the complexity of using E. coli as a fecal indicator bacterium in tropical watersheds and highlight the need to differentiate environmental sources of E. coli from fecal sources in water quality monitoring. PMID:21515724

  19. Exploring the relationship between retrieval disruption from collaboration and recall

    PubMed Central

    Barber, Sarah J.; Rajaram, Suparna

    2011-01-01

    When people recall together in a collaborative group, they recall less than their potential. This phenomenon of collaborative inhibition is explained in terms of retrieval disruption. However, collaborative recall also re-exposes individuals to items recalled by others that they themselves might otherwise have forgotten. This re-exposure produces post-collaborative benefits in individual recall. The current study examined whether reduced retrieval disruption during group recall is related not only to less collaborative inhibition, but also to greater post-collaborative recall benefits. To test this, we devised a paradigm to calculate the extent to which each individual experienced retrieval disruption during group recall. We also included two types of collaborative groups, one of which was expected to experience greater retrieval disruption than the other. Results suggest that the relationship between retrieval disruption and recall performance depends upon the level at which retrieval disruption is measured. When retrieval disruption was assessed at the individual level, then minimizing retrieval disruption was associated with higher recall (i.e., less collaborative inhibition and greater post-collaborative individual recall). However, when retrieval disruption was assessed at the group level there was no relationship with recall. Furthermore, the findings from this design suggest a role of cross-cueing in modulating group recall levels. PMID:21736433

  20. The Suwannee River Hydrologic Observatory: A Subtropical Coastal Plain Watershed in Transition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, W. D.

    2004-12-01

    The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Sciences (CUAHSI) proposed to establish a network of 5-15 hydrologic observatories (HO's) across North America is to support fundamental research for the hydrologic science community into the next century. These HO's are projected to be 10,000 to 50,000 km2 and will include a broad range of hydrologic, climatic, bio-geochemical and ecosystem processes, including the critical linkages and couplings. This network is envisioned as the natural laboratory for experimental hydrology in support of scientific investigations focused on predictive understanding at a scale that will include both atmospheric- and ecosystem-hydrologic interaction, as well as the hydrologic response to larger-scale climate variation and change. A group of researchers from Florida and Georgia plan to propose the Suwannee River watershed as a Hydrologic Observatory. The Suwannee River flows through a diverse watershed relatively unimpacted by urbanization but in transition to more intense land-use practices. It thus provides excellent opportunities to study the effects of ongoing changes in land use and water supply on varied hydrological processes. Much background information is available on the hydrology, hydrogeology, geology, chemistry, and biology of the watershed. Several major on-going monitoring programs are supported by state and federal agencies. Four characteristics, discussed in greater detail below, make the Suwannee River watershed ideal for a Hydrologic Observatory: Unregulated and rural - The Suwannee River is one of few major rivers in the United States with largely unregulated flow through rural areas and is relatively unimpaired with regard to water quality, leading to its designation as one of twelve National Showcase Watersheds. At Risk and in Transition - Land use is trending toward increased urbanization and intensive agriculture with an apparent coupled increase in nutrient loads and decline in water quality. In addition, population growth is fueling increased groundwater withdrawals from the Floridan aquifer for local consumption affecting water supply. Inter-basin transfers from the lower Suwannee River to south Florida have been suggested as one solution to south Florida's growing water crisis. Three Distinct Hydrologic Regimes - The Suwannee River watershed comprises three distinct but linked hydrologic landscape units. The upper Suwannee River interacts with the surficial aquifer but is largely separated from the Floridan aquifer by a confining unit. The middle Suwannee River interacts with both surficial aquifers and the unconfined karstic Floridan aquifer. The lower Suwannee River discharges to a deltaic estuary as surface water along with diffuse submarine groundwater discharge. Extensive Existing Data Infrastructure - Some discharge data exists from the turn of the 19th century to the present. More recently, the USDA Agricultural Research Service through the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory (SEWRL) has monitored the Little River watershed in Georgia at the headwaters of the Suwannee River since 1965, and the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) has monitored the Suwannee River watershed in Florida since 1972. Other groups (USGS, Suwannee River Partnership, and individual university investigators) have long worked on specific, local geological, hydrological, and biological problems within the watershed. Contributing Organizations: University of Florida, Florida State University, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Georgia, USGS, USDA, and SRWMD

  1. Effects of environmental amenities and locational disamenities on home values in the Santa Cruz watershed: a hedonic analysis using census data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Arora, Gaurav; Frisvold, George; Norman, Laura

    2014-01-01

    For this study, we used the hedonic pricing method to measure the effects of natural amenities on home prices in the U.S-side of the Santa Cruz Watershed. We employed multivariate spatial regression techniques to estimate how difference factors affect median home values in 613 census block groups of the 2000 Census, accounting for spatial autocorrelation, spatial lags, and/or spatial heterogeneity in the data. Diagnostic tests suggest that failure to account for the hedonic model can be classified as (1) physical features of the housing stock, (2) neighborhood characteristics, and (3) environmental attributes. Census data was combined with GIS data for vegetation and land cover, land administration, measures of species richness and open space, and proximity to amenities and disamenities. Census block groups close to the US-Mexico border of airports/air bases were negative. Results suggest that policies to maintain biodiversity and open space provide economic benefits to homeowners, reflected in higher home values. Future research will quantify the marginal effects of regression explanatory variables on home values to assess their economic and policy significant. These marginal effects will be used as input indicators to discern potential economic impacts of various scenarios in the Santa Cruz Watershed Ecosystem Portfolio Model (SCWEPM). Future research will also expand this effort into the Mexican-portion of the watershed.

  2. Human activities cause distinct dissolved organic matter composition across freshwater ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Williams, Clayton J; Frost, Paul C; Morales-Williams, Ana M; Larson, James H; Richardson, William B; Chiandet, Aisha S; Xenopoulos, Marguerite A

    2016-02-01

    Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in freshwater ecosystems is influenced by the interactions among physical, chemical, and biological processes that are controlled, at one level, by watershed landscape, hydrology, and their connections. Against this environmental template, humans may strongly influence DOM composition. Yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding of DOM composition variation across freshwater ecosystems differentially affected by human activity. Using optical properties, we described DOM variation across five ecosystem groups of the Laurentian Great Lakes region: large lakes, Kawartha Lakes, Experimental Lakes Area, urban stormwater ponds, and rivers (n = 184 sites). We determined how between ecosystem variation in DOM composition related to watershed size, land use and cover, water quality measures (conductivity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nutrient concentration, chlorophyll a), and human population density. The five freshwater ecosystem groups had distinctive DOM composition from each other. These significant differences were not explained completely through differences in watershed size nor spatial autocorrelation. Instead, multivariate partial least squares regression showed that DOM composition was related to differences in human impact across freshwater ecosystems. In particular, urban/developed watersheds with higher human population densities had a unique DOM composition with a clear anthropogenic influence that was distinct from DOM composition in natural land cover and/or agricultural watersheds. This nonagricultural, human developed impact on aquatic DOM was most evident through increased levels of a microbial, humic-like parallel factor analysis component (C6). Lotic and lentic ecosystems with low human population densities had DOM compositions more typical of clear water to humic-rich freshwater ecosystems but C6 was only present at trace to background levels. Consequently, humans are strongly altering the quality of DOM in waters nearby or flowing through highly populated areas, which may alter carbon cycles in anthropogenically disturbed ecosystems at broad scales. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Human activities cause distinct dissolved organic matter composition across freshwater ecosystems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Williams, Clayton J.; Frost, Paul C.; Morales-Williams, Ana M.; Larson, James H.; Richardson, William B.; Chiandet, Aisha S.; Xenopoulos, Marguerite A.

    2016-01-01

    Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in freshwater ecosystems is influenced by interactions between physical, chemical, and biological processes that are controlled, at one level, by watershed landscape, hydrology, and their connections. Against this environmental template, humans may strongly influence DOM composition. Yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding of DOM composition variation across freshwater ecosystems differentially affected by human activity. Using optical properties, we described DOM variation across five ecosystem groups of the Laurentian Great Lakes Region: large lakes, Kawartha Lakes, Experimental Lakes Area, urban stormwater ponds, and rivers (n = 184 sites). We determined how between ecosystem variation in DOM composition related to watershed size, land use and cover, water quality measures (conductivity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nutrient concentration, chlorophyll a), and human population density. The five freshwater ecosystem groups had distinctive DOM composition from each other. These significant differences were not explained completely through differences in watershed size nor spatial autocorrelation. Instead, multivariate partial least squares regression showed that DOM composition was related to differences in human impact across freshwater ecosystems. In particular, urban/developed watersheds with higher human population densities had a unique DOM composition with a clear anthropogenic influence that was distinct from DOM composition in natural land cover and/or agricultural watersheds. This nonagricultural, human developed impact on aquatic DOM was most evident through increased levels of a microbial, humic-like parallel factor analysis component (C6). Lotic and lentic ecosystems with low human population densities had DOM compositions more typical of clear water to humic-rich freshwater ecosystems but C6 was only present at trace to background levels. Consequently, humans are strongly altering the quality of DOM in waters nearby or flowing through highly populated areas, which may alter carbon cycles in anthropogenically disturbed ecosystems at broad scales.

  4. Task-Related and Social Regulation during Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janssen, Jeroen; Erkens, Gijsbert; Kirschner, Paul A.; Kanselaar, Gellof

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated how students collaborate in a CSCL environment and how this collaboration affects group performance. To answer these questions, the collaborative process of 101 groups of secondary education students when working on a historical inquiry task was analyzed. Our analyses show that group members devote most of their efforts to…

  5. Exploring calibration strategies of SEDD model in two olive orchard watersheds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burguet Marimón, Maria; Taguas, Encarnación V.; Gómez, José A.

    2016-04-01

    To optimize soil conservation strategies in catchments, an accurate diagnosis of areas contributing to soil erosion using models such as SEDD (Ferro and Minacapilly, 1995) is required. In this study, different calibration strategies of the SEDD model were explored in two commercial olive microcatchments in Spain, Setenil (6.7 ha) and Conchuela (8 ha) monitored for 6 years. The main objectives were to calibrate the model to the study watersheds with different environmental characteristics, soil management ways, and runoff conditions, and to evaluate the temporal variability of the sediment delivery ratio (SDR) at the event and annual scales. The calibration used five different erosivity scenarios with different weights of precipitation components and concentrated flow. To optimize the calibration, biweekly and annual C-RUSLE values and the weight of the travel times of the different watershed morphological units were evaluated. The SEDD model was calibrated successfully in the Conchuela watershed, whereas poor adjustments were found for the Setenil watershed. In Conchuela, the best calibration scenarios were associated with concentrated flow, while the erosivity of Setenil was only rain-dependent. Biweekly C-RUSLE values provided suitable, consistent results in Conchuela where soil moisture over the year. In contrast, there were no appreciable improvements between annual and biweekly C-RUSLE values in Setenil, probably due to the narrower variation interval. The analysis of the SDR function justified the grouping of the different β values according to their sign (positive or negative) as a calibration strategy in Setenil. The medians of these groups of events allowed them to be adjusted (E = 0.7; RMSE = 6.4). In the Conchuela watershed, this variation in the model calibration produced only minor improvements to an adjustment which was already good. The sediment delivery ratios (SDR) in both watersheds indicate very dynamic sediment transport. The mean annual SDR for Setenil was 64.1% (with a standard deviation of 57.5%), while in Conchuela it was 110.1% (with a standard deviation of 83.7%). Extreme SDR values (>100%) were associated with very humid years and with precipitations 30% above the mean values. At the event scale, similar SDR behaviour was observed. SDR values >100% were associated with a dominant role of the gully in exporting sediments out of the watershed in Conchuela, whereas this was done by rills and an ephemeral gully in the Setenil watershed. REFERENCES Ferro,V., Minacapilli, M. 1995. Sediment delivery processes at basin scale. Hydrological Sciences Journal 40, Issue 6. Renard, K.G., Foster, G.R., Weesies, G.A., McCool, D.K., Yoder, D.C., 1997. Predicting soil erosion by water: a guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). Handbook N°. 703. US Department of Agriculture, 404 pp.

  6. Collaborative recall of details of an emotional film.

    PubMed

    Wessel, Ineke; Zandstra, Anna Roos E; Hengeveld, Hester M E; Moulds, Michelle L

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative inhibition refers to the phenomenon that when several people work together to produce a single memory report, they typically produce fewer items than when the unique items in the individual reports of the same number of participants are combined (i.e., nominal recall). Yet, apart from this negative effect, collaboration may be beneficial in that group members remove errors from a collaborative report. Collaborative inhibition studies on memory for emotional stimuli are scarce. Therefore, the present study examined both collaborative inhibition and collaborative error reduction in the recall of the details of emotional material in a laboratory setting. Female undergraduates (n = 111) viewed a film clip of a fatal accident and subsequently engaged in either collaborative (n = 57) or individual recall (n = 54) in groups of three. The results show that, across several detail categories, collaborating groups recalled fewer details than nominal groups. However, overall, nominal recall produced more errors than collaborative recall. The present results extend earlier findings on both collaborative inhibition and error reduction to the recall of affectively laden material. These findings may have implications for the applied fields of forensic and clinical psychology.

  7. Exploring the Impact of Students' Learning Approach on Collaborative Group Modeling of Blood Circulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Shinyoung; Kang, Eunhee; Kim, Heui-Baik

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to explore the effect on group dynamics of statements associated with deep learning approaches (DLA) and their contribution to cognitive collaboration and model development during group modeling of blood circulation. A group was selected for an in-depth analysis of collaborative group modeling. This group constructed a model in a…

  8. The comparative effect of individually-generated vs. collaboratively-generated computer-based concept mapping on science concept learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kwon, So Young

    Using a quasi-experimental design, the researcher investigated the comparative effects of individually-generated and collaboratively-generated computer-based concept mapping on middle school science concept learning. Qualitative data were analyzed to explain quantitative findings. One hundred sixty-one students (74 boys and 87 girls) in eight, seventh grade science classes at a middle school in Southeast Texas completed the entire study. Using prior science performance scores to assure equivalence of student achievement across groups, the researcher assigned the teacher's classes to one of the three experimental groups. The independent variable, group, consisted of three levels: 40 students in a control group, 59 students trained to individually generate concept maps on computers, and 62 students trained to collaboratively generate concept maps on computers. The dependent variables were science concept learning as demonstrated by comprehension test scores, and quality of concept maps created by students in experimental groups as demonstrated by rubric scores. Students in the experimental groups received concept mapping training and used their newly acquired concept mapping skills to individually or collaboratively construct computer-based concept maps during study time. The control group, the individually-generated concept mapping group, and the collaboratively-generated concept mapping group had equivalent learning experiences for 50 minutes during five days, excepting that students in a control group worked independently without concept mapping activities, students in the individual group worked individually to construct concept maps, and students in the collaborative group worked collaboratively to construct concept maps during their study time. Both collaboratively and individually generated computer-based concept mapping had a positive effect on seventh grade middle school science concept learning but neither strategy was more effective than the other. However, the students who collaboratively generated concept maps created significantly higher quality concept maps than those who individually generated concept maps. The researcher concluded that the concept mapping software, Inspiration(TM), fostered construction of students' concept maps individually or collaboratively for science learning and helped students capture their evolving creative ideas and organize them for meaningful learning. Students in both the individual and the collaborative concept mapping groups had positive attitudes toward concept mapping using Inspiration(TM) software.

  9. The Self-Formation of Collaborative Groups in a Problem Based Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raiyn, Jamal; Tilchin, Oleg

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present "the three steps method" of the self-formation of collaborative groups in a problem-based learning environment. The self-formation of collaborative groups is based on sharing of accountability among students for solving instructional problems. The steps of the method are planning collaborative problem…

  10. A conceptual framework for Lake Michigan coastal/nearshore ecosystems, with application to Lake Michigan Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) objectives

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Seelbach, Paul W.; Fogarty, Lisa R.; Bunnell, David Bo; Haack, Sheridan K.; Rogers, Mark W.

    2013-01-01

    The Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) within the Great Lakes region are examples of broad-scale, collaborative resource-management efforts that require a sound ecosystems approach. Yet, the LaMP process is lacking a holistic framework that allows these individual actions to be planned and understood within the broader context of the Great Lakes ecosystem. In this paper we (1) introduce a conceptual framework that unifies ideas and language among Great Lakes managers and scientists, whose focus areas range from tributary watersheds to open-lake waters, and (2) illustrate how the framework can be used to outline the geomorphic, hydrologic biological, and societal processes that underlie several goals of the Lake Michigan LaMP, thus providing a holistic and fairly comprehensive roadmap for tackling these challenges. For each selected goal, we developed a matrix that identifies the key ecosystem processes within the cell for each lake zone and each discipline; we then provide one example where a process is poorly understood and a second where a process is understood, but its impact or importance is unclear. Implicit in these objectives was our intention to highlight the importance of the Great Lakes coastal/nearshore zone. Although the coastal/nearshore zone is the important linkage zone between the watershed and open-lake zones—and is the zone where most LaMP issues are focused--scientists and managers have a relatively poor understanding of how the coastal/nearshore zone functions. We envision follow-up steps including (1) collaborative development of a more detailed and more complete conceptual model of how (and where) identified processes are thought to function, and (2) a subsequent gap analysis of science and monitoring priorities.

  11. The effects of collaboration and minimal-group membership on children's prosocial behavior, liking, affiliation, and trust.

    PubMed

    Plötner, Maria; Over, Harriet; Carpenter, Malinda; Tomasello, Michael

    2015-11-01

    Recent theoretical work has highlighted potential links between interpersonal collaboration and group membership in the evolution of human sociality. Here we compared the effects of collaboration and minimal-group membership on young children's prosocial behavior (i.e., helping and resource allocation), liking, affiliation, and trust. In a design that matched as closely as possible these two ways of connecting with others, we showed that 5-year-olds' behavior was affected similarly by collaboration and minimal-group membership; both increased children's preference for their partners on multiple dimensions and produced overall effects of a similar magnitude. In contrast, 3.5-year-olds did not have a strong preference for either collaborators or minimal in-group members. Thus, both collaboration and minimal-group membership are similarly effective in their influence on children's prosocial behavior and social preferences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Trout in the Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heath, Thomas

    2014-05-01

    Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a conservation-oriented environmental education program for elementary, middle, and high school students. During the year each teacher tailors the program to fit his or her curricular needs. Therefore, each TIC program is unique. TIC has interdisciplinary applications in science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, fine arts, and physical education. In the program, students and teachers raise trout from fertilized eggs supplied by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VGIF) hatcheries, in aquariums equipped with special chillers designed to keep the water near 50 degrees F. The students make daily temperature measurements, and monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and ammonia levels. They record their data, plot trends, and make sure that the water quality is sufficient to support trout development. The fingerlings, which hatch in late October, are almost an inch and a half long by mid-January. And towards the end of the school year, students will release the fry into VGIF approved watersheds. TIC programs have been in place all across the country for more than 20 years, and are the result of numerous collaborations between teachers, volunteers, government agencies, and local organizations like Trout Unlimited. The programs were designed specifically for teachers who wanted to incorporate more environmental education into their curriculum. While the immediate goal of Trout in the Classroom is to increase student knowledge of water quality and cold water conservation, its long-term goal is to reconnect an increasingly urbanized population of youth to the system of streams, rivers, and watersheds that sustain them. Successful programs have helped: connect students to their local environments and their local watersheds; teach about watershed health and water quality, and; get students to care about fish and the environment. In Virginia, the TIC program is now in its 8th year. Over the past year, the program experienced an amazing growth spurt. Thanks to AEP and Dominion grants and chapter fundraising efforts, we now have more than 200 classrooms throughout the state, ranging from elementary school through high school.

  13. Production of False Memories in Collaborative Memory Tasks Using the DRM Paradigm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saraiva, Magda; Albuquerque, Pedro B.; Arantes, Joana

    2017-01-01

    Studies on collaborative memory have revealed an interesting phenomenon called collaborative inhibition (CI) (i.e., nominal groups recall more information than collaborative groups). However, the results of studies on false memories in collaborative memory tasks are controversial. This study aimed to understand the production of false memories in…

  14. Social-ecological network analysis of scale mismatches in estuary watershed restoration.

    PubMed

    Sayles, Jesse S; Baggio, Jacopo A

    2017-03-07

    Resource management boundaries seldom align with environmental systems, which can lead to social and ecological problems. Mapping and analyzing how resource management organizations in different areas collaborate can provide vital information to help overcome such misalignment. Few quantitative approaches exist, however, to analyze social collaborations alongside environmental patterns, especially among local and regional organizations (i.e., in multilevel governance settings). This paper develops and applies such an approach using social-ecological network analysis (SENA), which considers relationships among and between social and ecological units. The framework and methods are shown using an estuary restoration case from Puget Sound, United States. Collaboration patterns and quality are analyzed among local and regional organizations working in hydrologically connected areas. These patterns are correlated with restoration practitioners' assessments of the productivity of their collaborations to inform network theories for natural resource governance. The SENA is also combined with existing ecological data to jointly consider social and ecological restoration concerns. Results show potentially problematic areas in nearshore environments, where collaboration networks measured by density (percentage of possible network connections) and productivity are weakest. Many areas also have high centralization (a few nodes hold the network together), making network cohesion dependent on key organizations. Although centralization and productivity are inversely related, no clear relationship between density and productivity is observed. This research can help practitioners to identify where governance capacity needs strengthening and jointly consider social and ecological concerns. It advances SENA by developing a multilevel approach to assess social-ecological (or social-environmental) misalignments, also known as scale mismatches.

  15. Social–ecological network analysis of scale mismatches in estuary watershed restoration

    PubMed Central

    Sayles, Jesse S.

    2017-01-01

    Resource management boundaries seldom align with environmental systems, which can lead to social and ecological problems. Mapping and analyzing how resource management organizations in different areas collaborate can provide vital information to help overcome such misalignment. Few quantitative approaches exist, however, to analyze social collaborations alongside environmental patterns, especially among local and regional organizations (i.e., in multilevel governance settings). This paper develops and applies such an approach using social–ecological network analysis (SENA), which considers relationships among and between social and ecological units. The framework and methods are shown using an estuary restoration case from Puget Sound, United States. Collaboration patterns and quality are analyzed among local and regional organizations working in hydrologically connected areas. These patterns are correlated with restoration practitioners’ assessments of the productivity of their collaborations to inform network theories for natural resource governance. The SENA is also combined with existing ecological data to jointly consider social and ecological restoration concerns. Results show potentially problematic areas in nearshore environments, where collaboration networks measured by density (percentage of possible network connections) and productivity are weakest. Many areas also have high centralization (a few nodes hold the network together), making network cohesion dependent on key organizations. Although centralization and productivity are inversely related, no clear relationship between density and productivity is observed. This research can help practitioners to identify where governance capacity needs strengthening and jointly consider social and ecological concerns. It advances SENA by developing a multilevel approach to assess social–ecological (or social–environmental) misalignments, also known as scale mismatches. PMID:28223529

  16. A Framework for Assessing Collaborative Capacity in Community-Based Public Forest Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Antony S.; Sturtevant, Victoria E.

    2012-03-01

    Community-based collaborative groups involved in public natural resource management are assuming greater roles in planning, project implementation, and monitoring. This entails the capacity of collaborative groups to develop and sustain new organizational structures, processes, and strategies, yet there is a lack of understanding what constitutes collaborative capacity. In this paper, we present a framework for assessing collaborative capacities associated with community-based public forest management in the US. The framework is inductively derived from case study research and observations of 30 federal forest-related collaborative efforts. Categories were cross-referenced with literature on collaboration across a variety of contexts. The framework focuses on six arenas of collaborative action: (1) organizing, (2) learning, (3) deciding, (4) acting, (5) evaluating, and (6) legitimizing. Within each arena are capacities expressed through three levels of social agency: individuals, the collaborative group itself, and participating or external organizations. The framework provides a language and set of organizing principles for understanding and assessing collaborative capacity in the context of community-based public forest management. The framework allows groups to assess what capacities they already have and what more is needed. It also provides a way for organizations supporting collaboratives to target investments in building and sustaining their collaborative capacities. The framework can be used by researchers as a set of independent variables against which to measure collaborative outcomes across a large population of collaborative efforts.

  17. Use of GPM Data Products in SERVIR Hydrological Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Limaye, A. S.; Mithieu, F.; Gurung, D. R.; Blankenship, C. B.; Crosson, W. L.; Anderson, E. R.; Flores, A.; Delgado, F.; Stanton, K.; Irwin, D.

    2015-12-01

    Availability of reliable precipitation data is a major challenge for SERVIR, a joint USAID-NASA project aimed at improving the environmental decision-making capacity of developing countries. GPM data products are fulfilling that challenge through frequent, high spatial resolution precipitation products over regional scales. SERVIR is using the products in different ways. First, SERVIR is using those in hydrologic modeling over Eastern Africa and in Hindu Kush Himalaya. SERVIR's distributed hydrologic modeling capability is helping the hydrological and meteorological departments in SERVIR regions, or Hubs, identify local watershed deserving immediate attention - such as recurring floods. Additionally, SERVIR technical implementers in the Hubs are building capacities of the departments and ministries in their member countries to effectively use the GPM products. SERVIR also provides an easy access for efficient integration of GPM products in web map services. This presentation will highlight ongoing collaborations and results generated through collaborative partnership among the water resources and hydrometeorology departments in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia, and Bhutan, SERVIR Hubs, and SERVIR Applied Sciences Team projects

  18. Creating Successful Scientist-Teacher-Student Collaborations: Examples From the GLOBE Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geary, E.; Wright, E.; Yule, S.; Randolph, G.; Larsen, J.; Smith, D.

    2007-12-01

    Actively engaging students in research on the environment at local, regional, and globe scales is a primary objective of the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program. During the past 18 months, GLOBE, an international education and science program in 109 countries and tens of thousands of schools worldwide, has been working with four NSF-funded Earth System Science Projects to involve K-12 students, teachers, and scientists in collaborative research investigations of Seasons and Biomes, the Carbon Cycle, Local and Extreme Environments, and Watersheds. This talk will discuss progress to date in each of these investigation areas and highlight successes and challenges in creating effective partnerships between diverse scientific and educational stakeholders. More specifically we will discuss lessons learned in the following areas: (a) mutual goal and responsibility setting, (b) resource allocation, (c) development of adaptable learning activities, tools, and services, (d) creation of scientist and school networks, and (e) development of evaluation metrics, all in support of student research.

  19. Participatory Modeling Processes to Build Community Knowledge Using Shared Model and Data Resources and in a Transboundary Pacific Northwest Watershed (Nooksack River Basin, Washington, USA)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bandaragoda, C.; Dumas, M.

    2014-12-01

    As with many western US watersheds, the Nooksack River Basin faces strong pressures associated with climate variability and change, rapid population growth, and deep-rooted water law. This transboundary basin includes contributing areas in British Columbia, Canada, and has a long history of joint data collection, model development, and facilitated communication between governmental (federal, tribal, state, local), environmental, timber, agricultural, and recreational user groups. However, each entity in the watershed responds to unique data coordination, information sharing, and adaptive management regimes and thresholds, further increasing the complexity of watershed management. Over the past four years, participatory methods were used to compile and review scientific data and models, including fish habitat (endangered salmonid species), channel hydraulics, climate data, agricultural, municipal and industrial water use, and integrated watershed scale distributed hydrologic models from over 15 years of projects (from jointly funded to independent shared work by individual companies, agencies, and universities). A specific outcome of the work includes participatory design of a collective problem statement used for guidance on future investment of shared resources and development of a data-generation process where modeling results are communicated in a three-tiers for 1) public/decision-making, 2) technical, and 3) research audiences. We establish features for successful participation using tools that are iteratively developed, tested for usability through incremental knowledge building, and designed to provide rigor in modeling. A general outcome of the work is ongoing support by tribal, state, and local governments, as well as the agricultural community, to continue the generation of shared watershed data using models in a dynamic legal and regulatory setting, where two federally recognized tribes have requested federal court resolution of federal treaty rights. Our participatory modeling process aims to integrate disciplines and watershed processes over time and space, while building capacity for more holistic watershed-scale thinking, or community knowledge, by research, governmental and public interests.

  20. A study of the bibliometry and areas of the research groups of Archivos de Bronconeumología (2003-2007).

    PubMed

    González-Alcaide, Gregorio; Aleixandre-Benavent, Rafael; de Granda-Orive, José Ignacio

    2010-02-01

    Scientific cooperation is essential for the advance of biomedical research. Scientists set up informal groups to work together on common issues, who are the main units in the research funding system. Bibliometric and Social Network Analysis methods allow informal groups in scientific papers to be identified and characterised. The objective of the study is to identify research groups in Archivos de Bronconeumología between 2003 and 2007 period with the aim of characterizing their scientific collaboration patterns and research areas. Co-authorships, institutional collaboration relationships and the main research areas of papers published in Archivos de Bronconeumología have been identified. Co-authorship networks and institutional collaboration networks have been constructed by using Pajek software tool. A total of 41 research groups involving 171 investigators have been identified. The Collaboration Index for articles was 5.59 and the Transcience Index was 73.11%. There was institutional collaboration in 60.33% of papers. The collaboration between institutions of the same region prevails (41.03%), followed by collaborations between departments, services or units of the same institution (39.74%), inter-regional collaboration (14,97%) and international collaboration (6.83%). A total of 83.03% of articles were cited. The main research areas covered by groups were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung neoplasm, bronchogenic carcinoma, smoking and pulmonary embolism. The scientific production of a large number of Respiratory System Spanish research groups is published in Archivos de Bronconeumología. A notable collaboration and citation rate has been observed. Nevertheless, it is still essential to encourage inter-regional and international collaboration. Copyright 2009 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  1. Watershed characterization and analysis using the VELMA ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    We developed a broadly applicable watershed simulator – VELMA (Visualizing Ecosystem and Land Management Assessments) – to characterize hydrological and ecological processes essential to the healthy functioning of watersheds, and to identify best management practices (BMPs) for restoring ecosystem services such as provisioning of clean water, food and fiber, and habitat for fish and wildlife. VELMA has been applied to agricultural, forest, rangeland and arctic watersheds across North America. Urban applications are under development. This seminar will discuss how VELMA is being used to help inform (1) salmon recovery planning in Puget Sound, and (2) water quality protection in Chesapeake Bay agricultural landscapes. These examples highlight the importance of model validation; how VELMA is being linked with additional models to aid BMP identification; and how the model is being transferred to community groups, tribes, and state and federal agencies engaged in environmental decision making. This invited seminar for the Washington State Department of Ecology will provide an overview of EPA’s VELMA watershed simulator and its applications for identifying best management practices for protecting and restoring vital ecosystem services, such as provisioning of clean water, food and fiber, and habitat for fish and wildlife. After the seminar, the presenter will meet with Department of Ecology staff to discuss the feasibility of including VELMA in their Puget Sound

  2. White Oak Creek Watershed: Melton Valley Area Remedial Investigation Report, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Volume 3 Appendix C

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    This report provides details on the baseline ecological risk assessment conducted in support of the Remedial Investigation (RI) Report for the Melton Valley areas of the White Oak Creek watershed (WOCW). The RI presents an analysis meant to enable the US Department of Energy (DOE) to pursue a series of remedial actions resulting in site cleanup and stabilization. The ecological risk assessment builds off of the WOCW screening ecological risk assessment. All information available for contaminated sites under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Energy`s Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Federal Facilities Agreement within the White Oakmore » Creek (WOC) RI area has been used to identify areas of potential concern with respect to the presence of contamination posing a potential risk to ecological receptors within the Melton Valley area of the White Oak Creek watershed. The risk assessment report evaluates the potential risks to receptors within each subbasin of the watershed as well as at a watershed-wide scale. The WOC system has been exposed to contaminant releases from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and associated operations since 1943 and continues to receive contaminants from adjacent waste area groupings.« less

  3. The economic benefits of vegetation in the upstream area of Ciliwung watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saridewi, T. R.; Nazaruddin

    2018-04-01

    Ciliwung watershed has strategic values since its entire downstream area is located in the Special Administrative Region of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta), the capital of Indonesia. This causes forest and farmland areas are converted into open areas or built-up areas. The existence of these areas provides enormous environmental and economic benefits. Economic benefit values are very important to be considered in developing a policy development plan, but they have not been calculated yet. This study aims to determine the economic benefits provided by trees and other vegetation anddevelops a development policy that takes into account simultaneously ecological and economic aspects. The study is conducted in the upstream Ciliwung watershed, by using land cover patterns in 1989, 2000, 2010 and 2014, and employs GIS and CITY green analysis. The results show that conversion of forest and farmland areas reduces the ability of Ciliwung upstream watershed to store water. Therefore, its ability to reduce the flow of surface has been decreased. This creates a decrease in the cost savings of annual stormwater, from US 15,175,721 in 1989 to US 13,317,469 in 2014. The Environmental Services Payment Policy (PES) for upstream community groups managing the watershed has been considered as a fairly effective policy.

  4. Boosted Regression Tree Models to Explain Watershed ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Boosted regression tree (BRT) models were developed to quantify the nonlinear relationships between landscape variables and nutrient concentrations in a mesoscale mixed land cover watershed during base-flow conditions. Factors that affect instream biological components, based on the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), were also analyzed. Seasonal BRT models at two spatial scales (watershed and riparian buffered area [RBA]) for nitrite-nitrate (NO2-NO3), total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus (TP) and annual models for the IBI score were developed. Two primary factors — location within the watershed (i.e., geographic position, stream order, and distance to a downstream confluence) and percentage of urban land cover (both scales) — emerged as important predictor variables. Latitude and longitude interacted with other factors to explain the variability in summer NO2-NO3 concentrations and IBI scores. BRT results also suggested that location might be associated with indicators of sources (e.g., land cover), runoff potential (e.g., soil and topographic factors), and processes not easily represented by spatial data indicators. Runoff indicators (e.g., Hydrological Soil Group D and Topographic Wetness Indices) explained a substantial portion of the variability in nutrient concentrations as did point sources for TP in the summer months. The results from our BRT approach can help prioritize areas for nutrient management in mixed-use and heavily impacted watershed

  5. [Effects of different soil and water loss control measures on the dung beetle assemblages in Huangfuchuan watershed, Inner Mongolia of North China].

    PubMed

    Liu, Wei; Wang, Run-Run; Liu, Xin-Min

    2013-03-01

    By using pitfall trap method, and taking the croplands and natural grasslands under different soil and water loss control measures as sampling plots, an investigation was conducted on the dung beetle assemblages in the Huangfuchuan watershed of Inner Mongolia from September 2007 to September 2008, aimed to understand the effects of different soil and water loss control measures on the dung beetle assemblages in the watershed. A total of 6169 dung beetles were captured, belonging to 15 species, 5 genus, and 2 families. The dominant species were Aphodius rectus and Onthophagus gibbulus, accounting for 66. 54% and 13. 26% of the total captured beetles, respectively. A lack of the species suitable for living in woodland habitats was the basic feature of the dung beetle assemblages. As compared with the control, all test soil and water loss control measures did not cause an obvious increase of species richness, biomass, and abundance of the dung beetle assemblages. The biomass and species richness of the assemblages as well as the abundance of the functional groups II and III had a significant negative correlation with the average tree (grass) height. Under the effects of long-term agricultural cultivation and the lack of large herbivores, the species richness and abundance of the functional group I (larger paracoprids and telocoprids) were lower than those of the functional groups II (relatively smaller paracoprids) and II (endocoprids), the main components of the dung beetle assemblages in the watershed. The faeces of the residents and livestock in the study region provided abundant foods for the dung beetle assemblages, inducing the relatively high abundance and spices richness of the assemblages occurred in the croplands nearby the villages. Our results suggested that natural grasslands were the suitable habitats for the dung beetles in Huangfuchuan watershed. At regional scale, to popularize the successful experiences of comprehensive soil and water loss control, preserve natural grasslands, and feed appropriate number of livestock (especially larger herbivores) could be the effective approaches for maintaining the diversity of dung beetles and the ecosystem functions.

  6. Human Activity Determines the Presence of Integron-Associated and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Southwestern British Columbia.

    PubMed

    Uyaguari-Díaz, Miguel I; Croxen, Matthew A; Luo, Zhiyao; Cronin, Kirby I; Chan, Michael; Baticados, Waren N; Nesbitt, Matthew J; Li, Shaorong; Miller, Kristina M; Dooley, Damion; Hsiao, William; Isaac-Renton, Judith L; Tang, Patrick; Prystajecky, Natalie

    2018-01-01

    The dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria from anthropogenic sources into the environment poses an emerging public health threat. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and gene-capturing systems such as integron-associated integrase genes ( intI ) play a key role in alterations of microbial communities and the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria into the environment. In order to assess the effect of anthropogenic activities on watersheds in southwestern British Columbia, the presence of putative antibiotic resistance and integrase genes was analyzed in the microbiome of agricultural, urban influenced, and protected watersheds. A metagenomics approach and high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT qPCR) were used to screen for elements of resistance including ARGs and intI . Metagenomic sequencing of bacterial genomic DNA was used to characterize the resistome of microbial communities present in watersheds over a 1-year period. There was a low prevalence of ARGs relative to the microbial population (<1%). Analysis of the metagenomic sequences detected a total of 60 elements of resistance including 46 ARGs, intI1 , and groEL/ intI1 genes and 12 quaternary ammonium compounds ( qac ) resistance genes across all watershed locations. The relative abundance and richness of ARGs was found to be highest in agriculture impacted watersheds compared to urban and protected watersheds. A downstream transport pattern was observed in the impacted watersheds (urban and agricultural) during dry months. Similar to other reports, this study found a strong association between intI1 and ARGs (e.g., sul1 ), an association which may be used as a proxy for anthropogenic activities. Chemical analysis of water samples for three major groups of antibiotics was below the detection limit. However, the high richness and gene copy numbers (GCNs) of ARGs in impacted sites suggest that the effects of effluents on microbial communities are occurring even at low concentrations of antimicrobials in the water column. Antibiotic resistance and integrase genes in a year-long metagenomic study showed that ARGs were driven mainly by environmental factors from anthropogenized sites in agriculture and urban watersheds. Environmental factors such as land-use and water quality parameters accounted for 45% of the variability observed in watershed locations.

  7. Human Activity Determines the Presence of Integron-Associated and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Southwestern British Columbia

    PubMed Central

    Uyaguari-Díaz, Miguel I.; Croxen, Matthew A.; Luo, Zhiyao; Cronin, Kirby I.; Chan, Michael; Baticados, Waren N.; Nesbitt, Matthew J.; Li, Shaorong; Miller, Kristina M.; Dooley, Damion; Hsiao, William; Isaac-Renton, Judith L.; Tang, Patrick; Prystajecky, Natalie

    2018-01-01

    The dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria from anthropogenic sources into the environment poses an emerging public health threat. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and gene-capturing systems such as integron-associated integrase genes (intI) play a key role in alterations of microbial communities and the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria into the environment. In order to assess the effect of anthropogenic activities on watersheds in southwestern British Columbia, the presence of putative antibiotic resistance and integrase genes was analyzed in the microbiome of agricultural, urban influenced, and protected watersheds. A metagenomics approach and high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT qPCR) were used to screen for elements of resistance including ARGs and intI. Metagenomic sequencing of bacterial genomic DNA was used to characterize the resistome of microbial communities present in watersheds over a 1-year period. There was a low prevalence of ARGs relative to the microbial population (<1%). Analysis of the metagenomic sequences detected a total of 60 elements of resistance including 46 ARGs, intI1, and groEL/intI1 genes and 12 quaternary ammonium compounds (qac) resistance genes across all watershed locations. The relative abundance and richness of ARGs was found to be highest in agriculture impacted watersheds compared to urban and protected watersheds. A downstream transport pattern was observed in the impacted watersheds (urban and agricultural) during dry months. Similar to other reports, this study found a strong association between intI1 and ARGs (e.g., sul1), an association which may be used as a proxy for anthropogenic activities. Chemical analysis of water samples for three major groups of antibiotics was below the detection limit. However, the high richness and gene copy numbers (GCNs) of ARGs in impacted sites suggest that the effects of effluents on microbial communities are occurring even at low concentrations of antimicrobials in the water column. Antibiotic resistance and integrase genes in a year-long metagenomic study showed that ARGs were driven mainly by environmental factors from anthropogenized sites in agriculture and urban watersheds. Environmental factors such as land-use and water quality parameters accounted for 45% of the variability observed in watershed locations. PMID:29765365

  8. Quantitative Approach to Collaborative Learning: Performance Prediction, Individual Assessment, and Group Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cen, Ling; Ruta, Dymitr; Powell, Leigh; Hirsch, Benjamin; Ng, Jason

    2016-01-01

    The benefits of collaborative learning, although widely reported, lack the quantitative rigor and detailed insight into the dynamics of interactions within the group, while individual contributions and their impacts on group members and their collaborative work remain hidden behind joint group assessment. To bridge this gap we intend to address…

  9. An Ontology Engineering Approach to the Realization of Theory-Driven Group Formation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isotani, Seiji; Inaba, Akiko; Ikeda, Mitsuru; Mizoguchi, Riichiro

    2009-01-01

    One of the main difficulties during the design of collaborative learning activities is adequate group formation. In any type of collaboration, group formation plays a critical role in the learners' acceptance of group activities, as well as the success of the collaborative learning process. Nevertheless, to propose both an effective and…

  10. Long-term effects of surface coal mining on ground-water levels and quality in two small watersheds in eastern Ohio

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cunningham, W.L.; Jones, R.L.

    1990-01-01

    Two small watersheds in eastern Ohio that were surface mined for coal and reclaimed were studied during 1986-89. Water-level and water-quality data were compared with similar data collected during previous investigations conducted during 1976-83 to determine long-term effects of surface mining on the hydrologic system. Before mining, the watersheds were characterized by sequences of flat-lying sedimentary rocks containing two major coal seams and underclays. An aquifer was present above each of the underclays. Surface mining removed the upper aquifer, stripped the coal seam, and replaced the sediment. This created a new upper aquifer with different hydraulic and chemical characteristics. Mining did not disturb the middle aquifer. A third, deeper aquifer in each watershed was not studied. Water levels were continuously recorded in one well in each aquifer. Other wells were measured every 2 months. Water levels in the upper aquifers reached hydraulic equilibrium from 2 to 5 years after mining ceased. Water levels in the middle aquifers increased more than 5 feet during mining and reached equilibrium almost immediately thereafter. Water samples were collected from three upper-aquifer well, a seep from the upper aquifer, and the stream in each watershed. Two samples were collected in 1986 and 1987, and one each in 1988 and 1989. In both watersheds, sulfate replaced bicarbonate as the dominant upper-aquifer and surface-water anion after mining. For the upper aquifer of a watershed located in Muskingum County, water-quality data were grouped into premining and late postmining time periods (1986-89). The premining median pH and concentration of dissolved solids and sulfate were 7.6, 378 mg/L (milligrams per liter), and 41 mg/L, respectively. The premining median concentrations of iron and manganese were 10? /L (micrograms per liter) and 25?, respectively. The postmining median values of pH, dissolved solids, and sulfate were 6.7, 1,150 mg/L, and 560 mg/L, respectively. The postmining median concentrations of iron and manganese were 3,900?g/L and 1,900? g/L, respectively. For the upper aquifer of a watershed located in Jefferson County, the water-quality data were grouped into three time periods of premining, early postmining, and late postmining. The premining median pH and concentrations of dissolved solids and sulfate were 7.0, 335 mg/L, and 85 mg/L, respectively. The premining median concentrations of iron and manganese were 30? g/L for each constituent. Late postmining median pH and concentrations of dissolved solids and sulfate were 6.7, 1,495 mg/L, and 825 mg/L, respectively. The postmining median concentrations of iron and manganese were 31? g/L and 1,015? g/L, respectively. Chemistry of water in the middle aquifer in each watershed underwent similar changes. In general, statistically significant increases in concentrations of dissolved constituents occurred because of surface mining. In some constituents, concentrations increased by more than an order of magnitude. The continued decrease in pH indicated that ground water had no reached geochemical equilibrium in either watershed more than 8 years after mining.

  11. Beyond Impervious: Urban Land-Cover Pattern Variation and Implications for Watershed Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beck, Scott M.; McHale, Melissa R.; Hess, George R.

    2016-07-01

    Impervious surfaces degrade urban water quality, but their over-coverage has not explained the persistent water quality variation observed among catchments with similar rates of imperviousness. Land-cover patterns likely explain much of this variation, although little is known about how they vary among watersheds. Our goal was to analyze a series of urban catchments within a range of impervious cover to evaluate how land-cover varies among them. We then highlight examples from the literature to explore the potential effects of land-cover pattern variability for urban watershed management. High-resolution (1 m2) land-cover data were used to quantify 23 land-cover pattern and stormwater infrastructure metrics within 32 catchments across the Triangle Region of North Carolina. These metrics were used to analyze variability in land-cover patterns among the study catchments. We used hierarchical clustering to organize the catchments into four groups, each with a distinct landscape pattern. Among these groups, the connectivity of combined land-cover patches accounted for 40 %, and the size and shape of lawns and buildings accounted for 20 %, of the overall variation in land-cover patterns among catchments. Storm water infrastructure metrics accounted for 8 % of the remaining variation. Our analysis demonstrates that land-cover patterns do vary among urban catchments, and that trees and grass (lawns) are divergent cover types in urban systems. The complex interactions among land-covers have several direct implications for the ongoing management of urban watersheds.

  12. Collaborative testing as a learning strategy in nursing education.

    PubMed

    Sandahl, Sheryl S

    2010-01-01

    A primary goal of nursing education is to prepare nurses to work collaboratively as members of interprofessional health care teams on behalf of patients. Collaborative testing is a collaborative learning strategy used to foster knowledge development, critical thinking in decision making, and group processing skills. This study incorporated a quasi-experimental design with a comparison group to examine the effect of collaborative testing as a learning strategy on student learning and retention of course content as well as group process skills and student perceptions of their learning and anxiety. The setting was a baccalaureate nursing program; the sample consisted of two groups of senior students enrolled in Medical-Surgical Nursing II. Student learning, as measured by unit examination scores, was greater for students taking examinations collaboratively compared to individually. Retention of course content, as measured by final examination scores, was not greater for students taking examinations collaboratively compared to individually. Student perceptions were overwhelmingly positive, with students reporting increased learning as a result of the collaborative testing experiences. Despite the lack of data to support increased retention, collaborative testing may be a learning strategy worth implementing in nursing education. Students reported more positive interactions and collaboration with their peers, skills required by the professional nurse.

  13. The South Fork Experimental Watershed: Soil moisture and precipitation network for satellite validation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cosh, M. H.; Prueger, J. H.; McKee, L.; Bindlish, R.

    2013-12-01

    A recently deployed long term network for the study of soil moisture and precipitation was deployed in north central iowa, in cooperation between USDA and NASA. This site will be a joint calibration/validation network for the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) missions. At total of 20 dual gauge precipitation gages were established across a watershed landscape with an area of approximately 600 km2. In addition, four soil moisture probes were installed in profile at 5, 10, 20, and 50 cm. The network was installed in April of 2013, at the initiation of the Iowa Flood Study (IFloodS) which was a six week intensive ground based radar observation period, conducted in coordination with NASA and the University of Iowa. This site is a member watershed of the Group on Earth Observations Joint Experiments on Crop Assessment and Monitoring (GEO-JECAM) program. A variety of quality control procedures are examined and spatial and temporal stability aspects of the network are examined. Initial comparisons of the watershed to soil moisture estimates from satellites are also conducted.

  14. Facilitating Learning in Multidisciplinary Groups with Transactive CSCL Scripts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noroozi, Omid; Teasley, Stephanie D.; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Weinberger, Armin; Mulder, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Knowledge sharing and transfer are essential for learning in groups, especially when group members have different disciplinary expertise and collaborate online. Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environments have been designed to facilitate transactive knowledge sharing and transfer in collaborative problem-solving settings. This…

  15. Leading Deep Conversations in Collaborative Inquiry Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Tamara Holmlund; Deuel, Angie; Slavit, David; Kennedy, Anne

    2010-01-01

    Collaborative inquiry groups, such as professional learning communities and lesson study groups, are proliferating in schools across the United States. In whatever form, the potential for impacting student learning through this collaborative work is expanded or limited by the nature of teachers' conversations. Polite, congenial conversations…

  16. Small watershed-scale research and the challenges ahead

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larsen, M. C.; Glynn, P. D.

    2008-12-01

    For the past century, Federal mission science agencies (eg. USFS, NRCS, ARS, USGS) have had the long- term agency goals, infrastructure, and research staff to conduct research and data collection in small watersheds as well as support these activities for non-Federal partners. The National Science Foundation has been a strong partner with the Federal mission science agencies, through the LTER network, which is dependent on Federally supported research sites, and more recently with the emerging CUAHSI, WATERS, CZEN, and NEON initiatives. Much of the NSF-supported research builds on the foundations provided by their Federally supported partners, who sustain the long-term, extensive monitoring activity and research sites, including making long-term data available to all users via public interfaces. The future of these programs, and their enhancement/expansion to face the intensifying concurrent challenges of population growth, land-use change, and climate change, is dependent on a well-funded national commitment to basic science. Such a commitment will allow the scientific community to advance our understanding of these scientific challenges and to synthesize our understanding among research sites and at the national scale. Small watersheds serve as essential platforms where hypotheses can be tested, as sentinels for climate change, and as a basis for comparing and scaling up local information and syntheses to regional and continental scales. The science guides resource management and mitigation decisions and is fundamental to the development of predictive models. Furthermore, small-watershed research and monitoring programs are generally undervalued because many research questions that can be addressed now or in the future were not anticipated when the sites were initiated. Some examples include: 1) the quantification, characterization, and understanding of how emerging contaminants, personal care products, and endocrine disruptors affect organisms - substances that could not be detected until the recent increased sensitivity of modern techniques; 2) the recognition of changing climate and its effects on already-stressed water resources and ecosystems; 3) more integrated monitoring and modeling of ecosystem processes and quantification of ecosystem services. Historical hydrological and biogeochemical information available at USGS and other watershed-research and -monitoring sites can now be used in conjunction with active monitoring of biota and biological processes (especially those involving plants, invertebrates and microbes). The results will help provide a more nationally consistent framework for evaluating ecosystem health, and assessing ecosystem services, in the face of changing climate and land-use. These, and related science questions and societal issues are complex and require strong collaborations across disciplinary and organizational boundaries. Along with a well-funded national commitment to basic watershed research, the USGS continually seeks to strengthen its small-watershed and ecosystem-science programs through partnerships with NSF, State, and Federal agencies. Given the growing U.S. population, continual development in water-scarce regions, and general water- and soil-resource stress under competing national interests and priorities, the role of basic watershed-scale research and monitoring is essential because of its unique niche in the development of the improved environmental understanding and predictive models needed by resource managers.

  17. Trends in Surface-Water Nitrate-N Concentrations and Loads from Predominantly-Forested Watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay Basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eshleman, K. N.

    2011-12-01

    Water quality monitoring data from streams and rivers provide the "gold standard" by which progress toward achieving real reductions in nutrient loadings to Chesapeake Bay must ultimately be assessed. The most recent trend results posted at the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) website reveal that a substantial percentage of tributaries are now showing long-term declines in flow-adjusted concentrations of nutrients and sediments: 22 sites showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) downward trends (1985-2010) in flow-adjusted concentrations, two sites showed upward trends, and eight sites showed no trend. Based on the data, the CBP has drawn the following conclusion: "At many monitored locations, long-term trends indicate that management actions, such as pollution controls for improved wastewater treatment plants and practices to reduce nutrients on farms and suburban lands, have reduced concentrations of nitrogen." But could this conclusion be pre-mature? I recently undertook a comparable analysis of long-term nitrate-N trends for a different group of watersheds (all located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with long data records); this group includes nine watersheds that are predominantly (i.e., >75%) forested, plus five other Potomac River subwatersheds added for comparison. Based on comparable data and analytical methods to those used by CBP partners and USGS, 13 of the 14 sites-including both Potomac River stations (Chain Bridge at Washington DC and Hancock, Maryland)-showed statistically significant decreasing linear trends in annual flow-weighted nitrate-N concentration. Only one station-the heavily agricultural Upper Monocacy River-did not show a statistically significant (p < 0.05) trend. Five of the predominantly-forested watersheds also showed statistically significant decreasing trends in annual nitrate-N loads, and none of the stations showed a trend in annual runoff presumably due to high inter-annual hydroclimatological variability. While the largest absolute changes in nitrate-N concentration corresponded to the least forested watersheds, the largest percentage changes in nitrate-N concentration were actually observed for those watersheds with the greatest percentages of forestland. This result suggests that the natural dynamics of forests may be playing a very important (and under-appreciated) role in improving water quality throughout the Bay watershed. A second interesting finding was that the statistically significant reductions in annual nitrate-N concentration at the Potomac River RIM station could be entirely explained by commensurate improvements at the upstream (Hancock) station; in fact, no trend in nitrate-N concentration associated with the eastern portion of the basin was found (after subtracting out the influence of the upstream portion). Additional research is needed to understand why nitrogen retention by forested lands may be increasing and thus helping restore water quality throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The results also have obvious implications for meeting local water quality goals as well as the basin-wide goal of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL for nitrogen.

  18. An investigation of the effects of interventions on problem-solving strategies and abilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cox, Charles Terrence, Jr.

    Problem-solving has been described as being the "heart" of the chemistry classroom, and students' development of problem-solving skills is essential for their success in chemistry. Despite the importance of problem-solving, there has been little research within the chemistry domain, largely because of the lack of tools to collect data for large populations. Problem-solving was assessed using a software package known as IMMEX (for Interactive Multimedia Exercises) which has an HTML tracking feature that allows for collection of problem-solving data in the background as students work the problems. The primary goal of this research was to develop methods (known as interventions) that could promote improvements in students' problem-solving and most notably aid in their transition from the novice to competent level. Three intervention techniques that were incorporated within the chemistry curricula: collaborative grouping (face-to-face and distance), concept mapping, and peer-led team learning. The face-to-face collaborative grouping intervention was designed to probe the factors affecting the quality of the group interaction. Students' logical reasoning abilities were measured using the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) test which classifies students as formal, transitional, or concrete. These classifications essentially provide a basis for identifying scientific aptitude. These designations were used as the basis for forming collaborative groups of two students. The six possibilities (formal-formal, formal-transitional, etc.) were formed to determine how the group composition influences the gains in student abilities observed from collaborative grouping interventions. Students were given three assignments (an individual pre-collaborative, an individual post collaborative, and a collaborative assignment) each requiring them to work an IMMEX problem set. Similar gains in performance of 10% gains were observed for each group with two exceptions. The transitional students who were paired with concrete students had a 15% gain, and the concrete students paired with other concrete students had only a marginal gain. In fact, there was no statistical difference in the pre-collaborative and post-collaborative student abilities for concrete-concrete groups. The distance collaborative intervention was completed using a new interface for the IMMEX software designed to mimic face-to-face collaboration. A stereochemistry problem set which had a solved rate of 28% prior to collaboration was chosen for incorporation into this distance collaboration study. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  19. Improvement of Operational Streamflow Prediction with MODIS-derived Fractional Snow Covered Area Observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bender, S.; Burgess, A.; Goodale, C. E.; Mattmann, C. A.; Miller, W. P.; Painter, T. H.; Rittger, K. E.; Stokes, M.; Werner, K.

    2013-12-01

    Water managers in the western United States depend heavily on the timing and magnitude of snowmelt-driven runoff for municipal supply, irrigation, maintenance of environmental flows, and power generation. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) of the National Weather Service issues operational forecasts of snowmelt-driven streamflow for watersheds within the Colorado River Basin (CRB) and eastern Great Basin (EGB), across a wide variety of scales. Therefore, the CBRFC and its stakeholders consider snowpack observations to be highly valuable. Observations of fractional snow covered area (fSCA) from satellite-borne instrumentation can better inform both forecasters and water users with respect to subsequent snowmelt runoff, particularly when combined with observations from ground-based station networks and/or airborne platforms. As part of a multi-year collaborative effort, CBRFC has partnered with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under funding from NASA to incorporate observations of fSCA from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) into the operational CBRFC hydrologic forecasting and modeling process. In the first year of the collaboration, CBRFC and NASA/JPL integrated snow products into the forecasting and decision making processes of the CBRFC and showed preliminary improvement in operational streamflow forecasts. In late 2012, CBRFC and NASA/JPL began retrospective analysis of relationships between the MODIS Snow Covered Area and Grain size (MODSCAG) fSCA and streamflow patterns for several watersheds within the CRB and the EGB. During the 2013 snowmelt runoff season, CBRFC forecasters used MODIS-derived fSCA semi-quantitatively as a binary indicator of the presence or lack of snow. Indication of the presence or lack of snow by MODIS assisted CBRFC forecasters in determining the cause of divergence between modeled and recently observed streamflow. Several examples of improved forecasts from across the CRB and EGB, informed by MODIS-derived fSCA, are described. Our analysis shows the value of MODIS fSCA to CBRFC and to users of CBRFC's streamflow forecasts. The relationships between the MODIS fSCA and the melt season streamflow vary with the magnitude of runoff, which is important to resource managers. The analysis also emphasizes the importance of the invaluable collaboration between an operational forecasting agency (CBRFC) and a research-oriented agency (NASA/JPL) specializing in remote sensing science. The collaboration is expected to continue over the next several years as CBRFC and JPL work to further improve modeling of snowmelt and prediction of snowmelt-driven streamflow in the CRB and EGB.

  20. Participation, Interaction and Social Presence: An Exploratory Study of Collaboration in Online Peer Review Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhao, Huahui; Sullivan, Kirk P. H.; Mellenius, Ingmarie

    2014-01-01

    A key reason for using asynchronous computer conferencing in instruction is its potential for supporting collaborative learning. However, few studies have examined collaboration in computer conferencing. This study examined collaboration in six peer review groups within an asynchronous computer conferencing. Eighteen tertiary students participated…

  1. Multiple models guide strategies for agricultural nutrient reductions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Scavia, Donald; Kalcic, Margaret; Muenich, Rebecca Logsdon; Read, Jennifer; Aloysius, Noel; Bertani, Isabella; Boles, Chelsie; Confesor, Remegio; DePinto, Joseph; Gildow, Marie; Martin, Jay; Redder, Todd; Robertson, Dale M.; Sowa, Scott P.; Wang, Yu-Chen; Yen, Haw

    2017-01-01

    In response to degraded water quality, federal policy makers in the US and Canada called for a 40% reduction in phosphorus (P) loads to Lake Erie, and state and provincial policy makers in the Great Lakes region set a load-reduction target for the year 2025. Here, we configured five separate SWAT (US Department of Agriculture's Soil and Water Assessment Tool) models to assess load reduction strategies for the agriculturally dominated Maumee River watershed, the largest P source contributing to toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie. Although several potential pathways may achieve the target loads, our results show that any successful pathway will require large-scale implementation of multiple practices. For example, one successful pathway involved targeting 50% of row cropland that has the highest P loss in the watershed with a combination of three practices: subsurface application of P fertilizers, planting cereal rye as a winter cover crop, and installing buffer strips. Achieving these levels of implementation will require local, state/provincial, and federal agencies to collaborate with the private sector to set shared implementation goals and to demand innovation and honest assessments of water quality-related programs, policies, and partnerships.

  2. Fostering partnerships in survivorship care: report of the 2011 Canadian genitourinary cancers survivorship conference.

    PubMed

    Bender, Jacqueline L; Wiljer, David; Matthew, Andrew; Canil, Christina M; Legere, Laura; Loblaw, Andrew; Jewett, Michael A S

    2012-09-01

    New models of survivorship care are required to address the needs of genitourinary (GU) cancer survivors. Current approaches do not effectively engage cancer survivors or advocacy groups. A group of clinicians in collaboration with the Canadian Urologic Association held a forum for GU cancer survivors, advocacy groups, and health professionals to explore ways to collaboratively enhance survivorship care. Participants attended a 2-day conference that included presentations, breakout groups, and a postconference survey. Discussions by breakout groups were recorded and analyzed alongside open-ended survey responses for common themes. Basic statistics were calculated. Conference participants (n = 42) included 18 cancer survivors/caregivers, 21 health professionals, and 3 researchers representing bladder, kidney, prostate, and testis cancer groups. Breakout group discussions and responses to the postconference survey (83.3 % response rate) showed strong support for greater collaboration among all parties. Strategies to facilitate collaboration reflected a need to: (1) raise awareness of the shared and unique needs of GU cancer survivors and the expertise of cancer advocacy groups, (2) facilitate communication and collaborative opportunities among clinicians/researchers and cancer survivors/advocacy groups, (3) facilitate collaborative programming and fund-raising among GU advocacy groups, and (4) synthesize and facilitate access to GU cancer survivorship resources and services. There is strong support for formal collaboration to enhance survivorship care among a critical mass of GU cancer survivors, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers. Responsibility for collaboration lies with all stakeholder groups. Strategies to foster such partnerships should employ integrated knowledge translation approaches that actively engage all parties throughout the entire research to practice process. Successful partnerships between cancer survivors, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers require familiarity with each other's expertise, along with sufficient resources and organizational structures. GU survivorship advocacy groups need to work more closely together to ensure a strong, unified voice when interacting with clinicians and researchers.

  3. The Roles of a University Professor in a Teacher Study Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeh, Hui-Chin; Hung, Hsiu-Ting; Chen, Yi-Ping

    2012-01-01

    The opportunities in which university professors collaborate with the practicing school teachers in a teacher study group are few. This study investigated how a university professor facilitated a collaborative teacher study group to enhance teachers' professional growth. Five primary school teachers and a university professor collaborated on…

  4. Group Mirrors to Support Interaction Regulation in Collaborative Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jermann, Patrick; Dillenbourg, Pierre

    2008-01-01

    Two experimental studies test the effect of group mirrors upon quantitative and qualitative aspects of participation in collaborative problem solving. Mirroring tools consist of a graphical representation of the group's actions which is dynamically updated and displayed to the collaborators. In addition, metacognitive tools display a standard for…

  5. The Collaborative Peer Supervision Group Project: A Continuing Education Model to Promote Professional Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomasgard, Michael; Warfield, Janeece

    2005-01-01

    Thomasgard, a physician, and Warfield, a psychologist, describe the multidisciplinary Collaborative Peer Supervision Group Project, originally developed and implemented in Columbus, Ohio. Collaborative Peer Supervision Groups (CPSGs) foster the development of case-based, interdisciplinary, continuing education. CPSGs are designed to improve the…

  6. Evoking Knowledge and Information Awareness for Enhancing Computer-Supported Collaborative Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engelmann, Tanja; Tergan, Sigmar-Olaf; Hesse, Friedrich W.

    2010-01-01

    Computer-supported collaboration by spatially distributed group members still involves interaction problems within the group. This article presents an empirical study investigating the question of whether computer-supported collaborative problem solving by spatially distributed group members can be fostered by evoking knowledge and information…

  7. Group Trust, Communication Media, and Interactivity: Toward an Integrated Model of Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Jianxia; Wang, Chuang; Zhou, Mingming; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao; Lei, Saosan

    2018-01-01

    The present investigation examines the multidimensional relationships among several critical components in online collaborative learning, including group trust, communication media, and interactivity. Four hundred eleven university students from 103 groups in the United States responded survey items on online collaboration, interactivity,…

  8. Spatiotemporal patterns of mercury accumulation in lake sediments of western North America

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Drevnick, Paul; Cooke, Colin A.; Barraza, Daniella; Blais, Jules M.; Coale, Kenneth; Cumming, Brian F.; Curtis, Chris; Das, Biplob; Donahue, William F.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Engstrom, Daniel R.; Fitzgerald, William F.; Furl, Chad V.; Gray, John R.; Hall, Roland I.; Jackson, Togwell A.; Laird, Kathleen R.; Lockhart, W. Lyle; Macdonald, Robie W.; Mast, M. Alisa; Mathieu, Callie; Muir, Derek C.G.; Outridge, Peter; Reinemann, Scott; Rothenberg, Sarah E.; Ruiz-Fernandex, Ana Carolina; St. Louis, V.L.; Sanders, Rhea; Sanei, Hamed; Skierszkan, Elliott; Van Metre, Peter C.; Veverica, Timothy; Wiklund, Johan A.; Wolfe, Brent B.

    2016-01-01

    For the Western North America Mercury Synthesis, we compiled mercury records from 165 dated sediment cores from 138 natural lakes across western North America. Lake sediments are accepted as faithful recorders of historical mercury accumulation rates, and regional and sub-regional temporal and spatial trends were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Mercury accumulation rates in sediments have increased, on average, four times (4×) from 1850 to 2000 and continue to increase by approximately 0.2 μg/m2 per year. Lakes with the greatest increases were influenced by the Flin Flon smelter, followed by lakes directly affected by mining and wastewater discharges. Of lakes not directly affected by point sources, there is a clear separation in mercury accumulation rates between lakes with no/little watershed development and lakes with extensive watershed development for agricultural and/or residential purposes. Lakes in the latter group exhibited a sharp increase in mercury accumulation rates with human settlement, stabilizing after 1950 at five times (5×) 1850 rates. Mercury accumulation rates in lakes with no/little watershed development were controlled primarily by relative watershed size prior to 1850, and since have exhibited modest increases (in absolute terms and compared to that described above) associated with (regional and global) industrialization. A sub-regional analysis highlighted that in the ecoregion Northwestern Forest Mountains, <1% of mercury deposited to watersheds is delivered to lakes. Research is warranted to understand whether mountainous watersheds act as permanent sinks for mercury or if export of “legacy” mercury (deposited in years past) will delay recovery when/if emissions reductions are achieved.

  9. Engineering a Healthier Watershed: Middle School Students Use Engineering Design to Lessen the Impact of Their Campus' Impervious Surfaces on Their Local Watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gardner, Elizabeth Claire

    It is important that students understand not only how their local watershed functions, but also how it is being impacted by impervious surfaces. Additionally, students need experience exploring the scientific and engineering practices that are necessary for a strong STEM background. With this knowledge students can be empowered to tackle this real and local problem using engineering design, a powerful practice gaining momentum and clarity through its prominence in the recent Framework for K-12 Science Education. Twenty classes of suburban sixth-graders participated in a new five-week Watershed Engineering Design Unit taught by their regular science teachers. Students engaged in scientific inquiry to learn about the structure, function, and health of their local watersheds, focusing on the effects of impervious surfaces. In small groups, students used the engineering design process to propose solutions to lessen the impact of runoff from their school campuses. The goal of this evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum in terms of student gains in understanding of (1) watershed function, (2) the impact of impervious surfaces, and (3) the engineering design process. To determine the impact of this curriculum on their learning, students took multiple-choice pre- and post-assessments made up of items covering the three categories above. This data was analyzed for statistical significance using a lower-tailed paired sample t-test. All three objectives showed statistically significant learning gains and the results were used to recommend improvements to the curriculum and the assessment instrument for future iterations.

  10. Effects of land use on the water quality and biota of three streams in the Piedmont province of North Carolina

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crawford, J.K.; Lenat, D.R.

    1989-01-01

    Three small streams in North Carolina 's northern Piedmont were studied to compare the effects of land use in their watersheds on water quality characteristics and aquatic biota. Devil 's Cradle Creek (agricultural watershed) had more than two times the sediment yield of Smith Creek (forested watershed) (0.34 tons/acre compared to 0.13 tons/acre), and Marsh Creek (urban watershed) had more than four times the yield of Smith Creek (0.59 tons/acre). Concentrations of nutrients were consistently highest in Devil 's Craddle Creek. Concentrations of total copper, iron, and lead in samples from each of the three streams at times exceeded State water quality standards as did concentrations of total zinc in samples from both Smith and Marsh Creeks. Successively lower aquatic invertebrate taxa richness was found in the forested, the agricultural, and the urban watershed streams. Invertebrate biota in Smith Creek was dominated by insects, such as Ephemeroptera, that are intolerant to stress from pollution, whereas Devil 's Cradle Creek was dominated by the more tolerant Diptera, and Marsh Creek was dominated by the most pollution-tolerant group, the Oligochaeta. Fish communities in the forested and agricultural watershed streams were characterized by more species and more individuals of each species, relative to a limited community in urban Marsh Creek. Three independent variables closely linked to land use--suspended-sediment yield, suspended-sediment load, and total lead concentrations in stream water--are inversely associated with the biological communities of the streams.

  11. Forestry Activities. A Guide for Youth Group Leaders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forest Service (USDA), Washington, DC.

    Twenty-six activities related to forestry, conservation, and outdoor education comprise the content of this leader's guide. Designed for use with youth groups, ideas and techniques range from forest conservation mobiles, locating forest fires, and Christmas tree uses to litterbug campaigns, watershed experiments, and crossword puzzles. Activities…

  12. Community Action for Recreation Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christiansen, Rudolph A.; And Others

    Examples of projects, notably those using watersheds, that local community action groups can promote in planning and developing needed recreational facilities are discussed in this study report. Objectives of the report are to create an awareness of group action in obtaining recreational development, to emphasize that community action is important…

  13. The Effect of Socially Shared Regulation Approach on Learning Performance in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Lanqin; Li, Xin; Huang, Ronghuai

    2017-01-01

    Students' abilities to socially shared regulation of their learning are crucial to productive and successful collaborative learning. However, how group members sustain and regulate collaborative processes is a neglected area in the field of collaborative learning. Furthermore, how group members engage in socially shared regulation still remains to…

  14. Observations of Student Behavior in Collaborative Learning Groups

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adams, Jeffrey P.; Brissenden, Gina; Lindell, Rebecca S.; Slater, Timothy F.; Wallace, Joy

    In an effort to determine how our students were responding to the use of collaborative learning groups in our large enrollment introductory astronomy (ASTRO 101) courses, we systematically observed the behavior of 270 undergraduate students working in 48 self-formed groups. Their observed behaviors were classified as: (i) actively engaged; (ii) watching actively; (iii) watching passively; and (iv) disengaged. We found that male behavior is consistent regardless of the sex-composition of the groups. However, females were categorized as watching passively and or disengaged significantly more frequently when working in groups that contained uneven numbers of males and females. This case study observation suggests that faculty who use collaborative learning groups might find that the level of student participation in collaborative group learning activities can depend on the sex-composition of the group.

  15. Integrating participatory engagement and scientific research to inform causes and solutions to water problems in the River Njoro Watershed Kenya.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jenkins, M.

    2012-12-01

    Over the course of 9 years, an international multidisciplinary team of US and Kenyan scientists under the Sustainable Management of Rural Watersheds (SUMAWA) Project, based at Egerton University in Kenya, worked with Kenyan public agencies to apply a variety of participatory methods and outreach activities combined with land use mapping, hydrologic and water system modeling, and other scientific tools and evaluations to investigate and identify solutions to declining water quantity and quality problems affecting communities and environmental and productive sectors in the River Njoro Watershed in Kenya. Traditional participatory rural appraisal techniques were modified to engage low income, informal, and tribal communities in identification of local services, benefits, and groups linked to water and riparian resources and collect their perceptions of water-related problems, priorities, and solution options throughout the watershed. Building on this foundation of insights, information, and engagement on water issues with local communities and other stakeholders, the project designed a research agenda aimed at creating shared scientific understanding of the causes of identified problems and developing and testing promising interventions to address community and stakeholder priority concerns. This presentation will share lessons from the SUMAWA experience of using a problem-driven, solution-oriented, community-based watershed approach to address water resource problems at local scale in a semi-arid African developing country setting.

  16. Bayesian Non-Stationary Index Gauge Modeling of Gridded Precipitation Extremes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verdin, A.; Bracken, C.; Caldwell, J.; Balaji, R.; Funk, C. C.

    2017-12-01

    We propose a Bayesian non-stationary model to generate watershed scale gridded estimates of extreme precipitation return levels. The Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) dataset is used to obtain gridded seasonal precipitation extremes over the Taylor Park watershed in Colorado for the period 1981-2016. For each year, grid cells within the Taylor Park watershed are aggregated to a representative "index gauge," which is input to the model. Precipitation-frequency curves for the index gauge are estimated for each year, using climate variables with significant teleconnections as proxies. Such proxies enable short-term forecasting of extremes for the upcoming season. Disaggregation ratios of the index gauge to the grid cells within the watershed are computed for each year and preserved to translate the index gauge precipitation-frequency curve to gridded precipitation-frequency maps for select return periods. Gridded precipitation-frequency maps are of the same spatial resolution as CHIRPS (0.05° x 0.05°). We verify that the disaggregation method preserves spatial coherency of extremes in the Taylor Park watershed. Validation of the index gauge extreme precipitation-frequency method consists of ensuring extreme value statistics are preserved on a grid cell basis. To this end, a non-stationary extreme precipitation-frequency analysis is performed on each grid cell individually, and the resulting frequency curves are compared to those produced by the index gauge disaggregation method.

  17. Visions of Restoration in Fire-Adapted Forest Landscapes: Lessons from the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program.

    PubMed

    Urgenson, Lauren S; Ryan, Clare M; Halpern, Charles B; Bakker, Jonathan D; Belote, R Travis; Franklin, Jerry F; Haugo, Ryan D; Nelson, Cara R; Waltz, Amy E M

    2017-02-01

    Collaborative approaches to natural resource management are becoming increasingly common on public lands. Negotiating a shared vision for desired conditions is a fundamental task of collaboration and serves as a foundation for developing management objectives and monitoring strategies. We explore the complex socio-ecological processes involved in developing a shared vision for collaborative restoration of fire-adapted forest landscapes. To understand participant perspectives and experiences, we analyzed interviews with 86 respondents from six collaboratives in the western U.S., part of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration on U.S. Forest Service lands. Although forest landscapes and group characteristics vary considerably, collaboratives faced common challenges to developing a shared vision for desired conditions. Three broad categories of challenges emerged: meeting multiple objectives, collaborative capacity and trust, and integrating ecological science and social values in decision-making. Collaborative groups also used common strategies to address these challenges, including some that addressed multiple challenges. These included use of issue-based recommendations, field visits, and landscape-level analysis; obtaining support from local agency leadership, engaging facilitators, and working in smaller groups (sub-groups); and science engagement. Increased understanding of the challenges to, and strategies for, developing a shared vision of desired conditions is critical if other collaboratives are to learn from these efforts.

  18. Visions of Restoration in Fire-Adapted Forest Landscapes: Lessons from the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urgenson, Lauren S.; Ryan, Clare M.; Halpern, Charles B.; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Belote, R. Travis; Franklin, Jerry F.; Haugo, Ryan D.; Nelson, Cara R.; Waltz, Amy E. M.

    2017-02-01

    Collaborative approaches to natural resource management are becoming increasingly common on public lands. Negotiating a shared vision for desired conditions is a fundamental task of collaboration and serves as a foundation for developing management objectives and monitoring strategies. We explore the complex socio-ecological processes involved in developing a shared vision for collaborative restoration of fire-adapted forest landscapes. To understand participant perspectives and experiences, we analyzed interviews with 86 respondents from six collaboratives in the western U.S., part of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration on U.S. Forest Service lands. Although forest landscapes and group characteristics vary considerably, collaboratives faced common challenges to developing a shared vision for desired conditions. Three broad categories of challenges emerged: meeting multiple objectives, collaborative capacity and trust, and integrating ecological science and social values in decision-making. Collaborative groups also used common strategies to address these challenges, including some that addressed multiple challenges. These included use of issue-based recommendations, field visits, and landscape-level analysis; obtaining support from local agency leadership, engaging facilitators, and working in smaller groups (sub-groups); and science engagement. Increased understanding of the challenges to, and strategies for, developing a shared vision of desired conditions is critical if other collaboratives are to learn from these efforts.

  19. The Power of a "Maverick" in Collaborative Problem Solving: An Experimental Investigation of Individual Perspective-Taking within a Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayashi, Yugo

    2018-01-01

    Integrating different perspectives is a sophisticated strategy for developing constructive interactions in collaborative problem solving. However, cognitive aspects such as individuals' knowledge and bias often obscure group consensus and produce conflict. This study investigated collaborative problem solving, focusing on a group member…

  20. Leadership in an International Collaborative Writing Groups (ICWG) Initiative: Implications for Academic Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marquis, Elizabeth; Mårtensson, Katarina; Healey, Mick

    2017-01-01

    This article presents the results of research examining an innovative initiative designed to build capacity for international, collaborative scholarship of teaching and learning: the development of international collaborative writing groups (ICWG). The study focusses particularly on the role of leadership within the groups as a significant factor…

  1. Primary Children's Management of Themselves and Others in Collaborative Group Work: "Sometimes It Takes Patience…"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kershner, Ruth; Warwick, Paul; Mercer, Neil; Kleine Staarman, Judith

    2014-01-01

    We focus on children's approaches to managing group work in classrooms where collaborative learning principles are explicit. Small groups of 8-10 year olds worked on collaborative science activities using an interactive whiteboard. Insubsequent interviews, they spoke of learning to "be patient" and "wait", for multiple social…

  2. Exploratory Talk in the Early Years: Analysing Exploratory Talk in Collaborative Group Activities Involving Younger Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Eira Wyn

    2018-01-01

    Collaborative group work has the potential for providing rich opportunities for children to learn through talk with peers; however, in practice, little effective engagement in learning is observed within authentic learning contexts. Exploratory talk is associated with high levels of cognitive challenge within collaborative group work. Detailed…

  3. How Pictorial Knowledge Representations Mediate Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naykki, Piia; Jarvela, Sanna

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the process of collaborative knowledge construction when technology and pictorial knowledge representations are used for visualizing individual and groups' shared ideas. The focus of the study is on how teacher-students contribute to the group's collaborative knowledge construction and use each other's ideas and tools as an…

  4. Trust Management - Building Trust for International Cross Disciplinary Collaboration on Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oakley, K. V.; Gurney, R. J.

    2014-12-01

    Successful communication and collaboration entails mutual understanding, and transfer, of information. The risk of misunderstanding and/or miscommunication between collaborating groups is tackled in different ways around the globe; some are well documented whereas others may be unknown outside particular groups, whether defined geographically or by specialism. For example; in some countries legally binding contracts define the terms of collaboration. Some regions place greater emphasis on developing trust relationships, and sometimes an official agreement is implied, such as many electronic data transfers on the web. International collaboration on climate change increasingly involves electronic data exchange (e.g. open access publications, shared documents, data repositories etc.) and with this increased reliance on electronic data a need has arisen for scientists to collaborate both internationally and cross-disciplinarily particularly with information technology and data management specialists. Trust of data and metadata on the internet (e.g. privacy, legitimacy etc.) varies, possibly due to a lack of internationally agreed standards for data governance and management, leaving many national, regional and institutional practices tailored to the needs of that group only. It is proposed that building trust relationships between cross-disciplinary and international groups could help facilitate further communication, understanding and benefits from the relationship, while still maintaining independence as separate groups. Complex international cross-disciplinary group relationship dynamics are not easily mapped and producing a set of trust building rules that can be applied to any current and future collaboration with equal validity may be unfeasible. An alternative to such a set of rules may be found in a Trust Manager, whose role is to improve mutually beneficial knowledge exchange between groups, build trust and increase future collaborative potential. This presentation will report on the potential of trust management to improve international cross disciplinary climate change collaboration.

  5. Comparison of Collaboration and Performance in Groups of Learners Assembled Randomly or Based on Learners' Topic Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cela, Karina L.; Sicilia, Miguel Ángel; Sánchez, Salvador

    2015-01-01

    Teachers and instructional designers frequently incorporate collaborative learning approaches into their e-learning environments. A key factor of collaborative learning that may affect learner outcomes is whether the collaborative groups are assigned project topics randomly or based on a shared interest in the topic. This is a particularly…

  6. Response of aquatic macrophytes to human land use perturbations in the watersheds of Wisconsin lakes, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sass, Laura L.; Bozek, Michael A.; Hauxwell, Jennifer A.; Wagner, Kelly; Knight, Susan

    2010-01-01

    Aquatic macrophyte communities were assessed in 53 lakes in Wisconsin, U.S.A. along environmental and land use development gradients to determine effects human land use perturbations have on aquatic macrophytes at the watershed and riparian development scales. Species richness and relative frequency were surveyed in lakes from two ecoregions: the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion and the Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plain Ecoregion. Lakes were selected along a gradient of watershed development ranging from undeveloped (i.e., forested), to agricultural to urban development. Land uses occurring in the watershed and in perimeters of different width (0–100, 0–200, 0–500, and 0–1000 m from shore, in the watershed) were used to assess effects on macrophyte communities. Snorkel and SCUBA were used to survey aquatic macrophyte species in 18 quadrats of 0.25 m2 along 14 transects placed perpendicular to shore in each lake. Effects of watershed development (e.g., agriculture and/or urban) were tested at whole-lake (entire littoral zone) and near-shore (within 7 m of shore) scales using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and linear regression. Overall, species richness was negatively related to watershed development, while frequencies of individual species and groups differed in level of response to different land use perturbations. Effects of land use in the perimeters on macrophytes, with a few exceptions, did not provide higher correlations compared to land use at the watershed scale. In lakes with higher total watershed development levels, introduced species, particularly Myriophyllumspicatum, increased in abundance and native species, especially potamids, isoetids, and floating-leaved plants, declined in abundance. Correlations within the northern and southeastern ecoregions separately were not significant. Multivariate analyses suggested species composition is driven by environmental responses as well as human development pressures. Both water chemistry and land use variables loaded positively with the first CCA axis indicating that these factors are correlated. Land use pressures in Wisconsin are greater in the southeastern portion of the state where lakes have higher concentrations of water chemistry variables including alkalinity, conductivity, pH, calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen. This creates a complex gradient that influences species composition of macrophyte communities from lake to lake.

  7. McKenzie River Focus Watershed Coordination: Year-End Report 2000.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thrailkil, Jim

    2000-01-01

    This report summarizes accomplishments of the McKenzie River Focus Watershed Council (MWC) in the areas of coordination and administration during Fiscal Year 2000. Coordination and administration consist of prioritization and planning for projects; project management and implementation; procurement of funding for long-term support of the Council; and watershed education/outreach program for residents and local schools. Key accomplishments in the area of project planning include coordinating: monthly Council and executive committee meetings; staffing the Upper Willamette Spring Chinook Working Group; staffing the water quality technical committee; and guiding education and stewardship projects. Key accomplishments in the area of project management includemore » the completion of the McKenzie-Willamette Confluence Assessment; securing funds for project planning in the confluence area; near completion of the BPA funded McKenzie sub-basin assessment; development of a framework for a McKenzie Watershed Conservation Strategy; an evaluation of Council's monitoring programs - ambient water quality, storm-event water quality, Tier III water quality, and macroinvertebrate monitoring. The Council, in cooperation with the McKenzie River Cooperative, completed habitat enhancements in the Gate Creek and Deer Creek sub-watersheds. This partnership recently submitted Bring Back the Natives grant for initiation of projects in other McKenzie tributaries. The Council will also be working with a local business to develop a river-side riparian enhancement and native landscaping project on the lodge grounds. This will serve as a demonstration project for blending fish and wildlife habitat concerns with maintaining grounds for business opportunities. Accomplishments in the area of procurement of funding included developing the FY2000 Scope of Work and budget for approval by the Council and BPA; providing quarterly budget and work program progress reports to the Council; and securing additional funding from Council partner organizations and foundations. Highlights in the area of watershed education/outreach include the MWC's lead role in convening the Watershed Education Network for teachers as part of its educational mission; production of newsletters and brochures; and coordination of media coverage of watershed-related issues.« less

  8. Fingerprinting Sources of Suspended Sediment in a Canadian Agricultural Watershed Using the MixSIAR Bayesian Unmixing Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, J. P.; Owens, P. N.; Gaspar, L.; Lobb, D. A.; Petticrew, E. L.

    2015-12-01

    An understanding of sediment redistribution processes and the main sediment sources within a watershed is needed to support watershed management strategies. The fingerprinting technique is increasingly being recognized as a method for establishing the source of the sediment transported within watersheds. However, the different behaviour of the various fingerprinting properties has been recognized as a major limitation of the technique, and the uncertainty associated with tracer selection needs to be addressed. There are also questions associated with which modelling approach (frequentist or Bayesian) is the best to unmix complex environmental mixtures, such as river sediment. This study aims to compare and evaluate the differences between fingerprinting predictions provided by a Bayesian unmixing model (MixSIAR) using different groups of tracer properties for use in sediment source identification. We used fallout radionuclides (e.g. 137Cs) and geochemical elements (e.g. As) as conventional fingerprinting properties, and colour parameters as emerging properties; both alone and in combination. These fingerprinting properties are being used (i.e. Koiter et al., 2013; Barthod et al., 2015) to determine the proportional contributions of fine sediment in the South Tobacco Creek Watershed, an agricultural watershed located in Manitoba, Canada. We show that the unmixing model using a combination of fallout radionuclides and geochemical tracers gave similar results to the model based on colour parameters. Furthermore, we show that a model that combines all tracers (i.e. radionuclide/geochemical and colour) gave similar results, showing that sediment sources change from predominantly topsoil in the upper reaches of the watershed to channel bank and bedrock outcrop material in the lower reaches. Barthod LRM et al. (2015). Selecting color-based tracers and classifying sediment sources in the assessment of sediment dynamics using sediment source fingerprinting. J Environ Qual. Doi:10.2134/jeq2015.01.0043 Koiter AJ et al. (2013). Investigating the role of connectivity and scale in assessing the sources of sediment in an agricultural watershed in the Canadian prairies using sediment source fingerprinting. J Soils Sediments, 13, 1676-1691.

  9. Effects of spatial orientation of prairie vegetation in an agricultural landscape on curve number values

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Franz, K.; Dziubanski, D.; Helmers, M. J.

    2015-12-01

    The simplicity of the Curve Number (CN) method, which summarizes an area's hydrologic soil group, land cover, treatment, and hydrologic condition into a single number, make it a consistently popular choice for modelers. When multiple land cover types are present, a weighted average of the CNs is used. However, the weighted CN does not account for the spatial distribution of different land cover types within the watershed. To overcome this limitation, it becomes necessary to discretize the model into homogenous subunits, perhaps even to the hillslope scale, leading to a more complex model application. The objective of this study is to empirically derive CN values that reflect the effects of placements of native prairie vegetation (NPV) within agricultural landscapes. We derived CN values using precipitation and runoff data from (May 1 - Sept 30 over a 7 year period (2008 - 2014) for 9 ephemeral watersheds in Iowa (USA) ranging from 0.47 to 3.19 ha. The watersheds were planted with varying extents of NPV (0%, 10%, 20%) in different watershed positions (footslope vs. contour strips), with the rest of the watershed as row crop. The derived CN values from watersheds with all row crop were consistent with published values and watersheds with NPV had an average CN reduction of 6.4%, with a maximum reduction of 11.6%. Four of the six sites with treatment had a lower CN than one calculated using a weighted average of look-up values, indicating that accounting for placement of vegetation within the landscape is important for modeling runoff with the CN method. The derived CNs were verified using the leave-one-year-out method (computing CN using data from 6 of the 7 years, and then estimating runoff on the seventh year with that CN). Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values for the estimated runoff typically ranged from 0.4-0.6. Our results suggest that the new CNs could confidently be used in future modeling studies to explore the hydrologic impacts of the NPV treatments at increasingly larger watershed scales.

  10. The Huaihe Basin Water Resource and Water Quality Management Platform Implemented with a Spatio-Temporal Data Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Y.; Zhang, W.; Yan, C.

    2012-07-01

    Presently, planning and assessment in maintenance, renewal and decision-making for watershed hydrology, water resource management and water quality assessment are evolving toward complex, spatially explicit regional environmental assessments. These problems have to be addressed with object-oriented spatio-temporal data models that can restore, manage, query and visualize various historic and updated basic information concerning with watershed hydrology, water resource management and water quality as well as compute and evaluate the watershed environmental conditions so as to provide online forecasting to police-makers and relevant authorities for supporting decision-making. The extensive data requirements and the difficult task of building input parameter files, however, has long been an obstacle to use of such complex models timely and effectively by resource managers. Success depends on an integrated approach that brings together scientific, education and training advances made across many individual disciplines and modified to fit the needs of the individuals and groups who must write, implement, evaluate, and adjust their watershed management plans. The centre for Hydro-science Research, Nanjing University, in cooperation with the relevant watershed management authorities, has developed a WebGIS management platform to facilitate this complex process. Improve the management of watersheds over the Huaihe basin through the development, promotion and use of a web-based, user-friendly, geospatial watershed management data and decision support system (WMDDSS) involved many difficulties for the development of this complicated System. In terms of the spatial and temporal characteristics of historic and currently available information on meteorological, hydrological, geographical, environmental and other relevant disciplines, we designed an object-oriented spatiotemporal data model that combines spatial, attribute and temporal information to implement the management system. Using this system, we can update, query and analyze environmental information as well as manage historical data, and a visualization tool was provided to help the user interpret results so as to provide scientific support for decision-making. The utility of the system has been demonstrated its values by being used in watershed management and environmental assessments.

  11. Mercury Accumulation in Biota of Tributaries of the Finger Lakes, New York

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cleckner, L.; Razavi, R.; Cushman, S. F.; Massey, T.

    2016-12-01

    Mercury (Hg) is an aquatic pollutant whose availability to a given waterbody is closely tied to watershed characteristics. Transport of Hg from watersheds to waterbodies is controlled primarily by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and suspended particulate matter. This study was conducted to assess accumulation of Hg in biota of tributaries of five Finger Lakes watersheds in New York, USA. Very little is known regarding Hg dynamics within Finger Lakes stream food webs or how tributaries contribute to Hg transport to the lakes themselves. Sources of Hg in the region include atmospheric pollution from an active coal-fired power plant. Between May and October 2015, two species of stream fish (Blacknose Dace, Rhinichthys atratulus, and Creek Chub, Semotilus atromaculatus) were collected by backpack electrofishing. At the same time, benthic macroinvertebrates representing various feeding groups and periphyton were collected for methylmercury determination. Samples for suspended particulate matter, DOC, and specific ultraviolet absorbance were also collected. The study objectives were to determine 1) whether differences existed in fish biota Hg concentrations among lake watersheds, and 2) the influence of DOC and land use on observed biota Hg accumulation patterns. Preliminary analyses of fish Hg results indicate a difference in accumulation between the two indicator species selected. Mercury concentrations were found to increase with fish size. Across all lake watersheds, Creek Chub were found to be significantly larger than Blacknose Dace. However, there was no significant difference in Hg concentrations between the two species. A within watershed analysis of five Seneca Lake tributaries showed that average Hg concentrations were significantly higher in Blacknose Dace than Creek Chub. This suggests this species is more vulnerable to Hg accumulation and a better indicator of Hg availability. No significant differences were found in Creek Chub Hg concentrations among watersheds, but Blacknose Dace did reveal significant differences among the five lake watersheds investigated. This presentation will include results of a mixed effects general linear model to assess land use and DOC as predictors of Finger Lakes tributary biota Hg concentrations.

  12. Watershed Landscape Ecology: Interdisciplinary and Field-based Learning in the Northeast Creek Watershed, Mount Desert Island, Maine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hall, S. R.; Anderson, J.; Rajakaruna, N.; Cass, D.

    2014-12-01

    At the College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, undergraduate students have the opportunity to design their own curriculum within a major of "Human Ecology." To enable students to have early research experiences, we developed a field-based interdisciplinary program for students to learn and practice field methods in a variety of disciplines, Earth Science, Botany, Chemistry, and Wildlife Biology at three specific field sites within a single watershed on Mt. Desert Island. As the Northeast Creek watershed was the site of previous water quality studies, this program of courses enabled continued monitoring of portions of the watershed. The program includes 4 new courses: Critical Zone 1, Critical Zone 2, Wildlife Biology, and Botany. In Critical Zone 1 students are introduced to general topics in Earth Science and learn to use ArcGIS to make basic maps. In Critical Zone 2, Wildlife Biology, and Botany, students are in the field every week using classic field tools and methods. All three of these courses use the same three general field areas: two with working farms at the middle and lower portion of the watershed and one uninhabited forested property in the higher relief headwaters of the watershed. Students collect daily surface water chemistry data at five stream sites within the watershed, complete basic geologic bedrock and geomorphic mapping, conduct wildlife surveys, botanical surveys, and monitor weather patterns at each of the main sites. Beyond the class data collected and synthesized, students also complete group independent study projects at focused field sites, some of which have turned into much larger research projects. This program is an opportunity for students and faculty with varied interests and expertise to work together to study a specific field locality over multiple years. We see this model as enhancing a number of positive education components: field-based learning, teamwork, problem solving, interdisciplinary discussion, multiple faculty interaction, student mentoring, and original research. In the future we see the possibility of welcoming even more interdisciplinary work including rigorous studies spanning the arts and humanities.

  13. A test of vegetation-related indicators of wetland quality in the prairie pothole region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kantrud, H.A.; Newton, W.E.

    1996-01-01

    This study was part of an effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to quantitatively assess the environmental quality or 'health' of wetland resources on regional and national scales. During a two-year pilot study, we tested selected indicators of wetland quality in the U.S. portion of the prairie pothole region (PPR). We assumed that the amount of cropland versus non-cropland (mostly grassland) in the plots containing these basins was a proxy for their quality. We then tested indicators by their ability to discriminate between wetlands at the extremes of that proxy. Amounts of standing dead vegetation were greater in zones of greater water permanence. Depth of litter was greater in zones of greater water permanence and in zones of basins in poor-quality watersheds. Amounts of unvegetated bottom were greater in basins in poor-quality watersheds; lesser amounts occurred in all wetlands during a wetter year. Greater amounts of open water occurred during a wetter year and in zones of greater water permanence. When unadjusted for areas (ha) of communities, plant taxon richness was higher in wet-meadow and shallow-marsh zones in good-quality watersheds than in similar zones in poor-quality watersheds. Wet-meadow zones in good-quality watersheds had greater numbers of native perennials than those in poor-quality watersheds. This relation held when we eliminated all communities in good-quality watersheds larger than the largest communities in poor-quality watersheds from the data set. We conclude that although amounts of unvegetated bottom and plant taxon richness in wet-meadow zones were useful indicators of wetland quality during our study, the search for additional such indicators should continue. The value of these indicators may change with the notoriously unstable hydrological conditions in the PPR. Most valuable would be indicators that could be photographed or otherwise remotely sensed and would remain relatively stable under various hydrological conditions. An ideal set of indicators could detect the absence of stressors, as well as the presence of structures or functions, of known value to major groups of organisms.

  14. Impacts on water quality and biota from natural acid rock drainage in Colorado's Lake Creek watershed

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bird, D.A.; Sares, Matthew A.; Policky, Greg A.; Schmidt, Travis S.; Church, Stan E.

    2006-01-01

    Colorado's Lake Creek watershed hosts natural acid rock drainage that significantly impacts surface water, streambed sediment, and aquatic life. The source of the ARD is a group of iron-rich springs that emerge from intensely hydrothermally altered, unexploited, low-grade porphyry copper mineralization in the Grizzly Peak Caldera. Source water chemistry includes pH of 2.5 and dissolved metal concentrations of up to 277 mg/L aluminum, 498 mg/L iron, and 10 mg/L copper. From the hydrothermally altered area downstream for 27 kilometers to Twin Lakes Reservoir, metal concentrations in streambed sediment are elevated and the watershed experiences locally severe adverse impacts to aquatic life due to the acidic, metal-laden water. The water and sediment quality of Twin Lakes Reservoir is sufficiently improved that the reservoir supports a trout fishery, and remnants of upstream ARD are negligible.

  15. Federal Facility Agreement Annual Progress Report for Fiscal Year 1999 Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC

    2000-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy-Oak Ridge Operations (DOE-ORO) EM Program adopted a watershed approach for performing Remedial Investigations (RIs) and characterizations for ORR because it is an effective system for determining the best methods for protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems and protecting human health. The basic concept is that water quality and ecosystem problems are best solved at the watershed level rather than at the individual water-body or discharger level. The watershed approach requires consideration of all environmental concerns, including needs to protect public health, critical habitats such as wetlands, biological integrity, and surface and ground waters. The watershed approachmore » provides an improved basis for management decisions concerning contaminant sources and containment. It allows more direct focus by stakeholders on achieving ecological goals and water quality standards rather than a measurement of program activities based on numbers of permits or samples. The watershed approach allows better management strategies for investigations, therefore maximizing the utilization of scarce resources. Feasibility studies (FSs) evaluate various alternatives in terms of environmental standards, the protection of human health and the environment, and the costs of implementation to find the optimum solution among them. Society has to decide how much it is willing to spend to meet the standards and to be protective. Conducting FSs is the process of trading off those criteria to pick that optimum point that society wants to achieve. Performing this analysis at the watershed scale allows those trade-offs to be made meaningfully. In addition, a Land Use Control Assurance Plan for the ORR was prepared to identify the strategy for assuring the long-term effectiveness of land use controls. These land use controls will be relied upon to protect human health and the environment at areas of the ORR undergoing remediation pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and/or the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. This plan will be implemented by means of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) incorporating its terms with the United States EPA and TDEC. The majority of projects described in this report are grouped into five watersheds. They are the East Tennessee Technical Park (ETTP) Watershed (formerly the K-25 Site), the Melton Valley (MV) and Bethel Valley (BV) Watersheds at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Bear Creek Valley (BCV) and Upper East Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC) Watersheds at the Y-12 Plant.« less

  16. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Middle School Student Science Misconceptions as an Aspect of Science Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wendt, Jillian L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda

    2014-01-01

    This quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design examined the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative face-to-face activities whereas students in the experimental group participated in online…

  17. Impact of Collaborative Tools Utilization on Group Performance in University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hidayanto, Achmad Nizar; Setyady, Stella Tantra

    2014-01-01

    Nowadays the growth of technology influences the changes in group collaboration's process either for the professional or for the students. The requirement of interaction in group collaboration while doing task forces the students to schedule their meeting in order to finish the task given. So the technology starts to influence the process of group…

  18. Vocabulary Learning in Collaborative Tasks: A Comparison of Pair and Small Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobao, Ana Fernández

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the opportunities that pair and small group interaction offer for collaborative dialogue and second language (L2) vocabulary learning. It compared the performance of the same collaborative writing task by learners working in groups of four (n = 60) and in pairs (n = 50), focusing on the occurrence of lexical language-related…

  19. Group functioning of a collaborative family research team.

    PubMed

    Johnson, S K; Halm, M A; Titler, M G; Craft, M; Kleiber, C; Montgomery, L A; Nicholson, A; Buckwalter, K; Cram, E

    1993-07-01

    Collaborative research teams are an attractive means of conducting nursing research in the clinical setting because of the many opportunities that collaboration can supply. These opportunities include a chance to: (1) network with other nurses who have similar interests, (2) share knowledge and expertise for designing clinical studies that directly affect daily practice, (3) develop instruments, (4) write grant proposals, (5) collect and analyze data, and (6) prepare manuscripts for publication. The effectiveness of research teams, however, is strongly influenced by group functioning. This article describes the functioning of a collaborative family interventions research team of nursing faculty members and CNSs at a large Midwestern university setting. The formation of the group and membership characteristics are described, along with strategies used to identify the research focus and individual and group goals. Aspects related to the influence of the group on members and the internal operations of the group are also addressed. Future strategies to be explored will focus on the size of the group and joint authorship issues. The authors also set forth a number of recommendations for development of collaborative research groups.

  20. Effect of collaborative testing on learning and retention of course content in nursing students.

    PubMed

    Rivaz, Mozhgan; Momennasab, Marzieh; Shokrollahi, Paymaneh

    2015-10-01

    Collaborative testing is a learning strategy that provides students with the opportunity to learn and practice collaboration. This study aimed to determine the effect of collaborative testing on test performance and retention of course content in nursing students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 84 students enrolled in the course of Medical-Surgical 2 in Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 semesters. The control group consisting of 39 students participated in the first mid-term exam in an individual format. The intervention group, on the other hand, consisted of 45 students who took the test in a two-stage process. The first stage included an individual testing, while the second stage was a collaborative one given in groups of five individuals chosen randomly. Four weeks later, in order to investigate retention of the course content, both groups took part in the second mid-term exam held individually. The study findings showed significant difference between the mean scores in the intervention group in the Fall 2013 semester (p=0.001). Besides, a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the tests mean scores (p=0.001). Moreover, retention of course content improved in the collaborative group (p=0.001). The results indicated an increase in test performance and a long-term learning enhancement in collaborative testing compared with the traditional method. Collaborative testing, as an active learning technique and a valuable assessment method, can help nursing instructors provide the alumni with strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities at healthcare environments.

  1. Modelling crop land use change derived from influencing factors selected and ranked by farmers in North temperate agricultural regions.

    PubMed

    Mehdi, Bano; Lehner, Bernhard; Ludwig, Ralf

    2018-08-01

    To develop meaningful land use scenarios, drivers that affect changes in the landscape are required. In this study, driving factors that influence farmers to change crops on their farm were determined. A questionnaire was administered to four independent groups of farmers who identified and ranked influencing factors pertaining to their choices of crops. The farmers were located in two mid-latitude agricultural watersheds (in Germany and Canada). The ranked influencing factors were used to develop a "farmer driven" scenario to 2040 in both watersheds. Results showed that the most important influencing factors for farmers to change crops were the "economic return of the crop" and "market factors". Yet, when the drivers of crop land use change were grouped into two categories of "financial" and "indirectly-related financial" factors, the "financial" factors made up approximately half of the influencing factors. For some responses, the "indirectly-related financial" factors (i.e. "access to farm equipment", the "farm experience", and "climate") ranked higher than or just as high as the financial factors. Overall, in the four farmer groups the differences between the rankings of the influencing factors were minor, indicating that drivers may be transferable between farms if the farmers are full-time and the farming regions have comparable growing seasons, access to markets, similar technology, and government programs for farm income. In addition to the "farmer driven" scenario, a "policy driven" scenario was derived for each watershed based only on available information on the financial incentives provided to farmers (i.e. agricultural subsidies, income support, crop insurance). The influencing factors ranked by the farmers provided in-depth information that was not captured by the "policy driven" scenario and contributed to improving predictions for crop land use development. This straight-forward method to rank qualitative data provided by farmers can easily be replicated in other watersheds to improve environmental impact modelling. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change: Middle school students learning about ecosystems in a CSCL environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Lei

    The dissertation aims to achieve two goals. First, it attempts to establish a new theoretical framework---the collaborative scientific conceptual change model, which explicitly attends to social factor and epistemic practices of science, to understand conceptual change. Second, it report the findings of a classroom study to investigate how to apply this theoretical framework to examine the trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change in a CSCL environment and provide pedagogical implications. Two simulations were designed to help students make connections between the macroscopic substances and the aperceptual microscopic entities and underlying processes. The reported study was focused on analyzing the aggregated data from all participants and the video and audio data from twenty focal groups' collaborative activities and the process of their conceptual development in two classroom settings. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses were applied to analyze the video/audio data. The results found that, overall participants showed significant improvements from pretest to posttest on system understanding. Group and teacher effect as well as group variability were detected in both students' posttest performance and their collaborative activities, and variability emerged in group interaction. Multiple data analyses found that attributes of collaborative discourse and epistemic practices made a difference in student learning. Generating warranted claims in discourse as well as the predicting, coordinating theory-evidence, and modifying knowledge in epistemic practices had an impact on student's conceptual understanding. However, modifying knowledge was found negatively related to students' learning effect. The case studies show how groups differed in using the computer tools as a medium to conduct collaborative discourse and epistemic practices. Only with certain combination of discourse features and epistemic practices can the group interaction lead to successful convergent understanding. The results of the study imply that the collaborative scientific conceptual change model is an effective framework to study conceptual change and the simulation environment may mediate the development of successful collaborative interactions (including collaborative discourse and epistemic practices) that lead to collaborative scientific conceptual change.

  3. Watershed boundaries and geographic isolation: patterns of diversification in cutthroat trout from western North America.

    PubMed

    Loxterman, Janet L; Keeley, Ernest R

    2012-03-19

    For wide-ranging species, intraspecific variation can occur as a result of reproductive isolation from local adaptive differences or from physical barriers to movement. Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), a widely distributed fish species from North America, has been divided into numerous putative subspecies largely based on its isolation in different watersheds. In this study, we examined mtDNA sequence variation of cutthroat trout to determine the major phylogenetic lineages of this polytypic species. We use these data as a means of testing whether geographic isolation by watershed boundaries can be a primary factor organizing intraspecific diversification. We collected cutthroat trout from locations spanning almost the entire geographic range of this species and included samples from all major subspecies of cutthroat trout. Based on our analyses, we reveal eight major lineages of cutthroat trout, six of which correspond to subspecific taxonomy commonly used to describe intraspecific variation in this species. The Bonneville cutthroat trout (O. c. utah) and Yellowstone cutthroat trout (O. c. bouvieri) did not form separate monophyletic lineages, but instead formed an intermixed clade. We also document the geographic distribution of a Great Basin lineage of cutthroat trout; a group typically defined as Bonneville cutthroat trout, but it appears more closely related to the Colorado River lineage of cutthroat trout. Our study indicates that watershed boundaries can be an organizing factor isolating genetic diversity in fishes; however, historical connections between watersheds can also influence the template of isolation. Widely distributed species, like cutthroat trout, offer an opportunity to assess where historic watershed connections may have existed, and help explain the current distribution of biological diversity across a landscape.

  4. Habitat Restoration and Monitoring in Urban Streams: The Case of Tryon Creek in Portland, OR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rios Touma, B. P.; Prescott, C.; Axtell, S.; Kondolf, G. M.

    2013-12-01

    Habitat enhancement in urban streams can be important for threatened species but challenging, because of altered catchment hydrology and urban encroachment on floodplains and channel banks. In Portland (OR) restoration actions have been undertaken at the watershed scale (e.g.: storm water management, protection of sites with high watershed value) to improve water quality, and at reach scale, when water quality and quantity are adequate, to increase habitat heterogeneity and stabilize banks. To evaluate reach-scale restoration projects in the Tryon Creek watershed, we sampled benthic macroinvertebrates and conducted habitat quality surveys pre-project and over 4 years post- project. Species sensitive to pollution and diversity of trophic groups increased after restoration. Although taxonomical diversity increased after restoration, but was still low compared to reference streams. We found no significant changes in trait proportions and functional diversity. Functional diversity, proportion of shredders and semivoltine invertebrates were significantly higher in reference streams than the restored stream reaches. We hypothesized that inputs of coarse particulate organic matter and land use at watershed scale may explain the differences in biodiversity between restored and reference stream reaches. Variables such as substrate composition, canopy cover or large wood pieces did not change from pre- to post-project, so could not explain the changes in the community. This may have been partly attributable to insensitivity of the visual estimate methods used, but likely also reflects an importance influence of watershed variables on aquatic biota - suggesting watershed actions may be more effective for the ecological recovery of streams. For future projects, we recommend multihabitat benthic sampling supported by studies of channel geomorphology to better understand stream response to restoration actions.

  5. Watershed boundaries and geographic isolation: patterns of diversification in cutthroat trout from western North America

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background For wide-ranging species, intraspecific variation can occur as a result of reproductive isolation from local adaptive differences or from physical barriers to movement. Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), a widely distributed fish species from North America, has been divided into numerous putative subspecies largely based on its isolation in different watersheds. In this study, we examined mtDNA sequence variation of cutthroat trout to determine the major phylogenetic lineages of this polytypic species. We use these data as a means of testing whether geographic isolation by watershed boundaries can be a primary factor organizing intraspecific diversification. Results We collected cutthroat trout from locations spanning almost the entire geographic range of this species and included samples from all major subspecies of cutthroat trout. Based on our analyses, we reveal eight major lineages of cutthroat trout, six of which correspond to subspecific taxonomy commonly used to describe intraspecific variation in this species. The Bonneville cutthroat trout (O. c. utah) and Yellowstone cutthroat trout (O. c. bouvieri) did not form separate monophyletic lineages, but instead formed an intermixed clade. We also document the geographic distribution of a Great Basin lineage of cutthroat trout; a group typically defined as Bonneville cutthroat trout, but it appears more closely related to the Colorado River lineage of cutthroat trout. Conclusion Our study indicates that watershed boundaries can be an organizing factor isolating genetic diversity in fishes; however, historical connections between watersheds can also influence the template of isolation. Widely distributed species, like cutthroat trout, offer an opportunity to assess where historic watershed connections may have existed, and help explain the current distribution of biological diversity across a landscape. PMID:22429757

  6. Improving Students' Summary Writing Ability through Collaboration: A Comparison between Online Wiki Group and Conventional Face-To-Face Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wichadee, Saovapa

    2013-01-01

    Wikis, as one of the Web 2.0 social networking tools, have been increasingly integrated into second language (L2) instruction to promote collaborative writing. The current study examined and compared summary writing abilities between students learning by wiki-based collaboration and students learning by traditional face-to-face collaboration.…

  7. Collaboration amidst Disagreement and Moral Judgment: The Dynamics of Jewish and Arab Students' Collaborative Inquiry of Their Joint Past

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pollack, Sarah; Kolikant, Yifat Ben-David

    2012-01-01

    We present an instructional model involving a computer-supported collaborative learning environment, in which students from two conflicting groups collaboratively investigate an event relevant to their past using historical texts. We traced one enactment of the model by a group comprised of two Israeli Jewish and two Israeli Arab students. Our…

  8. Group Collaboration in Organizations: Architectures, Methodologies and Tools

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-03-01

    collaboration , its definition and characteristics was completed. Next, existing technologies and standards were studied as well as the ...2000). 22 For effective collaboration , the technology must support the dynamic world of work be it individual, group and/or teamwork, as well as... develop it or simply use it as the basis of discussion. If collaborators are all contributing to the development of a

  9. Collaborative Learning in Higher Education: Evoking Positive Interdependence

    PubMed Central

    Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes; Peeters, Ton; Vulperhorst, Jonne; Wiegant, Fred

    2016-01-01

    Collaborative learning is a widely used instructional method, but the learning potential of this instructional method is often underused in practice. Therefore, the importance of various factors underlying effective collaborative learning should be determined. In the current study, five different life sciences undergraduate courses with successful collaborative-learning results were selected. This study focuses on factors that increased the effectiveness of collaboration in these courses, according to the students. Nine focus group interviews were conducted and analyzed. Results show that factors evoking effective collaboration were student autonomy and self-regulatory behavior, combined with a challenging, open, and complex group task that required the students to create something new and original. The design factors of these courses fostered a sense of responsibility and of shared ownership of both the collaborative process and the end product of the group assignment. In addition, students reported the absence of any free riders in these group assignments. Interestingly, it was observed that students seemed to value their sense of achievement, their learning processes, and the products they were working on more than their grades. It is concluded that collaborative learning in higher education should be designed using challenging and relevant tasks that build shared ownership with students. PMID:27909019

  10. Collaborative Testing in Practical Laboratories: An Effective Teaching-Learning Method in Histology.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yuping; Li, Enzhong

    2016-01-01

    This article presents an experimental teaching and learning program used in histology with first-year students in the second term in the Faculty of Biology at Huanghuai University, China. Eighty-six students were divided randomly into two groups (n=43 per group). Tests were conducted at the end of each practical laboratory (10 laboratories in total) in which collaborative testing was used in the experimental group and traditional testing in the control group. To assess achievement, a final examination in histology was carried out at the end of the course. To determine students' attitude to the teaching styles, a questionnaire survey was conducted at the end of the term. Results showed that students preferred the collaborative testing format. In the experimental group, students' scores were significantly higher than those of students in the control group in final examinations. These findings indicate that collaborative testing enhances student learning and understanding of the material taught, and suggest that collaborative testing is an effective teaching-learning method in histology.

  11. The National Map hydrography data stewardship: what is it and why is it important?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Arnold, Dave

    2014-01-01

    The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) were designed and populated by a large consortium of agencies involved in hydrography across the United States. The effort was led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The high-resolution NHD dataset, completed in 2007, is based on the USGS 7.5-minute series topographic maps at a scale of 1:24,000. There are now 26 million features in the NHD representing a 7.5 million mile stream network with over 6.5 million waterbodies. The six-level WBD, completed in 2010, is based on 1:24,000 scale data and contains over 23,000 watershed polygons. The NHD’s flow network, attribution, and linear referencing are used to conduct extensive scientific analyses. The NHD is ideal for cartographic applications such as the US Topo topographic map series, and also is available on the Geospatial Platform, which provides shared and trusted geospatial data, services, and applications for use by government agencies, their partners, and the public. The WBD watersheds are used by scientists and managers to identify discrete drainage areas. The ongoing maintenance of the NHD and WBD is essential for improving these datasets to meet the ever increasing demand for currency, additional detail, and more significant attribution. The best source of information about changes in local hydrography are users closest to the data, such as State and local governments, as well as Federal land management agencies, and other users of the data. The need for local knowledge has led to the creation of a collaborative data stewardship process to revise and maintain the NHD.

  12. Sensor Webs and Virtual Globes: Enabling Understanding of Changes in a partially Glaciated Watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heavner, M.; Fatland, D. R.; Habermann, M.; Berner, L.; Hood, E.; Connor, C.; Galbraith, J.; Knuth, E.; O'Brien, W.

    2008-12-01

    The University of Alaska Southeast is currently implementing a sensor web identified as the SouthEast Alaska MOnitoring Network for Science, Telecommunications, Education, and Research (SEAMONSTER). SEAMONSTER is operating in the partially glaciated Mendenhall and Lemon Creek Watersheds, in the Juneau area, on the margins of the Juneau Icefield. These watersheds are studied for both 1. long term monitoring of changes, and 2. detection and analysis of transient events (such as glacier lake outburst floods). The heterogeneous sensors (meteorologic, dual frequency GPS, water quality, lake level, etc), power and bandwidth constraints, and competing time scales of interest require autonomous reactivity of the sensor web. They also present challenges for operational management of the sensor web. The harsh conditions on the glaciers provide additional operating constraints. The tight integration of the sensor web and virtual global enabling technology enhance the project in multiple ways. We are utilizing virtual globe infrastructures to enhance both sensor web management and data access. SEAMONSTER utilizes virtual globes for education and public outreach, sensor web management, data dissemination, and enabling collaboration. Using a PosgreSQL with GIS extensions database coupled to the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Geoserver, we generate near-real-time auto-updating geobrowser files of the data in multiple OGC standard formats (e.g KML, WCS). Additionally, embedding wiki pages in this database allows the development of a geospatially aware wiki describing the projects for better public outreach and education. In this presentation we will describe how we have implemented these technologies to date, the lessons learned, and our efforts towards greater OGC standard implementation. A major focus will be on demonstrating how geobrowsers and virtual globes have made this project possible.

  13. Thirty Years of Participatory Watershed Research: Engaging Citizen Scientists Through the NH Lakes Lay Monitoring Program (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schloss, J. A.

    2009-12-01

    While it began as a citizen water quality monitoring program to document long-term trends and find problem areas impacting lake watersheds the New Hampshire Lakes Lay Monitoring Program soon evolved into a model effort for engaging the participants to help investigate a wide range of scientific questions primarily derived through their concerns. As a true participatory effort, community members were involved in the design as well as the implementation of the research and also in the interpretation of the results. The research outcomes have provided benefits to both the local and scientific communities. In many cases productive partnerships between the research community and participants were initiated that continue to last to this day. In addition, participants have been empowered through their experience and have become local experts and community leaders. Collaborative research projects to date have explored fish condition, recreational impacts, nutrient loadings from watershed land use, morphometric determinants of lake productivity, ground truth for remote sensing of water quality, biological controls for invasive aquatic plants, in-lake resource co-occurrences, and cyanobacteria bloom toxin ecology. Participants were also instrumental in confirming a more accurate method for water clarity measurement. Results have not only provided the community with the information they require for the informed local stewardship of their resources but also have been useful to state agencies and decision-makers. Our success can be attributed to the development of quality assured methods acceptable to regional and state agencies, the cost efficiencies of using volunteer scientists, support from the University and Cooperative Extension, capturing the "local expertise" of our participants, providing timely feedback and support, and making sure the study results are reported back to the local community through the participants involved.

  14. The East River, Colorado Community Watershed: Hydrobiogeochemical Studies Spanning Scales and Disciplines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, K. H.; Brown, W. S.; Carroll, R. W. H.; Dafflon, B.; Dong, W.; Hubbard, S. S.; Leger, E.; Li, L.; Maxwell, R. M.; Rowland, J. C.; Steltzer, H.; Tokunaga, T. K.; Wainwright, H. M.

    2017-12-01

    The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and its collaborating institutions have recently established a "Community Watershed" in the headwaters of the East River near Crested Butte, Colorado (USA) designed to quantify processes impacting the ability of mountainous systems to retain and release water, nutrients, carbon, and metals. The East River Community Watershed spans a range of scales from hillslope to catena to catchment, with surface water and groundwater linking a diversity of geomorphic compartments. Research is highly multi-disciplinary involving hydrologists, plant ecologists, geochemists, geomorphologists, microbiologists, and climate scientists. Research is focused on both mechanistic and empirical studies designed to assess the impact of climate perturbations, such as early snowmelt, on coupled ecohydrological and biogeochemical processes as they relate to both water availability and water quality. Stakeholder participation provides feedback and support on environmental monitoring as well as a direct link to management planning decisions being conducted as part of the Colorado Water Plan. Data collection activities and monitoring infrastructure are emplaced within the catchment in such a way as to assess the aggregate impact of fine scale processes on catchment scale behavior. Monitoring occurs over diversity of time scales from minutes to months to years, with observational data being used to populate and constrain reactive transport models describing water and nutrient flows across the aforementioned scales of enquiry. Strong infrastructural investments in both data and monitoring networks include dispersed stream gaging and water sampling, meteorological station networks, elevation dependent fluxes of carbon, water, and plant phenological behavior, as well as remote sensing datasets designed to establish baseline data required to assess the impacts of both natural and simulated climate perturbations.

  15. Learning to Listen and Listening to Learn: One Student's Experience of Small Group Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Remedios, Louisa; Clarke, David; Hawthorne, Lesleyanne

    2012-01-01

    The dialogic nature of small group collaborative learning requires verbal contributions from students to progress individual and group learning. Speaking can become privileged over listening as a collaborative act, and an imbalance in these values can become embedded in the classroom culture to the degree that the core value of listening can be…

  16. National Program of Inspection of Non-Federal Dams, Tennessee. Jennings Creek Watershed Dam Number 15 (Inventory Number TN 08705), Cumberland River Basin, near North Springs, Jackson County, Tennessee. Phase I Investigation Report,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-06-01

    acres (0.766 mi2 ). Major soil types in the watershed include Bodine, Mountview, Delrose, Dickson, and Mimosa . The drainage area is mountainous and...Bodine, Mountview, Delrose, Dickson, Mimosa c. Average slope - 40% d. Land use - Woods, pasture, few roads, and isolated structures e. Runoff from...490 acres (0.766 mi2) B. Average Channel Slope 2% C. Average Land Slope 40% D. Hydrologic Soil Group 90% C (Dickson, Mimosa ) E. Time of Concentration

  17. Catchment area-based evaluation of the AMC-dependent SCS-CN-based rainfall-runoff models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mishra, S. K.; Jain, M. K.; Pandey, R. P.; Singh, V. P.

    2005-09-01

    Using a large set of rainfall-runoff data from 234 watersheds in the USA, a catchment area-based evaluation of the modified version of the Mishra and Singh (2002a) model was performed. The model is based on the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) methodology and incorporates the antecedent moisture in computation of direct surface runoff. Comparison with the existing SCS-CN method showed that the modified version performed better than did the existing one on the data of all seven area-based groups of watersheds ranging from 0.01 to 310.3 km2.

  18. CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZATION OF ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Prioritization of ecosystem restoration measures is important for state and federal agencies, watershed coalitions, science advisory boards and other groups responsible for decision-making regarding restoration activities. Although widely utilized, the term "restoration prioriti...

  19. Thresholds of glacier hydrologic change and emergent vulnerabilities in a tropical Andean waterscape

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mark, B. G.; Bury, J.; Carey, M.; McKenzie, J. M.; Huh, K. I.; Baraer, M.; Eddy, A.

    2011-12-01

    Over the past 50+ years, dramatic glacier mass loss in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, has been causing downstream hydrologic transformations, with implications for domestic, agricultural and industrial water resources. Coincidental expansion of social and economic development throughout the Santa River watershed, which drains into the Pacific Ocean, raises concerns about sustaining future water supplies. Hydrologic models predict water shortages decades in the future, but conflicts have already arisen in the watershed due to either real or perceived shortages. Moreover, increased water usage since 1950 suggests resilience to presumed thresholds given a concomitant decrease in supply. Therefore modeled thresholds do not align well with historical realities. Our collaborative research couples multiscalar observations of changes in glacier volume, hydrology, and land usage with social and economic data about perceptions of and responses to environmental change. We also examine various water withdrawal mechanisms and institutions transecting the entire watershed: agriculture, land use, irrigation, hydroelectricity generation, and mining. We quantify glacier volume loss using multi-temporal surface elevation maps of selected valley glaciers based on state-of-the-art laser altimetry (LIDAR), ASTER satellite imagery and aerial photogrammetry spanning 1962 to 2008. Results show glacier surface area loss is between 30% and 86%, while measured volume loss is 2 to 12 times greater than empirically derived scaling relationships predict. Based on historical runoff and glacier data, the upper Santa River watershed is found to be on the descending limb of a conceptual multi-decadal hydrograph. The actual distribution of dry season water supply is illustrated based on a 2011 synoptic survey of Santa River discharge from the coastal effluent to headwaters. Our results suggest that critical changes in glacier volume and water supply are not perceived or acknowledged consistently amongst different water users, with the largest contrast along a vertical gradient. We argue that societal forces (e.g. political-economic circumstances, development trends, institutions, urbanization, cultural values, technological innovation, and social relations) have played vital roles in shaping water demands that have allowed water managers to avert perceived thresholds.

  20. Distribution, Transport, and Accumulation of Pyrogenic Black Carbon in Post-Wildfire Watersheds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galanter, A.; Cadol, D. D.; Frey, B.; Lohse, K. A.

    2014-12-01

    Large, high severity wildfires greatly alter forest structure, water quality, and soil development/erosion. With increased frequency of such wildfires also follows heavy post-wildfire debris flows and flooding which deliver high loads of sediment and pyrogenic black carbon (PyC) to downstream waterways. The accumulation of PyC is a multi-faceted and dynamic issue in the critical zone. Generated by incomplete combustion of organic matter, PyC (in the form of soot and char) impacts turbidity, biological and chemical oxygen demand, and pH. In addition, PyC has the potential to sequester contaminants and can store carbon over short and long timescales. The impacts of two recent wildfires in Northern New Mexico are studied with the goal of understanding the fluxes and residence times of PyC in post-wildfire, mountainous watersheds. Employing burn severity maps and geospatial data, we selected three sites to collect soil and water samples to characterize PyC: a control, an area impacted by a large, severe burn (2011), and an area impacted by a smaller, less severe burn (2013). By collaborating with researchers at the Jemez Critical Zone Observatory, soil samples are being analyzed and will provide pre-wildfire PyC concentrations for the 2013 burn area. In this study, PyC is treated as both a particulate and a solute that is transported throughout the watershed as well as degraded in soils, surface water and groundwater. We used two black carbon quantification methods: the chemo-thermal oxidation (CTO-375) method to distinguish between soil soot and char, and the benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) method to quantify the total concentrations of PyC in soil and water samples. Preliminary soil data from the CTO-375 method show comparable soot concentrations in the control, 2011, and 2013 burn indicating that the soot is more recalcitrant than char and remains in the watershed long after a wildfire. This data also suggests that the fluxes of black carbon over short time scales are composed mainly of char.

  1. Internet of People: Opportunities and challenges for engaging stakeholders in watershed planning via the Web

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babbar-Sebens, M.

    2016-12-01

    Social computing technologies are transforming the way our society interacts and generates content on the Web via collective intelligence. Previously unimagined possibilities have arisen for using these technologies to engage stakeholders and involve them in policy making and planning efforts. While the Internet has been used in the past to support education and communication endeavors, we have developed a novel, web-based, interactive planning tool that engages the community in using science-based methods for the design of potential conservation practices on their landscape, and thereby, reducing undesirable impacts of extreme hydroclimatic events. The tool, Watershed REstoration using Spatio-Temporal Optimization of Resources (WRESTORE), uses a democratic voting process coupled with visualization interfaces, computational simulation and optimization models, and user modeling techniques to support a human-centered design approach. This human-centered design approach, which is reinforced by use of Web 2.0 technologies, has the potential to enable policy makers to connect to a larger community of stakeholders and directly engage them in environmental stewardship efforts. Additionally, the design framework can be used by watershed groups to plug-in their own hydrologic models, climate observations and forecasts, and various other simulation models unique to their watersheds. In this presentation, we will demonstrate the effectiveness of WRESTORE for designing alternatives of conservation practices in a HUC-11 Midwestern watershed, results of various experiments with a diverse set of test users and stakeholders, and discuss potential for future developments.

  2. 76 FR 46853 - International Business Machines Corporation, ITD Business Unit, Division 7, E-mail and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-03

    ...] International Business Machines Corporation, ITD Business Unit, Division 7, E-mail and Collaboration Group... Business Machines Corporation (IBM), ITD Business Unit, Division 7, E- mail and Collaboration Group... Business Unit, Division 7, E-mail and Collaboration [[Page 46854

  3. A study of the impact of collaborative learning on student learning of major concepts in a microbiology laboratory exercise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baumgarten, Kristyne A.

    This study investigated the possible relationship between collaborative learning strategies and the learning of core concepts. This study examined the differences between two groups of nursing students enrolled in an introductory microbiology laboratory course. The control group consisted of students enrolled in sections taught in the traditional method. The experimental group consisted of those students enrolled in the sections using collaborative learning strategies. The groups were assessed on their degrees of learning core concepts using a pre-test/post-test method. Scores from the groups' laboratory reports were also analyzed. There was no difference in the two group's pre-test scores. The post-test scores of the experimental group averaged 11 points higher than the scores of the control group. The lab report scores of the experimental group averaged 15 points higher than those scores of the control group. The data generated from this study demonstrated that collaborative learning strategies can be used to increase students learning of core concepts in microbiology labs.

  4. A meta-analytic review of collaborative inhibition and postcollaborative memory: Testing the predictions of the retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis.

    PubMed

    Marion, Stéphanie B; Thorley, Craig

    2016-11-01

    The retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis (Basden, Basden, Bryner, & Thomas, 1997) is the most widely cited theoretical explanation for why the memory performance of collaborative groups is inferior to the pooled performance of individual group members remembering alone (i.e., collaborative inhibition). This theory also predicts that several variables will moderate collaborative inhibition. This meta-analysis tests the veracity of the theory by systematically examining whether or not these variables do moderate the presence and strength of collaborative inhibition. A total of 75 effect sizes from 64 studies were included in the analysis. Collaborative inhibition was found to be a robust effect. Moreover, it was enhanced when remembering took place in larger groups, when uncategorized content items were retrieved, when group members followed free-flowing and free-order procedures, and when group members did not know one another. These findings support the retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis as a general theoretical explanation for the collaborative inhibition effect. Several additional analyses were also conducted to elucidate the potential contributions of other cognitive mechanisms to collaborative inhibition. Some results suggest that a contribution of retrieval inhibition is possible, but we failed to find any evidence to suggest retrieval blocking and encoding specificity impact upon collaborative inhibition effects. In a separate analysis (27 effect sizes), moderating factors of postcollaborative memory performance were examined. Generally, collaborative remembering tends to benefit later individual retrieval. Moderator analyses suggest that reexposure to study material may be partly responsible for this postcollaborative memory enhancement. Some applied implications of the meta-analyses are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  5. An index approach to performance-based payments for water quality.

    PubMed

    Maille, Peter; Collins, Alan R

    2012-05-30

    In this paper we describe elements of a field research project that presented farmers with economic incentives to control nitrate runoff. The approach used is novel in that payments are based on ambient water quality and water quantity produced by a watershed rather than proxies for water quality conservation. Also, payments are made based on water quality relative to a control watershed, and therefore, account for stochastic fluctuations in background nitrate levels. Finally, the program pays farmers as a group to elicit team behavior. We present our approach to modeling that allowed us to estimate prices for water and resulting payment levels. We then compare these preliminary estimates to the actual values recorded over 33 months of fieldwork. We find that our actual payments were 29% less than our preliminary estimates, due in part to the failure of our ecological model to estimate discharge accurately. Despite this shortfall, the program attracted the participation of 53% of the farmers in the watershed, and resulted in substantial nitrate abatement activity. Given this favorable response, we propose that research efforts focus on implementing field trials of group-level performance-based payments. Ideally these programs would be low risk and control for naturally occurring contamination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Collaborative essay testing: group work that counts.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Peggy A

    2009-01-01

    Because much of a nurse's work is accomplished through working in groups, nursing students need an understanding of group process as well as opportunities to problem-solve in groups. Despite an emphasis on group activities as critical for classroom learning, there is a lack of evidence in the nursing literature that describes collaborative essay testing as a teaching strategy. In this class, nursing students worked together in small groups to answer examination questions before submitting a common set of answers. In a follow-up survey, students reported that collaborative testing was a positive experience (e.g., promoting critical thinking, confidence in knowledge, and teamwork). Faculty were excited by the lively dialog heard during the testing in what appeared to be an atmosphere of teamwork. Future efforts could include providing nursing students with direct instruction on group process and more opportunities to work and test collaboratively.

  7. Facilitating Collaboration in Online Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Geralyn E.; Roberts, Kathryn L.

    2017-01-01

    Demonstrating the ability to collaborate effectively is essential for students moving into 21st century workplaces. Employers are expecting new hires to already possess group-work skills and will seek evidence of their ability to cooperate, collaborate, and complete projects with colleagues, including remotely or at a distance. Instructional…

  8. Collaborative Group Action Research: A Constructivist Approach to Developing an Integrated Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saurino, Penny L.; Saurino, Dan R.

    Elementary teachers collaborated on a research project that investigated how a constructivist approach to gifted and talented integrated curriculum strategies and techniques could be developed and implemented. The collaborative group action research cycle involved planning, collecting baseline data, intervening strategies/modifying interventions,…

  9. Writing Together: Gender's Effect on Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rehling, Louise

    1996-01-01

    Analyzes the behaviors of over 60 student groups in professional writing classes. Finds gender-related effects on collaboration: tendencies to stereotype men as technical experts and to self-segregate into gendered working teams. Suggests new perspectives on the role of gender for collaborative groups in professional writing classrooms. (PA)

  10. A bottom-up partnership of Andean institutions to improve hydrological interventions using a participatory network of research basins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buytaert, W.; Ochoa-Tocachi, B. F.; De Bièvre, B.

    2017-12-01

    Many watershed interventions in remote data-scarce areas respond to information gaps by extrapolating conventional approaches based on very limited local evidence. However, most interventions, including conservation strategies and adaptation measures, have not been evaluated properly for their hydrological benefits. This is particularly the case for the Andean region, where the complex climatic and hydrological characteristics combined with a very dynamic anthropogenic disturbance, require better monitoring. Here, we present the experience of a partnership of academic and non-governmental institutions who pioneered participatory hydrological monitoring in the Andes. Established in 2009, the Regional Initiative for Hydrological Monitoring of Andean Ecosystems (iMHEA), is a bottom-up initiative that complements the national monitoring networks and more conventional scientific observatories. Using a design based on a trading-space-for-time approach, over 30 paired catchments with a variety of watershed interventions are currently being monitored by 18 local stakeholders in 15 sites in the tropical Andes. Pooling these data into a hydrological impact model allowed the consortium to make more robust predictions about the effectiveness of catchment interventions to improve water resources management and to reduce risks. The collaborative nature of iMHEA has several strengths. We identify as most important of those the ability to: (i) standardize monitoring practices; (ii) ensure quality and technical support; (iii) share responsibility of monitoring activities; (iv) obtain project co-funding and complementarity; and, (v) promote decision maker-scientist engagement. As a result, this network has started to deliver useful information to multi-scale and multi-stakeholder decision making arenas. For example, in the context of growing investment in hydrological ecosystem services in Peru, the sites provide a new generation of hydrological information that allows for evidence-based, cost-benefit comparisons. However, some challenges still remain in the scientific, technological and social domains, opening wide perspectives for future collaborative work.

  11. Quito's Urban Watersheds: Applications of Low Impact Development and Sustainable Watershed Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marzion, R.; Serra-Llobet, A.; Ward Simons, C.; Kondolf, G. M.

    2013-12-01

    Quito, Ecuador sits high in an Interandean valley (elevation ~2,830 meters) at the foot of Pichincha volcano. Above the city, mountain streams descend from high-altitude Andean páramo grasslands down steep slopes through quebradas (ravines) to the Machángara River. Quito's rapid urban growth, while indicative of the city's economic vitality, has led to the city's expansion along the valley floor, settlements along precarious hillslopes and ravines, disappearance of wetlands, and loss of páramo. The upper reaches of the watersheds are being rapidly settled by migrants whose land-use practices result in contamination of waters. In the densely-settled downstream reaches, urban encroachment has resulted in filling and narrowing of quebradas with garbage and other poor-quality fill. These practices have dramatically altered natural drainage patterns, reduced the flood conveyance capacity of the channels (increasing the flood risk to surrounding communities), and further deteriorated water quality. The city's stormwater, wastewater, and surface waters suffer from untreated pollutant loads, aging pipes, and sewer overflows. In response to environmental degradation of the quebradas, awareness is increasing, at both local community and municipal levels, of the importance of stream corridors for water quality, wildlife, and recreation for nearby residents. Citizen groups have organized volunteer river cleanups, and municipal agencies have committed to implementing ';green infrastructure' solutions to make Quito a healthier habitat for humans and other species. City leaders are evaluating innovative low impact development (LID) methods to help decontaminate surface waters, mitigate urban flooding, and promote sustainable water systems. Quito's municipal water agency, EPMAPS, invited faculty and students from Quito and Berkeley to collaborate with agency staff and citizen groups to analyze opportunities and to develop plans and designs for sustainable infrastructure. To facilitate the evaluation of LID potential in Quito, we conducted field observations and measurements, completed archival research, analyzed available geographic and hydrologic data, and developed plans and designs for the Quebrada Ortega from its steep headwater reaches down through the densely-populated valley floor. We identified opportunities and constraints for LID, along with strategies from international LID precedent cities that can be applied in the context of Quito's unique physical and climatic characteristics, urban planning practices, and institutional structures. Using remote sensing techniques to determine permeable versus impermeable surface areas, we calculated that basins of at least 1% of the Ortega subwatershed's surface area would be needed to mitigate peak flows from most design storm scenarios. Rainwater harvesting can provide approximately 30% of average daily water needs based on current Quito consumption rates for the subwatershed's residents. By implementing LID strategies while also addressing other water management priorities, Quito provides a unique case study of a city that could bypass prohibitively expensive models used in industrialized countries (e.g., end-of-pipe treatments), and serve as a model for other Latin American cities seeking to resolve similar water management problems.

  12. Effect of a workplace design and training intervention on individual performance, group effectiveness and collaboration: the role of environmental control.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Michelle M; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang

    2006-01-01

    The effects of a workplace design and training intervention and the relationships between perceived satisfaction of office workplace design factors (layout and storage) and work performance measures (individual performance, group collaboration and effectiveness) were studied with 120 office workers using the Workplace Environment Questionnaire. Further, we examined whether environmental control had a direct effect on work performance, and then explored whether environmental control mediated or moderated the relationship between workplace design factors and work performance. Results showed a significant, positive impact of the intervention on environmental satisfaction for workstation layout. Satisfaction with workstation layout had a significant relationship with individual performance, group collaboration and effectiveness; and satisfaction with workstation storage had a significant relationship with individual performance and group collaboration. Environmental control had a direct impact on individual performance and group collaboration; whereas, the mediating and moderating effects of environmental control on the relationship between workplace design factors and outcome variables were not significant.

  13. Chemical mixtures and environmental effects: a pilot study to assess ecological exposure and effects in streams

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Buxton, Herbert T.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Kuivila, Kathryn; Kolpin, Dana W.; Bradley, Paul M.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Mills, Marc A.

    2015-01-01

    Assessment and management of the risks of exposure to complex chemical mixtures in streams are priorities for human and environmental health organizations around the world. The current lack of information on the composition and variability of environmental mixtures and a limited understanding of their combined effects are fundamental obstacles to timely identification and prevention of adverse human and ecological effects of exposure. This report describes the design of a field-based study of the composition and biological activity of chemical mixtures in U.S. stream waters affected by a wide range of human activities and contaminant sources. The study is a collaborative effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists sampled 38 streams spanning 24 States and Puerto Rico. Thirty-four of the sites were located in watersheds impacted by multiple contaminant sources, including industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, crop and animal agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and other point and nonpoint contaminant sources. The remaining four sites were minimally development reference watersheds. All samples underwent comprehensive chemical and biological characterization, including sensitive and specific direct analysis for over 700 dissolved organic and inorganic chemicals and field parameters, identification of unknown contaminants (environmental diagnostics), and a variety of bioassays to evaluate biological activity and toxicity.

  14. Publishing and sharing of hydrologic models through WaterHUB

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merwade, V.; Ruddell, B. L.; Song, C.; Zhao, L.; Kim, J.; Assi, A.

    2011-12-01

    Most hydrologists use hydrologic models to simulate the hydrologic processes to understand hydrologic pathways and fluxes for research, decision making and engineering design. Once these tasks are complete including publication of results, the models generally are not published or made available to the public for further use and improvement. Although publication or sharing of models is not required for journal publications, sharing of models may open doors for new collaborations, and avoids duplication of efforts if other researchers are interested in simulating a particular watershed for which a model already exists. For researchers, who are interested in sharing models, there are limited avenues to publishing their models to the wider community. Towards filling this gap, a prototype cyberinfrastructure (CI), called WaterHUB, is developed for sharing hydrologic data and modeling tools in an interactive environment. To test the utility of WaterHUB for sharing hydrologic models, a system to publish and share SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) is developed. Users can utilize WaterHUB to search and download existing SWAT models, and also upload new SWAT models. Metadata such as the name of the watershed, name of the person or agency who developed the model, simulation period, time step, and list of calibrated parameters also published with individual model.

  15. Constructed Pools-and-Riffles: Application and Assessment in Illinois.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Day, D. M.; Dodd, H. R.; Carney, D. A.; Holtrop, A. M.; Whiles, M. R.; White, B.; Roseboom, D.; Kinney, W.; Keefer, L. L.; Beardsley, J.

    2005-05-01

    The diversity of Illinois' streams provides a broad range of conditions, and thus a variety of restoration techniques may be required to adequately compensate for watershed alterations. Resource management agencies and research institutions in the state have collaborated on a variety of applied research initiatives to assess the efficacy of various stream protection and restoration techniques. Constructed pool-and-riffle structures have received significant attention because they tend to address watershed processes (i.e., channel evolution model) and may benefit biotic communities and processes along with physical habitat. Constructed pools-and-riffles have been applied primarily to address geomorphic instability, yet understanding biological responses can provide further rationale for their use and design specifications. In three stream systems around the state, fish were collected pre- and post- installation of structures, using primarily electrofishing techniques (e.g., electric seine & backpack). In general, within the first five years after installation, changes in fish communities have included a shift from high-abundance, small cyprinid-dominated assemblages to low-density Centrarchidae and Catostomidae assemblages. Changes in macro invertebrates at selected sites included increases in filter feeders and sensitive taxa such as the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT). Ongoing assessments will be critical for understanding long-term influences on stream ecosystem structure and function.

  16. An evaluation of the individual components and accuracies associated with the determination of impervious area

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Slonecker, E.T.; Tilley, J.S.

    2004-01-01

    The percentage of impervious surface area in a watershed has been widely recognized as a key indicator of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem condition. Although the use of the impervious indicator is widespread, there is currently no consistent or mutually accepted method of computing impervious area and the approach of various commonly used techniques varies widely. Further, we do not have reliable information on the components of impervious surfaces, which would be critical in any future planning attempts to remediate problems associated with impervious surface coverage. In cooperation with the USGS Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program (GAM) and The National Map, and the EPA Landscape Ecology Program, this collaborative research project utilized very high resolution imagery and GIS techniques to map and quantify the individual components of total impervious area in six urban/suburban watersheds in different parts of the United States. These data were served as ground reference, or "truth," for the evaluation for four techniques used to compute impervious area. The results show some important aspects about the component make-up of impervious cover and the variability of methods commonly used to compile this critical emerging indicator of ecosystem condition. ?? 2004 by V. H. Winston and Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Pacific connections for health, ecosystems and society: new approaches to the land-water-health nexus.

    PubMed

    Parkes, Margot W

    2016-03-01

    Renewed effort to understand the social-ecological context of health is drawing attention to the dynamics of land and water resources and their combined influence on the determinants of health. A new area of research, education and policy is emerging that focuses on the land-water-health nexus: this orientation is applicable from small wetlands through to large-scale watersheds or river basins, and draws attention to the benefits of combined land and water governance, as well as the interrelated implications for health, ecological and societal concerns. Informed by research precedents, imperatives and collaborations emerging in Canada and parts of Oceania, this review profiles three integrative, applied approaches that are bringing attention to the importance the land-water-health nexus within the Pacific Basin: wetlands and watersheds as intersectoral settings to address land-water-health dynamics; tools to integrate health, ecological and societal dynamics at the land-water-health nexus; and indigenous leadership that is linking health and well-being with land and water governance. Emphasis is given to key characteristics of a new generation of inquiry and action at the land-water-health nexus, as well as capacity-building, practice and policy opportunities to address converging environmental, social and health objectives linked to the management and governance of land and water resources.

  18. Fostering Collaborative Teaching and Learning Scholarship through an International Writing Group Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marquis, Elizabeth; Healey, Mick; Vine, Michelle

    2016-01-01

    The research presented here explored the experiences of participants in an international collaborative writing group (ICWG) initiative that ran in conjunction with the 2012 International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSoTL) conference. The ICWG sought to cultivate collaborative pedagogical scholarship by bringing together…

  19. Personality, Collaboration, Motivation and Engagement in a Cross-Border Online Exchange

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelsen, Brent; Flowers, Simeon

    2018-01-01

    Personality traits are believed to affect both learner ability and group dynamics and cohesion. Another central element influencing how individuals perform in group settings stems from their motivation to collaborate. This article explores the relationship between personality traits, motivation for collaboration and participation of university…

  20. Predicting Student Performance in a Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsen, Jennifer K.; Aleven, Vincent; Rummel, Nikol

    2015-01-01

    Student models for adaptive systems may not model collaborative learning optimally. Past research has either focused on modeling individual learning or for collaboration, has focused on group dynamics or group processes without predicting learning. In the current paper, we adjust the Additive Factors Model (AFM), a standard logistic regression…

  1. Research and Teaching: Aligning Assessment to Instruction--Collaborative Group Testing in Large- Enrollment Science Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siegel, Marcelle; Roberts, Tina M.; Freyermuth, Sharyn K.; Witzig, Stephen B.; Izci, Kemal

    2015-01-01

    The authors describe a collaborative group-testing strategy implemented and studied in undergraduate science classes. This project investigated how the assessment strategy relates to student performance and perceptions about collaboration and focused on two sections of an undergraduate biotechnology course taught in separate semesters.

  2. RETHINKING THE ROLE OF SMALL-GROUP COLLABORATORS AND ADVERSARIES IN THE LONDON KLEINIAN DEVELOPMENT (1914-1968).

    PubMed

    Aguayo, Joseph; Regeczkey, Agnes

    2016-07-01

    The authors historically situate the London Kleinian development in terms of the small-group collaborations and adversaries that arose during the course of Melanie Klein's career. Some collaborations later became personally adversarial (e.g., those Klein had with Glover and Schmideberg); other adversarial relationships forever remained that way (with A. Freud); while still other long-term collaborations became theoretically contentious (such as with Winnicott and Heimann). After the Controversial Discussions in 1944, Klein marginalized one group of supporters (Heimann, Winnicott, and Riviere) in favor of another group (Rosenfeld, Segal, and Bion). After Klein's death in 1960, Bion maintained loyalty to Klein's ideas while quietly distancing his work from the London Klein group, immigrating to the United States in 1968. © 2016 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.

  3. Team-Skills Training Enhances Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prichard, Jane S.; Stratford, Robert J.; Bizo, Lewis A.

    2006-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of team-skills training on collaborative learning in a university setting. Groups worked under one of three conditions: (1) groups received team-skill training as a group and remained in that group (Trained-Together), (2) groups received team-skills training, but were then reassigned into new groups…

  4. A Peer-Reviewed Research Assignment for Large Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, LaRhee; Buising, Charisse

    2000-01-01

    Introduces a writing exercise students work on in collaborative groups. Aims to enhance students' scientific research paper writing skills and provide experience working in collaborative groups. Presents evaluation criteria for peer-group evaluation of a poster presentation, intra-group evaluation of peer performance, and peer-group evaluation of…

  5. Decision Rules and Group Rationality: Cognitive Gain or Standstill?

    PubMed Central

    Curşeu, Petru Lucian; Jansen, Rob J. G.; Chappin, Maryse M. H.

    2013-01-01

    Recent research in group cognition points towards the existence of collective cognitive competencies that transcend individual group members’ cognitive competencies. Since rationality is a key cognitive competence for group decision making, and group cognition emerges from the coordination of individual cognition during social interactions, this study tests the extent to which collaborative and consultative decision rules impact the emergence of group rationality. Using a set of decision tasks adapted from the heuristics and biases literature, we evaluate rationality as the extent to which individual choices are aligned with a normative ideal. We further operationalize group rationality as cognitive synergy (the extent to which collective rationality exceeds average or best individual rationality in the group), and we test the effect of collaborative and consultative decision rules in a sample of 176 groups. Our results show that the collaborative decision rule has superior synergic effects as compared to the consultative decision rule. The ninety one groups working in a collaborative fashion made more rational choices (above and beyond the average rationality of their members) than the eighty five groups working in a consultative fashion. Moreover, the groups using a collaborative decision rule were closer to the rationality of their best member than groups using consultative decision rules. Nevertheless, on average groups did not outperformed their best member. Therefore, our results reveal how decision rules prescribing interpersonal interactions impact on the emergence of collective cognitive competencies. They also open potential venues for further research on the emergence of collective rationality in human decision-making groups. PMID:23451050

  6. Decision rules and group rationality: cognitive gain or standstill?

    PubMed

    Curşeu, Petru Lucian; Jansen, Rob J G; Chappin, Maryse M H

    2013-01-01

    Recent research in group cognition points towards the existence of collective cognitive competencies that transcend individual group members' cognitive competencies. Since rationality is a key cognitive competence for group decision making, and group cognition emerges from the coordination of individual cognition during social interactions, this study tests the extent to which collaborative and consultative decision rules impact the emergence of group rationality. Using a set of decision tasks adapted from the heuristics and biases literature, we evaluate rationality as the extent to which individual choices are aligned with a normative ideal. We further operationalize group rationality as cognitive synergy (the extent to which collective rationality exceeds average or best individual rationality in the group), and we test the effect of collaborative and consultative decision rules in a sample of 176 groups. Our results show that the collaborative decision rule has superior synergic effects as compared to the consultative decision rule. The ninety one groups working in a collaborative fashion made more rational choices (above and beyond the average rationality of their members) than the eighty five groups working in a consultative fashion. Moreover, the groups using a collaborative decision rule were closer to the rationality of their best member than groups using consultative decision rules. Nevertheless, on average groups did not outperformed their best member. Therefore, our results reveal how decision rules prescribing interpersonal interactions impact on the emergence of collective cognitive competencies. They also open potential venues for further research on the emergence of collective rationality in human decision-making groups.

  7. The Influence of Learning Methods on Collaboration: Prior Repeated Retrieval Enhances Retrieval Organization, Abolishes Collaborative Inhibition, and Promotes Post-Collaborative Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congleton, Adam R.; Rajaram, Suparna

    2011-01-01

    Research on collaborative memory has unveiled the counterintuitive yet robust phenomenon that collaboration impairs group recall. A candidate explanation for this "collaborative inhibition" effect is the disruption of people's idiosyncratic retrieval strategies during collaboration, and it is hypothesized that employing methods that improve one's…

  8. Student Leadership in Small Group Science Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Boz, Umit; Broadwell, George A.; Sadler, Troy D.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Science educators have sought to structure collaborative inquiry learning through the assignment of static group roles. This structural approach to student grouping oversimplifies the complexities of peer collaboration and overlooks the highly dynamic nature of group activity. Purpose: This study addresses this issue of…

  9. Younger and older adults' collaborative recall of shared and unshared emotional pictures.

    PubMed

    Barber, Sarah J; Castrellon, Jaime J; Opitz, Philipp; Mather, Mara

    2017-07-01

    Although a group of people working together recalls more items than any one individual, they recall fewer unique items than the same number of people working apart whose responses are combined. This is known as collaborative inhibition, and it is a robust effect that occurs for both younger and older adults. However, almost all previous studies documenting collaborative inhibition have used stimuli that were neutral in emotional valence, low in arousal, and studied by all group members. In the current experiments, we tested the impact of picture-stimuli valence, picture-stimuli arousal, and information distribution in modulating the magnitude of collaborative inhibition. We included both younger and older adults because there are age differences in how people remember emotional pictures that could modulate any effects of emotion on collaborative inhibition. Results revealed that when information was shared (i.e., studied by all group members), there were robust collaborative inhibition effects for both neutral and emotional stimuli for both younger and older adults. However, when information was unshared (i.e., studied by only a single group member), these effects were attenuated. Together, these results provide mixed support for the retrieval strategy disruption account of collaborative inhibition. Supporting the retrieval strategy disruption account, unshared study information was less susceptible to collaborative inhibition than shared study information. Contradicting the retrieval strategy disruption account, emotional valence and arousal did not modulate the magnitude of collaborative inhibition despite the fact that participants clustered the emotional, but not neutral, information together in memory.

  10. Collaborative Dialogue in Learning Pragmatics: Pragmatic-Related Episodes as an Opportunity for Learning Request-Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taguchi, Naoko; Kim, Youjin

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects of collaborative dialogue in learning the speech act of request. Seventy-four second-grade girls' junior high students were divided into three groups. The "collaborative group" (n = 25) received explicit metapragmatic information on request (request head act and modifications) followed by a dialogue…

  11. The Impact of Collaborative and Individualized Student Response System Strategies on Learner Motivation, Metacognition, and Knowledge Transfer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, M. E.; Antonenko, P. D.; Greenwood, C. M.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of collaborative and individualized student response system-based instruction on learner motivation, metacognition, and concept transfer in a large-enrolment undergraduate science course. Participants in the collaborative group responded to conceptual questions, discussed their responses in small groups, and…

  12. Collaborative-Group Testing Improves Learning and Knowledge Retention of Human Physiology Topics in Second-Year Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vázquez-García, Mario

    2018-01-01

    The present study examined the relationship between second-year medical students' group performance and individual performance in a collaborative-learning environment. In recent decades, university professors in the scientific and humanistic disciplines have successfully put into practice different modalities of collaborative approaches to…

  13. Adaptive Synchronization of Semantically Compressed Instructional Videos for Collaborative Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phung, Dan; Valetto, Giuseppe; Kaiser, Gail E.; Liu, Tiecheng; Kender, John R.

    2007-01-01

    The increasing popularity of online courses has highlighted the need for collaborative learning tools for student groups. In this article, we present an e-Learning architecture and adaptation model called AI2TV (Adaptive Interactive Internet Team Video), which allows groups of students to collaboratively view instructional videos in synchrony.…

  14. Dynamic Group Formation as an Approach to Collaborative Learning Support

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Srba, Ivan; Bielikova, Maria

    2015-01-01

    In the current time of globalization, collaboration among people in virtual environments is becoming an important precondition of success. This trend is reflected also in the educational domain where students collaborate in various short-term groups created repetitively but changing in each round (e.g. in MOOCs). Students in these kind of dynamic…

  15. Measuring Heedful Interrelating in Collaborative Educational Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniel, Sarah R.; Jordan, Michelle E.

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative group work plays an important part in postsecondary education, and the ability to assess the quality of such group work is useful for both students and instructors. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report measure of students' perceptions of the quality of their interactions during collaborative educational tasks.…

  16. Measuring Knowledge Elaboration Based on a Computer-Assisted Knowledge Map Analytical Approach to Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Lanqin; Huang, Ronghuai; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Yang, Kaicheng

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to quantitatively measure the level of knowledge elaboration and explore the relationships between prior knowledge of a group, group performance, and knowledge elaboration in collaborative learning. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the level of knowledge elaboration. The collaborative learning objective in…

  17. The Role of Context in a Collaborative Problem-Solving Task during Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ritella, Giuseppe; Ligorio, Maria Beatrice; Hakkarainen, Kai

    2016-01-01

    This article analyses how a group of teachers managed the resources available while performing computer-supported collaborative problem-solving tasks in the context of professional development. The authors video-recorded and analysed collaborative sessions during which the group of teachers used a digital environment to prepare a pedagogical…

  18. Peripheral Social Awareness Information in Collaborative Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spring, Michael B.; Vathanophas, Vichita

    2003-01-01

    Discusses being aware of other members of a team in a collaborative environment and reports on a study that examined group performance on a task that was computer mediated with and without awareness information. Examines how an awareness tool impacts the quality of a collaborative work effort and the communications between group members.…

  19. Burning through organizational boundaries? Examining inter-organizational communication networks in policy-mandated collaborative bushfire planning groups

    Treesearch

    Rachel F. Brummel; Kristen C. Nelson; Pamela J. Jakes

    2012-01-01

    Collaboration can enhance cooperation across geographic and organizational scales, effectively "burning through" those boundaries. Using structured social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative in-depth interviews, this study examined three collaborative bushfire planning groups in New South Wales, Australia and asked: How does participation in policy-...

  20. Instructional Design for Cross-Cultural Online Collaboration: Grouping Strategies and Assignment Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Chun-Min

    2011-01-01

    The latest networking technologies have made it easier to provide authentic learning experiences for intercultural collaboration. However, more guidance about how to conduct a successful online, cross-cultural collaboration is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional design for forming a cross-cultural group and…

  1. Dynamic Group Formation Based on a Natural Phenomenon

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zedadra, Amina; Lafifi, Yacine; Zedadra, Ouarda

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a new approach of learners grouping in collaborative learning systems. This grouping process is based on traces left by learners. The goal is the circular dynamic grouping to achieve collaborative projects. The proposed approach consists of two main algorithms: (1) the circular grouping algorithm and (2) the dynamic grouping…

  2. Using co-teaching as a means of facilitating interprofessional collaboration in health and social care.

    PubMed

    Crow, Jayne; Smith, Lesley

    2003-02-01

    In this paper we report the findings of a collaborative enquiry on our experience as tutors co-teaching interprofessional collaboration to a multidisciplinary group of undergraduates. We have different professional/academic backgrounds and the student group included health and social work professionals alongside a number of non-professionals. Our data included our perceptions of the co-teaching experience collected by means of our reflective diaries and reflective conversations during planning and after teaching sessions. We also collected data on student perceptions elicited by means of student evaluations and a student focus group discussion. The data illuminate the process of using co-teaching to role model shared learning and collaborative working within the classroom and highlight the importance of carefully planning co-teaching interaction, including the use of humour, tension, different knowledge bases and styles of debate. The deliberate use of the interactions made possible by coteaching enabled us to create an active learning environment that facilitated the teaching of collaboration. Drawing on our experience, we discuss the considerable potential of using co-teaching to role model collaborative working for multidisciplinary student groups.

  3. Rocky River Watershed Based Curriculum Guide Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cox, Phillip Howard

    Environmental education has the ability to increase cognitive ability, have a positive impact on group work skills, attitudes and self-efficacy, and increase student performance. Due to Federal "No Child Left Behind Act" legislation, increased standardized testing has resulted in the disenfranchisement of students from formal learning. The purpose of this project was to develop a curriculum guide based on the Rocky River watershed so teachers could use the Rocky River watershed as a means to satisfy the objectives of the NC Standard Course of Study and at the same time increase student environmental awareness, classroom engagement, sense of place and scores on the NC Earth/Environmental Final Exams. The project was developed to correlate with the newly revised North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Earth/Environmental Science. The curriculum guide was developed by utilizing the best practices suggested by scientific literature, the NC Standard Course of Study for Earth/Environmental Science, the North American Association for Environmental Education and the National Education Association.

  4. Facilitating the learning process: a pilot study of collaborative testing vs individualistic testing in the chiropractic college setting.

    PubMed

    Meseke, Jamie K; Nafziger, Rita; Meseke, Christopher A

    2008-05-01

    This pilot study examines the effect collaborative testing has on achievement of students taking a basic science course at a chiropractic college. The grades of 2 cohorts of students taking a basic science course were compared: the control group from the first academic term (n = 73) and the experimental group from the second academic term (n = 41). The control cohort completed weekly quizzes as individuals. The experimental cohort completed the weekly quizzes in small collaborative groups. All unit examinations and the final examination were taken by both cohorts individually. Grades for each cohort were derived from 6 weekly unit quizzes, 3 unit examinations, and a comprehensive final examination. Overall, the experimental group differed from the control group (Wilks' Lambda = 0.318; F(10,103) = 22.052; and P < .001). All quiz scores were significantly higher for the experimental group as compared with the control group. In addition, overall point totals and final course grades also differed significantly. No significant differences, however, were observed in either the first 2 unit examination scores or the final examination scores. These results confirm previous reports that student performance is enhanced by collaborative learning. Collaborative testing provided students with the opportunity to discuss their reasoning and receive immediate feedback from other group members regarding their rationale, which potentially enhanced understanding of course material. Students were encouraged to become more active in the course as group discussions emerged from individual perspectives. The collaborative learning process may enhance critical thinking abilities, which are vital for future chiropractic practitioners.

  5. Differential impact of student behaviours on group interaction and collaborative learning: medical students' and tutors' perspectives.

    PubMed

    Iqbal, Maha; Velan, Gary M; O'Sullivan, Anthony J; Balasooriya, Chinthaka

    2016-08-22

    Collaboration is of increasing importance in medical education and medical practice. Students' and tutors' perceptions about small group learning are valuable to inform the development of strategies to promote group dynamics and collaborative learning. This study investigated medical students' and tutors' views on competencies and behaviours which promote effective learning and interaction in small group settings. This study was conducted at UNSW Australia. Five focus group discussions were conducted with first and second year medical students and eight small group tutors were interviewed. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted. Students and tutors identified a range of behaviours that influenced collaborative learning. The main themes that emerged included: respectfulness; dominance, strong opinions and openness; constructiveness of feedback; active listening and contribution; goal orientation; acceptance of roles and responsibilities; engagement and enthusiasm; preparedness; self- awareness and positive personal attributes. An important finding was that some of these student behaviours were found to have a differential impact on group interaction compared with collaborative learning. This information could be used to promote higher quality learning in small groups. This study has identified medical students' and tutors' perceptions regarding interactional behaviours in small groups, as well as behaviours which lead to more effective learning in those settings. This information could be used to promote learning in small groups.

  6. Design and Evaluation of a Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Qiyun

    2009-01-01

    Collaboration becomes an essential competency in the current knowledge society. In this study, a collaborative learning environment was designed to facilitate students in group collaboration. Instructional support strategies of friendship and meaningful learning tasks were applied to promote collaboration. Scaffolding strategies such as writing…

  7. Urban Watershed Forestry Manual Part 1: Methods for Increasing Forest Cover in a Watershed

    Treesearch

    Karen Cappiella; Tom Schueler; Tiffany Wright

    2005-01-01

    This manual is one in a three-part series on using trees to protect and restore urban watersheds. A brief description of each part follows. Part 1: Methods for Increasing Forest Cover in a Watershed introduces the emerging topic of urban watershed forestry. This part also presents new methods for the watershed planner or forester to systematically measure watershed...

  8. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marrinan, Thomas; Leigh, Jason; Renambot, Luc

    Mixed presence collaboration involves remote collaboration between multiple collocated groups. This paper presents the design and results of a user study that focused on mixed presence collaboration using large-scale tiled display walls. The research was conducted in order to compare data synchronization schemes for multi-user visualization applications. Our study compared three techniques for sharing data between display spaces with varying constraints and affordances. The results provide empirical evidence that using data sharing techniques with continuous synchronization between the sites lead to improved collaboration for a search and analysis task between remotely located groups. We have also identified aspects of synchronizedmore » sessions that result in increased remote collaborator awareness and parallel task coordination. It is believed that this research will lead to better utilization of large-scale tiled display walls for distributed group work.« less

  9. An adaptive watershed management assessment based on watershed investigation data.

    PubMed

    Kang, Min Goo; Park, Seung Woo

    2015-05-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the states of watersheds in South Korea and to formulate new measures to improve identified inadequacies. The study focused on the watersheds of the Han River basin and adopted an adaptive watershed management framework. Using data collected during watershed investigation projects, we analyzed the management context of the study basin and identified weaknesses in water use management, flood management, and environmental and ecosystems management in the watersheds. In addition, we conducted an interview survey to obtain experts' opinions on the possible management of watersheds in the future. The results of the assessment show that effective management of the Han River basin requires adaptive watershed management, which includes stakeholders' participation and social learning. Urbanization was the key variable in watershed management of the study basin. The results provide strong guidance for future watershed management and suggest that nonstructural measures are preferred to improve the states of the watersheds and that consistent implementation of the measures can lead to successful watershed management. The results also reveal that governance is essential for adaptive watershed management in the study basin. A special ordinance is necessary to establish governance and aid social learning. Based on the findings, a management process is proposed to support new watershed management practices. The results will be of use to policy makers and practitioners who can implement the measures recommended here in the early stages of adaptive watershed management in the Han River basin. The measures can also be applied to other river basins.

  10. Spatial heterogeneity of stream environmental conditions and macroinvertebrates community in an agriculture dominated watershed and management implications for a large river (the Liao River, China) basin.

    PubMed

    Gao, Xin; Niu, Cuijuan; Chen, Yushun; Yin, Xuwang

    2014-04-01

    Understanding the effects of watershed land uses (e.g., agriculture, urban industry) on stream ecological conditions is important for the management of large river basins. A total of 41 and 56 stream sites (from first to fourth order) that were under a gradient of watershed land uses were monitored in 2009 and 2010, respectively, in the Liao River Basin, Northeast China. The monitoring results showed that a total of 192 taxa belonging to four phyla, seven classes, 21 orders and 91 families were identified. The composition of macroinvertebrate community in the Liao River Basin was dominated by aquatic insect taxa (Ephemeroptera and Diptera), Oligochaeta and Molluscs. The functional feeding group GC (Gatherer/Collector) was dominant in the whole basin. Statistical results showed that sites with less watershed impacts (lower order sites) were characterized by higher current velocity and habitat score, more sensitive taxa (e.g., Ephemeroptera), and the substrate was dominated by high percentage of cobble and pebble. The sites with more impacts from agriculture and urban industry (higher order sites) were characterized by higher biochemical (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), more tolerant taxa (e.g., Chironominae), and the substrate was dominated by silt and sand. Agriculture and urban-industry activities have reduced habitat condition, increased organic pollutants, reduced macroinvertebrate abundance, diversity, and sensitive taxa in streams of the lower Liao River Basin. Restoration of degraded habitat condition and control of watershed organic pollutants could be potential management priorities for the Basin.

  11. Use of Sediment Budgets for Watershed Erosion Control Planning: A Case Study From Northern California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Connor, M.; McDavitt, W.

    2002-05-01

    Erosion, sedimentation and peak flow increases caused by forest management for commercial timber production may negatively affect aquatic habitat of endangered anadromous fish such as coho salmon ({\\ it O. kisutch}). This paper summarizes a portion of a Watershed Analysis study performed for Pacific Lumber Company, Scotia, CA, focusing on erosion and sedimentation processes and rates and downstream sediment routing and water quality in the Freshwater Creek watershed in northwest California. Hillslope, road and bank erosion, channel sedimentation and sediment rates were quantified using field surveys, aerial photo interpretation, and empirical modeling approaches for different elements of the study. Sediment transport rates for bedload were modeled, and sediment transport rates for suspended sediment were estimated based on size distribution of sediment inputs in relation to sizes transported in suspension. The resulting sediment budget was validated through comparison using recent short-term, high-quality estimates of suspended sediment yield collected by a community watershed group at a downstream monitoring site with technical assistance from the US Forest Service. Another check on the sediment budget was provided by bedload yield data from an adjacent watershed, Jacoby Creek. The sediment budget techniques and bedload routing models used for this study provide sediment yield estimates that are in good agreement with available data. These results suggest that sediment budget techniques that require moderate levels of fieldwork can be used to provide relatively accurate technical assessments for use in the TMDL process. The sediment budget also identifies the most significant sediment sources and suggests a framework within which effective erosion control strategies can be developed.

  12. Trout hepatoma--a preliminary report

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rucker, R.R.; Yasutake, W.T.; Wolf, H.

    1961-01-01

    Fish pathology and its role in fish culture were brought into prominence in the spring of 1960 by the disclosure of a high incidence of hepatomas in hatchery-reared rainbow trout. The current problem came to light as the result of a routine inspection of live trout shipments at a California border fish-disease checking station. This service is performed by personnel of the California Department of Fish and Game to preclude the introduction or further spread of communicable fish diseases into California watersheds. Collaborative studies which followed revealed the nationwide distribution of the disease. This unusual disease soon attracted the attention of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the Food and Drug Administration, Public Health Service, and several western State health and conservation agencies.

  13. Rabbit Trails, Ephemera, and Other Stories: Feminist Methodology and Collaborative Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burnett, Rebecca E.; Ewald, Helen Rothschild

    1994-01-01

    Explores the intersections between feminist methodology and collaborative research to identify flashpoints that might derail attempts at collaboration. Analyzes the personal experiences of the authors in four ongoing collaborative research groups. (HB)

  14. Effect of Peer-to-Peer Nurse-Physician Collaboration on Attitudes Toward the Nurse-Physician Relationship.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Pamela B; Rea, Jean B; Oermann, Marilyn H; Hegarty, Ellen J; Prewitt, Judy R; Rudd, Mariah; Silva, Susan; Nagler, Alisa; Turner, David A; DeMeo, Stephen D

    The goal of this study was to pilot a novel peer-to-peer nurse-physician collaboration program and assess for changes in attitudes toward collaboration among a group of newly licensed nurses and resident physicians (n = 39). The program included large group meetings, with discussion of key concepts related to interprofessional collaboration. In unit-based teams, the registered nurses and physicians developed a quality improvement project to meet a need on their unit. Creating learning activities like this program enable nursing professional development specialists to promote interprofessional collaboration and learning.

  15. Q-BIC3 - A Québec-Bavarian international collaboration for adapting regional watershed management to climate change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ludwig, Ralf

    2010-05-01

    Adapting to the impacts of climate change is certainly one of the major challenges in water resources management over the next decades. Adaptation to climate change risks is most crucial in this domain, since projected increase in mean air temperature in combination with an expected increase in the temporal variability of precipitation patterns will contribute to pressure on current water availability, allocation and management practices. The latter often involve the utilization of valuable infrastructure, such as dams, reservoirs and water intakes, for which adaptation options must by developed over long-term and often dynamic planning horizons. Research to establish novel methodologies for improved adaptation to climate change is thus very important and only beginning to emerge in regional watershed management. The presented project Q-BIC³, funded by the Bavarian Minstry for the Environment and the Québec Ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation, aims to develop and apply a newly designed spectrum of tools to support the improved assessment of adaptation options to climate change in regional watershed management. It addresses in particular selected study sites in Québec and Bavaria. The following key issues have been prioritized within Q-BIC³: i) The definition of potential adaptation options in the context of climate change for pre-targeted water management key issues using a subsequent and logical chain of modelling tools (climate, hydrological and water management modeling tools) ii) The definition of an approach that accounts for hydrological projection uncertainties in the search for potential adaptation options in the context of climate change iii) The investigation of the required complexity in hydrological models to estimate climate change impacts and to develop specific adaptation options for Québec and Bavaria watersheds. iv) The development and prototyping of a regionally transferable and modular modelling system for integrated watershed management under climate change conditions. The study sites under investigation, namely the Haut-Saint Francois and Gatineau watersheds in Québec and the Isar and Regnitz catchments in Bavaria, are under heavy anthropogenic use. Intense dam and reservoir operations and even water transfer systems are in place to satisfy multi-purpose demands on available water resources. These are imposing extreme modifications to the natural flow regimes. In the first phase of the project, climatic forcing, stemming from an ensemble of selected GCM and RCM runs, is applied to a variety of hydrological models with different complexity. The derived projections of future hydrological conditions serve to investigate, whether current operation rules and/or existing infrastructure needs to be adapted to a changing environment. First findings demonstrate the large uncertainties associated to the model chain outputs, but also indicate that related adaptation is indispensable to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing man-environment systems.

  16. A "Mixed" Strategy for Collaborative Group Formation and Its Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Acharya, Anal; Sinha, Devadatta

    2018-01-01

    This study uses homogeneity in personal learning styles and heterogeneity in subject knowledge for collaborative learning group decomposition indicating that groups are "mixed" in nature. Homogeneity within groups was formed using K-means clustering and greedy search, whereas heterogeneity imbibed using agenda-driven search. For checking…

  17. Computer-Mediated Collaborative Projects: Processes for Enhancing Group Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dupin-Bryant, Pamela A.

    2008-01-01

    Groups are a fundamental part of the business world. Yet, as companies continue to expand internationally, a major challenge lies in promoting effective communication among employees who work in varying time zones. Global expansion often requires group collaboration through computer systems. Computer-mediated groups lead to different communicative…

  18. Discover a Watershed: The Watershed Manager Educators Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Project WET Foundation, 2002

    2002-01-01

    This guide contains 19 science-based, multidisciplinary activities that teach what a watershed is, how it works and why we must all consider ourselves watershed managers. An extensive background section introduces readers to fundamental watershed concepts. Each activity adapts to local watersheds, contains e-links for further Internet research and…

  19. Protect and Restore Mill Creek Watershed; Annual Report 2002-2003.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McRoberts, Heidi

    2004-01-01

    The Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Watershed Division approaches watershed restoration with a ridge-top to ridge-top approach. Watershed restoration projects within the Mill Creek watershed are coordinated with the Nez Perce National Forest. The Nez Perce Tribe began watershed restoration projects within the Mill Creek watershed of the South Fork Clearwater River in 2000. Progress has been made in restoring the watershed through excluding cattle from critical riparian areas through fencing. During the FY 2002, trees were planted in riparian areas in the meadow of the upper watershed. In addition, a complete inventory of culverts at road-streammore » crossings was completed. Culverts have been prioritized for replacement to accommodate fish passage throughout the watershed. Maintenance to the previously built fence was also completed.« less

  20. Student leadership in small group science inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Boz, Umit; Broadwell, George A.; Sadler, Troy D.

    2014-09-01

    Background: Science educators have sought to structure collaborative inquiry learning through the assignment of static group roles. This structural approach to student grouping oversimplifies the complexities of peer collaboration and overlooks the highly dynamic nature of group activity. Purpose: This study addresses this issue of oversimplification of group dynamics by examining the social leadership structures that emerge in small student groups during science inquiry. Sample: Two small student groups investigating the burning of a candle under a jar participated in this study. Design and method: We used a mixed-method research approach that combined computational discourse analysis (computational quantification of social aspects of small group discussions) with microethnography (qualitative, in-depth examination of group discussions). Results: While in one group social leadership was decentralized (i.e., students shared control over topics and tasks), the second group was dominated by a male student (centralized social leadership). Further, decentralized social leadership was found to be paralleled by higher levels of student cognitive engagement. Conclusions: It is argued that computational discourse analysis can provide science educators with a powerful means of developing pedagogical models of collaborative science learning that take into account the emergent nature of group structures and highly fluid nature of student collaboration.

  1. The Efficacy of Three Learning Methods Collaborative, Context-Based Learning and Traditional, on Learning, Attitude and Behaviour of Undergraduate Nursing Students: Integrating Theory and Practice.

    PubMed

    Hasanpour-Dehkordi, Ali; Solati, Kamal

    2016-04-01

    Communication skills training, responsibility, respect, and self-awareness are important indexes of changing learning behaviours in modern approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of three learning approaches, collaborative, context-based learning (CBL), and traditional, on learning, attitude, and behaviour of undergraduate nursing students. This study was a clinical trial with pretest and post-test of control group. The participants were senior nursing students. The samples were randomly assigned to three groups; CBL, collaborative, and traditional. To gather data a standard questionnaire of students' behaviour and attitude was administered prior to and after the intervention. Also, the rate of learning was investigated by a researcher-developed questionnaire prior to and after the intervention in the three groups. In CBL and collaborative training groups, the mean score of behaviour and attitude increased after the intervention. But no significant association was obtained between the mean scores of behaviour and attitude prior to and after the intervention in the traditional group. However, the mean learning score increased significantly in the CBL, collaborative, and traditional groups after the study in comparison to before the study. Both CBL and collaborative approaches were useful in terms of increased respect, self-awareness, self-evaluation, communication skills and responsibility as well as increased motivation and learning score in comparison to traditional method.

  2. INTERACTIVE HABITAT SUITABILITY MODELS FOR STREAM FISHES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Models that predict the presence of stream fish species based on habitat characteristics can be useful in watershed management. We developed such models for each of fourteen Mid-Atlantic Highlands stream fish species/groups.

  3. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model for saturation excess conditions: application to an agricultural and a forested watershed.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crabtree, B.; Brooks, E.; Ostrowski, K.; Elliot, W. J.; Boll, J.

    2006-12-01

    We incorporated saturation excess overland flow processes in the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model for the evaluation of human disturbances in watersheds. In this presentation, we present results of the modified WEPP model to two watersheds: an agricultural watershed with mixed land use, and a forested watershed. The agricultural watershed is Paradise Creek, an intensively monitored watershed with continuous climate, flow and sediment data collection at multiple locations. Restoration efforts in Paradise Creek watershed include changing to minimal tillage or no-tillage sytems, and implementation of structural practices. The forested watershed is the 28 km2 Mica Creek Experimental Watershed (MCEW) where disturbances include clear and partial cutting, and road building. The MCEW has a nested study design, which allows for the analysis of cumulative effects as well as the traditional comparison of treatment versus control. Mica Creek watershed is a high elevation watershed where streamflow is generated mostly by snowmelt. Treatments include road building in 1997, and clearcut and partial-cut logging in 2001. Our results include the simulation of streamflow and sediment delivery at multiple locations within each watershed, and evaluation of the human disturbances.

  4. Impact of a pharmacist-physician collaborative care model on patient outcomes and health services utilization.

    PubMed

    Matzke, Gary R; Moczygemba, Leticia R; Williams, Karen J; Czar, Michael J; Lee, William T

    2018-05-22

    The impact of a pharmacist-physician collaborative care model on patient outcomes and health services utilization is described. Six hospitals from the Carilion Clinic health system in southwest Virginia, along with 22 patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices affiliated with Carilion Clinic, participated in this project. Eligibility criteria included documented diagnosis of 2 or more of the 7 targeted chronic conditions (congestive heart failure, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression), prescriptions for 4 or more medications, and having a primary care physician in the Carilion Clinic health system. A total of 2,480 evaluable patients were included in both the collaborative care group and the usual care group. The primary clinical outcomes measured were the absolute change in values associated with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia management from baseline within and between the collaborative care and usual care groups. Significant improvements ( p < 0.01) in glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol were observed in the collaborative care group compared with the usual care group. Hospitalizations declined significantly in the collaborative care group (23.4%), yielding an estimated cost savings of $2,619 per patient. The return on investment (net savings divided by program cost) was 504%. Inclusion of clinical pharmacists in this physician-pharmacist collaborative care-based PCMH model was associated with significant improvements in patients' medication-related clinical health outcomes and a reduction in hospitalizations. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Effect of Ability Grouping in Reciprocal Teaching Technique of Collaborative Learning on Individual Achievements and Social Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sumadi; Degeng, I Nyoman S.; Sulthon; Waras

    2017-01-01

    This research focused on effects of ability grouping in reciprocal teaching technique of collaborative learning on individual achievements dan social skills. The results research showed that (1) there are differences in individual achievement significantly between high group of homogeneous, middle group of homogeneous, low group of homogeneous,…

  6. Case-Based Learning in Virtual Groups--Collaborative Problem Solving Activities and Learning Outcomes in a Virtual Professional Training Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kopp, Birgitta; Hasenbein, Melanie; Mandl, Heinz

    2014-01-01

    This article analyzes the collaborative problem solving activities and learning outcomes of five groups that worked on two different complex cases in a virtual professional training course. In this asynchronous virtual learning environment, all knowledge management content was delivered virtually and collaboration took place through forums. To…

  7. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wendt, Jillian L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.

    2015-01-01

    Using a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest/posttest control group design, the researchers examined the effects of online collaborative learning on eighth-grade student's sense of community in a physical science class. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative activities in a face-to-face learning…

  8. The Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group: Early Development and Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petrosino, Anthony; Farrington, David P.; Sherman, Lawrence W.

    2003-01-01

    The Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group was inaugurated in 2000 to prepare, update, and disseminate systematic reviews on what works to reduce crime or improve justice. After providing a brief description of a systematic review and the origins of the Campbell Collaboration, this paper provides an overview of the first 36 months of the…

  9. Group Tasks, Activities, Dynamics, and Interactions in Collaborative Robotics Projects with Elementary and Middle School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuen, Timothy T.; Boecking, Melanie; Stone, Jennifer; Tiger, Erin Price; Gomez, Alvaro; Guillen, Adrienne; Arreguin, Analisa

    2014-01-01

    Robotics provide the opportunity for students to bring their individual interests, perspectives and areas of expertise together in order to work collaboratively on real-world science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) problems. This paper examines the nature of collaboration that manifests in groups of elementary and middle school…

  10. The Collaborative Coordination of Special Interest Groups on the Telemedicine University Network (RUTE) in Brazil.

    PubMed

    de Lima Verde Brito, Thiago Delevidove; Baptista, Roberto Silva; de Lima Lopes, Paulo Roberto; Haddad, Ana Estela; Messina, Luiz Ary; Torres Pisa, Ivan

    2015-01-01

    In Brazil the Telemedicine University Network (Rede Universitária de Telemedicina RUTE) is an initiative that among others promotes collaboration between university hospitals, universities, and health professionals through information technology infrastructure and special interest groups (SIGs) support. This paper presents results of analyses on collaboration during implementation and coordination activities of RUTE SIGs. This study is based on descriptive statistics and data visualization previously collected by RUTE national coordination relative to the status in July 2014. The analysis through collaboration graph identified the strongest collaboration RUTE units. The graph also highlights the collaborative relationship of RUTE units in form of communities, the most collaborative with each other in a communion in the same SIGs, and the less the collaborative units in the network. It should be stated that the most active units are also the oldest in the community.

  11. Watershed assessment-watershed analysis: What are the limits and what must be considered

    Treesearch

    Robert R. Ziemer

    2000-01-01

    Watershed assessment or watershed analysis describes processes and interactions that influence ecosystems and resources in a watershed. Objectives and methods differ because issues and opportunities differ.

  12. The effectiveness of integration of virtual patients in a collaborative learning activity.

    PubMed

    Marei, Hesham F; Donkers, Jeroen; Van Merrienboer, Jeroen J G

    2018-05-07

    Virtual patients (VPs) have been recently integrated within different learning activities. To compare between the effect of using VPs in a collaborative learning activity and using VPs in an independent learning activity on students' knowledge acquisition, retention and transfer. For two different topics, respectively 82 and 76 dental students participated in teaching, learning and assessment sessions with VPs. Students from a female campus and from a male campus have been randomly assigned to condition (collaborative and independent), yielding four experimental groups. Each group received a lecture followed by a learning session using two VPs per topic. Students were administrated immediate and delayed written tests as well as transfer tests using two VPs to assess their knowledge in diagnosis and treatment. For the treatment items of the immediate and delayed written tests, females outperformed males in the collaborative VP group but not in the independent VP group. On the female campus, the use of VPs in a collaborative learning activity is more effective than its use as an independent learning activity in enhancing students' knowledge acquisition and retention. However, the collaborative use of VPs by itself is not enough to produce consistent results across different groups of students and attention should be given to all the factors that would affect students' interaction.

  13. Collaborative writing: Tools and tips.

    PubMed

    Eapen, Bell Raj

    2007-01-01

    Majority of technical writing is done by groups of experts and various web based applications have made this collaboration easy. Email exchange of word processor documents with tracked changes used to be the standard technique for collaborative writing. However web based tools like Google docs and Spreadsheets have made the process fast and efficient. Various versioning tools and synchronous editors are available for those who need additional functionality. Having a group leader who decides the scheduling, communication and conflict resolving protocols is important for successful collaboration.

  14. A watershed-based adaptive knowledge system for developing ecosystem stakeholder partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Hebin; Thornton, Jeffrey A.; Shadrin, Nickolai

    2015-11-01

    This study proposes a Watershed-based Adaptive Knowledge System (WAKES) to consistently coordinate multiple stakeholders in developing sustainable partnerships for ecosystem management. WAKES is extended from the institutional mechanism of Payments for Improving Ecosystem Services at the Watershed-scale (PIES-W). PIES-W is designed relating to the governance of ecosystem services fl ows focused on a lake as a resource stock connecting its infl owing and outfl owing rivers within its watershed. It explicitly realizes the values of conservation services provided by private land managers and incorporates their activities into the public organizing framework for ecosystem management. It implicitly extends the "upstream-to-downstream" organizing perspective to a broader vision of viewing the ecosystems as comprised of both "watershed landscapes" and "marine landscapes". Extended from PIES-W, WAKES specifies two corresponding feedback: Framework I and II. Framework I is a relationship matrix comprised of three input-output structures of primary governance factors intersecting three subsystems of a watershed with regard to ecosystem services and human stakeholders. Framework II is the Stakeholder-and-Information structure channeling five types of information among four stakeholder groups in order to enable the feedbacks mechanism of Framework I. WAKES identifies the rationales behind three fundamental information transformations, illustrated with the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and the Strategic Action Program of the Bermejo River Binational Basin. These include (1) translating scientific knowledge into public information within the Function-and-Service structure corresponding to the ecological subsystem, (2) incorporating public perceptions into political will within the Service- and- Value structure corresponding to the economic subsystem, and (3) integrating scientific knowledge, public perceptions and political will into management options within the Value-and-Stakeholder structure corresponding to the social subsystem. This study seeks to share a vision of social adaptation for a global sustainable future through developing a network to adopt contributions from and forming partnerships among all ecosystem stakeholders.

  15. Mapping Mountain Front Recharge Areas in Arid Watersheds Based on a Digital Elevation Model and Land Cover Types

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bowen, Esther E.; Hamada, Yuki; O’Connor, Ben L.

    Here, a recent assessment that quantified potential impacts of solar energy development on water resources in the southwestern United States necessitated the development of a methodology to identify locations of mountain front recharge (MFR) in order to guide land development decisions. A spatially explicit, slope-based algorithm was created to delineate MFR zones in 17 arid, mountainous watersheds using elevation and land cover data. Slopes were calculated from elevation data and grouped into 100 classes using iterative self-organizing classification. Candidate MFR zones were identified based on slope classes that were consistent with MFR. Land cover types that were inconsistent with groundwatermore » recharge were excluded from the candidate areas to determine the final MFR zones. No MFR reference maps exist for comparison with the study’s results, so the reliability of the resulting MFR zone maps was evaluated qualitatively using slope, surficial geology, soil, and land cover datasets. MFR zones ranged from 74 km2 to 1,547 km2 and accounted for 40% of the total watershed area studied. Slopes and surficial geologic materials that were present in the MFR zones were consistent with conditions at the mountain front, while soils and land cover that were present would generally promote groundwater recharge. Visual inspection of the MFR zone maps also confirmed the presence of well-recognized alluvial fan features in several study watersheds. While qualitative evaluation suggested that the algorithm reliably delineated MFR zones in most watersheds overall, the algorithm was better suited for application in watersheds that had characteristic Basin and Range topography and relatively flat basin floors than areas without these characteristics. Because the algorithm performed well to reliably delineate the spatial distribution of MFR, it would allow researchers to quantify aspects of the hydrologic processes associated with MFR and help local land resource managers to consider protection of critical groundwater recharge regions in their development decisions.« less

  16. Mapping Mountain Front Recharge Areas in Arid Watersheds Based on a Digital Elevation Model and Land Cover Types

    DOE PAGES

    Bowen, Esther E.; Hamada, Yuki; O’Connor, Ben L.

    2014-06-01

    Here, a recent assessment that quantified potential impacts of solar energy development on water resources in the southwestern United States necessitated the development of a methodology to identify locations of mountain front recharge (MFR) in order to guide land development decisions. A spatially explicit, slope-based algorithm was created to delineate MFR zones in 17 arid, mountainous watersheds using elevation and land cover data. Slopes were calculated from elevation data and grouped into 100 classes using iterative self-organizing classification. Candidate MFR zones were identified based on slope classes that were consistent with MFR. Land cover types that were inconsistent with groundwatermore » recharge were excluded from the candidate areas to determine the final MFR zones. No MFR reference maps exist for comparison with the study’s results, so the reliability of the resulting MFR zone maps was evaluated qualitatively using slope, surficial geology, soil, and land cover datasets. MFR zones ranged from 74 km2 to 1,547 km2 and accounted for 40% of the total watershed area studied. Slopes and surficial geologic materials that were present in the MFR zones were consistent with conditions at the mountain front, while soils and land cover that were present would generally promote groundwater recharge. Visual inspection of the MFR zone maps also confirmed the presence of well-recognized alluvial fan features in several study watersheds. While qualitative evaluation suggested that the algorithm reliably delineated MFR zones in most watersheds overall, the algorithm was better suited for application in watersheds that had characteristic Basin and Range topography and relatively flat basin floors than areas without these characteristics. Because the algorithm performed well to reliably delineate the spatial distribution of MFR, it would allow researchers to quantify aspects of the hydrologic processes associated with MFR and help local land resource managers to consider protection of critical groundwater recharge regions in their development decisions.« less

  17. Supporting Effective Collaboration: Using a Rearview Mirror to Look Forward

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McManus, Margaret M.; Aiken, Robert M.

    2016-01-01

    Our original research, to design and develop an Intelligent Collaborative Learning System (ICLS), yielded the creation of a Group Leader Tutor software system which utilizes a Collaborative Skills Network to monitor students working collaboratively in a networked environment. The Collaborative Skills Network was a conceptualization of…

  18. Restore McComas Watershed; Meadow Creek Watershed, 2002-2003 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McRoberts, Heidi

    2004-01-01

    The Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Watershed Division approaches watershed restoration with a ridge-top to ridge-top approach. Watershed restoration projects within the Meadow Creek watershed are coordinated with the Nez Perce National Forest. The Nez Perce Tribe began watershed restoration projects within the Meadow Creek watershed of the South Fork Clearwater River in 1996. Progress has been made in restoring the watershed by excluding cattle from critical riparian areas through fencing. During years 2000-2003, trees were planted in riparian areas within the meadow and its tributaries. Culverts have been prioritized for replacement to accommodate fish passage throughoutmore » the watershed. Designs for replacement are being coordinated with the Nez Perce National Forest. Twenty miles of road were contracted for decommissioning. Tribal crews completed maintenance to the previously built fence.« less

  19. The teacher's role in promoting collaborative dialogue in the classroom.

    PubMed

    Webb, Noreen M

    2009-03-01

    Research on student-led small-group learning in schools going back nearly four decades has documented many types of student participation that promote learning. Less is known about how the teacher can foster effective groupwork behaviours. This paper reviews research that explores the role of the teacher in promoting learning in small groups. The focus is on how students can learn from their peers during small-group work, how teachers can prepare students for collaborative group work, and the role of teacher discourse and classroom norms in small-group dialogue. Studies selected for review focused on student-led small-group contexts for learning in which students were expected to collaborate, reported data from systematic observations of group work, and linked observational data to teacher practices and student learning outcomes. This review uncovered multiple dimensions of the teacher's role in fostering beneficial group dialogue, including preparing students for collaborative work, forming groups, structuring the group-work task, and influencing student interaction through teachers' discourse with small groups and with the class. Common threads through the research are the importance of students explaining their thinking, and teacher strategies and practices that may promote student elaboration of ideas.

  20. Effects of Collaborative Group Composition and Inquiry Instruction on Reasoning Gains and Achievement in Undergraduate Biology

    PubMed Central

    Jensen, Jamie Lee; Lawson, Anton

    2011-01-01

    This study compared the effectiveness of collaborative group composition and instructional method on reasoning gains and achievement in college biology. Based on initial student reasoning ability (i.e., low, medium, or high), students were assigned to either homogeneous or heterogeneous collaborative groups within either inquiry or didactic instruction. Achievement and reasoning gains were assessed at the end of the semester. Inquiry instruction, as a whole, led to significantly greater gains in reasoning ability and achievement. Inquiry instruction also led to greater confidence and more positive attitudes toward collaboration. Low-reasoning students made significantly greater reasoning gains within inquiry instruction when grouped with other low reasoners than when grouped with either medium or high reasoners. Results are consistent with equilibration theory, supporting the idea that students benefit from the opportunity for self-regulation without the guidance or direction of a more capable peer. PMID:21364101

  1. Environmental drivers of soil microbial community distribution at the Koiliaris Critical Zone Observatory.

    PubMed

    Tsiknia, Myrto; Paranychianakis, Nikolaos V; Varouchakis, Emmanouil A; Moraetis, Daniel; Nikolaidis, Nikolaos P

    2014-10-01

    Data on soil microbial community distribution at large scales are limited despite the important information that could be drawn with regard to their function and the influence of environmental factors on nutrient cycling and ecosystem services. This study investigates the distribution of Archaea, Bacteria and Fungi as well as the dominant bacterial phyla (Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes), and classes of Proteobacteria (Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria) across the Koiliaris watershed by qPCR and associate them with environmental variables. Predictive maps of microorganisms distribution at watershed scale were generated by co-kriging, using the most significant predictors. Our findings showed that 31-79% of the spatial variation in microbial taxa abundance could be explained by the parameters measured, with total organic carbon and pH being identified as the most important. Moreover, strong correlations were set between microbial groups and their inclusion on variance explanation improved the prediction power of the models. The spatial autocorrelation of microbial groups ranged from 309 to 2.226 m, and geographic distance, by itself, could explain a high proportion of their variation. Our findings shed light on the factors shaping microbial communities at a high taxonomic level and provide evidence for ecological coherence and syntrophic interactions at the watershed scale. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Contributions of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to U.S. estuaries: Summary and conclusions: Chapter 8

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stacey, Paul E.; Greening, Holly; Kremer, James N.; Peterson, David; Tomasko, David A.; Valigura, Richard A.; Alexander, Richard B.; Castro, Mark S.; Meyers, Tilden P.; Paerl, Hans W.; Stacey, Paul E.; Turner, R. Eugene

    2001-01-01

    A NOAA project was initiated in 1998, with support from the U.S. EPA, to develop state-of-the-art estimates of atmospheric N deposition to estuarine watersheds and water surfaces and its delivery to the estuaries. Work groups were formed to address N deposition rates, indirect (from the watershed) yields from atmospheric and other anthropogenic sources, and direct deposition on the estuarine waterbodies, and to evaluate the levels of uncertainty within the estimates. Watershed N yields were estimated using both a land-use based process approach and a national (SPARROW) model, compared to each other, and compared to estimates of N yield from the literature. The total N yields predicted by the national model were similar to values found in the literature and the land-use derived estimates were consistently higher. Atmospheric N yield estimates were within a similar range for the two approaches, but tended to be higher in the land-use based estimates and were not wellcorrelated. Median atmospheric N yields were around 15% of the total N yield for both groups, but ranged as high as 60% when both direct and indirect deposition were considered. Although not the dominant source of anthropogenic N, atmospheric N is, and will undoubtedly continue to be, an important factor in culturally eutrophied estuarine systems, warranting additional research and management attention.

  3. Dry column-thermal energy analyzer method for determining N-nitrosopyrrolidine in fried bacon: collaborative study.

    PubMed

    Fiddler, W; Pensabene, J W; Gates, R A; Phillips, J G

    1984-01-01

    A dry column method for isolating N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) from fried, cure-pumped bacon and detection by gas chromatography-thermal energy analyzer (TEA) was studied collaboratively. Testing the results obtained from 11 collaborators for homogeneous variances among samples resulted in splitting the nonzero samples into 2 groups of sample levels, each with similar variances. Outlying results were identified by AOAC-recommended procedures, and laboratories having outliers within a group were excluded. Results from the 9 collaborators remaining in the low group yielded coefficients of variation (CV) of 6.00% and 7.47% for repeatability and reproducibility, respectively, and the 8 collaborators remaining in the high group yielded CV values of 5.64% and 13.72%, respectively. An 85.2% overall average recovery of the N-nitrosoazetidine internal standard was obtained with an average laboratory CV of 10.5%. The method has been adopted official first action as an alternative to the mineral oil distillation-TEA screening procedure.

  4. Using system dynamics for collaborative design: a case study

    PubMed Central

    Elf, Marie; Putilova, Mariya; von Koch, Lena; Öhrn, Kerstin

    2007-01-01

    Background In order to facilitate the collaborative design, system dynamics (SD) with a group modelling approach was used in the early stages of planning a new stroke unit. During six workshops a SD model was created in a multiprofessional group. Aim To explore to which extent and how the use of system dynamics contributed to the collaborative design process. Method A case study was conducted using several data sources. Results SD supported a collaborative design, by facilitating an explicit description of stroke care process, a dialogue and a joint understanding. The construction of the model obliged the group to conceptualise the stroke care and experimentation with the model gave the opportunity to reflect on care. Conclusion SD facilitated the collaborative design process and should be integrated in the early stages of the design process as a quality improvement tool. PMID:17683519

  5. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wendt, Jillian L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.

    2015-10-01

    Using a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest/posttest control group design, the researchers examined the effects of online collaborative learning on eighth-grade student's sense of community in a physical science class. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative activities in a face-to-face learning environment, whereas students in the experimental group participated in online collaborative activities using the Edmodo educational platform in a hybrid learning environment. Students completed the Classroom Community Scale survey as a pretest and posttest. Results indicated that the students who participated in the face-to-face classroom had higher overall sense of community and learning community than students who participated in collaborative activities in the online environment. Results and implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.

  6. Examining the Effect of Problem Type in a Synchronous Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kapur, Manu; Kinzer, Charles K.

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of well- vs. ill-structured problem types on: (a) group interactional activity, (b) evolution of group participation inequities, (c) group discussion quality, and (d) group performance in a synchronous, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. Participants were 60 11th-grade science students…

  7. Student Collaboration in Group Work: Inclusion as Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forslund Frykedal, Karin; Hammar Chiriac, Eva

    2018-01-01

    Group work is an educational mode that promotes learning and socialisation among students. In this study, we focused on the inclusive processes when students work in small groups. The aim was to investigate and describe students' inclusive and collaborative processes in group work and how the teacher supported or impeded these transactions. Social…

  8. The "Ticket to Ride" Formative Assessment Ritual: Collaboration and Festivity in High School Chemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klawiter, Mark F.

    2015-01-01

    Chemistry taught in high schools typically has group interaction components designed to provide opportunities for groups of two or more students to collaborate. Such opportunities, however, can lead to diminished learning among some students, as domination, group dissonance, and/or non-participation among group members can derail the collaborative…

  9. Watershed Central: Harnessing a social media tool to organize local technical knowledge and find the right watershed resources for your watershed

    EPA Science Inventory

    Watershed Central was developed to be a bridge between sharing and searching for information relating to watershed issues. This is dependent upon active user support through additions and updates to the Watershed Central Wiki. Since the wiki is user driven, the content and applic...

  10. How Do Groups Work? Age Differences in Performance and the Social Outcomes of Peer Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leman, Patrick J.

    2015-01-01

    Do children derive different benefits from group collaboration at different ages? In the present study, 183 children from two age groups (8.8 and 13.4 years) took part in a class quiz as members of a group, or individually. In some groups, cohesiveness was made salient by awarding prizes to the top performing groups. In other groups, prizes were…

  11. Linking the watershed to the schoolshed: teaching sustainable development in K-12 with the Chester RIver Watershed Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trembanis, A. C.; Levin, D.; Seidel, J.

    2012-12-01

    The Chester River has been the subject of ongoing scientific studies in response to both the Clean Water Act and the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program initiatives. The Upper, Middle, and Lower Chester are on the Maryland Department of Environment's list of "impaired waters". The Chester River Watershed (CRW) Observatory is lead by the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College. Eight clusters representing 22 public and private K-12 schools in the CRW provide the sampling sites distributed throughout the watershed. Weather stations will be installed at these sites allowing monitoring of the watershed's microclimate. Each cluster will be assigned a Basic Observation Buoy (BOB), an easy to assemble inexpensive buoy platform for real-time water column and atmospheric condition measurements. The BOBs are fitted with a data sonde to collect similar data parameters (e.g. salinity, temperature) as the main stem Chesapeake Bay buoys do. These assets will be deployed and the data transmitted to the Chester River Geographic Information System site for archival and visual display. Curriculum already developed for the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office will be adapted to the Chester River Watershed. Social issues of water sustainability will be introduced using the Watershed Game (Northland NEMO ®). During 2011 NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office completed curriculum projects including Chesapeake Exploration, Build-a-Buoy (BaBs) and Basic Observation Buoys (BOBs). These engaging projects utilize authentic data and hands-on activities to demonstrate the tools scientists use to understand system interactions in the Bay. Chesapeake Exploration is a collection of online activities that provides teachers and students with unprecedented access to Bay data. Students are guided through a series of tasks that explore topics related to the interrelation between watersheds, land-use, weather, water quality, and living resources. The BaBs and BOBs (developed by Levin) engage students in the building and testing of buoys to monitor the environment. Additional hands on science activities include the Levin developed ROVs-in-a-bucket project that Trembanis has incorporated into the University of Delaware high school summer science camp TIDE (Teaching an Interest in Delaware's Estuary) http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/tide/ in which 12-15 high school students annually participate in groups working to design, build, and operate a simple remotely operated vehicle in a series of real work simulation activities such as responding to an oil spill. The new CRW network will be the focus for formal and informal learning partnerships between schools in the watershed. Professional development opportunities for Chester River watershed teachers focus on the use of sensors, utilization of GIS in the classroom, and other resources that become available as shared teaching resources. Federal, state, regional, and local users in government, private industry, and educational venues from grades k-16 will be able to observe the trends and learn together the most prudent ways to sustain and conserve natural resources.

  12. Application of WATERSHED ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT Methods to Watershed Management

    EPA Science Inventory

    Watersheds are frequently used to study and manage environmental resources because hydrologic boundaries define the flow of contaminants and other stressors. Ecological assessments of watersheds are complex because watersheds typically overlap multiple jurisdictional boundaries,...

  13. Application of Watershed Ecological Risk Assessment Methods to Watershed Management

    EPA Science Inventory

    Watersheds are frequently used to study and manage environmental resources because hydrologic boundaries define the flow of contaminants and other stressors. Ecological assessments of watersheds are complex because watersheds typically overlap multiple jurisdictional boundaries,...

  14. Team Leadership: It's Not for the Faint of Heart

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curry, Katherine A.

    2014-01-01

    Group decision-making can result in important benefits for organizational effectiveness. However, collaborative environments do not emerge organically. Effective leadership is critical for group success. Educational leaders must understand group processes and the importance of creating a culture that supports collaboration. Student discipline for…

  15. Developing an Instrument to Characterise Peer-Led Groups in Collaborative Learning Environments: Assessing Problem-Solving Approach and Group Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pazos, Pilar; Micari, Marina; Light, Gregory

    2010-01-01

    Collaborative learning is being used extensively by educators at all levels. Peer-led team learning in a version of collaborative learning that has shown consistent success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. Using a multi-phase research study we describe the development of an observation instrument that can be used to…

  16. Student Interactions and the Development of Ideas in Multi-Touch and Paper-Based Collaborative Mathematical Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mercier, Emma; Vourloumi, Georgia; Higgins, Steven

    2017-01-01

    Multi-touch technology is increasingly being used to support collaborative learning activities. However, to know how this technology can be used most effectively, we need to understand if collaborative interactions differ when groups are using multi-touch technology compared with other tools. In this paper, we compare the interactions of groups of…

  17. Measures of progress for collaboration: case study of the Applegate Partnership.

    Treesearch

    Su. Rolle

    2002-01-01

    Using the Applegate Partnership as a case study, this paper proposes a number of ways to measure the success of collaborative groups. These measures allow for providing evaluation and feedback, engaging needed participants, and responding to groups critical of the collaborative process. Arguing for the concept of progress in place of success, this paper points out that...

  18. Elements of Collaborative Discussion and Shared Problem Solving in a Voice-Enhanced Multiplayer Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bluemink, Johanna; Jarvela, Sanna

    2011-01-01

    This study focuses on investigating the nature of small-group collaborative interaction in a voice-enhanced multiplayer game called "eScape". The aim was to analyse the elements of groups' collaborative discussion and to explore the nature of the players' shared problem solving activity during the solution critical moments in the game. The data…

  19. 75 FR 11837 - Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Commodity Credit Corporation Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative AGENCY...: Notice of availability of program funds for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative. SUMMARY: The... through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative for agricultural producers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed...

  20. Automated watershed subdivision for simulations using multi-objective optimization

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The development of watershed management plans to evaluate placement of conservation practices typically involves application of watershed models. Incorporating spatially variable watershed characteristics into a model often requires subdividing the watershed into small areas to accurately account f...

  1. Application of Watershed Scale Models to Predict Nitrogen Loading From Coastal Plain Watersheds

    Treesearch

    George M. Chescheir; Glenn P Fernandez; R. Wayne Skaggs; Devendra M. Amatya

    2004-01-01

    DRAINMOD-based watershed models have been developed and tested using data collected from an intensively instrumented research site on Kendricks Creek watershed near Plymouth. NC. These models were applied to simulate the hydrology and nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) loading from two other watersheds in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, the 11600 ha Chicod Creek watershed...

  2. An Analysis of Collaborative Problem-Solving Activities Mediated by Individual-Based and Collaborative Computer Simulations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, C.-J.; Chang, M.-H.; Liu, C.-C.; Chiu, B.-C.; Fan Chiang, S.-H.; Wen, C.-T.; Hwang, F.-K.; Chao, P.-Y.; Chen, Y.-L.; Chai, C.-S.

    2017-01-01

    Researchers have indicated that the collaborative problem-solving space afforded by the collaborative systems significantly impact the problem-solving process. However, recent investigations into collaborative simulations, which allow a group of students to jointly manipulate a problem in a shared problem space, have yielded divergent results…

  3. Use of an Interculturally Enriched Collaboration Script in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popov, Vitaliy; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Kuznetsov, Andrei N.; Mulder, Martin

    2014-01-01

    In this exploratory study, the authors introduced an interculturally enriched collaboration script (IECS) for working in culturally diverse groups within a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment and then assessed student online collaborative behaviour, learning performance and experiences. The question was if and how these…

  4. Soils of Walker Branch Watershed

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lietzke, D.A.

    1994-01-01

    The soil survey of Walker Branch Watershed (WBW) utilized the most up-to-date knowledge of soils, geology, and geohydrology in building the soils data base needed to reinterpret past research and to begin new research in the watershed. The soils of WBW were also compared with soils mapped elsewhere along Chestnut Ridge on the Oak Ridge Reservation to (1) establish whether knowledge obtained elsewhere could be used within the watershed, (2) determine whether there were any soils restricted to the watershed, and (3) evaluate geologic formation lateral variability. Soils, surficial geology, and geomorphology were mapped at a scale of 1:1200 usingmore » a paper base map having 2-ft contour intervals. Most of the contours seemed to reasonably represent actual landform configurations, except for dense wooded areas. For example, the very large dolines or sinkholes were shown on the contour base map, but numerous smaller ones were not. In addition, small drainageways and gullies were often not shown. These often small but important features were located approximately as soil mapping progressed. WBW is underlain by dolostones of the Knox Group, but only a very small part of the surface area contains outcroppings of rock and most outcrops were located in the lower part. Soil mapping revealed the presence of both ancient alluvium and ancient colluvium deposits, not recognized in previous soil surveys, that have been preserved in high-elevation stable portions of present-day landforms. An erosional geomorphic process of topographic inversion requiring several millions of years within the Pleistocene is necessary to bring about the degree of inversion that is expressed in the watershed. Indeed, some of these ancient alluvial and colluvial remnants may date back into the Tertiary. Also evident in the watershed, and preserved in the broad, nearly level bottoms of dolines, are multiple deposits of silty material either devoid or nearly devoid of coarse fragments. Recent research indicates that most of this silty material is the result of slope wash processed during the Holocene Age. Residual soils of the watershed were related to the underlying geologic formations by their morphology and types of chert. Colluvial soils were identified and mapped whenever the colluvium thickness exceeded 20 in. (50 cm). Except for the ancient colluvial soils (colluvium without a present-day source area), colluvial soils were not separated according to their geologic age, but stacked colluvial deposits are located in low footslope landforms. Colluvial soils in the watershed were identified and mapped according to their morphologic properties that would influence the perching and subsurface movement of water. Alluvial soils were restricted to present floodplains, low fan terraces, and low fan deltas. Nearly all alluvial soils contained very young surficial sediments derived from slopewash resulting from land clearing and subsequent agricultural activities.« less

  5. MAPPING WATERSHED INTEGRITY FOR THE CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES.

    EPA Science Inventory

    Watersheds provide a variety of ecosystem services valued by society. Production of these services is sensitive to watershed alteration by human activities. Flotemersch and others (2015), defined watershed integrity (WI) as the “capacity of a watershed to support and maint...

  6. Statistical analysis of cyprinid ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase data in a large French watershed.

    PubMed

    Flammarion, P; Migeon, B; Garric, J

    1998-01-01

    A comparison of ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) data collected in 1995 in various sites in the Rhône watershed (France) was carried out to quantify the influence of factors such as contamination and biological parameters on EROD levels and within-group variabilities. Three species of cyprinids were collected and fish chemical contamination was measured. A log transformation of EROD data provided both normalization and homogeneity of variances. The influence of female sexual maturation on the variability and EROD dimorphism was quantified. A relationship with contaminant bioaccumulation was observed. A comparison with EROD data collected during previous studies by the same laboratory was made to validate the results.

  7. Tree Height and DBH Growth Model Establishment of Main Tree Species in Wuling Mountain Small Watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Jia; Zhang, Min; Zhou, Xiaoling; Chen, Jianhua; Tian, Yuxin

    2018-01-01

    Taken 4 main tree species in the Wuling mountain small watershed as research objects, 57 typical sample plots were set up according to the stand type, site conditions and community structure. 311 goal diameter-class sample trees were selected according to diameter-class groups of different tree-height grades, and the optimal fitting models of tree height and DBH growth of main tree species were obtained by stem analysis using Richard, Logistic, Korf, Mitscherlich, Schumacher, Weibull theoretical growth equations, and the correlation coefficient of all optimal fitting models reached above 0.9. Through the evaluation and test, the optimal fitting models possessed rather good fitting precision and forecast dependability.

  8. Influence of the land use pattern on the concentrations and fluxes of priority pollutants in urban stormwater.

    PubMed

    Zgheib, S; Moilleron, R; Chebbo, G

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents the results of the concentrations (μg/L) and fluxes (g/ha) of priority substances in stormwater from three watersheds with different land use patterns (namely, residential, urban dense, high urban density). Samples were collected at the outlet of these watersheds. Thirteen chemical groups were investigated corresponding to 88 individual substances before treatment. Results showed that stormwater discharges contained 55 substances, among them some metals, organotins, PAHs, PCBs, alkylphenols, pesticides, phthalates, cholorophenols and volatile organic compounds. Therefore, stormwater was highly contaminated. However, this contamination was often comparable from site to site, since no significant difference of the pollutant load was observed between the land use patterns.

  9. Productive Group Work for Students. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williamson, Ronald

    2010-01-01

    There is clear evidence that students who are involved in productive collaborative groups outperform their peers. Cooperative group work also results in improved self-esteem, improved relationships and enhanced social and decision-making skills. Johnson and Johnson (1993) identified the elements of a successful collaborative activity. They include…

  10. Multiage Grouping and Student Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cowan, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this action research project was to investigate students' social preferences and pro-social interactions in a multiage, high school classroom in order to better understand how to group students to maximize learning and collaboration. According to many educational experts and previous inquiries, mixed-age learning groups introduce…

  11. Collaborative use of virtual patients after a lecture enhances learning with minimal investment of cognitive load.

    PubMed

    Marei, Hesham F; Donkers, Jeroen; Al-Eraky, Mohamed M; Van Merrienboer, Jeroen J G

    2018-05-25

    The use of virtual patients (VPs), due to their high complexity and/or inappropriate sequencing with other instructional methods, might cause a high cognitive load, which hampers learning. To investigate the efficiency of instructional methods that involved three different applications of VPs combined with lectures. From two consecutive batches, 171 out of 183 students have participated in lecture and VPs sessions. One group received a lecture session followed by a collaborative VPs learning activity (collaborative deductive). The other two groups received a lecture session and an independent VP learning activity, which either followed the lecture session (independent deductive) or preceded it (independent inductive). All groups were administrated written knowledge acquisition and retention tests as well as transfer tests using two new VPs. All participants completed a cognitive load questionnaire, which measured intrinsic, extraneous and germane load. Mixed effect analysis of cognitive load and efficiency using the R statistical program was performed. The highest intrinsic and extraneous load was found in the independent inductive group, while the lowest intrinsic and extraneous load was seen in the collaborative deductive group. Furthermore, comparisons showed a significantly higher efficiency, that is, higher performance in combination with lower cognitive load, for the collaborative deductive group than for the other two groups. Collaborative use of VPs after a lecture is the most efficient instructional method, of those tested, as it leads to better learning and transfer combined with lower cognitive load, when compared with independent use of VPs, either before or after the lecture.

  12. Nutrient budgets, marsh inundation under sea-level rise scenarios, and sediment chronologies for the Bass Harbor Marsh estuary at Acadia National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Huntington, Thomas G.; Culbertson, Charles W.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Glibert, Patricia; Sturtevant, Luke

    2014-01-01

    Eutrophication in the Bass Harbor Marsh estuary on Mount Desert Island, Maine, is an ongoing problem manifested by recurring annual blooms of green macroalgae species, principally Enteromorpha prolifera and Enteromorpha flexuosa, blooms that appear in the spring and summer. These blooms are unsightly and impair the otherwise natural beauty of this estuarine ecosystem. The macroalgae also threaten the integrity of the estuary and its inherent functions. The U.S. Geological Survey and Acadia National Park have collaborated for several years to better understand the factors related to this eutrophication problem with support from the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Program. The current study involved the collection of hydrologic and water-quality data necessary to investigate the relative contribution of nutrients from oceanic and terrestrial sources during summer 2011 and summer 2012. This report provides data on nutrient budgets for this estuary, sedimentation chronologies for the estuary and fringing marsh, and estuary bathymetry. The report also includes data, based on aerial photographs, on historical changes from 1944 to 2010 in estuary surface area and data, based on surface-elevation details, on changes in marsh area that may accompany sea-level rise. The LOADEST regression model was used to calculate nutrient loads into and out of the estuary during summer 2011 and summer 2012. During these summers, tidal inputs of ammonium to the estuary were more than seven times greater than the combined inputs in watershed runoff and precipitation. In 2011 tidal inputs of nitrate were about four times greater than watershed plus precipitation inputs, and in 2012 tidal inputs were only slightly larger than watershed plus precipitation inputs. In 2011, tidal inputs of total organic nitrogen were larger than watershed input by a factor of 1.6. By contrast, in 2012 inputs of total organic nitrogen in watershed runoff were much larger than tidal inputs, by a factor of 3.6. During the 2011 and 2012 summers, tidal inputs of total dissolved phosphorus to the estuary were more than seven times greater than inputs in watershed runoff. It is evident that during the summer tidal inputs of inorganic nitrogen and total dissolved phosphorus to the estuary exceed inputs from watershed runoff and precipitation. Projected sea-level rise associated with ongoing climate warming will affect the area of land within the Bass Harbor Marsh estuary watershed that is inundated during conditions of mean higher high water and during mean lower low water and hence will affect the vegetation and marsh area. Given 100-centimeter sea-level rise, the inundated area would increase from 25.7 hectares at the current condition to 77.5 hectares at mean higher high water and from 21.6 hectares to 26.7 hectares at mean lower low water. Given 50-centimeter sea-level rise, flooding of the entire marsh surface, which currently occurs only under the highest spring tides, would occur on average every other day. Radioisotope analysis of sediment cores from the estuary indicates that the sediment accumulation rate increased markedly from 1930 to 1980 and was relatively constant (0.4 to 0.5 centimeter per year) from 1980 to 2009. Similarly, from 1980 to 2009 there was a consistently high mass accumulation rate of 0.09 to 0.11 grams per square centimeter per year. The sediment accretion rates determined for the five cores collected from the marsh surface (east and west sides of the estuary) in 2011 show generally higher rates of 0.20 to 0.29 centimeter per year for the period between 1980 to 2011 than for the period before 1980, when sediment accretion rates were 0.06 to 0.25 centimeter per year. The data in this report provide resource managers at Acadia National Park with a baseline that can be used to evaluate future conditions within the estuary. Climate change, sea-level rise, and land-use change within the estuary’s watershed may influence nutrient dynamics, sedimentation, and eutrophication, and these potential effects can be studied in relation to the baseline data provided in this report. The Route 102 Bridge in Tremont, Maine is constructed over a sill that controls the amount of tidal flushing by restricting the duration of the flood tide, and structural changes to the bridge could alter tidal nutrient inputs and residence times for watershed and ocean-derived nutrients in the estuary. Ongoing sea-level rise is likely increasing ocean-derived nutrients and their residence time in the estuary on the one hand and decreasing the residence time of watershed-derived nutrients on the other.

  13. Bringing It All Together through Group Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chance, Shannon M.

    2014-01-01

    Interpersonal and transdisciplinary collaboration can facilitate and amplify the benefits of learning. Drawing from ideas presented throughout this volume, this culminating chapter describes ways to enhance collaborative learning within and among various stakeholder groups.

  14. Collaboration amongst clinical nursing leadership teams: a mixed-methods sequential explanatory study.

    PubMed

    Lamont, Scott; Brunero, Scott; Lyons, Sarah; Foster, Karlie; Perry, Lin

    2015-11-01

    To explore intra-professional collaboration amongst nursing leadership teams at a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney. Effective working within a wide network of alliances is critical to patient outcomes. An understanding of collaboration amongst nursing leadership teams is essential within this context. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used. The Collaborative Behaviour scale was sent to 106 Nurse Unit Managers, Nurse Educators and Clinical Nurse Consultants to measure pairwise collaborative behaviours; two follow-up focus groups with 15 participants were conducted. Data were collected between May 2012 and May 2013. A thematic analysis of focus group data provided a detailed explanation of the questionnaire findings. The findings identified high collaboration between dyad groups. Two themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) professional role and expectations; with sub-themes of transparency and clarity of individual roles; and intra/interpersonal aspects of role functioning; and (2) organisational infrastructure and governance. These leadership teams can be effective and powerful vehicles for change and are central to optimum patient outcomes. Organisational strategic planning and evaluation can benefit from understanding how to promote collaborative behaviours in these nurse leaders. To date, little research has explored collaboration amongst nursing leadership teams. Successful collaboration may contribute to the efficient use of nursing resources; improve patient outcomes, and ultimately, nurse satisfaction and retention. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. The Efficacy of Three Learning Methods Collaborative, Context-Based Learning and Traditional, on Learning, Attitude and Behaviour of Undergraduate Nursing Students: Integrating Theory and Practice

    PubMed Central

    Hasanpour-Dehkordi, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Communication skills training, responsibility, respect, and self-awareness are important indexes of changing learning behaviours in modern approaches. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of three learning approaches, collaborative, context-based learning (CBL), and traditional, on learning, attitude, and behaviour of undergraduate nursing students. Materials and Methods This study was a clinical trial with pretest and post-test of control group. The participants were senior nursing students. The samples were randomly assigned to three groups; CBL, collaborative, and traditional. To gather data a standard questionnaire of students’ behaviour and attitude was administered prior to and after the intervention. Also, the rate of learning was investigated by a researcher-developed questionnaire prior to and after the intervention in the three groups. Results In CBL and collaborative training groups, the mean score of behaviour and attitude increased after the intervention. But no significant association was obtained between the mean scores of behaviour and attitude prior to and after the intervention in the traditional group. However, the mean learning score increased significantly in the CBL, collaborative, and traditional groups after the study in comparison to before the study. Conclusion Both CBL and collaborative approaches were useful in terms of increased respect, self-awareness, self-evaluation, communication skills and responsibility as well as increased motivation and learning score in comparison to traditional method. PMID:27190926

  16. Scripted Collaboration and Group-Based Variations in a Higher Education CSCL Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamalainen, Raija; Arvaja, Maarit

    2009-01-01

    Scripting student activities is one way to make Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning more efficient. This case study examines how scripting guided student group activities and also how different groups interpreted the script; what kinds of roles students adopted and what kinds of differences there were between the groups in terms of their…

  17. Student Groups as Learning Entities: The Effect of Group Diversity and Teamwork Quality on Groups' Cognitive Complexity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curseu, Petru L.; Pluut, Helen

    2013-01-01

    Collaborative learning has important group-level benefits, yet most studies in higher education only focus on individual benefits of collaborative learning experiences. This study extends these insights by testing a model in which teamwork quality mediates the impact of several compositional differences (gender, nationality and teamwork expertise…

  18. Effects of Pre-Structuring Discussion Threads on Group Interaction and Group Performance in Computer-Supported Collaborative Argumentation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, C. Darren; Jeong, Allan

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the effects of pre-structuring discussion threads on group performance in computer-supported collaborative argumentation where students labeled their messages as arguments, challenges, supporting evidence, and explanations on a threaded discussion board. In the pre-structured group students were required to post supporting and…

  19. Using Electronic Communication Tools in Online Group Activities to Develop Collaborative Learning Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalil, Hanan; Ebner, Martin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using synchronous and asynchronous communication tools in online group activities to develop collaborative learning skills. An experimental study was implemented on a sample of faculty of education students in Mansoura University. The sample was divided into two groups, a group studied…

  20. Structuring Collaboration in Mixed-Ability Groups to Promote Verbal Interaction, Learning, and Motivation of Average-Ability Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saleh, Mohammad; Lazonder, Ard W.; Jong, Ton de

    2007-01-01

    Average-ability students often do not take full advantage of learning in mixed-ability groups because they hardly engage in the group interaction. This study examined whether structuring collaboration by group roles and ground rules for helping behavior might help overcome this participatory inequality. In a plant biology course, heterogeneously…

  1. Diversity in Collaborative Research Communities: A Multicultural, Multidisciplinary Thesis Writing Group in Public Health

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guerin, Cally; Xafis, Vicki; Doda, Diana V.; Gillam, Marianne H.; Larg, Allison J.; Luckner, Helene; Jahan, Nasreen; Widayati, Aris; Xu, Chuangzhou

    2013-01-01

    Writing groups for doctoral students are generally agreed to provide valuable learning spaces for Ph.D. candidates. Here an academic developer and the eight members of a writing group formed in a Discipline of Public Health provide an account of their experiences of collaborating in a multicultural, multidisciplinary thesis writing group. We…

  2. Negotiating the Challenge of Collaborative Writing: Learning from One Writing Group's Mutiny

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nairn, Karen; Cameron, Jenny; Anakin, Megan; Juntrasook, Adisorn; Wass, Rob; Sligo, Judith; Morrison, Catherine

    2015-01-01

    With continuing pressure to publish or perish, interventions such as writing groups are increasingly part of the academic landscape. In this paper, we discuss our writing group's experiment with collaborative writing, which came unstuck as simmering concerns led to a mutiny within the group. The mutiny provided insights into tensions that are…

  3. The Effects of Gender Variety and Power Disparity on Group Cognitive Complexity in Collaborative Learning Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curseu, Petru Lucian; Sari, Kimzana

    2015-01-01

    This study sets up to test the extent to which gender variety moderates the impact of power disparity on group cognitive complexity (GCC) and satisfaction with the group in a collaborative learning setting. Using insights from gender differences in perceptions, orientations and conflict handling behavior in negotiation, as well as gender…

  4. "You Don't Have to Like Me, but You Have to Respect Me": The Impacts of Assertiveness, Cooperativeness, and Group Satisfaction in Collaborative Assignments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambertz-Berndt, Megan M.; Blight, Michael G.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates cooperativeness, assertiveness, group satisfaction, leader grade, and leadership negotiation in a collaborative assignment conducted in a small group. Researchers manipulated the assignment of team members who reported on measures of group satisfaction and original scales of assertiveness and cooperativeness. Respondents…

  5. The Computable Catchment: An executable document for model-data software sharing, reproducibility and interactive visualization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gil, Y.; Duffy, C.

    2015-12-01

    This paper proposes the concept of a "Computable Catchment" which is used to develop a collaborative platform for watershed modeling and data analysis. The object of the research is a sharable, executable document similar to a pdf, but one that includes documentation of the underlying theoretical concepts, interactive computational/numerical resources, linkage to essential data repositories and the ability for interactive model-data visualization and analysis. The executable document for each catchment is stored in the cloud with automatic provisioning and a unique identifier allowing collaborative model and data enhancements for historical hydroclimatic reconstruction and/or future landuse or climate change scenarios to be easily reconstructed or extended. The Computable Catchment adopts metadata standards for naming all variables in the model and the data. The a-priori or initial data is derived from national data sources for soils, hydrogeology, climate, and land cover available from the www.hydroterre.psu.edu data service (Leonard and Duffy, 2015). The executable document is based on Wolfram CDF or Computable Document Format with an interactive open-source reader accessible by any modern computing platform. The CDF file and contents can be uploaded to a website or simply shared as a normal document maintaining all interactive features of the model and data. The Computable Catchment concept represents one application for Geoscience Papers of the Future representing an extensible document that combines theory, models, data and analysis that are digitally shared, documented and reused among research collaborators, students, educators and decision makers.

  6. Active living collaboratives in the United States: understanding characteristics, activities, and achievement of environmental and policy change.

    PubMed

    Litt, Jill S; Reed, Hannah L; Tabak, Rachel G; Zieff, Susan G; Eyler, Amy A; Lyn, Rodney; Goins, Karin Valentine; Gustat, Jeanette; Tompkins, Nancy O'Hara

    2013-01-01

    Changing the built environment to promote active lifestyles requires collaboration among diverse sectors. Multisectoral collaborative groups in the United States promote active lifestyles through environmental and policy changes. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of these collaborative groups and the extent to which they have achieved change. We identified, recruited, and interviewed the coordinators of active living collaborative groups in the United States. We used descriptive statistics to characterize groups by composition, stakeholder engagement, and the extent of environmental and policy change in 8 strategic areas. Fifty-nine groups from 22 states participated in the study. Most groups had a diverse set of partners and used a range of activities to advance their agendas. Most groups achieved some form of environmental or policy change. On average, groups reported working on 5 strategy areas; parks and recreation (86%) and Safe Routes to School (85%) were named most frequently. More than half of groups reported their environmental initiatives as either in progress or completed. Groups reported the most success in changing policy for public plazas, street improvements, streetscaping, and parks, open space, and recreation. Complete Streets policy and zoning ordinances were the most frequently cited policy types. Engaging in media activities and the policy-making process in addition to engaging stakeholders appear to influence success in achieving change. Although many groups successfully worked on parks and recreation improvements, opportunities remain in other areas, including transit and infill and redevelopment. Additional time and resources may be critical to realizing these types of changes.

  7. Active Living Collaboratives in the United States: Understanding Characteristics, Activities, and Achievement of Environmental and Policy Change

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Hannah L.; Tabak, Rachel G.; Zieff, Susan G.; Eyler, Amy A.; Lyn, Rodney; Goins, Karin Valentine; Gustat, Jeanette; Tompkins, Nancy O’Hara

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Changing the built environment to promote active lifestyles requires collaboration among diverse sectors. Multisectoral collaborative groups in the United States promote active lifestyles through environmental and policy changes. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of these collaborative groups and the extent to which they have achieved change. Methods We identified, recruited, and interviewed the coordinators of active living collaborative groups in the United States. We used descriptive statistics to characterize groups by composition, stakeholder engagement, and the extent of environmental and policy change in 8 strategic areas. Results Fifty-nine groups from 22 states participated in the study. Most groups had a diverse set of partners and used a range of activities to advance their agendas. Most groups achieved some form of environmental or policy change. On average, groups reported working on 5 strategy areas; parks and recreation (86%) and Safe Routes to School (85%) were named most frequently. More than half of groups reported their environmental initiatives as either in progress or completed. Groups reported the most success in changing policy for public plazas, street improvements, streetscaping, and parks, open space, and recreation. Complete Streets policy and zoning ordinances were the most frequently cited policy types. Engaging in media activities and the policy-making process in addition to engaging stakeholders appear to influence success in achieving change. Conclusion Although many groups successfully worked on parks and recreation improvements, opportunities remain in other areas, including transit and infill and redevelopment. Additional time and resources may be critical to realizing these types of changes. PMID:23391295

  8. Collaboration space division in collaborative product development based on a genetic algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qian, Xueming; Ma, Yanqiao; Feng, Huan

    2018-02-01

    The advance in the global environment, rapidly changing markets, and information technology has created a new stage for design. In such an environment, one strategy for success is the Collaborative Product Development (CPD). Organizing people effectively is the goal of Collaborative Product Development, and it solves the problem with certain foreseeability. The development group activities are influenced not only by the methods and decisions available, but also by correlation among personnel. Grouping the personnel according to their correlation intensity is defined as collaboration space division (CSD). Upon establishment of a correlation matrix (CM) of personnel and an analysis of the collaboration space, the genetic algorithm (GA) and minimum description length (MDL) principle may be used as tools in optimizing collaboration space. The MDL principle is used in setting up an object function, and the GA is used as a methodology. The algorithm encodes spatial information as a chromosome in binary. After repetitious crossover, mutation, selection and multiplication, a robust chromosome is found, which can be decoded into an optimal collaboration space. This new method can calculate the members in sub-spaces and individual groupings within the staff. Furthermore, the intersection of sub-spaces and public persons belonging to all sub-spaces can be determined simultaneously.

  9. [Impacts of collaborative teaching method on the teaching achievement of Acupuncture and Moxibustion].

    PubMed

    Tian, Haomei; Shen, Jing; Shi, Jia; Liu, Mi; Wang, Chao; Liu, Jinzhi; Chen, Chutao

    2016-11-12

    To explore the impacts of collaborative teaching method on the teaching achievement of Acupuncture and Moxibustion . Six classes in Hunan University of CM of 2012 grade Chinese medicine department were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 3 classes in each one. In the observation group, the collaborative teaching method was adopted, in which, different teaching modes were used according to the characteristics of each chapter and the study initiative of students was predominated. In the control group, the traditional teaching method was used, in which, the class teaching was the primary and the practice was the secondary in the section of techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion. The results of each curriculum and the total results were compared between the two groups during the whole semester. Compared with the control group, in the observation group, the total achievements of curriculum and case analysis combined with the total result of the theory examination were apparently improved (both P <0.01). The collaborative teaching method improves the comprehensive ability of students and provides a new approach to the teaching of Acupuncture and Moxibustion .

  10. Regional estimation of extreme suspended sediment concentrations using watershed characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tramblay, Yves; Ouarda, Taha B. M. J.; St-Hilaire, André; Poulin, Jimmy

    2010-01-01

    SummaryThe number of stations monitoring daily suspended sediment concentration (SSC) has been decreasing since the 1980s in North America while suspended sediment is considered as a key variable for water quality. The objective of this study is to test the feasibility of regionalising extreme SSC, i.e. estimating SSC extremes values for ungauged basins. Annual maximum SSC for 72 rivers in Canada and USA were modelled with probability distributions in order to estimate quantiles corresponding to different return periods. Regionalisation techniques, originally developed for flood prediction in ungauged basins, were tested using the climatic, topographic, land cover and soils attributes of the watersheds. Two approaches were compared, using either physiographic characteristics or seasonality of extreme SSC to delineate the regions. Multiple regression models to estimate SSC quantiles as a function of watershed characteristics were built in each region, and compared to a global model including all sites. Regional estimates of SSC quantiles were compared with the local values. Results show that regional estimation of extreme SSC is more efficient than a global regression model including all sites. Groups/regions of stations have been identified, using either the watershed characteristics or the seasonality of occurrence for extreme SSC values providing a method to better describe the extreme events of SSC. The most important variables for predicting extreme SSC are the percentage of clay in the soils, precipitation intensity and forest cover.

  11. Elements of a collaborative systems model within the aerospace industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Westphalen, Bailee R.

    2000-10-01

    Scope and method of study. The purpose of this study was to determine the components of current aerospace collaborative efforts. There were 44 participants from two selected groups surveyed for this study. Nineteen were from the Oklahoma Air National Guard based in Oklahoma City representing the aviation group. Twenty-five participants were from the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston representing the aerospace group. The surveys for the aviation group were completed in reference to planning missions necessary to their operations. The surveys for the aerospace group were completed in reference to a well-defined and focused goal from a current mission. A questionnaire was developed to survey active participants of collaborative systems in order to consider various components found within the literature. Results were analyzed and aggregated through a database along with content analysis of open-ended question comments from respondents. Findings and conclusions. This study found and determined elements of a collaborative systems model in the aerospace industry. The elements were (1) purpose or mission for the group or team; (2) commitment or dedication to the challenge; (3) group or team meetings and discussions; (4) constraints of deadlines and budgets; (5) tools and resources for project and simulations; (6) significant contributors to the collaboration; (7) decision-making formats; (8) reviews of project; (9) participants education and employment longevity; (10) cross functionality of team or group members; (11) training on the job plus teambuilding; (12) other key elements identified relevant by the respondents but not included in the model such as communication and teamwork; (13) individual and group accountability; (14) conflict, learning, and performance; along with (15) intraorganizational coordination. These elements supported and allowed multiple individuals working together to solve a common problem or to develop innovation that could not have been accomplished individually. Comparing the relationship of the elements of the aerospace collaborative model with those of the various authors in the literature, it is found that the aerospace model is a more comprehensive configuration of elements and has added to the definition of collaboration found in the literature. Further, findings of relevant elements were indicated by the high response incidence of those individuals within the collaborative system. They were elements that were nearly unanimously identified as relevant by those within aerospace collaborative systems included having a stated purpose or mission for the project; working within completion deadlines; and coordinating with other departments within the organization. Furthermore, relevant terms correlating to the model as indicated by the high incidence of appearance in the respondents' comments were training, communication, commitment, and teamwork. There were also found to be variable distinctions specific to each collaborative context. The survey results suggested the multilevel overlapping of the multiple elements within the aerospace collaborative system model along with distinct context variables. Further research is necessary to refine the model and to provide additional information upon this established foundation.

  12. Predicting Mountainous Watershed Biogeochemical Dynamics, Including Response to Droughts and Early Snowmelt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hubbard, S. S.; Williams, K. H.; Long, P.; Agarwal, D.; Banfield, J. F.; Beller, H. R.; Bouskill, N.; Brodie, E.; Maxwell, R. M.; Nico, P. S.; Steefel, C. I.; Steltzer, H.; Tokunaga, T. K.; Wainwright, H. M.

    2016-12-01

    Climate change, extreme weather, land-use change, and other perturbations are significantly reshaping interactions with in watersheds throughout the world. While mountainous watersheds are recognized as the water towers for the world, hydrological processes in watersheds also mediate biogeochemical processes that support all terrestrial life. Developing predictive understanding of watershed hydrological and biogeochemical functioning is challenging, as complex interactions occurring within a heterogeneous watershed can lead to a cascade of effects on downstream water availability and quality. Although these interactions can have significant implications for energy production, agriculture, water quality, and other benefits valued by society, uncertainty associated with predicting watershed function is high. The Watershed Function project aims to substantially reduce this uncertainty through developing a predictive understanding of how mountainous watersheds retain and release downgradient water, nutrients, carbon, and metals. In particular, the project is exploring how early snowmelt, drought, and other disturbances will influence mountainous watershed dynamics at seasonal to decadal timescales. The Watershed Function project is being carried out in a headwater mountainous catchment of the Upper Colorado River Basin, within a watershed characterized by significant gradients in elevation, vegetation and hydrogeology. A system-within system project perspective posits that the integrated watershed response to disturbances can be adequately predicted through consideration of interactions and feedbacks occurring within a limited number of subsystems, each having distinct vegetation-subsurface biogeochemical-hydrological characteristics. A key technological goal is the development of scale-adaptive simulation capabilities that can incorporate genomic information where and when it is useful for predicting the overall watershed response to disturbance. Through developing and integrating new microbial ecology, geochemical, hydrological, ecohydrological, computational and geophysical approaches, the project is developing new insights about biogeochemical dynamics from genome to watershed scales.

  13. [Impact on nitrogen and phosphorous export of wetlands in Tianmu Lake watershed].

    PubMed

    Li, Zhao-Fu; Liu, Hong-Yu; Li, Heng-Peng

    2012-11-01

    Focused on understanding the function of wetland in improving water quality, Pingqiao watershed and Zhongtian watershed in Tianmu Lake drinking water sources area were selected as the research region. We integrated remote sensing, GIS techniques with field investigation and chemical analysis to analyze the relationship between wetland and water quality in watershed scale. Results show: (1) There are many wetland patches in Pingqiao and Zhongtian watershed, wetlands patch densities were respectively 7.5 km(-2) and 7.1 km(-2). Wetlands widely distributed in the Pingqiao watershed with mostly located away from the river of 500 m, whereas wetlands relatively concentrated in the lower reach within 500 meters of riverside in Zhongtian watershed. (2) Nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient retention of wetland in watershed scale was significant. The annual mean TN and DTN concentration had a strong relationship with percent area of wetlands in Zhongtian watershed while the weakest relationship was found with TP and DTP concentrations, especially, the mean TN and DTN concentrations in spring and winter had the significantly negative relationship with wetland areas of watershed. The negative relationship was existed for nitrogen in autumn of Pingqiao watershed, which suggested that watersheds varying in area of wetlands have the different nutrient reducing efficiency in seasonal periods. (3) A certain number and area of wetland will improve river water quality in watershed scale, which can instruct water environment treatment. However, considering the complexity of nutrient transport processes in watershed, wetland-related factors such as area, location, density, ecosystem structure and watershed-related factors such as temporal interval, spatial scales, slope and land use will impact on the transport processes, and related theoretical and practical problems need further research.

  14. Comparison of the Prevalences and Diversities of Listeria Species and Listeria monocytogenes in an Urban and a Rural Agricultural Watershed.

    PubMed

    Stea, Emma C; Purdue, Laura M; Jamieson, Rob C; Yost, Chris K; Truelstrup Hansen, Lisbeth

    2015-06-01

    Foods and related processing environments are commonly contaminated with the pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes. To investigate potential environmental reservoirs of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes, surface water and point source pollution samples from an urban and a rural municipal water supply watershed in Nova Scotia, Canada, were examined over 18 months. Presumptive Listeria spp. were cultured from 72 and 35% of rural and urban water samples, respectively, with 24% of the positive samples containing two or three different Listeria spp. The L. innocua (56%) and L. welshimeri (43%) groups were predominant in the rural and urban watersheds, respectively. Analysis by the TaqMan assay showed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher prevalence of L. monocytogenes of 62% versus 17% by the culture-based method. Both methods revealed higher prevalences in the rural watershed and during the fall and winter seasons. Elevated Escherichia coli (≥ 100 CFU/100 ml) levels were not associated with the pathogen regardless of the detection method. Isolation of Listeria spp. were associated with 70 times higher odds of isolating L. monocytogenes (odds ratio = 70; P < 0.001). Serogroup IIa was predominant (67.7%) among the 285 L. monocytogenes isolates, followed by IVb (16.1%), IIb (15.8%), and IIc (0.4%). L. monocytogenes was detected in cow feces and raw sewage but not in septic tank samples. Pulsotyping of representative water (n = 54) and local human (n = 19) isolates suggested genetic similarities among some environmental and human L. monocytogenes isolates. In conclusion, temperate surface waters contain a diverse Listeria species population and could be a potential reservoir for L. monocytogenes, especially in rural agricultural watersheds. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  15. Detection and Prevalence of Verotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 and Non-O157 Serotypes in a Canadian Watershed

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, R. P.; Holtslander, B.; Mazzocco, A.; Roche, S.; Thomas, J. L.; Pollari, F.

    2014-01-01

    Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) strains are the cause of food-borne and waterborne illnesses around the world. Traditionally, surveillance of the human population as well as the environment has focused on the detection of E. coli O157:H7. Recently, increasing recognition of non-O157 VTEC strains as human pathogens and the German O104:H4 food-borne outbreak have illustrated the importance of considering the broader group of VTEC organisms from a public health perspective. This study presents the results of a comparison of three methods for the detection of VTEC in surface water, highlighting the efficacy of a direct VT immunoblotting method without broth enrichment for detection and isolation of O157 and non-O157 VTEC strains. The direct immunoblot method eliminates the need for an enrichment step or the use of immunomagnetic separation. This method was developed after 4 years of detecting low frequencies (1%) of E. coli O157:H7 in surface water in a Canadian watershed, situated within one of the FoodNet Canada integrated surveillance sites. By the direct immunoblot method, VTEC prevalence estimates ranged from 11 to 35% for this watershed, and E. coli O157:H7 prevalence increased to 4% (due to improved method sensitivity). This direct testing method provides an efficient means to enhance our understanding of the prevalence and types of VTEC in the environment. This study employed a rapid evidence assessment (REA) approach to frame the watershed findings with watershed E. coli O157:H7 prevalences reported in the literature since 1990 and the knowledge gap with respect to VTEC detection in surface waters. PMID:24487525

  16. Comparison of the Prevalences and Diversities of Listeria Species and Listeria monocytogenes in an Urban and a Rural Agricultural Watershed

    PubMed Central

    Stea, Emma C.; Purdue, Laura M.; Jamieson, Rob C.; Yost, Chris K.

    2015-01-01

    Foods and related processing environments are commonly contaminated with the pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes. To investigate potential environmental reservoirs of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes, surface water and point source pollution samples from an urban and a rural municipal water supply watershed in Nova Scotia, Canada, were examined over 18 months. Presumptive Listeria spp. were cultured from 72 and 35% of rural and urban water samples, respectively, with 24% of the positive samples containing two or three different Listeria spp. The L. innocua (56%) and L. welshimeri (43%) groups were predominant in the rural and urban watersheds, respectively. Analysis by the TaqMan assay showed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher prevalence of L. monocytogenes of 62% versus 17% by the culture-based method. Both methods revealed higher prevalences in the rural watershed and during the fall and winter seasons. Elevated Escherichia coli (≥100 CFU/100 ml) levels were not associated with the pathogen regardless of the detection method. Isolation of Listeria spp. were associated with 70 times higher odds of isolating L. monocytogenes (odds ratio = 70; P < 0.001). Serogroup IIa was predominant (67.7%) among the 285 L. monocytogenes isolates, followed by IVb (16.1%), IIb (15.8%), and IIc (0.4%). L. monocytogenes was detected in cow feces and raw sewage but not in septic tank samples. Pulsotyping of representative water (n = 54) and local human (n = 19) isolates suggested genetic similarities among some environmental and human L. monocytogenes isolates. In conclusion, temperate surface waters contain a diverse Listeria species population and could be a potential reservoir for L. monocytogenes, especially in rural agricultural watersheds. PMID:25819965

  17. Digital spatial soil and land information for agriculture development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, R. K.; Laghathe, Pankaj; Meena, Ranglal; Barman, Alok Kumar; Das, Satyendra Nath

    2006-12-01

    Natural resource management calls for study of natural system prevailing in the country. In India floods and droughts visit regularly, causing extensive damages of natural wealth including agriculture that are crucial for sustenance of economic growth. The Indian Sub-continent drained by many major rivers and their tributaries where watershed, the hydrological unit forms a natural system that allows management and development of land resources following natural harmony. Acquisition of various kinds and levels of soil and land characteristics using both conventional and remote sensing techniques and subsequent development of digital spatial data base are essential to evolve strategy for planning watershed development programmes, their monitoring and impact evaluation. The multi-temporal capability of remote sensing sensors helps to update the existing data base which are of dynamic in nature. The paper outlines the concept of spatial data base development, generation using remote sensing techniques, designing of data structure, standardization and integration with watershed layers and various non spatial attribute data for various applications covering watershed development planning, alternate land use planning, soil and water conservation, diversified agriculture practices, generation of soil health card, soil and land reclamation, etc. The soil and land characteristics are vital to derive various interpretative groupings or master table that helps to generate the desired level of information of various clients using the GIS platform. The digital spatial data base on soils and watersheds generated by All India Soil and Land Use Survey will act as a sub-server of the main GIS based Web Server being hoisted by the planning commission for application of spatial data for planning purposes under G2G domain. It will facilitate e-governance for natural resource management using modern technology.

  18. Science for watershed decisions on abandoned mine lands; review of preliminary results, Denver, Colorado, February 4-5, 1998

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nimick, David A.; Von Guerard, Paul

    1998-01-01

    From the Preface: There are thousands of abandoned or inactive mines on or adjacent to public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service. Mine wastes from many of these abandoned mines adversely affect resources on public lands. In 1995, an interdepartmental work group within the Federal government developed a strategy to address remediation of the many abandoned mines on public lands. This strategy is based on using a watershed approach to address the abandoned mine lands (AML) problem. The USGS, working closely with the Federal land-management agencies (FLMAs), is key for the success of this watershed approach. In support of this watershed approach, the USGS developed an AML Initiative with pilot studies in the Boulder River in Montana and the Animas River in Colorado. The goal of these studies is to design and implement a reliable strategy that will supply the scientific information to the FLMAs so that land managers can develop efficient and cost-effective remediation of AML. The symposium 'Science for Watershed Decisions on Abandoned Mine Lands: Review of Preliminary Results' held in Denver, Colorado, on February 4-5, 1998, provided the FLMAs a first look at the techniques, data, and interpretations being generated by the USGS pilot studies. This multidisciplined effort already is proving very valuable to land managers in making science-based AML cleanup decisions and will continue to be of increasing value as additional and more complete information is obtained. Ongoing interaction between scientists and land managers is essential to insure the efficient continuation and success of AML cleanup efforts.

  19. Elevation-derived watershed basins and characteristics for major rivers of the conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Poppenga, S.K.; Worstell, B.B.

    2008-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Center Topographic Science Project has developed elevation-derived watershed basins and characteristics for major rivers of the conterminous United States. Watershed basins are delineated upstream from the mouth of major rivers by using the hydrologic connectivity of the Elevation Derivatives for National Applications (EDNA) seamless database. Watershed characteristics are quantified by integrating ancillary geospatial datasets, including land cover, population, slope, and topography, with elevation-derived watershed boundaries. The results are published in an online EDNA Watershed Atlas at http://edna.usgs.gov/watersheds. The atlas serves as a framework for evaluating and analyzing the physical, biological, and anthropogenic status of watersheds.

  20. Use of the Biotic Ligand Model to predict metal toxicity to aquatic biota in areas of differing geology

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, Kathleen S.

    2005-01-01

    This work evaluates the use of the biotic ligand model (BLM), an aquatic toxicity model, to predict toxic effects of metals on aquatic biota in areas underlain by different rock types. The chemical composition of water, soil, and sediment is largely derived from the composition of the underlying rock. Geologic source materials control key attributes of water chemistry that affect metal toxicity to aquatic biota, including: 1) potentially toxic elements, 2) alkalinity, 3) total dissolved solids, and 4) soluble major elements, such as Ca and Mg, which contribute to water hardness. Miller (2002) compiled chemical data for water samples collected in watersheds underlain by ten different rock types, and in a mineralized area in western Colorado. He found that each rock type has a unique range of water chemistry. In this study, the ten rock types were grouped into two general categories, igneous and sedimentary. Water collected in watersheds underlain by sedimentary rock has higher mean pH, alkalinity, and calcium concentrations than water collected in watersheds underlain by igneous rock. Water collected in the mineralized area had elevated concentrations of calcium and sulfate in addition to other chemical constituents. Miller's water-chemistry data were used in the BLM (computer program) to determine copper and zinc toxicity to Daphnia magna. Modeling results show that waters from watersheds underlain by different rock types have characteristic ranges of predicted LC 50 values (a measurement of aquatic toxicity) for copper and zinc, with watersheds underlain by igneous rock having lower predicted LC 50 values than watersheds underlain by sedimentary rock. Lower predicted LC 50 values suggest that aquatic biota in watersheds underlain by igneous rock may be more vulnerable to copper and zinc inputs than aquatic biota in watersheds underlain by sedimentary rock. For both copper and zinc, there is a trend of increasing predicted LC 50 values with increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Predicted copper LC 50 values are extremely sensitive to DOC concentrations, whereas alkalinity appears to have an influence on zinc toxicity at alkalinities in excess of about 100 mg/L CaCO 3 . These findings show promise for coupling the BLM (computer program) with measured water-chemistry data to predict metal toxicity to aquatic biota in different geologic settings and under different scenarios. This approach may ultimately be a useful tool for mine-site planning, mitigation and remediation strategies, and ecological risk assessment.

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