Consumer product chemical weight fractions from ingredient lists

EPA Science Inventory

Assessing human exposures to chemicals in consumer products requires composition information. However, comprehensive composition data for products in commerce are not generally available. Many consumer products have reported ingredient lists that are constructed using specific gu...

Toward developing more realistic groundwater models using big data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vahdat Aboueshagh, H.; Tsai, F. T. C.; Bhatta, D.; Paudel, K.

2017-12-01

Rich geological data is the backbone of developing realistic groundwater models for groundwater resources management. However, constructing realistic groundwater models can be challenging due to inconsistency between different sources of geological, hydrogeological and geophysical data and difficulty in processing big data to characterize the subsurface environment. This study develops a framework to utilize a big geological dataset to create a groundwater model for the Chicot Aquifer in the southwestern Louisiana, which borders on the Gulf of Mexico at south. The Chicot Aquifer is the principal source of fresh water in southwest Louisiana, underlying an area of about 9,000 square miles. Agriculture is the largest groundwater consumer in this region and overpumping has caused significant groundwater head decline and saltwater intrusion from the Gulf and deep formations. A hydrostratigraphy model was constructed using around 29,000 electrical logs and drillers' logs as well as screen lengths of pumping wells through a natural neighbor interpolation method. These sources of information have different weights in terms of accuracy and trustworthy. A data prioritization procedure was developed to filter untrustworthy log information, eliminate redundant data, and establish consensus of various lithological information. The constructed hydrostratigraphy model shows 40% sand facies, which is consistent with the well log data. The hydrostratigraphy model confirms outcrop areas of the Chicot Aquifer in the north of the study region. The aquifer sand formation is thinning eastward to merge into Atchafalaya River alluvial aquifer and coalesces to the underlying Evangeline aquifer. A grid generator was used to convert the hydrostratigraphy model into a MODFLOW grid with 57 layers. A Chicot groundwater model was constructed using the available hydrologic and hydrogeological data for 2004-2015. Pumping rates for irrigation wells were estimated using the crop type and acreage data from the USDACropScape. Groundwater level data obtained from the USGS were used to determine the model boundary and initial conditions. Recharge rates were approximated based on surficial lithology and rainfall data. The Chicot aquifer model will be used to understand groundwater availability in southwest Louisiana.

Evaluation of Web Accessibility of Consumer Health Information Websites

PubMed Central

Zeng, Xiaoming; Parmanto, Bambang

2003-01-01

The objectives of the study are to construct a comprehensive framework for web accessibility evaluation, to evaluate the current status of web accessibility of consumer health information websites and to investigate the relationship between web accessibility and property of the websites. We selected 108 consumer health information websites from the directory service of a Web search engine. We used Web accessibility specifications to construct a framework for the measurement of Web Accessibility Barriers (WAB) of website. We found that none of the websites is completely accessible to people with disabilities, but governmental and educational health information websites exhibit better performance on web accessibility than other categories of websites. We also found that the correlation between the WAB score and the popularity of a website is statistically significant. PMID:14728272

Evaluation of web accessibility of consumer health information websites.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiaoming; Parmanto, Bambang

2003-01-01

The objectives of the study are to construct a comprehensive framework for web accessibility evaluation, to evaluate the current status of web accessibility of consumer health information websites and to investigate the relationship between web accessibility and property of the websites. We selected 108 consumer health information websites from the directory service of a Web search engine. We used Web accessibility specifications to construct a framework for the measurement of Web Accessibility Barriers (WAB) of website. We found that none of the websites is completely accessible to people with disabilities, but governmental and educational health information websites exhibit better performance on web accessibility than other categories of websites. We also found that the correlation between the WAB score and the popularity of a website is statistically significant.

Quantifying Modern Recharge to the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System: Inferences from GRACE and Land Surface Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, A.; Sultan, M.; Ahmed, M.; Yan, E.

2014-12-01

The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) is shared by Egypt, Libya, Chad and Sudanand is one of the largest (area: ~ 2 × 106 km2) groundwater systems in the world. Despite its importance to the population of these countries, major hydrological parameters such as modern recharge and extraction rates remain poorly investigated given: (1) the large extent of the NSAS, (2) the absence of comprehensive monitoring networks, (3) the general inaccessibility of many of the NSAS regions, (4) difficulties in collecting background information, largely included in unpublished governmental reports, and (5) limited local funding to support the construction of monitoring networks and/or collection of field and background datasets. Data from monthly Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity solutions were processed (Gaussian smoothed: 100 km; rescaled) and used to quantify the modern recharge to the NSAS during the period from January 2003 to December 2012. To isolate the groundwater component in GRACE data, the soil moisture and river channel storages were removed using the outputs from the most recent Community Land Model version 4.5 (CLM4.5). GRACE-derived recharge calculations were performed over the southern NSAS outcrops (area: 835 × 103 km2) in Sudan and Chad that receive average annual precipitation of 65 km3 (77.5 mm). GRACE-derived recharge rates were estimated at 2.79 ± 0.98 km3/yr (3.34 ± 1.17 mm/yr). If we take into account the total annual extraction rates (~ 0.4 km3; CEDARE, 2002) from Chad and Sudan the average annual recharge rate for the NSAS could reach up to ~ 3.20 ± 1.18 km3/yr (3.84 ± 1.42 mm/yr). Our recharge rates estimates are similar to those calculated using (1) groundwater flow modelling in the Central Sudan Rift Basins (4-8 mm/yr; Abdalla, 2008), (2) WaterGAP global scale groundwater recharge model (< 5 mm/yr, Döll and Fiedler, 2008), and (3) chloride tracer in Sudan (3.05 mm/yr; Edmunds et al. 1988). Given the available global coverage of the temporal GRACE solutions for the past twelve years and plans are underway for the deployment of a GRACE follow-On and GRACE-II missions, we suggest that within the next few years, GRACE will probably become the most practical, informative, and cost-effective tool for monitoring the recharge of large aquifers across the globe.

Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater movement, and water budget in the Chimacum Creek basin and vicinity, Jefferson County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Joseph L.; Welch, Wendy B.; Frans, Lonna M.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2011-01-01

This report presents information used to characterize the groundwater flow system in the Chimacum Creek basin. It includes descriptions of the geology and hydrogeologic framework; groundwater recharge and discharge; groundwater levels and flow directions; seasonal fluctuations in groundwater level; interactions between aquifers and the surface-water system; and a groundwater budget. The study area covers 124 square miles in northeastern Jefferson County, Washington, and includes the Chimacum Creek basin, which drains an area of about 37 square miles. The area is underlain by a north-thickening sequence of unconsolidated glacial and interglacial deposits that overlie sedimentary and igneous bedrock units that crop out along the margins and western interior of the study area. Six hydrogeologic units consisting of unconsolidated aquifers and confining units, along with an underlying bedrock unit, were identified. A surficial hydrogeologic map was developed and used with well information from 187 drillers' logs to construct 4 hydrogeologic sections, and maps showing the extent and thickness of the units. Natural recharge was estimated using precipitation-recharge relation regression equations developed for western Washington, and estimates were calculated for return flow from data on domestic indoor and outdoor use and irrigated agriculture. Results from synoptic streamflow measurements and water table elevations determined from monthly measurements at monitoring wells are presented and compared with those from a study conducted during 2002-03. A water budget was calculated comprising long-term average recharge, domestic public-supply withdrawals and return flow, self-supplied domestic withdrawals and return flow, and irrigated agricultural withdrawals and return flow.

State-of-the-art of alkaline rechargeable batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morioka, Y.; Narukawa, S.; Itou, T.

Alkaline rechargeable batteries represented by Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries are expanding their market, continuously meeting an increasing demand. Approximately 30 years have elapsed since the first sealed Ni-Cd battery was commercialized for consumer use, and the production of these alkaline batteries is still expanding. The high power performance and good cost performance of these batteries are the outstanding features, which are leading to new battery applications. Continuous R&D of many researchers and engineers has improved these features. Since first coming to the market in 1990, Ni-MH batteries have been extending their application as power sources for portable advanced information and communication equipment. Improvements in electrode materials and other components have increased the energy density of current Ni-MH batteries to values of 91 Wh/kg and 340 Wh/l. Recently, novel metallic alloys for hydrogen storage have been proposed to increase their capacity further, and further improvement in the performance of these batteries is expected.

Recharge to the surficial aquifer system in Lee and Hendry counties, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krulikas, R.K.; Giese, G.L.

1995-01-01

Protection of ground-water recharge areas against contamination is of great interest in Florida, a State whose population depends heavily on ground water and that is experiencing rapid growth. The Florida Legislature is considering implementation of a tax incentive program to owners of high-rate recharge lands that remain undeveloped. High-rate recharge was arbitrarily set at 10 or more inches per year. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the South Florida Water Management District, conducted a study to investigate the efficacy of several methods for estimating recharge to the surficial aquifer system in southwestern Florida and to map recharge at a scale of 1:100,000. Four maps were constructed at a scale of 1:100,000 for Lee and Hendry Counties, depicting the configuration of the water table of the surficial aquifer system, direction of ground-water flow, general soil characteristics, and recharge rates. Point recharge rates calculated for 25 sites in Lee County from comparisons of chloride concentrations in precipitation and in water from the surficial aquifer system ranged from 0.6 to 9.0 inches per year. Local recharge rates estimated by increases in flow along theoretical flow tubes in the surficial aquifer system were 8.0 inches per year in a part of Lee County and 8.2 inches per year in a part of Hendry County. Information on oxygen isotopes in precipitation and water from the surficial aquifer system was used to verify that the source of chlorides in the aquifer system was from precipitation rather than upward leakage of saline water. Soil maps and general topographic and hydrologic considerations were used with calculated point and local recharge rates to regionalize rates throughout Lee and Hendry Counties. The areas of greatest recharge were found in soils of flatwoods and sloughs, which were assigned estimated recharge rates of 0 to 10 inches per year. Soils of swamps and sloughs were assigned values of 0 to 3.0 inches per year; soils of tidal areas and barrier islands, soils of the Everglades, and soils of sloughs and freshwater marshes were assigned values of 0 to 2.0 inches per year; lastly, soils of manmade areas were assigned values of 0.5 to 1.5 inches per year. Small isolated areas of high-rate recharge (greater than 10 inches per year) might exist in Lee and Hendry Counties, but the maximum rate calculated in this study was 9.0 inches per year. Despite low natural recharge rates, lowering of the water table through pumping or canalization could create a potential for induced recharge in excess of 10 inches per year in parts of Lee and Hendry Counties.

Simulation of streamflow and estimation of recharge to the Edwards aquifer in the Hondo Creek, Verde Creek, and San Geronimo Creek watersheds, south-central Texas, 1951-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ockerman, Darwin J.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, constructed three watershed models using the Hydrological Simulation Program—FORTRAN (HSPF) to simulate streamflow and estimate recharge to the Edwards aquifer in the Hondo Creek, Verde Creek, and San Geronimo Creek watersheds in south-central Texas. The three models were calibrated and tested with available data collected during 1992–2003. Simulations of streamflow and recharge were done for 1951–2003. The approach to construct the models was to first calibrate the Hondo Creek model (with an hourly time step) using 1992–99 data and test the model using 2000–2003 data. The Hondo Creek model parameters then were applied to the Verde Creek and San Geronimo Creek watersheds to construct the Verde Creek and San Geronimo Creek models. The simulated streamflows for Hondo Creek are considered acceptable. Annual, monthly, and daily simulated streamflows adequately match measured values, but simulated hourly streamflows do not. The accuracy of streamflow simulations for Verde Creek is uncertain. For San Geronimo Creek, the match of measured and simulated annual and monthly streamflows is acceptable (or nearly so); but for daily and hourly streamflows, the calibration is relatively poor. Simulated average annual total streamflow for 1951–2003 to Hondo Creek, Verde Creek, and San Geronimo Creek is 45,400; 32,400; and 11,100 acre-feet, respectively. Simulated average annual streamflow at the respective watershed outlets is 13,000; 16,200; and 6,920 acre-feet. The difference between total streamflow and streamflow at the watershed outlet is streamflow lost to channel infiltration. Estimated average annual Edwards aquifer recharge for Hondo Creek, Verde Creek, and San Geronimo Creek watersheds for 1951–2003 is 37,900 acrefeet (5.04 inches), 26,000 acre-feet (3.36 inches), and 5,940 acre-feet (1.97 inches), respectively. Most of the recharge (about 77 percent for the three watersheds together) occurs as streamflow channel infiltration. Diffuse recharge (direct infiltration of rainfall to the aquifer) accounts for the remaining 23 percent of recharge. For the Hondo Creek watershed, the HSPF recharge estimates for 1992–2003 averaged about 22 percent less than those estimated by the Puente method, a method the U.S. Geological Survey has used to compute annual recharge to the Edwards aquifer since 1978. HSPF recharge estimates for the Verde Creek watershed average about 40 percent less than those estimated by the Puente method.

Exploring gender differences in information search among domestic vistors to Yellow Mountain and Guilin, PRC

Treesearch

Hui Xie; Jigang Bao; Duarte B. Morais

2007-01-01

In the dynamic global environment of today, understanding how consumers acquire information is important at the micro level for marketing management decisions and at the macro level for public policy decisions. Gender has been identified as a factor influencing information search and other meaningful consumer behavior constructs. Therefore, understanding gender...

Estimating recharge rates with analytic element models and parameter estimation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dripps, W.R.; Hunt, R.J.; Anderson, M.P.

2006-01-01

Quantifying the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge is usually a prerequisite for effective ground water flow modeling. In this study, an analytic element (AE) code (GFLOW) was used with a nonlinear parameter estimation code (UCODE) to quantify the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge using measured base flows as calibration targets. The ease and flexibility of AE model construction and evaluation make this approach well suited for recharge estimation. An AE flow model of an undeveloped watershed in northern Wisconsin was optimized to match median annual base flows at four stream gages for 1996 to 2000 to demonstrate the approach. Initial optimizations that assumed a constant distributed recharge rate provided good matches (within 5%) to most of the annual base flow estimates, but discrepancies of >12% at certain gages suggested that a single value of recharge for the entire watershed is inappropriate. Subsequent optimizations that allowed for spatially distributed recharge zones based on the distribution of vegetation types improved the fit and confirmed that vegetation can influence spatial recharge variability in this watershed. Temporally, the annual recharge values varied >2.5-fold between 1996 and 2000 during which there was an observed 1.7-fold difference in annual precipitation, underscoring the influence of nonclimatic factors on interannual recharge variability for regional flow modeling. The final recharge values compared favorably with more labor-intensive field measurements of recharge and results from studies, supporting the utility of using linked AE-parameter estimation codes for recharge estimation. Copyright ?? 2005 The Author(s).

Retrospective Review of Watershed Characteristics and a Framework for Future Research in the Sarasota Bay Watershed, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kish, George R.; Harrison, Arnell S.; Alderson, Mark

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program conducted a retrospective review of characteristics of the Sarasota Bay watershed in west-central Florida. This report describes watershed characteristics, surface- and ground-water processes, and the environmental setting of the Sarasota Bay watershed. Population growth during the last 50 years is transforming the Sarasota Bay watershed from rural and agriculture to urban and suburban. The transition has resulted in land-use changes that influence surface- and ground-water processes in the watershed. Increased impervious cover decreases recharge to ground water and increases overland runoff and the pollutants carried in the runoff. Soil compaction resulting from agriculture, construction, and recreation activities also decreases recharge to ground water. Conventional approaches to stormwater runoff have involved conveyances and large storage areas. Low-impact development approaches, designed to provide recharge near the precipitation point-of-contact, are being used increasingly in the watershed. Simple pollutant loading models applied to the Sarasota Bay watershed have focused on large-scale processes and pollutant loads determined from empirical values and mean event concentrations. Complex watershed models and more intensive data-collection programs can provide the level of information needed to quantify (1) the effects of lot-scale land practices on runoff, storage, and ground-water recharge, (2) dry and wet season flux of nutrients through atmospheric deposition, (3) changes in partitioning of water and contaminants as urbanization alters predevelopment rainfall-runoff relations, and (4) linkages between watershed models and lot-scale models to evaluate the effect of small-scale changes over the entire Sarasota Bay watershed. As urbanization in the Sarasota Bay watershed continues, focused research on water-resources issues can provide information needed by water-resources managers to ensure the future health of the watershed.

Percolation pond as a method of managed aquifer recharge in a coastal saline aquifer: A case study on the criteria for site selection and its impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christy, Raicy Mani; Lakshmanan, Elango

2017-07-01

Percolation ponds have become very popular methods of managed aquifer recharge due to their low cost, ease of construction and the participation and assistance of community. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of a percolation pond in a saline aquifer, north of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, to improve the storage and quality of groundwater. Electrical resistivity and ground penetrating radar methods were used to understand the subsurface conditions of the area. From these investigations, a suitable location was chosen and a percolation pond was constructed. The quality and quantity of groundwater of the nearby area has improved due to the recharge from the pond. This study indicated that a simple excavation without providing support for the slope and paving of the bunds helped to improve the groundwater quality. This method can be easily adoptable by farmers who can have a small pond within their farm to collect and store the rainwater. The cost of water recharged from this pond works out to be about 0.225 Re/l. Cleaning the pond by scrapping the accumulated sediments needs to be done once a year. Due to the small dimension and high saline groundwater, considerable improvement in quality at greater depths could not be achieved. However, ponds of larger size with recharge shafts can directly recharge the aquifer and help to improve the quality of water at greater depths.

Artificial groundwater recharge as integral part of a water resources system in a humid environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupfersberger, Hans; Stadler, Hermann

2010-05-01

In Graz, Austria, artificial groundwater recharge has been operated as an integral part of the drinking water supply system for more than thirty years. About 180 l/s of high quality water from pristine creeks (i.e. no pre-treatment necessary) are infiltrated via sand and lawn basins and infiltration trenches into two phreatic aquifers to sustain the extraction of approximately 400 l/s. The remaining third of drinking water for roughly 300.000 people is provided by a remote supply line from the East alpine karst region Hochschwab. By this threefold model the water supply system is less vulnerable to external conditions. In the early 1980's the infiltration devices were also designed as a hydraulic barrier against riverbank infiltration from the river Mur, which at that time showed seriously impaired water quality due to upstream paper mills. This resulted into high iron and manganese groundwater concentrations which lead to clogging of the pumping wells. These problems have been eliminated in the meantime due to the onsite purification of paper mill effluents and the construction of many waste water treatment plants. The recharge system has recently been thoroughly examined to optimize the operation of groundwater recharge and to provide a basis for further extension. The investigations included (i) field experiments and laboratory analyses to improve the trade off between infiltration rate and elimination capacities of the sand filter basins' top layer, (ii) numerical groundwater modelling to compute the recovery rate of the recharged water, the composition of the origin of the pumped water, emergency scenarios due to the failure of system parts, the transient capture zones of the withdrawal wells and the coordination of recharge and withdrawal and (iii) development of an online monitoring setup combined with a decision support system to guarantee reliable functioning of the entire structure. Additionally, the depreciation, maintenance and operation costs of the managed aquifer recharge system have been evaluated. Among numerous results it could be shown that replacing the lawn by sand basins and operating them constantly during winter holds the largest potential to increase the infiltration volume. However, this is only an option for new to build structures since the current basin positions would lead to large direct losses of recharged groundwater into the river Mur. Adjusting the timing of infiltration and withdrawal based on subsurface travel time yields an increase of the pumped amount of about 11% given about the same extension the wells' capture zones. The overall costs of artificial groundwater recharge amount to 0,15 €/m³ excluding pumping and distribution costs compared to a water price of about 1,5 €/m³ charged to consumers. Currently, the implications of building a hydro power plant adjacent to the recharge site are evaluated emphasizing the need for innovative solutions given only limited land resources. On the basis of the projected impacts of climate change on the availability of surface water and groundwater in the South-Eastern alpine regions, the aquifers can act as a buffer system to help overcome the timely shift between supply and demand. Thus, also in predominantly humid regions artificial groundwater recharge represents a viable and sustainable solution to safeguard the supply of drinking water in the long term.

Site selection for managed aquifer recharge using fuzzy rules: integrating geographical information system (GIS) tools and multi-criteria decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malekmohammadi, Bahram; Ramezani Mehrian, Majid; Jafari, Hamid Reza

2012-11-01

One of the most important water-resources management strategies for arid lands is managed aquifer recharge (MAR). In establishing a MAR scheme, site selection is the prime prerequisite that can be assisted by geographic information system (GIS) tools. One of the most important uncertainties in the site-selection process using GIS is finite ranges or intervals resulting from data classification. In order to reduce these uncertainties, a novel method has been developed involving the integration of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM), GIS, and a fuzzy inference system (FIS). The Shemil-Ashkara plain in the Hormozgan Province of Iran was selected as the case study; slope, geology, groundwater depth, potential for runoff, land use, and groundwater electrical conductivity have been considered as site-selection factors. By defining fuzzy membership functions for the input layers and the output layer, and by constructing fuzzy rules, a FIS has been developed. Comparison of the results produced by the proposed method and the traditional simple additive weighted (SAW) method shows that the proposed method yields more precise results. In conclusion, fuzzy-set theory can be an effective method to overcome associated uncertainties in classification of geographic information data.

Battery charging control methods, electric vehicle charging methods, battery charging apparatuses and rechargeable battery systems

DOEpatents

Tuffner, Francis K [Richland, WA; Kintner-Meyer, Michael C. W. [Richland, WA; Hammerstrom, Donald J [West Richland, WA; Pratt, Richard M [Richland, WA

2012-05-22

Battery charging control methods, electric vehicle charging methods, battery charging apparatuses and rechargeable battery systems. According to one aspect, a battery charging control method includes accessing information regarding a presence of at least one of a surplus and a deficiency of electrical energy upon an electrical power distribution system at a plurality of different moments in time, and using the information, controlling an adjustment of an amount of the electrical energy provided from the electrical power distribution system to a rechargeable battery to charge the rechargeable battery.

Evaluating the perennial stream using logistic regression in central Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruljigaljig, T.; Cheng, Y. S.; Lin, H. I.; Lee, C. H.; Yu, T. T.

2014-12-01

This study produces a perennial stream head potential map, based on a logistic regression method with a Geographic Information System (GIS). Perennial stream initiation locations, indicates the location of the groundwater and surface contact, were identified in the study area from field survey. The perennial stream potential map in central Taiwan was constructed using the relationship between perennial stream and their causative factors, such as Catchment area, slope gradient, aspect, elevation, groundwater recharge and precipitation. Here, the field surveys of 272 streams were determined in the study area. The areas under the curve for logistic regression methods were calculated as 0.87. The results illustrate the importance of catchment area and groundwater recharge as key factors within the model. The results obtained from the model within the GIS were then used to produce a map of perennial stream and estimate the location of perennial stream head.

Geochemistry and the understanding of ground-water systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glynn, Pierre D.; Plummer, Niel

2005-01-01

Geochemistry has contributed significantly to the understanding of ground-water systems over the last 50 years. Historic advances include development of the hydrochemical facies concept, application of equilibrium theory, investigation of redox processes, and radiocarbon dating. Other hydrochemical concepts, tools, and techniques have helped elucidate mechanisms of flow and transport in ground-water systems, and have helped unlock an archive of paleoenvironmental information. Hydrochemical and isotopic information can be used to interpret the origin and mode of ground-water recharge, refine estimates of time scales of recharge and ground-water flow, decipher reactive processes, provide paleohydrological information, and calibrate ground-water flow models. Progress needs to be made in obtaining representative samples. Improvements are needed in the interpretation of the information obtained, and in the construction and interpretation of numerical models utilizing hydrochemical data. The best approach will ensure an optimized iterative process between field data collection and analysis, interpretation, and the application of forward, inverse, and statistical modeling tools. Advances are anticipated from microbiological investigations, the characterization of natural organics, isotopic fingerprinting, applications of dissolved gas measurements, and the fields of reaction kinetics and coupled processes. A thermodynamic perspective is offered that could facilitate the comparison and understanding of the multiple physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting ground-water systems.

Estimating Monetized Benefits of Groundwater Recharge from Stormwater Retention Practices

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of the study is to inform valuation of groundwater recharge from stormwater retention in areas projected for new development and redevelopment. This study examined a simplified methodology for estimating recharge volume.

Food risks and consumer trust. Avian influenza and the knowing and non-knowing on UK shopping floors.

PubMed

de Krom, Michiel P M M; Mol, Arthur P J

2010-12-01

Irrespective of major food crises in the 2000s consumer trust in food seems to remain high in Western Europe. Transparent information provision to consumers on food risks is a central strategy of the EU, its Member States and private food providers to build food trust among consumers. But can the interpretation of such information by consumers explain high levels of trust in food safety? Following recent outbreaks of avian influenza in the UK, this paper investigates the constitution of food trust among UK poultry consumers by focusing on the place where consumer decisions are made: the shopping floor. In-store qualitative interviews with consumers of a variety of poultry products at different shops are used to reveal the use of information in constructing trust. Besides on knowledge inducted from information provision, trust depends as much on consumer strategies to handle non-knowing of food risks. Three main forms of trust relations are distinguished, which together at a system level result in high levels of consumer trust in food. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation of groundwater flow at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Joseph L.; Johnson, Kenneth H.; Frans, Lonna M.

2016-08-18

Information about groundwater-flow paths and locations where groundwater discharges at and near Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is necessary for understanding the potential migration of subsurface contaminants by groundwater at the shipyard. The design of some remediation alternatives would be aided by knowledge of whether groundwater flowing at specific locations beneath the shipyard will eventually discharge directly to Sinclair Inlet of Puget Sound, or if it will discharge to the drainage system of one of the six dry docks located in the shipyard. A 1997 numerical (finite difference) groundwater-flow model of the shipyard and surrounding area was constructed to help evaluate the potential for groundwater discharge to Puget Sound. That steady-state, multilayer numerical model with homogeneous hydraulic characteristics indicated that groundwater flowing beneath nearly all of the shipyard discharges to the dry-dock drainage systems, and only shallow groundwater flowing beneath the western end of the shipyard discharges directly to Sinclair Inlet.Updated information from a 2016 regional groundwater-flow model constructed for the greater Kitsap Peninsula was used to update the 1997 groundwater model of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. That information included a new interpretation of the hydrogeologic units underlying the area, as well as improved recharge estimates. Other updates to the 1997 model included finer discretization of the finite-difference model grid into more layers, rows, and columns, all with reduced dimensions. This updated Puget Sound Naval Shipyard model was calibrated to 2001–2005 measured water levels, and hydraulic characteristics of the model layers representing different hydrogeologic units were estimated with the aid of state-of-the-art parameter optimization techniques.The flow directions and discharge locations predicted by this updated model generally match the 1997 model despite refinements and other changes. In the updated model, most groundwater discharge recharged within the boundaries of the shipyard is to the dry docks; only at the western end of the shipyard does groundwater discharge directly to Puget Sound. Particle tracking for the existing long-term monitoring well network suggests that only a few wells intercept groundwater that originates as recharge within the shipyard boundary.

Predicting groundwater recharge for varying land cover and climate conditions - a global meta-study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, Chinchu; Western, Andrew W.; Wei, Yongping; Saft, Margarita

2018-05-01

Groundwater recharge is one of the important factors determining the groundwater development potential of an area. Even though recharge plays a key role in controlling groundwater system dynamics, much uncertainty remains regarding the relationships between groundwater recharge and its governing factors at a large scale. Therefore, this study aims to identify the most influential factors of groundwater recharge, and to develop an empirical model to estimate diffuse rainfall recharge at a global scale. Recharge estimates reported in the literature from various parts of the world (715 sites) were compiled and used in model building and testing exercises. Unlike conventional recharge estimates from water balance, this study used a multimodel inference approach and information theory to explain the relationship between groundwater recharge and influential factors, and to predict groundwater recharge at 0.5° resolution. The results show that meteorological factors (precipitation and potential evapotranspiration) and vegetation factors (land use and land cover) had the most predictive power for recharge. According to the model, long-term global average annual recharge (1981-2014) was 134 mm yr-1 with a prediction error ranging from -8 to 10 mm yr-1 for 97.2 % of cases. The recharge estimates presented in this study are unique and more reliable than the existing global groundwater recharge estimates because of the extensive validation carried out using both independent local estimates collated from the literature and national statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In a water-scarce future driven by increased anthropogenic development, the results from this study will aid in making informed decisions about groundwater potential at a large scale.

16 CFR § 1102.44 - Applicability of sections 6(a) and (b) of the CPSA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY INFORMATION DATABASE... § 1102.10(d) in the Database. (b) Limitation on construction. Section 1102.44(a) shall not be construed...

Cost profiles and budget impact of rechargeable versus non-rechargeable sacral neuromodulation devices in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome.

PubMed

Noblett, Karen L; Dmochowski, Roger R; Vasavada, Sandip P; Garner, Abigail M; Liu, Shan; Pietzsch, Jan B

2017-03-01

Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a guideline-recommended third-line treatment option for managing overactive bladder. Current SNM devices are not rechargeable, and require neurostimulator replacement every 3-6 years. Our study objective was to assess potential cost effects to payers of adopting a rechargeable SNM neurostimulator device. We constructed a cost-consequence model to estimate the costs of long-term SNM-treatment with a rechargeable versus non-rechargeable device. Costs were considered from the payer perspective at 2015 reimbursement levels. Adverse events, therapy discontinuation, and programming rates were based on the latest published data. Neurostimulator longevity was assumed to be 4.4 and 10.0 years for non-rechargeable and rechargeable devices, respectively. A 15-year horizon was modeled, with costs discounted at 3% per year. Total budget impact to the United States healthcare system was estimated based on the computed per-patient cost findings. Over the 15-year horizon, per-patient cost of treatment with a non-rechargeable device was $64,111 versus $36,990 with a rechargeable device, resulting in estimated payer cost savings of $27,121. These cost savings were found to be robust across a wide range of scenarios. Longer analysis horizon, younger patient age, and longer rechargeable neurostimulator lifetime were associated with increased cost savings. Over a 15-year horizon, adoption of a rechargeable device strategy was projected to save the United States healthcare system up to $12 billion. At current reimbursement rates, our analysis suggests that rechargeable neurostimulator SNM technology for managing overactive bladder syndrome may deliver significant cost savings to payers over the course of treatment. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:727-733, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nickel-metal hydride battery development. Final technical report

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

NONE

1995-06-01

Rechargeable batteries are used as the power source for a broad range of portable equipment. Key battery selection criteria typically are weight, volume, first cost, life cycle cost, and environmental impact. Rechargeable batteries are favored from a life cycle cost and environmental impact standpoint over primary batteries. The nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery system has emerged as the battery of choice for many applications based on its superior characteristics when judged on the above criteria against other battery types. In most cases commercial Ni-MH batteries are constructed with coiled electrodes in cylindrical metal containers. Electro Energy, Inc. (EEI) has been developingmore » a novel flat bipolar configuration of the Ni-MH system that offers weight, volume, and cost advantages when compared to cylindrical cells. The unique bipolar approach consists of fabricating individual flat wafer cells in conductive, carbon-filled, plastic face plates. The individual cells contain a nonconductive plastic border which is heat sealed around the perimeter to make a totally sealed unit cell. Multi-cell batteries are fabricated by stacking the individual wafer cells in such a way that the positive face of one cell contacts the negative face of the adjacent cell. The stack is then contained in an outer housing with end contacts. The purpose of this program was to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate the capabilities of the EEI Ni-MH battery system for consumer applications. The work was directed at the development and evaluation of the compact bipolar construction for its potential advantages of high power and energy density. Experimental investigations were performed on various nickel electrode types, hydride electrode formulations, and alternate separator materials. Studies were also directed at evaluating various oxygen recombination techniques for low pressure operation during charge and overcharge.« less

Computing Information Value from RDF Graph Properties

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

al-Saffar, Sinan; Heileman, Gregory

2010-11-08

Information value has been implicitly utilized and mostly non-subjectively computed in information retrieval (IR) systems. We explicitly define and compute the value of an information piece as a function of two parameters, the first is the potential semantic impact the target information can subjectively have on its recipient's world-knowledge, and the second parameter is trust in the information source. We model these two parameters as properties of RDF graphs. Two graphs are constructed, a target graph representing the semantics of the target body of information and a context graph representing the context of the consumer of that information. We computemore » information value subjectively as a function of both potential change to the context graph (impact) and the overlap between the two graphs (trust). Graph change is computed as a graph edit distance measuring the dissimilarity between the context graph before and after the learning of the target graph. A particular application of this subjective information valuation is in the construction of a personalized ranking component in Web search engines. Based on our method, we construct a Web re-ranking system that personalizes the information experience for the information-consumer.« less

Seeking and using intention of health information from doctors in social media: The effect of doctor-consumer interaction.

PubMed

Wu, Tailai; Deng, Zhaohua; Zhang, Donglan; Buchanan, Paula R; Zha, Dongqing; Wang, Ruoxi

2018-07-01

The aim of this study is to investigate how doctor-consumer interaction in social media influences consumers' health information seeking and usage intention. Based on professional-client interaction theory and expectation confirmation theory, we propose that doctor-consumer interaction can be divided into instrumental interaction and affective interaction. These two types of interaction influence consumers' health information seeking and usage intention through consumer satisfaction and trust towards doctors. To validate our proposed research model, we employed the survey method. The measurement instruments for all constructs were developed based on previous literatures, and 352 valid answers were collected by using these instruments. Our results reveal that consumers' intention to seek health information significantly predicts their intention to use health information from social media. Meanwhile, both consumer satisfaction and trust towards doctors influences consumers' health information seeking and usage intention significantly. With regards to the impact of the interaction between doctors and consumers, the results show that both types of doctor-consumer interaction significantly affect consumer satisfaction and trust towards doctors. The mediation analysis confirms the mediation role of consumer satisfaction and trust towards doctors. Compared with many intentional intervention programs, doctor-consumer interaction can be treated as an effective intervention with low cost to promote consumers' health information seeking and usage. Meanwhile, both instrumental and affective interaction should be highlighted for the best interaction results. At last, consumer satisfaction and trust towards doctors could be considered as the important working mechanisms for the effect of doctor-consumer interaction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of Constructed Wetlands for Polishing Recharge Wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardwell, W.

2009-12-01

The use of constructed wetlands for waste water treatment is becoming increasingly popular as more focus is being shifted to natural means of waste treatment. These wetlands employ processes that occur naturally and effectively remove pollutants and can greatly minimize costs when compared to full scale treatment plants. Currently, wetland design is based on basic “rules-of-thumb,” meaning engineers have a general understanding but not necessarily a thorough knowledge of the intricate physical, biological, and chemical processes involved in these systems. Furthermore, there is very little consideration given to use the wetland as a recharge pond to allow the treated water to percolate and recharge the local groundwater aquifers. The City of Foley, located in Alabama, and the Utilities Board of the City of Foley partnered with Wolf Bay Watershed Watch to evaluate alternative wastewater effluent disposal schemes. Rather than discharging the treated water into a local stream, a pilot program has been developed to allow water from the treatment process to flow into a constructed wetlands area where, after natural treatment, the treated water will then be allowed to percolate into a local unconfined aquifer. The goal of this study is to evaluate how constructed wetlands can be used for “polishing” effluent as well as how this treated water might be reused. Research has shown that constructed wetlands, with proper design and construction elements, are effective in the treatment of BOD, TSS, nitrogen, phosphorous, pathogens, metals, sulfates, organics, and other substances commonly found in wastewater. Mesocosms will be used to model the wetland, at a much smaller scale, in order to test and collect data about the wetland treatment capabilities. Specific objectives include: 1. Determine optimum flow rates for surface flow wetlands where water treatment is optimized. 2. Evaluate the capabilities of constructed wetlands to remove/reduce common over the counter pharmaceuticals such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen. 3. Evaluate the use of different wetland plants and their treatment characteristics. 4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the wetlands to allow treated to water to recharge local into a local groundwater aquifer.

Mitigation of non-point source of fluoride on groundwater by dug well recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, G.; Lakshmanan, E.

2017-12-01

Groundwater used for drinking purpose is affected in many regions due to the presence of excess fluoride. The excess intake of fluoride through drinking water causes fluorosis to human in many states of India, including Tamil Nadu. The present study was carried out with the objective of assessing hydrogeochemistry of groundwater and the feasibility of dug well recharge to reduce the fluoride concentration in Vaniyar river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. The major source for fluoride in groundwater of this area is the epidote hornblende gneissic and charnockite which are the major rocks occurring in this region. As a pilot study a cost effective induced recharge structure was constructed at Papichettipatty village in the study region. The study shows that the groundwater level around the recharge site raised up to 2 m from 14.5 m (bgl) and fluoride concentration has decreased from 3.8 mg/l to 0.9 mg/l due to dilution. The advantage of this induced recharge structure is of its low cost, the ease of implementation, improved groundwater recharge and dilution of fluoride in groundwater. An area of about 1.5 km2 has benefited due to this dug well recharge system.

Lie construction affects information storage under high memory load condition.

PubMed

Liu, Yuqiu; Wang, Chunjie; Jiang, Haibo; He, Hongjian; Chen, Feiyan

2017-01-01

Previous studies indicate that lying consumes cognitive resources, especially working memory (WM) resources. Considering the dual functions that WM might play in lying: holding the truth-related information and turning the truth into lies, the present study examined the relationship between the information storage and processing in the lie construction. To achieve that goal, a deception task based on the old/new recognition paradigm was designed, which could manipulate two levels of WM load (low-load task using 4 items and high-load task using 6 items) during the deception process. The analyses based on the amplitude of the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a proved index of the number of representations being held in WM, showed that the CDA amplitude was lower in the deception process than that in the truth telling process under the high-load condition. In contrast, under the low-load condition, no CDA difference was found between the deception and truth telling processes. Therefore, we deduced that the lie construction and information storage compete for WM resources; when the available WM resources cannot meet this cognitive demand, the WM resources occupied by the information storage would be consumed by the lie construction.

Lie construction affects information storage under high memory load condition

PubMed Central

Liu, Yuqiu; Wang, Chunjie; Jiang, Haibo; He, Hongjian; Chen, Feiyan

2017-01-01

Previous studies indicate that lying consumes cognitive resources, especially working memory (WM) resources. Considering the dual functions that WM might play in lying: holding the truth-related information and turning the truth into lies, the present study examined the relationship between the information storage and processing in the lie construction. To achieve that goal, a deception task based on the old/new recognition paradigm was designed, which could manipulate two levels of WM load (low-load task using 4 items and high-load task using 6 items) during the deception process. The analyses based on the amplitude of the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a proved index of the number of representations being held in WM, showed that the CDA amplitude was lower in the deception process than that in the truth telling process under the high-load condition. In contrast, under the low-load condition, no CDA difference was found between the deception and truth telling processes. Therefore, we deduced that the lie construction and information storage compete for WM resources; when the available WM resources cannot meet this cognitive demand, the WM resources occupied by the information storage would be consumed by the lie construction. PMID:28727794

Rechargeability of the ambient temperature cell Li/2Me-THF, LiAsF6/Cr0.5V0.5S2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abraham, K. M.; Harris, P. B.; Natwig, D. L.

1983-12-01

Practical usefulness of Cr0.5V0.5S2 as a rechargeable positive electrode for ambient temperature Li cells has been assesed. The rate-capacity behavior or the Cr0.5V0.5S2 cathode has been evaluated as a function of carbon content, electrolyte, and temperature. Rechargeability of the disulfide has been investigated by extended cycling of Li cells utilizing 2Me-THF/LiAsF6. Cells with cathode capacities as large as 10 Ahr have been constructed and tested. Many cells have exceeded 200 deep discharge-charge cycles. A scheme of studies useful for assessing the practicality of potential solid cathodes for ambient temperature rechargeable Li cells is presented.

Symposium on Rechargeable Lithium Batteries, Hollywood, FL, Oct. 19-24, 1989, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Subbarao, S. (Editor); Koch, V. R. (Editor); Owens, B. B. (Editor); Smyrl, W. H. (Editor)

1990-01-01

Recent advances in the technology and applications of rechargeable Li cells are discussed in reviews and reports. A general overview of the field is provided, and sections are devoted to organic electrolyte systems, polymeric electrolyte systems, inorganic electrolytes systems, and molten-salt electrolytes. Particular attention is given to electrolyte stabilization, the effects of organic additives on electrolyte performance, a cycle-life sensor, consumer-product applications, in situ measurements of gas evolution in Li secondary cells, ultrathin polymer cathodes, electrochemical growth of conducting polymers, and sealing Li/FeS(x) cells for a bipolar battery.

Creating IRT-Based Parallel Test Forms Using the Genetic Algorithm Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Koun-Tem; Chen, Yu-Jen; Tsai, Shu-Yen; Cheng, Chien-Fen

2008-01-01

In educational measurement, the construction of parallel test forms is often a combinatorial optimization problem that involves the time-consuming selection of items to construct tests having approximately the same test information functions (TIFs) and constraints. This article proposes a novel method, genetic algorithm (GA), to construct parallel…

The Construct of State-Level Suspicion A Model and Research Agenda for Automated and Information Technology (IT) Contexts

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

Explaining and Predicting the Impact of Branding Alliances and Web Site Quality ...on Initial Consumer Trust of e - Commerce Web Sites . Journal of Management Information Systems, 24, 199-224. Lyons, J., Stokes, C., Eschleman, K...Organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 24-59. McKnight, D., Choudhury, V., & Kacmar, C. (2002). The Impact of Initial Consumer Trust

The Effects of Public Concern for Information Privacy on the Adoption of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) by Healthcare Entities.

PubMed

Esmaeilzadeh, Pouyan

2018-05-08

The implementation of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) by healthcare organizations may not achieve the desired outcomes as consumers may request that their health information remains unshared because of information privacy concerns. Drawing on the insights of concern for information privacy (CFIP) literature, this work extends the application of CFIP to the HIE domain. This study attempts to develop and test a model centered on the four dimensions of CFIP construct (collection, errors, unauthorized access, and secondary use) and their antecedents to predict consumers' opt-in behavioral intention toward HIE in the presence of the perceived health status' effects. We conducted an online survey in the United States using 826 samples. The results demonstrate that the perceived health information sensitivity and computer anxiety meaningfully contribute to information privacy concerns and CFIP construct significantly impedes consumers' opt-in decision to HIEs. Interestingly, contrary to our expectation, perceived poor health status considerably attenuates the negative effects exerted by CFIP on opt-in intention. The model proposed by this study can be used as a useful conceptual tool by both further studies and practitioners to examine the complex nature of patients' reactions to information privacy threats associated with the use of HIE technology in the healthcare industry.

Integrating non-colocated well and geophysical data to capture subsurface heterogeneity at an aquifer recharge and recovery site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gottschalk, Ian P.; Hermans, Thomas; Knight, Rosemary; Caers, Jef; Cameron, David A.; Regnery, Julia; McCray, John E.

2017-12-01

Geophysical data have proven to be very useful for lithological characterization. However, quantitatively integrating the information gained from acquiring geophysical data generally requires colocated lithological and geophysical data for constructing a rock-physics relationship. In this contribution, the issue of integrating noncolocated geophysical and lithological data is addressed, and the results are applied to simulate groundwater flow in a heterogeneous aquifer in the Prairie Waters Project North Campus aquifer recharge site, Colorado. Two methods of constructing a rock-physics transform between electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data and lithology measurements are assessed. In the first approach, a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is used to fit a bimodal lognormal distribution to horizontal crosssections of the ERT resistivity histogram. In the second approach, a spatial bootstrap is applied to approximate the rock-physics relationship. The rock-physics transforms provide soft data for multiple point statistics (MPS) simulations. Subsurface models are used to run groundwater flow and tracer test simulations. Each model's uncalibrated, predicted breakthrough time is evaluated based on its agreement with measured subsurface travel time values from infiltration basins to selected groundwater recovery wells. We find that incorporating geophysical information into uncalibrated flow models reduces the difference with observed values, as compared to flow models without geophysical information incorporated. The integration of geophysical data also narrows the variance of predicted tracer breakthrough times substantially. Accuracy is highest and variance is lowest in breakthrough predictions generated by the MLE-based rock-physics transform. Calibrating the ensemble of geophysically constrained models would help produce a suite of realistic flow models for predictive purposes at the site. We find that the success of breakthrough predictions is highly sensitive to the definition of the rock-physics transform; it is therefore important to model this transfer function accurately.

Within-Day Recharge of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Energy Impact of Public Charging Infrastructure

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

Dong, Jing; Lin, Zhenhong

2012-01-01

This paper studies the role of public charging infrastructure in increasing PHEV s share of driving on electricity and the resulting petroleum use reduction. Using vehicle activity data obtained from the GPS-tracking household travel survey in Austin, Texas, gasoline and electricity consumptions of PHEVs in real world driving context are estimated. Driver s within-day recharging behavior, constrained by travel activities and public charger network, is modeled as a boundedly rational decision and incorporated in the energy use estimation. The key findings from the Austin dataset include: (1) public charging infrastructure makes PHEV a competitive vehicle choice for consumers without amore » home charger; (2) providing sufficient public charging service is expected to significantly reduce petroleum consumption of PHEVs; and (3) public charging opportunities offer greater benefits for PHEVs with a smaller battery pack, as within-day recharges compensate battery capacity.« less

Hybrid-optimization algorithm for the management of a conjunctive-use project and well field design

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chiu, Yung-Chia; Nishikawa, Tracy; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

Hi‐Desert Water District (HDWD), the primary water‐management agency in the Warren Groundwater Basin, California, plans to construct a waste water treatment plant to reduce future septic‐tank effluent from reaching the groundwater system. The treated waste water will be reclaimed by recharging the groundwater basin via recharge ponds as part of a larger conjunctive‐use strategy. HDWD wishes to identify the least‐cost conjunctive‐use strategies for managing imported surface water, reclaimed water, and local groundwater. As formulated, the mixed‐integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) groundwater‐management problem seeks to minimize water‐delivery costs subject to constraints including potential locations of the new pumping wells, California State regulations, groundwater‐level constraints, water‐supply demand, available imported water, and pump/recharge capacities. In this study, a hybrid‐optimization algorithm, which couples a genetic algorithm and successive‐linear programming, is developed to solve the MINLP problem. The algorithm was tested by comparing results to the enumerative solution for a simplified version of the HDWD groundwater‐management problem. The results indicate that the hybrid‐optimization algorithm can identify the global optimum. The hybrid‐optimization algorithm is then applied to solve a complex groundwater‐management problem. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to assess the impact of varying the new recharge pond orientation, varying the mixing ratio of reclaimed water and pumped water, and varying the amount of imported water available. The developed conjunctive management model can provide HDWD water managers with information that will improve their ability to manage their surface water, reclaimed water, and groundwater resources.

Hybrid-optimization algorithm for the management of a conjunctive-use project and well field design

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chiu, Yung-Chia; Nishikawa, Tracy; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD), the primary water-management agency in the Warren Groundwater Basin, California, plans to construct a waste water treatment plant to reduce future septic-tank effluent from reaching the groundwater system. The treated waste water will be reclaimed by recharging the groundwater basin via recharge ponds as part of a larger conjunctive-use strategy. HDWD wishes to identify the least-cost conjunctiveuse strategies for managing imported surface water, reclaimed water, and local groundwater. As formulated, the mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) groundwater-management problem seeks to minimize water delivery costs subject to constraints including potential locations of the new pumping wells, California State regulations, groundwater-level constraints, water-supply demand, available imported water, and pump/recharge capacities. In this study, a hybrid-optimization algorithm, which couples a genetic algorithm and successive-linear programming, is developed to solve the MINLP problem. The algorithm was tested by comparing results to the enumerative solution for a simplified version of the HDWD groundwater-management problem. The results indicate that the hybrid-optimization algorithm can identify the global optimum. The hybrid-optimization algorithm is then applied to solve a complex groundwater-management problem. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to assess the impact of varying the new recharge pond orientation, varying the mixing ratio of reclaimed water and pumped water, and varying the amount of imported water available. The developed conjunctive management model can provide HDWD water managers with information that will improve their ability to manage their surface water, reclaimed water, and groundwater resources.

Recharge Data Package for Hanford Single-Shell Tank Waste Management Areas

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

Fayer, Michael J.; Keller, Jason M.

2007-09-24

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) assists CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc., in its preparation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation report. One of the PNNL tasks is to use existing information to estimate recharge rates for past and current conditions as well as future scenarios involving cleanup and closure of tank farms. The existing information includes recharge-relevant data collected during activities associated with a host of projects, including those of RCRA, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the CH2M HILL Tank Farm Vadose Zone Project, and the PNNL Remediation and Closure Science Project.more » As new information is published, the report contents can be updated. The objective of this data package was to use published data to provide recharge estimates for the scenarios being considered in the RCRA Facility Investigation. Recharge rates were estimated for areas that remain natural and undisturbed, areas where the vegetation has been disturbed, areas where both the vegetation and the soil have been disturbed, and areas that are engineered (e.g., surface barrier). The recharge estimates supplement the estimates provided by PNNL researchers in 2006 for the Hanford Site using additional field measurements and model analysis using weather data through 2006.« less

Estimating groundwater recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healy, Richard W.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2010-01-01

Understanding groundwater recharge is essential for successful management of water resources and modeling fluid and contaminant transport within the subsurface. This book provides a critical evaluation of the theory and assumptions that underlie methods for estimating rates of groundwater recharge. Detailed explanations of the methods are provided - allowing readers to apply many of the techniques themselves without needing to consult additional references. Numerous practical examples highlight benefits and limitations of each method. Approximately 900 references allow advanced practitioners to pursue additional information on any method. For the first time, theoretical and practical considerations for selecting and applying methods for estimating groundwater recharge are covered in a single volume with uniform presentation. Hydrogeologists, water-resource specialists, civil and agricultural engineers, earth and environmental scientists and agronomists will benefit from this informative and practical book. It can serve as the primary text for a graduate-level course on groundwater recharge or as an adjunct text for courses on groundwater hydrology or hydrogeology.

77 FR 28259 - Mailings of Lithium Batteries

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-14

... containing lithium metal or lithium-ion cells or batteries and applies regardless of quantity, size, watt... ``lithium content'' for secondary lithium-ion batteries when describing maximum quantity limits. In addition...-ion (Rechargeable) Cells and Batteries [Revise 10.20.6 as follows:] Small consumer-type lithium-ion...

An Integrated Framework for Analysis of Water Supply Strategies in a Developing City: Chennai, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, V.; Gorelick, S.; Goulder, L.

2009-12-01

Indian cities are facing a severe water crisis: rapidly growing population, low tariffs, high leakage rates, inadequate reservoir storage, are straining water supply systems, resulting in unreliable, intermittent piped supply. Conventional approaches to studying the problem of urban water supply have typically considered only centralized piped supply by the water utility. Specifically, they have tended to overlook decentralized actions by consumers such as groundwater extraction via private wells and aquifer recharge by rainwater harvesting. We present an innovative integrative framework for analyzing urban water supply in Indian cities. The framework is used in a systems model of water supply in the city of Chennai, India that integrates different components of the urban water system: water flows into the reservoir system, diversion and distribution by the public water utility, groundwater flow in the urban aquifer, informal water markets and consumer behavior. Historical system behavior from 2002-2006 is used to calibrate the model. The historical system behavior highlights the buffering role of the urban aquifer; storing water in periods of surplus for extraction by consumers via private wells. The model results show that in Chennai, distribution pipeline leaks result in the transfer of water from the inadequate reservoir system to the urban aquifer. The systems approach also makes it possible to evaluate and compare a wide range of centralized and decentralized policies. Three very different policies: Supply Augmentation (desalination), Efficiency Improvement (raising tariffs and fixing pipe leaks), and Rainwater Harvesting (recharging the urban aquifer by capturing rooftop and yard runoff) were evaluated using the model. The model results suggest that a combination of Rainwater Harvesting and Efficiency Improvement best meets our criteria of welfare maximization, equity, system reliability, and utility profitability. Importantly, the study shows that combination policy emerges as optimal because of three conditions that are prevalent in Chennai: 1) widespread presence of private wells, 2) inadequate availability of reservoir storage to the utility, and 2) high cost of new supply sources.

Dynamic data analysis of climate and recharge conditions over time in the Edwards Aquifer, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, S. A.; Collins, J.; Banner, J.

2017-12-01

Understanding the temporal patterns in datasets related to climate, recharge, and water resource conditions is important for informing water management and policy decisions. Data analysis and pipelines for evaluating these disparate sources of information are challenging to set up and rely on emerging informatics tools to complete. This project gathers data from both historical and recent sources for the Edwards Aquifer of central Texas. The Edwards faces a unique array of challenges, as it is composed of karst limestone, is susceptible to contaminants and climate change, and is expected to supply water for a rapidly growing population. Given these challenges, new approaches to integrating data will be particularly important. Case study data from the Edwards is used to evaluate aquifer and hydrologic system conditions over time as well as to discover patterns and possible relationships across the information sources. Prior research that evaluated trends in discharge and recharge of the aquifer is revisited by considering new data from 1992-2015, and the sustainability of the Edwards as a water resource within the more recent time period is addressed. Reusable and shareable analytical data pipelines are constructed using Jupyter Notebooks and Python libraries, and an interactive visualization is implemented with the information. In addition to the data sources that are utilized for the water balance analyses, the Global Surface Water Monitoring System from the University of Minnesota, a tool that integrates a wide number of satellite datasets with known surface water dynamics and machine learning, is used to evaluate water body persistence and change over time at regional scales. Preliminary results indicate that surface water body over the Edwards with differing aerial extents are declining, excepting some dam-controlled lakes in the region. Other existing tools and machine learning applications are also considered. Results are useful to the Texas Water Research Network and provide a reproducible geoinformatics approach to integrated data analysis for water resources at regional scales.

A generalized regression model of arsenic variations in the shallow groundwater of Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Taylor, Richard G.; Chandler, Richard E.

2015-01-01

Abstract Localized studies of arsenic (As) in Bangladesh have reached disparate conclusions regarding the impact of irrigation‐induced recharge on As concentrations in shallow (≤50 m below ground level) groundwater. We construct generalized regression models (GRMs) to describe observed spatial variations in As concentrations in shallow groundwater both (i) nationally, and (ii) regionally within Holocene deposits where As concentrations in groundwater are generally high (>10 μg L−1). At these scales, the GRMs reveal statistically significant inverse associations between observed As concentrations and two covariates: (1) hydraulic conductivity of the shallow aquifer and (2) net increase in mean recharge between predeveloped and developed groundwater‐fed irrigation periods. Further, the GRMs show that the spatial variation of groundwater As concentrations is well explained by not only surface geology but also statistical interactions (i.e., combined effects) between surface geology and mean groundwater recharge, thickness of surficial silt and clay, and well depth. Net increases in recharge result from intensive groundwater abstraction for irrigation, which induces additional recharge where it is enabled by a permeable surface geology. Collectively, these statistical associations indicate that irrigation‐induced recharge serves to flush mobile As from shallow groundwater. PMID:27524841

Global synthesis of groundwater recharge in semiarid and arid regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Keese, Kelley E.; Flint, Alan L.; Flint, Lorraine E.; Gaye, Cheikh B.; Edmunds, W. Michael; Simmers, Ian

2006-10-01

Global synthesis of the findings from 140 recharge study areas in semiarid and arid regions provides important information on recharge rates, controls, and processes, which are critical for sustainable water development. Water resource evaluation, dryland salinity assessment (Australia), and radioactive waste disposal (US) are among the primary goals of many of these recharge studies. The chloride mass balance (CMB) technique is widely used to estimate recharge. Average recharge rates estimated over large areas (40-374 000 km2) range from 0.2 to 35 mm year-1, representing 0.1-5% of long-term average annual precipitation. Extreme local variability in recharge, with rates up to 720 m year-1, results from focussed recharge beneath ephemeral streams and lakes and preferential flow mostly in fractured systems. System response to climate variability and land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes is archived in unsaturated zone tracer profiles and in groundwater level fluctuations. Inter-annual climate variability related to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) results in up to three times higher recharge in regions within the SW US during periods of frequent El Niños (1977-1998) relative to periods dominated by La Niñas (1941-1957). Enhanced recharge related to ENSO is also documented in Argentina. Climate variability at decadal to century scales recorded in chloride profiles in Africa results in recharge rates of 30 mm year-1 during the Sahel drought (1970-1986) to 150 mm year-1 during non-drought periods. Variations in climate at millennial scales in the SW US changed systems from recharge during the Pleistocene glacial period (10 000 years ago) to discharge during the Holocene semiarid period. LU/LC changes such as deforestation in Australia increased recharge up to about 2 orders of magnitude. Changes from natural grassland and shrublands to dryland (rain-fed) agriculture altered systems from discharge (evapotranspiration, ET) to recharge in the SW US. The impact of LU change was much greater than climate variability in Niger (Africa), where replacement of savanna by crops increased recharge by about an order of magnitude even during severe droughts. Sensitivity of recharge to LU/LC changes suggests that recharge may be controlled through management of LU. In irrigated areas, recharge varies from 10 to 485 mm year-1, representing 1-25% of irrigation plus precipitation. However, irrigation pumpage in groundwater-fed irrigated areas greatly exceeds recharge rates, resulting in groundwater mining. Increased recharge related to cultivation has mobilized salts that accumulated in the unsaturated zone over millennia, resulting in widespread groundwater and surface water contamination, particularly in Australia. The synthesis of recharge rates provided in this study contains valuable information for developing sustainable groundwater resource programmes within the context of climate variability and LU/LC change.

A computer program for predicting recharge with a master recession curve

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heppner, Christopher S.; Nimmo, John R.

2005-01-01

Water-table fluctuations occur in unconfined aquifers owing to ground-water recharge following precipitation and infiltration, and ground-water discharge to streams between storm events. Ground-water recharge can be estimated from well hydrograph data using the water-table fluctuation (WTF) principle, which states that recharge is equal to the product of the water-table rise and the specific yield of the subsurface porous medium. The water-table rise, however, must be expressed relative to the water level that would have occurred in the absence of recharge. This requires a means for estimating the recession pattern of the water-table at the site. For a given site there is often a characteristic relation between the water-table elevation and the water-table decline rate following a recharge event. A computer program was written which extracts the relation between decline rate and water-table elevation from well hydrograph data and uses it to construct a master recession curve (MRC). The MRC is a characteristic water-table recession hydrograph, representing the average behavior for a declining water-table at that site. The program then calculates recharge using the WTF method by comparing the measured well hydrograph with the hydrograph predicted by the MRC and multiplying the difference at each time step by the specific yield. This approach can be used to estimate recharge in a continuous fashion from long-term well records. Presented here is a description of the code including the WTF theory and instructions for running it to estimate recharge with continuous well hydrograph data.

HYDROLOGICAL IMPACTS OF WOODY PLANT ENCROACHMENT IN ARID AND SEMIARID GRASSLANDS

EPA Science Inventory

Woody plants may be able to access deeper groundwater for year-round transpiration and thus consume more water than grasses, affecting recharge, soil moisture and runoff. Amount of water available to plants from precipitation is determined in part by nfiltration rates into...

76 FR 53056 - Outbound International Mailings of Lithium Batteries

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-25

... or lithium-ion batteries in accordance with Packing Instruction 967, Section II, or Packing... Secondary Lithium-ion (Rechargeable) Cells and Batteries. Small consumer-type lithium-ion cells and... shipment may contain a maximum of four lithium-ion cells or two lithium-ion batteries. c. The lithium...

Using noble gas tracers to constrain a groundwater flow model with recharge elevations: A novel approach for mountainous terrain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doyle, Jessica M.; Gleeson, Tom; Manning, Andrew H.; Mayer, K. Ulrich

2015-01-01

Environmental tracers provide information on groundwater age, recharge conditions, and flow processes which can be helpful for evaluating groundwater sustainability and vulnerability. Dissolved noble gas data have proven particularly useful in mountainous terrain because they can be used to determine recharge elevation. However, tracer-derived recharge elevations have not been utilized as calibration targets for numerical groundwater flow models. Herein, we constrain and calibrate a regional groundwater flow model with noble-gas-derived recharge elevations for the first time. Tritium and noble gas tracer results improved the site conceptual model by identifying a previously uncertain contribution of mountain block recharge from the Coast Mountains to an alluvial coastal aquifer in humid southwestern British Columbia. The revised conceptual model was integrated into a three-dimensional numerical groundwater flow model and calibrated to hydraulic head data in addition to recharge elevations estimated from noble gas recharge temperatures. Recharge elevations proved to be imperative for constraining hydraulic conductivity, recharge location, and bedrock geometry, and thus minimizing model nonuniqueness. Results indicate that 45% of recharge to the aquifer is mountain block recharge. A similar match between measured and modeled heads was achieved in a second numerical model that excludes the mountain block (no mountain block recharge), demonstrating that hydraulic head data alone are incapable of quantifying mountain block recharge. This result has significant implications for understanding and managing source water protection in recharge areas, potential effects of climate change, the overall water budget, and ultimately ensuring groundwater sustainability.

77 FR 68069 - Outbound International Mailings of Lithium Batteries

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-15

... (Rechargeable) Cells and Batteries Small consumer-type lithium-ion cells and batteries like those used to power... of only four lithium-ion cells or two lithium-ion batteries. c. The lithium content must not exceed... POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 20 Outbound International Mailings of Lithium Batteries AGENCY: Postal...

SWB-A modified Thornthwaite-Mather Soil-Water-Balance code for estimating groundwater recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Westenbroek, S.M.; Kelson, V.A.; Dripps, W.R.; Hunt, R.J.; Bradbury, K.R.

2010-01-01

A Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) computer code has been developed to calculate spatial and temporal variations in groundwater recharge. The SWB model calculates recharge by use of commonly available geographic information system (GIS) data layers in combination with tabular climatological data. The code is based on a modified Thornthwaite-Mather soil-water-balance approach, with components of the soil-water balance calculated at a daily timestep. Recharge calculations are made on a rectangular grid of computational elements that may be easily imported into a regional groundwater-flow model. Recharge estimates calculated by the code may be output as daily, monthly, or annual values.

Role of vegetation in interplay of climate, soil and groundwater recharge in a global dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J. H.; Jackson, R. B.

2010-12-01

Groundwater is an essential resource for people and ecosystems worldwide. Our capacity to ameliorate predicted global water shortages and to maintain sustainable water supplies depend on a better understanding of the controls of recharge and how vegetation change may affect recharge mechanisms. The goals of this study are to quantify the importance of vegetation as a dominant control on recharge globally and to compare the importance of vegetation with other hydrologically important variables, including climate and soil. We based our global analysis on > 500 recharge estimates from the literature that contained information on vegetation, soil and climate or location. Plant functional types significantly affected groundwater recharge rates substantially. After climatic factors (water inputs, PET, and seasonality), vegetation types explained about 15% of the residuals in the dataset. Across all climatic factors, croplands had the highest recharge rates, followed by grasslands, scrublands and woodlands (average recharge: 75, 63, 30, 22 mm/yr respectively). Recharge under woodlands showed the most nonlinear response to water inputs. Differences in recharge between the vegetation types were more exaggerated at arid climates and in clay soils, indicating greater biological control on soil water fluxes in these conditions. Our results shows that vegetation greatly affects recharge rates globally and alters relationship between recharge and physical variables allowing us to better predict recharge rates globally.

Regional mapping of depression-focussed groundwater recharge incorporating variable topography, climate, and land use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlovskii, I.; Noorduijn, S. L.; Abrakhimova, P.; Bentley, L. R.; Cey, E. E.; Hayashi, M.

2016-12-01

In the water-deficient setting of the Northern Great Plains (or Prairie Pothole Region, PPR), groundwater recharge constitutes only a small fraction of the water budget, meaning that recharge estimates have a high degree of uncertainty. Additionally, recharge primarily occurs as focussed recharge when small topographical depressions are inundated by surface runoff, typically during spring melt while underlying soils are still frozen. This results in a high spatial and temporal variability of recharge rates, which further complicates their evaluation. As part of a major research project called Groundwater Recharge in the Prairies (GRIP), we have developed a soil water balance model to estimate recharge rates at a scale of a single depression and its catchment (< 10 ha). In the next stage of the GRIP project, the present study investigates the possibility of applying this tool for recharge mapping on a regional scale in the Edmonton-Calgary corridor in Alberta, located in the north-western fringe of the PPR. The entire area (49500 km2) was divided into elements based on the proximity to one of 24 Alberta Agriculture weather stations. For each element, the model was run for a series of generic scenarios consisting of representative land use and depression catchment parameters. The latter were constructed using a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). The recharge value for each element was then computed using a weighted average of the generic scenario outputs. The new method has a number of benefits. Use of generic scenarios instead of real depressions dramatically reduces computational cost. Extraction of relevant parameters from DEM accounts for depressions which are only flooded sporadically and thus may be absent from the inventories of wet areas based on satellite images. If extra data on topographical parameters become available, the recharge may be recalculated without repeating the entire workflow.

Global synthesis of groundwater recharge in semiarid and arid regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Keese, K.E.; Flint, A.L.; Flint, L.E.; Gaye, C.B.; Edmunds, W.M.; Simmers, I.

2006-01-01

Global synthesis of the findings from ∼140 recharge study areas in semiarid and arid regions provides important information on recharge rates, controls, and processes, which are critical for sustainable water development. Water resource evaluation, dryland salinity assessment (Australia), and radioactive waste disposal (US) are among the primary goals of many of these recharge studies. The chloride mass balance (CMB) technique is widely used to estimate recharge. Average recharge rates estimated over large areas (40–374 000 km2) range from 0·2 to 35 mm year−1, representing 0·1–5% of long-term average annual precipitation. Extreme local variability in recharge, with rates up to ∼720 m year−1, results from focussed recharge beneath ephemeral streams and lakes and preferential flow mostly in fractured systems. System response to climate variability and land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes is archived in unsaturated zone tracer profiles and in groundwater level fluctuations. Inter-annual climate variability related to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) results in up to three times higher recharge in regions within the SW US during periods of frequent El Niños (1977–1998) relative to periods dominated by La Niñas (1941–1957). Enhanced recharge related to ENSO is also documented in Argentina. Climate variability at decadal to century scales recorded in chloride profiles in Africa results in recharge rates of 30 mm year−1 during the Sahel drought (1970–1986) to 150 mm year−1 during non-drought periods. Variations in climate at millennial scales in the SW US changed systems from recharge during the Pleistocene glacial period (≥10 000 years ago) to discharge during the Holocene semiarid period. LU/LC changes such as deforestation in Australia increased recharge up to about 2 orders of magnitude. Changes from natural grassland and shrublands to dryland (rain-fed) agriculture altered systems from discharge (evapotranspiration, ET) to recharge in the SW US. The impact of LU change was much greater than climate variability in Niger (Africa), where replacement of savanna by crops increased recharge by about an order of magnitude even during severe droughts. Sensitivity of recharge to LU/LC changes suggests that recharge may be controlled through management of LU. In irrigated areas, recharge varies from 10 to 485 mm year−1, representing 1–25% of irrigation plus precipitation. However, irrigation pumpage in groundwater-fed irrigated areas greatly exceeds recharge rates, resulting in groundwater mining. Increased recharge related to cultivation has mobilized salts that accumulated in the unsaturated zone over millennia, resulting in widespread groundwater and surface water contamination, particularly in Australia. The synthesis of recharge rates provided in this study contains valuable information for developing sustainable groundwater resource programmes within the context of climate variability and LU/LC change. 

Application of the Basin Characterization Model to Estimate In-Place Recharge and Runoff Potential in the Basin and Range Carbonate-Rock Aquifer System, White Pine County, Nevada, and Adjacent Areas in Nevada and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Alan L.; Flint, Lorraine E.

2007-01-01

A regional-scale water-balance model was used to estimate recharge and runoff potential and support U.S. Geological Survey efforts to develop a better understanding of water availability for the Basin and Range carbonate-rock aquifer system (BARCAS) study in White Pine County, Nevada, and adjacent areas in Nevada and Utah. The water-balance model, or Basin Characterization Model (BCM), was used to estimate regional ground-water recharge for the 13 hydrographic areas in the study area. The BCM calculates recharge by using a distributed-parameter, water-balance method and monthly climatic boundary conditions. The BCM requires geographic information system coverages of soil, geology, and topographic information with monthly time-varying climatic conditions of air temperature and precipitation. Potential evapotranspiration, snow accumulation, and snowmelt are distributed spatially with process models. When combined with surface properties of soil-water storage and saturated hydraulic conductivity of bedrock and alluvium, the potential water available for in-place recharge and runoff is calculated using monthly time steps using a grid scale of 866 feet (270 meters). The BCM was used with monthly climatic inputs from 1970 to 2004, and results were averaged to provide an estimate of the average annual recharge for the BARCAS study area. The model estimates 526,000 acre-feet of potential in-place recharge and approximately 398,000 acre-feet of potential runoff. Assuming 15 percent of the runoff becomes recharge, the model estimates average annual ground-water recharge for the BARCAS area of about 586,000 acre-feet. When precipitation is extrapolated to the long-term climatic record (1895-2006), average annual recharge is estimated to be 530,000 acre-feet, or about 9 percent less than the recharge estimated for 1970-2004.

The Mars Hopper: Development, Simulation and Experimental Validation of a Radioisotope Exploration Probe for the Martian Surface

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

Nathan D. Jerred; Spencer Cooley; Robert C. O'Brien

An advanced exploration probe has been proposed by the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) to acquire detailed data from the Martian surface and subsurface, ‘hop’ large distances to multiple sites in short periods of time and perform this task repeatedly. Although several similar flying vehicles have been proposed utilizing various power sources and complex designs, e.g. solar-electric and chemical-based, the CSNR’s Mars Hopper is based on a radioisotope thermal rocket (RTR) concept. The Mars Hopper’s design relies on the high specific energies [J/kg] of radioisotopes and enhances their low specific power [W/kg] through the use of a thermal capacitancemore » material to store thermal energy over time. During operation, the RTR transfers the stored thermal energy to a flowing gas, which is then expanded through a converging-diverging nozzle, producing thrust. Between flights, the platform will have ample time to perform in-depth science at each location while the propellant tanks and thermal capacitor recharge. Recharging the propellant tanks is accomplished by sublimation freezing of the ambient CO2 atmosphere with a cryocooler, followed by heating and pressurization to yield a liquid storage state. The proposed Mars Hopper will undergo a ballistic flight, consuming the propellant in both ascent and descent, and by using multiple hopper platforms, information can be gathered on a global scale, enabling better resource resolution and providing valuable information for a possible Mars sample-return mission. The CSNR, collaborating with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and three universities (University of Idaho, Utah State University and Oregon State University), has identified key components and sub-systems necessary for the proposed hopper. Current project activities include the development of a lab-scale prototypic Mars Hopper and test facility, along with computational fluid dynamics (CFD)/thermal-hydraulic models to yield a better understanding of the heat transfer process and complex nature of turbulent CO2 flow. Laboratory experimentation will aid design iterations and the development of both tethered and free-flying terrestrial hoppers that utilize an electrically heated core. The knowledge base acquired from these activities will refine the Mars Hopper’s future performance and optimize the RTR core components prior to constructing the final design.« less

A comparison of recharge rates in aquifers of the United States based on groundwater-age data

USGS Publications Warehouse

McMahon, P.B.; Plummer, Niel; Böhlke, J.K.; Shapiro, S.D.; Hinkle, S.R.

2011-01-01

An overview is presented of existing groundwater-age data and their implications for assessing rates and timescales of recharge in selected unconfined aquifer systems of the United States. Apparent age distributions in aquifers determined from chlorofluorocarbon, sulfur hexafluoride, tritium/helium-3, and radiocarbon measurements from 565 wells in 45 networks were used to calculate groundwater recharge rates. Timescales of recharge were defined by 1,873 distributed tritium measurements and 102 radiocarbon measurements from 27 well networks. Recharge rates ranged from < 10 to 1,200 mm/yr in selected aquifers on the basis of measured vertical age distributions and assuming exponential age gradients. On a regional basis, recharge rates based on tracers of young groundwater exhibited a significant inverse correlation with mean annual air temperature and a significant positive correlation with mean annual precipitation. Comparison of recharge derived from groundwater ages with recharge derived from stream base-flow evaluation showed similar overall patterns but substantial local differences. Results from this compilation demonstrate that age-based recharge estimates can provide useful insights into spatial and temporal variability in recharge at a national scale and factors controlling that variability. Local age-based recharge estimates provide empirical data and process information that are needed for testing and improving more spatially complete model-based methods.

Effects of artificial-recharge experiments at Ship Creek alluvial fan on water levels at Spring Acres Subdivision, Anchorage, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyer, William; Patrick, Leslie

1980-01-01

The effect of the artificial recharge experiments on water levels at Spring Acres subdivision, Anchorage, Alaska, was evaluated using two digital models constructed to simulate groundwater movement and water-level rises induced by the artificial recharge. The models predicted that the artificial recharge would have caused water levels in the aquifer immediately underlying Spring Acres subdivision to rise 0.2 foot from May 20 to August 7, 1975. The models also predicted a total rise in groundwater levels of 1.1 feet at this location from July 16, 1973 to August 7, 1975, as a result of the artificial-recharge experiments. Water-level data collected from auger holes in March 1975 by a consulting firm for the contractor indicated a depth to water of 6-7 feet below land surface at Spring Acres subdivision at this time. Water levels measured in and near Spring Acres subdivision several years before and after the 1973-75 artificial-recharge experiments showed seasonal rises of 2 to 12.4 feet. A depth to water below land surface of 2.6 feet was measured 600 feet from the subdivision in 1971 and in the subdivision in 1977. Average measured depth to water in the area was 7.0 feet from early 1976 to September 1979. (USGS)

Lithium ion rechargeable systems studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, Samuel C.; Lasasse, Robert R.; Cygan, Randall T.; Voigt, James A.

Lithium ion systems, although relatively new, have attracted much interest worldwide. Their high energy density, long cycle life and relative safety, compared with metallic lithium rechargeable systems, make them prime candidates for powering portable electronic equipment. Although lithium ion cells are presently used in a few consumer devices, e.g., portable phones, camcorders, and laptop computers, there is room for considerable improvement in their performance. Specific areas that need to be addressed include: (1) carbon anode-increase reversible capacity, and minimize passivation; (2) cathode-extend cycle life, improve rate capability, and increase capacity. There are several programs ongoing at Sandia National Laboratories which are investigating means of achieving the stated objectives in these specific areas. This paper will review these programs.

Rational material design for ultrafast rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Tang, Yuxin; Zhang, Yanyan; Li, Wenlong; Ma, Bing; Chen, Xiaodong

2015-10-07

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are important electrochemical energy storage devices for consumer electronics and emerging electrical/hybrid vehicles. However, one of the formidable challenges is to develop ultrafast charging LIBs with the rate capability at least one order of magnitude (>10 C) higher than that of the currently commercialized LIBs. This tutorial review presents the state-of-the-art developments in ultrafast charging LIBs by the rational design of materials. First of all, fundamental electrochemistry and related ionic/electronic conduction theories identify that the rate capability of LIBs is kinetically limited by the sluggish solid-state diffusion process in electrode materials. Then, several aspects of the intrinsic materials, materials engineering and processing, and electrode materials architecture design towards maximizing both ionic and electronic conductivity in the electrode with a short diffusion length are deliberated. Finally, the future trends and perspectives for the ultrafast rechargeable LIBs are discussed. Continuous rapid progress in this area is essential and urgent to endow LIBs with ultrafast charging capability to meet huge demands in the near future.

Assessing Contamination Potential of Nitrate-N in Groundwater of Lanyang Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ching-Ping; Tu, Yu-Lin; Lin, Chien-Wen; Jang, Cheng-Shin

2013-04-01

Nitrate-N pollution is often relevant to agricultural activities such as the fertilization of crops. Significant increases in the nitrate-N pollution of groundwater are found in natural recharging zones of Taiwan. The increasing nitrate-N contamination seriously threatens public drinking water supply and human health. Constructing a correct map of aquifer contamination potential is an effective and feasible way to protect groundwater for quality assessment and management. Therefore, in this study, we use DRASTIC model with the help of geographic information system (GIS) to assess and predict the contamination potential of nitrate-N in the aquifer of Lanyang Plain, Taiwan. Seven factors of hydrogeology and hydrology, which includes seven parameters - Depth to groundwater, net Recharge, Aquifer media, Soil media, Topography, Impact of vadose zone, and hydraulic Conductivity, are considered to carry out this assessment. The validity of the presented model is established by comparing the results with the measured nitrate concentration in wells within the study area. Adjusting factor weightings via the discriminant analysis is performed to improve the assessment and prediction. The analyzed results can provide residents with suggestive strategies against nitrate-N pollution in agricultural regions and government administrators with explicit information of Nitrate-N pollution extents when plans of water resources are considered.

SWB Groundwater Recharge Analysis, Catalina Island, California: Assessing Spatial and Temporal Recharge Patterns Within a Mediterranean Climate Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harlow, J.

2017-12-01

Groundwater recharge quantification is a key parameter for sustainable groundwater management. Many recharge quantification techniques have been devised, each with advantages and disadvantages. A free, GIS based recharge quantification tool - the Soil Water Balance (SWB) model - was developed by the USGS to produce fine-tuned recharge constraints in watersheds and illuminate spatial and temporal dynamics of recharge. The subject of this research is to examine SWB within a Mediterranean climate zone, focusing on the Catalina Island, California. This project relied on publicly available online resources with the exception the geospatial processing software, ArcGIS. Daily climate station precipitation and temperature data was obtained from the Desert Research Institute for the years 2008-2014. Precipitation interpolations were performed with ArcGIS using the Natural Neighbor method. The USGS-National Map Viewer (NMV) website provided a 30-meter DEM - to interpolate high and low temperature ASCII grids using the Temperature Lapse Rate (TLR) method, to construct a D-8 flow direction grid for downhill redirection of soil-moisture saturated runoff toward non-saturated cells, and for aesthetic map creation. NMV also provided a modified Anderson land cover classification raster. The US Department of Agriculture-National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey website provided shapefiles of soil water capacity and hydrologic soil groups. The Hargreaves and Samani method was implemented to determine evapotranspiration rates. The resulting SWB output data, in the form of ASCII grids are easily added to ArcGIS for quick visualization and data analysis (Figure 1). Calculated average recharge for 2008-2014 was 3537 inches/year, or 0.0174 acre feet/year. Recharge was 10.2% of the islands gross precipitation. The spatial distribution of the most significant recharge is in hotspots which dominate the residential hills above Avalon, followed by grassy/unvegetated areas associated with dirt roads, and then higher elevation southeast-eastern facing slopes. The greatest large-scale concentration of recharge is centered in the area from Two Harbors to Blackjack Mountain. Further examination within this project will determine parameter significance to recharge and runoff.

A review of radioactive isotopes and other residence time tracers in understanding groundwater recharge: Possibilities, challenges, and limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartwright, Ian; Cendón, Dioni; Currell, Matthew; Meredith, Karina

2017-12-01

Documenting the location and magnitude of groundwater recharge is critical for understanding groundwater flow systems. Radioactive tracers, notably 14C, 3H, 36Cl, and the noble gases, together with other tracers whose concentrations vary over time, such as the chlorofluorocarbons or sulfur hexafluoride, are commonly used to estimate recharge rates. This review discusses some of the advantages and problems of using these tracers to estimate recharge rates. The suite of tracers allows recharge to be estimated over timescales ranging from a few years to several hundred thousand years, which allows both the long-term and modern behaviour of groundwater systems to be documented. All tracers record mean residence times and mean recharge rates rather than a specific age and date of recharge. The timescale over which recharge rates are averaged increases with the mean residence time. This is an advantage in providing representative recharge rates but presents a problem in comparing recharge rates derived from these tracers with those from other techniques, such as water table fluctuations or lysimeters. In addition to issues relating to the sampling and interpretation of specific tracers, macroscopic dispersion and mixing in groundwater flow systems limit how precisely groundwater residence times and recharge rates may be estimated. Additionally, many recharge studies have utilised existing infrastructure that may not be ideal for this purpose (e.g., wells with long screens that sample groundwater several kilometres from the recharge area). Ideal recharge studies would collect sufficient information to optimise the use of specific tracers and minimise the problems of mixing and dispersion.

Influence of groundwater recharge and well characteristics on dissolved arsenic concentrations in southeastern Michigan groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meliker, J.R.; Slotnick, M.J.; Avruskin, G.A.; Haack, S.K.; Nriagu, J.O.

2009-01-01

Arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 ??g/l, the United States maximum contaminant level and the World Health Organization guideline value, are frequently reported in groundwater from bedrock and unconsolidated aquifers of southeastern Michigan. Although arsenic-bearing minerals (including arsenian pyrite and oxide/hydroxide phases) have been identified in Marshall Sandstone bedrock of the Mississippian aquifer system and in tills of the unconsolidated aquifer system, mechanisms responsible for arsenic mobilization and subsequent transport in groundwater are equivocal. Recent evidence has begun to suggest that groundwater recharge and characteristics of well construction may affect arsenic mobilization and transport. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between dissolved arsenic concentrations, reported groundwater recharge rates, well construction characteristics, and geology in unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers. Results of multiple linear regression analyses indicate that arsenic contamination is more prevalent in bedrock wells that are cased in proximity to the bedrock-unconsolidated interface; no other factors were associated with arsenic contamination in water drawn from bedrock or unconsolidated aquifers. Conditions appropriate for arsenic mobilization may be found along the bedrock-unconsolidated interface, including changes in reduction/oxidation potential and enhanced biogeochemical activity because of differences between geologic strata. These results are valuable for understanding arsenic mobilization and guiding well construction practices in southeastern Michigan, and may also provide insights for other regions faced with groundwater arsenic contamination. ?? Springer-Verlag 2008.

Wastewater reclamation and recharge: A water management strategy for Albuquerque

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

Gorder, P.J.; Brunswick, R.J.; Bockemeier, S.W.

1995-12-31

Approximately 61,000 acre-feet of the pumped water is annually discharged to the Rio Grande as treated wastewater. Albuquerque`s Southside Water Reclamation Plant (SWRP) is the primary wastewater treatment facility for most of the Albuquerque area. Its current design capacity is 76 million gallons per day (mgd), which is expected to be adequate until about 2004. A master plan currently is being prepared (discussed here in Wastewater Master Planning and the Zero Discharge Concept section) to provide guidelines for future expansions of the plant and wastewater infrastructure. Construction documents presently are being prepared to add ammonia and nitrogen removal capability tomore » the plant, as required by its new discharge permit. The paper discusses water management strategies, indirect potable reuse for Albuquerque, water quality considerations for indirect potable reuse, treatment for potable reuse, geohydrological aspects of a recharge program, layout and estimated costs for a conceptual reclamation and recharge system, and work to be accomplished under phase 2 of the reclamation and recharge program.« less

Top Down versus Bottom Up: The Social Construction of the Health Literacy Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Jeffrey T.; Shapiro, Robert M., II; Gillaspy, Mary L.

2012-01-01

The health literacy movement has been socially constructed over time. Unlike the consumer health information movement, which developed with broad public support, the health literacy movement has been fashioned primarily from the top down, initiated by policy makers and imposed on targeted populations. Interest in the health literacy movement has…

Recharge signal identification based on groundwater level observations.

PubMed

Yu, Hwa-Lung; Chu, Hone-Jay

2012-10-01

This study applied a method of the rotated empirical orthogonal functions to directly decompose the space-time groundwater level variations and determine the potential recharge zones by investigating the correlation between the identified groundwater signals and the observed local rainfall records. The approach is used to analyze the spatiotemporal process of piezometric heads estimated by Bayesian maximum entropy method from monthly observations of 45 wells in 1999-2007 located in the Pingtung Plain of Taiwan. From the results, the primary potential recharge area is located at the proximal fan areas where the recharge process accounts for 88% of the spatiotemporal variations of piezometric heads in the study area. The decomposition of groundwater levels associated with rainfall can provide information on the recharge process since rainfall is an important contributor to groundwater recharge in semi-arid regions. Correlation analysis shows that the identified recharge closely associates with the temporal variation of the local precipitation with a delay of 1-2 months in the study area.

Hydrochemical tracers in the middle Rio Grande Basin, USA: 2. Calibration of a groundwater-flow model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, W.E.; Plummer, Niel; McAda, D.P.; Bexfield, L.M.; Anderholm, S.K.

2004-01-01

The calibration of a groundwater model with the aid of hydrochemical data has demonstrated that low recharge rates in the Middle Rio Grande Basin may be responsible for a groundwater trough in the center of the basin and for a substantial amount of Rio Grande water in the regional flow system. Earlier models of the basin had difficulty reproducing these features without any hydrochemical data to constrain the rates and distribution of recharge. The objective of this study was to use the large quantity of available hydrochemical data to help calibrate the model parameters, including the recharge rates. The model was constructed using the US Geological Survey's software MODFLOW, MODPATH, and UCODE, and calibrated using 14C activities and the positions of certain flow zones defined by the hydrochemical data. Parameter estimation was performed using a combination of nonlinear regression techniques and a manual search for the minimum difference between field and simulated observations. The calibrated recharge values were substantially smaller than those used in previous models. Results from a 30,000-year transient simulation suggest that recharge was at a maximum about 20,000 years ago and at a minimum about 10,000 years ago. ?? Springer-Verlag 2004.

Summary of groundwater-recharge estimates for Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuart O. Reese,; Risser, Dennis W.

2010-01-01

Groundwater recharge is water that infiltrates through the subsurface to the zone of saturation beneath the water table. Because recharge is a difficult parameter to quantify, it is typically estimated from measurements of other parameters like streamflow and precipitation. This report provides a general overview of processes affecting recharge in Pennsylvania and presents estimates of recharge rates from studies at various scales.The most common method for estimating recharge in Pennsylvania has been to estimate base flow from measurements of streamflow and assume that base flow (expressed in inches over the basin) approximates recharge. Statewide estimates of mean annual groundwater recharge were developed by relating base flow to basin characteristics of HUC10 watersheds (a fifth-level classification that uses 10 digits to define unique hydrologic units) using a regression equation. The regression analysis indicated that mean annual precipitation, average daily maximum temperature, percent of sand in soil, percent of carbonate rock in the watershed, and average stream-channel slope were significant factors in the explaining the variability of groundwater recharge across the Commonwealth.Several maps are included in this report to illustrate the principal factors affecting recharge and provide additional information about the spatial distribution of recharge in Pennsylvania. The maps portray the patterns of precipitation, temperature, prevailing winds across Pennsylvania’s varied physiography; illustrate the error associated with recharge estimates; and show the spatial variability of recharge as a percent of precipitation. National, statewide, regional, and local values of recharge, based on numerous studies, are compiled to allow comparison of estimates from various sources. Together these plates provide a synopsis of groundwater-recharge estimations and factors in Pennsylvania.Areas that receive the most recharge are typically those that get the most rainfall, have favorable surface conditions for infiltration, and are less susceptible to the influences of high temperatures, and thus, evapotranspiration. Areas that have less recharge in Pennsylvania are typically those with less precipitation, less permeable soils, and higher temperatures that are conducive to greater rates of evapotranspiration.

Optimal estimation of spatially variable recharge and transmissivity fields under steady-state groundwater flow. Part 1. Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Wendy D.; Tankersley, Claude D.

1994-05-01

Stochastic methods are used to analyze two-dimensional steady groundwater flow subject to spatially variable recharge and transmissivity. Approximate partial differential equations are developed for the covariances and cross-covariances between the random head, transmissivity and recharge fields. Closed-form solutions of these equations are obtained using Fourier transform techniques. The resulting covariances and cross-covariances can be incorporated into a Bayesian conditioning procedure which provides optimal estimates of the recharge, transmissivity and head fields given available measurements of any or all of these random fields. Results show that head measurements contain valuable information for estimating the random recharge field. However, when recharge is treated as a spatially variable random field, the value of head measurements for estimating the transmissivity field can be reduced considerably. In a companion paper, the method is applied to a case study of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in NE Florida.

The retrospectroscope-the invention of the rechargeable cardiac pacemaker: vignette #9.

PubMed

Fischell, R E

1990-01-01

The idea for a rechargeable cardiac pacemaker came to the author in the late 1960s after reading an advertisement stating that a company's batteries were so good they would last two years in a heart pacemaker. This meant that pacemaker patients would have to undergo surgery for their replacement frequently. Having worked on the development of hermetically sealed, nickel-cadmium batteries that could function for a decade or longer in an orbiting spacecraft, the author constructed the first prototype of a rechargeable cardiac pacemaker around 1968 to show cardiologists at Johns Hopkins Hospital that a pacemaker of indefinitely long life and much smaller size and weight could be built readily. The subsequent development and marketing of the device, which came on the market in 1973, is recounted.

Partitioning groundwater recharge between rainfall infiltration and irrigation return flows using stable isotopes: the Crau aquifer.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seraphin, Pierre; Vallet-Coulomb, Christine; Gonçalvès, Julio

2016-04-01

Traditional flood irrigation is used since the 16th century in the Crau plain (Southern France) for hay production. To supply this high consuming irrigation practice, water is diverted from the Durance River, originating from the Alps, and the large amount of irrigation return flows constitutes the main recharge of the Crau aquifer, which is in turn largely exploited for domestic, industrial and agricultural water use. A possible reduction of irrigation fluxes due to a need of water saving or to a future land-use change could endanger the groundwater resource. A robust quantification of the groundwater mass balance is thus required to assess a sustainable water management in the region. The high isotopic contrast between these exogenous irrigation waters and local precipitations allows the use of stable isotopes of water as conservative tracers to deduce their contributions to the surface recharge. An extensive groundwater sampling was performed to obtain δ18O and δ2H over the whole aquifer. Based on a new piezometric contour map, combined with a reestimate of the aquifer geometry, the isotopic data are implemented in a geostatistical approach to produce a conceptual equivalent-homogeneous reservoir, in order to apply a simple water and isotope mass balance mixing model. The isotopic composition of the two end-members is assessed, and the quantification of groundwater flows is then used to calculate the two recharge fluxes. Near to steady-state condition, the set of isotopic data treated by geostatistics leads to a recharge by irrigation of 5.20 ± 0.93 m3 s-1 i.e. 1173 ± 210 mm yr-1, and a natural recharge of 2.26 ± 0.91 m3 s-1 i.e. 132 ± 53 mm yr-1. Thus, 70 ± 9% of the effective surface recharge comes from the irrigation return flow, consistent with the literature (between 67% and 78%). This study constitutes a straightforward and independent approach to assess groundwater surface recharges with uncertainties and will help to constrain a future transient groundwater flow model of the Crau aquifer.

Using hydraulic head, chloride and electrical conductivity data to distinguish between mountain-front and mountain-block recharge to basin aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bresciani, Etienne; Cranswick, Roger H.; Banks, Eddie W.; Batlle-Aguilar, Jordi; Cook, Peter G.; Batelaan, Okke

2018-03-01

Numerous basin aquifers in arid and semi-arid regions of the world derive a significant portion of their recharge from adjacent mountains. Such recharge can effectively occur through either stream infiltration in the mountain-front zone (mountain-front recharge, MFR) or subsurface flow from the mountain (mountain-block recharge, MBR). While a thorough understanding of recharge mechanisms is critical for conceptualizing and managing groundwater systems, distinguishing between MFR and MBR is difficult. We present an approach that uses hydraulic head, chloride and electrical conductivity (EC) data to distinguish between MFR and MBR. These variables are inexpensive to measure, and may be readily available from hydrogeological databases in many cases. Hydraulic heads can provide information on groundwater flow directions and stream-aquifer interactions, while chloride concentrations and EC values can be used to distinguish between different water sources if these have a distinct signature. Such information can provide evidence for the occurrence or absence of MFR and MBR. This approach is tested through application to the Adelaide Plains basin, South Australia. The recharge mechanisms of this basin have long been debated, in part due to difficulties in understanding the hydraulic role of faults. Both hydraulic head and chloride (equivalently, EC) data consistently suggest that streams are gaining in the adjacent Mount Lofty Ranges and losing when entering the basin. Moreover, the data indicate that not only the Quaternary aquifers but also the deeper Tertiary aquifers are recharged through MFR and not MBR. It is expected that this finding will have a significant impact on the management of water resources in the region. This study demonstrates the relevance of using hydraulic head, chloride and EC data to distinguish between MFR and MBR.

Identification of artificial groundwater recharging zone using a GIS-based fuzzy logic approach: a case study in a coal mine area of the Damodar Valley, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, Ashwani Kumar; Lavy, Muriel; Amanzio, Gianpiero; De Maio, Marina; Singh, Prasoon Kumar; Mahato, Mukesh Kumar

2017-12-01

The West Bokaro coalfield is a richest coal-mining belt in the Damodar Valley, India. The extensive mining of the area has resulted in disruption of the groundwater availability in terms of both quantity and quality. This has led to a drinking water crisis, especially during the pre-monsoon period in the West Bokaro coalfield area. The characterization of the hydrogeological system and the artificial recharging of the aquifers might help to better manage the problem of the groundwater-level depletion. For this purpose, seven important hydrogeological factors (water depth, slope, drainage, soil, infiltration, lithology, and landuse) have been considered to define the most suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharging in the mining area. Different thematic maps were prepared from existing maps and data sets, remote-sensing images, and field investigations for identification of the most suitable locations for artificial recharge. Thematic layers for these parameters were prepared, classified, weighted, and integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) environment by means of fuzzy logic. The results of the study indicate that about 29 and 31% of the area are very suitable and suitable for recharging purposes in the West Bokaro coalfield. However, the rest of the area is moderate to unsuitable for recharging due to the ongoing mining and related activities in the study area. The groundwater recharging map of the study area was validated with measured electrical conductivity (EC) values in the groundwater, and it indicated that validation can be accepted for the identification of groundwater recharging sites. These findings are providing useful information for the proper planning and sustainable management of the groundwater resources in the study area.

"The Dose Makes the Poison": Informing Consumers About the Scientific Risk Assessment of Food Additives.

PubMed

Bearth, Angela; Cousin, Marie-Eve; Siegrist, Michael

2016-01-01

Intensive risk assessment is required before the approval of food additives. During this process, based on the toxicological principle of "the dose makes the poison,ˮ maximum usage doses are assessed. However, most consumers are not aware of these efforts to ensure the safety of food additives and are therefore sceptical, even though food additives bring certain benefits to consumers. This study investigated the effect of a short video, which explains the scientific risk assessment and regulation of food additives, on consumers' perceptions and acceptance of food additives. The primary goal of this study was to inform consumers and enable them to construct their own risk-benefit assessment and make informed decisions about food additives. The secondary goal was to investigate whether people have different perceptions of food additives of artificial (i.e., aspartame) or natural origin (i.e., steviolglycoside). To attain these research goals, an online experiment was conducted on 185 Swiss consumers. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which was shown a video about the scientific risk assessment of food additives, or the control group, which was shown a video about a topic irrelevant to the study. After watching the video, the respondents knew significantly more, expressed more positive thoughts and feelings, had less risk perception, and more acceptance than prior to watching the video. Thus, it appears that informing consumers about complex food safety topics, such as the scientific risk assessment of food additives, is possible, and using a carefully developed information video is a successful strategy for informing consumers. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

Evaluation of written medicine information: validation of the Consumer Information Rating Form.

PubMed

Koo, Michelle M; Krass, Ines; Aslani, Parisa

2007-06-01

The Consumer Information Rating Form (CIRF) was developed as a direct method for measuring consumers' perceptions of the comprehensibility, utility, and design quality of written medicine information. The validity and reliability of the CIRF were evaluated in a small convenience consumer sample in the US. Its validity and reliability have yet to be established in a larger sample of consumers who are on chronic therapy in different settings. To determine the validity and reliability of the CIRF in Australian consumers on chronic therapy. Consumers read and subsequently evaluated a Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet for one of their own medications, using an adapted version of the CIRF. The construct validity and internal reliability of the adapted version of the CIRF were tested using principal components analysis (PCA) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. The adapted CIRF was completed by 282 consumers (aged 19-90 y; median 66; interquartile range 53-75 y; 60.3% females). Most respondents spoke primarily English at home (85.5%), had attained at least secondary education (84%), and had adequate health literacy levels (88.2%). Consumers rated CMI easy to read, understand, and navigate, but less easy to remember and keep. Most also found it to be useful and to contain the right amount of information. The design aspects also scored favorably, although CMI did score relatively poorly in terms of its attractiveness and tone (whether alarming or not). PCA yielded 3 factors (explaining 59.3% of the total variance) identical to those in the original CIRF: comprehensibility, utility, and design quality. All factors demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.74, 0.92, and 0.75, respectively). The CIRF appears to be a robust instrument for assessing consumers' perceptions of written medicine information. However, validity always needs to be reestablished when using a previously validated measure in a different population.

Implications of Projected Climate Change for Groundwater Recharge in the Western United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David J.;

Implications of projected climate change for groundwater recharge in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David; Flint, Alan L.; Neff, Kirstin L.; Niraula, Rewati; Rodell, Matthew; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Singha, Kamini; Walvoord, Michelle Ann

2016-01-01

Existing studies on the impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge are either global or basin/location-specific. The global studies lack the specificity to inform decision making, while the local studies do little to clarify potential changes over large regions (major river basins, states, or groups of states), a scale often important in the development of water policy. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge across the western United States (west of 100° longitude) is presented synthesizing existing studies and applying current knowledge of recharge processes and amounts. Eight representative aquifers located across the region were evaluated. For each aquifer published recharge budget components were converted into four standard recharge mechanisms: diffuse, focused, irrigation, and mountain-systems recharge. Future changes in individual recharge mechanisms and total recharge were then estimated for each aquifer. Model-based studies of projected climate-change effects on recharge were available and utilized for half of the aquifers. For the remainder, forecasted changes in temperature and precipitation were logically propagated through each recharge mechanism producing qualitative estimates of direction of changes in recharge only (not magnitude). Several key patterns emerge from the analysis. First, the available estimates indicate average declines of 10–20% in total recharge across the southern aquifers, but with a wide range of uncertainty that includes no change. Second, the northern set of aquifers will likely incur little change to slight increases in total recharge. Third, mountain system recharge is expected to decline across much of the region due to decreased snowpack, with that impact lessening with higher elevation and latitude. Factors contributing the greatest uncertainty in the estimates include: (1) limited studies quantitatively coupling climate projections to recharge estimation methods using detailed, process-based numerical models; (2) a generally poor understanding of hydrologic flowpaths and processes in mountain systems; (3) difficulty predicting the response of focused recharge to potential changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events; and (4) unconstrained feedbacks between climate, irrigation practices, and recharge in highly developed aquifer systems.

Implications of projected climate change for groundwater recharge in the western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David J.; Flint, Alan L.; Neff, Kirstin L.; Niraula, Rewati; Rodell, Matthew; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Singha, Kamini; Walvoord, Michelle A.

2016-03-01

Existing studies on the impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge are either global or basin/location-specific. The global studies lack the specificity to inform decision making, while the local studies do little to clarify potential changes over large regions (major river basins, states, or groups of states), a scale often important in the development of water policy. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge across the western United States (west of 100° longitude) is presented synthesizing existing studies and applying current knowledge of recharge processes and amounts. Eight representative aquifers located across the region were evaluated. For each aquifer published recharge budget components were converted into four standard recharge mechanisms: diffuse, focused, irrigation, and mountain-systems recharge. Future changes in individual recharge mechanisms and total recharge were then estimated for each aquifer. Model-based studies of projected climate-change effects on recharge were available and utilized for half of the aquifers. For the remainder, forecasted changes in temperature and precipitation were logically propagated through each recharge mechanism producing qualitative estimates of direction of changes in recharge only (not magnitude). Several key patterns emerge from the analysis. First, the available estimates indicate average declines of 10-20% in total recharge across the southern aquifers, but with a wide range of uncertainty that includes no change. Second, the northern set of aquifers will likely incur little change to slight increases in total recharge. Third, mountain system recharge is expected to decline across much of the region due to decreased snowpack, with that impact lessening with higher elevation and latitude. Factors contributing the greatest uncertainty in the estimates include: (1) limited studies quantitatively coupling climate projections to recharge estimation methods using detailed, process-based numerical models; (2) a generally poor understanding of hydrologic flowpaths and processes in mountain systems; (3) difficulty predicting the response of focused recharge to potential changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events; and (4) unconstrained feedbacks between climate, irrigation practices, and recharge in highly developed aquifer systems.

Groundwater Recharge and Flow Processes in Taihang Mountains, a Semi-humid Region, North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakakibara, Koichi; Tsujimura, Maki; Song, Xianfang; Zhang, Jie

2015-04-01

Groundwater flow/recharge variations in time and space are crucial for effective water management especially in semi-arid and semi-humid regions. In order to reveal comprehensive groundwater flow/recharge processes in a catchment with a large topographical relief and seasonal hydrological variations, intensive field surveys were undertaken at 4 times in different seasons (June 2011, August 2012, November 2012, February 2014) in the Wangkuai watershed, Taihang mountains, which is a main groundwater recharge area of the North China Plain. The groundwater, spring, stream water and reservoir water were taken, and inorganic solute constituents and stable isotopes of oxygen-18 and deuterium were determined on all water samples. Also, the stream flow rate and the depth of groundwater table were observed. The stable isotopic compositions and inorganic solute constituents in the groundwater are depleted and shown similar values as those of the surface water at the mountain-plain transitional area. Additionally, the groundwater in the vicinity of the Wangkuai Reservoir presents clearly higher stable isotopic compositions and lower d-excess than those of the stream water, indicating the groundwater around the reservoir is affected by evaporation same as the Wangkuai Reservoir itself. Hence, the surface water in the mountain-plain transitional area and Wangkuai Reservoir are principal groundwater recharge sources. An inversion analysis and simple mixing model were applied in the Wangkuai watershed using stable isotopes of oxygen-18 and deuterium to construct a groundwater flow model. The model shows that multi-originated groundwater flows from upstream to downstream along topography with certain mixing. In addition, the groundwater recharge occurs dominantly at the altitude from 421 m to 953 m, and the groundwater recharge rate by the Wangkuai Reservoir is estimated to be 2.4 % of the total groundwater recharge in the Wangkuai watershed. Therefore, the stream water and reservoir water in the mountain-plain transitional area plays an important role of groundwater recharge in semi-arid and semi-humid regions.

Transitioning Groundwater from an Extractive Resource to a Managed Water Storage Resource: Geology and Recharge in Sedimentary Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maples, S.; Fogg, G. E.; Maxwell, R. M.; Liu, Y.

2017-12-01

Civilizations have typically obtained water from natural and constructed surface-water resources throughout most of human history. Only during the last 50-70 years has a significant quantity of water for humans been obtained through pumping from wells. During this short time, alarming levels of groundwater depletion have been observed worldwide, especially in some semi-arid and arid regions that rely heavily on groundwater pumping from clastic sedimentary basins. In order to reverse the negative effects of over-exploitation of groundwater resources, we must transition from treating groundwater mainly as an extractive resource to one in which recharge and subsurface storage are pursued more aggressively. However, this remains a challenge because unlike surface-water reservoirs which are typically replenished over annual timescales, the complex geologic architecture of clastic sedimentary basins impedes natural groundwater recharge rates resulting in decadal or longer timescales for aquifer replenishment. In parts of California's Central Valley alluvial aquifer system, groundwater pumping has outpaced natural groundwater recharge for decades. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has been promoted to offset continued groundwater overdraft, but MAR to the confined aquifer system remains a challenge because multiple laterally-extensive silt and clay aquitards limit recharge rates in most locations. Here, we simulate the dynamics of MAR and identify potential recharge pathways in this system using a novel combination of (1) a high-resolution model of the subsurface geologic heterogeneity and (2) a physically-based model of variably-saturated, three-dimensional water flow. Unlike most groundwater models, which have coarse spatial resolution that obscures the detailed subsurface geologic architecture of these systems, our high-resolution model can pinpoint specific geologic features and locations that have the potential to `short-circuit' aquitards and provide orders-of-magnitude greater recharge rates and volumes than would be possible over the rest of the landscape. Our results highlight the importance of capturing detailed geologic heterogeneity and physical processes that are not typically included in groundwater models when evaluating groundwater recharge potential.

Evaluation of the potential for artificial ground-water recharge in eastern San Joaquin County, California; Phase 3

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamlin, S.N.

1987-01-01

Infiltration tests were used to evaluate the potential of basin spreading surface water as a means of artificially recharging the aquifer system in eastern San Joaquin County, California. Two infiltration sites near Lockeford and Linden were selected on the basis of information collected during the first two phases of the study. Data from the infiltration tests indicate that the two sites are acceptable for recharge by the basin-spreading method. Infiltration rates ranged between 6.7 and 10.5 ft/day near Lockeford and between 2.6 and 11.2 ft/day near Linden. Interpretation of these data is limited by lack of information on the response of the saturated zone during testing and by the inherent difficulty in extrapolating the results of small-scale tests to larger long-term operations. Lithology is a major factor that controls infiltration rates at the test sites. The unsaturated zone is characterized by heterogeneous layers of coarse- and fine- grained materials. Clay layers of low hydraulic conductivity commonly form discontinuous lenses that may cause a transient perched water table to develop during recharge. Water level measurements from wells screened in the unsaturated zone indicate that the perched water table could reach the land surface after 2 and 5 months of recharge near Lockeford and Linden, respectively. These figures probably represent the minimum time necessary for saturation of the land. Another major factor that affects infiltration rates is the quality of the recharge water, particularly the suspended sediment content. The clogging action of suspended sediment may be minimized by: (1) pretreatment of recharge water in a settling pond, (2) adherence to a routine program of monitoring and maintenance, and (3) proper design of the recharge facility. Other factors that affect infiltration rates include basin excavation technique, basin shape, and maintenance procedures. Efficient operation of the recharge facility requires careful attention to the relation between subsurface water levels and infiltration rates. (Author 's abstract)

Groundwater recharge and sustainability in the High Plains aquifer in Kansas, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sophocleous, M.

2005-01-01

Sustainable use of groundwater must ensure not only that the future resource is not threatened by overuse, but also that natural environments that depend on the resource, such as stream baseflows, riparian vegetation, aquatic ecosystems, and wetlands are protected. To properly manage groundwater resources, accurate information about the inputs (recharge) and outputs (pumpage and natural discharge) within each groundwater basin is needed so that the long-term behavior of the aquifer and its sustainable yield can be estimated or reassessed. As a first step towards this effort, this work highlights some key groundwater recharge studies in the Kansas High Plains at different scales, such as regional soil-water budget and groundwater modeling studies, county-scale groundwater recharge studies, as well as field-experimental local studies, including some original new findings, with an emphasis on assumptions and limitations as well as on environmental factors affecting recharge processes. The general impact of irrigation and cultivation on recharge is to appreciably increase the amount of recharge, and in many cases to exceed precipitation as the predominant source of recharge. The imbalance between the water input (recharge) to the High Plains aquifer and the output (pumpage and stream baseflows primarily) is shown to be severe, and responses to stabilize the system by reducing water use, increasing irrigation efficiency, adopting water-saving land-use practices, and other measures are outlined. Finally, the basic steps necessary to move towards sustainable use of groundwater in the High Plains are delineated, such as improving the knowledge base, reporting and providing access to information, furthering public education, as well as promoting better understanding of the public's attitudinal motivations; adopting the ecosystem and adaptive management approaches to managing groundwater; further improving water efficiency; exploiting the full potential of dryland and biosaline agriculture; and adopting a goal of long-term sustainable use. ?? Springer-Verlag 2005.

Groundwater recharge: The intersection between humanity and hydrogeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smerdon, Brian D.; Drewes, Jörg E.

2017-12-01

Groundwater recharge is an essential part of subsurface water circulation and the beginning of groundwater flow systems that can vary in duration from days to millennia. Globally, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that many of Earth's aquifers contain 'fossil' groundwater that was recharged more than 12,000 years ago (Jasechko et al., 2017), and a very small portion of groundwater that was recharged within the last 50 years (Gleeson et al., 2015). Together, this information demonstrates the irregular distribution of groundwater circulation within the Earth and the wide variability of recharge conditions that replenish aquifer systems (Befus et al., 2017). Knowledge of groundwater recharge rates and distribution are needed for evaluating and regulating the quantity and quality of water resources, understanding consequences of landscapes use, identifying where managed aquifer recharge can augment supply, and predicting how groundwater systems will respond to a changing climate. In-turn, these topics are of central importance for the health of humans and ecosystems, and security of food and energy. Yet, despite the global importance, quantifying groundwater recharge remains challenging as it cannot be measured directly, and there is uncertainty associated with all currently known estimation methods (Scanlon et al., 2002).

A comparison of groundwater recharge estimation methods in a semi-arid, coastal avocado and citrus orchard (Ventura County, California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grismer, Mark E.; Bachman, S.; Powers, T.

2000-10-01

We assess the relative merits of application of the most commonly used field methods (soil-water balance (SWB), chloride mass balance (CMB) and soil moisture monitoring (NP)) to determine recharge rates in micro-irrigated and non-irrigated areas of a semi-arid coastal orchard located in a relatively complex geological environment.Application of the CMB method to estimate recharge rates was difficult owing to the unusually high, variable soil-water chloride concentrations. In addition, contrary to that expected, the chloride concentration distribution at depths below the root zone in the non-irrigated soil profiles was greater than that in the irrigated profiles. The CMB method severely underestimated recharge rates in the non-irrigated areas when compared with the other methods, although the CMB method estimated recharge rates for the irrigated areas, that were similar to those from the other methods, ranging from 42 to 141 mm/year.The SWB method, constructed for a 15-year period, provided insight into the recharge process being driven by winter rains rather than summer irrigation and indicated an average rate of 75 mm/year and 164 mm/year for the 1984 - 98 and 1996 - 98 periods, respectively. Assuming similar soil-water holding capacity, these recharge rates applied to both irrigated and non-irrigated areas. Use of the long period of record was important because it encompassed both drought and heavy rainfall years. Successful application of the SWB method, however, required considerable additional field measurements of orchard ETc, soil-water holding capacity and estimation of rainfall interception - runoff losses.Continuous soil moisture monitoring (NP) was necessary to identify both daily and seasonal seepage processes to corroborate the other recharge estimates. Measured recharge rates during the 1996 - 1998 period in both the orchards and non-irrigated site averaged 180 mm/year. The pattern of soil profile drying during the summer irrigation season, followed by progressive wetting during the winter rainy season was observed in both irrigated and non-irrigated soil profiles, confirming that groundwater recharge was rainfall driven and that micro-irrigation did not predispose the soil profile to excess rainfall recharge. The ability to make this recharge assessment, however, depended on making multiple field measurements associated with all three methods, suggesting that any one should not be used alone.

Water Budget for the Island of Kauai, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shade, Patricia J.

1995-01-01

A geographic information system model was created to calculate a monthly water budget for the island of Kauai. Ground-water recharge is the residual component of a monthly water budget calculated using long-term average rainfall, streamflow, and pan-evaporation data, applied irrigation-water estimates, and soil characteristics. The water-budget components are defined seasonally, through the use of the monthly water budget, and spatially by aquifer-system areas, through the use of the geographic information system model. The mean annual islandwide water-budget totals are 2,720 Mgal/d for rainfall plus irrigation; 1,157 Mgal/d for direct runoff; 911 Mgal/d for actual evapotranspiration; and 652 Mgal/d for ground-water recharge. Direct runoff is 43 percent, actual evapotranspiration is 33 percent, and ground-water recharge is 24 percent of rainfall plus irrigation. Ground-water recharge in the natural land-use areas is spatially distributed in a pattern similar to the rainfall distribution. Distinct seasonal variations in the water-budget components are apparent from the monthly water-budget calculations. Rainfall and ground-water recharge peak during the wet winter months with highs in January of 3,698 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) and 981 Mgal/d, respectively; a slight peak in July and August relative to June and September is caused by increased orographic rainfall. Recharge is lowest in June (454 Mgal/d) and November (461 Mgal/d).

[Research on the Application of Lean Management in Medical Consumables Material Logistics Management].

PubMed

Yang, Chai; Zhang, Wei; Gu, Wei; Shen, Aizong

2016-11-01

Solve the problems of high cost, low utilization rate of resources, low medical care quality problem in medical consumables material logistics management for scientific of medical consumables management. Analysis of the problems existing in the domestic medical consumables material logistics management in hospital, based on lean management method, SPD(Supply, Processing, Distribution) for specific applications, combined HBOS(Hospital Business Operation System), HIS (Hospital Information System) system for medical consumables material management. Achieve the lean management in medical consumables material purchase, warehouse construction, push, clinical use and retrospect. Lean management in medical consumables material can effectively control the cost in logistics management, optimize the alocation of resources, liberate unnecessary time of medical staff, improve the quality of medical care. It is a scientific management method.

The Value of Forest and Pasture to Water Supply in Kona, HI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brauman, K. A.; Daily, G. C.; Freyberg, D. L.

2007-12-01

By quantifying the supply and value of ecosystem services flowing from private land, we can provide a mechanism for sustaining ecosystem services by compensating landowners for their supply. In order for compensation to occur, however, both suppliers and users of ecosystem services require information about the way different land management scenarios will affect ecosystem service flows. This case study in Kona, HI, takes advantage of the direct link between upland water source areas and municipal drinking water users in Kailua-Kona to explore the value of one type of hydrologic service. By quantifying the difference in aquifer recharge under paired forest and pasture sites, we assess the impact of each land-cover type on the volume of water potentially available to municipal water users. We use a water balance approach - measuring rainfall interception and water use by plants, then calculating the balance to be aquifer recharge because of the absence of surface runoff. We aim to integrate these biophysical measurements with information, including costs of pumping, well construction, and land-cover maintenance, provided by the water utility and landowners to ascertain the value of forest and pasture to water supply. By determining the value to water users in Kailua-Kona of the increase or decrease in water quantity that would result from upland land-cover change, we aim both to protect drinking water quantity and to help landowners offset financial pressure to convert their land.

Green Infrastructure Modeling Toolkit

EPA Science Inventory

Green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, green roofs, porous pavement, cisterns, and constructed wetlands, is becoming an increasingly attractive way to recharge aquifers and reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that flows into wastewater treatment plants or into waterbodies...

Advances in Lithium-Sulfur Rechargeable Batteries Powering the Electronic Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skotheim, Terje; Akridge, Jim; Hyland, Bob

2001-01-01

This viewgraph presentation discusses the Moltech Corporation's history and structure, power systems development, product attributes, Li-S adapted products, cell construction, specific energy comparisons, and product requirements necessary for use in spacecraft applications.

Extending the Life of Lithium-Based Rechargeable Batteries by Reaction of Lithium Dendrites with a Novel Silica Nanoparticle Sandwiched Separator

DOE PAGES

Liu, Kai; Zhuo, Denys; Lee, Hyun -Wook; ...

2016-11-22

A reaction-protective separator that slows the growth of lithium dendrites penetrating into the separator is produced by sandwiching silica nanoparticles between two polymer separators. Here, the reaction between lithium dendrites and silica nanoparticles consumes the dendrites and can extend the life of the battery by approximately five times.

Material Use in the United States - Selected Case Studies for Cadmium, Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel in Rechargeable Batteries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilburn, David R.

2008-01-01

This report examines the changes that have taken place in the consumer electronic product sector as they relate to (1) the use of cadmium, cobalt, lithium, and nickel contained in batteries that power camcorders, cameras, cell phones, and portable (laptop) computers and (2) the use of nickel in vehicle batteries for the period 1996 through 2005 and discusses forecasted changes in their use patterns through 2010. Market penetration, material substitution, and technological improvements among nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries are assessed. Consequences of these changes in light of material consumption factors related to disposal, environmental effects, retail price, and serviceability are analyzed in a series of short case studies.

LiCoO2 and SnO2 Thin Film Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maranchi, Jeffrey P.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Kumta, Prashant N.

2004-01-01

There is an increasing need for small dimension, ultra-lightweight, portable power supplies due to the miniaturization of consumer electronic devices. Rechargeable thin film lithium-ion batteries have the potential to fulfill the growing demands for micro-energy storage devices. However, rechargeable battery technology and fabrication processes have not kept paced with the advances made in device technology. Economical fabrication methods lending excellent microstructural and compositional control in the thin film battery electrodes have yet to be fully developed. In this study, spin coating has been used to demonstrate the flexibility of the approach to produce both anode (SnO2) and cathode (LiCoO2) thin films. Results on the microstructure crystal structure and electrochemical properties of the thin film electrodes are described and discussed.

Dr Google and the consumer: a qualitative study exploring the navigational needs and online health information-seeking behaviors of consumers with chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Lee, Kenneth; Hoti, Kreshnik; Hughes, Jeffery David; Emmerton, Lynne

2014-12-02

The abundance of health information available online provides consumers with greater access to information pertinent to the management of health conditions. This is particularly important given an increasing drive for consumer-focused health care models globally, especially in the management of chronic health conditions, and in recognition of challenges faced by lay consumers with finding, understanding, and acting on health information sourced online. There is a paucity of literature exploring the navigational needs of consumers with regards to accessing online health information. Further, existing interventions appear to be didactic in nature, and it is unclear whether such interventions appeal to consumers' needs. Our goal was to explore the navigational needs of consumers with chronic health conditions in finding online health information within the broader context of consumers' online health information-seeking behaviors. Potential barriers to online navigation were also identified. Semistructured interviews were conducted with adult consumers who reported using the Internet for health information and had at least one chronic health condition. Participants were recruited from nine metropolitan community pharmacies within Western Australia, as well as through various media channels. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then imported into QSR NVivo 10. Two established approaches to thematic analysis were adopted. First, a data-driven approach was used to minimize potential bias in analysis and improve construct and criterion validity. A theory-driven approach was subsequently used to confirm themes identified by the former approach and to ensure identified themes were relevant to the objectives. Two levels of analysis were conducted for both data-driven and theory-driven approaches: manifest-level analysis, whereby face-value themes were identified, and latent-level analysis, whereby underlying concepts were identified. We conducted 17 interviews, with data saturation achieved by the 14th interview. While we identified a broad range of online health information-seeking behaviors, most related to information discussed during consumer-health professional consultations such as looking for information about medication side effects. The barriers we identified included intrinsic barriers, such as limited eHealth literacy, and extrinsic barriers, such as the inconsistency of information between different online sources. The navigational needs of our participants were extrinsic in nature and included health professionals directing consumers to appropriate online resources and better filtering of online health information. Our participants' online health information-seeking behaviors, reported barriers, and navigational needs were underpinned by the themes of trust, patient activation, and relevance. This study suggests that existing interventions aimed to assist consumers with navigating online health information may not be what consumers want or perceive they need. eHealth literacy and patient activation appear to be prevalent concepts in the context of consumers' online health information-seeking behaviors. Furthermore, the role for health professionals in guiding consumers to quality online health information is highlighted.

Consumption of Mass Communication--Construction of a Model on Information Consumption Behaviour.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sepstrup, Preben

A general conceptual model on the consumption of information is introduced. Information as the output of the mass media is treated as a product, and a model on the consumption of this product is developed by merging elements from consumer behavior theory and mass communication theory. Chapter I gives basic assumptions about the individual and the…

Ground-Water Availability in the Wailuku Area, Maui, Hawai'i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gingerich, Stephen B.

2008-01-01

Most of the public water supply in Maui, Hawai'i, is from a freshwater lens in the Wailuku area of the island. Because of population growth, ground-water withdrawals from wells in this area increased from less than 10 Mgal/d during 1970 to about 23 Mgal/d during 2006. In response to increased withdrawals from the freshwater lens in the Wailuku area, water levels declined, the transition zone between freshwater and saltwater became shallower, and the chloride concentrations of water pumped from wells increased. These responses led to concern over the long-term sustainability of withdrawals from existing and proposed wells. A three-dimensional numerical ground-water flow and transport model was developed to simulate the effects of selected withdrawal and recharge scenarios on water levels, on the transition zone between freshwater and saltwater, and on surface-water/ground-water interactions. The model was constructed using time-varying recharge, withdrawals, and ocean levels. Hydraulic characteristics used to construct the model were initially based on published estimates but ultimately were varied to obtain better agreement between simulated and measured water levels and salinity profiles in the modeled area during the period 1926-2006. Scenarios included ground-water withdrawal at 2006 and 1996 rates and locations with average recharge (based on 2000-04 land use and 1926-2004 rainfall) and withdrawal at redistributed rates and locations with several different recharge scenarios. Simulation results indicate that continuing 1996 and 2006 withdrawal distributions into the future results in decreased water levels, a thinner freshwater lens, increased salinity from pumped wells, and higher salinity at several current withdrawal sites. A redistributed withdrawal condition in which ground-water withdrawal was redistributed to maximize withdrawal and minimize salinities in the withdrawn water was determined. The redistributed withdrawal simulates 27.1 Mgal/d of withdrawal from 14 wells or well fields in the Wailuku area. Simulation results from the five scenarios that include redistributed withdrawal conditions indicate the following for the Wailuku Aquifer Sector: (1) withdrawal during times of average recharge rates cause average water levels to decrease 2-3 ft and the transition zone to become more than 200 ft shallower after 150 years; (2) a 5-yr drought condition similar to the 1998-2002 drought results in additional salinity increases after 30 years (12.5 years of normal recharge after drought conditions) but only one well has salinity increases of concern; (3) additional recharge from restored streamflow significantly increases water levels, thickens the freshwater body, and decreases salinity at withdrawal sites in the Waihe'e and 'Iao Aquifer Systems; and (4) a complete removal of irrigation recharge decreases water levels and increases salinity in the central isthmus where irrigation is reduced, but recharge through restored streams still significantly increases water levels, thickens the freshwater body, and decreases salinity at withdrawal sites in the Waihe'e and 'Iao Aquifer Systems.

A pragmatic method for estimating seepage losses for small reservoirs with application in rural India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oblinger, Jennifer A.; Moysey, Stephen M. J.; Ravindrinath, Rangoori; Guha, Chiranjit

2010-05-01

SummaryThe informal construction of small dams to capture runoff and artificially recharge ground water is a widespread strategy for dealing with water scarcity. A lack of technical capacity for the formal characterization of these systems, however, is often an impediment to the implementation of effective watershed management practices. Monitoring changes in reservoir storage provides a conceptually simple approach to quantify seepage, but does not account for the losses occurring when seepage is balanced by inflows to the reservoir and the stage remains approximately constant. To overcome this problem we evaluate whether a physically-based volume balance model that explicitly represents watershed processes, including reservoir inflows, can be constrained by a limited set of data readily collected by non-experts, specifically records of reservoir stage, rainfall, and evaporation. To assess the impact of parameter non-uniqueness associated with the calibration of the non-linear model, we perform a Monte Carlo analysis to quantify uncertainty in the total volume of water contributed to the subsurface by the 2007 monsoon for a dam located in the Deccan basalts near the village of Salri in Madhya Pradesh, India. The Monte Carlo analysis demonstrated that subsurface losses from the reservoir could be constrained with the available data, but additional measurements are required to constrain reservoir inflows. Our estimate of seepage from the reservoir (7.0 ± 0.6 × 10 4 m 3) is 3.5 times greater than the recharge volume estimated by considering reservoir volume changes alone. This result suggests that artificial recharge could be significantly underestimated when reservoir inflows are not explicitly included in models. Our seepage estimate also accounts for about 11% of rainfall occurring upstream of the dam and is comparable in magnitude to natural ground water recharge, thereby indicating that the reservoir plays a significant role in the hydrology of this small watershed.

New consumer load prototype for electricity theft monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullateef, A. I.; Salami, M. J. E.; Musse, M. A.; Onasanya, M. A.; Alebiosu, M. I.

2013-12-01

Illegal connection which is direct connection to the distribution feeder and tampering of energy meter has been identified as a major process through which nefarious consumers steal electricity on low voltage distribution system. This has contributed enormously to the revenue losses incurred by the power and energy providers. A Consumer Load Prototype (CLP) is constructed and proposed in this study in order to understand the best possible pattern through which the stealing process is effected in real life power consumption. The construction of consumer load prototype will facilitate real time simulation and data collection for the monitoring and detection of electricity theft on low voltage distribution system. The prototype involves electrical design and construction of consumer loads with application of various standard regulations from Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), formerly known as Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). LABVIEW platform was used for data acquisition and the data shows a good representation of the connected loads. The prototype will assist researchers and power utilities, currently facing challenges in getting real time data for the study and monitoring of electricity theft. The simulation of electricity theft in real time is one of the contributions of this prototype. Similarly, the power and energy community including students will appreciate the practical approach which the prototype provides for real time information rather than software simulation which has hitherto been used in the study of electricity theft.

16 CFR 1102.44 - Applicability of sections 6(a) and (b) of the CPSA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY INFORMATION DATABASE Notice and...) in the Database. (b) Limitation on construction. Section 1102.44(a) shall not be construed to exempt...

16 CFR 1102.44 - Applicability of sections 6(a) and (b) of the CPSA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY INFORMATION DATABASE Notice and...) in the Database. (b) Limitation on construction. Section 1102.44(a) shall not be construed to exempt...

A Study on the Surface and Subsurface Water Interaction Based on the Groundwater Recession Curve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S. T.; Chen, Y. W.; Chang, L. C.; Chiang, C. J.; Wang, Y. S.

2017-12-01

The interaction of surface to subsurface water is an important issue for groundwater resources assessment and management. The influences of surface water to groundwater are mainly through the rainfall recharge, river recharge and discharge and other boundary sources. During a drought period, the interaction of river and groundwater may be one of the main sources of groundwater level recession. Therefore, this study explores the interaction of surface water to groundwater via the groundwater recession. During drought periods, the pumping and river interaction together are the main mechanisms causing the recession of groundwater level. In principle, larger gradient of the recession curve indicates more groundwater discharge and it is an important characteristic of the groundwater system. In this study, to avoid time-consuming manual analysis, the Python programming language is used to develop a statistical analysis model for exploring the groundwater recession information. First, the slopes of the groundwater level hydrograph at every time step were computed for each well. Then, for each well, the represented slope to each groundwater level was defined as the slope with 90% exceedance probability. The relationship between the recession slope and the groundwater level can then be obtained. The developed model is applied to Choushui River Alluvial Fan. In most wells, the results show strong positive correlations between the groundwater levels and the absolute values of the recession slopes.

Quantification and regionalization of groundwater recharge in South-Central Kansas: Integrating field characterization, statistical analysis, and GIS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sophocleous, M.

2000-01-01

A practical methodology for recharge characterization was developed based on several years of field-oriented research at 10 sites in the Great Bend Prairie of south-central Kansas. This methodology combines the soil-water budget on a storm-by-storm year-round basis with the resulting watertable rises. The estimated 1985-1992 average annual recharge was less than 50mm/year with a range from 15 mm/year (during the 1998 drought) to 178 mm/year (during the 1993 flood year). Most of this recharge occurs during the spring months. To regionalize these site-specific estimates, an additional methodology based on multiple (forward) regression analysis combined with classification and GIS overlay analyses was developed and implemented. The multiple regression analysis showed that the most influential variables were, in order of decreasing importance, total annual precipitation, average maximum springtime soil-profile water storage, average shallowest springtime depth to watertable, and average springtime precipitation rate. Therefore, four GIS (ARC/INFO) data "layers" or coverages were constructed for the study region based on these four variables, and each such coverage was classified into the same number of data classes to avoid biasing the results. The normalized regression coefficients were employed to weigh the class rankings of each recharge-affecting variable. This approach resulted in recharge zonations that agreed well with the site recharge estimates. During the "Great Flood of 1993," when rainfall totals exceeded normal levels by -200% in the northern portion of the study region, the developed regionalization methodology was tested against such extreme conditions, and proved to be both practical, based on readily available or easily measurable data, and robust. It was concluded that the combination of multiple regression and GIS overlay analyses is a powerful and practical approach to regionalizing small samples of recharge estimates.

Natural recharge estimation and uncertainty analysis of an adjudicated groundwater basin using a regional-scale flow and subsidence model (Antelope Valley, California, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Siade, Adam J.; Nishikawa, Tracy; Martin, Peter

2015-01-01

Groundwater has provided 50–90 % of the total water supply in Antelope Valley, California (USA). The associated groundwater-level declines have led the Los Angeles County Superior Court of California to recently rule that the Antelope Valley groundwater basin is in overdraft, i.e., annual pumpage exceeds annual recharge. Natural recharge consists primarily of mountain-front recharge and is an important component of the total groundwater budget in Antelope Valley. Therefore, natural recharge plays a major role in the Court’s decision. The exact quantity and distribution of natural recharge is uncertain, with total estimates from previous studies ranging from 37 to 200 gigaliters per year (GL/year). In order to better understand the uncertainty associated with natural recharge and to provide a tool for groundwater management, a numerical model of groundwater flow and land subsidence was developed. The transient model was calibrated using PEST with water-level and subsidence data; prior information was incorporated through the use of Tikhonov regularization. The calibrated estimate of natural recharge was 36 GL/year, which is appreciably less than the value used by the court (74 GL/year). The effect of parameter uncertainty on the estimation of natural recharge was addressed using the Null-Space Monte Carlo method. A Pareto trade-off method was also used to portray the reasonableness of larger natural recharge rates. The reasonableness of the 74 GL/year value and the effect of uncertain pumpage rates were also evaluated. The uncertainty analyses indicate that the total natural recharge likely ranges between 34.5 and 54.3 GL/year.

Influence of recharge basins on the hydrology of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seaburn, G.E.; Aronson, D.A.

1974-01-01

An investigation of recharge basins on Long Island was made by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Nassau County Department of Public Works, Suffolk County Department of Environmental Control, and Suffolk County Water Authority. The major objectives of the study were to (1) catalog basic physical data on the recharge basins in use on Long Island, (2) measure quality and quantity of precipitation and inflow, (3) measure infiltration rates at selected recharge basins, and (4) evaluate regional effects of recharge basins on the hydrologic system of Long Island. The area of study consists of Nassau and Suffolk Counties -- about 1,370 square miles -- in eastern Long Island, N.Y. Recharge basins, numbering more than 2,100 on Long Island in 1969, are open pits in moderately to highly permeable sand and gravel deposits. These pits are used to dispose of storm runoff from residential, industrial, and commercial areas, and from highways, by infiltration of the water through the bottom and sides of the basins. The hydrology of three recharge basins on Long Island -- Westbury, Syosset, and Deer Park basins -- was studied. The precipitation-inflow relation showed that the average percentages of precipitation flowing into each basin were roughly equivalent to the average percentages of impervious areas in the total drainage areas of the basins. Average percentages of precipitation flowing into the basins as direct runoff were 12 percent at the Westbury basin, 10 percent at the Syosset basin, and 7 percent at the Deer Park basin. Numerous open-bottomed storm-water catch basins at Syosset and Deer Park reduced the proportion of inflow to those basins, as compared with the Westbury basin, which has only a few open-bottomed catch basins. Inflow hydrographs for each basin typify the usual urban runoff hydrograph -- steeply rising and falling limbs, sharp peaks, and short time bases. Unit hydrographs for the Westbury and the Syosset basins are not expected to change; however, the unit hydrograph for the Deer Park basin is expected to broaden somewhat as a result of additional future house construction within the drainage area. Infiltration rates averaged 0.9 fph (feet per hour) for 63 storms between July 1967 and May 1970 at the Westbury recharge basin, 0.8 fph for 22 storms from July 1969 to September 1970 at the Syosset recharge basin, and 0.2 fph for 24 storms from March to September 1970 at the Deer Park recharge basin. Low infiltration rates at Deer Park resulted mainly from (1) a high percentage of eroded silt, clay, and organic debris washed in from construction sites in the drainage area, which partly filled the interstices of the natural deposits, and (2) a lack of a well-developed plant-root system on the floor of the younger basin, which would have kept the soil zone more permeable. The apparent rate of movement of storm water through the unsaturated zone below each basin averaged 5.5 fph at Westbury, 3.7 fph at Syosset, and 3.1 fph at Deer Park. The rates of movement for storms during the warm months (April through October) were slightly higher than average, probably because the recharging water was warmer than it was during the rest of the year, and therefore, was slightly less viscous. On the average, a 1-inch rainfall resulted in a peak rise of the water table directly below each basin of 0.5 foot; a 2-inch rainfall resulted in a peak rise of about 2 feet. The mound commonly dissipated within 1 to 4 days at Westbury, 7 days to more than 15 days at Syosset, and 1 to 3 days at Deer Park, depending on the magnitude of the peak buildup. Average annual ground-water recharge was estimated to be 6.4 acre-feet at the Westbury recharge basin, 10.3 acre-feet at the Syosset recharge basin, and 29.6 acre-feet at the Deer Park recharge basin. Chemical composition of precipitation at Westbury, Syosset, and Deer Park drainage areas was similar:

Assessment of groundwater recharge potential zone using GIS approach in Purworejo regency, Central Java province, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aryanto, Daniel Eko; Hardiman, Gagoek

2018-02-01

Floods and droughts in Purworejo regency are an indication of problems in groundwater management. The current development progress has led to land conversion which has an impact on the problem of water infiltration in Purworejo regency. This study aims to determine the distribution of groundwater recharge potential zones by using geographic information system as the basis for ground water management. The groundwater recharge potential zone is obtained by overlaying all the thematic maps that affect the groundwater infiltration. Each thematic map is weighted according to its effect on groundwater infiltration such as land-use - 25%, rainfall - 20%, litology - 20%, soil - 15%, slope - 10%, lineament - 5%, and river density - 5% to find groundwater recharge potential zones. The groundwater recharge potential zones thus obtained were divided into five categories, viz., very high, high, medium, low and very low zones. The results of this study may be useful for better groundwater planning and management.

The use of process models to inform and improve statistical models of nitrate occurrence, Great Miami River Basin, southwestern Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walter, Donald A.; Starn, J. Jeffrey

2013-01-01

Statistical models of nitrate occurrence in the glacial aquifer system of the northern United States, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, use observed relations between nitrate concentrations and sets of explanatory variables—representing well-construction, environmental, and source characteristics— to predict the probability that nitrate, as nitrogen, will exceed a threshold concentration. However, the models do not explicitly account for the processes that control the transport of nitrogen from surface sources to a pumped well and use area-weighted mean spatial variables computed from within a circular buffer around the well as a simplified source-area conceptualization. The use of models that explicitly represent physical-transport processes can inform and, potentially, improve these statistical models. Specifically, groundwater-flow models simulate advective transport—predominant in many surficial aquifers— and can contribute to the refinement of the statistical models by (1) providing for improved, physically based representations of a source area to a well, and (2) allowing for more detailed estimates of environmental variables. A source area to a well, known as a contributing recharge area, represents the area at the water table that contributes recharge to a pumped well; a well pumped at a volumetric rate equal to the amount of recharge through a circular buffer will result in a contributing recharge area that is the same size as the buffer but has a shape that is a function of the hydrologic setting. These volume-equivalent contributing recharge areas will approximate circular buffers in areas of relatively flat hydraulic gradients, such as near groundwater divides, but in areas with steep hydraulic gradients will be elongated in the upgradient direction and agree less with the corresponding circular buffers. The degree to which process-model-estimated contributing recharge areas, which simulate advective transport and therefore account for local hydrologic settings, would inform and improve the development of statistical models can be implicitly estimated by evaluating the differences between explanatory variables estimated from the contributing recharge areas and the circular buffers used to develop existing statistical models. The larger the difference in estimated variables, the more likely that statistical models would be changed, and presumably improved, if explanatory variables estimated from contributing recharge areas were used in model development. Comparing model predictions from the two sets of estimated variables would further quantify—albeit implicitly—how an improved, physically based estimate of explanatory variables would be reflected in model predictions. Differences between the two sets of estimated explanatory variables and resultant model predictions vary spatially; greater differences are associated with areas of steep hydraulic gradients. A direct comparison, however, would require the development of a separate set of statistical models using explanatory variables from contributing recharge areas. Area-weighted means of three environmental variables—silt content, alfisol content, and depth to water from the U.S. Department of Agriculture State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) data—and one nitrogen-source variable (fertilizer-application rate from county data mapped to Enhanced National Land Cover Data 1992 (NLCDe 92) agricultural land use) can vary substantially between circular buffers and volume-equivalent contributing recharge areas and among contributing recharge areas for different sets of well variables. The differences in estimated explanatory variables are a function of the same factors affecting the contributing recharge areas as well as the spatial resolution and local distribution of the underlying spatial data. As a result, differences in estimated variables between circular buffers and contributing recharge areas are complex and site specific as evidenced by differences in estimated variables for circular buffers and contributing recharge areas of existing public-supply and network wells in the Great Miami River Basin. Large differences in areaweighted mean environmental variables are observed at the basin scale, determined by using the network of uniformly spaced hypothetical wells; the differences have a spatial pattern that generally is similar to spatial patterns in the underlying STATSGO data. Generally, the largest differences were observed for area-weighted nitrogen-application rate from county and national land-use data; the basin-scale differences ranged from -1,600 (indicating a larger value from within the volume-equivalent contributing recharge area) to 1,900 kilograms per year (kg/yr); the range in the underlying spatial data was from 0 to 2,200 kg/yr. Silt content, alfisol content, and nitrogen-application rate are defined by the underlying spatial data and are external to the groundwater system; however, depth to water is an environmental variable that can be estimated in more detail and, presumably, in a more physically based manner using a groundwater-flow model than using the spatial data. Model-calculated depths to water within circular buffers in the Great Miami River Basin differed substantially from values derived from the spatial data and had a much larger range. Differences in estimates of area-weighted spatial variables result in corresponding differences in predictions of nitrate occurrence in the aquifer. In addition to the factors affecting contributing recharge areas and estimated explanatory variables, differences in predictions also are a function of the specific set of explanatory variables used and the fitted slope coefficients in a given model. For models that predicted the probability of exceeding 1 and 4 milligrams per liter as nitrogen (mg/L as N), predicted probabilities using variables estimated from circular buffers and contributing recharge areas generally were correlated but differed significantly at the local and basin scale. The scale and distribution of prediction differences can be explained by the underlying differences in the estimated variables and the relative weight of the variables in the statistical models. Differences in predictions of exceeding 1 mg/L as N, which only includes environmental variables, generally correlated with the underlying differences in STATSGO data, whereas differences in exceeding 4 mg/L as N were more spatially extensive because that model included environmental and nitrogen-source variables. Using depths to water from within circular buffers derived from the spatial data and depths to water within the circular buffers calculated from the groundwater-flow model, restricted to the same range, resulted in large differences in predicted probabilities. The differences in estimated explanatory variables between contributing recharge areas and circular buffers indicate incorporation of physically based contributing recharge area likely would result in a different set of explanatory variables and an improved set of statistical models. The use of a groundwater-flow model to improve representations of source areas or to provide more-detailed estimates of specific explanatory variables includes a number of limitations and technical considerations. An assumption in these analyses is that (1) there is a state of mass balance between recharge and pumping, and (2) transport to a pumped well is under a steady state flow field. Comparison of volumeequivalent contributing recharge areas under steady-state and transient transport conditions at a location in the southeastern part of the basin shows the steady-state contributing recharge area is a reasonable approximation of the transient contributing recharge area after between 10 and 20 years of pumping. The first assumption is a more important consideration for this analysis. A gradient effect refers to a condition where simulated pumping from a well is less than recharge through the corresponding contributing recharge area. This generally takes place in areas with steep hydraulic gradients, such as near discharge locations, and can be mitigated using a finer model discretization. A boundary effect refers to a condition where recharge through the contributing recharge area is less than pumping. This indicates other sources of water to the simulated well and could reflect a real hydrologic process. In the Great Miami River Basin, large gradient and boundary effects—defined as the balance between pumping and recharge being less than half—occurred in 5 and 14 percent of the basin, respectively. The agreement between circular buffers and volume-equivalent contributing recharge areas, differences in estimated variables, and the effect on statisticalmodel predictions between the population of wells with a balance between pumping and recharge within 10 percent and the population of all wells were similar. This indicated process-model limitations did not affect the overall findings in the Great Miami River Basin; however, this would be model specific, and prudent use of a process model needs to entail a limitations analysis and, if necessary, alterations to the model.

Hydrogeologic characteristics of four public drinking-water supply springs in northern Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.

2004-01-01

In October 2000, a study was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Health to determine the hydrogeologic characteristics, including the extent of the recharge areas, for Hughes Spring, Stark Spring, Evening Shade Spring, and Roaring Spring, which are used for public-water supply in northern Arkansas. Information pertaining to each spring can be used to enable development of effective management plans to protect these water resources and public health. An integrated approach to determine the ground-water characteristics and the extent of the local recharge areas of the four springs incorporated tools and methods of hydrology, structural geology, geomorphology, geophysics, and geochemistry. Analyses of discharge, temperature, and water quality were completed to describe ground-water flow characteristics, source-water characteristics, and connectivity of the ground-water system with surface runoff. Water-level contour maps were constructed to determine ground-water flow directions and ground-water tracer tests were conducted to determine the extent of the recharge areas and ground-water flow velocities. Hughes Spring supplies water for the city of Marshall, Arkansas, and the surrounding area. The mean annual discharge for Hughes Spring was 2.9 and 5.2 cubic feet per second for water years 2001 and 2002, respectively. Recharge to the spring occurs mainly from the Boone Formation (Springfield Plateau aquifer). Ground-water tracer tests indicate the recharge area for Hughes Spring generally coincides with the surface drainage area (15.8 square miles) and that Hughes Spring is connected directly to the surface flow in Brush Creek. The geochemistry of Hughes Spring demonstrated variations with flow conditions and the influence of surface-runoff in the recharge area. Calcite saturation indices, total dissolved solids concentrations, and hardness demonstrate noticeable differences with flow conditions reflecting the reduced residence time and interaction of water with the source rock within the ground-water system at higher discharges for Hughes Spring. Concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria also demonstrated a substantial increase during high-flow conditions, suggesting that a non-point source of bacteria possibly from livestock may enter the system. Conversely, nutrient concentrations did not vary with flow and were similar to concentrations reported for undeveloped sites in the Springfield Plateau and Ozark aquifers in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. Deuterium and oxygen-18 data show that the Hughes Spring discharge is representative of direct precipitation and not influenced by water enriched in oxygen-18 through evaporation. Discharge data show that Hughes Spring is dominated by conduit type ground-water flow, but a considerable component of diffuse flow also exists in the ground-water system. Carbon-13 data indicate a substantial component of the recharge water interacts with the surface material (soil and regolith) in the recharge area before entering the ground-water system for Hughes Spring. Tritium data for Hughes Spring indicate that the discharge water is a mixture of recent recharge and sub-modern water (recharged prior to 1952). Stark Spring supplies water for the city of Cushman, Arkansas, and the surrounding area. 2 Hydrogeologic Characteristics of Four Public Drinking-Water Supply Springs in Northern Arkansas The mean annual discharge for Stark Spring was 0.5 and 1.5 cubic feet per second for water years 2001 and 2002, respectively. The discharge and water-quality data show the ground-water system for Stark Spring is dominated by rapid recharge from surface runoff and mainly consists of a conduit- type flow system with little diffuse-type flow. Analyses of discharge data show that the estimated recharge area (0.79 square mile) is larger than the surface drainage area (0.34 square mile). Ground-water tracer tests and the outcrop of the

Feasibility of two low-cost organic substrates for inducing denitrification in artificial recharge ponds: Batch and flow-through experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grau-Martínez, Alba; Torrentó, Clara; Carrey, Raúl; Rodríguez-Escales, Paula; Domènech, Cristina; Ghiglieri, Giorgio; Soler, Albert; Otero, Neus

2017-03-01

Anaerobic batch and flow-through experiments were performed to assess the capacity of two organic substrates to promote denitrification of nitrate-contaminated groundwater within managed artificial recharge systems (MAR) in arid or semi-arid regions. Denitrification in MAR systems can be achieved through artificial recharge ponds coupled with a permeable reactive barrier in the form of a reactive organic layer. In arid or semi-arid regions, short-term efficient organic substrates are required due to the short recharge periods. We examined the effectiveness of two low-cost, easily available and easily handled organic substrates, commercial plant-based compost and crushed palm tree leaves, to determine the feasibility of using them in these systems. Chemical and multi-isotopic monitoring (δ15NNO3, δ18ONO3, δ34SSO4, δ18OSO4) of the laboratory experiments confirmed that both organic substrates induced denitrification. Complete nitrate removal was achieved in all the experiments with a slight transient nitrite accumulation. In the flow-through experiments, ammonium release was observed at the beginning of both experiments and lasted longer for the experiment with palm tree leaves. Isotopic characterisation of the released ammonium suggested ammonium leaching from both organic substrates at the beginning of the experiments and pointed to ammonium production by DNRA for the palm tree leaves experiment, which would only account for a maximum of 15% of the nitrate attenuation. Sulphate reduction was achieved in both column experiments. The amount of organic carbon consumed during denitrification and sulphate reduction was 0.8‰ of the total organic carbon present in commercial compost and 4.4% for the palm tree leaves. The N and O isotopic fractionation values obtained (εN and εO) were - 10.4‰ and - 9.0‰ for the commercial compost (combining data from both batch and column experiments), and - 9.9‰ and - 8.6‰ for the palm tree column, respectively. Both materials showed a satisfactory capacity for denitrification, but the palm tree leaves gave a higher denitrification rate and yield (amount of nitrate consumed per amount of available C) than commercial compost

Artificial groundwater recharge zones mapping using remote sensing and GIS: a case study in Indian Punjab.

PubMed

Singh, Amanpreet; Panda, S N; Kumar, K S; Sharma, Chandra Shekhar

2013-07-01

Artificial groundwater recharge plays a vital role in sustainable management of groundwater resources. The present study was carried out to identify the artificial groundwater recharge zones in Bist Doab basin of Indian Punjab using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) for augmenting groundwater resources. The study area has been facing severe water scarcity due to intensive agriculture for the past few years. The thematic layers considered in the present study are: geomorphology (2004), geology (2004), land use/land cover (2008), drainage density, slope, soil texture (2000), aquifer transmissivity, and specific yield. Different themes and related features were assigned proper weights based on their relative contribution to groundwater recharge. Normalized weights were computed using the Saaty's analytic hierarchy process. Thematic layers were integrated in ArcGIS for delineation of artificial groundwater recharge zones. The recharge map thus obtained was divided into four zones (poor, moderate, good, and very good) based on their influence to groundwater recharge. Results indicate that 15, 18, 37, and 30 % of the study area falls under "poor," "moderate," "good," and "very good" groundwater recharge zones, respectively. The highest recharge potential area is located towards western and parts of middle region because of high infiltration rates caused due to the distribution of flood plains, alluvial plain, and agricultural land. The least effective recharge potential is in the eastern and middle parts of the study area due to low infiltration rate. The results of the study can be used to formulate an efficient groundwater management plan for sustainable utilization of limited groundwater resources.

Reducing Negative Outcomes of Online Consumer Health Information: Qualitative Interpretive Study with Clinicians, Librarians, and Consumers

PubMed Central

Pluye, Pierre; Thoër, Christine; Rodriguez, Charo

2018-01-01

Background There has been an exponential increase in the general population’s usage of the internet and of information accessibility; the current demand for online consumer health information (OCHI) is unprecedented. There are multiple studies on internet access and usage, quality of information, and information needs. However, few studies explored negative outcomes of OCHI in detail or from different perspectives, and none examined how these negative outcomes could be reduced. Objective The aim of this study was to describe negative outcomes associated with OCHI use in primary care and identify potential preventive strategies from consumers’, health practitioners’, and health librarians’ perspectives. Methods This included a two-stage interpretive qualitative study. In the first stage, we recruited through a social media survey, a purposeful sample of 19 OCHI users who had experienced negative outcomes associated with OCHI. We conducted semistructured interviews and performed a deductive-inductive thematic analysis. The results also informed the creation of vignettes that were used in the next stage. In the second stage, we interviewed a convenient sample of 10 key informants: 7 health practitioners (3 family physicians, 2 nurses, and 2 pharmacists) and 3 health librarians. With the support of the vignettes, we asked participants to elaborate on (1) their experience with patients who have used OCHI and experienced negative outcomes and (2) what strategies they suggest to reduce these outcomes. We performed a deductive-inductive thematic analysis. Results We found that negative outcomes of OCHI may occur at three levels: internal (such as increased worrying), interpersonal (such as a tension in the patient-clinician relationship), and service-related (such as postponing a clinical encounter). Participants also proposed three types of strategies to reduce the occurrence of these negative outcomes, namely, providing consumers with reliable OCHI, educating consumers on how to assess OCHI websites, and helping consumers present and discuss the OCHI they find with a health professional in their social network or a librarian for instance. Conclusions We examined negative outcomes associated with using OCHI from five complementary perspectives (consumers, family physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and health librarians). We identified a construct of OCHI use–related tension that included and framed all negative outcomes. This construct has three dimensions (three interdependent levels): internal, interpersonal, and service-related tensions. Future research can focus on the implementation and effectiveness of the proposed strategies, which might contribute to reducing these tensions. PMID:29728350

Assessment of the long-term hydrologic impacts of Lake Nasser and related irrigation projects in southwestern Egypt.

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

Kim, J.; Sultan, M.; Environmental Research

2002-05-10

A two-dimensional groundwater flow model was constructed to investigate the long-term hydrologic impacts of Lake Nasser and the major land reclamation projects that use excess lake water in southwest Egypt. Egypt constructed (1964-1971) the Aswan High Dam, creating the Lake Nasser reservoir (length: 500 km; average width: 12 km) and is constructing the Tushka Canal to channel 5.0x10{sup 9} m{sup 3}/yr of Lake Nasser water to reclaim 0.5x10{sup 6} acres of desert lands. The model, constrained by regional-scale groundwater flow and near-lake head data, was successfully calibrated to temporal-observation heads from 1970 to 2000 that reflect variations in lake levels.more » Predictive analyses for the subsequent 50-yr period were conducted by employing the calibrated model. Simulations of long-term effects, beyond year 2000, of Lake Nasser on recharge and temporal groundwater head (base case scenario) show that recharge from the lake will continue at a much slower rate than during the 30-yr period of 1970-2000 (with approximately 86% reduction in 30-yr recharge). The modest projected pumping and injection activities in the study area are not expected to cause major deviation in the overall head distribution compared to the base case scenario. The investigation of effects of the new irrigation land development on the Nubian aquifer indicated that many of the proposed irrigation areas, especially those with small aquifer thickness, will become fully saturated with introduced water, resulting in potential flooding and salinization.« less

Instrumenting caves to collect hydrologic and geochemical data: case study from James Cave, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schreiber, Madeline E.; Schwartz, Benjamin F.; Orndorff, William; Doctor, Daniel H.; Eagle, Sarah D.; Gerst, Jonathan D.

2015-01-01

Karst aquifers are productive groundwater systems, supplying approximately 25 % of the world’s drinking water. Sustainable use of this critical water supply requires information about rates of recharge to karst aquifers. The overall goal of this project is to collect long-term, high-resolution hydrologic and geochemical datasets at James Cave, Virginia, to evaluate the quantity and quality of recharge to the karst system. To achieve this goal, the cave has been instrumented for continuous (10-min interval) measurement of the (1) temperature and rate of precipitation; (2) temperature, specific conductance, and rate of epikarst dripwater; (3) temperature of the cave air; and (4) temperature, conductivity, and discharge of the cave stream. Instrumentation has also been installed to collect both composite and grab samples of precipitation, soil water, the cave stream, and dripwater for geochemical analysis. This chapter provides detailed information about the instrumentation, data processing, and data management; shows examples of collected datasets; and discusses recommendations for other researchers interested in hydrologic and geochemical monitoring of cave systems. Results from the research, briefly described here and discussed in more detail in other publications, document a strong seasonality of the start of the recharge season, the extent of the recharge season, and the geochemistry of recharge.

Exploring the Influence of Differentiated Nutrition Information on Consumers' Mental Models Regarding Foods from Edible Insects: A Means-End Chain Analysis.

PubMed

Pambo, Kennedy O; Okello, Julius J; Mbeche, Robert M; Kinyuru, John N

2017-01-01

This study used a field experiment and means-end chain analysis to examine the effects of positive and perceived negative nutrition information on the households' motivations to consume insect-based foods. It used a random sample of households drawn from rural communities in Kenya. The study found that provision of nutrition information on benefits of edible insects and perceived negative aspects of insect-based foods influences participants' perceptions of insect-based foods and hence acceptance. We also found that tasting real products influenced the nature of mental constructs. The results provide marketers of edible insects with potential marketing messages for promotion.

Technology Evaluation for an Advanced Individual Protection System (AIPS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

this analysis are: time of operation, duration of thermal management, power consumed during operation, cooling/heating benefit , time between recharge...BRDEC) TOPICS: o individual power * batteries/engines/fuel cel!s POC: Wes Goodwin (NRDEC) TOPICS: * microclimate cooling e vapor compression cycles e...individual power 2.3 LITERATURE SEARCHES The literature searches began by reviewing Battelle in-house sources for useful reports. This included a

Ground-water recharge to and storage in the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system, Guilford County, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Daniel, C. C.; Harned, D.A.

1998-01-01

Quantitative information concerning recharge rates to aquifers and ground water in storage is needed to manage the development of ground- water resources. The amount of ground water available from the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system in Guilford County, North Carolina, is largely unknown. If historical patterns seen throughout the Piedmont continue into the future, the number of ground- water users in the county can be expected to increase. In order to determine the maximum population that can be supplied by ground water, planners and managers of suburban development must know the amount of ground water that can be withdrawn without exceeding recharge and(or) overdrafting water in long-term storage. Results of the study described in this report help provide this information. Estimates of seasonal and long-term recharge rates were estimated for 15 selected drainage basins and subbasins using streamflow data and an anlytical technique known as hydrograph separation. Methods for determining the quantity of ground water in storage also are described. Guilford County covers approximately 658 square miles in the central part of the Piedmont Province. The population of the county in 1990 was about 347,420; approximately 21 percent of the population depends on ground water as a source of potable supplies. Ground water is obtained from wells tapping the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system that underlies all of the county. Under natural conditions, recharge to the ground-water system in the county is derived from infiltration of precipitation. Ground-water recharge from precipitation cannot be measured directly; however, an estimate of the amount of precipitation that infiltrates into the ground and ultimately reaches the streams of the region can be determined by the technique of hydrograph separation. Data from 19 gaging stations that measure streamflow within or from Guilford County were analyzed to produce daily estimates of ground-water recharge in 15 drainage basins and subbasins in the county. The recharge estimates were further analyzed to determine seasonal and long-term recharge rates, as well as recharge duration statistics. Mean annual recharge in the 15 basins and subbasins ranges from 4.03 to 9.69 inches per year, with a mean value of 6.28 inches per year for all basins. In general, recharge rates are highest for basins in the northern and northwestern parts of the county and lowest in the southern and southeastern parts of the county. Median recharge rates in the 15 basins range from 2.47 inches per year (184 gallons per day per acre) to 9.15 inches per year (681 gallons per day per acre), with a median value of 4.65 inches per year (346 gallons per day per acre) for all basins. The distribution of recharge rates in the county suggests a correlation between recharge rates and hydrogeologic units (and derived regolith). The highest recharge estimates occur in the northwestern part of Guilford County in basins unlain by felsic igneous intrusive rocks and lesser areas of metasedimentary rocks. Recharge estimates in this area range from 6.37 to 9.33 inches per year. Basins in the southwestern, central, and northeastern parts of the county are underlain primarily by metaigneous rocks of felsic and intermediate compositions, and recharge estimates range from 5.32 to 5.51 inches per year. In the extreme southern and southeastern parts of the county, the lower Deep River subbasin and the lower Haw River subbasins have the lowest estimated recharges at 4.15 and 4.03 inches per year, respectively. Although the areas of these subbasins that lie within Guilford County are underlain primarily by metaigneous rocks of felsic and intermediate compositions, the larger part of these subbasins lies south and southeast of Guilford County in areas underlain by hydrogeologic units of metavolcanic origin. The distribution of recharge rates in the study area is almost the reverse of the distributio

Microbial community analysis and bioclogging identification in a Managed Artificial Recharge system.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barba, Carme; Folch, Albert; Gaju, Núria; Martínez-Alonso, Maira; Grau, Alba; Sanchez-Vila, Xavier

2015-04-01

Managed Artificial Recharge (MAR) is a well-known technique that aims at increasing the aquifer resources while managing its quality. In order to increase water resources in the Barcelona conurbation, an area with significant quantitative and qualitative groundwater disturbances, a MAR facility was built in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, Catalonia, Spain. The system, constructed in 2009 consists of a sedimentation pond that pre-treats the water that is then diverted to the final recharge pond. The facility was originally aimed at increasing the availability of supply water during scarcity periods. Later, it was considered as a good test site to study best infiltration practices regarding water quality evolution. For this purpose, a reactive layer was installed in 2011 at the bottom of the pond. This was composed by organic compost and autochthonous material. Small proportions of iron oxides and clay were added to promote ionic adsorption and exchange. The objective of the layer was to boost microbial activity that would be structured in depth according to the presence of a marked redox profile, thus enhancing the reduction of all organic matter, including a number of recalcitrant compounds. In the last 3 years, site studies were focused on the layer's efficiency (i.e., percentage of organic pollutants degradation). It was found that degradation is occurring despite the infiltration rate has been significantly reduced. In our most recent work, we took a step further in the study of the processes occurring in the facility, and specifically with those related to the presence of the reactive layer. We focused on characterizing microbial communities in the system by combining the sampling of soil in the recharge pond bottom, water of the vadose zone, and groundwater in the aquifer zone from a series of nearby piezometers. Molecular techniques, such as Denaturing Gradient of Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), were applied to the water and soil samples. This information was matched with physicochemical parameters of the water sampled in the existing piezometers, allowing relating them with different measured hydrogeological parameters (conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and Eh). This information is an initial step to understand how the reactive layer induces microbiological activity and therefore degradation and bioclogging processes in the studied MAR system.

16 CFR 1102.44 - Applicability of sections 6(a) and (b) of the CPSA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY INFORMATION DATABASE (Eff. Jan... publication in § 1102.10(d) in the Database. (b) Limitation on construction. Section 1102.44(a) shall not be...

Performance evaluation of a reverse-gradient artificial recharge system in basalt aquifers of Maharashtra, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhusari, Vijay; Katpatal, Y. B.; Kundal, Pradeep

2017-05-01

Drinking water scarcity in rural parts of central India in basaltic terrain is common. Most of the rural population depends on groundwater sources located in the fractured and weathered zone of the basaltic aquifers. Long-term indiscriminate withdrawal has caused an alarming rate of depletion of groundwater levels in both pre- and post-monsoon periods. The aquifer is not replenished through precipitation under natural conditions. To overcome this situation, an innovative artificial recharge system, called the reverse-gradient recharge system (RGRS), was implemented in seven villages of Wardha district of Maharashtra. The study described here presents a comparative analysis of recharge systems constructed in the year 2012 downstream of dug-well locations in these seven villages. The post-project comparative analysis reveals that the area of influence (AOI) of the groundwater recharge system, within which increases in groundwater levels and yield are observed, is directly related to the specific yield, thickness of the weathered and fractured zone, porosity, and transmissivity of the aquifer, showing high correlation coefficients of 0.92, 0.88, 0.85 and 0.83, respectively. The study indicates that the RGRS is most effective in vesicular weathered and fractured basalt, recording a maximum increase in well yield of 65-82 m3/day, while a minimum increase in yield of 15-30 m3/day was observed in weathered vesicular basalt. The comparative analysis thus identifies the controlling factors which facilitate groundwater recharge through the proposed RGRS. After implementation of these projects, the groundwater availability in these villages increased significantly, solving their drinking water problems.

Enhanced recharge and karst, Edwards aquifer, south central Texas

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

Hammond, W.W. Jr.

1993-02-01

Enhanced recharge is a water management strategy which can add significant quantities of ground water to the available water resources of the San Antonio region by utilizing the immense storage capacity of the unconfined zone of the Edwards aquifer. The Edwards aquifer presently is the sole source of water for a population of over 1,200,000, meeting public supply, industrial, and irrigation demands over a wide area of south central Texas. Valdina Farms Sinkhole is located adjacent to Seco Creek in Medina County and is in the recharge zone of the aquifer. Initial studies indicated that the sinkholes was capable ofmore » taking flood flows from Seco Creek and functioning as a recharge structure. Stream channels in the cavern system associated with Valdina Farms Sinkhole were incised into cave deposits and flood debris was present in the caverns at some distance from the sinkhole. Chemical analyses of samples of water from the cave and from nearby wells showed nitrate concentrations that decreased with distance from the cavern. Gradient of the potentiometric surface in the vicinity of the cave was very low, indicating high values of hydraulic conductivity for the aquifer. Based on evidence from these field studies a dam was constructed in 1982 on Seco Creek and a flood diversion channel was excavated to the sinkhole. Reservoir capacity is 2 acre-feet and design recharge rate is 3.8-6.7 m[sup 3]/sec. Annual recharge at the sinkhole has varied from 0 during periods of low runoff to 12,915 acre-feet.« less

Simulation of ground-water flow, surface-water flow, and a deep sewer tunnel system in the Menomonee Valley, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunning, C.P.; Feinstein, D.T.; Hunt, R.J.; Krohelski, J.T.

2004-01-01

Numerical models were constructed for simulation of ground-water flow in the Menomonee Valley Brownfield, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. An understanding of ground-water flow is necessary to develop an efficient program to sample ground water for contaminants. Models were constructed in a stepwise fashion, beginning with a regional, single-layer, analytic-element model (GFLOW code) that provided boundary conditions for a local, eight layer, finite-difference model (MODFLOW code) centered on the Menomonee Valley Brownfield. The primary source of ground water to the models is recharge over the model domains; primary sinks for ground water within the models are surface-water features and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Inline Storage System (ISS). Calibration targets were hydraulic heads, surface-water fluxes, vertical gradients, and ground-water infiltration to the ISS. Simulation of ground-water flow by use of the MODFLOW model indicates that about 73 percent of recharge within the MODFLOW domain circulates to the ISS and 27 percent discharges to gaining surface-water bodies. In addition, infiltration to the ISS comes from the following sources: 36 percent from recharge within the model domain, 45 percent from lateral flow into the domain, 15 percent from Lake Michigan, and 4 percent from other surface-water bodies. Particle tracking reveals that the median traveltime from the recharge point to surface-water features is 8 years; the median time to the ISS is 255 years. The traveltimes to the ISS are least over the northern part of the valley, where dolomite is near the land surface. The distribution of traveltimes in the MODFLOW simulation is greatly influenced by the effective porosity values assigned to the various lithologies.

Optimal estimation of spatially variable recharge and transmissivity fields under steady-state groundwater flow. Part 2. Case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Wendy D.; Neff, Christina R.

1994-05-01

The first-order analytical solution of the inverse problem for estimating spatially variable recharge and transmissivity under steady-state groundwater flow, developed in Part 1 is applied to the Upper Floridan Aquifer in NE Florida. Parameters characterizing the statistical structure of the log-transmissivity and head fields are estimated from 152 measurements of transmissivity and 146 measurements of hydraulic head available in the study region. Optimal estimates of the recharge, transmissivity and head fields are produced throughout the study region by conditioning on the nearest 10 available transmissivity measurements and the nearest 10 available head measurements. Head observations are shown to provide valuable information for estimating both the transmissivity and the recharge fields. Accurate numerical groundwater model predictions of the aquifer flow system are obtained using the optimal transmissivity and recharge fields as input parameters, and the optimal head field to define boundary conditions. For this case study, both the transmissivity field and the uncertainty of the transmissivity field prediction are poorly estimated, when the effects of random recharge are neglected.

Artificial recharge in the northern part of Chino ground-water basin, upper Santa Ana Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koehler, J.H.

1983-01-01

This study was made to help management design and implement a recharge-recapture system for State Water Project water in Chino Basin. Nine test holes were drilled in the study area. Analyses of data from these test holes and drillers ' logs of water wells indicate the presence of clay deposits. The clay deposits cannot be correlated between holes which indicates that they are in the form of discontinuous beds or lenses. The existence and location of two ground-water barriers (Barrier ' J ' and Red Hill Barrier) have been postulated in previous reports. Water-level data indicate that Barrier ' J ' is probably not effectively stopping the movement of ground water. Data are insufficient to determine the effectiveness of the Red Hill barrier. Five existing recharge facilities in the study area were previously constructed to control floodflow. Infiltration tests were conducted at three of the facilities, and results of these tests indicate infiltration rates of 2.6 feet per day at Day Creek, 2.0 feet per day at East Etiwanda, and 1.3 feet per day at San Sevaine. A total of about 9,000 acre-feet of State Water Project water was recharged between June 1980 and July 1981. Rising water levels in wells indicate that recharge water is percolating down to the water table. (USGS)

Constructions of secure entanglement channels assisted by quantum dots inside single-sided optical cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heo, Jino; Kang, Min-Sung; Hong, Chang-Ho; Choi, Seong-Gon; Hong, Jong-Phil

2017-08-01

We propose quantum information processing schemes to generate and swap entangled states based on the interactions between flying photons and quantum dots (QDs) confined within optical cavities for quantum communication. To produce and distribute entangled states (Bell and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger [GHZ] states) between the photonic qubits of flying photons of consumers (Alice and Bob) and electron-spin qubits of a provider (trust center, or TC), the TC employs the interactions of the QD-cavity system, which is composed of a charged QD (negatively charged exciton) inside a single-sided cavity. Subsequently, the TC constructs an entanglement channel (Bell state and 4-qubit GHZ state) to link one consumer with another through entanglement swapping, which can be realized to exploit a probe photon with interactions of the QD-cavity systems and single-qubit measurements without Bell state measurement, for quantum communication between consumers. Consequently, the TC, which has quantum nodes (QD-cavity systems), can accomplish constructing the entanglement channel (authenticated channel) between two separated consumers from the distributions of entangled states and entanglement swapping. Furthermore, our schemes using QD-cavity systems, which are feasible with a certain probability of success and high fidelity, can be experimentally implemented with technology currently in use.

Assessing the Value of Information of Geophysical Data For Groundwater Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trainor, W. J.; Caers, J. K.; Mukerji, T.; Auken, E.; Knight, R. J.

2008-12-01

Effective groundwater management requires hydrogeologic models informed by various data sources. The long-term goal of our research is to develop methodologies that quantify the value of information (VOI) of geophysical data for water managers. We present an initial sensitivity study on assessing the reliability of airborne electro-magnetic (EM) data for detecting channel orientation. The reliability results are used to calculate VOI regarding decisions of artificial recharge to mitigate seawater intrusion. To demonstrate how a hydrogeologic problem can be framed in decision analysis terms, a hypothetical example is built, where water managers are considering artificial recharge to remediate seawater intrusion. Is the cost of recharge justified given the large uncertainty of subsurface heterogeneity that may interfere in a successful recharge? Thus, the decision is should recharge be performed, and if yes, where should recharge wells be located? This decision is difficult because of the large uncertainty of the aquifer heterogeneity that influences flow. The expected value of all possible outcomes to the decision without gathering additional EM information is the prior value VPRIOR. The value of information (VOI) is calculated as the expected gain in value after including the relevant new information, or the difference between the value after a free experiment (VFE) and the value prior (VPRIOR): VOI = VFE - VPRIOR Airborne EM has been used to detect confining clay layers and flow barriers. However, geophysical information rarely identifies the subsurface perfectly. Many challenges impact data quality and the resulting models (interpretation uncertainty). To evaluate how well airborne EM data detect the orientation of subsurface channel systems, 125 alternative binary, fluvial lithology models are generated, each categorized into one of three subsurface scenarios: northwest, southwest and mixed channel orientation. Using rock property relations, the lithology models are converted into electrical resistivity models for EM forward modeling, to generate time-domain EM data. Noise is added to the late times of the EM data to better represent typical airborne acquisition. Inversions are performed to obtain 125 inverted resistivity images. From the images, we calculate the angle of maximum spatial correlation at every cell, and compare it with the truth - the original lithology model. These synthetic models serve as a proxy to estimate misclassification probabilities of channel orientation from actual EM data. The misclassification probabilities are then used in the VOI calculations. Results are presented demonstrating how the reliability measure and the pumping schedule can impact VOI. Lastly, reliability and VOI are calculated and compared for land-based EM data, which has different spatial sampling and resolution than air-borne data.

Multi-topic assignment for exploratory navigation of consumer health information in NetWellness using formal concept analysis.

PubMed

Cui, Licong; Xu, Rong; Luo, Zhihui; Wentz, Susan; Scarberry, Kyle; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

2014-08-03

Finding quality consumer health information online can effectively bring important public health benefits to the general population. It can empower people with timely and current knowledge for managing their health and promoting wellbeing. Despite a popular belief that search engines such as Google can solve all information access problems, recent studies show that using search engines and simple search terms is not sufficient. Our objective is to provide an approach to organizing consumer health information for navigational exploration, complementing keyword-based direct search. Multi-topic assignment to health information, such as online questions, is a fundamental step for navigational exploration. We introduce a new multi-topic assignment method combining semantic annotation using UMLS concepts (CUIs) and Formal Concept Analysis (FCA). Each question was tagged with CUIs identified by MetaMap. The CUIs were filtered with term-frequency and a new term-strength index to construct a CUI-question context. The CUI-question context and a topic-subject context were used for multi-topic assignment, resulting in a topic-question context. The topic-question context was then directly used for constructing a prototype navigational exploration interface. Experimental evaluation was performed on the task of automatic multi-topic assignment of 99 predefined topics for about 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness. Using example-based metrics, suitable for multi-topic assignment problems, our method achieved a precision of 0.849, recall of 0.774, and F₁ measure of 0.782, using a reference standard of 278 questions with manually assigned topics. Compared to NetWellness' original topic assignment, a 36.5% increase in recall is achieved with virtually no sacrifice in precision. Enhancing the recall of multi-topic assignment without sacrificing precision is a prerequisite for achieving the benefits of navigational exploration. Our new multi-topic assignment method, combining term-strength, FCA, and information retrieval techniques, significantly improved recall and performed well according to example-based metrics.

Multi-topic assignment for exploratory navigation of consumer health information in NetWellness using formal concept analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Finding quality consumer health information online can effectively bring important public health benefits to the general population. It can empower people with timely and current knowledge for managing their health and promoting wellbeing. Despite a popular belief that search engines such as Google can solve all information access problems, recent studies show that using search engines and simple search terms is not sufficient. Our objective is to provide an approach to organizing consumer health information for navigational exploration, complementing keyword-based direct search. Multi-topic assignment to health information, such as online questions, is a fundamental step for navigational exploration. Methods We introduce a new multi-topic assignment method combining semantic annotation using UMLS concepts (CUIs) and Formal Concept Analysis (FCA). Each question was tagged with CUIs identified by MetaMap. The CUIs were filtered with term-frequency and a new term-strength index to construct a CUI-question context. The CUI-question context and a topic-subject context were used for multi-topic assignment, resulting in a topic-question context. The topic-question context was then directly used for constructing a prototype navigational exploration interface. Results Experimental evaluation was performed on the task of automatic multi-topic assignment of 99 predefined topics for about 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness. Using example-based metrics, suitable for multi-topic assignment problems, our method achieved a precision of 0.849, recall of 0.774, and F1 measure of 0.782, using a reference standard of 278 questions with manually assigned topics. Compared to NetWellness’ original topic assignment, a 36.5% increase in recall is achieved with virtually no sacrifice in precision. Conclusion Enhancing the recall of multi-topic assignment without sacrificing precision is a prerequisite for achieving the benefits of navigational exploration. Our new multi-topic assignment method, combining term-strength, FCA, and information retrieval techniques, significantly improved recall and performed well according to example-based metrics. PMID:25086916

Handling the decline of ground water using artificial recharge areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayatullah, Muhammad Shofi; Yoga, Kuncaraningrat Edi; Muslim, Dicky

2017-11-01

Jatinagor, a region with rapid growth cause increasing in water demand. The ground water surface in the observation area shows a decrease based on its potential. This deflation is mainly caused by the inequality between inputs and outputs of the ground water itself. The decrease of this ground water surface is also caused by the number of catchment areas that keeps decreasing. According to the data analysis of geology and hydrology, the condition of ground water in Jatinangor on 2015 had indicated a decrease compared to 2010. Nowadays, the longlivity of clean water can be ensure by the hydrogeology engineering, which is to construct an artificial recharge for ground water in use. The numerical method is aims to determine the number of ground water supply in Jatinangor. According to the research, the most suitable artificial recharge is in the form of a small dam located in the internment river. With the area of 209.000 m2, this dam will be able to contain 525 m3 runoff water with the intensity of maximum rainfall effectively 59,44 mm/hour. The increase of water volume generate by this artificial recharge, fulfilled the demand of clean water.

A model-averaging method for assessing groundwater conceptual model uncertainty.

PubMed

Ye, Ming; Pohlmann, Karl F; Chapman, Jenny B; Pohll, Greg M; Reeves, Donald M

2010-01-01

This study evaluates alternative groundwater models with different recharge and geologic components at the northern Yucca Flat area of the Death Valley Regional Flow System (DVRFS), USA. Recharge over the DVRFS has been estimated using five methods, and five geological interpretations are available at the northern Yucca Flat area. Combining the recharge and geological components together with additional modeling components that represent other hydrogeological conditions yields a total of 25 groundwater flow models. As all the models are plausible given available data and information, evaluating model uncertainty becomes inevitable. On the other hand, hydraulic parameters (e.g., hydraulic conductivity) are uncertain in each model, giving rise to parametric uncertainty. Propagation of the uncertainty in the models and model parameters through groundwater modeling causes predictive uncertainty in model predictions (e.g., hydraulic head and flow). Parametric uncertainty within each model is assessed using Monte Carlo simulation, and model uncertainty is evaluated using the model averaging method. Two model-averaging techniques (on the basis of information criteria and GLUE) are discussed. This study shows that contribution of model uncertainty to predictive uncertainty is significantly larger than that of parametric uncertainty. For the recharge and geological components, uncertainty in the geological interpretations has more significant effect on model predictions than uncertainty in the recharge estimates. In addition, weighted residuals vary more for the different geological models than for different recharge models. Most of the calibrated observations are not important for discriminating between the alternative models, because their weighted residuals vary only slightly from one model to another.

A simple daily soil-water balance model for estimating the spatial and temporal distribution of groundwater recharge in temperate humid areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dripps, W.R.; Bradbury, K.R.

2007-01-01

Quantifying the spatial and temporal distribution of natural groundwater recharge is usually a prerequisite for effective groundwater modeling and management. As flow models become increasingly utilized for management decisions, there is an increased need for simple, practical methods to delineate recharge zones and quantify recharge rates. Existing models for estimating recharge distributions are data intensive, require extensive parameterization, and take a significant investment of time in order to establish. The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) has developed a simple daily soil-water balance (SWB) model that uses readily available soil, land cover, topographic, and climatic data in conjunction with a geographic information system (GIS) to estimate the temporal and spatial distribution of groundwater recharge at the watershed scale for temperate humid areas. To demonstrate the methodology and the applicability and performance of the model, two case studies are presented: one for the forested Trout Lake watershed of north central Wisconsin, USA and the other for the urban-agricultural Pheasant Branch Creek watershed of south central Wisconsin, USA. Overall, the SWB model performs well and presents modelers and planners with a practical tool for providing recharge estimates for modeling and water resource planning purposes in humid areas. ?? Springer-Verlag 2007.

Remote sensing and GIS for mapping groundwater recharge and discharge areas in salinity prone catchments, southeastern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tweed, Sarah O.; Leblanc, Marc; Webb, John A.; Lubczynski, Maciek W.

2007-02-01

Identifying groundwater recharge and discharge areas across catchments is critical for implementing effective strategies for salinity mitigation, surface-water and groundwater resource management, and ecosystem protection. In this study, a synergistic approach has been developed, which applies a combination of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques to map groundwater recharge and discharge areas. This approach is applied to an unconfined basalt aquifer, in a salinity and drought prone region of southeastern Australia. The basalt aquifer covers ~11,500 km2 in an agriculturally intensive region. A review of local hydrogeological processes allowed a series of surface and subsurface indicators of groundwater recharge and discharge areas to be established. Various remote sensing and GIS techniques were then used to map these surface indicators including: terrain analysis, monitoring of vegetation activity, and mapping of infiltration capacity. All regions where groundwater is not discharging to the surface were considered potential recharge areas. This approach, applied systematically across a catchment, provides a framework for mapping recharge and discharge areas. A key component in assigning surface and subsurface indicators is the relevance to the dominant recharge and discharge processes occurring and the use of appropriate remote sensing and GIS techniques with the capacity to identify these processes.

Global Palaeoclimate Signals in Climate in groundwater: the past is the key to the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Ploeg, M. J.; Cendon, D. I.; Haldorsen, S.; Chen, J.; Gurdak, J. J.; Tujchneider, O.; Vaikmae, R.; Purtschert, R.; Chkir Ben Jemâa, N.

2013-12-01

The impact of climate variability and groundwater extraction on the resilience of groundwater systems is still not fully understood (Green et al. 2011). Groundwater stores environmental and climatic information acquired during the recharge process, which integrates different signals, like recharge temperature, origin of precipitation, and dissolved constituents. This information can be used to estimate palaeo recharge temperatures, palaeo atmospheric dynamics and residence time of groundwater within the aquifer (Stute et al. 1995, Clark and Fritz 1997, Collon et al. 2000, Edmunds et al. 2003, Cartwright et al. 2007, Kreuzer et al. 2009, Currell et al. 2010, Raidla et al. 2012, Salem et al. 2012). The climatic signals incorporated by groundwater during recharge have the potential to provide a regionally integrated proxy of climatic variations at the time of recharge. Groundwater palaeoclimate information is affected by diffusion-dispersion processes (Davison and Airey, 1982) and/or water-rock interaction (Clark and Fritz, 1997), making palaeoclimate information deduced from groundwater inherently a low resolution record. While the signal resolution can be limited, recharge follows major climatic events, and more importantly, shows how those aquifers and their associated recharge varies under climatic forcing. While the characterization of groundwater resources, surface-groundwater interactions and their link to the global water cycle are an important focus, little attention has been given to groundwater as a potential record of past climate variations. A groundwater system's history is vital to forecast its vulnerability under future and potentially adverse climatic changes. By processing groundwater information from vast regions and different continents, recharge and palaeoclimate can be correlated at a global scale. To address the identified lack of palaeoclimatic data available from groundwater studies, a global collaboration has been set-up in 2011 called Groundwater@Global Palaeoclimate Signals (www.gw-gps.com), and has already more than 70 participants from 5 continents. Since 2012 G@GPS receives seed funding to support meetings by IGCP, INQUA and UNESCO-GRAPHIC. This collaboration targets groundwater basins on five continents --Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe -- containing vast groundwater resources with an estimated dependence of tens of millions of people. We will present G@GPS, show examples from groundwater basins, and discuss possibilities to integrate groundwater information from these basins. References Cartwright, I. et al. 2007. J. Hydrol. 332: 69-92. Clark, I. and P. Fritz. 1997. Lewis Publishers. Collon, P. et al. 2000. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 182: 103-113. Currell, M. J. et al. 2010. J. Hydrol. 385: 216-229. Davison, M. R. and P. L. Airey. 1982. J. Hydrol. 58: 131-147. Edmunds, W. M. et al. 2003. Applied Geochemistry 18: 805-822. Green, T.R. et al. 2011. J. Hydrol 405: 532-560. Kreuzer, A. M. et al. 2009. Chemical Geology 259: 168-180. Raidla, V. et al. 2012, Applied Geochemistry, v. 27(10), p. 2042-2052. Salem, S.B.H. et al. 2012, Environmental Earth Sciences, v., 66, p. 1099-1110. Stute M., et al. 1995. Science 269, 379-383.

Induced recharge of an artesian glacial-drift aquifer at Kalamazoo, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, J.E.; Deutsch, Morris; Wiitala, S.W.

1966-01-01

As part of a program for managing its ground-water supply, the city of Kalamazoo has constructed induced-recharge facilities at the sites of several of its well fields. To determine the benefits of induced recharge in a water-management program, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city, conducted a series of field experiments at a city well field (Station 9). The 12 production wells at the test site penetrate about 160 feet of glacial drift, which can be separated into three general units a lower aquifer, an intervening confining layer, and an upper aquifer. Although the upper aquifer is not tapped by any of the municipal supply wells, it serves as a storage and transmission medium for water from the West Fork Portage Creek. The testing program consisted of four aquifer and three recharge tests. The aquifer tests show that the transmissibility of the upper and lower aquifers ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 gallons per day per foot and indicate that nearly 200 gpm (gallons per minute) leaks through the intervening aquiclude under nonpumping conditions. The object of the three recharge tests (tests 5, 6, and 7) was to observe the effects of induced recharge by varying conditions in the recharge channel. During the three recharge tests, 7 wells were pumped at a total rate averaging about 2,500 gpm. During test 5, inflow to the channel was shut off, and the water level in the channel was allowed to decline. Drawdowns measured during this test were used as a standard for comparison with drawdowns in tests 6 and 7. During test 6, the head in the recharge channel was maintained as constant as possible, and the inflow to the channel was measured. The rate of induced recharge, as indicated by the measured inflow, averaged about 300 gpm. Between tests 6 and 7, the area of the channel was increased from 27,000 to 143,000 square feet. During test 7, the head in the channel was again maintained as constant as possible, but the inflow to the larger channel increased to about 600 gpm. The principal effect of induced recharge on the two aquifers was to reduce the amount and rate of drawdown. Therefore, where water levels and artesian pressures can be maintained at high stages, the result is lower pumping costs and increased rates of withdrawal during periods of peak demand.

Managed aquifer recharge with low impact development under a changing climate (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurdak, J. J.; Newcomer, M. E.; Sklar, L. S.; Nanus, L.

2013-12-01

Groundwater resources in urban environments are highly vulnerable to human pressures and climate variability and change, and many communities face water shortages and need to find alternative water supplies. Therefore, understanding how low impact development (LID) planning and best management practices (BMPs) affect recharge rates and volumes is important because of the increasing use of LID and BMPs to reduce stormwater runoff and improve surface-water quality. Some BMPs may also enhance recharge, which has often been considered a secondary management benefit. Enhancing the capacity for managed aquifer recharge with stormwater beneath LID is an important step toward the sustainable and conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources in urban environments. This field and modeling study quantifies urban recharge rates, volumes, and efficiency beneath a BMP infiltration trench and irrigated lawn considering historical El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability and future climate change using simulated precipitation from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamic Laboratory (GFDL) A1F1 climate scenario. Using results from a suite of methods to measure and model recharge beneath a recently installed (2009) BMP infiltration trench, this study addresses three main questions: (1) What are the benefits of measuring recharge using in-situ methods compared to model-based and other simple estimates of recharge beneath a LID BMP? (2) What are recharge rates and volumes beneath the infiltration trench, how do they compare to an irrigated lawn that represents a non-LID source of urban recharge, and what are the important factors controlling recharge beneath the two sites? (3) How effective is the LID BMP in capturing and recharging urban stormwater considering historical ENSO variability and future climate change? We find that in-situ and modeling methods are complementary, particularly for simulating historical and future recharge scenarios, and the in-situ data are critical for accurately estimating recharge under current conditions. Recharge rates beneath the infiltration trench (1,620 to 3,710 mm yr- 1) were an order-of-magnitude greater than beneath the irrigated lawn (130 to 730 mm yr-1). Beneath the infiltration trench, recharge rates ranged from 1,390 to 5,840 mm yr-1 and averaged 3,410 mm yr-1 for El Niño years and from 1,540 to 3,330 mm yr-1 and averaged 2,430 mm yr-1 for La Niña years. We demonstrate a clear benefit for recharge and local groundwater resources using small, spatially distributed stormwater retention BMPs. This study provides the first field- and model-based estimates of recharge rates and volumes beneath BMPs considering climate variability and change, and provides practical management information regarding enhanced stormwater capture and recharge toward improved conjunctive use of water resources in urban environments.

Coupled Model Development between Groundwater Recharge Quantity and Climate Change in Nakdong River Watershed using GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, M.; Jeongho, L.; Changsub, S.; SeongWoo, J.

2011-12-01

: Global climate change is disturbing the water circulation balance by changing rates of precipitation, recharge and discharge, and evapotranspiration. Groundwater, which occupies a considerable portion of the world's water resources, is related to climate change via surface water such as rivers, lakes, and marshes. In this study, the authors selected a relevant climate change scenario, A1B from the Special Report on Emission Scenario (SRES) which is distributed at Korea Meteorological Administration. By using data on temperature, rainfall, soil, and land use, the groundwater recharge rate for the research area was estimated by periodically and embodied as geographic information system (GIS). In order to calculate the groundwater recharge quantity, Visual HELP3 was used as main model, and the physical properties of weather, temperature, and soil layers were used as main input data. General changes to water circulation due to climate change have already been predicted. In order to systematically solve problems of ground circulation system, it may be urgent to recalculate the groundwater recharge quantity and consequent change under future climate change. The space-time calculation of changes of the groundwater recharge quantity in the study area may serve as a foundation to present additional measures to improve domestic groundwater resource management. Results showed that 26.19% of total precipitation was recharged from 1971 to 2000, 27.37% will be recharged from 2001 to 2030, 27.43% will be recharged from 2031 to 2050, and 26.06% will be recharged from 2051 to 2070, 27.88% will be recharged from 2051 to 2100. The groundwater recharge rate in this research showed susceptibility to changes in precipitation. The recharge rate was relatively little affected by the changes in Curve Number (CN), but it was rapidly reduced, as it approached the impermeable layers. Accordingly, the findings herein provide a basis for establishment of national plans on water resources management, use of groundwater in local areas for the purpose of settlement, and estimation of groundwater recharge quantities in areas where the groundwater hydrology is not measured. KEY WORDS: Groundwater recharge; Climate change; Curve Number; Special Report on Emissions Scenarios; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Can we calibrate simultaneously groundwater recharge and aquifer hydrodynamic parameters ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassane Maina, Fadji; Ackerer, Philippe; Bildstein, Olivier

2017-04-01

By groundwater model calibration, we consider here fitting the measured piezometric heads by estimating the hydrodynamic parameters (storage term and hydraulic conductivity) and the recharge. It is traditionally recommended to avoid simultaneous calibration of groundwater recharge and flow parameters because of correlation between recharge and the flow parameters. From a physical point of view, little recharge associated with low hydraulic conductivity can provide very similar piezometric changes than higher recharge and higher hydraulic conductivity. If this correlation is true under steady state conditions, we assume that this correlation is much weaker under transient conditions because recharge varies in time and the parameters do not. Moreover, the recharge is negligible during summer time for many climatic conditions due to reduced precipitation, increased evaporation and transpiration by vegetation cover. We analyze our hypothesis through global sensitivity analysis (GSA) in conjunction with the polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) methodology. We perform GSA by calculating the Sobol indices, which provide a variance-based 'measure' of the effects of uncertain parameters (storage and hydraulic conductivity) and recharge on the piezometric heads computed by the flow model. The choice of PCE has the following two benefits: (i) it provides the global sensitivity indices in a straightforward manner, and (ii) PCE can serve as a surrogate model for the calibration of parameters. The coefficients of the PCE are computed by probabilistic collocation. We perform the GSA on simplified real conditions coming from an already built groundwater model dedicated to a subdomain of the Upper-Rhine aquifer (geometry, boundary conditions, climatic data). GSA shows that the simultaneous calibration of recharge and flow parameters is possible if the calibration is performed over at least one year. It provides also the valuable information of the sensitivity versus time, depending on the aquifer inertia and climatic conditions. The groundwater levels variations during recharge (increase) are sensitive to the storage coefficient whereas the groundwater levels variations after recharge (decrease) are sensitive to the hydraulic conductivity. The performed model calibration on synthetic data sets shows that the parameters and recharge are estimated quite accurately.

Surface-Water and Ground-Water Interactions in the Central Everglades, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Judson W.; Newlin, Jessica T.; Krest, James M.; Choi, Jungyill; Nemeth, Eric A.; Krupa, Steven L.

2004-01-01

Recharge and discharge are hydrological processes that cause Everglades surface water to be exchanged for subsurface water in the peat soil and the underlying sand and limestone aquifer. These interactions are thought to be important to water budgets, water quality, and ecology in the Everglades. Nonetheless, relatively few studies of surface water and ground water interactions have been conducted in the Everglades, especially in its vast interior areas. This report is a product of a cooperative investigation conducted by the USGS and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) aimed at developing and testing techniques that would provide reliable estimates of recharge and discharge in interior areas of WCA-2A (Water Conservation Area 2A) and several other sites in the central Everglades. The new techniques quantified flow from surface water to the subsurface (recharge) and the opposite (discharge) using (1) Darcy-flux calculations based on measured vertical gradients in hydraulic head and hydraulic conductivity of peat; (2) modeling transport through peat and decay of the naturally occurring isotopes 224Ra and 223Ra (with half-lives of 4 and 11 days, respectively); and (3) modeling transport and decay of naturally occurring and 'bomb-pulse' tritium (half-life of 12.4 years) in ground water. Advantages and disadvantages of each method for quantifying recharge and discharge were compared. In addition, spatial and temporal variability of recharge and discharge were evaluated and controlling factors identified. A final goal was to develop appropriately simplified (that is, time averaged) expressions of the results that will be useful in addressing a broad range of hydrological and ecological problems in the Everglades. Results were compared with existing information about water budgets from the South Florida Water Management Model (SFWMM), a principal tool used by the South Florida Water Management District to plan many of the hydrological aspects of the Everglades restoration. A century of water management for flood control and water storage in the Everglades resulted in the creation of the Water Conservation Areas (WCAs). Construction of the major canals began in the 1910s and the systems of levees that enclose the basins and structures that move water between basins were largely completed by the 1950s. The abandoned wetlands that remained outside of the Water Conservation areas tended to dry out and subside by 10 feet or more, which created abrupt transitions in land-surface elevations and water levels across the levees. The increases in topographic and hydraulic gradients near the margins of the WCAs, along with rapid pumping of water between basins to achieve management objectives, have together altered the patterns of recharge and discharge in the Everglades. The most evident change is the increase in the magnitude of recharge (on the upgradient side) and discharge (on the downgradient side) of levees separating WCA-2A from other basins or areas outside. Recharge and discharge in the vast interior of WCA-2A also likely have increased, but fluxes in the interior wetlands are more subtle and more difficult to quantify compared with areas close to the levees. Surface-water and ground-water interactions differ in fundamental ways between wetlands near WCA-2A's boundaries and wetlands in the basin's interior. The levees that form the WCA's boundaries have introduced step functions in the topographic and hydraulic gradients that are important as a force to drive water flow across the wetland ground surface. The resulting recharge and discharge fluxes tend to be unidirectional (connecting points of recharge on the upgradient side of the levee with points of discharge on the downgradient side), and fluxes are also relatively steady in magnitude compared with fluxes in the interior. Recharge flow paths are also relatively deep in their extent near levees, with fluxes passing entirely through the 1-m peat layer and inte

Estimate of regional groundwater recharge rate in the Central Haouz Plain, Morocco, using the chloride mass balance method and a geographical information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ait El Mekki, Ouassil; Laftouhi, Nour-Eddine; Hanich, Lahoucine

2017-07-01

Located in the extreme northwest of Africa, the Kingdom of Morocco is increasingly affected by drought. Much of the country is characterised by an arid to semi-arid climate and the demand for water is considerably higher than the supply, particularly on the Haouz Plain in the centre of the country. The expansion of agriculture and tourism, in addition to industrial development and mining, have exacerbated the stress on water supplies resulting in drought. It is therefore necessary to adopt careful management practices to preserve the sustainability of the water resources in this region. The aquifer recharge rate in the piedmont region that links the High Atlas and the Central Haouz Plain was estimated using the chloride mass balance hydrochemical method, which is based on the relationship between the chloride concentrations in groundwater and rainwater. The addition of a geographical information system made it possible to estimate the recharge rate over the whole 400 km2 of the study area. The results are presented in the form of a map showing the spatialized recharge rate, which ranges from 13 to 100 mm/year and the recharge percentage of the total rainfall varies from 3 to 25 % for the hydrological year 2011-2012. This approach will enable the validation of empirical models covering areas >6200 km2, such as the Haouz nappe.

Groundwater-flow model of the northern High Plains aquifer in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Steven M.; Flynn, Amanda T.; Traylor, Jonathan P.

2016-12-13

The High Plains aquifer is a nationally important water resource underlying about 175,000 square miles in parts of eight states: Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. Droughts across much of the Northern High Plains from 2001 to 2007 have combined with recent (2004) legislative mandates to elevate concerns regarding future availability of groundwater and the need for additional information to support science-based water-resource management. To address these needs, the U.S. Geological Survey began the High Plains Groundwater Availability Study to provide a tool for water-resource managers and other stakeholders to assess the status and availability of groundwater resources.A transient groundwater-flow model was constructed using the U.S. Geological Survey modular three-dimensional finite-difference groundwater-flow model with Newton-Rhapson solver (MODFLOW–NWT). The model uses an orthogonal grid of 565 rows and 795 columns, and each grid cell measures 3,281 feet per side, with one variably thick vertical layer, simulated as unconfined. Groundwater flow was simulated for two distinct periods: (1) the period before substantial groundwater withdrawals, or before about 1940, and (2) the period of increasing groundwater withdrawals from May 1940 through April 2009. A soil-water-balance model was used to estimate recharge from precipitation and groundwater withdrawals for irrigation. The soil-water-balance model uses spatially distributed soil and landscape properties with daily weather data and estimated historical land-cover maps to calculate spatial and temporal variations in potential recharge. Mean annual recharge estimated for 1940–49, early in the history of groundwater development, and 2000–2009, late in the history of groundwater development, was 3.3 and 3.5 inches per year, respectively.Primary model calibration was completed using statistical techniques through parameter estimation using the parameter estimation suite of software with Tikhonov regularization. Calibration targets for the groundwater model included 343,067 groundwater levels measured in wells and 10,820 estimated monthly stream base flows at streamgages. A total of 1,312 parameters were adjusted during calibration to improve the match between calibration targets and simulated equivalents. Comparison of calibration targets to simulated equivalents indicated that, at the regional scale, the model correctly reproduced groundwater levels and stream base flows for 1940–2009. This comparison indicates that the model can be used to examine the likely response of the aquifer system to potential future stresses.Mean calibrated recharge for 1940–49 and 2000–2009 was smaller than that estimated with the soil-water-balance model. This indicated that although the general spatial patterns of recharge estimated with the soil-water-balance model were approximately correct at the regional scale of the Northern High Plains aquifer, the soil-water-balance model had overestimated recharge, and adjustments were needed to decrease recharge to improve the match of the groundwater model to calibration targets. The largest components of the simulated groundwater budgets were recharge from precipitation, recharge from canal seepage, outflows to evapotranspiration, and outflows to stream base flow. Simulated outflows to irrigation wells increased from 7 percent of total outflows in 1940–49 to 38 percent of 1970–79 total outflows and 49 percent of 2000–2009 total outflows.

Career Opportunities Instructional Guide. Career Investigation. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrix, Mary; Cegiel, Linda

This instructional guide on career opportunities contains 17 units on the following topics: locating information about occupations; introduction to the occupational clusters; agribusiness and natural resources; business and office; communications and media; construction; consumer and homemaking; environment; fine arts and humanities; health;…

Construction of a hydrologic model for estimating Wadi runoff and ground water recharge in the Eastern Desert, Egypt.

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

Gheith, H.; Sultan, M.; Environmental Research

2002-06-10

We constructed a hydrologic model to estimate the groundwater recharge rate for alluvial aquifers of the Eastern Desert from sporadic precipitation over the Red Sea hills. To estimate initial losses over sub-basins, transmission losses through channel routing, and downstream runoff, we developed an integrated model combining spatial rainfall distribution, an appropriate basin unit hydrograph, and appropriate infiltration parameters. Watersheds and stream networks identified from digital terrain elevation data were verified by comparison with co-registered Landsat thematic mapper scenes and geologic maps. Records of a November 1994 storm event acquired from rain gauges along the Nile River and the Red Seamore » shore were used to generate a spatial precipitation distribution for the study area. A 2 hour design hyetograph was adopted from rain gauge data for the 1994 flood event. The model was tested against records from the November 1994 flood event at the outlets of the Tarfa and Hammamat watersheds. Groundwater recharge rates were estimated for the alluvial aquifers within the major watersheds of the north Eastern Desert. We estimated that during the 1994 flood event, the ground water recharge through transmission losses ranged from 21 to 31% (Tarfa: 15.8 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}; Asyuti: 20 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}, Qena: 49 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}, Hammamat: 59 x10{sup 6} m{sup 3}) of the precipitated volume. The initial losses ranged from 65 to 77%. Only 3-7% of the precipitation reached the watershed outlets. Archival data show that rainfall events of the size of the November 1994 storm or larger occur every 40 months; thus, the annual recharge rates for the Tarfa, Asyuti, Qena, and Hammamat alluvial aquifers are estimated at 4.7 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}, 6 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}, 14.7 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3}, and 17.7 x10{sup 6} m{sup 3}, respectively. Implications for the use of these renewable ground waters and similar water resources in other arid areas of Egypt and in neighboring countries are clear.« less

Preliminary investigation of the effects of sea-level rise on groundwater levels in New Haven, Connecticut

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bjerklie, David M.; Mullaney, John R.; Stone, Janet R.; Skinner, Brian J.; Ramlow, Matthew A.

2012-01-01

Global sea level rose about 0.56 feet (ft) (170 millimeters (mm)) during the 20th century. Since the 1960s, sea level has risen at Bridgeport, Connecticut, about 0.38 ft (115 mm), at a rate of 0.008 ft (2.56 mm + or - 0.58 mm) per year. With regional subsidence, and with predicted global climate change, sea level is expected to continue to rise along the northeast coast of the United States through the 21st century. Increasing sea levels will cause groundwater levels in coastal areas to rise in order to adjust to the new conditions. Some regional climate models predict wetter climate in the northeastern United States under some scenarios. Scenarios for the resulting higher groundwater levels have the potential to inundate underground infrastructure in lowlying coastal cities. New Haven is a coastal city in Connecticut surrounded and bisected by tidally affected waters. Monitoring of water levels in wells in New Haven from August 2009 to July 2010 indicates the complex effects of urban influence on groundwater levels. The response of groundwater levels to recharge and season varied considerably from well to well. Groundwater temperatures varied seasonally, but were warmer than what was typical for Connecticut, and they seem to reflect the influence of the urban setting, including the effects of conduits for underground utilities. Specific conductance was elevated in many of the wells, indicating the influence of urban activities or seawater in Long Island Sound. A preliminary steady-state model of groundwater flow for part of New Haven was constructed using MODFLOW to simulate current groundwater levels (2009-2010) and future groundwater levels based on scenarios with a rise of 3 ft (0.91 meters (m)) in sea level, which is predicted for the end of the 21st century. An additional simulation was run assuming a 3-ft rise in sea level combined with a 12-percent increase in groundwater recharge. The model was constructed from existing hydrogeologic information for the New Haven area and from new information on groundwater levels collected during October 2009-June 2010. For the scenario with a 3-ft rise in sea level and no increase in recharge, simulated groundwater levels near the coast rose 3 ft; this increased water level tapered off toward a discharge area at the only nontidal stream in the study area. Simulated stream discharge increased at the nontidal stream because of the increased gradient. Although groundwater levels rose, the simulated difference between the groundwater levels in the aquifer and the increased sea level declined, indicating that the depth to the interface between freshwater and saltwater may possibly decline. Simulated water levels were affected by rise in sea level even in areas where the water table was at 17-24 ft (5.2-7.3 m) above current (2011) sea level. For the scenario with increased recharge, simulated groundwater levels were as much as an additional foot higher at some locations in the study area. The results of this preliminary investigation indicate that groundwater levels in coastal areas can be expected to rise and may rise higher if groundwater recharge also increases. This finding has implications for the disposal of stormwater through infiltration, a low-impact development practice designed to improve water quality and reduce overland peak discharge. Other implications include increased risk of basement flooding and increased groundwater seepage into underground sewer pipes and utility corridors in some areas. These implications will present engineering challenges to New Haven and Yale University. The preliminary model developed for this study can be the starting point for further simulation of future alternative scenarios for sea-level rise and recharge. Further simulations could identify those areas of New Haven where infrastructure may be at greatest risk from rising levels of groundwater. The simulations described in this report have limitations due to the preliminary scope of the work. Approaches to improve simulations include but are not limited to incorporating: * The variable density of seawater into the model in order to understand the current and future location of the interface between freshwater and saltwater; * Collection of additional data in order to better resolve temporal and spatial patterns in water levels in the aquifer; * Improved estimates of recharge through direct and indirect measurements of freshwater discharge from the study area; and * Transient simulations for greater understanding of the amount of time required for water levels and the position of the interface between freshwater and saltwater to adjust to changes in sea level and recharge.

Web Content Accessibility of Consumer Health Information Web Sites for People with Disabilities: A Cross Sectional Evaluation

PubMed Central

Parmanto, Bambang

2004-01-01

Background The World Wide Web (WWW) has become an increasingly essential resource for health information consumers. The ability to obtain accurate medical information online quickly, conveniently and privately provides health consumers with the opportunity to make informed decisions and participate actively in their personal care. Little is known, however, about whether the content of this online health information is equally accessible to people with disabilities who must rely on special devices or technologies to process online information due to their visual, hearing, mobility, or cognitive limitations. Objective To construct a framework for an automated Web accessibility evaluation; to evaluate the state of accessibility of consumer health information Web sites; and to investigate the possible relationships between accessibility and other features of the Web sites, including function, popularity and importance. Methods We carried out a cross-sectional study of the state of accessibility of health information Web sites to people with disabilities. We selected 108 consumer health information Web sites from the directory service of a Web search engine. A measurement framework was constructed to automatically measure the level of Web Accessibility Barriers (WAB) of Web sites following Web accessibility specifications. We investigated whether there was a difference between WAB scores across various functional categories of the Web sites, and also evaluated the correlation between the WAB and Alexa traffic rank and Google Page Rank of the Web sites. Results We found that none of the Web sites we looked at are completely accessible to people with disabilities, i.e., there were no sites that had no violation of Web accessibility rules. However, governmental and educational health information Web sites do exhibit better Web accessibility than the other categories of Web sites (P < 0.001). We also found that the correlation between the WAB score and the popularity of a Web site is statistically significant (r = 0.28, P < 0.05), although there is no correlation between the WAB score and the importance of the Web sites (r = 0.15, P = 0.111). Conclusions Evaluation of health information Web sites shows that no Web site scrupulously abides by Web accessibility specifications, even for entities mandated under relevant laws and regulations. Government and education Web sites show better performance than Web sites among other categories. Accessibility of a Web site may have a positive impact on its popularity in general. However, the Web accessibility of a Web site may not have a significant relationship with its importance on the Web. PMID:15249268

Relative Impacts of Low Permeability Subsurface Deposits on Recharge Basin Infiltration Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oconnell, P.; Becker, M.; Pham, C.; Rodriguez, G.; Hutchinson, A.; Plumlee, M.

2017-12-01

Artificial recharge of aquifers through spreading basins has become an important component of water management in semi-arid climates. The rate at which water can be recharged in these basins is limited by the natural vertical permeability of the underlying deposits which may be highly variable both laterally and vertically. To help understand hydrostratigraphic controls on recharge, a newly constructed basin was surveyed and instrumented. Prior to flooding the basin, lithology was characterized by shallow hand coring, direct push coring, ground penetrating radar, and electrical resistivity. After flooding, recharge was monitored through piezometers, electrical resistivity, and a network of fiber optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS). The DTS network used temperature as a tracer to measure infiltration rate on 25 cm intervals both laterally and vertically. Several hundred paired DTS time series datasets (from fiber optic cables located at 0 and 0.5 meters below ground surface) were processed with the cross-wavelet transform (XWT) to calculate spatially and temporally continuous infiltration rates, which can be interpolated and animated to visualize heterogeneity. Time series data from 8-meter deep, vertically oriented DTS cables reveal depth intervals where infiltration rates vary. Inverted resistivity sections from repeated dipole-dipole surveys along the sidewall of a spreading basin exhibit a positive correlation with the distribution of relatively high and low infiltration rates, indicating zones of preferential downward (efficient) and lateral (inefficient) flow, respectively. In contrast to other monitored basins, no perching was observed in the vertically oriented DTS cables. The variation in recharge across the basin and the appearance of subsurface lateral flow can be explained in context of the alluvial depositional environment.

Sensitivity of quantitative groundwater recharge estimates to volumetric and distribution uncertainty in rainfall forcing products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, Micha; Westerhoff, Rogier; Moore, Catherine

2017-04-01

Quantitative estimates of recharge due to precipitation excess are an important input to determining sustainable abstraction of groundwater resources, as well providing one of the boundary conditions required for numerical groundwater modelling. Simple water balance models are widely applied for calculating recharge. In these models, precipitation is partitioned between different processes and stores; including surface runoff and infiltration, storage in the unsaturated zone, evaporation, capillary processes, and recharge to groundwater. Clearly the estimation of recharge amounts will depend on the estimation of precipitation volumes, which may vary, depending on the source of precipitation data used. However, the partitioning between the different processes is in many cases governed by (variable) intensity thresholds. This means that the estimates of recharge will not only be sensitive to input parameters such as soil type, texture, land use, potential evaporation; but mainly to the precipitation volume and intensity distribution. In this paper we explore the sensitivity of recharge estimates due to difference in precipitation volumes and intensity distribution in the rainfall forcing over the Canterbury region in New Zealand. We compare recharge rates and volumes using a simple water balance model that is forced using rainfall and evaporation data from; the NIWA Virtual Climate Station Network (VCSN) data (which is considered as the reference dataset); the ERA-Interim/WATCH dataset at 0.25 degrees and 0.5 degrees resolution; the TRMM-3B42 dataset; the CHIRPS dataset; and the recently releases MSWEP dataset. Recharge rates are calculated at a daily time step over the 14 year period from the 2000 to 2013 for the full Canterbury region, as well as at eight selected points distributed over the region. Lysimeter data with observed estimates of recharge are available at four of these points, as well as recharge estimates from the NGRM model, an independent model constructed using the same base data and forced with the VCSN precipitation dataset. Results of the comparison of the rainfall products show that there are significant differences in precipitation volume between the forcing products; in the order of 20% at most points. Even more significant differences can be seen, however, in the distribution of precipitation. For the VCSN data wet days (defined as >0.1mm precipitation) occur on some 20-30% of days (depending on location). This is reasonably reflected in the TRMM and CHIRPS data, while for the re-analysis based products some 60%to 80% of days are wet, albeit at lower intensities. These differences are amplified in the recharge estimates. At most points, volumetric differences are in the order of 40-60%, though difference may range into several orders of magnitude. The frequency distributions of recharge also differ significantly, with recharge over 0.1 mm occurring on 4-6% of days for the VCNS, CHIRPS, and TRMM datasets, but up to the order of 12% of days for the re-analysis data. Comparison against the lysimeter data show estimates to be reasonable, in particular for the reference datasets. Surprisingly some estimates of the lower resolution re-analysis datasets are reasonable, though this does seem to be due to lower recharge being compensated by recharge occurring more frequently. These results underline the importance of correct representation of rainfall volumes, as well as of distribution, particularly when evaluating possible changes to for example changes in precipitation intensity and volume. This holds for precipitation data derived from satellite based and re-analysis products, but also for interpolated data from gauges, where the distribution of intensities is strongly influenced by the interpolation process.

Computer program for simulation of variable recharge with the U. S. Geological Survey modular finite-difference ground-water flow model (MODFLOW)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kontis, A.L.

2001-01-01

The Variable-Recharge Package is a computerized method designed for use with the U.S. Geological Survey three-dimensional finitedifference ground-water flow model (MODFLOW-88) to simulate areal recharge to an aquifer. It is suitable for simulations of aquifers in which the relation between ground-water levels and land surface can affect the amount and distribution of recharge. The method is based on the premise that recharge to an aquifer cannot occur where the water level is at or above land surface. Consequently, recharge will vary spatially in simulations in which the Variable- Recharge Package is applied, if the water levels are sufficiently high. The input data required by the program for each model cell that can potentially receive recharge includes the average land-surface elevation and a quantity termed ?water available for recharge,? which is equal to precipitation minus evapotranspiration. The Variable-Recharge Package also can be used to simulate recharge to a valley-fill aquifer in which the valley fill and the adjoining uplands are explicitly simulated. Valley-fill aquifers, which are the most common type of aquifer in the glaciated northeastern United States, receive much of their recharge from upland sources as channeled and(or) unchanneled surface runoff and as lateral ground-water flow. Surface runoff in the uplands is generated in the model when the applied water available for recharge is rejected because simulated water levels are at or above land surface. The surface runoff can be distributed to other parts of the model by (1) applying the amount of the surface runoff that flows to upland streams (channeled runoff) to explicitly simulated streams that flow onto the valley floor, and(or) (2) applying the amount that flows downslope toward the valley- fill aquifer (unchanneled runoff) to specified model cells, typically those near the valley wall. An example model of an idealized valley- fill aquifer is presented to demonstrate application of the method and the type of information that can be derived from its use. Documentation of the Variable-Recharge Package is provided in the appendixes and includes listings of model code and of program variables. Comment statements in the program listings provide a narrative of the code. Input-data instructions and printed model output for the package are included.

Design, operation, and monitoring capability of an experimental artificial-recharge facility at East Meadow, Long Island, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schneider, B.J.; Oaksford, E.T.

1986-01-01

Artificial recharge with tertiary-treated sewage is being tested at East Meadow to evaluate the physical and chemical effects on the groundwater system. The recharge facility contains 11 recharge basins and 5 injection wells and is designed to accept 4 million gallons of reclaimed water per day. Of the 11 basins, 7 are recently constructed and will accept 0.5 million gallons per day each. An observation manhole (12-foot inside diameter and extending 16 feet below the basin floor) was installed in each of two basins to enable monitoring and sampling of percolating reclaimed water in the unsaturated zone with instruments such as tensiometers, gravity lysimeters, thermocouples, and soil-gas samplers. Five shallow (100-feet deep) injection wells will each return 0.5 million gallons per day to the groundwater reservoir. Three types of injection-well design are being tested; the differences are in the type of gravel pack around the well screen. When clogging at the well screen occurs, redevelopment should restore the injection capability. Flow to the basins and wells is regulated by automatic flow controllers in which a desired flow rate is maintained by electronic sensors. Basins can also operate in a constant-head mode in which a specified head is maintained in the basin automatically. An observation-well network consisting of 2-inch- and 6-inch-diameter wells was installed within a 1-square-mile area at the recharge facility to monitor aquifer response and recharge. During 48 days of operation within a 17-week period (October 1982 through January 1983), 88.5 million gallons of reclaimed water was applied to the shallow water table aquifer through the recharge basins. A 4.29-foot-high groundwater mound developed during a 14-day test; some water level increase associated with the mound was detected 1,000 ft from the basins. Preliminary water quality data from wells affected by reclaimed water show evidence that mechanisms of mixing, dilution, and dispersion are affecting chemical concentrations of certain constituents, such as nitrogen and trichloroethane, in the shallow aquifer beneath the recharge area. (USGS)

Apparatus for Teaching Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottlieb, Herbert H., Ed.

1982-01-01

Discusses: (1) construction of an integrated spherical reflectometer; (2) limitations of the NOAA Weather Radio Network; and (3) a simple experiment to demonstrate/measure influence of damping force on amplitude resonance. Also discusses whether or not a homemade electrophorus can lose its charge and then recharge itself. (JN)

River recharge sources and the partitioning of catchment evapotranspiration fluxes as revealed by stable isotope signals in a typical high-elevation arid catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xiaoyu; Tian, Lide; Wang, Lei; Yu, Wusheng; Qu, Dongmei

2017-06-01

Catchment-scale hydrological cycles are expected to suffer more extremes under a background of climate change. Quantifying hydrological changes in high and remote areas is practically challenging. However, stable isotopes in river water can be seen to vary, dependent upon the combined influence exerted by recharge sources and local climatic conditions; the study of river water stable isotopes can therefore provide a meaningful method for delineating catchment-scale hydrological studies. In this study, we present high-resolution time series of river δ18O and d-excess values; additionally, we identify the seasonal dynamics of river recharge sources and major components of the catchment-scale water balance, together with precipitation and groundwater isotopes, and concurrent meteorological data recorded in Magazangbu catchment on the northwestern Tibetan Plateau (TP). Using isotopic analysis, and within a proportional framework, we partitioned the isotopic fractionation (E1) or non-fractionation (E2) from soil evaporation fluxes (Esoil) apparent in different processes, using NDVI (Normal Differential Vegetation Index) data collected by MODIS satellites to calculate the vegetation fractional coverage (VFC), and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) records to determine evapotranspiration data (ET). Finally, the contributions made by each ET component (Esoil and plant transpiration) to total catchment ET were computed for the high and remote northwestern TP. Our results show that: (1) river δ18O values were high in summer and low in winter, while d-excess values displayed a contrary seasonal cycle; (2) for the monsoon period, precipitation contributed 60.6% to Magazangbu catchment runoff. Deeper groundwater was the main water source for the winter low base flow, and shallow groundwater or high elevation snowmelt was the principal component of the spring thaw and autumn freezing periods; and (3) a substantial proportion of Esoil (96.4% annually; 92.2% during monsoon) was consumed without isotopic fractionation (E2); plant transpiration (T) constituted less than half of total ET (41% annually, 29% during monsoon) in Magazangbu catchment. This calculation of river recharge sources and partitioning of catchment ET components using isotopic signals and MODIS NDVI data or GLDAS ET data provide new methods for hydrological studies in high and remote areas. These results provide important catchment-scale water-balance information which is very useful to climate models conducted in a high-elevation arid environment.

A screening tool for delineating subregions of steady recharge within groundwater models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dickinson, Jesse; Ferré, T.P.A.; Bakker, Mark; Crompton, Becky

2014-01-01

We have developed a screening method for simplifying groundwater models by delineating areas within the domain that can be represented using steady-state groundwater recharge. The screening method is based on an analytical solution for the damping of sinusoidal infiltration variations in homogeneous soils in the vadose zone. The damping depth is defined as the depth at which the flux variation damps to 5% of the variation at the land surface. Groundwater recharge may be considered steady where the damping depth is above the depth of the water table. The analytical solution approximates the vadose zone diffusivity as constant, and we evaluated when this approximation is reasonable. We evaluated the analytical solution through comparison of the damping depth computed by the analytic solution with the damping depth simulated by a numerical model that allows variable diffusivity. This comparison showed that the screening method conservatively identifies areas of steady recharge and is more accurate when water content and diffusivity are nearly constant. Nomograms of the damping factor (the ratio of the flux amplitude at any depth to the amplitude at the land surface) and the damping depth were constructed for clay and sand for periodic variations between 1 and 365 d and flux means and amplitudes from nearly 0 to 1 × 10−3 m d−1. We applied the screening tool to Central Valley, California, to identify areas of steady recharge. A MATLAB script was developed to compute the damping factor for any soil and any sinusoidal flux variation.

Failure Analysis of Batteries Using Synchrotron-based Hard X-ray Microtomography

PubMed Central

Harry, Katherine J.; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.; Balsara, Nitash P.

2015-01-01

Imaging morphological changes that occur during the lifetime of rechargeable batteries is necessary to understand how these devices fail. Since the advent of lithium-ion batteries, researchers have known that the lithium metal anode has the highest theoretical energy density of any anode material. However, rechargeable batteries containing a lithium metal anode are not widely used in consumer products because the growth of lithium dendrites from the anode upon charging of the battery causes premature cell failure by short circuit. Lithium dendrites can also form in commercial lithium-ion batteries with graphite anodes if they are improperly charged. We demonstrate that lithium dendrite growth can be studied using synchrotron-based hard X-ray microtomography. This non-destructive imaging technique allows researchers to study the growth of lithium dendrites, in addition to other morphological changes inside batteries, and subsequently develop methods to extend battery life. PMID:26382323

Development of Thin-Film Battery Powered Transdermal Medical Devices

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

Bates, J.B.; Sein, T.

1999-07-06

Research carried out at ORNL has led to the development of solid state thin-film rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries. These unique devices can be fabricated in a variety of shapes and to any required size, large or small, on virtually any type of substrate. Because they have high energies per unit of volume and mass and because they are rechargeable, thin-film lithium batteries have potentially many applications as small power supplies in consumer and special electronic products. Initially, the objective of this project was to develop thin-film battery powered products. Initially, the objective of this project was to develop thin-filmmore » battery powered transdermal electrodes for recording electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms. These ''active'' electrode would eliminate the effect of interference and improve the reliability in diagnosing heart or brain malfunctions. Work in the second phase of this project was directed at the development of thin-film battery powered implantable defibrillators.« less

Mountain-front recharge along the eastern side of the Middle Rio Grande Basin, central New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderholm, Scott K.

2000-01-01

Mountain-front recharge, which generally occurs along the margins of alluvial basins, can be a large part of total recharge to the aquifer system in such basins. Mountain-front recharge occurs as the result of infiltration of flow from streams that have headwaters in the mountainous areas adjacent to alluvial basins and ground- water flow from the aquifers in the mountainous areas to the aquifer in the alluvial basin. This report presents estimates of mountain-front recharge to the basin-fill aquifer along the eastern side of the Middle Rio Grande Basin in central New Mexico. The basin is a structural feature that contains a large thickness of basin-fill deposits, which compose the main aquifer in the basin. The basin is bounded along the eastern side by mountains composed of crystalline rocks of Precambrian age and sedimentary rocks of Paleozoic age. Precipitation is much larger in the mountains than in the basin; many stream channels debouch from the mountainous area to the basin. Chloride-balance and water-yield regression methods were used to estimate mountain-front recharge. The chloride-balance method was used to calculate a chloride balance in watersheds in the mountainous areas along the eastern side of the basin (subareas). The source of chloride to these watersheds is bulk precipitation (wet and dry deposition). Chloride leaves these watersheds as mountain-front recharge. The water-yield regression method was used to determine the streamflow from the mountainous watersheds at the mountain front. This streamflow was assumed to be equal to mountain-front recharge because most of this streamflow infiltrates and recharges the basin-fill aquifer. Total mountain-front recharge along the eastern side of the Middle Rio Grande Basin was estimated to be about 11,000 acre- feet per year using the chloride-balance method and about 36,000 and 38,000 acre-feet per year using two water-yield regression equations. There was a large range in the recharge estimates in a particular subarea using the different methods. Mountain-front recharge ranged from 0.7 to 15 percent of total annual precipitation in the subareas (percent recharge). Some of the smallest values of percent recharge were in the subareas in the southern part of the basin, which generally have low altitudes. The larger percent-recharge values were from subareas with higher altitudes. With existing information, determining which of the mountain- front recharge estimates is most accurate and the reasons for discrepancies among the different estimates is not possible. The chloride-balance method underestimates recharge if the chloride concentration used in the calculations for precipitation is too small or the chloride concentration in recharge is too large. Water-yield regression methods overestimate recharge if the amount of evapotranspiration of water that infiltrates into the channel bed of arroyos during runoff from summer thunderstorms is large.

Recharge studies on the High Plains in northern Lea County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Havens, John S.

1966-01-01

The area described in this report is that part of the southern High Plains principally within northern Lea County, N. Mex. ; it comprises about 1,400,000 acres. Hydrologic boundaries isolate the main aquifer of the area, the Ogallala Formation, from outside sources of natural recharge other than precipitation on the area. Natural recharge to this aquifer from the 15-inch average annual precipitation for the period 1949-60 is estimated to be about 95,000 acre-ft (acre-feet) which is between the 59,000 and 118,000 acre-ft a year obtained from the This estimate (1934) of ? to 1 inch a year. About one-sixth of the water pumped for irrigation, or an average of about 23,000 acre-ft a year in the period 1949-60, returns to the aquifer. The estimated long-term (1939-60) average annual recharge to the aquifer is about 77,000 acre-ft. Discharge from the aquifer is by pumping and underflow from the area. Gross pumpage averaged about 151,000 acre-ft a year in the period 1949-60. Underflow from the area is estimated to have been about 36,000 acre-ft a year. Thus, the estimated average annual discharge from the aquifer was about 187,000 acre-ft a year, and this exceeded recharge by about 69,000 acre-ft a year. This overdraft is reflected in a general net decline of the water table of 10 ft in the period 1950-60 and net declines of as much as 30 feet in local areas. Data obtained during this study indicate that about 100,000 acre-ft of water collects in closed depressions on the surface of the High Plains in years when precipitation is normal. Studies of water losses from ponds in selected depressions indicate that between 20 and 80 percent of this loss recharges the groundwater body and the balance is lost to evapotranspiration, principally evaporation. Artificial recharge facilities constructed in the depressions could put at least 50,000 acre-ft of water underground annually that otherwise would be lost to evaporation. Recharging through pits or spreading ponds would cost less per unit volume of water than recharge through wells.

Effect of an offshore sinkhole perforation in a coastal confined aquifer on submarine groundwater discharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fratesi, S.E.; Leonard, V.; Sanford, W.E.

2007-01-01

In order to explore submarine groundwater discharge in the vicinity of karst features that penetrate the confining layer of an offshore, partially confined aquifer, we constructed a three-dimensional groundwater model using the SUTRA (Saturated-Unsaturated TRAnsport) variable-density groundwater flow model. We ran a parameter sensitivity analysis, testing the effects of recharge rates, permeabilities of the aquifer and confining layer, and thickness of the confining layer. In all simulations, less than 20% of the freshwater recharge for the entire model exits through the sinkhole. Recirculated seawater usually accounts for 10-30% of the total outflow from the model. Often, the sinkhole lies seaward of the transition zone and acts as a recharge feature for recirculating seawater. The permeability ratio between aquifer and confining layer influences the configuration of the freshwater wedge the most; as confining layer permeability decreases, the wedge lengthens and the fraction of total discharge exiting through the sinkhole increases. Copyright ?? 2007 IAHS Press.

Investigation of artificial recharge of aquifers in Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lichtler, William F.; Stannard, David I.; Kouma, Edwin

1980-01-01

Progressive declines of ground-water levels in some areas of Nebraska prompted this investigation into the technical feasibility of recharging aquifers through wells, impoundments, pits, and canals. Information gained from a literature search and from preliminary tests was used to design several artificial-recharge experiments in Nebraska from 1977 to 1979. In well experiments, 0.46 billion gallons of water from an aquifer recharged by the Platte River was transported by pipeline and injected through a well into a sand and gravel aquifer near Aurora. Recharge was at about 730 gallons per minute during tests of 6- and 8-months duration. No evidence of clogging of the aquifer due to chemical reactions, air entrainment, or bacteria was detected in either test. In the 6-month test, evidence of clogging due to fine sediment in the recharge water was detected; however, analysis of this test indicated that recharge could have continued for several years before rehabilitation would have become necessary. Results of the 8-month test confirmed results of the earlier test until casing failure in the supply well and subsequent sediment deposition in the recharge well caused rapid water-level rise in the recharge well. In surface-spreading experiments, maximum infiltration rates from 24-foot-diameter ring infiltrometers near Aurora and Tryon were 0.4 and 11 feet per day, respectively. Results indicate that large-scale surface spreading is feasible only where low-permeability layers are absent in the subsurface. Infiltration rates from reuse pits ranged from 0.01 to 1.6 feet per day, indicating highly variable subsurface permeability. Flow measurements in an irrigation canal near Farwell indicate an infiltration rate of 0.37 feet per day. (USGS)

Temporal variation of chemical and isotopic signals in major discharges of an alpine karst aquifer in Turkey: implications with respect to response of karst aquifers to recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozyurt, N. Nur; Bayari, C. Serdar

2008-03-01

Proper management of karst aquifers requires a better understanding of flow and transport mechanisms in these systems. Flow in karst aquifers is inherently very complex due to the non-linear and non-stationary relationship between recharge and discharge. Information on this relationship has been acquired for a large (1,000 km2), mountainous (>3,500 m asl) karst aquifer with a deep unsaturated zone (>2,000 m) in the Aladaglar mountain range of south-central Turkey. All major discharges from the aquifer, which drain almost all the recharge, have been observed periodically for specific electrical conductivity, tritium and oxygen-18 variations during a period of 12 months. Observations reveal that the system’s response to recharge depends strongly on the competition between the infiltration and drainage velocities. These velocities, which are controlled by variables such as the time of precipitation, time of infiltration, intensity, and continuity of recharge, determine the degree of dominance of different types of flow mechanisms in the aquifer. Bypass, well-mixed and piston flow mechanisms are used to explain the response of the aquifer to the spatio-temporal variations in recharge. It appears that the aquifer switches among these flow mechanisms depending on the prevailing recharge mode and the competition between infiltration and drainage velocities.

The produsing expert consumer: Co-constructing, resisting and accepting health-related claims on social media in response to an infotainment show about food.

PubMed

Declercq, Jana; Tulkens, Stéphan; Van Leuven, Sarah

2018-03-01

This article examines the Twitter and Facebook uptake of health messages from an infotainment TV show on food, as broadcasted on Belgium's Dutch-language public broadcaster. The interest in and amount of health-related media coverage is rising, and this media coverage is an important source of information for laypeople, and impacts their health behaviours and therapy compliance. However, the role of the audience has also changed; consumers of media content increasingly are produsers, and, in the case of health, expert consumers. To explore how current audiences react to health claims, we have conducted a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of Twitter and Facebook reactions to an infotainment show about food and nutrition. We examine (1) to which elements in the show the audience reacts, to gain insight in the traction the nutrition-related content generates and (2) whether audience members are accepting or resisting the health information in the show. Our findings show that the information on health and production elicit the most reactions, and that health information incites a lot of refutation, low acceptance and a lot of suggestions on new information or new angles to complement the show's information.

The Rechargeability of Silicon-Air Batteries

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

demand the use of a more stable and accurate reference electrode. The method for constructing such an electrode was chosen to be based on the ferrocene ...three weeks-old electrode, as presented in figure 5b. These findings may be ascribed to some deterioration processes of ferrocene with

75 FR 53127 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-45; Introduction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-30

... urban consumers, except for Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act, and trade agreements thresholds. The... Chambers. Cost or Pricing Data. III American Recovery 2009-008 Davis. and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act)-- Buy American Requirements for Construction Materials. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Summaries...

Men's Clothing Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margerum, B. Jean; And Others

1977-01-01

An informal consumer interview study, using 187 men, was conducted to highlight directions that clothing and textiles education and research might take. Mentioned most often were problems of fabric durability and garment construction as well as size and fit. Suggestions for curbing economic waste in the male fashion industry and implications for…

Managed aquifer recharge by a check dam to improve the quality of fluoride-rich groundwater: a case study from southern India.

PubMed

Gowrisankar, G; Jagadeshan, G; Elango, L

2017-04-01

In many regions around the globe, including India, degradation in the quality of groundwater is of great concern. The objective of this investigation is to determine the effect of recharge from a check dam on quality of groundwater in a region of Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu State, India. For this study, water samples from 15 wells were periodically obtained and analysed for major ions and fluoride concentrations. The amount of major ions present in groundwater was compared with the drinking water guideline values of the Bureau of Indian Standards. With respect to the sodium and fluoride concentrations, 38% of groundwater samples collected was not suitable for direct use as drinking water. Suitability of water for agricultural use was determined considering the electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, sodium percentage, permeability index, Wilcox and United States Salinity Laboratory diagrams. The influence of freshwater recharge from the dam is evident as the groundwater in wells nearer to the check dam was suitable for both irrigation and domestic purposes. However, the groundwater away from the dam had a high ionic composition. This study demonstrated that in other fluoride-affected areas, the concentration can be reduced by dilution with the construction of check dams as a measure of managed aquifer recharge.

Data from a Thick Unsaturated Zone Underlying Two Artificial Recharge Sites along Oro Grande Wash in the Western Part of the Mojave Desert, near Victorville, San Bernardino County, California, 2001-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Dennis A.; Izbicki, John A.; Johnson, Russell D.; Land, Michael

2009-01-01

This report presents data on the physical and hydraulic properties of unsaturated alluvial deposits and on the chemical and isotopic composition of water collected at two recharge sites in the western part of the Mojave Desert, near Victorville, California, from 2001 to 2006. Unsaturated-zone monitoring sites were installed adjacent to the two recharge ponds using the ODEX air-hammer and air rotary method to depths of about 460 feet and 269 feet below land surface. Each of the two unsaturated-zone monitoring sites included a water-table well, matric-potential sensors, and suction-cup lysimeters installed in a single bore hole. Drilling procedures, lithologic and geophysical data, and site construction and instrumentation are described. Core material was analyzed for water content, bulk density, water potential, particle size, and water retention. The chemical composition of leachate from almost 400 samples of cores and cuttings was determined. Water from suction-cup lysimeters also was analyzed for chemical and isotopic composition. In addition, data on the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater from the two water-table wells are reported along with chemical and isotopic composition of the surface water in the recharge ponds.

Determining the groundwater potential recharge zone and karst springs catchment area: Saldoran region, western Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karami, Gholam Hossein; Bagheri, Rahim; Rahimi, Fahimeh

2016-12-01

Assessing the groundwater recharge potential zone and differentiation of the spring catchment area are extremely important to effective management of groundwater systems and protection of water quality. The study area is located in the Saldoran karstic region, western Iran. It is characterized by a high rate of precipitation and recharge via highly permeable fractured karstic formations. Pire-Ghar, Sarabe-Babaheydar and Baghe-rostam are three major karstic springs which drain the Saldoran anticline. The mean discharge rate and electrical conductivity values for these springs were 3, 1.9 and 0.98 m3/s, and 475, 438 and 347 μS/cm, respectively. Geology, hydrogeology and geographical information system (GIS) methods were used to define the catchment areas of the major karstic springs and to map recharge zones in the Saldoran anticline. Seven major influencing factors on groundwater recharge rates (lithology, slope value and aspect, drainage, precipitation, fracture density and karstic domains) were integrated using GIS. Geology maps and field verification were used to determine the weights of factors. The final map was produced to reveal major zones of recharge potential. More than 80 % of the study area is terrain that has a recharge rate of 55-70 % (average 63 %). Evaluating the water budget of Saldoran Mountain showed that the total volume of karst water emerging from the Saldoran karst springs is equal to the total annual recharge on the anticline. Therefore, based on the geological and hydrogeological investigations, the catchment area of the mentioned karst springs includes the whole Saldoran anticline.

Feasibility of two low-cost organic substrates for inducing denitrification in artificial recharge ponds: Batch and flow-through experiments.

PubMed

Grau-Martínez, Alba; Torrentó, Clara; Carrey, Raúl; Rodríguez-Escales, Paula; Domènech, Cristina; Ghiglieri, Giorgio; Soler, Albert; Otero, Neus

2017-03-01

Anaerobic batch and flow-through experiments were performed to assess the capacity of two organic substrates to promote denitrification of nitrate-contaminated groundwater within managed artificial recharge systems (MAR) in arid or semi-arid regions. Denitrification in MAR systems can be achieved through artificial recharge ponds coupled with a permeable reactive barrier in the form of a reactive organic layer. In arid or semi-arid regions, short-term efficient organic substrates are required due to the short recharge periods. We examined the effectiveness of two low-cost, easily available and easily handled organic substrates, commercial plant-based compost and crushed palm tree leaves, to determine the feasibility of using them in these systems. Chemical and multi-isotopic monitoring (δ 15 N NO3 , δ 18 O NO3 , δ 34 S SO4 , δ 18 O SO4 ) of the laboratory experiments confirmed that both organic substrates induced denitrification. Complete nitrate removal was achieved in all the experiments with a slight transient nitrite accumulation. In the flow-through experiments, ammonium release was observed at the beginning of both experiments and lasted longer for the experiment with palm tree leaves. Isotopic characterisation of the released ammonium suggested ammonium leaching from both organic substrates at the beginning of the experiments and pointed to ammonium production by DNRA for the palm tree leaves experiment, which would only account for a maximum of 15% of the nitrate attenuation. Sulphate reduction was achieved in both column experiments. The amount of organic carbon consumed during denitrification and sulphate reduction was 0.8‰ of the total organic carbon present in commercial compost and 4.4% for the palm tree leaves. The N and O isotopic fractionation values obtained (ε N and ε O ) were -10.4‰ and -9.0‰ for the commercial compost (combining data from both batch and column experiments), and -9.9‰ and -8.6‰ for the palm tree column, respectively. Both materials showed a satisfactory capacity for denitrification, but the palm tree leaves gave a higher denitrification rate and yield (amount of nitrate consumed per amount of available C) than commercial compost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT): A new measure of understandability and actionability for print and audiovisual patient information

PubMed Central

Shoemaker, Sarah J.; Wolf, Michael S.; Brach, Cindy

2016-01-01

Objective To develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the understandability and actionability of print and audiovisual materials. Methods We compiled items from existing instruments/guides that the expert panel assessed for face/content validity. We completed four rounds of reliability testing, and produced evidence of construct validity with consumers and readability assessments. Results The experts deemed the PEMAT items face/content valid. Four rounds of reliability testing and refinement were conducted using raters untrained on the PEMAT. Agreement improved across rounds. The final PEMAT showed moderate agreement per Kappa (Average K = 0.57) and strong agreement per Gwet’s AC1 (Average = 0.74). Internal consistency was strong (α = 0.71; Average Item-Total Correlation = 0.62). For construct validation with consumers (n = 47), we found significant differences between actionable and poorly-actionable materials in comprehension scores (76% vs. 63%, p < 0.05) and ratings (8.9 vs. 7.7, p < 0.05). For understandability, there was a significant difference for only one of two topics on consumer numeric scores. For actionability, there were significant positive correlations between PEMAT scores and consumer-testing results, but no relationship for understandability. There were, however, strong, negative correlations between grade-level and both consumer-testing results and PEMAT scores. Conclusions The PEMAT demonstrated strong internal consistency, reliability, and evidence of construct validity. Practice implications The PEMAT can help professionals judge the quality of materials (available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/pemat). PMID:24973195

Development of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT): a new measure of understandability and actionability for print and audiovisual patient information.

PubMed

Shoemaker, Sarah J; Wolf, Michael S; Brach, Cindy

2014-09-01

To develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the understandability and actionability of print and audiovisual materials. We compiled items from existing instruments/guides that the expert panel assessed for face/content validity. We completed four rounds of reliability testing, and produced evidence of construct validity with consumers and readability assessments. The experts deemed the PEMAT items face/content valid. Four rounds of reliability testing and refinement were conducted using raters untrained on the PEMAT. Agreement improved across rounds. The final PEMAT showed moderate agreement per Kappa (Average K=0.57) and strong agreement per Gwet's AC1 (Average=0.74). Internal consistency was strong (α=0.71; Average Item-Total Correlation=0.62). For construct validation with consumers (n=47), we found significant differences between actionable and poorly-actionable materials in comprehension scores (76% vs. 63%, p<0.05) and ratings (8.9 vs. 7.7, p<0.05). For understandability, there was a significant difference for only one of two topics on consumer numeric scores. For actionability, there were significant positive correlations between PEMAT scores and consumer-testing results, but no relationship for understandability. There were, however, strong, negative correlations between grade-level and both consumer-testing results and PEMAT scores. The PEMAT demonstrated strong internal consistency, reliability, and evidence of construct validity. The PEMAT can help professionals judge the quality of materials (available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/pemat). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeology of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedel, Michael J.; Finn, Carol

2008-01-01

Hydrogeologic maps were constructed for the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. The ground-water flow system in the country can best be described as two interconnected regional systems: the porous Continental Terminal coastal system and the interior, fractured sedimentary Taoudeni Basin system. In these systems, ground-water flow occurs in fill deposits and carbonate, clastic, metasedimentary, and metavolcanic rocks. Based on an evaluation of the potentiometric surface, there are three areas of ground-water recharge in the Taoudeni Basin system. One region occurs in the northwest at the edge of the Shield, one occurs to the south overlying the Tillites, and one is centered at the city of Tidjikdja. In contrast to the flow system in the Taoudeni Basin, the potentiometric surfaces reveal two areas of discharge in the Continental Terminal system but no localized recharge areas; the recharge is more likely to be areal. In addition to these recharge and discharge areas, ground water flows across the country's borders. Specifically, ground water from the Atlantic Ocean flows into Mauritania, transporting dissolved sodium from the west as a salt water intrusion, whereas fresh ground water discharges from the east into Mali. To the north, there is a relatively low gradient with inflow of fresh water to Mauritania, whereas ground-water flow discharges to the Senegal River to the south. A geographical information system (GIS) was used to digitize, manage, store, and analyze geologic data used to develop the hydrogeologic map. The data acquired for map development included existing digital GIS files, published maps, tabulated data in reports and public-access files, and the SIPPE2 Access database. Once in digital formats, regional geologic and hydrologic features were converted to a common coordinate system and combined into one map. The 42 regional geologic map units were then reclassified into 13 hydrogeologic units, each having considerable lateral extent and distinct hydrologic properties. Because the hydrologic properties of these units are also influenced by depth and degree of fracturing, the hydraulic conductivity values of these hydrogeologic units can range over many orders of magnitude.

Buyer beware: personnel selling nail guns know little about dangerous tools.

PubMed

Lipscomb, Hester J; Nolan, James; Patterson, Dennis; Fullen, Mark; Takacs, Brandon C; Pompeii, Lisa A

2011-08-01

Nail gun use is ubiquitous in wood frame construction. Accessibility and decreasing costs have extended associated occupational hazards to consumers. Compelling evidence documents decreased injury risk among trained users and those with tools with sequential triggers. To prevent inadvertent discharge of nails, this safer trigger requires the nose be depressed before the trigger is pulled to fire. The sequential trigger is not required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) nor are there any guidelines for training. We collected data from personnel at 217 points of sale/rental of framing nail guns in four areas of the country. Sales personnel had little understanding of risks associated with use of framing nail guns. Individuals who had used the tool and those working in construction outlets were more likely to be knowledgeable; even so, less than half understood differences in trigger/actuation systems. Consumers, including contractors purchasing for workers, cannot count on receiving accurate information from sales personnel regarding risks associated with use of these tools. The attitudes and limited knowledge of some sales personnel regarding these potentially deadly tools likely contributes to a culture accepting of injury. The findings demonstrate how influences on the culture of construction are not limited to workers, employers, or the places construction gets done. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Use of a ground-water flow model with particle tracking to evaluate ground-water vulnerability, Clark County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snyder, D.T.; Wilkinson, J.M.; Orzol, L.L.

1996-01-01

A ground-water flow model was used in conjunction with particle tracking to evaluate ground-water vulnerability in Clark County, Washington. Using the particle-tracking program, particles were placed in every cell of the flow model (about 60,000 particles) and tracked backwards in time and space upgradient along flow paths to their recharge points. A new computer program was developed that interfaces the results from a particle-tracking program with a geographic information system (GIS). The GIS was used to display and analyze the particle-tracking results. Ground-water vulnerability was evaluated by selecting parts of the ground-water flow system and combining the results with ancillary information stored in the GIS to determine recharge areas, characteristics of recharge areas, downgradient impact of land use at recharge areas, and age of ground water. Maps of the recharge areas for each hydrogeologic unit illustrate the presence of local, intermediate, or regional ground-water flow systems and emphasize the three-dimensional nature of the ground-water flow system in Clark County. Maps of the recharge points for each hydrogeologic unit were overlaid with maps depicting aquifer sensitivity as determined by DRASTIC (a measure of the pollution potential of ground water, based on the intrinsic characteristics of the near-surface unsaturated and saturated zones) and recharge from on-site waste-disposal systems. A large number of recharge areas were identified, particularly in southern Clark County, that have a high aquifer sensitivity, coincide with areas of recharge from on-site waste-disposal systems, or both. Using the GIS, the characteristics of the recharge areas were related to the downgradient parts of the ground-water system that will eventually receive flow that has recharged through these areas. The aquifer sensitivity, as indicated by DRASTIC, of the recharge areas for downgradient parts of the flow system was mapped for each hydrogeologic unit. A number of public-supply wells in Clark County may be receiving a component of water that recharged in areas that are more conducive to contaminant entry. The aquifer sensitivity maps illustrate a critical deficiency in the DRASTIC methodology: the failure to account for the dynamics of the ground-water flow system. DRASTIC indices calculated for a particular location thus do not necessarily reflect the conditions of the ground-water resources at the recharge areas to that particular location. Each hydrogeologic unit was also mapped to highlight those areas that will eventually receive flow from recharge areas with on-site waste-disposal systems. Most public-supply wells in southern Clark County may eventually receive a component of water that was recharged from on-site waste-disposal systems.Traveltimes from particle tracking were used to estimate the minimum and maximum age of ground water within each model-grid cell. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-age dating of ground water from 51 wells was used to calibrate effective porosity values used for the particle- tracking program by comparison of ground-water ages determined through the use of the CFC-age dating with those calculated by the particle- tracking program. There was a 76 percent agreement in predicting the presence of modern water in the 51 wells as determined using CFCs and calculated by the particle-tracking program. Maps showing the age of ground water were prepared for all the hydrogeologic units. Areas with the youngest ground-water ages are expected to be at greatest risk for contamination from anthropogenic sources. Comparison of these maps with maps of public- supply wells in Clark County indicates that most of these wells may withdraw ground water that is, in part, less than 100 years old, and in many instances less than 10 years old. Results of the analysis showed that a single particle-tracking analysis simulating advective transport can be used to evaluate ground-water vulnerability for any part of a ground-wate

Flow of Cadmium from Rechargeable Batteries in the United States, 1996-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilburn, David R.

2007-01-01

Cadmium metal has been found to be toxic to humans and the environment under certain conditions; therefore, a thorough understanding of the use and disposal of the metal is warranted. Most of the cadmium used in the United States comes from imported products. In 2007, more than 83 percent of the cadmium used in the United States was contained in batteries, mostly in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries used in popular consumer products such as cordless phones and power tools. The flow of cadmium contained in rechageable nickel-cadmium batteries used in the United States was tracked for the years 1996 to 2007. The amount of cadmium metal contained in imported products in 2007 was estimated to be about 1,900 metric tons, or about 160 percent higher than the reported cadmium production in the United States from all primary and secondary sources. Although more than 40,000 metric tons of cadmium was estimated to be contained in nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries that became obsolete during the 12-year study period, not all of this material was sent to municipal solid waste landfills. About 27 percent of the material available for recovery in the United States was recycled domestically in 2007; the balance was discarded in municipal solid waste landfills, exported for recycling, retained in temporary storage, or thrown away.

Generation Y, wine and alcohol. A semantic differential approach to consumption analysis in Tuscany.

PubMed

Marinelli, Nicola; Fabbrizzi, Sara; Alampi Sottini, Veronica; Sacchelli, Sandro; Bernetti, Iacopo; Menghini, Silvio

2014-04-01

The aim of the study is the elicitation of the consumer's semantic perception of different alcoholic beverages in order to provide information for the definition of communication strategies for both the private sector (and specifically the wine industry) and the public decision maker. Such information can be seen as the basis of a wider social marketing construct aimed at the promotion of responsible drinking among young consumers. The semantic differential approach was used in this study. The data collection was based on a survey to 430 consumers between 18 and 35years old in Tuscany, Italy. The database was organized in a three-way structure, indexing the data in a multiway matrix. The data were processed using a Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Moreover, homogeneous clusters of consumers were identified using a Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC) approach. The results of the study highlight that beer and spirits are mainly perceived as "Young", "Social", "Euphoric", "Happy", "Appealing" and "Trendy" beverages, while wine is associated mostly with terms such as "Pleasure", "Quality" and "Comfortable". Furthermore, the cluster analysis allowed for the identification of three groups of individuals with different approaches to alcohol drinking. The results of the study supply a useful information framework for the elaboration of specific communication strategies that, based on the drinking habits of young consumers and their perception of different beverages, can use a language that is very close to the consumer typologies. Such information can be helpful for both private and public communication strategies. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Exploration of novel multifunctional open graded friction courses for in-situ highway runoff treatment July 1, 2014-June 30, 2016 : final research report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

Pervious Concrete Pavement (PCP), as one of open graded friction courses (OGFCs), has become attractive in roadway and parking lot constructions because of its economic, structural, and environmental advantages. It can facilitate the recharge of grou...

An investigation into variable recharge behaviors among eight alluvial observation wells in Pajarito Canyon, Los Alamos, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmeer, S. R.

2010-12-01

Pajarito Canyon in Los Alamos, New Mexico trends west to east through the Pajarito Plateau from the headwaters in the Jemez Mountains, thirteen miles to the Rio Grande. In summer 2008, Los Alamos National Laboratory installed eight shallow wells, numbered PCAO-5, 6, 7a, 7b1, 7b2, 7c, 8 and 9, in the middle four miles of this canyon. Among these wells, five distinct recharge behaviors have been observed. PCAO-5 demonstrates seasonal recharge in response to annual snowmelt. PCAO-6, while just 400 feet further downstream, is considerably flashier and the well is often dry for months at a time. In PCAO-7a, 7b2 and 7c, another two miles downstream, the water level declined steadily since installation, with no recharge until spring 2010. PCAO-7b1 has not contained water since drilling. Downstream a further two miles, PCAO-8 and PCAO-9 were dry for the majority of 2009 and their hydrographs are more attenuated. This investigation was undertaken to explain the recharge behaviors of the wells, with the goal of improving site selection and design of alluvial wells to provide better representation of the alluvial aquifer. Water level data collected since July 2008 were used to compare the water columns of each well. Well construction diagrams were utilized to construct stratigraphic maps in order to compare well construction and lithology. Results indicate that PCAO-5 consistently contains water due to its location above a flood retention structure (FRS) and the placement of its screened interval immediately above the tuff layer, forcing water to travel through the screened interval. PCAO-6’s flashy, intermittent hydrograph is due to its location downstream of the FRS, and because the bottom of the screened interval rests 2.5 feet above the alluvium-tuff interface, providing a conduit below the screen of the well. The similar behaviors of PCAO-7a, 7b2 and 7c result from their near-identical construction, lithology and location. The general decline of water level until spring 2010 was due to near-drought conditions in 2009. PCAO-7a retained more water more consistently through 2009 because its screened interval rests on the alluvium-tuff interface, whereas PCAO-7b2 and 7c are both screened similarly to PCAO-6. PCAO-7b1, which has not contained water since drilling, has its screened interval within the tuff later, preventing alluvial groundwater from reaching the screen. The attenuated hydrographs of PCAO-8 and 9 are possibly due to their downstream location; in the semi-arid study area, much of the alluvial groundwater sourced in the mountains may already have infiltrated towards the deeper aquifers before reaching the lower portion of the canyon. These results indicate that shallow wells in areas with a lithology similar to the study area should be constructed with a screened interval that rests directly on the alluvium-tuff interface, thereby forcing flow through the screen. Additionally, deep barriers such as the FRS will greatly inhibit consistent flow of alluvial groundwater into shallow wells built immediately downstream of the barrier. Finally, shallow wells in the lower portions of semi-arid canyons may not consistently contain water because source water from the mountains may infiltrate too deep before reaching the wells.

Patient or consumer? The colonization of the psychiatric clinic.

PubMed

Evans, Alicia M

2005-12-01

Information is given a privileged place in the psychiatric clinic, as illustrated by the prevalence and volume of data to be collected and forms to be completed by psychiatric nurses. Information though is different to knowledge. The present paper argues that information is part of a managerial discourse that implies commodification whereas knowledge is part of a clinical discourse that allows room for the suffering of the patient. Information belongs to the discourse of managerialism, one that positions the patient as customer/consumer and in doing so renders them unsuffering. The patient's suffering is silenced by their construction as a consumer. The discourse of managerialism seeks a complete data set of information. By way of contrast, another discourse, that of psychoanalysis offers the institution the idea that there are always holes, gaps, and uncertainty. The idea of uncertainty, gaps, things remaining unknown and a limit sits uncomfortably with the dominant discourse of managerialism; one that demands no limits, complete data sets, and many satisfied customers. This market model of managerialism denies the potential of the therapeutic relationship; that something curative might be produced via the transference. In addition, the managerialist discourse potentially positions the patient as both illegitimate and unsuffering.

Philosophers and Technologists: Vicarious and Virtual Knowledge Constructs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeese, Beverly D.

2007-01-01

In an age of continual technological advancement, user-friendly software, and consumer demand for the latest upgraded gadget, the ethical and moral discoveries derived from a careful reading of any fictional literature by college students is struggling in the American college classroom. Easy-access information systems, coinciding with the…

24 CFR 3282.404 - Manufacturers' determinations and related concurrences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... REGULATIONS Consumer Complaint Handling and Remedial Actions § 3282.404 Manufacturers' determinations and... manufacturer must review the information, the known facts, and the circumstances relating to the complaint or..., complaints that can be traced to the same faulty design or faulty construction, problems known to exist in...

High-Quality TiS2 For Li/TiS2 Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, Chen-Kuo; Surampudi, Subbarao; Shen, David H.; Delgiannis, Fotios; Halpert, Gerald

1992-01-01

Modified process for synthesis of battery-grade titanium sulfide (TiS2) yields substantially improved material for Li/TiS2 electrochemical cells. Includes all-vapor-phase reaction between sulfur and titanium. Product less dense and more homogeneous, consists of smaller particles of higher crystalline quality, and purer. Cells have high cathode utilization and long cycle life performance. Expected to find applications in rechargeable lithium batteries for spacecraft, military equipment, telecommunication systems, automobiles, and consumer products.

Flexible Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Solar cell "modules" are plastic strips coated with thin films of photovoltaic silicon that collect solar energy for instant conversion into electricity. Lasers divide the thin film coating into smaller cells to build up voltage. Developed by Iowa Thin Film Technologies under NASA and DOE grants, the modules are used as electrical supply for advertising displays, battery rechargers for recreational vehicles, and to power model airplanes. The company is planning other applications both in consumer goods and as a power source in underdeveloped countries.

Functional or constructive attitudes: Which type drives consumers' evaluation of meat products?

PubMed

Hamlin, Robert

2016-07-01

Consumer attitudes towards meat can be divided up into two types: Functional attitudes which are stable and exist over long periods of time, and constructive attitudes which are ephemeral and usually constructed at the point of sale. This research investigated the temporal and situational stability of meat consumers' attitudes by using the same established functional, multidimensional attitude instrument to generate attitude profiles for the four meat types: chicken/beef/lamb/poultry both as an abstracted construct and as a cue on a range of meat and meat-based products. The results showed that strong attitude profile was generated by the meat types as abstracted constructs, but that this profile broke down completely when the food products carrying the same meat types were evaluated. This result indicates that consumer attitudes may not be temporally or situationally stable, which in turn suggests that consumers' evaluation and choice of meat products may be driven to a greater or lesser extent by constructive rather than functional attitudes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater movement, and water budget of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welch, Wendy B.; Frans, Lonna M.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2014-01-01

This report presents information used to characterize the groundwater-flow system on the Kitsap Peninsula, and includes descriptions of the geology and hydrogeologic framework, groundwater recharge and discharge, groundwater levels and flow directions, seasonal groundwater-level fluctuations, interactions between aquifers and the surface‑water system, and a water budget. The Kitsap Peninsula is in the Puget Sound lowland of west-central Washington, is bounded by Puget Sound on the east and by Hood Canal on the west, and covers an area of about 575 square miles. The peninsula encompasses all of Kitsap County, the part of Mason County north of Hood Canal, and part of Pierce County west of Puget Sound. The peninsula is surrounded by saltwater and the hydrologic setting is similar to that of an island. The study area is underlain by a thick sequence of unconsolidated glacial and interglacial deposits that overlie sedimentary and volcanic bedrock units that crop out in the central part of the study area. Geologic units were grouped into 12 hydrogeologic units consisting of aquifers, confining units, and an underlying bedrock unit. A surficial hydrogeologic unit map was developed and used with well information from 2,116 drillers’ logs to construct 6 hydrogeologic sections and unit extent and thickness maps. Unconsolidated aquifers typically consist of moderately to well-sorted alluvial and glacial outwash deposits of sand, gravel, and cobbles, with minor lenses of silt and clay. These units often are discontinuous or isolated bodies and are of highly variable thickness. Unconfined conditions occur in areas where aquifer units are at land surface; however, much of the study area is mantled by glacial till, and confined aquifer conditions are common. Groundwater in the unconsolidated aquifers generally flows radially off the peninsula in the direction of Puget Sound and Hood Canal. These generalized flow patterns likely are complicated by the presence of low-permeability confining units that separate discontinuous bodies of aquifer material and act as local groundwater-flow barriers. Groundwater-level fluctuations observed during the monitoring period (2011–12) in wells completed in unconsolidated hydrogeologic units indicated seasonal variations ranging from 1 to about 20 feet. The largest fluctuation of 33 feet occurred in a well that was completed in the bedrock unit. Streamgage discharge measurements made during 2012 indicate that groundwater discharge to creeks in the area ranged from about 0.41 to 33.3 cubic feet per second. During 2012, which was an above-average year of precipitation, the groundwater system received an average of about 664,610 acre-feet of recharge from precipitation and 22,122 acre-feet of recharge from return flows. Most of this annual recharge (66 percent) discharged to streams, and only about 4 percent was withdrawn from wells. The remaining groundwater recharge (30 percent) left the groundwater system as discharge to Hood Canal and Puget Sound.

Modeling the impacts of dryland agricultural reclamation on groundwater resources in Northern Egypt using sparse data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Switzman, Harris; Coulibaly, Paulin; Adeel, Zafar

2015-01-01

Demand for freshwater in many dryland environments is exerting negative impacts on the quality and availability of groundwater resources, particularly in areas where demand is high due to irrigation or industrial water requirements to support dryland agricultural reclamation. Often however, information available to diagnose the drivers of groundwater degradation and assess management options through modeling is sparse, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This study presents an approach for generating transient groundwater model inputs to assess the long-term impacts of dryland agricultural land reclamation on groundwater resources in a highly data-sparse context. The approach was applied to the area of Wadi El Natrun in Northern Egypt, where dryland reclamation and the associated water use has been aggressive since the 1960s. Statistical distributions of water use information were constructed from a variety of sparse field and literature estimates and then combined with remote sensing data in spatio-temporal infilling model to produce the groundwater model inputs of well-pumping and surface recharge. An ensemble of groundwater model inputs were generated and used in a 3D groundwater flow (MODFLOW) of Wadi El Natrun's multi-layer aquifer system to analyze trends in water levels and water budgets over time. Validation of results against monitoring records, and model performance statistics demonstrated that despite the extremely sparse data, the approach used in this study was capable of simulating the cumulative impacts of agricultural land reclamation reasonably well. The uncertainty associated with the groundwater model itself was greater than that associated with the ensemble of well-pumping and surface recharge estimates. Water budget analysis of the groundwater model output revealed that groundwater recharge has not changed significantly over time, while pumping has. As a result of these trends, groundwater was estimated to be in a deficit of approximately 24 billion m3 (±15%) in 2011, compared to 1957. A significant trend in water level declines beginning in the 1990s that has been observed in monitoring records was evident in the model results and is directly attributed to abstraction.

Transparency--"Deal or no deal"?

PubMed

Lutz, Sandy

2007-01-01

In the United States, transparency is becoming an ideal worthy of Mom and apple pie, like quality in healthcare. Physicians, payers, hospitals, business associations, and organizations representing patients have all chimed in expressing support. At the local, state, and national levels a variety of transparency initiatives are under way. How will transparency affect the healthcare industry? Transparency could profoundly change today's balance of power, for it is about information, and information is power. As employers push more cost sharing to workers, hospitals and health systems will have to construct a pricing structure that is meaningful to consumers. What are providers to do? To be successful with this new demand, providers should make sure they are making quality information as well as pricing information available to consumers. They will have to know the market, know what their own prices mean, consider the customer, and reengineer business processes around the patient rather than around the billing side of business.

Alluvial groundwater recharge estimation in semi-arid environment using remotely sensed data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coelho, Victor Hugo R.; Montenegro, Suzana; Almeida, Cristiano N.; Silva, Bernardo B.; Oliveira, Leidjane M.; Gusmão, Ana Cláudia V.; Freitas, Emerson S.; Montenegro, Abelardo A. A.

2017-05-01

Data limitations on groundwater (GW) recharge over large areas are still a challenge for efficient water resource management, especially in semi-arid regions. Thus, this study seeks to integrate hydrological cycle variables from satellite imagery to estimate the spatial distribution of GW recharge in the Ipanema river basin (IRB), which is located in the State of Pernambuco in Northeast Brazil. Remote sensing data, including monthly maps (2011-2012) of rainfall, runoff and evapotranspiration, are used as input for the water balance method within Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Rainfall data are derived from the TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) Version 7 (3B43V7) product and present the same monthly average temporal distributions from 15 rain gauges that are distributed over the study area (r = 0.93 and MAE = 12.7 mm), with annual average estimates of 894.3 (2011) and 300.7 mm (2012). The runoff from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) method, which is based on regional soil information and Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor image, represents 29% of the TMPA rainfall that was observed across two years of study. Actual evapotranspiration data, which were provided by the SEBAL application of MODIS images, present annual averages of 1213 (2011) and 1067 (2012) mm. The water balance results reveal a large inter-annual difference in the IRB GW recharge, which is characterized by different rainfall regimes, with averages of 30.4 (2011) and 4.7 (2012) mm year-1. These recharges were mainly observed between January and July in regions with alluvial sediments and highly permeable soils. The GW recharge approach with remote sensing is compared to the WTF (Water Table Fluctuation) method, which is used in an area of alluvium in the IRB. The estimates from these two methods exhibit reliable annual agreement, with average values of 154.6 (WTF) and 124.6 (water balance) mm in 2011. These values correspond to 14.89 and 13.53% of the rainfall that was recorded at the rain gauges and the TMPA, respectively. Only the WTF method indicates a very low recharge of 15.9 mm for the second year. The values in this paper provide reliable insight regarding the use of remotely sensed data to evaluate the rates of alluvial GW recharge in regions where the potential runoff cannot be disregarded from WB equation and must be calculated spatially.

Rainfall recharge estimation on a nation-wide scale using satellite information in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westerhoff, Rogier; White, Paul; Moore, Catherine

2015-04-01

Models of rainfall recharge to groundwater are challenged by the need to combine uncertain estimates of rainfall, evapotranspiration, terrain slope, and unsaturated zone parameters (e.g., soil drainage and hydraulic conductivity of the subsurface). Therefore, rainfall recharge is easiest to estimate on a local scale in well-drained plains, where it is known that rainfall directly recharges groundwater. In New Zealand, this simplified approach works in the policy framework of regional councils, who manage water allocation at the aquifer and sub-catchment scales. However, a consistent overview of rainfall recharge is difficult to obtain at catchment and national scale: in addition to data uncertainties, data formats are inconsistent between catchments; the density of ground observations, where these exist, differs across regions; each region typically uses different local models for estimating recharge components; and different methods and ground observations are used for calibration and validation of these models. The research described in this paper therefore presents a nation-wide approach to estimate rainfall recharge in New Zealand. The method used is a soil water balance approach, with input data from national rainfall and soil and geology databases. Satellite data (i.e., evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and terrain) aid in the improved calculation of rainfall recharge, especially in data-sparse areas. A first version of the model has been implemented on a 1 km x 1 km and monthly scale between 2000 and 2013. A further version will include a quantification of recharge estimate uncertainty: with both "top down" input error propagation methods and catchment-wide "bottom up" assessments of integrated uncertainty being adopted. Using one nation-wide methodology opens up new possibilities: it can, for example, help in more consistent estimation of water budgets, groundwater fluxes, or other hydrological parameters. Since recharge is estimated for the entire land surface, and not only the known aquifers, the model also identifies other zones that could potentially recharge aquifers, including large areas (e.g., mountains) that are currently regarded as impervious. The resulting rainfall recharge data have also been downscaled in a 200 m x 200 m calculation of a national monthly water table. This will lead to better estimation of hydraulic conductivity, which holds considerable potential for further research in unconfined aquifers in New Zealand.

Ultrafast synthesis of Te nanorods as cathode materials for lithium-tellurium batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Dekang; Li, Shu; Xiao, Xin; Cao, Minglei; Gao, Lin; Xiang, Yong-Gang; Chen, Hao; Shen, Yan

2017-12-01

Recently, tellurium has been regarded as a promising cathode material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical volumetric capacity. However, a plethora of research are focusing on impregnating the tellurium into porous carbon materials by the thermal-diffusion method, which would consume large amounts of energy and take prolonged time. Herein, a carbon and binder-free cathode with 100% Te is fabricated by a facile galvanic replacement method on a nickle foam. Driven by the large electrochemical potential difference between Ni and Te, desirable amounts of Te can be obtained in just 10 min with no need of energy input. Li-Te batteries constructed by the as-obtained cathode show relatively good performance in DMSO solvent. To further elevate the performance of this battery especially at low current density, commercial carbon cloth is added between the separator and Te electrode as an interlayer. The cell with interlayer delivers a gravimetric capacity of 116.2 mAh g-1 after 70 cycles at the current density of 100 mA g-1, which is 2.8 times as high as that of a cell without interlayer (40.4 mAh g-1).

Fringe projection profilometry with portable consumer devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Danji; Pan, Zhipeng; Wu, Yuxiang; Yue, Huimin

2018-01-01

A fringe projection profilometry (FPP) using portable consumer devices is attractive because it can realize optical three dimensional (3D) measurement for ordinary consumers in their daily lives. We demonstrate a FPP using a camera in a smart mobile phone and a digital consumer mini projector. In our experiment of testing the smart phone (iphone7) camera performance, the rare-facing camera in the iphone7 causes the FPP to have a fringe contrast ratio of 0.546, nonlinear carrier phase aberration value of 0.6 rad, and nonlinear phase error of 0.08 rad and RMS random phase error of 0.033 rad. In contrast, the FPP using the industrial camera has a fringe contrast ratio of 0.715, nonlinear carrier phase aberration value of 0.5 rad, nonlinear phase error of 0.05 rad and RMS random phase error of 0.011 rad. Good performance is achieved by using the FPP composed of an iphone7 and a mini projector. 3D information of a facemask with a size for an adult is also measured by using the FPP that uses portable consumer devices. After the system calibration, the 3D absolute information of the facemask is obtained. The measured results are in good agreement with the ones that are carried out in a traditional way. Our results show that it is possible to use portable consumer devices to construct a good FPP, which is useful for ordinary people to get 3D information in their daily lives.

Correlation between hedonic liking and facial expression measurement using dynamic affective response representation.

PubMed

Zhi, Ruicong; Wan, Jingwei; Zhang, Dezheng; Li, Weiping

2018-06-01

Emotional reactions towards products play an essential role in consumers' decision making, and are more important than rational evaluation of sensory attributes. It is crucial to understand consumers' emotion, and the relationship between sensory properties, human liking and choice. There are many inconsistencies between Asian and Western consumers in the usage of hedonic scale, as well as the intensity of facial reactions, due to different culture and consuming habits. However, very few studies discussed the facial responses characteristics of Asian consumers during food consumption. In this paper, explicit liking measurement (hedonic scale) and implicit emotional measurement (facial expressions) were evaluated to judge the consumers' emotions elicited by five types of juices. The contributions of this study included: (1) Constructed the relationship model between hedonic liking and facial expressions analyzed by face reading technology. Negative emotions "sadness", "anger", and "disgust" showed noticeable high negative correlation tendency to hedonic scores. The "liking" hedonic scores could be characterized by positive emotion "happiness". (2) Several emotional intensity based parameters, especially dynamic parameter, were extracted to describe the facial characteristic in sensory evaluation procedure. Both amplitude information and frequency information were involved in the dynamic parameters to remain more information of the emotional responses signals. From the comparison of four types of emotional descriptive parameters, the maximum parameter and dynamic parameter were suggested to be utilized for representing emotional state and intensities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Definition of Groundwater Recharge Area Using GIS Approach -A Case Study of Choshuihsi Alluvial Fan, Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, JuiPin; Chen, Yu Wen; Chang, Liang Cheng; Chiang, Chun Jung; Chen, Jui Er; Chen, You Cheng

2013-04-01

Groundwater recharge areas are regions with high permeability that accept surface water more readily than other regions. If the land use/cover were changed, it would affect the groundwater recharge. Also, if this area were polluted, the contamination easily infiltrates into the groundwater system. Therefore, the goal of this study is to delineate the recharge area of Choshuihsi Alluvial Fan. This study applies 6 recharge potential scale factors, including land use/land cover, soil, drainage density, annual average rainfall, hydraulic conductivity and aquifer thickness to estimate the infiltration ability and storage capacity of study area. The fundamental data of these factors were digitized using GIS (Geographic Information System) technology and their GIS maps were created. Then each of these maps was translated to a score map ranged from 1 to 100. Moreover, these score maps are integrated as a recharge potential map using arithmetic average, and this map shows recharge potential in 5 levels, such as very poor, poor, moderate, good and excellent. The result shows that majority of "good" and "excellent" areas is located at the top of the fan. This is because the land use of top-fan is agricultural and its surface soil type is gravel and coarse. The top-fan, which is close to mountain areas, has a higher average annual rainfall than other areas. Also, the aquifer thickness of top-fan is much thicker than other areas. The percentage of the areas ranged as "good" and above is 9.63% of total area, and most areas located at top-fan. As a result, we suggest that the top-fan of study area should be protected and more field surveys are required to accurately delineate the recharge area boundary.

Vulnerability of recently recharged groundwater in principal aquifers of the United States to nitrate contamination

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gurdak, Jason J.; Qi, Sharon L.

2012-01-01

Recently recharged water (defined here as <60 years old) is generally the most vulnerable part of a groundwater resource to nonpoint-source nitrate contamination. Understanding at the appropriate scale the interactions of natural and anthropogenic controlling factors that influence nitrate occurrence in recently recharged groundwater is critical to support best management and policy decisions that are often made at the aquifer to subaquifer scale. New logistic regression models were developed using data from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program and National Water Information System for 17 principal aquifers of the U.S. to identify important source, transport, and attenuation factors that control nonpoint source nitrate concentrations greater than relative background levels in recently recharged groundwater and were used to predict the probability of detecting elevated nitrate in areas beyond the sampling network. Results indicate that dissolved oxygen, crops and irrigated cropland, fertilizer application, seasonally high water table, and soil properties that affect infiltration and denitrification are among the most important factors in predicting elevated nitrate concentrations. Important differences in controlling factors and spatial predictions were identified in the principal aquifer and national-scale models and support the conclusion that similar spatial scales are needed between informed groundwater management and model development.

Assessment of artificial recharge at Sand Hollow Reservoir, Washington County, Utah, Updated to Conditions through 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heilweil, Victor M.; Susong, David D.

2007-01-01

Sand Hollow, Utah, is the site of a surface-water reservoir completed in March 2002 and operated by the Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD) primarily as an aquifer storage and recovery project. The reservoir is an off-channel facility that receives water from the Virgin River, diverted near the town of Virgin, Utah. Hydrologic data collected are described and listed in this report, including ground-water levels, reservoir stage, reservoir-water temperature, meteorology, evaporation, and estimated ground-water recharge. Since the construction of the reservoir in 2002, diversions from the Virgin River have resulted in generally rising stage and surface area. Large spring run-off volumes during 2005-06 allowed the WCWCD to fill the reservoir to near capacity, with a surface area of about 1,300 acres in 2006. Reservoir stage reached a record altitude of about 3,060 feet in May 2006, resulting in a depth of nearly 90 feet and a reservoir storage of about 51,000 acre-feet. Water temperature in the reservoir shows large seasonal variation and has ranged from about 5 to 32?C. Estimated ground-water recharge rates have ranged from 0.01 to 0.43 feet per day. Estimated recharge volumes have ranged from about 200 to about 3,500 acre-feet per month. Total ground-water recharge from March 2002 through August 2006 is estimated to be about 51,000 acre-feet. Estimated evaporation rates have varied from 0.05 to 0.97 feet per month, resulting in evaporation losses of 20 to 1,200 acre-feet per month. Total evaporation from March 2002 through August 2006 is estimated to be about 17,000 acre-feet. The combination of generally declining recharge rates and increasing reservoir altitude and area explains the trend of an increasing ratio of evaporation to recharge volume over time, with the total volume of water lost through evaporation nearly as large as the volume of ground-water recharge during the first 8 months of 2006. With removal of the viscosity effects (caused by seasonal water temperature variations), the intrinsic permeability indicates a large seasonal variation in clogging, with large winter increases likely caused by a combination of both decreased biofilms and the reduced volume of trapped gas bubbles.

Legal Regulation and Consumers: The RFID Industry's Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronzani, Daniel

Many journal articles have presented research on the adoption and diffusion of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) from a regulatory or consumer perspective. This research takes a reverse viewpoint. It researches the industry's experience with regulation by law and its experience with consumers. First, semi-structured interviews with RFID industry stakeholders are conducted on the topics of (UHF) frequency law, database law, and privacy law. Second, the industry's experience with (i) regulation by law and (ii) the consumers is collected in a worldwide online survey with companies and organisations that research, produce, sell, and consult on RFID technology. Third, empirical data is evaluated by different territories and industries to discuss four observations about legal regulation and consumers made by the authors with four feedback observations from the online survey. Given the evaluation of the empirical data, this article recommends that the RFID industry engage in better constructive dialogue with the legal regulator , strengthen its knowledge on applicable legislation, and re-evaluate its information policy to the consumer.

A theoretical model to explain the smart technology adoption behaviors of elder consumers (Elderadopt).

PubMed

Golant, Stephen M

2017-08-01

A growing global population of older adults is potential consumers of a category of products referred to as smart technologies, but also known as telehealth, telecare, information and communication technologies, robotics, and gerontechnology. This paper constructs a theoretical model to explain whether older people will adopt smart technology options to cope with their discrepant individual or environmental circumstances, thereby enabling them to age in place. Its proposed constructs and relationships are drawn from multiple academic disciplines and professional specialties, and an extensive literature focused on the factors influencing the acceptance of these smart technologies. It specifically examines whether older adults will substitute these new technologies for traditional coping solutions that rely on informal and formal care assistance and low technology related products. The model argues that older people will more positively evaluate smart technology alternatives when they feel more stressed because of their unmet needs, have greater resilience (stronger perceptions of self-efficacy and greater openness to new information), and are more strongly persuaded by their sources of outside messaging (external information) and their past experiences (internal information). It proposes that older people distinguish three attributes of these coping options when they appraise them: perceived efficaciousness, perceived usability, and perceived collateral damages. The more positively older people evaluate these attributes, the more likely that they will adopt these smart technology products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space benefits: The secondary application of aerospace technology in other sectors of the economy. [(information dissemination and technology transfer from NASA programs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Space Benefits is a publication that has been prepared for the NASA Technology Utilization Office by the Denver Research Institute's Program for Transfer Research and Impact Studies, to provide the Agency with accurate, convenient, and integrated resource information on the transfer of aerospace technology to other sectors of the U.S. economy. The technological innovations derived from NASA space programs and their current applications in the following areas are considered: (1) manufacturing consumer products, (2) manufacturing capital goods, (3) new consumer products and retailing, (4) electric utilities, (5) environmental quality, (6) food production and processing, (7) government, (8) petroleum and gas, (9) construction, (10) law enforcement, and (11) highway transportation.

Silicon-tin oxynitride glassy composition and use as anode for lithium-ion battery

DOEpatents

Neudecker, Bernd J.; Bates, John B.

2001-01-01

Disclosed are silicon-tin oxynitride glassy compositions which are especially useful in the construction of anode material for thin-film electrochemical devices including rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, electrochromic mirrors, electrochromic windows, and actuators. Additional applications of silicon-tin oxynitride glassy compositions include optical fibers and optical waveguides.

Fate of individual sewage disposal system wastewater within regolith in mountainous terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dano, Kathleen; Poeter, Eileen; Thyne, Geoff

2008-06-01

In order to improve understanding of the fate of septic tank or individual sewage disposal system (ISDS) effluent in regolith overlying fractured-rock aquifers, effluent from an ISDS in such a setting was tracked via geophysical, hydrological, and geochemical methods. Under typical precipitation conditions, the effluent entered the fractured bedrock within 5 m of the boundary of the constructed infiltration area. During a period of unusually high spring recharge, the plume migrated between 50 and 100 m within the regolith before infiltrating the fractured bedrock. The chemical signature of the effluent is similar to that required to account for the decline in water quality, suggesting a causative relationship (as estimated from mass-balance models of the surface-water chemistry near the mouth of the basin). The elevated salt content of the effluent during periods of high natural recharge to the infiltration area correlates with elevated salt concentrations in surface and groundwater at the basin scale, suggesting that some of the effluent salt load may be stored in the unsaturated zone during dry periods and flushed during periods of elevated natural recharge.

Impact of coastal forcing and groundwater recharge on the growth of a fresh groundwater lens in a mega-scale beach nourishment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huizer, Sebastian; Radermacher, Max; de Vries, Sierd; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2018-02-01

For a large beach nourishment called the Sand Engine - constructed in 2011 at the Dutch coast - we have examined the impact of coastal forcing (i.e. natural processes that drive coastal hydro- and morphodynamics) and groundwater recharge on the growth of a fresh groundwater lens between 2011 and 2016. Measurements of the morphological change and the tidal dynamics at the study site were incorporated in a calibrated three-dimensional and variable-density groundwater model of the study area. Simulations with this model showed that the detailed incorporation of both the local hydro- and morphodynamics and the actual recharge rate can result in a reliable reconstruction of the growth in fresh groundwater resources. In contrast, the neglect of tidal dynamics, land-surface inundations, and morphological changes in model simulations can result in considerable overestimations of the volume of fresh groundwater. In particular, wave runup and coinciding coastal erosion during storm surges limit the growth in fresh groundwater resources in dynamic coastal environments, and should be considered at potential nourishment sites to delineate the area that is vulnerable to salinization.

Effect of spatially and temporally variable recharge on subsurface reactive transport of contaminants at Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, J.; Lichtner, P. C.; Mills, R. T.; Hammond, G. E.; Svyatskiy, D.; Tang, G.; Brooks, S. C.; Watson, D. B.; Parker, J.

2011-12-01

Recharge is one of the most fundamental components of groundwater systems which drives both flow and transport in the subsurface and plays an important role in the migration of contaminants at the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site. The area receives an average of 137 cm of precipitation per year, most of it during winter. About 50% of the precipitation is lost to evapotranspiration, 40% runs off directly to surface water, and less than 10% recharges to ground water. The migration of the reactive contaminant plume at the site is modeled using the massively parallel flow and reactive transport model PFLOTRAN. The geology at the site consists of dipping beds of limestone, shale and sandstone with strike N 55° E and dip 45° SE, over which is superimposed a highly porous, horizontally oriented, saprolite weathering profile. To model this system in 3-D a grid was constructed with x-axis aligned with the strike of the geologic formation and z-axis vertical. This formulation requires a full permeability tensor with off-diagonal components obtained by rotation of the principal axes tensor through the formation dip angle. A full tensor capability was implemented in PFLOTRAN using the mimetic finite difference (MFD) method, a mass conserving, second-order accurate scheme with auxiliary pressure degrees of freedom at grid cell faces. A complex geochemical fluid with 17 primary reactive species and a number of minerals was implemented to model the contaminant discharged from the S-3 ponds at the ORIFRC site. A 50-year history of observed rainfall at the site was used as input to the model to estimate transient recharge conditions and to study the effect of spatially and temporally varied recharge. Results from the investigations of impact of spatio-temporal variation in recharge on the migration of contaminant plume will be presented.

Climate impact on groundwater systems: the past is the key to the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Ploeg, Martine; Cendón, Dioni; Haldorsen, Sylvi; Chen, Jinyao; Gurdak, Jason; Tujchneider, Ofelia; Vaikmäe, Rein; Purtschert, Roland; Chkir Ben Jemâa, Najiba

2013-04-01

Groundwater is a significant part of the global hydrological cycle and supplies fresh drinking water to almost half of the world's population. While groundwater supplies are buffered against short-term effects of climate variability, they can be impacted over longer time scales through changes in precipitation, ,evaporation, recharge rate, melting of glaciers or permafrost, vegetation, and land-use. Moreover, uncontrolled groundwater extraction has and will lead to irreversible depletion of fresh water resources in many areas. The impact of climate variability and groundwater extraction on the resilience of groundwater systems is still not fully understood (Green et al. 2011). Groundwater stores environmental and climatic information acquired during the recharge process, which integrates different signals, like recharge temperature, origin of precipitation, and dissolved constituents. This information can be used to estimate palaeo recharge temperatures, palaeo atmospheric dynamics and residence time of groundwater within the aquifer (Stute et al. 1995, Clark and Fritz 1997, Collon et al. 2000, Edmunds et al. 2003, Cartwright et al. 2007, Kreuzer et al. 2009, Currell et al. 2010, Raidla et al. 2012, Salem et al. 2012). The climatic signals incorporated by groundwater during recharge have the potential to provide a regionally integrated proxy of climatic variations at the time of recharge. Groundwater palaeoclimate information is affected by diffusion-dispersion processes (Davison and Airey, 1982) and/or water-rock interaction (Clark and Fritz, 1997), making palaeoclimate information deduced from groundwater inherently a low resolution record. While the signal resolution can be limited, recharge follows major climatic events, and more importantly, shows how those aquifers and their associated recharge varies under climatic forcing. While the characterization of groundwater resources, surface-groundwater interactions and their link to the global water cycle are an important focus, little attention has been given to groundwater as a potential record of past climate variations. A groundwater system's history is vital to forecast its vulnerability under future and potentially adverse climatic changes. By processing groundwater information from vast regions and different continents, recharge and palaeoclimate can be correlated at a global scale. To successfully evaluate the sustainability of groundwater resources, "the past is the key to the future". To address the identified lack of palaeoclimatic data available from groundwater studies, a global collaboration has been set-up in 2011 called Groundwater@Global Palaeoclimate Signals (www.gw-gps.com), and has already more than 70 participants from 5 continents. Since 2012 G@GPS receives seed funding to support meetings by the International Geoscience Programme, the International Union for Quaternary Research and UNESCO-GRAPHIC International Hydrologic Project. This collaboration targets groundwater basins on five continents —Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe — containing vast groundwater resources with an estimated dependence of tens of millions of people. We will present G@GPS, show examples from groundwater basins, and discuss possibilities to integrate groundwater information from these basins. References Cartwright, I. et al. 2007. Consraining modern and historical recharge from bore hydrographs, 3H, 14C, and chloride concentrations: Applications to dual-porosity aquifers in dryland salinity areas, Murray Basin, Australia. J. Hydrol. 332: 69-92. Clark, I. and P. Fritz. 1997. Environmental isotopes in hydrogeology, Lewis Publishers. Collon, P. et al. 2000. 81Kr in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia: a new method for dating very old groundwater. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 182: 103-113. Currell, M. J. et al. 2010. Recharge history and controls on groundwater quality in the Yuncheng Basin, north China, J. Hydrol. 385: 216-229. Davison, M. R. and P. L. Airey. 1982. The effect of dispersion on the establishment of a paleoclimatic record from groundwater. J. Hydrol. 58: 131-147. Edmunds, W. M. et al. 2003. Groundwater evolution in the Continental Intercalaire aquifer of southern Algeria and Tunisia: trace element and isotopic indicators, Applied Geochemistry 18: 805-822. Green, T.R. et al. 2011. Beneath the surface of global change: Impacts of climate change on groundwater. J. Hydrol 405: 532-560. Kreuzer, A. M. et al. 2009. A record of temperature and monsoon intensity over the past 40 kyr from groundwater in the North China Plain, Chemical Geology 259: 168-180. Raidla, V., Kirsimäe, K., Vaikmäe, R., Kaup, E., and Martma, T., 2012, Carbon isotope systematics of the Cambrian-Vendian aquifer system in the northern Baltic Basin: Implications to the age and evolution of groundwater: Applied Geochemistry, v. 27(10), p. 2042-2052. Salem, S.B.H., Chkir, N., Zouari, K., Cognard-Plancq , A. L., Valles, V, and Marc, V., 2012, Natural and artificial recharge investigation in the Zéroud Basin,Central Tunisia: impact of Sidi Saad Dam storage. Environmental Earth Sciences, v., 66, p. 1099-1110. Stute M., Forster M., Frischkorn H., Serejo A., Clark J. F., Schlosser P., Broecker W. S., and Bonani G. (1995) Cooling of tropical Brazil (5 °C) during the Last Glacial Maximum. Science 269, 379-383.

Evidence and Ideology on Consumer Choices in Education Markets: An Alternative Analytical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubienski, Christopher; Garn, Gregg

2010-01-01

The question of how information is used by parents in selecting schools is a central issue in school choice debates, where advocates and opponents frequently intermingle theory (often economic), ideological beliefs, and empirical evidence in constructing arguments about the potential of this reform. We employ a nomination strategy to analyze…

Strength and durability of one-part polyurethane adhesive bonds to wood

Treesearch

C. B. Vick; E. A. Okkonen

1998-01-01

One-part polyurethane wood adhesives comprise a new class of general purpose consumer products. Manufacturersa claims of waterproof bonds brought many inquiries to the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) from users constructing aircraft, boats, lawn furniture, and other laminated materials for outdoor use. Although FPL has technical information on several types of...

7 CFR 1942.18 - Community facilities-Planning, bidding, contracting, constructing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Poisoning and Prevention Act of 1971 (42 U.S.C. 4801) and the National Consumer Health Information and... (Government Printing Office stock No. 041-001-00187-5) as prepared by the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. (14) Pipe. All pipe used shall meet current American Society for...

National crisis, supranational opportunity: the Irish construction of abortion as a European service.

PubMed

Fletcher, R

2000-11-01

In the late 1980s, the anti-abortion movement successfully sought injunctions against pregnancy counselling centres and students' unions in Ireland, preventing them from distributing information on how to obtain an abortion abroad. One of the defensive arguments that the students' unions employed was to claim that the distribution of abortion information was protected as an aspect of the free movement of services under European Community law. This paper addresses the implications of categorising abortion as a supranational economic service for feminist legal strategy. The advantages of categorising abortion as a service to which women have access as consumers are that it legitimates abortion and it provides a new strategy for making abortion claims. The disadvantages are that a woman's legal interest in abortion is based on her capacity to buy the service, fetal life is rendered devoid of value, and the service supplier has as much say about the abortion transaction as the woman consumer. If feminist legal strategy is to successfully use the legal construction of abortion as an economic service, it must work to minimise such negative implications.

Micro-Intertexture Carbon-Free Iron Sulfides as Advanced High Tap Density Anodes for Rechargeable Batteries.

PubMed

Xiao, Ying; Hwang, Jang-Yeon; Sun, Yang-Kook

2017-11-15

Numerous materials have been considered as promising electrode materials for rechargeable batteries; however, developing efficient materials to achieving good cycling performance and high volumetric energy capacity simultaneously remains a great challenge. Considering the appealing properties of iron sulfides, which include low cost, high theoretical capacity, and favorable electrochemical conversion mechanism, in this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of carbon-free microscale Fe 1-x S as high-efficiency anode materials for rechargeable batteries by designing hierarchical intertexture architecture. The as-prepared intertexture Fe 1-x S microspheres constructed from nanoscale units take advantage of both the long cycle life of nanoscale units and the high tap density (1.13 g cm -3 ) of the micro-intertexture Fe 1-x S. As a result, high capacities of 1089.2 mA h g -1 (1230.8 mA h cm -3 ) and 624.7 mA h g -1 (705.9 mA h cm -3 ) were obtained after 100 cycles at 1 A g -1 in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries, respectively, demonstrating one of the best performances for iron sulfide-based electrodes. Even after deep cycling at 20 A g -1 , satisfactory capacities could be retained. Related results promote the practical application of metal sulfides as high-capacity electrodes with high rate capability for next-generation rechargeable batteries.

Climate proxy data as groundwater tracers in regional flow systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, J. F.; Morrissey, S. K.; Stute, M.

2008-05-01

The isotopic and chemical signatures of groundwater reflect local climate conditions. By systematically analyzing groundwater and determining their hydrologic setting, records of past climates can be constructed. Because of their chemistries and relatively uncomplicated source functions, dissolved noble gases have yielded reliable records of continental temperatures for the last 30,000 to 50,000 years. Variations in the stable isotope compositions of groundwater due to long term climate changes have also been documented over these time scales. Because glacial - interglacial climate changes are relatively well known, these climate proxies can be used as "stratigraphic" markers within flow systems and used to distinguish groundwaters that have recharged during the Holocene from those recharged during the last glacial period, important time scales for distinguishing regional and local flow systems in many aquifers. In southern Georgia, the climate proxy tracers were able to identify leakage from surface aquifers into the Upper Floridan aquifer in areas previously thought to be confined. In south Florida, the transition between Holocene and glacial signatures in the Upper Floridan aquifer occurs mid-way between the recharge area and Lake Okeechobee. Down gradient of the lake, the proxies are uniform, indicating recharge during the last glacial period. Furthermore, there is no evidence for leakage from the shallow aquifers into the Upper Floridan. In the Lower Floridan, the climate proxies indicate that the saline water entered the aquifer after sea level rose to its present level.

Mineral of the month: cadmium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klimasauskas, Edward

2005-01-01

Cadmium, which was once used almost exclusively for pigments, now has many diverse applications. Cadmium’s low melting point, excellent electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion make it valuable for many products including batteries, electroplated coatings, stabilizers for plastics, solar cells and nonferrous alloys. Today’s cadmium is primarily used in rechargeable batteries, accounting for about 78 percent of consumption in 2004. In 2000, an estimated 3.5 billion consumer batteries were sold in the United States, of which almost 10 percent were nickel-cadmium batteries.

The Implication of Agricultural Expansion on the Groundwater Flow Regime of Saq Aquifer in Al Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, T.; Mansour Helmy, B. M.

2017-12-01

Al-Qassim Region in Saudi Arabia is characterized by expanding agricultural activities. Most agricultural fields are irrigated by groundwater, mainly from the Saq aquifer. Excessive water extraction from this aquifer and arid climatic conditions negatively alter the quality and quantity of the groundwater. In this study, detailed hydrological and hydrogeological investigations were carried out to characterize spatially the potential groundwater recharge zones, deal with the estimation of groundwater balance of the Saq aquifer in the study area and to assess the safe yield of the aquifer. Accordingly, the implication of agricultural expansion on groundwater flow regime of Saq aquifer and its relation with safe yield and groundwater recharge was evaluated. The water-budget was calculated and the main water Inputs and outputs were measured. Change detections of agricultural areas in the region for years, 1983, 1995 and 2005 were conducted using Landsat Satellite images and results were compared to water levels for same years. There are two potential recharge zones for Saq aquifer in the area, both are structurally controlled. The first zone is the outlet of wadi Ar Risha basin in south-eastern corner of the study area. The second is the western water divide of wadi Turfiya basin in the North west. Results of the study also indicated that 96.4 % of the total abstraction is consumed for agriculture supply. The present abstractions exceed both recharge and safe yield of the aquifer system, thus the aquifer is overexploited and mined. The average decrease in groundwater storage during the year 1983-2005 was estimated to be 33.4 Mm3, representing an average yearly decline of 1.98 m of the water table.

GIS for the Assessment of the Groundwater Recharge Potential Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, C.; Yeh, H.; Chen, J.; Hsu, K.

2008-12-01

Water resources in Taiwan are unevenly distributed in spatial and temporal domains. Effectively utilizing the water resources is an imperative task due to climate change. At present, groundwater contributes 34% of the total annual water supply and is an important fresh water resource. However, over-exploitation has decreased groundwater availability and has led to land subsidence. Assessing the potential zone of groundwater recharge is extremely important for the protection of water quality and the management of groundwater systems. The Chih-Pen Creek basin in eastern Taiwan is examined in this study to assess its groundwater resources potential. Remote sensing and the Geographical Information System (GIS) are used to integrate five contributing factors: lithology, land cover/land use, lineaments, drainage, and slope. The weights of factors contributing to the groundwater recharge are derived using aerial photos, geology maps, a land use database, and field verification. The resultant map of the groundwater potential zone demonstrates that the highest recharge potential area is located towards the downstream regions in the basin because of the high infiltration rates caused by gravelly sand and agricultural land use in these regions. In contrast, the least effective recharge potential area is in upstream regions due to the low infiltration of limestone.

Recharge contribution to the Guarani Aquifer System estimated from the water balance method in a representative watershed.

PubMed

Wendland, Edson; Gomes, Luis H; Troeger, Uwe

2015-01-01

The contribution of recharge to regional groundwater flow systems is essential information required to establish sustainable water resources management. The objective of this work was to determine the groundwater outflow in the Ribeirão da Onça Basin using a water balance model of the saturated soil zone. The basin is located in the outcrop region of the Guarani Aquifer System (GAS). The water balance method involved the determination of direct recharge values, groundwater storage variation and base flow. The direct recharge was determined by the water table fluctuation method (WTF). The base flow was calculated by the hydrograph separation method, which was generated by a rain-flow model supported by biweekly streamflow measurements in the control section. Undisturbed soil samples were collected at depths corresponding to the variation zone of the groundwater level to determine the specific yield of the soil (drainable porosity). Water balances were performed in the saturated zone for the hydrological years from February 2004 to January 2007. The direct recharge ranged from 14.0% to 38.0%, and groundwater outflow from 0.4% to 2.4% of the respective rainfall during the same period.

Regional estimation of base recharge to ground water using water balance and a base-flow index.

PubMed

Szilagyi, Jozsef; Harvey, F Edwin; Ayers, Jerry F

2003-01-01

Naturally occurring long-term mean annual base recharge to ground water in Nebraska was estimated with the help of a water-balance approach and an objective automated technique for base-flow separation involving minimal parameter-optimization requirements. Base recharge is equal to total recharge minus the amount of evapotranspiration coming directly from ground water. The estimation of evapotranspiration in the water-balance equation avoids the need to specify a contributing drainage area for ground water, which in certain cases may be considerably different from the drainage area for surface runoff. Evapotranspiration was calculated by the WREVAP model at the Solar and Meteorological Surface Observation Network (SAMSON) sites. Long-term mean annual base recharge was derived by determining the product of estimated long-term mean annual runoff (the difference between precipitation and evapotranspiration) and the base-flow index (BFI). The BFI was calculated from discharge data obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey's gauging stations in Nebraska. Mapping was achieved by using geographic information systems (GIS) and geostatistics. This approach is best suited for regional-scale applications. It does not require complex hydrogeologic modeling nor detailed knowledge of soil characteristics, vegetation cover, or land-use practices. Long-term mean annual base recharge rates in excess of 110 mm/year resulted in the extreme eastern part of Nebraska. The western portion of the state expressed rates of only 15 to 20 mm annually, while the Sandhills region of north-central Nebraska was estimated to receive twice as much base recharge (40 to 50 mm/year) as areas south of it.

Hydro-geochemical characterization of Treated Domestic Waste Water for possible use in homestead irrigation and managed aquifer recharge in the coastal city of Khulna, Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, T.; Ahmed, K. M.

2016-12-01

Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world. Rapid and unplanned urbanization in Bangladesh has resulted in heterogeneous land use pattern and larger demands for municipal water. To meet the ever-increasing demand of water for such population, the usage of treated domestic waste water (DWW) has become a viable option that can serve specific purposes, i.e. homestead irrigation, managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in major cities like Khulna, the largest city in the southwest coastal region. It is an attractive solution to minimize the deficit between the demand and supply of water in the study area where, in specific parts, city-dwellers suffer year round shortage of potable water due to high salinity in shallow depths. However, certain degree of treatment is mandatory for DWW in order to ensure the compliance of the output water with a set of standards and regulations for the DWW reuse. At present, the DWW is being treated through Constructed Wetlands but the treated water is not used and discharged into the sewer system. Wastewater that has been treated through a constructed wetland is a resource that can be used for productive uses in homestead garden irrigation, artificial aquifer recharge, and other non-potable uses. The study addresses the effectiveness of constructed wetlands in improving the quality of wastewater through on the hydro-geochemical characterization of both raw and treated DWW as well as baseline water quality analysis of surface and ground water in and around the treatment plant with consideration of seasonal variations. The study aims at sustainable development through conservation of water, satisfaction of demands, reliability of water supply, contribution to urban food supply, sustenance of livelihood and replenishment of the depleting aquifer by assessing the suitability of the treated DWW for various non-potable uses and also to provide guidelines for possible uses of treated DWW without adverse impact on environment and ecology.

Hydrogeologic and geospatial data for the assesment of focused recharge to the Carbonate-Rock Aquifer in Genesee County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reddy, James E.; Kappel, William M.

2010-01-01

Existing hydrogeologic and geospatial data useful for the assessment of focused recharge to the carbonate-rock aquifer in the central part of Genesee County, NY, were compiled from numerous local, State, and Federal agency sources. Data sources utilized in this pilot study include available geospatial datasets from Federal and State agencies, interviews with local highway departments and the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District, and an initial assessment of karst features through the analysis of ortho-photographs, with minimal field verification. The compiled information is presented in a series of county-wide and quadrangle maps. The county-wide maps present generalized hydrogeologic conditions including distribution of geologic units, major faults, and karst features, and bedrock-surface and water-table configurations. Ten sets of quadrangle maps of the area that overlies the carbonate-rock aquifer present more detailed and additional information including distribution of bedrock outcrops, thin and (or) permeable soils, and karst features such as sinkholes and swallets. Water-resource managers can utilize the information summarized in this report as a guide to their assessment of focused recharge to, and the potential for surface contaminants to reach the carbonate-rock aquifer.

Rechargeable lithium battery for use in applications requiring a low to high power output

DOEpatents

Bates, John B.

1996-01-01

Rechargeable lithium batteries which employ characteristics of thin-film batteries can be used to satisfy power requirements within a relatively broad range. Thin-film battery cells utilizing a film of anode material, a film of cathode material and an electrolyte of an amorphorus lithium phosphorus oxynitride can be connected in series or parallel relationship for the purpose of withdrawing electrical power simultaneously from the cells. In addition, such battery cells which employ a lithium intercalation compound as its cathode material can be connected in a manner suitable for supplying power for the operation of an electric vehicle. Still further, by incorporating within the battery cell a relatively thick cathode of a lithium intercalation compound, a relatively thick anode of lithium and an electrolyte film of lithium phosphorus oxynitride, the battery cell is rendered capable of supplying power for any of a number of consumer products, such as a laptop computer or a cellular telephone.

Rechargeable lithium battery for use in applications requiring a low to high power output

DOEpatents

Bates, John B.

1997-01-01

Rechargeable lithium batteries which employ characteristics of thin-film batteries can be used to satisfy power requirements within a relatively broad range. Thin-film battery cells utilizing a film of anode material, a film of cathode material and an electrolyte of an amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride can be connected in series or parallel relationship for the purpose of withdrawing electrical power simultaneously from the cells. In addition, such battery cells which employ a lithium intercalation compound as its cathode material can be connected in a manner suitable for supplying power for the operation of an electric vehicle. Still further, by incorporating within the battery cell a relatively thick cathode of a lithium intercalation compound, a relatively thick anode of lithium and an electrolyte film of lithium phosphorus oxynitride, the battery cell is rendered capable of supplying power for any of a number of consumer products, such as a laptop computer or a cellular telephone.

Characterizing Heterogeneity in Infiltration Rates During Managed Aquifer Recharge.

PubMed

Mawer, Chloe; Parsekian, Andrew; Pidlisecky, Adam; Knight, Rosemary

2016-11-01

Infiltration rate is the key parameter that describes how water moves from the surface into a groundwater aquifer during managed aquifer recharge (MAR). Characterization of infiltration rate heterogeneity in space and time is valuable information for MAR system operation. In this study, we utilized fiber optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) observations and the phase shift of the diurnal temperature signal between two vertically co-located fiber optic cables to characterize infiltration rate spatially and temporally in a MAR basin. The FO-DTS measurements revealed spatial heterogeneity of infiltration rate: approximately 78% of the recharge water infiltrated through 50% of the pond bottom on average. We also introduced a metric for quantifying how the infiltration rate in a recharge pond changes over time, which enables FO-DTS to be used as a method for monitoring MAR and informing maintenance decisions. By monitoring this metric, we found high-spatial variability in how rapidly infiltration rate changed during the test period. We attributed this variability to biological pore clogging and found a relationship between high initial infiltration rate and the most rapid pore clogging. We found a strong relationship (R 2  = 0.8) between observed maximum infiltration rates and electrical resistivity measurements from electrical resistivity tomography data taken in the same basin when dry. This result shows that the combined acquisition of DTS and ERT data can improve the design and operation of a MAR pond significantly by providing the critical information needed about spatial variability in parameters controlling infiltration rates. © 2016, National Ground Water Association.

Interactions between surface water and ground water and effects on mercury transport in the north-central Everglades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Judson W.; Krupa, Steven L.; Gefvert, Cynthia; Mooney, Robert H.; Choi, Jungyill; King, Susan A.; Giddings, Jefferson B.

2002-01-01

The hydrology of the north-central Everglades was altered substantially in the past century by canal dredging, land subsidence, ground-water pumping, and levee construction. Vast areas of seasonal and perennial wetlands were converted to uses for agriculture, light industry, and suburban development. As the catchment area for the Everglades decreased, so did the sources of water from local precipitation and runoff from surrounding uplands. Partly in response to those alterations, water-resources managers compartmentalized the remaining wetlands in the north-central Everglades into large retention basins, called Water Conservation Areas (WCAs). In spite of efforts to improve how water resources are managed, the result has been frequent periods of excessive drying out or flooding of the WCAs because the managed system does not have the same water-storage capacity as the pre-drainage Everglades. Linked to the hydrological modifications are ecological changes including large-scale invasions of cattail, loss of tree islands, and diminishing bird populations in the Everglades. Complex interactions among numerous physical, chemical, and biological factors are responsible for the long-term degradation of the ecological character of the Everglades.Over the past 15 years, a new set of smaller wetland basins, called Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs), have been designed and constructed by water-resources engineers on the former wetlands adjacent to WCAs. The purpose of STAs is to remove excess nutrients from agricultural drainage water prior to its input to WCAs. STAs tend to be about one-tenth the size of a WCA, and they are located on former wetlands on the northwestern side of WCAs on sites that were managed as farmland for much of the twentieth century in an area referred to as the Everglades Agricultural Area, or EAA. The objective of the present investigation was to quantify interactions between surface water and ground water in the Everglades Nutrient Removal Project (ENR), a prototype project for the STAs that began operation in 1994. Determining the effect of ground water on the mercury balance of the ENR treatment wetland was an important additional objective. In order to broaden the relevance of conclusions to all parts of the north-central Everglades, interactions between surface water and ground water and mercury also were investigated in Water Conservation Area 2A (WCA-2A) and, to a lesser extent, in two other WCA basins, WCA-2B and WCA-3A.An important conclusion of this study is that creation of the WCA basins, and accompanying water-resources management, have appreciably increased both recharge and discharge in the north-central Everglades compared with pre-drainage conditions. Recharge and discharge are highest near the northern and northwestern edges of the Everglades, in the relatively small basins such as ENR and the STAs that share borders with both WCA-1 and the EAA. All basins experienced greater increases in recharge relative to discharge, because of the effects that land subsidence and ground-water pumping outside the Everglades had on hydraulic gradients. The highest basin-wide estimate of recharge was measured in ENR, where recharge averaged 0.9 centimeter per day (cm/d) over a 4-year study period. For perspective, that estimate of recharge is the equivalent of 30 percent of pumped surface-water inflows and 230 percent of average daily precipitation in ENR. Ground-water discharge was 10 times smaller than recharge at ENR. The present study estimated a basin-averaged recharge for WCA-2A (0.2 cm/d) that was a factor of 4 smaller than ENR. Although preliminary, that estimate of recharge is 5 times higher than previous estimates (approximately 0.04 cm/d), probably because the newer measurements were able to quantify recharge and discharge at finer spatial and temporal scales. Recharge at WCA-2A is smaller than ENR because WCA-2A has a smaller topographic gradient (3 x 10-5 and 2 x 10-4 in WCA-2A and ENR, respective

Prediction of Groundwater Quality Trends Resulting from Anthropogenic Changes in Southeast Florida.

PubMed

Yi, Quanghee; Stewart, Mark

2018-01-01

The effects of surface water flow system changes caused by constructing water-conservation areas and canals in southeast Florida on groundwater quality under the Atlantic Coastal Ridge was investigated with numerical modeling. Water quality data were used to delineate a zone of groundwater with low total dissolved solids (TDS) within the Biscayne aquifer under the ridge. The delineated zone has the following characteristics. Its location generally coincides with an area where the Biscayne aquifer has high transmissivities, corresponds to a high recharge area of the ridge, and underlies a part of the groundwater mound formed under the ridge prior to completion of the canals. This low TDS groundwater appears to be the result of pre-development conditions rather than seepage from the canals constructed after the 1950s. Numerical simulation results indicate that the time for low TDS groundwater under the ridge to reach equilibrium with high TDS surface water in the water-conservation areas and Everglades National Park are approximately 70 and 60 years, respectively. The high TDS groundwater would be restricted to the water-conservation areas and the park due to its slow eastward movement caused by small hydraulic gradients in Rocky Glades and its mixing with the low TDS groundwater under the high-recharge area of the ridge. The flow or physical boundary conditions such as high recharge rates or low hydraulic conductivity layers may affect how the spatial distribution of groundwater quality in an aquifer will change when a groundwater flow system reaches equilibrium with an associated surface water flow system. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

Integrating Predictive Modeling with Control System Design for Managed Aquifer Recharge and Recovery Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drumheller, Z. W.; Regnery, J.; Lee, J. H.; Illangasekare, T. H.; Kitanidis, P. K.; Smits, K. M.

2014-12-01

Aquifers around the world show troubling signs of irreversible depletion and seawater intrusion as climate change, population growth, and urbanization led to reduced natural recharge rates and overuse. Scientists and engineers have begun to re-investigate the technology of managed aquifer recharge and recovery (MAR) as a means to increase the reliability of the diminishing and increasingly variable groundwater supply. MAR systems offer the possibility of naturally increasing groundwater storage while improving the quality of impaired water used for recharge. Unfortunately, MAR systems remain wrought with operational challenges related to the quality and quantity of recharged and recovered water stemming from a lack of data-driven, real-time control. Our project seeks to ease the operational challenges of MAR facilities through the implementation of active sensor networks, adaptively calibrated flow and transport models, and simulation-based meta-heuristic control optimization methods. The developed system works by continually collecting hydraulic and water quality data from a sensor network embedded within the aquifer. The data is fed into an inversion algorithm, which calibrates the parameters and initial conditions of a predictive flow and transport model. The calibrated model is passed to a meta-heuristic control optimization algorithm (e.g. genetic algorithm) to execute the simulations and determine the best course of action, i.e., the optimal pumping policy for current aquifer conditions. The optimal pumping policy is manually or autonomously applied. During operation, sensor data are used to assess the accuracy of the optimal prediction and augment the pumping strategy as needed. At laboratory-scale, a small (18"H x 46"L) and an intermediate (6'H x 16'L) two-dimensional synthetic aquifer were constructed and outfitted with sensor networks. Data collection and model inversion components were developed and sensor data were validated by analytical measurements.

Numerical analysis of groundwater recharge through stony soils using limited data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrickx, J. M. H.; Khan, A. S.; Bannink, M. H.; Birch, D.; Kidd, C.

1991-10-01

This study evaluates groundwater recharge on an alluvial fan in Quetta Valley (Baluchistan, Pakistan), through deep stony soils with limited data of soil texture, soil profile descriptions, water-table depths and meteorological variables. From the soil profile descriptions, a representative profile was constructed with typical soil layers. Next, the texture of each layer was compared with textures of soils with known soil physical characteristics; it is assumed that soils from the same textural class have similar water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves. Finally, the water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves were transformed to account for the volume of stones in each layer; this varied between 0 and 60 vol. %. These data were used in a transient finite difference model and in a steady-state analytical solution to evaluate the travel time of the recharge water and the maximum annual recharge volume. Travel times proved to be less sensitive to differences in soil physical characteristics than to differences in annual infiltration rates. Therefore, estimation of soil physical characteristics from soil texture data alone appears justified for this study. Estimated travel times on the alluvial fan in the Quetta Valley vary between 1.6 years, through a soil profile of 25 m with an infiltration rate of 120 cm year -1, to 18.3 years through a soil profile of 100 m with an infiltration rate of 40 cm year -1. When the infiltration rate of the soil exceeds 40 cm day -1, the infiltration process proceeds so fast that evaporation losses are small. If the depth of ponding at the start of infiltration is more than 1 m, at least 90% of the applied recharge water will reach the water table, providing that the ponding area is bare of vegetation.

Extreme flood event analysis in Indonesia based on rainfall intensity and recharge capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narulita, Ida; Ningrum, Widya

2018-02-01

Indonesia is very vulnerable to flood disaster because it has high rainfall events throughout the year. Flood is categorized as the most important hazard disaster because it is causing social, economic and human losses. The purpose of this study is to analyze extreme flood event based on satellite rainfall dataset to understand the rainfall characteristic (rainfall intensity, rainfall pattern, etc.) that happened before flood disaster in the area for monsoonal, equatorial and local rainfall types. Recharge capacity will be analyzed using land cover and soil distribution. The data used in this study are CHIRPS rainfall satellite data on 0.05 ° spatial resolution and daily temporal resolution, and GSMap satellite rainfall dataset operated by JAXA on 1-hour temporal resolution and 0.1 ° spatial resolution, land use and soil distribution map for recharge capacity analysis. The rainfall characteristic before flooding, and recharge capacity analysis are expected to become the important information for flood mitigation in Indonesia.

Ground-water recharge to the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system, Orange County, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Daniel, C. C.

1996-01-01

Quantitative information concerning recharge rates to aquifers and ground water in storage is needed to manage the development of ground-water resources. The amount of ground water available from the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system in Orange County, North Carolina, is largely unknown. If historical patterns seen throughout the Piedmont continue into the future, the number of ground-water users in the county can be expected to increase. In order to determine the maximum population that can be supplied by ground water, planners and managers of suburban development must know the amount of ground water that can be withdrawn without exceeding recharge and(or) overdrafting water in long-term storage. Results of the study described in this report help provide this information. Estimates of seasonal and long-term recharge rates were estimated for 12 selected drainage basins and subbasins using streamflow data and an analytical technique known as hydrograph separation. Methods for determining the quality of ground water in storage also are described. Orange County covers approximately 401 square miles in the eastern part of the Piedmont Province. The population of the county in 1990 was about 93,850; approximately 41 percent of the population depends on ground water as a source of potable supplies. Ground water is obtained from wells tapping the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system that underlies most of the county. Ground water also is obtained from Triassic age sedimentary rocks that occur in a small area in southeastern Orange County. Under natural conditions, recharge to the county's ground-water system is derived from the infiltration of precipitation. Ground-water recharge from precipitation cannot be measured directly; however, an estimate of the amount of precipitation that infiltrates into the ground and ultimately reaches the streams of the region can be determined by the technique of hydrograph separation. Data from 17 gaging stations that measure streamflow within or from Orange County were analyzed to produce daily estimates of ground-water recharge in 12 drainage basins and subbasins in the county. The recharge estimates were further analyzed to determine seasonal and long-term recharge rates, as well as recharge duration statistics. Mean annual recharge in the 12 basins and subbasins ranges from 4.15 to 6.40 inches per year, with a mean value of 4.90 inches per year for all basins. In general, recharge rates are highest for basins along a north- south zone extending down the center of the county, and lowest in the western and southeastern parts of the county. Median recharge rates in the 12 basins range from 1.08 inches per year (80.7 gallons per day per acre) to 4.97 inches per year (370 gallons per day per acre), with a median value of 3.06 inches per year (228 gallons per day per acre) for all basins. Recharge estimates for the Morgan Creek Basin upstream from White Cross and upstream from Chapel Hill are higher than any other basin or subbasin in Orange County. Ground water also constitutes a higher percentage of total streamflow in Morgan Creek (44.4 percent upstream from White Cross; 47.9 percent upstream from Chapel Hill) than in any other stream in the county. Greater topographic relief and depth of channel incision may explain the high recharge estimates (base-flow rates) in the Morgan Creek Basin. The presence of large areas of regolith derived from the metaigneous, felsic hydrogeologic unit may magnify the effects of topographic relief and channel incision. Base flow in the New Hope River subbasin, as a percentage of total streamflow, at 32.2 percent, is the lowest of the 12 basins and subbasins. Much of the New Hope River subbasin is underlain by the Triassic sedimentary rock hydrogeologic unit that occurs within a rift basin of Triassic age. These data suggest that in areas underlain by Triassic sedimentary rock, there is less recharge to the ground-water syst

Evaluating behavior of oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate during recharge and quantifying reduction rates in a contaminated aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGuire, Jennifer T.; Long, David T.; Klug, Michael J.; Haack, Sheridan K.; Hyndman, David W.

2002-01-01

This study evaluates the biogeochemical changes that occur when recharge water comes in contact with a reduced aquifer. It specifically addresses (1) which reactions occur in situ, (2) the order in which these reactions will occur if terminal electron acceptors (TEAs) are introduced simultaneously, (3) the rates of these reactions, and (4) the roles of the aqueous and solid-phase portions of the aquifer. Recharge events of waters containing various combinations of O2, NO3, and SO4 were simulated at a shallow sandy aquifer contaminated with waste fuels and chlorinated solvents using modified push−pull tests to quantify rates. In situ rate constants for aerobic respiration (14.4 day -1), denitrification (5.04−7.44 day-1), and sulfate reduction (4.32−6.48 day-1) were estimated. Results show that when introduced together, NO3 and SO4can be consumed simultaneously at similar rates. To distinguish the role of aqueous phase from that of the solid phase of the aquifer, groundwater was extracted, amended with NO3 and SO4, and monitored over time. Results indicate that neither NO3 nor SO4 was reduced during the course of the aqueous-phase study, suggesting that NO3 and SO4 can behave conservatively in highly reduced water. It is clear that sediments and their associated microbial communities are important in driving redox reactions.

Combustible cigarettes cost less to use than e-cigarettes: global evidence and tax policy implications.

PubMed

Liber, Alex C; Drope, Jeffrey M; Stoklosa, Michal

2017-03-01

Some scholars suggest that price differences between combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes could be effective in moving current combustible smokers to e-cigarettes, which could reduce tobacco-related death and disease. Currently, in most jurisdictions, e-cigarettes are not subject to the same excise taxes as combustible cigarettes, potentially providing the category with a price advantage over combustible cigarettes. This paper tests whether e-cigarettes tax advantage has translated into a price advantage. In a sample of 45 countries, the price of combustible cigarettes, disposable e-cigarettes and rechargeable cigarettes were compared. Comparable units of combustible cigarettes cost less than disposable e-cigarettes in almost every country in the sample. While the e-liquids consumed in rechargeable e-cigarettes might cost less per comparable unit than combustible cigarettes, the initial cost to purchase a rechargeable e-cigarette presents a significant cost barrier to switching from smoking to vaping. Existing prices of e-cigarettes are generally much higher than of combustible cigarettes. If policymakers wish to tax e-cigarettes less than combustibles, forceful policy action-almost certainly through excise taxation-must raise the price of combustible cigarettes beyond the price of using e-cigarettes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Management of groundwater supply and water quality in the Los Angeles Basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reichard, E.G.; Crawford, S.M.; Land, M.T.; Paybins, K.S.

1999-01-01

Water use and water needs in the coastal Los Angeles Basin in California have been very closely tied to the development of the region during the last 150 years. The first water wells were drilled in the mid-1800s. Currently about 40% of the water supply (9.4 m3 s-1) in the region is provided by groundwater. Other sources of water supply include reclaimed water and surface water imported from Owens Valley, the Colorado River, and northern California. Increasing groundwater use in the basin led to over-abstraction and seawater instrusion. Because of this, an important component of water management in the area has been the artificial recharge of local, imported, and reclaimed water which is spread in ponds and injected in wells to recharge the aquifer system and control seawater intrusion. The US Geological Survey (USGS) is working co-operatively with the Water Replenishment District of Southern California to evaluate the hydraulic and water-quality effects of these recharge operations and to assess the potential impacts of alternative water-management strategies, including changes in pumping and increases in the use of reclaimed water. As part of this work, the USGS has developed a geographic information system (GIS), collected water-quality and geohydrological data from new and existing wells, and developed a multi-aquifer regional groundwater flow model. Chemical and isotopic data were used to identify the age and source of recharge to groundwater throughout the study area. This information is key to understanding the fate of artificially recharged water and helps define the three-dimensional groundwater flow system. The geohydrological data, especially the geophysical and geological data collected from 11 newly installed multi-completion monitoring wells, were used to redefine the regional hydrostratigraphy. The groundwater flow model is being used to enhance the understanding of the geohydrological system and to quantitatively evaluate new water-management strategies.As part of the work aimed at evaluating the hydraulic and water-quality effects of recharge operations and to assess the potential impacts of alternative water-management strategies, the US Geological Survey (USGS), has developed a geographic information system (GIS), collected water-quality and geohydrological data from new and existing wells, and developed a multi-aquifer regional groundwater flow model. At present, the developed model is being used to enhance the understanding of the geohydrological system and to quantitatively evaluate new water-management strategies.

What does cancer treatment look like in consumer cancer magazines? An exploratory analysis of photographic content in consumer cancer magazines.

PubMed

Phillips, Selene G; Della, Lindsay J; Sohn, Steve H

2011-04-01

In an exploratory analysis of several highly circulated consumer cancer magazines, the authors evaluated congruency between visual images of cancer patients and target audience risk profile. The authors assessed 413 images of cancer patients/potential patients for demographic variables such as age, gender, and ethnicity/race. They compared this profile with actual risk statistics. The images in the magazines are considerably younger, more female, and more White than what is indicated by U.S. cancer risk statistics. The authors also assessed images for visual signs of cancer testing/diagnosis and treatment. Few individuals show obvious signs of cancer treatment (e.g., head scarves, skin/nail abnormalities, thin body types). Most images feature healthier looking people, some actively engaged in construction work, bicycling, and yoga. In contrast, a scan of the editorial content showed that nearly two thirds of the articles focus on treatment issues. To explicate the implications of this imagery-text discontinuity on readers' attention and cognitive processing, the authors used constructs from information processing and social identity theories. On the basis of these models/theories, the authors provide recommendations for consumer cancer magazines, suggesting that the imagery be adjusted to reflect cancer diagnosis realities for enhanced message attention and comprehension.

Price sensitivity and innovativeness for fashion among Korean consumers.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Ronald E; Kim, Daekwan; Flynn, Leisa R; Kim, Wan-Min

2005-10-01

Price sensitivity is how consumers react to price levels and to price changes. Consumer innovativeness is a tendency to welcome and to adopt new products. Researchers (e.g., R. E. Goldsmith & S. J. Newell, 1997) consider innovative consumers relatively more price insensitive than other consumers, so there should be a negative correlation between measures of these constructs. The results of the present study supported the psychometric soundness of a self-report measure of price sensitivity among 860 Korean consumers and replicated earlier findings of the negative correlation between the 2 constructs.

Intention to purchase organic food among young consumers: Evidences from a developing nation.

PubMed

Yadav, Rambalak; Pathak, Govind Swaroop

2016-01-01

The present study attempts to investigate the consumer's intention to purchase organic food in the context of a developing nation (India) using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Further, the study has incorporated additional constructs (moral attitude, health consciousness and environmental concern) in the TPB and measured its appropriateness. Responses were collected from 220 young consumers adopting convenience sampling approach. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate the strength of relationship between the constructs. The findings reported that the TPB partially supported the organic food purchase intention. Among the additional constructs incorporated, moral attitude and health consciousness positively influenced the consumer's intention to purchase organic food. The study has supported the inclusion of new constructs in the TPB as it has improved the predictive power of the proposed framework in determining consumer's intention to purchase organic food. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interferograms showing land subsidence and uplift in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, 1992-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pavelko, Michael T.; Hoffmann, Jörn; Damar, Nancy A.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources-Division of Water Resources and the Las Vegas Valley Water District, compiled 44 individual interferograms and 1 stacked interferogram comprising 29 satellite synthetic aperture radar acquisitions of Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, from 1992 to 1999. The interferograms, which depict short-term, seasonal, and long-term trends in land subsidence and uplift, are viewable with an interactive map. The interferograms show that land subsidence and uplift generally occur in localized areas, are responsive to ground-water pumpage and artificial recharge, and, in part, are fault controlled. Information from these interferograms can be used by water and land managers to mitigate land subsidence and associated damage. Land subsidence attributed to ground-water pumpage has been documented in Las Vegas Valley since the 1940s. Damage to roads, buildings, and other engineered structures has been associated with this land subsidence. Land uplift attributed to artificial recharge and reduced pumping has been documented since the 1990s. Measuring these land-surface changes with traditional benchmark and Global Positioning System surveys can be costly and time consuming, and results typically are spatially and temporally sparse. Interferograms are relatively inexpensive and provide temporal and spatial resolutions previously not achievable. The interferograms are viewable with an interactive map. Landsat images from 1993 and 2000 are viewable for frames of reference to locate areas of interest and help determine land use. A stacked interferogram for 1992-99 is viewable to visualize the cumulative vertical displacement for the period represented by the individual interferograms. The interactive map enables users to identify and estimate the magnitude of vertical displacement, visually analyze deformation trends, and view interferograms and Landsat images side by side. The interferograms and Landsat images are available for download, in formats for use with Geographic Information System software.

Integrating urban recharge uncertainty into standard groundwater modeling practice: A case study on water main break predictions for the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer, Austin, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinner, K.; Teasley, R. L.

2016-12-01

Groundwater models serve as integral tools for understanding flow processes and informing stakeholders and policy makers in management decisions. Historically, these models tended towards a deterministic nature, relying on historical data to predict and inform future decisions based on model outputs. This research works towards developing a stochastic method of modeling recharge inputs from pipe main break predictions in an existing groundwater model, which subsequently generates desired outputs incorporating future uncertainty rather than deterministic data. The case study for this research is the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer near Austin, Texas. Researchers and water resource professionals have modeled the Edwards Aquifer for decades due to its high water quality, fragile ecosystem, and stakeholder interest. The original case study and model that this research is built upon was developed as a co-design problem with regional stakeholders and the model outcomes are generated specifically for communication with policy makers and managers. Recently, research in the Barton Springs segment demonstrated a significant contribution of urban, or anthropogenic, recharge to the aquifer, particularly during dry period, using deterministic data sets. Due to social and ecological importance of urban water loss to recharge, this study develops an evaluation method to help predicted pipe breaks and their related recharge contribution within the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer. To benefit groundwater management decision processes, the performance measures captured in the model results, such as springflow, head levels, storage, and others, were determined by previous work in elicitation of problem framing to determine stakeholder interests and concerns. The results of the previous deterministic model and the stochastic model are compared to determine gains to stakeholder knowledge through the additional modeling

What Factors Impact Consumer Perception of the Effectiveness of Health Information Sites? An Investigation of the Korean National Health Information Portal

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Lay public's concerns around health and health information are increasing. In response, governments and government agencies are establishing websites to address such concerns and improve health literacy by providing better access to validated health information. Since 2011, the Korean government has constructed the National Health Information Portal (NHIP) website run in collaboration with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS). This study therefore aimed to 1) examine consumer use of NHIP, with respect to the usage patterns, evaluation on health information provided, and perceived effectiveness of the site; and 2) identify factors that may impact perceived effectiveness of the site. An online survey was conducted with 164 NHIP users, recruited through a popup window on the main screen of the portal website from October to November 2015. The significant predicting factors supported by the data include the relevance of health information on the site, the usefulness of information in making health decisions, and the effective visualization of information. These factors can inform future efforts to design more effective health information websites, possibly based on metadata systems, to further advance the lay public's information seeking and health literacy. PMID:28581262

Start It up: Flywheel Energy Storage Efficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Michelle

2011-01-01

The purpose of this project was to construct and test an off-grid photovoltaic (PV) system in which the power from a solar array could be stored in a rechargeable battery and a flywheel motor generator assembly. The mechanical flywheel energy storage system would in turn effectively power a 12-volt DC appliance. The voltage and current of…

New Approach For Prediction Groundwater Depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moustafa, Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Current approaches to quantify groundwater depletion involve water balance and satellite gravity. However, the water balance technique includes uncertain estimation of parameters such as evapotranspiration and runoff. The satellite method consumes time and effort. The work reported in this paper proposes using failure theory in a novel way to predict groundwater saturated thickness depletion. An important issue in the failure theory proposed is to determine the failure point (depletion case). The proposed technique uses depth of water as the net result of recharge/discharge processes in the aquifer to calculate remaining saturated thickness resulting from the applied pumping rates in an area to evaluate the groundwater depletion. Two parameters, the Weibull function and Bayes analysis were used to model and analyze collected data from 1962 to 2009. The proposed methodology was tested in a nonrenewable aquifer, with no recharge. Consequently, the continuous decline in water depth has been the main criterion used to estimate the depletion. The value of the proposed approach is to predict the probable effect of the current applied pumping rates on the saturated thickness based on the remaining saturated thickness data. The limitation of the suggested approach is that it assumes the applied management practices are constant during the prediction period. The study predicted that after 300 years there would be an 80% probability of the saturated aquifer which would be expected to be depleted. Lifetime or failure theory can give a simple alternative way to predict the remaining saturated thickness depletion with no time-consuming processes such as the sophisticated software required.

Intergenerational care: an exploration of consumer preferences and willingness to pay for care.

PubMed

Vecchio, N; Radford, K; Fitzgerald, J A; Comans, T; Harris, P; Harris, N

2017-05-25

To identify feasible models of intergenerational care programmes, that is, care of children and older people in a shared setting, to determine consumer preferences and willingness to pay. Feasible models were constructed in extensive consultations with a panel of experts using a Delphi technique (n = 23) and were considered based on their practical implementation within an Australian setting. This informed a survey tool that captured the preferences and willingness to pay for these models by potential consumers, when compared to the status quo. Information collected from the surveys (n = 816) was analysed using regression analysis to identify fundamental drivers of preferences and the prices consumers were willing to pay for intergenerational care programmes. The shared campus and visiting models were identified as feasible intergenerational care models. Key attributes of these models included respite day care; a common educational pedagogy across generations; screening; monitoring; and evaluation of participant outcomes. Although parents were more likely to take up intergenerational care compared to the status quo, adult carers reported a higher willingness to pay for these services. Educational attainment also influenced the likely uptake of intergenerational care. The results of this study show that there is demand for the shared campus and the visiting campus models among the Australian community. The findings support moves towards consumer-centric models of care, in line with national and international best practice. This consumer-centric approach is encapsulated in the intergenerational care model and enables greater choice of care to match different consumer demands.

Thermal Methods for Investigating Ground-Water Recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blasch, Kyle W.; Constantz, Jim; Stonestrom, David A.

2007-01-01

Recharge of aquifers within arid and semiarid environments is defined as the downward flux of water across the regional water table. The introduction of recharging water at the land surface can occur at discreet locations, such as in stream channels, or be distributed over the landscape, such as across broad interarroyo areas within an alluvial ground-water basin. The occurrence of recharge at discreet locations is referred to as focused recharge, whereas the occurrence of recharge over broad regions is referred to as diffuse recharge. The primary interest of this appendix is focused recharge, but regardless of the type of recharge, estimation of downward fluxes is essential to its quantification. Like chemical tracers, heat can come from natural sources or be intentionally introduced to infer transport properties and aquifer recharge. The admission and redistribution of heat from natural processes such as insolation, infiltration, and geothermal activity can be used to quantify subsurface flow regimes. Heat is well suited as a ground-water tracer because it provides a naturally present dynamic signal and is relatively harmless over a useful range of induced perturbations. Thermal methods have proven valuable for recharge investigations for several reasons. First, theoretical descriptions of coupled water-and-heat transport are available for the hydrologic processes most often encountered in practice. These include land-surface mechanisms such as radiant heating from the sun, radiant cooling into space, and evapotranspiration, in addition to the advective and conductive mechanisms that usually dominate at depth. Second, temperature is theoretically well defined and readily measured. Third, thermal methods for depths ranging from the land surface to depths of hundreds of meters are based on similar physical principles. Fourth, numerical codes for simulating heat and water transport have become increasingly reliable and widely available. Direct measurement of water flux in the subsurface is difficult, prompting investigators to pursue indirect methods. Geophysical approaches that exploit the coupled relation between heat and water transport provide an attractive class of methods that have become widely used in investigations of recharge. This appendix reviews the application of heat to the problem of recharge estimation. Its objective is to provide a fairly complete account of the theoretical underpinnings together with a comprehensive review of thermal methods in practice. Investigators began using subsurface temperatures to delineate recharge areas and infer directions of ground-water flow around the turn of the 20th century. During the 1960s, analytical and numerical solutions for simplified heat- and fluid-flow problems became available. These early solutions, though one-dimensional and otherwise restricted, provided a strong impetus for applying thermal methods to problems of liquid and vapor movement in systems ranging from soils to geothermal reservoirs. Today?s combination of fast processors, massive data-storage units, and efficient matrix techniques provide numerical solutions to complex, three-dimensional transport problems. These approaches allow researchers to take advantage of the considerable information content routinely achievable in high-accuracy temperature work.

Analysis of Infrequent (Quasi-Decadal) Large Groundwater Recharge Events: A Case Study for Northern Utah, United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masbruch, M.; Rumsey, C.; Gangopadhyay, S.; Susong, D.; Pruitt, T.

2015-12-01

There has been a considerable amount of research linking climatic variability to hydrologic responses in arid and semi-arid regions such as the western United States. Although much effort has been spent to assess and predict changes in surface-water resources, little has been done to understand how climatic events and changes affect groundwater resources. This study focuses on quantifying the effects of large quasi-decadal groundwater recharge events on groundwater in the northern Utah portion of the Great Basin for the period 1960 to 2013. Groundwater-level monitoring data were analyzed with climatic data to characterize climatic conditions and frequency of these large recharge events. Using observed water-level changes and multivariate analysis, five large groundwater recharge events were identified within the study area and period, with a frequency of about 11 to 13 years. These events were generally characterized as having above-average annual precipitation and snow water equivalent and below-average seasonal temperatures, especially during the spring (April through June). Existing groundwater flow models for several basins within the study area were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage from these events. Simulated groundwater storage increases per basin from a single event ranged from about 115 Mm3 (93,000 acre-feet) to 205 Mm3 (166,000 acre-ft). Extrapolating these amounts over the entire northern Great Basin indicates that even a single large quasi-decadal recharge event could result in billions of cubic meters (millions of acre-feet) of groundwater recharge. Understanding the role of these large quasi-decadal recharge events in replenishing aquifers and sustaining water supplies is crucial for making informed water management decisions.

A Regional Groundwater Observatory to Enhance Analysis and Management of Water Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoder, A. M.; Maples, S.; Hatch, N. R.; Fogg, G. E.

2017-12-01

Timely, effective management of groundwater often does not happen because timely information on the state of the groundwater system is seldom available. A groundwater observatory for monitoring real-time groundwater level fluctuations is being developed in the American-Cosumnes groundwater system of Sacramento County, California. The observatory records the consequences of complex interplay between pumpage, recharge, drought, and floods in the context of a heterogeneous stratigraphic framework that has been extensively characterized with more than 1,100 well logs. Preliminary results show increases in recharge caused by removal of flood control levees to allow more frequent floodplain inundation as well as consequences of the 2012-16 drought followed by the wet winter of 2016-17. Comparison of recharge rates pre- and post-levee breach restoration show significant increases in recharge, despite the presence of fine-grained floodplain soils. Estimated total recharge corresponded closely with the frequency and magnitude of flood events in any given water year. The lowest value calculated for estimated recharge was from 2012-2013, 490 +/- 220 ac-ft (0.65 +/- 0.29 ac-ft per acre). The highest estimated recharge value calculated was for the 2015-2016 water year and was 3180 +/- 1430 ac-ft (2.83 +/- 1.27 ac-ft per acre). These preliminary numbers will be updated with more comprehensive estimates based on a full analysis of the 2016-17 data. The increase in data transfer efficiency afforded by the observatory can be widely used by the many parties reliant on Central Valley groundwater and can serve as a model for real-time data collection in support of California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, passed in 2014.

Using environmental tracers and transient hydraulic heads to estimate groundwater recharge and conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdal, Daniel; Cirpka, Olaf A.

2017-04-01

Regional groundwater flow strongly depends on groundwater recharge and hydraulic conductivity. While conductivity is a spatially variable field, recharge can vary in both space and time. None of the two fields can be reliably observed on larger scales, and their estimation from other sparse data sets is an open topic. Further, common hydraulic-head observations may not suffice to constrain both fields simultaneously. In the current work we use the Ensemble Kalman filter to estimate spatially variable conductivity, spatiotemporally variable recharge and porosity for a synthetic phreatic aquifer. We use transient hydraulic-head and one spatially distributed set of environmental tracer observations to constrain the estimation. As environmental tracers generally reside for a long time in an aquifer, they require long simulation times and carries a long memory that makes them highly unsuitable for use in a sequential framework. Therefore, in this work we use the environmental tracer information to precondition the initial ensemble of recharge and conductivities, before starting the sequential filter. Thereby, we aim at improving the performance of the sequential filter by limiting the range of the recharge to values similar to the long-term annual recharge means and by creating an initial ensemble of conductivities that show similar pattern and values to the true field. The sequential filter is then used to further improve the parameters and to estimate the short term temporal behavior as well as the temporally evolving head field needed for short term predictions within the aquifer. For a virtual reality covering a subsection of the river Neckar it is shown that the use of environmental tracers can improve the performance of the filter. Results using the EnKF with and without this preconditioned initial ensemble are evaluated and discussed.

Seismic Signals Recorded During Artificial and Natural Karst Recharge Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilek, S. L.; Luhmann, A. J.; Diniakos, R. S.; Morton, E.; Rinehart, A. J.; Alexander, E. C., Jr.; Alexander, S. C.; Larsen, M.; Green, J. A.

2016-12-01

Seismology has recently been used to explore a variety of surficial processes, including tracking landslides, glaciers, and river flow. The seismic data collected can provide useful information about these flow processes, particularly in areas where other flow-related observations are difficult to make. Underground flow through karst aquifers is an area of significant interest, where most of the flow occurs through preferential flow conduits whose locations are largely unknown. We investigate seismic signals generated by both controlled and natural recharge into a karst aquifer system located near Bear Spring, near Eyota, MN, USA. The controlled recharge experiments involved injecting a pool full of water ( 13,000 L) into a dry overflow spring, which then flowed underground until it was discharged at Bear Spring. The natural recharge fortuitously involved a large rainstorm that supplied over 2 inches of rain in a few hour period, which caused the overflow spring to start flowing and total discharge to increase from a background of 100 L/s to 300 L/s. These events were recorded by 12 seismometers (11 short period and 1 broadband with 500 Hz sampling rate) all placed within the 4500 m2 area containing the dry overflow spring and predicted underground flow path. Spectrograms for the artificial and natural recharge events show significant seismic energy over a broad frequency range (few to nearly 220 Hz) during the periods of artificial recharge, largely contained during the period of water injection. Stations closest to Bear Spring see peak seismic energy in the 20-30 Hz range during these tests, likely related to changes in the underground water flow. During the natural recharge event, we find much longer duration of seismic energy over the broad frequency range. We compare these seismic results with discharge measurements conducted during all tests at Bear Spring, as well as with rainfall measurements recorded for the natural recharge event.

Approach for delineation of contributing areas and zones of transport to selected public-supply wells using a regional ground-water flow model, Palm Beach County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Renken, R.A.; Patterson, R.D.; Orzol, L.L.; Dixon, Joann

2001-01-01

Rapid urban development and population growth in Palm Beach County, Florida, have been accompanied with the need for additional freshwater withdrawals from the surficial aquifer system. To maintain water quality, County officials protect capture areas and determine zones of transport of municipal supply wells. A multistep process was used to help automate the delineation of wellhead protection areas. A modular ground-water flow model (MODFLOW) Telescopic Mesh Refinement program (MODTMR) was used to construct an embedded flow model and combined with particle tracking to delineate zones of transport to supply wells; model output was coupled with a geographic information system. An embedded flow MODFLOW model was constructed using input and output file data from a preexisting three-dimensional, calibrated model of the surficial aquifer system. Three graphical user interfaces for use with the geographic information software, ArcView, were developed to enhance the telescopic mesh refinement process. These interfaces include AvMODTMR for use with MODTMR; AvHDRD to build MODFLOW river and drain input files from dynamically segmented linear (canals) data sets; and AvWELL Refiner, an interface designed to examine and convert well coverage spatial data layers to a MODFLOW Well package input file. MODPATH (the U.S. Geological Survey particle-tracking postprocessing program) and MODTOOLS (the set of U.S. Geological Survey computer programs to translate MODFLOW and MODPATH output to a geographic information system) were used to map zones of transport. A steady-state, five-layer model of the Boca Raton area was created using the telescopic mesh refinement process and calibrated to average conditions during January 1989 to June 1990. A sensitivity analysis of various model parameters indicates that the model is most sensitive to changes in recharge rates, hydraulic conductivity for layer 1, and leakance for layers 3 and 4 (Biscayne aquifer). Recharge (58 percent); river (canal) leakance (29 percent); and inflow through the northern, western, and southern prescribed flux model boundaries (10 percent) represent the major inflow components. Principal outflow components in the Boca Raton well field area include well discharge (56 percent), river (canal) leakance (27 percent), and water that discharges along the coast (10 percent). A particle-tracking analysis using MODPATH was conducted to better understand well-field ground-water flow patterns and time of travel. MODTOOLS was used to construct zones-of-transport spatial data for municipal supply wells. Porosity estimates were uniformly increased to study the effect of porosity on zones of transport. Where porosity was increased, the size of the zones of transport were shown to decrease.

Model Refinement and Simulation of Groundwater Flow in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luukkonen, Carol L.

2010-01-01

A groundwater-flow model that was constructed in 1996 of the Saginaw aquifer was refined to better represent the regional hydrologic system in the Tri-County region, which consists of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan. With increasing demand for groundwater, the need to manage withdrawals from the Saginaw aquifer has become more important, and the 1996 model could not adequately address issues of water quality and quantity. An updated model was needed to better address potential effects of drought, locally high water demands, reduction of recharge by impervious surfaces, and issues affecting water quality, such as contaminant sources, on water resources and the selection of pumping rates and locations. The refinement of the groundwater-flow model allows simulations to address these issues of water quantity and quality and provides communities with a tool that will enable them to better plan for expansion and protection of their groundwater-supply systems. Model refinement included representation of the system under steady-state and transient conditions, adjustments to the estimated regional groundwater-recharge rates to account for both temporal and spatial differences, adjustments to the representation and hydraulic characteristics of the glacial deposits and Saginaw Formation, and updates to groundwater-withdrawal rates to reflect changes from the early 1900s to 2005. Simulations included steady-state conditions (in which stresses remained constant and changes in storage were not included) and transient conditions (in which stresses changed in annual and monthly time scales and changes in storage within the system were included). These simulations included investigation of the potential effects of reduced recharge due to impervious areas or to low-rainfall/drought conditions, delineation of contributing areas with recent pumping rates, and optimization of pumping subject to various quantity and quality constraints. Simulation results indicate potential declines in water levels in both the upper glacial aquifer and the upper sandstone bedrock aquifer under steady-state and transient conditions when recharge was reduced by 20 and 50 percent in urban areas. Transient simulations were done to investigate reduced recharge due to low rainfall and increased pumping to meet anticipated future demand with 24 months (2 years) of modified recharge or modified recharge and pumping rates. During these two simulation years, monthly recharge rates were reduced by about 30 percent, and monthly withdrawal rates for Lansing area production wells were increased by 15 percent. The reduction in the amount of water available to recharge the groundwater system affects the upper model layers representing the glacial aquifers more than the deeper bedrock layers. However, with a reduction in recharge and an increase in withdrawals from the bedrock aquifer, water levels in the bedrock layers are affected more than those in the glacial layers. Differences in water levels between simulations with reduced recharge and reduced recharge with increased pumping are greatest in the Lansing area and least away from pumping centers, as expected. Additionally, the increases in pumping rates had minimal effect on most simulated streamflows. Additional simulations included updating the estimated 10-year wellhead-contributing areas for selected Lansing-area wells under 2006-7 pumping conditions. Optimization of groundwater withdrawals with a water-resource management model was done to determine withdrawal rates while minimizing operational costs and to determine withdrawal locations to achieve additional capacity while meeting specified head constraints. In these optimization scenarios, the desired groundwater withdrawals are achieved by simulating managed wells (where pumping rates can be optimized) and unmanaged wells (where pumping rates are not optimized) and by using various combinations of existing and proposed well locations.

Differentiated spring behavior under changing hydrological conditions in an alpine karst aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippini, Maria; Squarzoni, Gabriela; De Waele, Jo; Fiorucci, Adriano; Vigna, Bartolomeo; Grillo, Barbara; Riva, Alberto; Rossetti, Stefano; Zini, Luca; Casagrande, Giacomo; Stumpp, Christine; Gargini, Alessandro

2018-01-01

Limestone massifs with a high density of dolines form important karst aquifers in most of the Alps, often with groundwater circulating through deep karst conduits and water coming out of closely spaced springs with flow rates of over some cubic meters per second. Although several hydrogeological studies and tracing experiments were carried out in many of these carbonate mountains in the past, the hydrogeology of most of these karst aquifers is still poorly known. Geological, hydrodynamic and hydrochemical investigations have been carried out in one of the most representative of these areas (Cansiglio-Monte Cavallo, NE Italy) since spring 2015, in order to enhance the knowledge on this important type of aquifer system. Additionally, a cave-to-spring multitracer test was carried out in late spring 2016 by using three different fluorescent tracers. This hydrogeological study allowed: 1) gathering new detailed information on the geological and tectonic structure of such alpine karst plateau; 2) defining discharge rates of the three main springs (Gorgazzo, Santissima, and Molinetto) by constructing rating curves; 3) understanding the discharging behavior of the system with respect to different recharge conditions; 4) better defining the recharge areas of the three springs. The three nearby springs (the spring front stretches over 5 km), that drain the investigated karst aquifer system, show different behaviors with respect to changing discharge conditions, demonstrating this aquifer to be divided in partially independent drainage systems under low-flow conditions, when their chemistry is clearly differentiated. Under high-flow conditions, waters discharging at all springs show more similar geochemical characteristics. The combination of geochemistry, hydrodynamic monitoring and dye tracing tests has shown that the three springs have different recharge areas. The study points out that even closely spaced karst springs, that apparently drain the same karst mountain, can have different behaviors, and thus distinctive reactions toward polluting events, a characteristic to be taken into account for their management.

Aquifer recharge from infiltration basins in a highly urbanized area: the river Po Plain (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masetti, M.; Nghiem, S. V.; Sorichetta, A.; Stevenazzi, S.; Santi, E. S.; Pettinato, S.; Bonfanti, M.; Pedretti, D.

2015-12-01

Due to the extensive urbanization in the Po Plain in northern Italy, rivers need to be managed to alleviate flooding problems while maintaining an appropriate aquifer recharge under an increasing percentage of impermeable surfaces. During the PO PLain Experiment field campaign in July 2015 (POPLEX 2015), both active and under-construction infiltration basins have been surveyed and analyzed to identify appropriate satellite observations that can be integrated to ground based monitoring techniques. A key strategy is to have continuous data time series on water presence and level within the basin, for which ground based monitoring can be costly and difficult to be obtained consistently.One of the major and old infiltration basin in the central Po Plain has been considered as pilot area. The basin is active from 2003 with ground based monitoring available since 2009 and supporting the development of a calibrated unsaturated-saturated two-dimensional numerical model simulating the infiltration dynamics through the basin.A procedure to use satellite data to detect surface water change is under development based on satellite radar backscatter data with an appropriate incidence angle and polarization combination. An advantage of satellite radar is that it can observe surface water regardless of cloud cover, which can be persistent during rainy seasons. Then, the surface water change is correlated to the reservoir water stage to determine water storage in the basin together with integrated ground data and to give quantitative estimates of variations in the local water cycle.We evaluated the evolution of the infiltration rate, to obtain useful insights about the general recharge behavior of basins that can be used for informed design and maintenance. Results clearly show when the basin becomes progressively clogged by biofilms that can reduce the infiltration capacity of the basin by as much as 50 times compared to when it properly works under clean conditions.

Event Water Balance and Recharge at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Georgia, U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, J. W.; Aulenbach, B. T.

2016-12-01

Investigating catchment storage and runoff pathways allows a better mechanistic understanding of stream flow generation processes. This information can be used to elucidate processes such as those influencing baseflow that support human consumption and ecological needs. Here we describe storm runoff water budgets from 483 rain events to determine the conditions under which precipitation infiltrates to deeper storage that supports baseflow. Further, we examine the storage and recharge behavior of different storm characteristics and antecedent conditions. We use a simple water budget approach to achieve this in which Deep Recharge = (Precipitation) - (Storm Runoff) - (Event Change in Soil Storage). Hydrograph separation was used to determine the storm periods and split storm runoff into baseflow and quickflow. Quickflow was assumed to account for the event water lost to the stream. Data from volumetric water content sensors were used to calculate the soil profile water storage and the change in water storage over the course of an event. The remaining water after these two components was assumed to represent water available for deeper recharge. The median event quickflow:precipitation ratio was 11.8%. Event soil moisture recharge in the top one meter of soil accounted for a median of 65.3% of precipitation. Quickflow and shallow soil moisture recharge accounted for a median of 77.1% of the precipitation delivered to the watershed. Water budgets indicated that 43% of the events provided water for deeper recharge. Of these events, however, only 28% provided 50 mm or more of deep recharge. Because the focus was on events, when humidity was high and the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was low, we ignored the role of evapotranspiration. However, interception, which was not accounted for, would have resulted in less storm precipitation than was measured at the watershed rain gage. Furthermore, transpiration may have altered the post-storm water balance when VPD increased and before excess water was able to infiltrate to deeper storage. While uncertainty remains, this study provided insight into the partitioning of incoming precipitation and the conditions under which water was likely available for deeper recharge.

Hydrologic Controls on Losses of Individual Components of Crude Oil in the Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekins, B. A.; Baedecker, M. J.; Eganhouse, R. P.; Drennan, D.; Herkelrath, W. N.; Warren, E.; Cozzarelli, I.

2011-12-01

The time frame for natural attenuation of crude oil contamination in the subsurface has been studied for the last 27 years at a spill site located near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA. Data from the groundwater contaminant plume show that dissolved benzene concentrations adjacent to the oil decreased by 50% between 1993 and 2007. Previous studies at the site showed that benzene and ethylbenzene undergo minimal degradation in the methanogenic zone of the plume while toluene and o-xylene degrade rapidly in this zone. Other studies have shown that degradation of benzene under methanogenic conditions occurs in some cases but is generally unreliable in the field. In this study concentrations of volatile components in the crude oil source were examined to determine if the observed benzene decrease near the oil source zone was due a change in the ability of the methanogenic microbial community to degrade benzene or long-term depletion of the oil source. Oil samples collected in 2008 had benzene concentrations ranging from 7-61% of values measured in archived oil representative of the spill consistent with depletion of the oil source. Several lines of evidence indicate that dissolution and conservative transport control the losses of benzene and ethylbenzene from the crude oil. Laboratory microcosms constructed using sediments from the methanogenic zone near the source and incubated for over 13 months with an anaerobic mineral salt solution spiked with ~2 mg/L benzene exhibited no benzene losses. Concentrations of benzene and ethylbenzene in oil samples collected from five wells were linearly correlated to interpolated maximum pore space oil saturations adjacent to each well (R2 =0.72 and 0.55 respectively), indicating that losses of these compounds from the oil were controlled by the relative permeability of groundwater through the oil body. Moreover benzene loss from the oil was greater than ethylbenzene, consistent with their relative aqueous solubilities. Losses of other oil compounds appear to be more strongly controlled by methanogenic degradation occurring in the source zone. Concentrations of these compounds, which include the n-alkanes, toluene, and o-xylene, correlate better with location in the oil body than with pore space oil saturation. Greater degradation rates occur below a topographic depression where focussing of surface runoff leads to an annual recharge rate of almost twice that of a nearby higher elevation site. The oxygen in the recharge over the source zone never reaches the oil at the water table because it is rapidly consumed in the vadose zone by aerobic methanotrophs oxidizing methane produced from oil degradation in the source zone. Other electron acceptors including nitrate and sulphate are insignificant at this site. The data suggest that transport by recharge of the growth nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen is the explanation for the higher degradation rates of the oil components in the focussed recharge area.

Spatial Distribution of Ground-Water Recharge Estimated with a Water-Budget Method for the Jordan Creek Watershed, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risser, Dennis W.

2008-01-01

This report presents the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, to illustrate a water-budget method for mapping the spatial distribution of ground-water recharge for a 76-square-mile part of the Jordan Creek watershed, northwest of Allentown, in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Recharge was estimated by using the Hydrological Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) water-budget model for 577 landscape units in Jordan Creek watershed, delineated on the basis of their soils, land use/land cover, and mean annual precipitation during 1951-2000. The water-budget model routes precipitation falling on each landscape unit to components of evapotranspiration, surface runoff, storage, and vertical percolation (recharge) for a five-layer soil column on a daily basis. The spatial distribution of mean annual recharge during 1951-2000 for each landscape unit was mapped by the use of a geographic information system. Recharge simulated by the water-budget model in Jordan Creek watershed during 1951-2000 averaged 12.3 inches per year and ranged by landscape unit from 0.11 to 17.05 inches per year. Mean annual recharge during 1951-2000 simulated by the water-budget model was most sensitive to changes to input values for precipitation and runoff-curve number. Mean annual recharge values for the crop, forest, pasture, and low-density urban land-use/land-cover classes were similar (11.2 to 12.2 inches per year) but were substantially less for high-density urban (6.8 inches per year), herbaceous wetlands (2.5 inches per year), and forested wetlands (1.3 inches per year). Recharge rates simulated for the crop, forest, pasture, and low-density urban land-cover classes were similar because those land-use/land-cover classes are represented in the model with parameter values that either did not significantly affect simulated recharge or tended to have offsetting effects on recharge. For example, for landscapes with forest land cover, values of runoff-curve number assigned to the model were smaller than for other land-use/land-cover classes (causing more recharge and less runoff), but the maximum depth of evapotranspiration was larger than for other land-use/ land-cover classes because of deeper root penetration in forests (causing more evapotranspiration and less recharge). The smaller simulated recharge for high-density urban and wetland land-use/land-cover classes was caused by the large values of runoff-curve number (greater than 90) assigned to those classes. The large runoff-curve number, however, certainly is not realistic for all wetlands; some wetlands act as areas of ground-water discharge and some as areas of recharge. Simulated mean annual recharge computed by the water-budget model for the 53-square-mile part of the watershed upstream from the streamflow-gaging station near Schnecksville was compared to estimates of recharge and base flow determined by analysis of streamflow records from 1967 to 2000. The mean annual recharge of 12.4 inches per year simulated by the water-budget method for 1967-2000 was less than estimates of mean annual recharge of 19.3 inches per year computed from the RORA computer program and base flow computed by the PART computer program (15.1 inches per year). In theory, the water-budget method provides a practical tool for estimating differences in recharge at local scales of interest, and the watershed- average recharge rate of 12.4 inches per year computed by the method is reasonable. However, the mean annual surface runoff of 4.5 inches per year simulated by the model is unrealistically small. The sum of surface runoff and recharge simulated by the water-budget model (16.9 inches per year) is 7 inches per year less than the streamflow measured at the gaging station near Schnecksville (23.9 inches per year) during 1967-2000, indicating that evapotranspiration is overestimated by the water-budget model by that amount. This discrepancy ca

Quantifying time-varying ground-water discharge and recharge in wetlands of the northern Florida Everglades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Choi, J.; Harvey, J.W.

2000-01-01

Developing a more thorough understanding of water and chemical budgets in wetlands depends in part on our ability to quantify time-varying interactions between ground water and surface water. We used a combined water and solute mass balance approach to estimate time-varying ground-water discharge and recharge in the Everglades Nutrient Removal project (ENR), a relatively large constructed wetland (1544 hectare) built for removing nutrients from agricultural drainage in the norther Everglades in South Florida, USA. Over a 4-year period (1994 through 1998), ground-water recharge averaged 13.4 hectare-meter per day (ha-m/day) or 0.9 cm/day, which is approximately 31% of surface water pumped into the ENR for treatment. In contrast, ground-water discharge was much smaller (1.4 ha-m/day, or 0.09 cm/day, or 2.8% of water input to ENR for treatment). Using a water-balance approach alone only allowed net ground-water exchange (discharge - recharge) to be estimated (-12 ?? 2.4 ha-ma/day). Disharge and recharge were individually determined by combining a chloride mass balance with the water balance. For a variety of reasons, the ground-water discharge estimated by the combined mass balance approach was not reliable (1.4 ?? 37 ha-m/day). As a result, ground-water interactions could only be reliably estimated by comparing the mass-balance results with other independent approaches, including direct seepage-meter measurements and previous estimates using ground-water modeling. All three independent approaches provided similar estimates of average ground-water recharge, ranging from 13 to 14 ha-m/day. There was also relatively good agreement between ground-water discharge estimates for the mass balance and seepage meter methods, 1.4 and 0.9 ha-m/day, respectively. However, ground-water-flow modeling provided an average discharge estimate that was approximately a factor of four higher (5.4 ha-m/day) than the other two methods. Our study developed an initial understanding of how the design and operation of the ENR increases interactions between ground water and surface water. A considerable portion of recharged ground water (73%) was collected and returned to the ENR by a seepage canal. Additional recharge that was not captured by the seepage canal only occurred when pumped inflow rates to ENR (and ENR water levels) were relatively high. Management of surface water in the northern Everglades therefore clearly has the potential to increase interactions with ground water.

Recharge Data Package for the Immobilized Low-Activity Waste 2001 Performance Assessment

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

MJ Fayer; EM Murphy; JL Downs

2000-01-18

Lockheed Martin Hanford Company (LMHC) is designing and assessing the performance of disposal facilities to receive radioactive wastes that are currently stored in single- and double-shell tanks at the Hanford Site. The preferred method of disposing of the portion that is classified as immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) is to vitrify the waste and place the product in near-surface, shallow-land burial facilities. The LMHC project to assess the performance of these disposal facilities is known as the Hanford ILAW Performance Assessment (PA) Activity, hereafter called the ILAW PA project. The goal of this project is to provide a reasonable expectation thatmore » the disposal of the waste is protective of the general public, groundwater resources, air resources, surface-water resources, and inadvertent intruders. Achieving this goal will require predictions of contaminant migration from the facility. To make such predictions will require estimates of the fluxes of water moving through the sediments within the vadose zone around and beneath the disposal facility. These fluxes, loosely called recharge rates, are the primary mechanism for transporting contaminants to the groundwater. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) assists LMHC in their performance assessment activities. One of the PNNL tasks is to provide estimates of recharge rates for current conditions and long-term scenarios involving the shallow-land disposal of ILAW. Specifically, recharge estimates are needed for a filly functional surface cover; the cover sideslope, and the immediately surrounding terrain. In addition, recharge estimates are needed for degraded cover conditions. The temporal scope of the analysis is 10,000 years, but could be longer if some contaminant peaks occur after 10,000 years. The elements of this report compose the Recharge Data Package, which provides estimates of recharge rates for the scenarios being considered in the 2001 PA. Table S.1 identifies the surface features and time periods evaluated. The most important feature, the surface cover, is expected to be the modified RCRA Subtitle C design. This design uses a 1-m-thick silt loam layer above sand and gravel filter layers to create a capillary break. A 0.15-m-thick asphalt layer underlies the filter layers to function as a backup barrier and to promote lateral drainage. Cover sideslopes are expected to be constructed with 1V:10H slopes using sandy gravel. The recharge estimates for each scenario were derived from lysimeter and tracer data collected by the ILAW PA and other projects and from modeling analyses.« less

Finisher hog production in the Southeastern United States: Ancillary measurements derived from the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robarge, W. P.; Lee, S.; Walker, J. T.

2010-12-01

Measurements of emissions of gases and fine particulate matter from swine animal feeding operations (AFOs) in the southeastern US have typically been confined to relatively short periods (days to several weeks) and have generally focused on waste lagoons. Access to swine animal housing units and other ancillary information has been limited. The National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS) provided a unique opportunity to characterize emissions from swine housing units for an extended period of time (~ 2 years), and allowed access to ancillary measurements regarding nutrient flows (feed amounts and composition), manure dynamics, animal inventories, water usage and farm management. Presented here is a summary of the observations made for a NAEMS finisher site (NC3B) selected as being representative of swine production in the southeastern US. Finisher hogs are raised in rotations (~ 140 days) with a target market weight of 123 kg/hog. Among the population during a rotation (700-800 hogs/barn) the actual growth rate varies with a series of “grade-outs” of market-weight hogs starting ~ 110 days from initial load-in. Derivation of the standing live-weight in the barns during a rotation therefore requires use of a growth model and summation over several different “populations” of hogs within a single barn. Up to 5 different feed formulations are fed during a rotation with %N content ranging from (3.4 to 2.2% N; total feed consumed 181,000 kg/barn). Across 4 complete rotations, N consumed was ~50 g N per hog/day. Of this amount, we estimate ~ 60% is excreted as fecal matter and urine. The TAN (NH3 + NH4+) content of the shallow pits is consistently higher (1880 ±390 mg TAN/L) than that found in the anaerobic lagoon (800 ±70 mg TAN/L), except immediately after recharge following pit-pull (pH of the two liquids was similar). The presence of a recalcitrant layer of sludge in the shallow pits (liquid height = 20 cm; sludge depth = 5-10 cm; TAN = 2500 mg N/L; total N = 1 - 1.25%) complicates attempts to construct a N mass balance for the barns, and may represent a source of N and S that elevates pit liquid content in addition to daily additions from fecal matter and urine from the hogs. The ancillary information collected during the NAEMS project will provide critical information in order to facilitate the development and test the predictions of process-based models of emissions from shallow-pit hog barns typically used on swine AFOs in the southeastern United States.

Questioning reliability assessments of health information on social media.

PubMed

Dalmer, Nicole K

2017-01-01

This narrative review examines assessments of the reliability of online health information retrieved through social media to ascertain whether health information accessed or disseminated through social media should be evaluated differently than other online health information. Several medical, library and information science, and interdisciplinary databases were searched using terms relating to social media, reliability, and health information. While social media's increasing role in health information consumption is recognized, studies are dominated by investigations of traditional (i.e., non-social media) sites. To more richly assess constructions of reliability when using social media for health information, future research must focus on health consumers' unique contexts, virtual relationships, and degrees of trust within their social networks.

Quantifying Modern Recharge and Depletion Rates of the Nubian Aquifer in Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Mohamed; Abdelmohsen, Karem

2018-07-01

Egypt is currently seeking additional freshwater resources to support national reclamation projects based mainly on the Nubian aquifer groundwater resources. In this study, temporal (April 2002 to June 2016) Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)-derived terrestrial water storage (TWSGRACE) along with other relevant datasets was used to monitor and quantify modern recharge and depletion rates of the Nubian aquifer in Egypt (NAE) and investigate the interaction of the NAE with artificial lakes. Results indicate: (1) the NAE is receiving a total recharge of 20.27 ± 1.95 km3 during 4/2002-2/2006 and 4/2008-6/2016 periods, (2) recharge events occur only under excessive precipitation conditions over the Nubian recharge domains and/or under a significant rise in Lake Nasser levels, (3) the NAE is witnessing a groundwater depletion of - 13.45 ± 0.82 km3/year during 3/2006-3/2008 period, (4) the observed groundwater depletion is largely related to exceptional drought conditions and/or normal baseflow recession, and (5) a conjunctive surface water and groundwater management plan needs to be adapted to develop sustainable water resources management in the NAE. Findings demonstrate the use of global monthly TWSGRACE solutions as a practical, informative, and cost-effective approach for monitoring aquifer systems across the globe.

Quantifying Modern Recharge and Depletion Rates of the Nubian Aquifer in Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Mohamed; Abdelmohsen, Karem

2018-02-01

Egypt is currently seeking additional freshwater resources to support national reclamation projects based mainly on the Nubian aquifer groundwater resources. In this study, temporal (April 2002 to June 2016) Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)-derived terrestrial water storage (TWSGRACE) along with other relevant datasets was used to monitor and quantify modern recharge and depletion rates of the Nubian aquifer in Egypt (NAE) and investigate the interaction of the NAE with artificial lakes. Results indicate: (1) the NAE is receiving a total recharge of 20.27 ± 1.95 km3 during 4/2002-2/2006 and 4/2008-6/2016 periods, (2) recharge events occur only under excessive precipitation conditions over the Nubian recharge domains and/or under a significant rise in Lake Nasser levels, (3) the NAE is witnessing a groundwater depletion of - 13.45 ± 0.82 km3/year during 3/2006-3/2008 period, (4) the observed groundwater depletion is largely related to exceptional drought conditions and/or normal baseflow recession, and (5) a conjunctive surface water and groundwater management plan needs to be adapted to develop sustainable water resources management in the NAE. Findings demonstrate the use of global monthly TWSGRACE solutions as a practical, informative, and cost-effective approach for monitoring aquifer systems across the globe.

Profile and effects of consumer involvement in fresh meat.

PubMed

Verbeke, Wim; Vackier, Isabelle

2004-05-01

This study investigates the profile and effects of consumer involvement in fresh meat as a product category based on cross-sectional data collected in Belgium. Analyses confirm that involvement in meat is a multidimensional construct including four facets: pleasure value, symbolic value, risk importance and risk probability. Four involvement-based meat consumer segments are identified: straightforward, cautious, indifferent, and concerned. Socio-demographic differences between the segments relate to gender, age and presence of children. The segments differ in terms of extensiveness of the decision-making process, impact and trust in information sources, levels of concern, price consciousness, claimed meat consumption, consumption intention, and preferred place of purchase. The two segments with a strong perception of meat risks constitute two-thirds of the market. They can be typified as cautious meat lovers versus concerned meat consumers. Efforts aiming at consumer reassurance through quality improvement, traceability, labelling or communication may gain effectiveness when targeted specifically to these two segments. Whereas straightforward meat lovers focus mainly on taste as the decisive criterion, indifferent consumers are strongly price oriented.

Patient Groups and the Construction of the Patient-Consumer in Britain: An Historical Overview

PubMed Central

MOLD, ALEX

2010-01-01

This article presents an historical overview of the changing meaning of the patient-consumer, and specifically the role played by patient groups in constructing the patient as consumer. It is argued that patient groups were central to the formation of the patient-consumer, but as health consumerism was taken on by the state, they lost control of this figure. Competing understandings of what it meant to be a patient-consumer developed, a shift that raises further questions about the unity of claims made in the name of the patient-consumer. PMID:20798768

Patient Groups and the Construction of the Patient-Consumer in Britain: An Historical Overview.

PubMed

Mold, Alex

2010-10-01

This article presents an historical overview of the changing meaning of the patient-consumer, and specifically the role played by patient groups in constructing the patient as consumer. It is argued that patient groups were central to the formation of the patient-consumer, but as health consumerism was taken on by the state, they lost control of this figure. Competing understandings of what it meant to be a patient-consumer developed, a shift that raises further questions about the unity of claims made in the name of the patient-consumer.

Modeling a thick unsaturated zone at San Gorgonio Pass, California: lessons learned after five years of artificial recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Alan L.; Ellett, Kevin M.; Christensen, Allen H.; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

The information flow among the tasks of framework assessment, numerical modeling, model forecasting and hind casting, and system-performance monitoring is illustrated. Results provide an understanding of artificial recharge in high-altitude desert settings where large vertical distances may separate application ponds from their target aquifers.Approximately 3.8 million cubic meters of surface water was applied to spreading ponds from 2003–2007 to artificially recharge the underlying aquifer through a 200-meter thick unsaturated zone in the San Gorgonio Pass area in southern California. A study was conducted between 1997 and 2003, and a numerical model was developed to help determine the suitability of the site for artificial recharge. Ongoing monitoring results indicated that the existing model needed to be modified and recalibrated to more accurately predict artificial recharge at the site. The objective of this work was to recalibrate the model by using observation of the application rates, the rise and fall of the water level above a perching layer, and the approximate arrival time to the water table during the 5-yr monitoring period following initiation of long-term artificial recharge. Continuous monitoring of soil-matric potential, temperature, and water levels beneath the site indicated that artificial recharge reached the underlying water table between 3.75 and 4.5 yr after the initial application of the recharge water. The model was modified to allow the simulation to more adequately match the perching layer dynamics and the time of arrival at the water table. The instrumentation also showed that the lag time between changes in application of water at the surface and the response at the perching layer decreased from about 4 mo to less than 1 mo due to the wet-up of the unsaturated zone and the increase in relative permeability. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of iteratively monitoring and modeling the unsaturated zone in layered alluvial systems in the context of artificial recharge. They show that adequate geologic and hydraulic-property data on perching layers are critical to success. Continuous monitoring in the unsaturated and saturated zones beneath a site provides data to develop and constrain numerical models, better understand local unsaturated zone process, manage artificial recharge operations, and to determine the timing and volume of recoverable water for consumptive use.

Focused ground-water recharge in the Amargosa Desert basin: Chapter E in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stonestrom, David A.; Prudic, David E.; Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Abraham, Jared D.; Stewart-Deaker, Amy E.; Glancy, Patrick A.; Constantz, Jim; Laczniak, Randell J.; Andraski, Brian J.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

The Amargosa River is an approximately 300-kilometer long regional drainage connecting the northern highlands on the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nev., to the floor of Death Valley in Inyo County, Calif. Streamflow analysis indicates that the Amargosa Desert portion of the river is dry more than 98 percent of the time. Infiltration losses during ephemeral flows of the Amargosa River and Fortymile Wash provide the main sources of ground-water recharge on the desert-basin floor. The primary use of ground water is for irrigated agriculture. The current study examined ground-water recharge from ephemeral flows in the Amargosa River by using streamflow data and environmental tracers. The USGS streamflow-gaging station at Beatty, Nev., provided high-frequency data on base flow and storm runoff entering the basin during water years 1998–2001. Discharge into the basin during the four-year period totaled 3.03 million cubic meters, three quarters of which was base flow. Streambed temperature anomalies indicated the distribution of ephemeral flows and infiltration losses within the basin. Major storms that produced regional flow during the four-year period occurred in February 1998, during a strong El Niño that more than doubled annual precipitation, and in July 1999. The study also quantified recharge beneath undisturbed native vegetation and irrigation return flow beneath irrigated fields. Vertical profiles of water potential and environmental tracers in the unsaturated zone provided estimates of recharge beneath the river channel (0.04–0.09 meter per year) and irrigated fields (0.1–0.5 meter per year). Chloride mass-balance estimates indicate that 12–15 percent of channel infiltration becomes ground-water recharge, together with 9–22 percent of infiltrated irrigation. Profiles of potential and chloride beneath the dominant desert-shrub vegetation suggest that ground-water recharge has been negligible throughout most of the basin since at least the early Holocene. Surface-based electrical-resistivity imaging provided areal extension of borehole information from sampled profiles. These images indicate narrowly focused recharge beneath the Amargosa River channel, flanked by large tracts of recharge-free basin floor.

Estimates of groundwater recharge rates and sources in the East Mountain area, Eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2005-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Steven E.; Crilley, Dianna M.

2014-01-01

Stable isotope data from springs and snowpacks sampled in the East Mountain area were compared with local, regional, and global meteoric water lines and were analyzed along with values representing the stable isotope composition of winter precipitation and summer monsoonal rains. Results of the stable isotope analysis from springs in this study suggested that winter precipitation is the primary source of groundwater recharge to the aquifers supplying the springs, but there is a component of more isotopically enriched precipitation being recharged as well, likely from summer monsoonal rains. Specific conductance, groundwater-level hydrographs, snowpack chemistry, and snow-water equivalent data were used to inform the analyses and corroborate the findings of the CMB and stable isotope results.

Self-powered fluorescence display devices based on a fast self-charging/recharging battery (Mg/Prussian blue).

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Yu, You; Zhang, Lingling; Zhai, Yiwen; Dong, Shaojun

2016-11-01

Stimuli-responsive (such as voltage and/or light) fluorescence display systems have attracted particular attention in their promising fields of application. However, there are few examples of self-powered fluorescence display devices. Here we designed and fabricated a self-powered fluorescence display device based on a fast-charging/recharging battery. The specially designed battery was composed of a Prussian blue (PB) cathode and a magnesium metal anode with a high theoretical redox potential difference (∼2.8 V). Moreover, smartly adding a trace amount of NaClO in the electrolyte could realize oxidizing PW to PB ∼480 times faster than when oxidizing without NaClO, leading to the fast self-charging and high power density (maximum power density of 13.34 mW cm -2 , about two to three orders of magnitude larger than previous bio-fuel cells) of the Mg/PB battery. Most importantly, PB was used as not only the cathodic catalyst but also as an electrochromic material, making it possible to construct a self-powered and rechargeable electrochromic fluorescence display with only two electrodes. Besides, fluorescent [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ -doped silica nanoparticles (Ru@SiO 2 ), were selected as the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) donor to match PB (FRET acceptor). To the best of our knowledge, we demonstrated a self-powered and rechargeable electrochromic fluorescence display with only two electrodes for the first time.

Maximum Data Collection Rate Routing Protocol Based on Topology Control for Rechargeable Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Lin, Haifeng; Bai, Di; Gao, Demin; Liu, Yunfei

2016-01-01

In Rechargeable Wireless Sensor Networks (R-WSNs), in order to achieve the maximum data collection rate it is critical that sensors operate in very low duty cycles because of the sporadic availability of energy. A sensor has to stay in a dormant state in most of the time in order to recharge the battery and use the energy prudently. In addition, a sensor cannot always conserve energy if a network is able to harvest excessive energy from the environment due to its limited storage capacity. Therefore, energy exploitation and energy saving have to be traded off depending on distinct application scenarios. Since higher data collection rate or maximum data collection rate is the ultimate objective for sensor deployment, surplus energy of a node can be utilized for strengthening packet delivery efficiency and improving the data generating rate in R-WSNs. In this work, we propose an algorithm based on data aggregation to compute an upper data generation rate by maximizing it as an optimization problem for a network, which is formulated as a linear programming problem. Subsequently, a dual problem by introducing Lagrange multipliers is constructed, and subgradient algorithms are used to solve it in a distributed manner. At the same time, a topology controlling scheme is adopted for improving the network’s performance. Through extensive simulation and experiments, we demonstrate that our algorithm is efficient at maximizing the data collection rate in rechargeable wireless sensor networks. PMID:27483282

Maximum Data Collection Rate Routing Protocol Based on Topology Control for Rechargeable Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Lin, Haifeng; Bai, Di; Gao, Demin; Liu, Yunfei

2016-07-30

In Rechargeable Wireless Sensor Networks (R-WSNs), in order to achieve the maximum data collection rate it is critical that sensors operate in very low duty cycles because of the sporadic availability of energy. A sensor has to stay in a dormant state in most of the time in order to recharge the battery and use the energy prudently. In addition, a sensor cannot always conserve energy if a network is able to harvest excessive energy from the environment due to its limited storage capacity. Therefore, energy exploitation and energy saving have to be traded off depending on distinct application scenarios. Since higher data collection rate or maximum data collection rate is the ultimate objective for sensor deployment, surplus energy of a node can be utilized for strengthening packet delivery efficiency and improving the data generating rate in R-WSNs. In this work, we propose an algorithm based on data aggregation to compute an upper data generation rate by maximizing it as an optimization problem for a network, which is formulated as a linear programming problem. Subsequently, a dual problem by introducing Lagrange multipliers is constructed, and subgradient algorithms are used to solve it in a distributed manner. At the same time, a topology controlling scheme is adopted for improving the network's performance. Through extensive simulation and experiments, we demonstrate that our algorithm is efficient at maximizing the data collection rate in rechargeable wireless sensor networks.

Achieving Ultrahigh Energy Density and Long Durability in a Flexible Rechargeable Quasi-Solid-State Zn-MnO2 Battery.

PubMed

Zeng, Yinxiang; Zhang, Xiyue; Meng, Yue; Yu, Minghao; Yi, Jianan; Wu, Yiqiang; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

2017-07-01

Advanced flexible batteries with high energy density and long cycle life are an important research target. Herein, the first paradigm of a high-performance and stable flexible rechargeable quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 battery is constructed by engineering MnO 2 electrodes and gel electrolyte. Benefiting from a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) buffer layer and a Mn 2+ -based neutral electrolyte, the fabricated Zn-MnO 2 @PEDOT battery presents a remarkable capacity of 366.6 mA h g -1 and good cycling performance (83.7% after 300 cycles) in aqueous electrolyte. More importantly, when using PVA/ZnCl 2 /MnSO 4 gel as electrolyte, the as-fabricated quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 @PEDOT battery remains highly rechargeable, maintaining more than 77.7% of its initial capacity and nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency after 300 cycles. Moreover, this flexible quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 battery achieves an admirable energy density of 504.9 W h kg -1 (33.95 mW h cm -3 ), together with a peak power density of 8.6 kW kg -1 , substantially higher than most recently reported flexible energy-storage devices. With the merits of impressive energy density and durability, this highly flexible rechargeable Zn-MnO 2 battery opens new opportunities for powering portable and wearable electronics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Subsurface thermal regime to delineate the paleo-groundwater flow system in an arid area, Al Kufra, Libya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, Zenhom El-Said

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the groundwater flow system in Al Kufra basin, Libya, as a case study of arid areas using subsurface temperature. The temperature-depth profiles and water levels were measured in eight boreholes in the area. Well 6 is considered a recharge type profile with low geothermal gradient (0.0068 °C/m) and an estimated paleo-temperature around 19.5 °C. The other profiles are of discharge type with higher geothermal gradient (0.0133 to 0.0166 °C/m). The constructed horizontal 2D distribution maps of the hydraulic heads and the subsurface temperature measurements reveal that the main recharge area is located to the south with low temperature while the main discharge area is located to the north with higher temperature. Vertical 2D distribution maps show that location of well 4 has low hydraulic heads and higher temperature indicating that the fault defined in the area may have affected the groundwater flow system. The estimated groundwater flux ranges from 0.001 to 0.1 mm/day for the recharge area and from -0.3 to -0.7 mm/day in average in the discharge area.

Tritium as an indicator of ground-water age in Central Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradbury, Kenneth R.

1991-01-01

In regions where ground water is generally younger than about 30 years, developing the tritium input history of an area for comparison with the current tritium content of ground water allows quantitative estimates of minimum ground-water age. The tritium input history for central Wisconsin has been constructed using precipitation tritium measured at Madison, Wisconsin and elsewhere. Weighted tritium inputs to ground water reached a peak of over 2,000 TU in 1964, and have declined since that time to about 20-30 TU at present. In the Buena Vista basin in central Wisconsin, most ground-water samples contained elevated levels of tritium, and estimated minimum ground-water ages in the basin ranged from less than one year to over 33 years. Ground water in mapped recharge areas was generally younger than ground water in discharge areas, and estimated ground-water ages were consistent with flow system interpretations based on other data. Estimated minimum ground-water ages increased with depth in areas of downward ground-water movement. However, water recharging through thick moraine sediments was older than water in other recharge areas, reflecting slower infiltration through the sandy till of the moraine.

Exploratory development of an electrically rechargeable lithium battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abraham, K. M.; Goldman, J. L.; Dempsey, M. D.; Holleck, G. L.

1980-10-01

The cathodic behavior or V6013 was investigated in rechargeable Li cells of the type, Li/2Me-THF,LiAsF6/V6013,C. Two forms of V6013 were synthesized and characterized. These were a stoichiometric form, i.e., V02.17, and a slightly non-stoichiometric form, i.e., V02.19. Stoichiometric V6013 was prepared by heating requisite quantities of V205 and V powder for 24 hrs. at 650 C. The slightly non-stoichiometric V6013 was prepared by the thermal decomposition of NH4V03 at 450 C. The discharge characteristics of the stoichiometric oxide at 60 C were similar to that of non-stoichiometric oxide at room temperature. The rechargeability of both the oxides were found to be sensitive to the lower voltage cutoff. The safest limits of cycling were 3.0 and 1.9V. Potentiostatic discharges of the oxides between 1.9 and 1.3V revealed a high capacity irreversible reduction process at about 1.6V. Three types of hermetically sealed cells were constructed and tested. In a high capacity (5Ah) prismatic cell utilizing the non-stoichiometric oxide, energy densities of 106 Whr/kg and 190 Whr/DM3 were achieved.

Areas Contributing Recharge to Wells in the Tafuna-Leone Plain, Tutuila, American Samoa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izuka, Scot K.; Perreault, Jeff A.; Presley, Todd K.

2007-01-01

To address the concerns about the potential for contamination of drinking-water wells in the Tafuna-Leone Plain, Tutuila, American Samoa, a numerical ground-water flow model was developed and used to delineate areas contributing recharge to the wells (ACRWs). Surveys and analyses were conducted to obtain or compile certain essential hydrogeologic information needed for the model, such as groundwater production statistics, ground-water levels under current production, and an assessment of the distribution of groundwater recharge. The ground-water surveys indicate that total production from all wells in the Tafuna-Leone Plain between 1985 and 2005 averaged 6.1 Mgal/d and showed a gradual increase. A synoptic survey indicates that current water levels in the Tafuna-Leone Plain are highest near its inland boundary, decrease toward the coast, and are slightly depressed in high-production well fields. Ground-water levels showed little effect from the increased production because hydraulic conductivites are high and withdrawal is small relative to recharge. Analysis of ground-water recharge using a soil water-budget analysis indicates that the Tafuna-Leone Plain and adjacent areas receive about 280 Mgal/d of water from rainfall, of which 24 percent runs off to the ocean, 26 percent is removed by evapotranspiration, and 50 percent goes to ground-water recharge. Ground-water recharge per unit area is generally higher at the mountain crests than at the coast, but the highest recharge per unit area is in the mountain-front recharge zone at the juncture between the Tafuna-Leone Plain and the adjacent mountains. Surface water from the mountains also contributes to ground-water recharge in the eastern Tafuna-Leone Plain, in a process analogous to mountain-front recharge described in arid areas. Analysis of stream-gage data indicates that in the mountains of Tutuila, ground water discharges and contributes substantially to the total flow of the streams. In contrast, multiple lines of evidence indicate that in the eastern Tafuna-Leone Plain, surface water recharges the highly permeable underlying aquifer. Steady-state model simulations representing current ground-water production conditions in the Tafuna-Leone Plain indicate that most ACRWs extend less than a mile from the production wells; thus, travel distance between any point within an ACRW and its well is short. A simulation representing a condition in which all wells are operating at maximum capacity resulted in larger ACRWs, which demonstrates that increasing ground-water withdrawal from existing wells, or building and developing new wells, increases the surface area that could potentially contribute contaminants. In some places, such as in Malaeimi Valley, water can travel quickly via surface-water routes to an area where the water can infiltrate within the ACRWs of a well field.

The Ozark Plateaus Regional Aquifer Study—Documentation of a groundwater-flow model constructed to assess water availability in the Ozark Plateaus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Brian R.; Richards, Joseph M.; Knierim, Katherine J.

2018-03-30

Recent short-term drought conditions have emphasized the need to better understand the delicate balance between abundance, sustainability, and scarcity of groundwater in the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system. In 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey began construction of a groundwater-flow model as a tool for the assessment of groundwater availability in the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system. The model was developed to benefit concurrent and future investigations involving groundwater-pumping scenarios, optimization, particle transport, and groundwater-monitoring network analysis.The groundwater model simulates 116 years (1900–2015) of hydrologic conditions and the response of the groundwater system to changes in stress including changes in recharge and groundwater pumping for water supply. Semiseasonal stress periods were simulated from the later part of 1991 to 2015 and represent higher demand and lower recharge in the spring and summer months and lower demand and higher recharge in the fall and winter months. Groundwater pumping increases throughout the simulation period with a maximum rate of about 600 million gallons per day (Mgal/d).The process of matching historical hydrologic data for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system model was accomplished by a combination of manual changes to parameter values and automated calibration methods. Observation data used in the development and evaluation of the model included 19,045 hydraulic-head observations from 6,683 wells within the model area. Observation data also included stream leakage estimates summed to calculate a net gain or net loss value for approximately 81 named streams.The majority (mean of over 95 percent) of the recharge component is discharged through streams simulated in the model. The total simulated discharge to streams fluctuates seasonally between 7,500 and 17,500 Mgal/d with a mean outflow of 11,500 Mgal/d. Much of the remaining balance between modeled recharge inflows and stream outflows is made up by water moving into or out of storage in the aquifer system resulting in changes in modeled groundwater levels.The goal of the model was to develop a model capable of suitable accuracy at regional scales. The intent was not to reproduce individual local-scale details, which are typically not possible given the uniform cell size of 1 square mile. Although the model may not represent each local-scale detail, the model can be applied for a better understanding of the regional flow system and to evaluate responses to changes in climate and groundwater pumping.

Could we do better? Behavioural tracking on recommended consumer health websites.

PubMed

Burkell, Jacquelyn; Fortier, Alexandre

2015-09-01

This study examines behavioural tracking practices on consumer health websites, contrasting tracking on sites recommended by information professionals with tracking on sites returned by Google. Two lists of consumer health websites were constructed: sites recommended by information professionals and sites returned by Google searches. Sites were divided into three groups according to source (Recommended-Only, Google-Only or both) and type (Government, Not-for-Profit or Commercial). Behavioural tracking practices on each website were documented using a protocol that detected cookies, Web beacons and Flash cookies. The presence and the number of trackers that collect personal information were contrasted across source and type of site; a second set of analyses specifically examined Advertising trackers. Recommended-Only sites show lower levels of tracking - especially tracking by advertisers - than do Google-Only sites or sites found through both sources. Government and Not-for-Profit sites have fewer trackers, particularly from advertisers, than do Commercial sites. Recommended sites, especially those from Government or Not-for-Profit organisations, present a lower privacy threat than sites returned by Google searches. Nonetheless, most recommended websites include some trackers, and half include at least one Advertising tracker. To protect patron privacy, information professionals should examine the tracking practices of the websites they recommend. © 2015 Health Libraries Group.

Economic valuation of selected direct and indirect use values of the Makgadikgadi wetland system, Botswana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setlhogile, Tshepo; Arntzen, Jaap; Mabiza, Collin; Mano, Reneth

Economic valuation of wetlands aims to investigate public preferences for changes in the state of the wetland and the natural resources it constitutes in monetary terms. It provides a means of quantifying the direct and indirect benefits that people derive from wetlands. In addition, it informs management planning and practice about resource options, optimal allocation and also provides information for conservation of the resource. The Makgadikgadi wetland is a unique system that mostly consists of dry pans during most of the year. This study aimed at estimating the value of groundwater recharge and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) activities within the Makgadikgadi wetland and how these goods and services contribute to the local and national economy. The study used the Total Economic Valuation approach, which considers both the direct and indirect use values of the resource. In essence, the study concentrated on one direct use value (use of resources through CBNRM) and one indirect use value (groundwater recharge). With regard to CBNRM, three community-based organisations (CBOs) were selected for the study and static and dynamic cost-benefit models for these CBOs were developed. The groundwater recharge value was largely determined through desktop review and interviews with stakeholders. The results indicate a small positive contribution of CBOs towards the economy of Botswana and a high potential for communities to derive substantial benefits from the projects because currently benefits realised by communities are limited. CBOs involved in joint venture partnerships with tourism and hunting enterprises benefit more from utilising the wetland’s resources. Groundwater recharge often occurs in areas away from the physical location of the wetland and may not be easily attributable to the wetland. However, the study assessed the value taking into consideration the various sectors which rely on the groundwater resource. The groundwater recharge value is significant (BWP 9-10 million) but lower when compared with the value generated by the Okavango delta (BWP 16 million). Given future increases in water demands, groundwater abstraction will exceed recharge, thus hampering the availability of the resource for the future generations and maintenance of the environment.

Basic Skills for Reflective Inquiry in the Social Studies. Bridges to the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodabaugh, Mary Jane; And Others

The document consists of five social studies units for developing basic inquiry skills at the secondary level. Students read and analyze data through the construction of a table and a graph in Unit I, "Reading Graphs and Charts." Topics include a model of consumer demand, census information, and national budgeting. In Unit II, "Community Change,"…

Safety Barrier Guidelines for Home Pools [and] How To Plan for the Unexpected.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

Each year, hundreds of young children die and thousands come close to death due to submersion in residential swimming pools. The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission studied data on drownings and child behavior, as well as information on pool and pool barrier construction, and concluded that the best way to reduce child drownings in…

Evaluation of Managed Aquifer Recharge Scenarios using Treated Wastewater: a Case study of the Zarqa River Basin, Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Rawy, Mustafa; Zlotnik, Vitaly; Al-Maktoumi, Ali; Al-Raggad, Marwan; Kacimov, Anvar; Abdalla, Osman

2016-04-01

Jordan is an arid country, facing great challenges due to limited water resources. The shortage of water resources constrains economy, especially agriculture that consumes the largest amount of available water (about 53 % of the total demand). According to the Jordan Water Strategy 2008 - 2022, groundwater is twice greater than the recharge rate. Therefore, the government charged the planners to consider treated wastewater (TWW) as a choice in the water resources management and development strategies. In Jordan, there are 31 TWW plants. Among them, As Samra plant serving the two major cities, Amman and Zarqa, is the largest, with projected maximum capacity of 135 Million m3/year. This plant is located upstream of the Zarqa River basin that accepts all TWW discharges. The Zarqa River is considered the most important source of surface water in Jordan and more than 78 % of its current is composed of TWW. The main objectives were to develop a conceptual model for a selected part of the Zarqa River basin, including the As Samrapant, and to provide insights to water resources management in the area using TWW. The groundwater flow model was developed using MODFLOW 2005 and used to assess changes in the aquifer and the Zarqa River under a set of different increments in discharge rates from the As Samra plant and different groundwater pumping rates. The results show that the water table in the study area underwent an average water table decline of 29 m prior to the As Samra plant construction, comparing with the current situation (with annual TWW discharge of 110 Million m3). The analysis of the TWW rate increase to 135 million m3/year (maximum capacity of the As Samra plant) shows that the average groundwater level will rise 0.55 m, compared to the current conditions. We found that the best practices require conjunctive use management of surface- and groundwater. The simulated scenarios highlight the significant role of TWW in augmenting the aquifer storage, improving water availability, and better farming activities in the Zarqa River valley. Keywords: Managed Aquifer Recharge, Treated Wastewater, Zarqa River Basin, Jordan, MODFLOW 2005 Acknowledgments This study was funded by USAID-FABRI, project contract: AID-OAA-TO-11-00049 (project codes: 1001626 - 104 and 1001624-12S-19745). First author acknowledges Sultan Qaboos University, Oman for the postdoctoral fellowship. The authors acknowledge support of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jordan for providing access to the data and field assistance.

Delineating spring recharge areas in a fractured sandstone aquifer (Luxembourg) based on pesticide mass balance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farlin, J.; Drouet, L.; Gallé, T.; Pittois, D.; Bayerle, M.; Braun, C.; Maloszewski, P.; Vanderborght, J.; Elsner, M.; Kies, A.

2013-06-01

A simple method to delineate the recharge areas of a series of springs draining a fractured aquifer is presented. Instead of solving the flow and transport equations, the delineation is reformulated as a mass balance problem assigning arable land in proportion to the pesticide mass discharged annually in a spring at minimum total transport cost. The approach was applied to the Luxembourg Sandstone, a fractured-rock aquifer supplying half of the drinking water for Luxembourg, using the herbicide atrazine. Predictions of the recharge areas were most robust in situations of strong competition by neighbouring springs while the catchment boundaries for isolated springs were extremely sensitive to the parameter controlling flow direction. Validation using a different pesticide showed the best agreement with the simplest model used, whereas using historical crop-rotation data and spatially distributed soil-leaching data did not improve predictions. The whole approach presents the advantage of integrating objectively information on land use and pesticide concentration in spring water into the delineation of groundwater recharge zones in a fractured-rock aquifer.

Managed Aquifer Recharge in Italy: present and prospects.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossetto, Rudy

2015-04-01

On October the 3rd 2014, a one-day Workshop on Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) experiences in Italy took place at the GEOFLUID fair in Piacenza. It was organized within the framework of the EIP AG 128 - MAR Solutions - Managed Aquifer Recharge Strategies and Actions and the EU FPVII MARSOL. The event aimed at showcasing present experiences on MAR in Italy while at the same time starting a network among all the Institutions involved. In this contribution, we discuss the state of MAR application in Italy and summarize the outcomes of that event. In Italy aquifer recharge is traditionally applied unintentionally, by increasing riverbank filtration or because of excess irrigation. A certain interest for artificial recharge of aquifers arose at the end of the '70s and the beginning of the '80s and tests have been carried out in Tuscany, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. During the last years some projects on aquifer recharge were co-financed by the European Commission mainly through the LIFE program. Nearly all of them use the terminology of artificial recharge instead of MAR. They are: - TRUST (Tool for regional - scale assessment of groundwater storage improvement in adaptation to climate change, LIFE07 ENV/IT/000475; Marsala 2014); - AQUOR (Implementation of a water saving and artificial recharging participated strategy for the quantitative groundwater layer rebalance of the upper Vicenza's plain - LIFE 2010 ENV/IT/380; Mezzalira et al. 2014); - WARBO (Water re-born - artificial recharge: innovative technologies for the sustainable management of water resources, LIFE10 ENV/IT/000394; 2014). While the TRUST project dealt in general with aquifer recharge, AQUOR and WARBO focused essentially on small scale demonstration plants. Within the EU FPVII-ENV-2013 MARSOL project (Demonstrating Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Solution to Water Scarcity and Drought; 2014), a dedicated monitoring and decision support system is under development to manage recharge at a large scale riverbank filtration plant, worth 15 Mm3/year in Lucca (Tuscany; Borsi et al. 2014). In 2014, the Regional Authority of Emilia Romagna started a pilot on the Marecchia River fan using a recharge basin to alleviate water scarcity in the Rimini area as results of drought periods (Severi et al. 2014). To apply MAR techniques on a large scale is of particular interest the possibility to allow farmer's associations or drainage consortiums to play an important role in storing excess rainfall water in aquifers. Few hectares of land in rural areas may be dedicated to MAR plants, transforming a traditionally water consumer sector in one preserving it - opportunities are then linked to the provision of water related ecosystem services. Aquifer recharge is allowed in Italy only since September 2013, but still a regulatory framework is missing. Hopefully, this regulatory scheme will benefit from previous and on-going experiences. Dissemination of MAR scientific findings and technical know-how among governing authorities and the general public is crucial for the application of MAR techniques. Fundings for setting up new MAR plants may be available at national level. At the same time, lack of knowledge at intermediate governing bodies level is preventing the application of these techniques (i.e. building of small dams is favored although less convenient by several points of view in respect of MAR plants). Finally, it is of outmost importance to define which are the financial instruments to sustain these water infrastructures, so to guarantee not only their set up, but also routinely operations, opening as such a new market in the water sector. Acknowledgments This paper is co-financed within the framework of the EU FP7-ENV-2013-WATER-INNO-DEMO MARSOL (Grant Agreement n. 619120). References Borsi, I., Mazzanti, G., Barbagli, A., Rossetto, R., 2014. The riverbank filtration plant in S. Alessio (Lucca): monitoring and modeling activity within EU the FP7 MARSOL project. Acque Sotterranee - Italian Journal of Groundwater, Vol. 3, n. 3/137 Marsala, V. (2014). LIFE+ TRUST project: tool to assist the implementation of the Framework Directive 2000/60/CE, methodology and results. Acque Sotterranee - Italian Journal of Groundwater, Vol. 3, n. 3/137 MARSOL (2014). Demonstrating Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Solution to Water Scarcity and Drought www.marsol.eu [accessed 4 January 2015] Mezzalira, G., Niceforo, U., Gusmaroli, G. (2014). Forested infiltration areas (FIA); principles, experiences, perspectives. Acque Sotterranee - Italian Journal of Groundwater, Vol. 3, n. 3/137 Severi, P., Bonzi, L., Ferrari, V., Pellegrino, I. (2014). Managed aquifer recharge in the Marecchia alluvial fan (Rimini - Italy), start of the test and first results. Acque Sotterranee - Italian Journal of Groundwater, Vol. 3, n. 3/137 WARBO, 2014. WATER RE-BORN - Artificial Recharge. Innovative Technologies for the Sustainable Management of Water Resources. http://www.warbo-life.eu/ [accessed 8 August 2014

Gold nanoparticles: novel catalyst for the preparation of direct methanol fuel cell.

PubMed

Kuralkar, Mayuri; Ingle, Avinash; Gaikwad, Swapnil; Gade, Aniket; Rai, Mahendra

2015-04-01

The authors report the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) using plant pathogenic Phoma glomerata (MTCC 2210). The synthesis of nanoparticles was characterised by visual observation followed UV-visible spectrophotometric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Later, direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was constructed using two chambers (anodic chamber and cathodic chamber). These Au-NPs as catalysts have various advantages over the other catalysts that are used in the DMFC. Most importantly, it is cheaper as compared with other catalysts like platinum, and showed higher catalytic activity because of its effective surface structure. Being nano in size, it provides more surface area for the attachment of reactant molecules (methanol molecules). The DMFC catalysed by Au-NPs are found to be suitable to replace lithium ion battery technology in consumer electronics like cell phones, laptops and so on due to the fact that they can produce a high amount of energy in a small space. As long as fuel and air are supplied to the DMFC, it will continue to produce power, so it does not need to be recharged. The use of Au-NPs as catalyst in DMFC has not been reported in the past; it is reported here the first time.

Generalization and formalization of the US EPA procedure for design of treated wastewater aquifer recharge basins: II. Retrofit of Souhil Wadi (Nabeul, Tunisia) pilot plant.

PubMed

Kallali, Hamadi; Yoshida, Mitsuo; Tarhouni, Jamila; Jedidi, Naceur

2013-01-01

The 'Cap Bon' peninsula in Tunisia suffers from intensive tourist activities, high demographic increase and industrial development. As groundwater had been for a long time the main water source, aquifers had been subject to a severe depletion and seawater intrusion. Despite the measures taken prohibiting new drillings and water carrying by the construction of a waterway linking the region to the north-west region of Tunisia, the problem of water shortage persists. Artificial recharge of groundwater with treated wastewater has been decided as a technique to replenish the region aquifers. A pilot plant was constructed in the early 1980s in Souhil Wadi (Nabeul) area. Many experiments have been carried out on this plant and have led to controversial opinions about its performance and its impact on groundwater contamination. This contribution concerns the application of the procedure that we developed from the generalization and the formalization of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) methodology for the design of treated wastewater aquifer recharge basins. This upgrading procedure implemented in a spreadsheet, has been used to retrofit the Souhil Wadi facility in order to improve its performance. This method highlighted the importance of the safety factor to estimate wastewater infiltration rate from clean water permeability measurements. It has, also, demonstrated the discordance between the initial design parameters of Souhil Wadi facility and their current status as they have changed with time and the infiltration capacity of the basins has been affected by clogging. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that with the current state of clogging of the basins, the design infiltration rate limited by the most restrictive layer (6.1 cm/hr) corresponds to 22% of the surface infiltration rate reached after a drying period of 10 d, which means that we need more basins to absorb the daily loading rate. The design method leads to the construct ion of five basins of 961 m(2) (31 × 31 m) each, with one basin being flooded for 3 d with 27 cm of water daily and rested for 10 d. The current status is completely different as only four basins are constructed with 324 m(2) each. Many actions in the short, medium and long term have been advised in order to improve the system performance.

Rechargeable Seawater Battery and Its Electrochemical Mechanism

DOE PAGES

Kim, Jae-Kwang; Lee, Eungje; Kim, Hyojin; ...

2014-11-25

Here in this paper, we explore the electrochemical mechanism of a novel rechargeable seawater battery system that uses seawater as the cathode material. Sodium is harvested from seawater while charging the battery, and the harvested sodium is discharged with oxygen dissolved in the seawater, functioning as oxidants to produce electricity. The seawater provides both anode (Na metal) and cathode (O 2) materials for the proposed battery. Based on the discharge voltage (~2.9 V) with participation of O 2 and the charge voltage (~4.1 V) with Cl 2 evolution during the first cycle, a voltage efficiency of about 73% is obtained.more » If the seawater battery is constructed using hard carbon as the anode and a Na super ion conductor as the solid electrolyte, a strong cycle performance of 84% is observed after 40 cycles.« less

Source of electrical power for an electric vehicle and other purposes, and related methods

DOEpatents

LaFollette, Rodney M.

2000-05-16

Microthin sheet technology is disclosed by which superior batteries are constructed which, among other things, accommodate the requirements for high load rapid discharge and recharge, mandated by electric vehicle criteria. The microthin sheet technology has process and article overtones and can be used to form thin electrodes used in batteries of various kinds and types, such as spirally-wound batteries, bipolar batteries, lead acid batteries, silver/zinc batteries, and others. Superior high performance battery features include: (a) minimal ionic resistance; (b) minimal electronic resistance; (c) minimal polarization resistance to both charging and discharging; (d) improved current accessibility to active material of the electrodes; (e) a high surface area to volume ratio; (f) high electrode porosity (microporosity); (g) longer life cycle; (h) superior discharge/recharge characteristics; (j) higher capacities (A.multidot.hr); and k) high specific capacitance.

Source of electrical power for an electric vehicle and other purposes, and related methods

DOEpatents

LaFollette, Rodney M.

2002-11-12

Microthin sheet technology is disclosed by which superior batteries are constructed which, among other things, accommodate the requirements for high load rapid discharge and recharge, mandated by electric vehicle criteria. The microthin sheet technology has process and article overtones and can be used to form corrugated thin electrodes used in batteries of various kinds and types, such as spirally-wound batteries, bipolar batteries, lead acid batteries, silver/zinc batteries, and others. Superior high performance battery features include: (a) minimal ionic resistance; (b) minimal electronic resistance; (c) minimal polarization resistance to both charging and discharging; (d) improved current accessibility to active material of the electrodes; (e) a high surface area to volume ratio; (f) high electrode porosity (microporosity); (g) longer life cycle; (h) superior discharge/recharge characteristics; (i) higher capacities (A.multidot.hr); and (j) high specific capacitance.

Battery with a microcorrugated, microthin sheet of highly porous corroded metal

DOEpatents

LaFollette, Rodney M.

2005-09-27

Microthin sheet technology is disclosed by which superior batteries are constructed which, among other things, accommodate the requirements for high load rapid discharge and recharge, mandated by electric vehicle criteria. The microthin sheet technology has process and article overtones and can be used to form thin electrodes used in batteries of various kinds and types, such as spirally-wound batteries, bipolar batteries, lead acid batteries silver/zinc batteries, and others. Superior high performance battery features include: (a) minimal ionic resistance; (b) minimal electronic resistance; (c) minimal polarization resistance to both charging and discharging; (d) improved current accessibility to active material of the electrodes; (e) a high surface area to volume ratio; (f) high electrode porosity (microporosity); (g) longer life cycle; (h) superior discharge/recharge characteristics; (i) higher capacities (A.multidot.hr); and (j) high specific capacitance.

Extra-oral dental radiography for disaster victims using a flat panel X-ray detector and a hand-held X-ray generator.

PubMed

Ohtani, M; Oshima, T; Mimasaka, S

2017-12-01

Forensic odontologists commonly incise the skin for post-mortem dental examinations when it is difficult to open the victim's mouth. However, it is prohibited by law to incise dead bodies without permission in Japan. Therefore, we attempted using extra-oral dental radiography, using a digital X-ray equipment with rechargeable batteries, to overcome this restriction. A phantom was placed in the prone position on a table, and three plain dental radiographs were used per case: "lateral oblique radiographs" for left and right posterior teeth and a "contact radiograph" for anterior teeth were taken using a flat panel X-ray detector and a hand-held X-ray generator. The resolving power of the images was measured by a resolution test chart, and the scattered X-ray dose was measured using an ionization chamber-type survey meter. The resolving power of the flat panel X-ray detector was 3.0 lp/mm, which was less than that of intra-oral dental methods, but the three extra-oral plain dental radiographs provided the overall dental information from outside of the mouth, and this approach was less time-consuming. In addition, the higher dose of scattered X-rays was laterally distributed, but the dose per case was much less than that of intra-oral dental radiographs. Extra-oral plain dental radiography can be used for disaster victim identification by dental methods even when it is difficult to open the mouth. Portable and rechargeable devices, such as a flat panel X-ray detector and a hand-held X-ray generator, are convenient to bring and use anywhere, even at a disaster scene lacking electricity and water.

Characterization of recharge and flow behaviour of different water sources in Gunung Kidul and its impact on water quality based on hydrochemical and physico-chemical monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiche, Elisabeth; Hochschild, Maren; Haryono, Eko; Neumann, Thomas

2016-09-01

Karst aquifers are important water resources but highly vulnerable due to their heterogeneous and complex characteristics. Various hydrological aspects (recharge, flow behaviour) have to be known in detail to develop a sustainable concept for water collection, distribution and treatment. In the karst area of Gunung Sewu (Java, Indonesia) such a concept was to be implemented within a German-Indonesian joint IWRM project. The basic hydrogeological conditions and water quality aspects were characterized on a regional scale through hydrochemical monitoring of springs, wells, subsurface and surface rivers. More detailed information about the recharge, flow and storage behaviour was obtained from high resolution monitoring of T, EC and discharge in one large underground river system. The water quality is well below any guideline values with regard to inorganic pollutants during dry season. During rainy season, dissolved Al concentrations are frequently above the Indonesian guideline value. Slow matrix flow is the most important recharge component during dry season, thus assuring the year-round water availability in the subsurface karst. During rainy season, quick infiltration of the surface water is a dominant recharge component. Rapid response of discharge, T and EC to heavy rain suggests the presence of point recharge that feeds a highly karstfied conduit system with fast conduit flow and short transit time of water. The strong variations in discharge and hydrochemistry are particularly challenging for technical water usage and treatment facilities. Piston flow is indicated to be the third important flow component and is induced by heavy rainfall.

Hysteresis, regime shifts, and non-stationarity in aquifer recharge-storage-discharge systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klammler, Harald; Jawitz, James; Annable, Michael; Hatfield, Kirk; Rao, Suresh

2016-04-01

Based on physical principles and geological information we develop a parsimonious aquifer model for Silver Springs, one of the largest karst springs in Florida. The model structure is linear and time-invariant with recharge, aquifer head (storage) and spring discharge as dynamic variables at the springshed (landscape) scale. Aquifer recharge is the hydrological driver with trends over a range of time scales from seasonal to multi-decadal. The freshwater-saltwater interaction is considered as a dynamic storage mechanism. Model results and observed time series show that aquifer storage causes significant rate-dependent hysteretic behavior between aquifer recharge and discharge. This leads to variable discharge per unit recharge over time scales up to decades, which may be interpreted as a gradual and cyclic regime shift in the aquifer drainage behavior. Based on field observations, we further amend the aquifer model by assuming vegetation growth in the spring run to be inversely proportional to stream velocity and to hinder stream flow. This simple modification introduces non-linearity into the dynamic system, for which we investigate the occurrence of rate-independent hysteresis and of different possible steady states with respective regime shifts between them. Results may contribute towards explaining observed non-stationary behavior potentially due to hydrological regime shifts (e.g., triggered by gradual, long-term changes in recharge or single extreme events) or long-term hysteresis (e.g., caused by aquifer storage). This improved understanding of the springshed hydrologic response dynamics is fundamental for managing the ecological, economic and social aspects at the landscape scale.

Drought-sensitive aquifer settings in southeastern Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Tammy M.; Risser, Dennis W.

2005-01-01

This report describes the results of a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey, to determine drought-sensitive aquifer settings in southeastern Pennsylvania. Because all or parts of southeastern Pennsylvania have been in drought-warning or drought-emergency status during 6 of the past 10 years from 1994 through 2004, this information should aid well owners, drillers, and water-resource managers in guiding appropriate well construction and sustainable use of Pennsylvania's water resources. 'Drought-sensitive' aquifer settings are defined for this study as areas unable to supply adequate quantities of water to wells during drought. Using information from previous investigations and a knowledge of the hydrogeology and topography of the study area, drought-sensitive aquifer settings in southeastern Pennsylvania were hypothesized as being associated with two factors - a water-table decline (WTD) index and topographic setting. The WTD index is an estimate of the theoretical water-table decline at the ground-water divide for a hypothetical aquifer with idealized geometry. The index shows the magnitude of ground-water decline after cessation of recharge is a function of (1) distance from stream to divide, (2) ground-water recharge rate, (3) transmissivity, (4) specific yield, and (5) duration of the drought. WTD indices were developed for 39 aquifers that were subsequently grouped into categories of high, moderate, and low WTD index. Drought-sensitive settings determined from the hypothesized factors were compared to locations of wells known to have been affected (gone dry, replaced, or deepened) during recent droughts. Information collected from well owners, drillers, and public agencies identified 2,016 wells affected by drought during 1998-2002. Most of the available data on the location of drought-affected wells in the study area were from Chester and Montgomery Counties because those counties have well-construction regulations that identify wells that failed during drought. The locations of drought-affected wells in Chester and Montgomery Counties indicated the most highly sensitive settings are uplands and slopes in aquifers with high WTD index and uplands in aquifers with moderate WTD index. The least sensitive settings are in aquifers with low WTD index, in valleys, or on slopes. A map was developed showing the relative drought sensitivity (low, moderate, and high) of aquifers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Study results were limited by the inability to obtain much information about the location of drought-affected wells, with the exception of Montgomery and Chester Counties. Also, the construction characteristics (particularly depth) of drought-affected wells generally were not available. Well depth could be used to distinguish between problems caused by shallow well depth (generally less than 100 ft) and those caused by deficiency of the aquifer to supply water. With the exception of owner-derived information from a public survey on drought-affected wells (35 wells), depth data were not obtained. Data from the 35 drought-affected wells indicated most were drilled (not dug) and were completed to depths greater than 100 feet. This finding indicates that the affects of recent droughts in southeastern Pennsylvania were not restricted to shallow dug wells, but also affected deeper drilled wells.

Quantifying effects of humans and climate on groundwater resources of Hawaii through sharp-interface modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotzoll, K.; Izuka, S. K.; Nishikawa, T.; Fienen, M. N.; El-Kadi, A. I.

2016-12-01

Some of the volcanic-rock aquifers of the islands of Hawaii are substantially developed, leading to concerns related to the effects of groundwater withdrawals on saltwater intrusion and stream base-flow reduction. A numerical modeling analysis using recent available information (e.g., recharge, withdrawals, hydrogeologic framework, and conceptual models of groundwater flow) advances current understanding of groundwater flow and provides insight into the effects of human activity and climate change on Hawaii's water resources. Three island-wide groundwater-flow models (Kauai, Oahu, and Maui) were constructed using MODFLOW 2005 coupled with the Seawater-Intrusion Package (SWI2), which simulates the transition between saltwater and freshwater in the aquifer as a sharp interface. This approach allowed coarse vertical discretization (maximum of two layers) without ignoring the freshwater-saltwater system at the regional scale. Model construction (FloPy3), parameter estimation (PEST), and analysis of results were streamlined using Python scripts. Model simulations included pre-development (1870) and recent (average of 2001-10) scenarios for each island. Additionally, scenarios for future withdrawals and climate change were simulated for Oahu. We present our streamlined approach and results showing estimated effects of human activity on the groundwater resource by quantifying decline in water levels, rise of the freshwater-saltwater interface, and reduction in stream base flow. Water-resource managers can use this information to evaluate consequences of groundwater development that can constrain future groundwater availability.

2007-2008 Annual Progress Report for BPA Grant Exp Restore Walla Walla River Flow

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

Bower, Bob

WWBWC and its partners have been working on a wide variety of conservation and aquifer recharge related activities including: monitoring groundwater and surface water conditions, creating a geospatial database for the Walla Walla River valley (project focal area), expanding aquifer recharge testing at the HBDIC site and conducting an extensive outreach/education program by which to share the information, ideas and potential solutions to our current water management issues in this basin. This report is an outline of those activities and is accompanied by individual program-component (attached as appendices) reports for the areas that BPA is assisting to fund these on-the-groundmore » projects along with the innovative research and monitoring being done to further aquifer recharge as a water management tool for the Pacific Northwest.« less

Real-Time XRD Studies of Li-O2 Electrochemical Reaction in Nonaqueous Lithium-Oxygen Battery.

PubMed

Lim, Hyunseob; Yilmaz, Eda; Byon, Hye Ryung

2012-11-01

Understanding of electrochemical process in rechargeable Li-O2 battery has suffered from lack of proper analytical tool, especially related to the identification of chemical species and number of electrons involved in the discharge/recharge process. Here we present a simple and straightforward analytical method for simultaneously attaining chemical and quantified information of Li2O2 (discharge product) and byproducts using in situ XRD measurement. By real-time monitoring of solid-state Li2O2 peak area, the accurate efficiency of Li2O2 formation and the number of electrons can be evaluated during full discharge. Furthermore, by observation of sequential area change of Li2O2 peak during recharge, we found nonlinearity of Li2O2 decomposition rate for the first time in ether-based electrolyte.

What Factors Impact Consumer Perception of the Effectiveness of Health Information Sites? An Investigation of the Korean National Health Information Portal.

PubMed

Choung, Ji Tae; Lee, Yoon Seong; Jo, Heui Sug; Shim, Minsun; Lee, Hun Jae; Jung, Su Mi

2017-07-01

Lay public's concerns around health and health information are increasing. In response, governments and government agencies are establishing websites to address such concerns and improve health literacy by providing better access to validated health information. Since 2011, the Korean government has constructed the National Health Information Portal (NHIP) website run in collaboration with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS). This study therefore aimed to 1) examine consumer use of NHIP, with respect to the usage patterns, evaluation on health information provided, and perceived effectiveness of the site; and 2) identify factors that may impact perceived effectiveness of the site. An online survey was conducted with 164 NHIP users, recruited through a popup window on the main screen of the portal website from October to November 2015. The significant predicting factors supported by the data include the relevance of health information on the site, the usefulness of information in making health decisions, and the effective visualization of information. These factors can inform future efforts to design more effective health information websites, possibly based on metadata systems, to further advance the lay public's information seeking and health literacy. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Combined geophysical methods for mapping infiltration pathways at the Aurora Water Aquifer recharge and recovery site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasper, Cameron A.

Although aquifer recharge and recovery systems are a sustainable, decentralized, low cost, and low energy approach for the reclamation, treatment, and storage of post- treatment wastewater, they can suffer from poor infiltration rates and the development of a near-surface clogging layer within infiltration ponds. One such aquifer recharge and recovery system, the Aurora Water site in Colorado, U.S.A, functions at about 25% of its predicted capacity to recharge floodplain deposits by flooding infiltration ponds with post-treatment wastewater extracted from river bank aquifers along the South Platte River. The underwater self-potential method was developed to survey self-potential signals at the ground surface in a flooded infiltration pond for mapping infiltration pathways. A method for using heat as a groundwater tracer within the infiltration pond used an array of in situ high-resolution temperature sensing probes. Both relatively positive and negative underwater self-potential anomalies are consistent with observed recovery well pumping rates and specific discharge estimates from temperature data. Results from electrical resistivity tomography and electromagnetics surveys provide consistent electrical conductivity distributions associated with sediment textures. A lab method was developed for resistivity tests of near-surface sediment samples. Forward numerical modeling synthesizes the geophysical information to best match observed self- potential anomalies and provide permeability distributions, which is important for effective aquifer recharge and recovery system design, and optimization strategy development.

Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States results from the complex interplay of climate, geology, and vegetation across widely ranging spatial and temporal scales. Present-day recharge tends to be narrowly focused in time and space. Widespread water-table declines accompanied agricultural development during the twentieth century, demonstrating that sustainable ground-water supplies are not guaranteed when part of the extracted resource represents paleorecharge. Climatic controls on ground-water recharge range from seasonal cycles of summer monsoonal and winter frontal storms to multimillennial cycles of glacial and interglacial periods. Precipitation patterns reflect global-scale interactions among the oceans, atmosphere, and continents. Large-scale climatic influences associated with El Niño and Pacific Decadal Oscillations strongly, but irregularly, control weather in the study area, so that year-to-year variations in precipitation and ground-water recharge are large and difficult to predict. Proxy data indicate geologically recent periods of naturally occurring multidecadal droughts unlike any in the modern instrumental record. Any anthropogenically induced climate change will likely reduce ground-water recharge through diminished snowpack at higher elevations. Future changes in El Niño and monsoonal patterns, both crucial to precipitation in the study area, are highly uncertain in current models. Current land-use modifications influence ground-water recharge through vegetation, irrigation, and impermeable area. High mountain ranges bounding the study area—the San Bernadino Mountains and Sierra Nevada to the west, and the Wasatch and southern Colorado Rocky Mountains to the east—provide external geologic controls on ground-water recharge. Internal geologic controls stem from tectonic processes that led to numerous, variably connected alluvial-filled basins, exposure of extensive Paleozoic aquifers in mountainous recharge areas, and distinct modes of recharge in the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range subregions.The chapters in this professional paper present (first) an overview of climatic and hydrogeologic framework (chapter A), followed by a regional analysis of ground-water recharge across the entire study area (chapter B). These are followed by an overview of site-specific case studies representing different subareas of the geographically diverse arid and semiarid southwestern United States (chapter C); the case studies themselves follow in chapters D–K. The regional analysis includes detailed hydrologic modeling within the framework of a high-resolution geographic-information system (GIS). Results from the regional analysis are used to explore both the distribution of ground-water recharge for mean climatic conditions as well as the influence of two climatic patterns—the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation—that impart a high degree of variability to the hydrologic cycle. Individual case studies employ a variety of geophysical and geochemical techniques to investigate recharge processes and relate the processes to local geologic and climatic conditions. All of the case studies made use of naturally occurring tracers to quantify recharge. Thermal and geophysical techniques that were developed in the course of the studies are presented in appendices.The quantification of ground-water recharge in arid settings is inherently difficult due to the generally low amount of recharge, its spatially and temporally spotty nature, and the absence of techniques for directly measuring fluxes entering the saturated zone from the unsaturated zone. Deep water tables in arid alluvial basins correspond to thick unsaturated zones that produce up to millennial time lags between changes in hydrologic conditions at the land surface and subsequent changes in recharge to underlying ground water. Recent advances in physical, chemical, isotopic, and modeling techniques have fostered new types of recharge assessments. Chemical and isotopic techniques include an increasing variety of environmental tracers that are useful and robust. Physically based techniques include the use of heat as a tracer and computationally intensive geophysical imaging tools for characterizing hydrologic conditions in the unsaturated zone. Modeling-based techniques include spatially distributed water-budget computations using high-resolution remotely sensed and ground-based geographic data. Application of these techniques to arid and semiarid settings in the southwestern United States reveals distinct patterns of recharge corresponding to geologic setting, climatic and vegetative history, and land use. Analysis of recharge patterns shows that large expanses of alluvial basin floors are drying out under current climatic conditions, with little to no recharge to underlying ground water. Ground-water recharge occurs mainly beneath upland catchments in which thin soils overlie permeable bedrock, ephemeral channels in which flow may average only several hours per year, and active agricultural areas. The chapters in this professional paper represent a coordinated attempt to develop a better understanding of one of the Nation's most critical yet difficult-to-quantify renewable resources.

Solar-to-vehicle (S2V) systems for powering commuters of the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birnie, Dunbar P.

Hybrid electric vehicles are growing in popularity and significance in our marketplace as gasoline prices continue to rise. Consumers are also increasingly aware of their carbon "footprint" and seek ways of lowering their carbon dioxide output. Plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles appear to be the next wave in helping transition from a gasoline-based transportation infrastructure to an electric-grid-sourced mode, though most plug-in scenarios ultimately rely on having the electric utilities converted from fossil sources to renewable generation in the long run. At present, one of the key advantages of plug-in hybrid/electric vehicles is that they can be charged at home, at night, when lower off-peak rates could apply. The present analysis considers a further advancement: the impact of daytime recharging using solar arrays located at commuters' work sites. This would convert large parking areas into solar recharge stations for commuters. The solar power would be large enough to supply many commuters' needs. The implications for electric car design in relation to commuter range are discussed in detail.

Voxel inversion of airborne electromagnetic data for improved groundwater model construction and prediction accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse Christensen, Nikolaj; Ferre, Ty Paul A.; Fiandaca, Gianluca; Christensen, Steen

2017-03-01

We present a workflow for efficient construction and calibration of large-scale groundwater models that includes the integration of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data and hydrological data. In the first step, the AEM data are inverted to form a 3-D geophysical model. In the second step, the 3-D geophysical model is translated, using a spatially dependent petrophysical relationship, to form a 3-D hydraulic conductivity distribution. The geophysical models and the hydrological data are used to estimate spatially distributed petrophysical shape factors. The shape factors primarily work as translators between resistivity and hydraulic conductivity, but they can also compensate for structural defects in the geophysical model. The method is demonstrated for a synthetic case study with sharp transitions among various types of deposits. Besides demonstrating the methodology, we demonstrate the importance of using geophysical regularization constraints that conform well to the depositional environment. This is done by inverting the AEM data using either smoothness (smooth) constraints or minimum gradient support (sharp) constraints, where the use of sharp constraints conforms best to the environment. The dependency on AEM data quality is also tested by inverting the geophysical model using data corrupted with four different levels of background noise. Subsequently, the geophysical models are used to construct competing groundwater models for which the shape factors are calibrated. The performance of each groundwater model is tested with respect to four types of prediction that are beyond the calibration base: a pumping well's recharge area and groundwater age, respectively, are predicted by applying the same stress as for the hydrologic model calibration; and head and stream discharge are predicted for a different stress situation. As expected, in this case the predictive capability of a groundwater model is better when it is based on a sharp geophysical model instead of a smoothness constraint. This is true for predictions of recharge area, head change, and stream discharge, while we find no improvement for prediction of groundwater age. Furthermore, we show that the model prediction accuracy improves with AEM data quality for predictions of recharge area, head change, and stream discharge, while there appears to be no accuracy improvement for the prediction of groundwater age.

Reassessment of Ground-Water Recharge and Simulated Ground-Water Availability for the Hawi Area of North Kohala, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oki, Delwyn S.

2002-01-01

An estimate of ground-water availability in the Hawi area of north Kohala, Hawaii, is needed to determine whether ground-water resources are adequate to meet future demand within the area and other areas to the south. For the Hawi area, estimated average annual recharge from infiltration of rainfall, fog drip, and irrigation is 37.5 million gallons per day from a daily water budget. Low and high annual recharge estimates for the Hawi area that incorporate estimated uncertainty are 19.9 and 55.4 million gallons per day, respectively. The recharge estimates from this study are lower than the recharge of 68.4 million gallons per day previously estimated from a monthly water budget. Three ground-water models, using the low, intermediate, and high recharge estimates (19.9, 37.5, and 55.4 million gallons per day, respectively), were developed for the Hawi area to simulate ground-water levels and discharges for the 1990?s. To assess potential ground-water availability, the numerical ground-water flow models were used to simulate the response of the freshwater-lens system to withdrawals at rates in excess of the average 1990?s withdrawal rates. Because of uncertainty in the recharge estimate, estimates of ground-water availability also are uncertain. Results from numerical simulations indicate that for appropriate well sites, depths, and withdrawal rates (1) for the low recharge estimate (19.9 million gallons per day) it may be possible to develop an additional 10 million gallons per day of fresh ground water from the Hawi area and maintain a freshwater-lens thickness of 160 feet near the withdrawal sites, (2) for the intermediate recharge estimate (37.5 million gallons per day) it may be possible to develop an additional 15 million gallons per day of fresh ground water from the Hawi area and maintain a freshwater-lens thickness of 190 feet near the withdrawal sites, and (3) for the high recharge estimate (55.4 million gallons per day) it may be possible to develop at least an additional 20 million gallons per day of fresh ground water from the Hawi area and maintain a freshwater-lens thickness of 200 feet near the withdrawal sites. Other well-field configurations than the ones considered potentially could be used to develop more fresh ground water than indicated by the scenarios tested in this study. Depth, spacing, and withdrawal rates of individual wells are important considerations in determining ground-water availability. The regional models developed for this study cannot predict whether local saltwater intrusion problems may occur at individual withdrawal sites. Results of this study underscore the importance of collecting new information to better constrain the recharge estimates.

Optimization of the Implementation of Managed Aquifer Recharge - Effects of Aquifer Heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maliva, Robert; Missimer, Thomas; Kneppers, Angeline

2010-05-01

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has become a key component of integrated water resources management, especially in water scarce regions. MAR can serve the dual role of increasing the supply of available water and improving the quality of recharged water through natural attenuation processes. The performance of MAR systems is highly dependent upon site-specific hydrogeological conditions. Aquifer heterogeneity, such as the presence of high-permeability preferential flow zones and dual or even the so-called triple-porosity conditions, has been responsible for the under performance or failure of some MAR systems. Aquifer heterogeneity can result in much more rapid and unpredictable movement and mixing of recharged water and the bypassing of natural attenuation processes. A critical element of MAR projects is a detailed aquifer characterization and the development of groundwater flow and solute transport models at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales that accurately simulate local heterogeneous flow systems. Geochemical modeling based on high-quality, site-specific mineralogical and water chemistry data can also be used to predict the potential for adverse water-rock interactions such as the leaching of arsenic and trace metals into recharged water. Hydrogeological conditions that could lead to poor system performance should be identified early in the project development before the investment is made to construct a full-scale system. Hydrogeological conditions that have lead to poor MAR system performance are typically identifiable at the exploratory well stage of projects. Early detection of adverse hydrogeological conditions provides an opportunity to either abandon a likely under-performing project, select an alternative site with more favorable conditions, or modify the system design to be more compatible with local hydrogeology. Advanced borehole geophysical techniques and workflow software can allow for enhanced aquifer characterization and thus allow for more successful MAR implementation as a tool for improved water resources management.

Assessment of Drywells as Effective Tools for Stormwater Management and Aquifer Recharge: Results of a Two-Year Field and Numerical Modeling Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, E.; Washburn, B.; Harter, T.; Fogg, G. E.; Nelson, C.; Lock, B.; Li, X.

2016-12-01

Drywells are gravity-fed, excavated pits with perforated casings used to facilitate stormwater infiltration and groundwater recharge in areas with low permeability soils or cover. Stormwater runoff that would otherwise be routed to streams or drains in urban areas can be used as a source of aquifer recharge, potentially mitigating the effects of drought and harm to natural water bodies. However, the potential for groundwater contamination caused by urban runoff bypassing surface soil and near surface sediment attenuation processes has prevented more widespread use of drywells as a recharge mechanism. A field study was conducted in Elk Grove, CA, to determine the effects of drywell-induced stormwater infiltration on the local hydrogeologic system. Two drywells 13.5 meters in depth were constructed for the project: one in a preexisting drainage basin fed by residential lots, and one at an industrial site. Both sites were outfitted with vegetated pretreatments, and upgradient and downgradient groundwater monitoring wells. Site stormwater and groundwater were sampled between November, 2014, and May, 2016, and analyzed for contaminants. Results of water quality sampling have been statistically analyzed for trends and used to determine the contaminants of interest and the concentrations of these contaminants in influent stormwater. The fate and transport of these contaminants have been simulated using a 1D variably saturated flow and transport model and site specific parameters to predict long-term effects of stormwater infiltration on the surrounding hydrogeologic system. The potential for remobilization of geogenic heavy metals from changes in subsurface hydrochemistry caused by drywell infiltration have also been assessed. The results of the field study and numerical modeling assessment indicate that the study's drywells do not pose a long-term threat to groundwater quality and may be an effective source of aquifer recharge and tool for urban stormwater management.

Estimating Natural Recharge in a Desert Environment Facing Increasing Ground-Water Demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishikawa, T.; Izbicki, J. A.; Hevesi, J. A.; Martin, P.

2004-12-01

Ground water historically has been the sole source of water supply for the community of Joshua Tree in the Joshua Tree ground-water subbasin of the Morongo ground-water basin in the southern Mojave Desert. Joshua Basin Water District (JBWD) supplies water to the community from the underlying Joshua Tree ground-water subbasin, and ground-water withdrawals averaging about 960 acre-ft/yr have resulted in as much as 35 ft of drawdown. As growth continues in the desert, ground-water resources may need to be supplemented using imported water. To help meet future demands, JBWD plans to construct production wells in the adjacent Copper Mountain ground-water subbasin. To manage the ground-water resources and to identify future mitigating measures, a thorough understanding of the ground-water system is needed. To this end, field and numerical techniques were applied to determine the distribution and quantity of natural recharge. Field techniques included the installation of instrumented boreholes in selected washes and at a nearby control site. Numerical techniques included the use of a distributed-parameter watershed model and a ground-water flow model. The results from the field techniques indicated that as much as 70 acre-ft/yr of water infiltrated downward through the two principal washes during the study period (2001-3). The results from the watershed model indicated that the average annual recharge in the ground-water subbasins is about 160 acre-ft/yr. The results from the calibrated ground-water flow model indicated that the average annual recharge for the same area is about 125 acre-ft/yr. Although the field and numerical techniques were applied to different scales (local vs. large), all indicate that natural recharge in the Joshua Tree area is very limited; therefore, careful management of the limited ground-water resources is needed. Moreover, the calibrated model can now be used to estimate the effects of different water-management strategies on the ground-water subbasins.

Automatic Short Essay Scoring Using Natural Language Processing to Extract Semantic Information in the Form of Propositions. CRESST Report 831

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Deirdre; Mousavi, Hamid; Iseli, Markus R.

2013-01-01

The Common Core assessments emphasize short essay constructed-response items over multiple-choice items because they are more precise measures of understanding. However, such items are too costly and time consuming to be used in national assessments unless a way to score them automatically can be found. Current automatic essay-scoring techniques…

Hydrology and simulation of ground-water flow in Cedar Valley, Iron County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Lynette E.; Mason, James L.

2005-01-01

Cedar Valley, located in the eastern part of Iron County in southwestern Utah, is experiencing rapid population growth. Cedar Valley traditionally has supported agriculture, but the growing population needs a larger share of the available water resources. Water withdrawn from the unconsolidated basin fill is the primary source for public supply and is a major source of water for irrigation. Water managers are concerned about increasing demands on the water supply and need hydrologic information to manage this limited water resource and minimize flow of water unsuitable for domestic use toward present and future public-supply sources.Surface water in the study area is derived primarily from snowmelt at higher altitudes east of the study area or from occasional large thunderstorms during the summer. Coal Creek, a perennial stream with an average annual discharge of 24,200 acre-feet per year, is the largest stream in Cedar Valley. Typically, all of the water in Coal Creek is diverted for irrigation during the summer months. All surface water is consumed within the basin by irrigated crops, evapotranspiration, or recharge to the ground-water system.Ground water in Cedar Valley generally moves from primary recharge areas along the eastern margin of the basin where Coal Creek enters, to areas of discharge or subsurface outflow. Recharge to the unconsolidated basin-fill aquifer is by seepage of unconsumed irrigation water, streams, direct precipitation on the unconsolidated basin fill, and subsurface inflow from consolidated rock and Parowan Valley and is estimated to be about 42,000 acre-feet per year. Stable-isotope data indicate that recharge is primarily from winter precipitation. The chloride mass-balance method indicates that recharge may be less than 42,000 acre-feet per year, but is considered a rough approximation because of limited chloride concentration data for precipitation and Coal Creek. Continued declining water levels indicate that recharge is not sufficient to meet demand. Water levels in many areas are at or close to historic lows.In 2000, withdrawal from wells was estimated to be 36,000 acre-feet per year. About 4,000 acre-feet per year are estimated to discharge to evapotranspiration or as subsurface outflow. Prior to large-scale ground-water development, ground-water discharge by evapotranspiration and discharge to springs was much larger.Ground water along the eastern margin of the valley between Cedar City and Enoch is unsuitable for domestic use because of high dissolved-solids and nitrate concentrations. The predominant ions of Ca and SO4 in this area indicate dissolution of gypsum in the Markagunt Plateau to the east. Data collected during this study were compared to historic data; there is no evidence to indicate deterioration in ground-water quality. The spatial distribution of ground water with high nitrate concentration does not appear to be migrating beyond its previously known extent. No single source can be identified as the cause for elevated nitrate concentrations in ground water. Low nitrogen-15 values north of Cedar City indicate a natural geologic source. Higher nitrogen-15 values toward the center of the basin and associated hydrologic data indicate probable recharge from waste-water effluent. Excess dissolved nitrogen gas and low nitrate concentrations in shallow ground water indicate that denitrification is occurring in some areas.A computer ground-water flow model was developed to simulate flow in the unconsolidated basin fill. The method of determining recharge from irrigation was changed during the calibration process to incorporate more areal and temporal variability. In general, the model accurately simulates water levels and water-level fluctuations and can be considered an adequate tool to help determine the valley-wide effects on water levels of additional ground-water withdrawals and changes in water use. The model was used to simulated water-level changes caused by projecting current withdrawal rates, increased withdrawal rates, and a 10-year drought. Water levels declined 20 to 275 feet in the southern and central parts of the valley and less than 20 feet north of Enoch

Watershed Conservation and Groundwater Management: An Integrated Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiser, B. A.

2005-05-01

US natural resource policy has explicitly acknowledged the hydrological connection between forest resources and water resources from the inception of the USDA Forest Service for the dual purpose of timber and watershed management,, but it is often overlooked in short run policy decisions. In Hawaii, these closely interconnected resources led to the establishment of the Ko`olau Mountains Conservation District in the early 1900s in order to improve water supplies. This early action on the part of the state has enabled today a healthy watershed. The health of the watershed, however, is now under threat from incremental ecosystem change, particularly in the form of invasive species (e.g. pigs (Sus scrofa) and weedy shrubs (Miconia calvescens)) that change the hydrological properties of the watershed to increase runoff and reduce aquifer recharge. Economic costs of reduced recharge in the face of rising water demand from a growing population are potentially large, with preliminary estimates suggesting the losses from reduced groundwater recharge in the Pearl Harbor aquifer have a present value of 1.4 to 2.6 billion dollars (Kaiser and Roumasset, 2002). To refine and improve these preliminary estimates we use spatial analysis of the water balance in the Ko`olaus to relate land use and land cover to recharge and we simultaneously explore the risk of degradation of the forest quality for recharge purposes through a survey of watershed experts. Using this information together with a dynamic model of water pricing as a function of aquifer recharge and use, we examine how much of an economic return (in present value) forest conservation expenditures may produce in the form of protecting aquifer recharge. In conjunction, we begin to examine additional integrated benefits of reducing runoff to near-shore resources by relating upland conservation to reef quality using monitoring data from the Hawaii Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program. Kaiser and Roumasset (2002). "Valuation of Nature's Intermediate products: The Ko`olau Forest's Contribution to the Pearl Harbor Aquifer," Environment and Development Economics 7(4): 701-714.

Remote control for anode-cathode adjustment

DOEpatents

Roose, Lars D.

1991-01-01

An apparatus for remotely adjusting the anode-cathode gap in a pulse power machine has an electric motor located within a hollow cathode inside the vacuum chamber of the pulse power machine. Input information for controlling the motor for adjusting the anode-cathode gap is fed into the apparatus using optical waveguides. The motor, controlled by the input information, drives a worm gear that moves a cathode tip. When the motor drives in one rotational direction, the cathode is moved toward the anode and the size of the anode-cathode gap is diminished. When the motor drives in the other direction, the cathode is moved away from the anode and the size of the anode-cathode gap is increased. The motor is powered by batteries housed in the hollow cathode. The batteries may be rechargeable, and they may be recharged by a photovoltaic cell in combination with an optical waveguide that receives recharging energy from outside the hollow cathode. Alternatively, the anode-cathode gap can be remotely adjusted by a manually-turned handle connected to mechanical linkage which is connected to a jack assembly. The jack assembly converts rotational motion of the handle and mechanical linkage to linear motion of the cathode moving toward or away from the anode.

Enhancing Dairy Manufacturing through customer feedback: A statistical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vineesh, D.; Anbuudayasankar, S. P.; Narassima, M. S.

2018-02-01

Dairy products have become inevitable of habitual diet. This study aims to investigate the consumers’ satisfaction towards dairy products so as to provide useful information for the manufacturers which would serve as useful inputs for enriching the quality of products delivered. The study involved consumers of dairy products from various demographical backgrounds across South India. The questionnaire focussed on quality aspects of dairy products and also the service provided. A customer satisfaction model was developed based on various factors identified, with robust hypotheses that govern the use of the product. The developed model proved to be statistically significant as it passed the required statistical tests for reliability, construct validity and interdependency between the constructs. Some major concerns detected were regarding the fat content, taste and odour of packaged milk. A minor proportion of people (15.64%) were unsatisfied with the quality of service provided, which is another issue to be addressed to eliminate the sense of dissatisfaction in the minds of consumers.

Using UMLS to construct a generalized hierarchical concept-based dictionary of brain functions for information extraction from the fMRI literature.

PubMed

Hsiao, Mei-Yu; Chen, Chien-Chung; Chen, Jyh-Horng

2009-10-01

With a rapid progress in the field, a great many fMRI studies are published every year, to the extent that it is now becoming difficult for researchers to keep up with the literature, since reading papers is extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. Thus, automatic information extraction has become an important issue. In this study, we used the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) to construct a hierarchical concept-based dictionary of brain functions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first generalized dictionary of this kind. We also developed an information extraction system for recognizing, mapping and classifying terms relevant to human brain study. The precision and recall of our system was on a par with that of human experts in term recognition, term mapping and term classification. Our approach presented in this paper presents an alternative to the more laborious, manual entry approach to information extraction.

Advocating for a Population-Specific Health Literacy for People With Visual Impairments.

PubMed

Harrison, Tracie; Lazard, Allison

2015-01-01

Health literacy, the ability to access, process, and understand health information, is enhanced by the visual senses among people who are typically sighted. Emotions, meaning, speed of knowledge transfer, level of attention, and degree of relevance are all manipulated by the visual design of health information when people can see. When consumers of health information are blind or visually impaired, they access, process, and understand their health information in a multitude of methods using a variety of accommodations depending upon their severity and type of impairment. They are taught, or they learn how, to accommodate their differences by using alternative sensory experiences and interpretations. In this article, we argue that due to the unique and powerful aspects of visual learning and due to the differences in knowledge creation when people are not visually oriented, health literacy must be considered a unique construct for people with visual impairment, which requires a distinctive theoretical basis for determining the impact of their mind-constructed representations of health.

A VLSI Neural Monitoring System With Ultra-Wideband Telemetry for Awake Behaving Subjects.

PubMed

Greenwald, E; Mollazadeh, M; Hu, C; Wei Tang; Culurciello, E; Thakor, V

2011-04-01

Long-term monitoring of neuronal activity in awake behaving subjects can provide fundamental information about brain dynamics for neuroscience and neuroengineering applications. Here, we present a miniature, lightweight, and low-power recording system for monitoring neural activity in awake behaving animals. The system integrates two custom designed very-large-scale integrated chips, a neural interface module fabricated in 0.5 μm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology and an ultra-wideband transmitter module fabricated in a 0.5 μm silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) technology. The system amplifies, filters, digitizes, and transmits 16 channels of neural data at a rate of 1 Mb/s. The entire system, which includes the VLSI circuits, a digital interface board, a battery, and a custom housing, is small and lightweight (24 g) and, thus, can be chronically mounted on small animals. The system consumes 4.8 mA and records continuously for up to 40 h powered by a 3.7-V, 200-mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Experimental benchtop characterizations as well as in vivo multichannel neural recordings from awake behaving rats are presented here.

16 CFR 610.1 - Definitions and rule of construction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... agencies. (3) Consumer means an individual. (4) Consumer report has the meaning provided in section 603(d... file disclosure that is provided to a consumer, upon consumer request and without charge, once in any...(a). (2) Associated consumer reporting agency means a consumer reporting agency that owns or...

Recent and ancient recharge deciphered by multi-dating tracer technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogramaci, Shawan; Cook, Peter; Mccallum, Jimes; Purtchert, Roland

2017-04-01

Determining groundwater residence time from environmental tracer concentrations obtained from open bores or long screened intervals is fraught with difficulty because the sampled water represents variety of ages. Information on the distribution of groundwater age is commonly obtained by measuring more than one tracer. We examined the use of the multi-tracer technique representing different time frames (39Ar, 85Kr, 14C, 3H, CFC 11- CFC-12 CFC-113, SF6 and Cl,) to decipher the groundwater ages sampled from long screened bores in a regional aquifer in the Pilbara region of northwest Australia. We then applied a technique that assumes limited details of the form of the age distribution. Tracer concentrations suggest that groundwater samples are a mixture of young and old water - the former is inferred to represent localised recharge from an adjacent creek, and the latter to be diffuse recharge. Using our method, we were able to identify distinct age components in the groundwater. The results suggest the presence of four distinct age groups; zero and 20 years, 50 to 100 years, 100 to 600 years and approximately 1000 years old. These relatively high recharge events were consistent with local recharge sources (50-100 years) and confirmed by palaeo-climate record obtained from lake sediments. We found that although the ages of these components were well constrained, the relative proportions of each component was highly sensitive to errors of environmental tracer data. Our results show that the method we implemented can identify distinct age groups in groundwater samples without prior knowledge of the age distribution. The presence of distinct recharge times gives insight into groundwater flow conditions over long periods of time.

Ecohydrologic process modeling of mountain block groundwater recharge.

PubMed

Magruder, Ian A; Woessner, William W; Running, Steve W

2009-01-01

Regional mountain block recharge (MBR) is a key component of alluvial basin aquifer systems typical of the western United States. Yet neither water scientists nor resource managers have a commonly available and reasonably invoked quantitative method to constrain MBR rates. Recent advances in landscape-scale ecohydrologic process modeling offer the possibility that meteorological data and land surface physical and vegetative conditions can be used to generate estimates of MBR. A water balance was generated for a temperate 24,600-ha mountain watershed, elevation 1565 to 3207 m, using the ecosystem process model Biome-BGC (BioGeochemical Cycles) (Running and Hunt 1993). Input data included remotely sensed landscape information and climate data generated with the Mountain Climate Simulator (MT-CLIM) (Running et al. 1987). Estimated mean annual MBR flux into the crystalline bedrock terrain is 99,000 m(3) /d, or approximately 19% of annual precipitation for the 2003 water year. Controls on MBR predictions include evapotranspiration (radiation limited in wet years and moisture limited in dry years), soil properties, vegetative ecotones (significant at lower elevations), and snowmelt (dominant recharge process). The ecohydrologic model is also used to investigate how climatic and vegetative controls influence recharge dynamics within three elevation zones. The ecohydrologic model proves useful for investigating controls on recharge to mountain blocks as a function of climate and vegetation. Future efforts will need to investigate the uncertainty in the modeled water balance by incorporating an advanced understanding of mountain recharge processes, an ability to simulate those processes at varying scales, and independent approaches to calibrating MBR estimates. Copyright © 2009 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2009 National Ground Water Association.

TRIBE: Trust Revision for Information Based on Evidence

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

the 15th Bled Electronic Commerce Conference e -Reality: Constructing the e -Economy, pages 48–64, 2002. [7] A. Jøsang, R. Ismail, and C. Boyd. A survey...expectation value can be computed using Equation 3 [5]. E (w, a) = b(w) + a× u(w) = r(w) + a× 2 r(w) + s(w) + 2 (3) 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8...evidence. III. TRUST-BASED FUSION OF OPINIONS In sensing applications, an information consumer may receive many different opinions from diverse

Development of coin-type cell and engineering of its compartments for rechargeable seawater batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jinhyup; Hwang, Soo Min; Go, Wooseok; Senthilkumar, S. T.; Jeon, Donghoon; Kim, Youngsik

2018-01-01

Cell design and optimization of the components, including active materials and passive components, play an important role in constructing robust, high-performance rechargeable batteries. Seawater batteries, which utilize earth-abundant and natural seawater as the active material in an open-structured cathode, require a new platform for building and testing the cells other than typical Li-ion coin-type or pouch-type cells. Herein, we present new findings based on our optimized cell. Engineering the cathode components-improving the wettability of cathode current collector and seawater catholyte flow-improves the battery performance (voltage efficiency). Optimizing the cell component and design is the key to identifying the electrochemical processes and reactions of active materials. Hence, the outcome of this research can provide a systematic study of potentially active materials used in seawater batteries and their effectiveness on the electrochemical performance.

Numerical simulation of groundwater artificial recharge in a semiarid-climate basin of northwest Mexico, case study the Guadalupe Valley Aquifer, Baja California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos-Gaytan, J. R.; Herrera-Oliva, C. S.

2013-05-01

In this study was analyzed through a regional groundwater flow model the effects on groundwater levels caused by the application of different future groundwater management scenarios (2007-2025) at the Guadalupe Valley, in Baja California, Mexico. Among these studied alternatives are those scenarios designed in order to evaluate the possible effects generated for the groundwater artificial recharge in order to satisfy a future water demand with an extraction volume considered as sustainable. The State of Baja California has been subject to an increment of the agricultural, urban and industrials activities, implicating a growing water-demand. However, the State is characterized by its semiarid-climate with low surface water availability; therefore, has resulted in an extensive use of groundwater in local aquifer. Water level measurements indicate there has been a decline in water levels in the Guadalupe Valley for the past 30 years. The Guadalupe Valley aquifer represents one the major sources of water supply in Ensenada region. It supplies about 25% of the water distributed by the public water supplier at the city of Ensenada and in addition constitutes the main water resource for the local wine industries. Artificially recharging the groundwater system is one water resource option available to the study zone, in response to increasing water demand. The existing water supply system for the Guadalupe Valley and the city of Ensenada is limited since water use demand periods in 5 to 10 years or less will require the construction of additional facilities. To prepare for this short-term demand, one option available to water managers is to bring up to approximately 3.0 Mm3/year of treated water of the city of Ensenada into the valley during the low-demand winter months, artificially recharge the groundwater system, and withdraw the water to meet the summer demands. A 2- Dimensional groundwater flow was used to evaluate the effects of the groundwater artificial recharge. Artificial recharge is feasible and is one water resource technique available to meet an increasing water demand; therefore, the final objective was to estimate the response of the groundwater system to the possible development of a system for artificial recharge of the aquifer. Based on the analysis of the groundwater management alternatives it was determined a groundwater withdrawal which ensures a sustainable management of the aquifer, in order to maintain a sustainable extraction volume and to reduce the water table depletion.

Prescription drug advertising, disease knowledge, and older adults' optimistic bias about the future risk of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Park, Jin Seong; Ju, Ilwoo

2016-01-01

This study aims to broaden the scope of knowledge on the role of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DTCA) in the construction of consumers' optimistic bias regarding health issues and their intentions for coping actions. Based on an online survey of U.S. adults aged 65 years or older (N = 622), this study revealed that (a) respondents were optimistically biased in estimating their future risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD); (b) exposure to DTCA for AD medicine related negatively to optimistic bias when respondents had a low level of knowledge about AD, while the relationship disappeared when knowledge was high; (c) optimistic bias was negatively associated with intentions to seek information about AD and professional help to discuss it; and (d) optimistic bias mediated the relationship between the DTCA exposure × AD knowledge interaction and information- and help-seeking intentions. Implications for the theory and practice of DTCA are discussed.

Quantitative assessment of the flow pattern in the southern Arava Valley (Israel) by environmental tracers and a mixing cell model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adar, E. M.; Rosenthal, E.; Issar, A. S.; Batelaan, O.

1992-08-01

This paper demonstrates the implementation of a novel mathematical model to quantify subsurface inflows from various sources into the arid alluvial basin of the southern Arava Valley divided between Israel and Jordan. The model is based on spatial distribution of environmental tracers and is aimed for use on basins with complex hydrogeological structure and/or with scarce physical hydrologic information. However, a sufficient qualified number of wells and springs are required to allow water sampling for chemical and isotopic analyses. Environmental tracers are used in a multivariable cluster analysis to define potential sources of recharge, and also to delimit homogeneous mixing compartments within the modeled aquifer. Six mixing cells were identified based on 13 constituents. A quantitative assessment of 11 significant subsurface inflows was obtained. Results revealed that the total recharge into the southern Arava basin is around 12.52 × 10 6m3year-1. The major source of inflow into the alluvial aquifer is from the Nubian sandstone aquifer which comprises 65-75% of the total recharge. Only 19-24% of the recharge, but the most important source of fresh water, originates over the eastern Jordanian mountains and alluvial fans.

Environmental Screening of Electrode Materials for a Rechargeable Aluminum Battery with an AlCl₃/EMIMCl Electrolyte.

PubMed

Ellingsen, Linda Ager-Wick; Holland, Alex; Drillet, Jean-Francois; Peters, Willi; Eckert, Martin; Concepcion, Carlos; Ruiz, Oscar; Colin, Jean-François; Knipping, Etienne; Pan, Qiaoyan; Wills, Richard G A; Majeau-Bettez, Guillaume

2018-06-01

Recently, rechargeable aluminum batteries have received much attention due to their low cost, easy operation, and high safety. As the research into rechargeable aluminum batteries with a room-temperature ionic liquid electrolyte is relatively new, research efforts have focused on finding suitable electrode materials. An understanding of the environmental aspects of electrode materials is essential to make informed and conscious decisions in aluminum battery development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the relative environmental performance of electrode material candidates for rechargeable aluminum batteries with an AlCl₃/EMIMCl (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride) room-temperature ionic liquid electrolyte. To this end, we used a lifecycle environmental screening framework to evaluate 12 candidate electrode materials. We found that all of the studied materials are associated with one or more drawbacks and therefore do not represent a "silver bullet" for the aluminum battery. Even so, some materials appeared more promising than others did. We also found that aluminum battery technology is likely to face some of the same environmental challenges as Li-ion technology but also offers an opportunity to avoid others. The insights provided here can aid aluminum battery development in an environmentally sustainable direction.

Hydrogeological impacts of a railway tunnel in fractured Precambrian gneiss rocks (south-eastern Norway)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kværner, Jens; Snilsberg, Petter

2013-11-01

Groundwater monitoring along the Romeriksporten tunnel, south-eastern Norway, provided an opportunity for studying the impacts of tunnelling on groundwater in fractured Precambrian gneiss rocks, and examining relations between bedrock hydrology, tectonic weakness zones and catchments. Tunnel leakage resulted in groundwater drawdown up to 35 m in weakness zones, converted groundwater discharge zones into recharge zones, and affected groundwater chemistry. The magnitude of drawdown and fluctuations in groundwater level differed between weakness zones, and varied with distance from the tunnel route, tunnel leakage, and recharge from catchments. Clear differences in groundwater level and fluctuation patterns indicated restricted groundwater flow between weakness zones. The groundwater drawdowns demonstrated coherent water-bearing networks to 180-m depth in faults and fracture zones. Similar groundwater levels with highly correlated fluctuations demonstrated hydraulic connectivity within fracture zones. Different groundwater drawdown and leakage in weakness zones with different appearance and influence of tectonic events demonstrated the importance of the geological history for bedrock hydrogeology. Water injection into the bedrock counteracted groundwater drawdowns. Even moderate leakage to underground constructions may lead to large groundwater drawdown in areas with small groundwater recharge. Hydrogeological interpretation of tectonic weakness zones should occur in the context of geological history and local catchment hydrology.

RRAWFLOW: Rainfall-Response Aquifer and Watershed Flow Model (v1.11)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, A. J.

2014-09-01

The Rainfall-Response Aquifer and Watershed Flow Model (RRAWFLOW) is a lumped-parameter model that simulates streamflow, springflow, groundwater level, solute transport, or cave drip for a measurement point in response to a system input of precipitation, recharge, or solute injection. The RRAWFLOW open-source code is written in the R language and is included in the Supplement to this article along with an example model of springflow. RRAWFLOW includes a time-series process to estimate recharge from precipitation and simulates the response to recharge by convolution; i.e., the unit hydrograph approach. Gamma functions are used for estimation of parametric impulse-response functions (IRFs); a combination of two gamma functions results in a double-peaked IRF. A spline fit to a set of control points is introduced as a new method for estimation of nonparametric IRFs. Other options include the use of user-defined IRFs and different methods to simulate time-variant systems. For many applications, lumped models simulate the system response with equal accuracy to that of distributed models, but moreover, the ease of model construction and calibration of lumped models makes them a good choice for many applications. RRAWFLOW provides professional hydrologists and students with an accessible and versatile tool for lumped-parameter modeling.

Feasibility of groundwater recharge dam projects in arid environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaafar, H. H.

2014-05-01

A new method for determining feasibility and prioritizing investments for agricultural and domestic recharge dams in arid regions is developed and presented. The method is based on identifying the factors affecting the decision making process and evaluating these factors, followed by determining the indices in a GIS-aided environment. Evaluated parameters include results from field surveys and site visits, land cover and soils data, precipitation data, runoff data and modeling, number of beneficiaries, domestic irrigation demand, reservoir objectives, demography, reservoirs yield and reliability, dam structures, construction costs, and operation and maintenance costs. Results of a case study on more than eighty proposed dams indicate that assessment of reliability, annualized cost/demand satisfied and yield is crucial prior to investment decision making in arid areas. Irrigation demand is the major influencing parameter on yield and reliability of recharge dams, even when only 3 months of the demand were included. Reliability of the proposed reservoirs as related to their standardized size and net inflow was found to increase with increasing yield. High priority dams were less than 4% of the total, and less priority dams amounted to 23%, with the remaining found to be not feasible. The results of this methodology and its application has proved effective in guiding stakeholders for defining most favorable sites for preliminary and detailed design studies and commissioning.

Synthesis of benthic flux components in the Patos Lagoon coastal zone, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, J. N.

2012-12-01

The primary objective of this work is to synthesize components of benthic flux in the Patos Lagoon coastal zone, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Specifically, the component of benthic discharge flux forced by the terrestrial hydraulic gradient is 0.8 m3 d-1; components of benthic discharge and recharge flux associated with the groundwater tidal prism are both 2.1 m3 d-1; components of benthic discharge and recharge flux forced by surface-gravity wave setup are both 6.3 m3 d-1; the component of benthic discharge flux that transports radium-228 is 350 m3 d-1; and components of benthic discharge and recharge flux forced by surface-gravity waves propagating over a porous medium are both 1400 m3 d-1. (All models are normalized per meter shoreline.) Benthic flux is a function of components forced by individual mechanisms and nonlinear interactions that exist between components. Constructive and destructive interference may enhance or diminish the contribution of benthic flux components. It may not be possible to model benthic flux by summing component magnitudes. Geochemical tracer techniques may not accurately model benthic discharge flux or submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). A conceptual model provides a framework on which to quantitatively characterize benthic discharge flux and SGD with a multifaceted approach.

Synthesis of benthic flux components in the Patos Lagooncoastal zone, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Jeffrey N.

2012-01-01

The primary objective of this work is to synthesize components of benthic flux in the Patos Lagoon coastal zone, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Specifically, the component of benthic discharge flux forced by the terrestrial hydraulic gradient is 0.8 m3 d-1; components of benthic discharge and recharge flux associated with the groundwater tidal prism are both 2.1 m3 d-1; components of benthic discharge and recharge flux forced by surface-gravity wave setup are both 6.3 m3 d-1; the component of benthic discharge flux that transports radium-228 is 350 m3 d-1; and components of benthic discharge and recharge flux forced by surface-gravity waves propagating over a porous medium are both 1400 m3 d-1. (All models are normalized per meter shoreline.) Benthic flux is a function of components forced by individual mechanisms and nonlinear interactions that exist between components. Constructive and destructive interference may enhance or diminish the contribution of benthic flux components. It may not be possible to model benthic flux by summing component magnitudes. Geochemical tracer techniques may not accurately model benthic discharge flux or submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). A conceptual model provides a framework on which to quantitatively characterize benthic discharge flux and SGD with a multifaceted approach.

Simulation of ground-water/surface-water flow in the Santa Clara-Calleguas ground-water basin, Ventura County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Randall T.; Martin, Peter; Koczot, Kathryn M.

2003-01-01

Ground water is the main source of water in the Santa Clara-Calleguas ground-water basin that covers about 310 square miles in Ventura County, California. A steady increase in the demand for surface- and ground-water resources since the late 1800s has resulted in streamflow depletion and ground-water overdraft. This steady increase in water use has resulted in seawater intrusion, inter-aquifer flow, land subsidence, and ground-water contamination. The Santa Clara-Calleguas Basin consists of multiple aquifers that are grouped into upper- and lower-aquifer systems. The upper-aquifer system includes the Shallow, Oxnard, and Mugu aquifers. The lower-aquifer system includes the upper and lower Hueneme, Fox Canyon, and Grimes Canyon aquifers. The layered aquifer systems are each bounded below by regional unconformities that are overlain by extensive basal coarse-grained layers that are the major pathways for ground-water production from wells and related seawater intrusion. The aquifer systems are bounded below and along mountain fronts by consolidated bedrock that forms a relatively impermeable boundary to ground-water flow. Numerous faults act as additional exterior and interior boundaries to ground-water flow. The aquifer systems extend offshore where they crop out along the edge of the submarine shelf and within the coastal submarine canyons. Submarine canyons have dissected these regional aquifers, providing a hydraulic connection to the ocean through the submarine outcrops of the aquifer systems. Coastal landward flow (seawater intrusion) occurs within both the upper- and lower-aquifer systems. A numerical ground-water flow model of the Santa Clara-Calleguas Basin was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to better define the geohydrologic framework of the regional ground-water flow system and to help analyze the major problems affecting water-resources management of a typical coastal aquifer system. Construction of the Santa Clara-Calleguas Basin model required the compilation of geographic, geologic, and hydrologic data and estimation of hydraulic properties and flows. The model was calibrated to historical surface-water and ground-water flow for the period 1891-1993. Sources of water to the regional ground-water flow system are natural and artificial recharge, coastal landward flow from the ocean (seawater intrusion), storage in the coarse-grained beds, and water from compaction of fine-grained beds (aquitards). Inflows used in the regional flow model simulation include streamflows routed through the major rivers and tributaries; infiltration of mountain-front runoff and infiltration of precipitation on bedrock outcrops and on valley floors; and artificial ground-water recharge of diverted streamflow, irrigation return flow, and treated sewage effluent. Most natural recharge occurs through infiltration (losses) of streamflow within the major rivers and tributaries and the numerous arroyos that drain the mountain fronts of the basin. Total simulated natural recharge was about 114,100 acre-feet per year (acre-ft/yr) for 1984-93: 27,800 acre-ft/yr of mountain-front and bedrock recharge, 24,100 acre-ft/yr of valley-floor recharge, and 62,200 acre-ft/yr of net streamflow recharge. Artificial recharge (spreading of diverted streamflow, irrigation return, and sewage effluent) is a major source of ground-water replenishment. During the 1984-93 simulation period, the average rate of artificial recharge at the spreading grounds was about 54,400 acre-ft/yr, 13 percent less than the simulated natural recharge rate for streamflow infiltration within the major rivers and tributaries. Estimated recharge from infiltration of irrigation return flow on the valley floors averaged about 51,000 acre-ft/yr, and treated sewage effluent averaged about 9,000 acre-ft/yr. Artificial recharge as streamflow diversion to the spreading grounds has occurred since 1929, and treated-sewage effluent has been discharged to stream channels since 1930. Under

Quantifying macropore recharge: Examples from a semi-arid area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, W.W.; Rainwater, Ken A.; Thompson, D.B.

1997-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the significantly increased resolution of determining macropore recharge by combining physical, chemical, and isotopic methods of analysis. Techniques for quantifying macropore recharge were developed for both small-scale (1 to 10 km2) and regional-scale areas in and semi-arid areas. The Southern High Plains region of Texas and New Mexico was used as a representative field site to test these methods. Macropore recharge in small-scale areas is considered to be the difference between total recharge through floors of topographically dosed basins and interstitial recharge through the same area. On the regional scale, macropore recharge was considered to be the difference between regional average annual recharge and interstitial recharge measured in the unsaturated zone. Stable isotopic composition of ground water and precipitation was used us an independent estimate of macropore recharge on the regional scale. Results of this analysis suggest that in the Southern High Plains recharge flux through macropores is between 60 and 80 percent of the total 11 mm/y. Between 15 and 35 percent of the recharge occurs by interstitial recharge through the basin floors. Approximately 5 percent of the total recharge occurs as either interstitial or matrix recharge between the basin floors, representing approximately 95 percent of the area. The approach is applicable to other arid and semi-arid areas that focus rainfall into depressions or valleys.The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the significantly increased resolution of determining macropore recharge by combining physical, chemical, and isotopic methods of analysis. Techniques for quantifying macropore recharge were developed for both small-scale (1 to 10 km2) and regional-scale areas in arid and semi-arid areas. The Southern High Plains region of Texas and New Mexico was used as a representative field site to test these methods. Macropore recharge in small-scale areas is considered to be the difference between total recharge through floors of topographically closed basins and interstitial recharge through the same area. On the regional scale, macropore recharge was considered to be the difference between regional average annual recharge and interstitial recharge measured in the unsaturated zone. Stable isotopic composition of ground water and precipitation was used as an independent estimate of macropore recharge on the regional scale. Results of this analysis suggest that in the Southern High Plains recharge flux through macropores is between 60 and 80 percent of the total 11 mm/y. Between 15 and 35 percent of the recharge occurs by interstitial recharge through the basin floors. Approximately 5 percent of the total recharge occurs as either interstitial or matrix recharge between the basin floors, representing approximately 95 percent of the area. The approach is applicable to other arid and semi-arid areas that focus rainfall into depressions or valleys.

Method Engineering: A Service-Oriented Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cauvet, Corine

In the past, a large variety of methods have been published ranging from very generic frameworks to methods for specific information systems. Method Engineering has emerged as a research discipline for designing, constructing and adapting methods for Information Systems development. Several approaches have been proposed as paradigms in method engineering. The meta modeling approach provides means for building methods by instantiation, the component-based approach aims at supporting the development of methods by using modularization constructs such as method fragments, method chunks and method components. This chapter presents an approach (SO2M) for method engineering based on the service paradigm. We consider services as autonomous computational entities that are self-describing, self-configuring and self-adapting. They can be described, published, discovered and dynamically composed for processing a consumer's demand (a developer's requirement). The method service concept is proposed to capture a development process fragment for achieving a goal. Goal orientation in service specification and the principle of service dynamic composition support method construction and method adaptation to different development contexts.

Implantable Medical Device Website Efficacy in Informing Consumers Weighing Benefits/Risks of Health Care Options.

PubMed

Wagner, Teresa; Lindstadt, Calandra; Jeon, Yongwoog; Mackert, Michael

2016-01-01

As more individuals turn to the Internet for health-related information and technology increases the availability and use of implantable medical devices (IMDs), the websites marketing these devices will increase. Healthy People 2020 mandates increased understandability and usability of health-related websites. This project used social cognitive theory (SCT) and health literacy constructs from the Institute of Medicine and National Institutes of Health to analyze eight IMD websites. Despite current recommendations, none of the websites considered for this study offered content of an appropriate reading level in conjunction with the United States average of eighth grade, and 75% of the sites failed to satisfy more than one health literacy construct. Most of the websites lacked many of the SCT constructs. More attention is needed to improve the usability of these and future IMD websites to simultaneously meet the goal of marketing IMDs and the Healthy People 2020 goals to educate patients and promote public health.

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

Kang, D. I.; Han, S. H.

A PSA analyst has been manually determining fire-induced component failure modes and modeling them into the PSA logics. These can be difficult and time-consuming tasks as they need much information and many events are to be modeled. KAERI has been developing the IPRO-ZONE (interface program for constructing zone effect table) to facilitate fire PSA works for identifying and modeling fire-induced component failure modes, and to construct a one top fire event PSA model. With the output of the IPRO-ZONE, the AIMS-PSA, and internal event one top PSA model, one top fire events PSA model is automatically constructed. The outputs ofmore » the IPRO-ZONE include information on fire zones/fire scenarios, fire propagation areas, equipment failure modes affected by a fire, internal PSA basic events corresponding to fire-induced equipment failure modes, and fire events to be modeled. This paper introduces the IPRO-ZONE, and its application results to fire PSA of Ulchin Unit 3 and SMART(System-integrated Modular Advanced Reactor). (authors)« less

California GAMA Special Study: Importance of River Water Recharge to Selected Groundwater Basins

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

Visser, Ate; Moran, Jean E.; Singleton, Michael J.

River recharge represents 63%, 86% and 46% of modern groundwater in the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and San Joaquin Valley, respectively. In pre-modern groundwater, river recharge represents a lower fraction: 36%, 46%, and 24% respectively. The importance of river water recharge in the San Joaquin valley has nearly doubled and is likely the result of a total increase of recharge of 40%, caused by river water irrigation return flows. This emphasizes the importance of recharge of river water via irrigation for renewal of groundwater resources. Mountain front recharge and local precipitation contribute to recharge of desert groundwater basins in partmore » as the result of geological features focusing scarce precipitation promoting infiltration. River water recharges groundwater systems under lower temperatures and with larger water table fluctuations than local precipitation recharge. Surface storage is limited in time and volume, as evidenced by cold river recharge temperatures resulting from fast recharge, compared to the large capacity for subsurface storage. Groundwater banking of seasonal surface water flows therefore appears to be a natural and promising method for increasing the resilience of water supply systems. The distinct isotopic and noble gas signatures of river water recharge, compared to local precipitation recharge, reflecting the source and mechanism of recharge, are valuable constraints for numerical flow models.« less

Non-price competition in the regional high-rise construction market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganebnykh, Elena; Burtseva, Tatyana; Gurova, Ekaterina; Polyakova, Irina

2018-03-01

The article analyzes the market of high-rise residential construction in the city of Kirov (Russia). A minimal significance of price factors has been revealed in the process of the market analysis. This suggests that a lower price does not guarantee an increase in consumer demand. Thus, factors of non-price competition are of great importance in the market in question. The expert survey has identified the factors of non-price competition which influence consumer perceptions. A perceptual map has been constructed on the basis of the identified factors by means of the factor analysis to determine the positioning of each high-rise building relative to the consumer requirements. None of the high-rise residential buildings in the market in question meets the consumers' expectations of an "ideal facility".

How Non Consumers Differ from Consumers: A Qualitative Approach to Synthesize the Attributes of Iron Folic Acid End Users

PubMed Central

Bali, Surya; Tiwari, Sharad; Singh, Daneshwar; Arutagi, Viswanath; Kale, Saket; Pal, DInesh Kumar

2017-01-01

Introduction Anaemia continues to be a major hurdle to achieve optimum health in Indian population context. Although government continues to promote Iron Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation as one of the key strategies to combat with burden of anaemia, the expected level of IFA consumption and subsequent anaemia reduction could not be achieved. This study tries to investigate those influences, concerns, experiences and behaviour from an end user perspective through a qualitative methodology which may affect the IFA consumption ambi-directionally. Aim To explore and understand the several aspects related with anaemia and IFA supplementation with special emphasis to reveal the contributory factors behind low level of IFA consumption at consumer end. Materials and Methods A community based qualitative study was conducted in clusters identified through multileveled stratification from a state of central India. A conceptual construct was made in priory for this study. As the research question was related with policy, this study adapted a framework technique for making interview topic guides. Two consumers and two non consumers from each identified cluster were interviewed in depth. The data obtained through 160 in depth interviews (from 80 consumers and 80 non consumers) was utilized for thematic framework, linkage association and to typify the phenomenon. Results Ignorance, difficult intake, meaninglessness, misconceptions and discontentment with the system were the major dimensions (sub themes) associated with discontinuation. All these sub themes were further converged into major theme of informational discontinuity. Investigators further typified the users/non users into persistent user, potential defaulters, impending defaulters and absolute non users. Conclusion Informational gap seems to be the fundamental factor behind sub optimum IFA consumption. On a policy perspective, all the attempts should be done to instigate arise felt need’ among target groups for IFA consumption. PMID:28658813

Transfer of European Approach to Groundwater Monitoring in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.

2007-12-01

Major groundwater development in North China has been a key factor in the huge economic growth and the achievement of self sufficiency in food production. Groundwater accounts for more than 70 percent of urban water supply and provides important source of irrigation water during dry period. This has however caused continuous groundwater level decline and many associated problems: hundreds of thousands of dry wells, dry river beds, land subsidence, seawater intrusion and groundwater quality deterioration. Groundwater levels in the shallow unconfined aquifers have fallen 10m up to 50m, at an average rate of 1m/year. In the deep confined aquifers groundwater levels have commonly fallen 30m up to 90m, at an average rate of 3 to 5m/year. Furthermore, elevated nitrate concentrations have been found in shallow groundwater in large scale. Pesticides have been detected in vulnerable aquifers. Urgent actions are necessary for aquifer recovery and mitigating groundwater pollution. Groundwater quantity and quality monitoring plays a very important role in formulating cost-effective groundwater protection strategies. In 2000 European Union initiated a Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) to protect all waters in Europe. The objective is to achieve good water and ecological status by 2015 cross all member states. The Directive requires monitoring surface and groundwater in all river basins. A guidance document for monitoring was developed and published in 2003. Groundwater monitoring programs are distinguished into groundwater level monitoring and groundwater quality monitoring. Groundwater quality monitoring is further divided into surveillance monitoring and operational monitoring. The monitoring guidance specifies key principles for the design and operation of monitoring networks. A Sino-Dutch cooperation project was developed to transfer European approach to groundwater monitoring in China. The project aims at building a China Groundwater Information Centre. Case studies in 3 pilot areas have been conducted to build research capacities of the central and provincial groundwater information centers in providing groundwater information services to decision makers and public. Groundwater regime zoning and pollution risk maps were used to lay-out groundwater quantity and quality monitoring networks, respectively. Automatic groundwater recorders were installed in selected observation wells. ArcGIS based regional groundwater information systems were constructed and used to create groundwater regime zoning and pollution risk maps. Steady state groundwater models have been constructed and calibrated. Transient groundwater models are under calibration. Groundwater resources development scenarios were formulated. The model will be used to predict what will be consequences in next 20 years if current situation continues as business as usual. Possibilities of reducing groundwater abstraction and opportunities of artificially enhanced groundwater recharge will be analyzed. Combination of decreasing abstraction and increasing recharge may lead to a sustainable plan of future groundwater resources development.

Assimilation of Consanguineous Mafic Intrutions: Layered Crustal Sill Complexes as Reactive Filters for Continental Basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shervais, J. W.; Hanan, B. B.; Vetter, S. K.

2007-12-01

Continental basalts commonly display variations in their chemical compositions that are inferred to reflect fractionational crystallization (FC), recharge-FC (RFC), assimilation-FC (AFC), or recharge-AFC (RAFC). The dominance of AFC-related processes reflects the intrinsic linkage between crystallization (which releases latent heat) and assimilation (which consumes latent heat). One of the central questions in any assimilation process, however, is what exactly is being assimilated. It is commonly assumed in most AFC models for the intrusion of basalt into continental crust that the contaminant is pre-existing continental crust - that is, felsic gneiss of roughly granodioritic to tonalitic composition, which is enriched in K2O and other large ion lithophiles relative to mantle-derived basalts. These continental gneisses are commonly Precambrian in age and are enriched in the lithophilic isotope ratios 87Sr/86Sr, 207Pb/204Pb, and 208Pb/204Pb, and depleted in 143Nd/144Nd. As a result, AFC-related processes involving this ancient continental crust component typically result in basaltic lavas that are enriched in LILE (e.g., K) relative to high-field strength elements (e.g., Ti, P) and enriched in the heavy isotopes of Sr, Pb, and Nd compared to the primary or parental magma. Contrary to these expectations, basalts of the Snake River volcanic province that display chemical variations diagnostic of AFC (e.g., increasing La/Lu with decreasing mg#) are commonly characterized by essentially constant isotopic ratios of Sr, Pb and Nd, and by LILE/HFSE ratios (e.g., K/P) that decrease with decreasing mg#. We propose that these basalts assimilated a ferrogabbro derived from a parent magma that was the same or similar to the magmas being intruded to recharge the system. Melts derived from this ferrogabbro would be low in K and enriched in Fe, Ti, P, and La/Lu relative to the primitive recharge magma; the isotopic composition would be the same as the primitive recharge magma. We infer that this exchange took place within a 10 km thick mafic sill complex that has been imaged seismically at depths of 12-22 km the middle crust. We propose that this process may apply to a wide range of continental basalts.

Water rights of the head reach farmers in view of a water supply scenario at the extension area of the Babai Irrigation Project, Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, B.; Verhoeven, R.; Troch, P.

The farmer managed irrigation systems (FMIS) represent those systems which are constructed and operated solely by the farmers applying their indigenous technology. The FMIS generally outperform the modern irrigation systems constructed and operated by the government agencies with regard to the water delivery effectiveness, agricultural productivity etc., and the presence of a sound organization responsible to run the FMIS, often referred to as the ‘social capital’, is the key to this success. This paper studies another important aspect residing in the FMIS: potentials to expand the irrigation area by means of their proper rehabilitation and modernization. Taking the case study of the Babai Irrigation Project in Nepal, it is demonstrated that the flow, which in the past was used to irrigate the 5400 ha area covered by three FMIS, can provide irrigation to an additional 8100 ha in the summer, 4180 ha vegetables in the winter and 1100 ha maize in the spring season after the FMIS rehabilitation. The “priority water rights” of the FMIS part have been evaluated based on relevant crop water requirement calculations and is found to be equal to 85.4 million m 3 per year. Consequently, the dry season irrigation strategy at the extension area could be worked out based on the remaining flow. By storing the surplus discharge of the monsoon and autumn in local ponds, and by consuming them in dry period combined with nominal partial irrigation practice, wheat and mustard can be cultivated over about 4000 ha of the extension area. Furthermore, storage and surface irrigation both contribute to the groundwater recharge. The conjunctive use of ground, surface and harvested water might be the mainstream in the future for a sustainable irrigation water management in the region.

Monitoring recharge in areas of seasonally frozen ground in the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastin, Mark; Josberger, Edward

2014-01-01

Seasonally frozen ground occurs over approximately one‑third of the contiguous United States, causing increased winter runoff. Frozen ground generally rejects potential groundwater recharge. Nearly all recharge from precipitation in semi-arid regions such as the Columbia Plateau and the Snake River Plain in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, occurs between October and March, when precipitation is most abundant and seasonally frozen ground is commonplace. The temporal and spatial distribution of frozen ground is expected to change as the climate warms. It is difficult to predict the distribution of frozen ground, however, because of the complex ways ground freezes and the way that snow cover thermally insulates soil, by keeping it frozen longer than it would be if it was not snow covered or, more commonly, keeping the soil thawed during freezing weather. A combination of satellite remote sensing and ground truth measurements was used with some success to investigate seasonally frozen ground at local to regional scales. The frozen-ground/snow-cover algorithm from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, combined with the 21-year record of passive microwave observations from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager onboard a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite, provided a unique time series of frozen ground. Periodically repeating this methodology and analyzing for trends can be a means to monitor possible regional changes to frozen ground that could occur with a warming climate. The Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System watershed model constructed for the upper Crab Creek Basin in the Columbia Plateau and Reynolds Creek basin on the eastern side of the Snake River Plain simulated recharge and frozen ground for several future climate scenarios. Frozen ground was simulated with the Continuous Frozen Ground Index, which is influenced by air temperature and snow cover. Model simulation results showed a decreased occurrence of frozen ground that coincided with increased temperatures in the future climate scenarios. Snow cover decreased in the future climate scenarios coincident with the temperature increases. Although annual precipitation was greater in future climate scenarios, thereby increasing the amount of water available for recharge over current (baseline) simulations, actual evapotranspiration also increased and reduced the amount of water available for recharge over baseline simulations. The upper Crab Creek model shows no significant trend in the rates of recharge in future scenarios. In these scenarios, annual precipitation is greater than the baseline averages, offsetting the effects of greater evapotranspiration in future scenarios. In the Reynolds Creek Basin simulations, precipitation was held constant in future scenarios and recharge was reduced by 1.0 percent for simulations representing average conditions in 2040 and reduced by 4.3 percent for simulations representing average conditions in 2080. The focus of the results of future scenarios for the Reynolds Creek Basin was the spatial components of selected hydrologic variables for this 92 square mile mountainous basin with 3,600 feet of relief. Simulation results from the watershed model using the Continuous Frozen Ground Index provided a relative measure of change in frozen ground, but could not identify the within-soil processes that allow or reject available water to recharge aquifers. The model provided a means to estimate what might occur in the future under prescribed climate scenarios, but more detailed energy-balance models of frozen-ground hydrology are needed to accurately simulate recharge under seasonally frozen ground and provide a better understanding of how changes in climate may alter infiltration.

Using electrical resistivity tomography to assess the effectiveness of managed aquifer recharge in a salinized coastal aquifer.

PubMed

García-Menéndez, Olga; Ballesteros, Bruno J; Renau-Pruñonosa, Arianna; Morell, Ignacio; Mochales, Tania; Ibarra, Pedro I; Rubio, Félix M

2018-01-27

Over 40 years, the detrital aquifer of the Plana de Castellón (Spanish Mediterranean coast) has been subjected to seawater intrusion because of long dry periods combined with intensive groundwater exploitation. Against this backdrop, a managed artificial recharge (MAR) scheme was implemented to improve the groundwater quality. The large difference between the electrical conductivity (EC) of the ambient groundwater (brackish water due to marine intrusion) and the recharge water (freshwater) meant that there was a strong contrast between the resistivities of the brackish water saturated zone and the freshwater saturated zone. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) can be used for surveying similar settings to evaluate the effectiveness of artificial recharge schemes. By integrating geophysical data with lithological information, EC logs from boreholes, and hydrochemical data, we can interpret electrical resistivity (ER) with groundwater EC values and so identify freshwater saturated zones. Using this approach, ERT images provided a high-resolution spatial characterization and an accurate picture of the shape and extent of the recharge plume of the MAR site. After 5 months of injection, a freshwater plume with an EC of 400-600 μS/cm had formed that extended 400 m in the W-E direction, 250 m in the N-S direction, and to a depth of 40 m below piezometric level. This study also provides correlations between ER values with different lithologies and groundwater EC values that can be used to support other studies.

Recharge zone of the Edwards aquifer hydrologically associated with Barton springs in the Austin area, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slagle, Diana L.; Ardis, Ann F.; Slade, Raymond M.

1986-01-01

The Edwards aquifer extends in a narrow belt from Bell County in the northeast to Kinney County in the southwest (index map) and provides water for at least nine counties in south-central Texas. Hydrologic boundaries divide the Edwards aquifer in the Austin area for which Barton Springs is the major discharge point. This part of the Edwards aquifer provides the municipal, industrial, domestic, and agricultural water supplies for about 30,000 people in the Austin area (southern Travis and northern Hays counties). Discharge from Barton Springs sustains streamflow at the mouth of Barton Creek and flows into Town Lake. Much of the land use within the outcrop area of the Edwards aquifer near Austin is rapidly changing from natural woodland and grassland to commercial and residential developments. Because urban development can result in a substantial degradation of the quality of water that recharges the aquifer, the extent of the recharge zone of the Edwards aquifer was delineated to provide information to the City of Austin for their use in formulating a plan for protecting and managing groundwater quality. The purpose of this report is to define and delineate the areal extent of the recharge zone of the Edwards aquifer in southern Travis and northern Hays Counties. The areal boundary of the recharge zone was determined by: (1) geologic mapping of the aquifer area; (2) interpretation of aerial photographs; (3) field verification of existing geologic maps; and (4) streamflow-loss studies. 

Variations in water balance and recharge potential at three western desert sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gee, G.W.; Wierenga, P.J.; Andraski, Brian J.; Young, M.H.; Fayer, M.J.; Rockhold, M.L.

1994-01-01

Radioactive and hazardous waste landfills exist at numerous desert locations in the USA. At these locations, annual precipitation is low and soils are generally dry, yet little is known about recharge of water and transport of contaminants to the water table. Recent water balance measurements made at three desert locations, Las Cruces, NM, Beatty, NV, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in the state of Washington, provide information on recharge potential under three distinctly different climate and soil conditions. All three sites show water storage increases with time when soils are coarse textured and plants are removed from the surface, the rate of increase being influenced by climatic variables such as precipitation, radiation, temperature, and wind. Lysimeter data from Hanford and Las Cruces indicate that deep drainage (recharge) from bare, sandy soils can range from 10 to >50% of the annual precipitation. At Hanford, when desert plants are present on sandy or gravelly surface soils, deep drainage is reduced but not eliminated. When surface soils are silt loams, deep drainage is eliminated whether plants are present or not. At Las Cruces and Beatty, the presence of plants eliminated deep drainage at the measurement sites. Differences in water balance between sites are attributed to precipitation quantity and distribution and to soil and vegetation types. The implication for waste management at desert locations is that surface soil properties and plant characteristics must be considered in waste site design in order to minimize recharge potential.

Transdermal power transfer for recharging implanted drug delivery devices via the refill port.

PubMed

Evans, Allan T; Chiravuri, Srinivas; Gianchandani, Yogesh B

2010-04-01

This paper describes a system for transferring power across a transdermal needle into a smart refill port for recharging implantable drug delivery systems. The device uses a modified 26 gauge (0.46 mm outer diameter) Huber needle with multiple conductive elements designed to couple with mechanical springs in the septum of the refill port of a drug delivery device to form an electrical connection that can sustain the current required to recharge a battery during a reservoir refill session. The needle is fabricated from stainless steel coated with Parylene, and the refill port septum is made from micromachined stainless steel contact springs and polydimethylsiloxane. The device properties were characterized with dry and wet ambient conditions. The needle and port pair had an average contact resistance of less than 2 Omega when mated in either environment. Electrical isolation between the system, the liquid in the needle lumen, and surrounding material has been demonstrated. The device was used to recharge a NiMH battery with currents up to 500 mA with less than 15 degrees C of resistive heating. The system was punctured 100 times to provide preliminary information with regard to device longevity, and exhibited about 1 Omega variation in contact resistance. The results suggest that this needle and refill port system can be used in an implant to enable battery recharging. This allows for smaller batteries to be used and ultimately increases the volume efficiency of an implantable drug delivery device.

Experimental and numerical investigations of soil water balance at the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert for groundwater recharge estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Lizhu; Wang, Xu-Sheng; Hu, Bill X.; Shang, Jie; Wan, Li

2016-09-01

Quantification of groundwater recharge from precipitation in the huge sand dunes is an issue in accounting for regional water balance in the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD) where about 100 lakes exist between dunes. In this study, field observations were conducted on a sand dune near a large saline lake in the BJD to investigate soil water movement through a thick vadose zone for groundwater estimation. The hydraulic properties of the soils at the site were determined using in situ experiments and laboratory measurements. A HYDRUS-1D model was built up for simulating the coupling processes of vertical water-vapor movement and heat transport in the desert soil. The model was well calibrated and validated using the site measurements of the soil water and temperature at various depths. Then, the model was applied to simulate the vertical flow across a 3-m-depth soil during a 53-year period under variable climate conditions. The simulated flow rate at the depth is an approximate estimation of groundwater recharge from the precipitation in the desert. It was found that the annual groundwater recharge would be 11-30 mm during 1983-2012, while the annual precipitation varied from 68 to 172 mm in the same period. The recharge rates are significantly higher than those estimated from the previous studies using chemical information. The modeling results highlight the role of the local precipitation as an essential source of groundwater in the BJD.

7 CFR 1230.5 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Consumer information. 1230.5 Section 1230.5... CONSUMER INFORMATION Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order Definitions § 1230.5 Consumer information. Consumer information means an activity intended to broaden the understanding of the sound...

A Multidimensional Approach to the Structure of Consumer Satisfaction with Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosciulek, John E.

2003-01-01

This investigation examines the dimensions underlying consumer satisfaction with vocational rehabilitation services. Findings suggest that consumers view satisfaction as a multidimensional construct. Implications for the measurement of consumer satisfaction and use of consumer satisfaction data in vocational rehabilitation program evaluations are…

Delineation and Prediction Uncertainty of Areas Contributing Recharge to Selected Well Fields in Wetland and Coastal Settings, Southern Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friesz, Paul J.

2010-01-01

Areas contributing recharge to four well fields in two study sites in southern Rhode Island were delineated on the basis of steady-state groundwater-flow models representing average hydrologic conditions. The wells are screened in sand and gravel deposits in wetland and coastal settings. The groundwater-flow models were calibrated by inverse modeling using nonlinear regression. Summary statistics from nonlinear regression were used to evaluate the uncertainty associated with the predicted areas contributing recharge to the well fields. In South Kingstown, two United Water Rhode Island well fields are in Mink Brook watershed and near Worden Pond and extensive wetlands. Wetland deposits of peat near the well fields generally range in thickness from 5 to 8 feet. Analysis of water-level drawdowns in a piezometer screened beneath the peat during a 20-day pumping period indicated vertical leakage and a vertical hydraulic conductivity for the peat of roughly 0.01 ft/d. The simulated area contributing recharge for average withdrawals of 2,138 gallons per minute during 2003-07 extended to groundwater divides in mostly till and morainal deposits, and it encompassed 2.30 square miles. Most of a sand and gravel mining operation between the well fields was in the simulated contributing area. For the maximum pumping capacity (5,100 gallons per minute), the simulated area contributing recharge expanded to 5.54 square miles. The well fields intercepted most of the precipitation recharge in Mink Brook watershed and in an adjacent small watershed, and simulated streams ceased to flow. The simulated contributing area to the well fields included an area beneath Worden Pond and a remote, isolated area in upland till on the opposite side of Worden Pond from the well fields. About 12 percent of the pumped water was derived from Worden Pond. In Charlestown, the Central Beach Fire District and the East Beach Water Association well fields are on a small (0.85 square mile) peninsula in a coastal setting. The wells are screened in a coarse-grained, ice-proximal part of a morphosequence with saturated thicknesses generally less than 30 feet on the peninsula. The simulated area contributing recharge for the average withdrawal (16 gallons per minute) during 2003-07 was 0.018 square mile. The contributing area extended southwestward from the well fields to a simulated groundwater mound; it underlay part of a small nearby wetland, and it included isolated areas on the side of the wetland opposite the well fields. For the maximum pumping rate (230 gallons per minute), the simulated area contributing recharge (0.26 square mile) expanded in all directions; it included a till area on the peninsula, and it underlay part of a nearby pond. Because the well fields are screened in a thin aquifer, simulated groundwater traveltimes from recharge locations to the discharging wells were short: 94 percent of the traveltimes were 10 years or less, and the median traveltime was 1.3 years. Model-prediction uncertainty was evaluated using a Monte Carlo analysis; the parameter variance-covariance matrix from nonlinear regression was used to create parameter sets for the analysis. Important parameters for model prediction that could not be estimated by nonlinear regression were incorporated into the variance-covariance matrix. For the South Kingstown study site, observations provided enough information to constrain the uncertainty of these parameters within realistic ranges, but for the Charlestown study site, prior information on parameters was required. Thus, the uncertainty analysis for the South Kingstown study site was an outcome of calibrating the model to available observations, but the Charlestown study site was also dependent on information provided by the modeler. A water budget and model-fit statistical criteria were used to assess parameter sets so that prediction uncertainty was not overestimated. For the scenarios using maximum pumping rates at both study

Optimization of Design of Aquifer Storage and Recovery System (ASTR) for Enhanced Infiltration Rate with Reduced Cost at the Coastal Aquifers of South-Western Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawrin, N.; Ahmed, K. M.; Rahman, M. M.

2016-12-01

Increasing salinity of natural drinking water sources has been reported as one of the many problems that affect low-income countries. Safe potable water sources in coastal Bangladesh have become contaminated by varying degrees of salinity due to saltwater intrusion, cyclone and storm surges and increased shrimp and crab farming along the coastal areas. This crisis is also exacerbated owing to climate change. The problem of salinity can have serious implications to public health. Here Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) has been ascertained as a better solution to overcome the fresh water shortage in the coastal belt of Bangladesh in terms of groundwater quality improvement and supply fresh water even during the dry period. 19 MAR systems have been built and tested in the area for providing community water supply by way of creating freshwater buffer zone in the brackish aquifers through artificial recharge of pond or rooftop rainwater. These existing ASTR schemes consist of sand filtration tank with 4 to 6 large diameter infiltration wells filled with sorted gravel. These larger diameter recharge wells make the construction and maintenance expensive and little difficult for the rural communities. Therefore, modification of design is required for enhancing infiltration rates with reduced costs. As the design of the existing MAR system have confronted some problems, the details of design, construction and performance have been studied from previous investigations and a new modified ASTR scheme has been demonstrated to amplify the infiltration rate along with monitoring scheme. Smaller 4 inch diameter empty recharge wells and PVC screen have been used in the newly developed design. Daily infiltration rate has been increased to 8 to 10 m3/d compared to 4 to 6 m3/d in the old design. Three layered sand filtration tank has been prepared by modification of an abandoned PSF. Time needed for lowering EC to acceptable limits has been found to be significantly lower than the pre-existing systems. Moreover the abstracted water quality is acceptable for drinking in terms of As, Fe and bacteria. In modified ASTR system both injection and monitoring wells are closed with airtight caps, so the stored water in the underground will be protected from cyclonic storm surges as well as remain safe and can be used immediately after disaster.

Simulation of aquifer tests and ground-water flowpaths at the local scale in fractured shales and sandstones of the Brunswick Group and Lockatong Formation, Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goode, Daniel J.; Senior, Lisa A.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, as part of technical assistance to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has constructed and calibrated models of local-scale ground-water flow in and near Lansdale, Pa., where numerous sources of industrial contamination have been consolidated into the North Penn Area 6 Superfund Site. The local-scale models incorporate hydrogeologic structure of northwest-dipping beds with uniform hydraulic properties identified in previous studies. Computations associated with mapping the dipping-bed structure into the three-dimensional model grid are handled by a preprocessor using a programmed geographic information system (GIS). Hydraulic properties are identified by calibration of the models using measured water levels during pumping and recovery from aquifer tests at three sites. Reduced flow across low-permeability beds is explicitly simulated. The dipping high-permeability beds are extensive in the strike direction but are of limited extent in the dip direction. This model structure yields ground-water-flow patterns characteristic of anisotropic aquifers; preferred flow is in the strike direction. The transmissivities of high-permeability beds in the local-scale models range from 142 to 1,900 ft2/d (feet squared per day) (13 to 177 m2/d). The hydraulic conductivities of low-permeability parts of the aquifer range from 9.6 x 10-4 to 0.26 ft/d (feet per day) (2.9 x 10-4 to 0.079 m/d). Storage coefficients and specific storage are very low, indicating the confined nature of the aquifer system. The calibrated models are used to simulate contributing areas of wells under alternative, hypothetical ground-water-management practices. Predictive contributing areas indicate the general characteristics of ground-water flow towards wells in the Lansdale area. Recharge to wells in Lansdale generally comes from infiltration near the well and over an area that extends upgradient from the well. The contributing areas for two wells pumping at 10 gal/min (gallons per minute) extend about 1,500 ft (feet) upgradient from the wells. The contributing area is more complex at ground-water divides and can extend in more than one direction to capture recharge from more than 3,300 ft away, for pumping at a rate of 30 gal/min. Locally, all recharge in the area of the pumping well is not captured; recharge in the downgradient direction about 150 ft from the pumping well will flow to other discharge locations.

Sources of groundwater and characteristics of surface-water recharge at Bell, White, and Suwannee Springs, Florida, 2012–13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamm, John F.; McBride, W. Scott

2016-12-21

Discharge from springs in Florida is sourced from aquifers, such as the Upper Floridan aquifer, which is overlain by an upper confining unit that locally can have properties of an aquifer. Water levels in aquifers are affected by several factors, such as precipitation, recharge, and groundwater withdrawals, which in turn can affect discharge from springs. Therefore, identifying groundwater sources and recharge characteristics can be important in assessing how these factors might affect flows and water levels in springs and can be informative in broader applications such as groundwater modeling. Recharge characteristics include the residence time of water at the surface, apparent age of recharge, and recharge water temperature.The groundwater sources and recharge characteristics of three springs that discharge from the banks of the Suwannee River in northern Florida were assessed for this study: Bell Springs, White Springs, and Suwannee Springs. Sources of groundwater were also assessed for a 150-foot-deep well finished within the Upper Floridan aquifer, hereafter referred to as the UFA well. Water samples were collected for geochemical analyses in November 2012 and October 2013 from the three springs and the UFA well. Samples were analyzed for a suite of major ions, dissolved gases, and isotopes of sulfur, strontium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Daily means of water level and specific conductance at White Springs were continuously recorded from October 2012 through December 2013 by the Suwannee River Water Management District. Suwannee River stage at White Springs was computed on the basis of stage at a U.S. Geological Survey streamgage about 2.4 miles upstream. Water levels in two wells, located about 2.5 miles northwest and 13 miles southeast of White Springs, were also used in the analyses.Major ion concentrations were used to differentiate water from the springs and Upper Floridan aquifer into three groups: Bell Springs, UFA well, and White and Suwannee Springs. When considered together, evidence from water-level, specific conductance, major-ion concentration, and isotope data indicated that groundwater at Bell Springs and the UFA well was a mixture of surface water and groundwater from the upper confining unit, and that groundwater at White and Suwannee Springs was a mixture of surface water, groundwater from the upper confining unit, and groundwater from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Higher concentrations of magnesium in groundwater samples at the UFA well than in samples at Bell Springs might indicate less mixing with surface water at the UFA well than at Bell Springs. Characteristics of surface-water recharge, such as residence time at the surface, apparent age, and recharge water temperature, were estimated on the basis of isotopic ratios, and dissolved concentrations of gases such as argon, tritium, and sulfur hexafluoride. Oxygen and deuterium isotopic ratios were consistent with rapid recharge by rainwater for samples collected in 2012, and longer residence time at the surface (ponding) for samples collected in 2013. Apparent ages of groundwater samples, computed on the basis of tritium activity and sulfur hexafluoride concentration, indicated groundwater recharge occurred after the late 1980s; however, the estimated apparent ages likely represent the average of ages of multiple sources. Recharge since the 1980s is consistent with groundwater from shallow sources, such as the upper confining unit and Upper Floridan aquifer. Recharge water temperature computed for the three springs and UFA well averaged 20.1 degrees Celsius, which is similar to the mean annual air temperature of 20.6 degrees Celsius at a nearby weather station for 1960–2014.

Impact of highway construction on water bodies: a geospatial assessment.

PubMed

Vijay, Ritesh; Kushwaha, Vikash K; Mardikar, Trupti; Labhasetwar, P K

2017-08-01

India has witnessed a massive infrastructure boom in the past few years. One of such projects is National Highway-7 (NH-7), a North-South highway connecting Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, traversing many water bodies. The present study aims to assess the pre- and post-construction impact due to existing, new and widened NH-7 on the physical status of the water bodies, using remote sensing techniques. Satellite images spanning 22 years were procured and analysed for change detection in land use and land cover within the waterbodies. The study indicates that construction activities have led to transformation within the water bodies regarding reduction in area and inter-changing of land use and land cover classes, in turn leading to siltation and reduction of recharge.

Experimental study on the artificial recharge of semiconfined aquifers involved in deep excavation engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, G.; Cao, J. R.; Cheng, X. S.; Ha, D.; Wang, F. J.

2018-02-01

Artificial recharge measures have been adopted to control the drawdown of confined aquifers and the ground subsidence caused by dewatering during deep excavation in Tianjin, Shanghai and other regions in China. However, research on recharge theory is still limited. Additionally, confined aquifers consisting of silt and silty sand in Tianjin have lower hydraulic conductivities than those consisting of sand or gravel, and the feasibility and effectiveness of recharge methods in these semiconfined aquifers urgently require investigation. A series of single-well and multiwell pumping and recharge tests was conducted at a metro station excavation site in Tianjin. The test results showed that it was feasible to recharge silt and silty sand semiconfined aquifers, and, to a certain extent, the hydrogeological parameters obtained from the pumping tests could be used to predict the water level rise during single-well recharge. However, the predicted results underestimated the water level rise near the recharge well (within 7 m) by approximately 10-25%, likely because the permeability coefficient around the well was reduced during the recharge process. Pressured recharge significantly improved the efficiency of the recharge process. Maintaining the recharge and pumping rates at a nearly equal level effectively controlled the surrounding surface and building settlement. However, the surrounding surface subsidence tended to rapidly develop when recharge stopped. Therefore, the recharge process should continue and gradually stop after the pumping stops. The twin-well combined recharge technique can be used to control the head loss of an aquifer when one of the recharge wells requires pumping to solve the associated clogging problems.

Comparing potential recharge estimates from three Land Surface Models across the Western US

PubMed Central

NIRAULA, REWATI; MEIXNER, THOMAS; AJAMI, HOORI; RODELL, MATTHEW; GOCHIS, DAVID; CASTRO, CHRISTOPHER L.

2018-01-01

Groundwater is a major source of water in the western US. However, there are limited recharge estimates available in this region due to the complexity of recharge processes and the challenge of direct observations. Land surface Models (LSMs) could be a valuable tool for estimating current recharge and projecting changes due to future climate change. In this study, simulations of three LSMs (Noah, Mosaic and VIC) obtained from the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2) are used to estimate potential recharge in the western US. Modeled recharge was compared with published recharge estimates for several aquifers in the region. Annual recharge to precipitation ratios across the study basins varied from 0.01–15% for Mosaic, 3.2–42% for Noah, and 6.7–31.8% for VIC simulations. Mosaic consistently underestimates recharge across all basins. Noah captures recharge reasonably well in wetter basins, but overestimates it in drier basins. VIC slightly overestimates recharge in drier basins and slightly underestimates it for wetter basins. While the average annual recharge values vary among the models, the models were consistent in identifying high and low recharge areas in the region. Models agree in seasonality of recharge occurring dominantly during the spring across the region. Overall, our results highlight that LSMs have the potential to capture the spatial and temporal patterns as well as seasonality of recharge at large scales. Therefore, LSMs (specifically VIC and Noah) can be used as a tool for estimating future recharge rates in data limited regions. PMID:29618845

Consumers' convenience orientation towards meal preparation: conceptualization and measurement.

PubMed

Candel, M

2001-02-01

Consumer researchers consider convenience orientation towards meal preparation to be a relevant construct for understanding consumer behavior towards foods. This study set out to conceptualize this construct and to develop a scale that measures it. As examined in two different samples of meal preparers, the resulting scale is reliable, satisfies a unifactorial structure and has satisfactory convergent validity. The scale's nomological validity is supported in that it conforms to expectations regarding various psychographic constructs and various food-related behaviors. Convenience orientation was found to be negatively related to cooking enjoyment, involvement with food products and variety seeking, and to be positively related to role overload. The analyses also suggest that the lack of relation between the meal preparer's working status and convenience food consumption, as found in many studies, is due to convenience food not offering enough preparation convenience. Consuming take-away meals and eating in restaurants appear to satisfy the consumer's need for convenience more adequately. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Hydrogeology and quality of ground water on Guemes Island, Skagit County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kahle, S.C.; Olsen, T.D.

1995-01-01

Guemes Island, located in Puget Sound of Washington State, is experiencing population growth and seawater intrusion. The island consists of Pleistocene glacial deposits overlying bedrock. Geologic sections and a map of surficial geology were constructed and used to delineate six hydrogeologic units, three of which are aquifers. The most productive aquifer is the Double Bluff aquifer, situated at or below sea level. Water budget estimates indicate that of the 21-29 inches of precipitation received in a typical year, 0-4 inches runs off, 12-22 inches evapotranspires, and 2-10 inches recharges the ground-water system. Of the water recharged, 0.1-0.3 inches is withdrawn by wells; the remainder recharges deeper aquifer(s) or discharges from the ground-water system to drainage ditches or the sea. The median dissolved-solids concentration was 236 mg/L (milligrams per liter). Half of the samples were classified as moderately hard, the remainder as hard or very hard. Although magnesium-calcium/bicarbonate water types dominate, some samples contained large amounts of sodium and chloride. The median concentration of 0.08 mg/L for nitrate indicates that no widespread contamination from septic systems or livestock exists. Small concentrations of arsenic were present in 5 of 24 samples. Trace concentrations of volatile organic compounds were detected in three of five samples. None of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contaminant levels was exceeded. However, secondary maximum contaminant levels were exceeded for dissolved solids, chloride, manganese, and iron. Seasonal variability of chloride concentration was apparent in water from coastal wells that had chloride concentrations greater than 100 mg/L. Higher values occurred from April through September because of increased pumping and lower recharge.

Environmental and Energy Aspects of Construction Industry and Green Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauskale, L.; Geipele, I.; Zeltins, N.; Lecis, I.

2017-04-01

Green building is an important component of sustainable real estate market development, and one of the reasons is that the construction industry consumes a high amount of resources. Energy consumption of construction industry results in greenhouse gas emissions, so green buildings, energy systems, building technologies and other aspects play an important role in sustainable development of real estate market, construction and environmental development. The aim of the research is to analyse environmental aspects of sustainable real estate market development, focusing on importance of green buildings at the industry level and related energy aspects. Literature review, historical, statistical data analysis and logical access methods have been used in the research. The conducted research resulted in high environmental rationale and importance of environment-friendly buildings, and there are many green building benefits during the building life cycle. Future research direction is environmental information process and its models.

7 CFR 1230.60 - Promotion, research, and consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Promotion, research, and consumer information. 1230... PORK PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND CONSUMER INFORMATION Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information § 1230.60 Promotion, research, and consumer...

7 CFR 1230.60 - Promotion, research, and consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Promotion, research, and consumer information. 1230... PORK PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND CONSUMER INFORMATION Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information § 1230.60 Promotion, research, and consumer...

Novel rechargeable calcium phosphate nanocomposite with antibacterial activity to suppress biofilm acids and dental caries.

PubMed

Al-Dulaijan, Yousif A; Cheng, Lei; Weir, Michael D; Melo, Mary Anne S; Liu, Huaibing; Oates, Thomas W; Wang, Lin; Xu, Hockin H K

2018-05-01

Rechargeable calcium phosphate (CaP) composites were developed recently. However, none of the rechargeable CaP composites was antibacterial. The objectives of this study were to develop the first rechargeable CaP composite that was antibacterial, and to investigate the effects of adding dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM) into rechargeable CaP composite on ion rechargeability and re-release as well as biofilm properties. DMAHDM was synthesized via a Menschutkin reaction. Nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) were synthesized using a spray-drying technique. The resin contained ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA) and pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDM). Two composites were fabricated: rechargeable NACP composite, and rechargeable NACP-DMAHDM composite. Mechanical properties and ion release and recharge were measured. A dental plaque microcosm biofilm model using saliva was tested. Flexural strength and elastic modulus of rechargeable NACP and NACP-DMAHDM composites matched commercial control composite (p > 0.1). NACP-DMAHDM inhibited biofilm metabolic activity and lactic acid, and reduced biofilm colony-forming units (CFU) by 3-4 log. NACP and NACP-DMAHDM showed similar Ca and P ion recharge and re-release (p > 0.1). Therefore, adding DMAHDM did not compromise the ion rechargeability. One recharge yielded continuous release for 42 d. The release was maintained at the same level with increasing number of recharge cycles, indicating long-term ion release and remineralization capability. The first CaP rechargeable and antibacterial composite was developed. Adding DMAHDM into the rechargeable NACP composite did not adversely affect the Ca and P ion release and recharge, and the composite had much less biofilm growth and lactic acid production, with CFU reduction by 3-4 log. This novel CaP rechargeable composite with long-term remineralization and antibacterial properties is promising for tooth restorations to inhibit caries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional Consumer Magazines and the Ideal White Reader: Constructing and Retaining Geography as Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry, Katherine

1994-01-01

Examines representations of nature and culture in the consumer magazines "Midwest Living,""Southern Living," and "Sunset." Finds distinct patterns in each that construct the Midwest, South, and West as cultural/geographic texts. Finds that the magazines' emphasis on advertising and tourism both obscures and…

Long-Term Drainage from the Riprap Side Slope of a Surface Barrier

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

Zhang, Zhuanfang

Surface barriers designed to isolate underground nuclear waste in place are expected to function for at least 1000 years. To achieve this long design life, such barriers need to be protected with side slopes against wind- and water-induced erosion and damage by natural or human activities. However, the side slopes are usually constructed with materials coarser than the barrier. Their hydrological characteristics must be understood so that any drainage from them is considered in the barrier design and will not compromise the barrier function. The Prototype Hanford Barrier, an evapotranspiration-capillary (ETC) barrier, was constructed in 1994 at the Hanford Sitemore » in southeastern Washington state, with a gravel side slope and a riprap side slope. The soil water content in the gravel side slope and drainage from both side slopes have been monitored since the completion of construction. The monitoring results show that under natural precipitation the annual drainage rates from the two types of side slopes were very similar and about 5 times the typical recharge from local soil with natural vegetation and 40 times the barrier design criterion. The higher recharge from the side slopes results in some of the drainage migrating laterally to the region beneath the ETC barrier. This edge effect of the enhanced drainage was evaluated for a period of 1000 years by numerical simulation. The edge effect was quantified by the amount of water across the barrier edges and the affecting distance of the barrier edges. These results indicate that design features can be adjusted to reduce the edge effect when necessary.« less

Underground storage of imported water in the San Gorgonio Pass area, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bloyd, Richard M.

1971-01-01

The San Gorgonio Pass ground-water basin is divided into the Beaumont, Banning, Cabazon, San Timoteo, South Beaumont, Banning Bench, and Singleton storage units. The Beaumont storage unit, centrally located in the agency area, is the largest in volume of the storage units. Estimated long-term average annual precipitation in the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency drainage area is 332,000 acre-feet, and estimated average annual recoverable water is 24,000 acre-feet, less than 10 percent of the total precipitation. Estimated average annual surface outflow is 1,700 acre-feet, and estimated average annual ground-water recharge is 22,000 acre-feet. Projecting tack to probable steady-state conditions, of the 22.000 acre-feet of recharge, 16,003 acre-feet per year became subsurface outflow into Coachella Valley, 6,000 acre-feet into the Redlands area, and 220 acre-feet into Potrero Canyon. After extensive development, estimated subsurface outflow from the area in 1967 was 6,000 acre-feet into the Redlands area, 220 acre-feet into Potrero Canyon, and 800 acre-feet into the fault systems south of the Banning storage unit, unwatered during construction of a tunnel. Subsurface outflow into Coachella Valley in 1967 is probably less than 50 percent of the steady-state flow. An anticipated 17,000 .acre-feet of water per year will be imported by 1980. Information developed in this study indicates it is technically feasible to store imported water in the eastern part of the Beaumont storage unit without causing waterlogging in the storage area and without losing any significant quantity of stored water.

U.S. Geological Survey groundwater toolbox, a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data (version 1.0): user guide for estimation of base flow, runoff, and groundwater recharge from streamflow data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Paul M.; Cunningham, William L.; Zhai, Tong; Gray, Mark

2015-01-01

This report is a user guide for the streamflow-hydrograph analysis methods provided with version 1.0 of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Groundwater Toolbox computer program. These include six hydrograph-separation methods to determine the groundwater-discharge (base-flow) and surface-runoff components of streamflow—the Base-Flow Index (BFI; Standard and Modified), HYSEP (Fixed Interval, Sliding Interval, and Local Minimum), and PART methods—and the RORA recession-curve displacement method and associated RECESS program to estimate groundwater recharge from streamflow data. The Groundwater Toolbox is a customized interface built on the nonproprietary, open source MapWindow geographic information system software. The program provides graphing, mapping, and analysis capabilities in a Microsoft Windows computing environment. In addition to the four hydrograph-analysis methods, the Groundwater Toolbox allows for the retrieval of hydrologic time-series data (streamflow, groundwater levels, and precipitation) from the USGS National Water Information System, downloading of a suite of preprocessed geographic information system coverages and meteorological data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center, and analysis of data with several preprocessing and postprocessing utilities. With its data retrieval and analysis tools, the Groundwater Toolbox provides methods to estimate many of the components of the water budget for a hydrologic basin, including precipitation; streamflow; base flow; runoff; groundwater recharge; and total, groundwater, and near-surface evapotranspiration.

Evaluating prediction uncertainty of areas contributing recharge to well fields of multiple water suppliers in the Hunt-Annaquatucket-Pettaquamscutt River Basins, Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friesz, Paul J.

2012-01-01

Three river basins in central Rhode Island-the Hunt River, the Annaquatucket River, and the Pettaquamscutt River-contain 15 production wells clustered in 4 pumping centers from which drinking water is withdrawn. These high-capacity production wells, operated by three water suppliers, are screened in coarse-grained deposits of glacial origin. The risk of contaminating water withdrawn by these well centers may be reduced if the areas contributing recharge to the well centers are delineated and these areas protected from land uses that may affect the water quality. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Rhode Island Department of Health, began an investigation in 2009 to improve the understanding of groundwater flow and delineate areas contributing recharge to the well centers as part of an effort to protect the source of water to these well centers. A groundwater-flow model was calibrated by inverse modeling using nonlinear regression to obtain the optimal set of parameter values, which provide a single, best representation of the area contributing recharge to a well center. Summary statistics from the calibrated model were used to evaluate the uncertainty associated with the predicted areas contributing recharge to the well centers. This uncertainty analysis was done so that the contributing areas to the well centers would not be underestimated, thereby leaving the well centers inadequately protected. The analysis led to contributing areas expressed as a probability distribution (probabilistic contributing areas) that differ from a single or deterministic contributing area. Groundwater flow was simulated in the surficial deposits and the underlying bedrock in the 47-square-mile study area. Observations (165 groundwater levels and 7 base flows) provided sufficient information to estimate parameters representing recharge and horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the glacial deposits and hydraulic conductance of streambeds. The calibrated value for recharge to valley-fill deposits was 27.3 inches per year (in/yr) and to upland till deposits was 18.7 in/yr. Calibrated values for horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the valley-fill deposits ranged from 20 to 480 feet per day (ft/d) and of the upland till deposits was 16.2 ft/d. Calibrated values of streambed hydraulic conductance ranged from 10,000 to 52,000 feet squared per day. Values of recharge and horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the valley-fill deposits were the most precisely estimated, whereas the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of till deposits was the least precisely estimated. Simulated areas contributing recharge to the well centers on the basis of the calibrated model ranged from 0.19 to 1.12 square miles (mi2) and covered a total area of 2.79 mi2 for average well center withdrawal rates during 2004-08 (235 to 1,858 gallons per minute (gal/min)). Simulated areas contributing recharge for the maximum well center pumping capacities (800 to 8,500 gal/min) ranged from 0.37 to 3.53 mi2 and covered a total area of 7.99 mi2 in the modeled area. Simulated areas contributing recharge extend upgradient of the well centers to upland till and to groundwater divides. Some areas contributing recharge include small, isolated areas remote from the well centers. Relatively short groundwater traveltimes from recharging locations to discharging wells indicated the wells are vulnerable to contamination from land-surface activities: median traveltimes ranged from 2.9 to 5.0 years for the well centers, and 78 to 93 percent of the traveltimes were 10 years or less for the well centers. Land cover in the areas contributing recharge includes a substantial amount of urban land use for the two well centers in the Hunt River Basin, agriculture and sand and gravel mining uses for the well center in the Annaquatucket River Basin, and, for the well center in the Pettaquamscutt River Basin, land use is primarily undeveloped. Model-prediction uncertainty was evaluated using a Monte Carlo analysis. The parameter variance-covariance matrix from nonlinear regression was used to create parameter sets that reflect the uncertainty of the parameter estimates and the correlation among parameters. The remaining parameters representing the glacial deposits (vertical anisotropy of valley-fill deposits and of till deposits, maximum groundwater evapotranspiration, and hydraulic conductance for headdependent cells representing a groundwater divide) that could not be estimated with nonlinear regression were incorporated into the variance-covariance matrix using prior information on parameters. Thus the uncertainty analysis was an outcome of calibrating the parameters to available observations and to information that the modeler provided. A water budget and model-fit statistical criteria were used to assess parameter sets so that prediction uncertainty was not overestimated. Because of the effects of parameter uncertainty, the size of the probabilistic contributing areas for each well center for both average and maximum pumping rates was larger than the size of the deterministic contributing areas for the well center. Thus, some areas not in the deterministic contributing area may actually be in the contributing area, including additional areas of urban and agricultural land use. Generally, areas closest to the well centers with short groundwater traveltimes are associated with higher probabilities, whereas areas distant from the well centers with long groundwater traveltimes are associated with lower probabilities. The deterministic contributing areas generally corresponded to areas associated with high probabilities (greater than 50 percent). Areas associated with low probabilities extended long distances along groundwater divides in the uplands remote from the well centers.

Ecosystem-groundwater interactions under changing land uses: Linking water, salts, and carbon across central Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jobbagy, E. G.; Nosetto, M. D.; Santoni, C. S.; Jackson, R. B.

2007-05-01

Although most ecosystems display a one-way connection with groundwater based on the regulation of deep water drainage (recharge), this link can become reciprocal when the saturated zone is shallow and plants take up groundwater (discharge). In what context is the reciprocal link most likely? How is it affected by land use changes? Has it consequences on salt and carbon cycling? We examine these questions across a precipitation gradient in the Pampas and Espinal of Argentina focusing on three vegetation change situations (mean annual rainfall): afforestation of humid (900-1300 mm) and subhumid grassland (700-900 mm/yr of rainfall), annual cultivation of subhumid grasslands (700-800 mm/yr), and annual cultivation of semiarid forests (500-700 mm). Humid and subhumid grasslands have shallow (< 5 m deep) groundwater tables that are poorly consumed by grasses but highly used by planted trees, as evidenced by satellite canopy temperatures, soil moisture and water table level records, and sapflow measurements. Groundwater contributions enhance carbon uptake in plantations compared to grasslands as suggested by aboveground biomass measurements and satellite vegetation indexes from sites with and without access to groundwater. Where rainfall is <1100 mm, grassland afforestation switches water fluxes to groundwater from positive (net recharge) to negative (net discharge) causing a salt accumulation process in soils and groundwater that is ultimately limited by the tolerance to salinity of tree species. Cultivation with corn and soybean can lead to groundwater consumption in the driest belt of subhumid grassland. Up to five-fold yield increases in lowlands vs. uplands during the driest years indicate a dramatic impact of groundwater use on carbon uptake and groundwater salinization suggests a recharge-to- discharge switch. In dry forests groundwater is not accessible (> 15 m deep) and recharge under natural conditions is null. The establishment of crops, however, triggers the onset of recharge, as evidenced by vadose zones getting wetter and leached of atmospheric chloride. Cropping may cause water table raises leading to a two-way coupling of ecosystems and groundwater in the future, as it has been documented for similar settings in Australia and the Sahel. In the Pampas land use change interacts with groundwater consumption leading to higher carbon uptake (humid and subhumid grasslands) and salt accumulation (subhumid grasslands). In the Espinal (semiarid forest) land use change currently involves a one-way effect on groundwater recharge that may switch to a reciprocal connection if regional water table raises occur. Neglecting the role of groundwater in flat sedimentary plains can obscure our understanding of carbon and salt cycling and curtail our attempts to sustain soil and water resources under changing land uses.

Groundwater discharge to the Mississippi River and groundwater balances for the Interstate 94 Corridor surficial aquifer, Clearwater to Elk River, Minnesota, 2012–14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Erik A.; Lorenz, David L.; Kessler, Erich W.; Berg, Andrew M.; Sanocki, Chris A.

2017-12-13

The Interstate 94 Corridor has been identified as 1 of 16 Minnesota groundwater areas of concern because of its limited available groundwater resources. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, completed six seasonal and annual groundwater balances for parts of the Interstate 94 Corridor surficial aquifer to better understand its long-term (next several decades) sustainability. A high-precision Mississippi River groundwater discharge measurement of 5.23 cubic feet per second per mile was completed at low-flow conditions to better inform these groundwater balances. The recharge calculation methods RISE program and Soil-Water-Balance model were used to inform the groundwater balances. For the RISE-derived recharge estimates, the range was from 3.30 to 11.91 inches per year; for the SWB-derived recharge estimates, the range was from 5.23 to 17.06 inches per year.Calculated groundwater discharges ranged from 1.45 to 5.06 cubic feet per second per mile, a ratio of 27.7 to 96.4 percent of the measured groundwater discharge. Ratios of groundwater pumping to total recharge ranged from 8.6 to 97.2 percent, with the longer-term groundwater balances ranging from 12.9 to 19 percent. Overall, this study focused on the surficial aquifer system and its interactions with the Mississippi River. During the study period (October 1, 2012, through November 30, 2014), six synoptic measurements, along with continuous groundwater hydrographs, rainfall records, and a compilation of the pertinent irrigation data, establishes the framework for future groundwater modeling efforts.

Aquifer recharge with reclaimed water in the Llobregat Delta. Laboratory batch experiments and field test site.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobella, J.

2010-05-01

Summary Spain, as most other Mediterranean countries, faces near future water shortages, generalized pollution and loss of water dependent ecosystems. Aquifer recharge represents a promising option to become a source for indirect potable reuse purposes but presence of pathogens as well as organic and inorganic pollutants should be avoided. To this end, understanding the processes of biogeochemical degradation occurring within the aquifer during infiltration is capital. A set of laboratory batch experiments has been assembled in order to assess the behaviour of selected pesticides, drugs, estrogens, surfactant degradation products, biocides and phthalates under different redox conditions. Data collected during laboratory experiments and monitoring activities at the Sant Vicenç dels Horts test site will be used to build and calibrate a numerical model (i) of the physical-chemical-biochemical processes occurring in the batches and (ii) of multicomponent reactive transport in the unsaturated/saturated zone at the test site. Keywords Aquifer recharge, batch experiments, emerging micropollutants, infiltration, numerical model, reclaimed water, redox conditions, Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT). 1. Introduction In Spain, the Llobregat River and aquifers, which supply water to Barcelona, have been overexploited for years and therefore, suffer from serious damages: the river dries up on summer, riparian vegetation has disappeared and seawater has intruded the aquifer. In a global context, solutions to water stress problems are urgently needed yet must be sustainable, economical and safe. Recent developments of analytical techniques detect the presence of the so-called "emerging" organic micropollutants in water and soils. Such compounds may affect living organisms when occurring in the environment at very low concentrations (microg/l or ng/l). In wastewater and drinking water treatment plants, a remarkable removal of these chemicals from water can be obtained only using advanced and costly treatments. Nevertheless, a number of studies are demonstrating that physical, chemical and biochemical processes associated with water movement within the subsoil represent a natural alternative way to reduce the presence of these contaminants. This processes are called Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT). Aquifer recharge will become a source for indirect potable reuse purposes as long as the presence of pathogens and organic and inorganic pollutants is avoided. To this end, understanding the biogeochemical degradation processes occurring within the aquifer during infiltration is capital. 2. Laboratory batch experiments A set of laboratory batch experiments has been assembled to assess the behaviour of selected pesticides, drugs, estrogens, surfactant degradation products, biocides and phthalates under different redox conditions. The setup of the experiments consists of glass bottles containing 120 g of soil and 240 ml of synthetic water spiked with the mix of micropollutants. A source of easily degradable organic carbon and, depending on the type of test, electron acceptors are added in order to yield aerobic respiration and nitrate/iron/manganese/sulphate reduction conditions. The evolution of the processes is monitored by sacrificing duplicate bottles according to a defined schedule and analysing water for major and minor components as well as for micropollutants. Results from biotic tests are compared with abiotic ones in order to discern biodegradation from other chemical processes. The soil, the synthetic water and the micropollutants selected for the experiments are representative of a test site in the nearby of Barcelona (Spain) where artificial recharge of groundwater through ponds is going to be performed using river water or tertiary effluent from a waste water treatment plant. The results of the experiments improve the knowledge on the behaviour of the selected micropollutants under different redox conditions and provide with useful information on the conditions to develop at the test site during artificial recharge. The data collected during the laboratory experiments and in the test site will be used to build and calibrate a numerical model of the physical-chemical-biochemical processes developing in the batches and of multicomponent reactive transport in the unsaturated/saturated zone in the test site area. 3. Field test site The infiltration site of Sant Vicenç dels Horts has been selected to assessing the biogeochemical processes occurring during SAT. The system consists of two ponds that have been built as compensatory measure for the reduction in natural recharge caused by the construction of the High Speed Train Line. The first pond acts as a decantation pond while the second one acts as an infiltration basin (Figure 1). Recharge water comes from the tertiary treatment plant of the El Prat de Llobregat WWTP and the river (?). The CUADLL (Lower Llobregat Aquifer End-Users Community) is now managing the system operation. Tasks that are currently being carried out at this Test Site aims at (i) improving the local experience on MAR through infiltration ponds operational aspects and (ii) monitoring the changes in water quality during the recharge processes (unsaturated and saturated zone). Special attention is being paid to the fate of emerging organic pollutants (pharmaceuticals, surfactants, pesticides, etc.). The yielding of the monitoring will be compared with the results from the laboratory batch experiments on the behaviour of selected emerging organic pollutants. To this end, observation wells have been constructed, pressure / temperature / electrical conductivity transducers have been installed and the vadose zone under the infiltration pond has been instrumented (tensiometers, water content probes and suction cups). In addition double ring and infiltration tests have been performed in order to forecast the infiltration capacity of the basin.

Recharge

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

Fayer, Michael J.

2008-01-17

This chapter describes briefly the nature and measurement of recharge in support of the CH2M HILL Tank Farm Vadose Zone Project. Appendix C (Recharge) and the Recharge Data Package (Fayer and Keller 2007) provide a more thorough and extensive review of the recharge process and the estimation of recharge rates for the forthcoming RCRA Facility Investigation report for Hanford single-shell tank (SST) Waste Management Areas (WMAs).

Groundwater dynamics in a hydrologically-modified alpine watershed from an ancient managed recharge system (Sierra Nevada National Park, Southern Spain): Insights from hydrogeochemical and isotopic information.

PubMed

Barberá, J A; Jódar, J; Custodio, E; González-Ramón, A; Jiménez-Gavilán, P; Vadillo, I; Pedrera, A; Martos-Rosillo, S

2018-06-04

In many of the alpine watersheds of Sierra Nevada (Southern Spain) exists an ancient network of dug canals that collect, transport and facilitate the recharge the snowmelt in the underlying aquifer during the spring season. This practice, known as careos, in the lower part of the watersheds supply drinking water as spring discharge during the dry season. To study how this managed recharge technique modifies the natural response of these basins this work focuses on characterizing the hydrological behavior of one of the sites, the Berchules watershed. The mechanisms for mineralization of groundwater are based on geochemical processes such as evapo-concentration in the soil layer and silicate mineral weathering due to dissolved CO 2 originated from both soil biogenic processes and the atmosphere. Groundwater presents a main hydrogeochemical calcium‑magnesium-bicarbonate type facies, which is associated to groundwater flowing through the upper weathered silicates and quickly drained through springs located in the uplands and in the intermediate altitude catchment zone. Additionally, in the lower part of the basin some springs discharge mineralized groundwater with a sodium-calcium-bicarbonate composition associated to regional groundwater flow. In natural conditions, this hydrogeological system behaves as a sloping aquifer, occurring recharge between 1400 and 2500 m a.s.l. The springs discharge groundwater with an isotopic content and temperature in coherence with the local rainfall isotopic and thermal atmospheric altitudinal lines. Nevertheless, once the careo recharge begins the affected springs reveal the fingerprint of the concentrated recharge system by blurring the fingerprint of both the isotopic and thermal altitudinal dependence in the springs discharge. This validates the previous conceptual model and supports average recharge values of 141 ± 140 mm/yr and total average water resources of 181 ± 111 mm/yr which include a 40% increase in the study period due to the effect of the acequias de careo. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isotopes and Sustainability of the Shallow Groundwater System in Spring and Snake Valleys, Eastern White Pine County, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acheampong, S. Y.

2007-12-01

A critical component to managing water resources is understanding the source of ground water that is extracted from a well. Detail information on the source of recharge and the age of groundwater is thus vital for the proper assessment, development, management, and monitoring of the groundwater resources in an area. Great differences in the isotopic composition of groundwater in a basin and the basin precipitation imply that the groundwater in the basin originates from a source outside the basin or is recharged under different climatic conditions. The stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in precipitation were compared with the isotopic composition of water from wells, springs, and creeks to evaluate the source of the shallow groundwater recharge in Spring and Snake Valleys, Nevada, as part of an evaluation of the water resources in the area. Delta deuterium and delta oxygen-18 composition of springs, wells, creeks, and precipitation in Spring and Snake Valleys show that groundwater recharge occurs primarily from winter precipitation in the surrounding mountains. The carbon-14 content of the groundwater ranged from 30 to 95 percent modern carbon (pmc). Twenty two of the thirty samples had carbon-14 values of greater than 50 pmc. The relatively high carbon-14 values suggest that groundwater in the area is recharged by modern precipitation and the waters have rapid travel times. Total dissolved solids content of the samples outside the playa areas are generally low, and suggests that the water has a relatively short travel time between the recharge areas and sample sites. The presence of tritium in some of the springs and wells also indicate that groundwater mixes with post 1952 precipitation. Hydrogen bomb tests which began in 1952 in the northern hemisphere added large amounts of tritium to the atmosphere and reached a peak in 1963. The stable isotopic composition, the high carbon-14 activities, and the presence of tritium, show that the shallow groundwater in Snake and Spring Valleys originates as modern recharge. The shallow groundwater in these valleys is thus a renewable resource and can be developed in a sustainable manner using the appropriate planning and management tools.

A comparison of estimates of basin-scale soil-moisture evapotranspiration and estimates of riparian groundwater evapotranspiration with implications for water budgets in the Verde Valley, Central Arizona, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred; Wiele, Stephen M.; Pool, Donald R.

2015-01-01

Population growth in the Verde Valley in Arizona has led to efforts to better understand water availability in the watershed. Evapotranspiration (ET) is a substantial component of the water budget and a critical factor in estimating groundwater recharge in the area. In this study, four estimates of ET are compared and discussed with applications to the Verde Valley. Higher potential ET (PET) rates from the soil-water balance (SWB) recharge model resulted in an average annual ET volume about 17% greater than for ET from the basin characteristics (BCM) recharge model. Annual BCM PET volume, however, was greater by about a factor of 2 or more than SWB actual ET (AET) estimates, which are used in the SWB model to estimate groundwater recharge. ET also was estimated using a method that combines MODIS-EVI remote sensing data and geospatial information and by the MODFLOW-EVT ET package as part of a regional groundwater-flow model that includes the study area. Annual ET volumes were about same for upper-bound MODIS-EVI ET for perennial streams as for the MODFLOW ET estimates, with the small differences between the two methods having minimal impact on annual or longer groundwater budgets for the study area.

The effects of artificial recharge on groundwater levels and water quality in the west hydrogeologic unit of the Warren subbasin, San Bernardino County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamos, Christina L.; Martin, Peter; Everett, Rhett; Izbicki, John A.

2013-01-01

Between the late 1940s and 1994, groundwater levels in the Warren subbasin, California, declined by as much as 300 feet because pumping exceeded sparse natural recharge. In response, the local water district, Hi-Desert Water District, implemented an artificial-recharge program in early 1995 using imported water from the California State Water Project. Subsequently, the water table rose by as much as 250 feet; however, a study done by the U.S. Geological Survey found that the rising water table entrained high-nitrate septic effluent, which caused nitrate (as nitrogen) concentrations in some wells to increase to more than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 10 milligrams per liter.. A new artificial-recharge site (site 3) was constructed in 2006 and this study, which started in 2004, was done to address concerns about the possible migration of nitrates in the unsaturated zone. The objectives of this study were to: (1) characterize the hydraulic, chemical, and microbiological properties of the unsaturated zone; (2) monitor changes in water levels and water quality in response to the artificial-recharge program at site 3; (3) determine if nitrates from septic effluent infiltrated through the unsaturated zone to the water table; (4) determine the potential for nitrates within the unsaturated zone to mobilize and contaminate the groundwater as the water table rises in response to artificial recharge; and (5) determine the presence and amount of dissolved organic carbon because of its potential to react with disinfection byproducts during the treatment of water for public use. Two monitoring sites were installed and instrumented with heat-dissipation probes, advanced tensiometers, suction-cup lysimeters, and wells so that the arrival and effects of recharging water from the State Water Project through the 250 to 425 foot-thick unsaturated zone and groundwater system could be closely observed. Monitoring site YVUZ-1 was located between two recharge ponds in the middle of site 3, and YVUZ-2 was located approximately 1,200 feet down-gradient and to the southeast in an area where septic systems have been in use since about 1960. Site YVUZ-3 only went to a depth of 42 feet and was used to sample the upper part of the unsaturated zone near a golf course. Prior to the start of artificial recharge at site 3, nitrate concentrations reported as nitrogen from the soil leachate below YVUZ-1 did not exceed 1.58 milligrams per kilogram. Nitrate-reducing bacteria concentrations of 4,300 most probable number were found at about 220 feet below land surface and at the top of the water table at YVUZ-1. Nitrate concentrations at YVUZ-2 reached a maximum concentration of about 25 milligrams per kilogram between about 100 and 121 feet below land surface; concentrations of nitrate-reducing or denitrifying bacteria were as high as 21,000 most probable number at 36 feet below land surface but did not exceed 40 most probable number below about 150 feet below land surface. Between June 2006 and September 2009, more than 9,800 acre feet of water from the State Water Project was released to site 3 ponds. The infiltration of the recharge water was predominantly vertical with limited lateral spreading to a depth of about 200 feet below land surface at YVUZ-1. Lateral spreading of the recharge water with depth was caused by geologic heterogeneities within the unsaturated zone, and resulted in varied arrival times of the recharge water to the instruments and slower rates of vertical movement with depth. No abrupt changes in soil moisture were observed at YVUZ-2, indicating that the recharge water had not reached that site by September 2009. Water levels from the monitoring wells at both sites and from five production wells nearby showed that the water table rose at a mean rate of about 0.08 feet per day between June 2006 and January 2009. The arrival of the water from the State Water Project caused relatively rapid changes in the stable-isotopic ratios from the lysimeters at YVUZ-1. The estimated average rate of infiltration of the recharge water through the unsaturated zone ranged from 3.7 to 25 feet per day. The recharge water arrived at the monitoring well below the recharge ponds between August 2007 and March 2008; the rate of vertical movement to the monitoring well was between 0.6 and 0.9 feet per day. By September 2008, a production well located 375 feet west of site 3 was producing almost 100 percent infiltrated recharge water. By contrast, the stable-isotope data from the lysimeters at YVUZ-2 showed that the recharge water had not reached this site by September 2009, but that septic effluent in the unsaturated zone likely had mixed with the native pore water to at least 154 feet below land surface. Assuming vertical infiltration, the minimum rate of infiltration of septic effluent since 1960 was about 3 feet per year. The isotopic data from the lysimeters at YVUZ-3 indicated two different sources of water to the upper 43 feet–irrigation-return flow and precipitation. Nitrate concentrations of the water from the State Water Project did not exceed 1 milligram per liter. Prior to artificial recharge, nitrate concentrations of the pore water at YVUZ-1 ranged between 6 to 18.2 milligrams per liter. After the arrival of the recharge water, the nitrate concentrations from the lysimeters and well at YVUZ-1 decreased to less than 1 milligram per liter, with the exception of samples collected at 205.5 feet, which did not exceed 4.12 milligrams per liter. The decrease in nitrate concentrations after artificial recharge indicated that the rising water table did not result in an increase of nitrates below YVUZ-1. At YVUZ-2, nitrate concentrations ranged between 12 to 479 milligrams per liter. The highest nitrate concentrations were at 92 feet below land surface and were almost seven times that of samples collected from a nearby septic tank. Nitrate concentrations from the lysimeter at 273 feet below land surface increased from 6 to almost 58 milligrams per liter after it was saturated by the rising water table in December 2007. These increases could be the result of the mobilization of high-nitrate water from regional sources of septic effluent after saturation, or the result of high-nitrate water present at the top of the water table that may be diluted deeper in the aquifer. Nitrate concentrations in groundwater from five nearby production wells and from both monitoring wells were less than 5 milligrams per liter before artificial recharge started. Nitrate concentrations decreased to less than 3 milligrams per liter in three of the production wells and the monitoring well below the recharge ponds after artificial recharge. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were measured in the recharge water and groundwater because of the potential for dissolved organic carbon to react with chlorine to form trihalomethanes during the water-treatment process. The dissolved organic carbon concentrations of the recharge water were 3.1 milligrams per liter or less, and dissolved organic carbon concentrations of the groundwater were less than 1 milligram per liter. Even though recharge water was present in some of the wells by September 2008, the concentrations of both dissolved organic carbon and trihalomethane formation potential in the groundwater did not increase. Interpretation of these data suggests that the dissolved organic carbon from the recharge water is altered or metabolized in the unsaturated zone, either by absorption to the grain particles in the soil or by microbiological processes.

Effects of recharge, Upper Floridan aquifer heads, and time scale on simulated ground-water exchange with Lake Starr, a seepage lake in central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swancar, Amy; Lee, Terrie Mackin

2003-01-01

Lake Starr and other lakes in the mantled karst terrain of Florida's Central Lake District are surrounded by a conductive surficial aquifer system that receives highly variable recharge from rainfall. In addition, downward leakage from these lakes varies as heads in the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer change seasonally and with pumpage. A saturated three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water flow model was used to simulate the effects of recharge, Upper Floridan aquifer heads, and model time scale on ground-water exchange with Lake Starr. The lake was simulated as an active part of the model using high hydraulic conductivity cells. Simulated ground-water flow was compared to net ground-water flow estimated from a rigorously derived water budget for the 2-year period August 1996-July 1998. Calibrating saturated ground-water flow models with monthly stress periods to a monthly lake water budget will result in underpredicting gross inflow to, and leakage from, ridge lakes in Florida. Underprediction of ground-water inflow occurs because recharge stresses and ground-water flow responses during rainy periods are averaged over too long a time period using monthly stress periods. When inflow is underestimated during calibration, leakage also is underestimated because inflow and leakage are correlated if lake stage is maintained over the long term. Underpredicted leakage reduces the implied effect of ground-water withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer on the lake. Calibrating the weekly simulation required accounting for transient responses in the water table near the lake that generated the greater range of net ground-water flow values seen in the weekly water budget. Calibrating to the weekly lake water budget also required increasing the value of annual recharge in the nearshore region well above the initial estimate of 35 percent of the rainfall, and increasing the hydraulic conductivity of the deposits around and beneath the lake. To simulate the total ground-water inflow to lakes, saturated-flow models of lake basins need to account for the potential effects of rapid and efficient recharge in the surficial aquifer system closest to the lake. In this part of the basin, the ability to accurately estimate recharge is crucial because the water table is shallowest and the response time between rainfall and recharge is shortest. Use of the one-dimensional LEACHM model to simulate the effects of the unsaturated zone on the timing and magnitude of recharge in the nearshore improved the simulation of peak values of ground-water inflow to Lake Starr. Results of weekly simulations suggest that weekly recharge can approach the majority of weekly rainfall on the nearshore part of the lake basin. However, even though a weekly simulation with higher recharge in the nearshore was able to reproduce the extremes of ground-water exchange with the lake more accurately, it was not consistently better at predicting net ground-water flow within the water budget error than a simulation with lower recharge. The more subtle effects of rainfall and recharge on ground-water inflow to the lake were more difficult to simulate. The use of variably saturated flow modeling, with time scales that are shorter than weekly and finer spatial discretization, is probably necessary to understand these processes. The basin-wide model of Lake Starr had difficulty simulating the full spectrum of ground-water inflows observed in the water budget because of insufficient information about recharge to ground water, and because of practical limits on spatial and temporal discretization in a model at this scale. In contrast, the saturated flow model appeared to successfully simulate the effects of heads in the Upper Floridan aquifer on water levels and ground-water exchange with the lake at both weekly and monthly stress periods. Most of the variability in lake leakage can be explained by the average vertical head difference between the lake and a re

Use of hydrochemistry as a standalone and complementary groundwater age tracer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, Monique; Jackson, Bethanna; Daughney, Chris; Morgenstern, Uwe; Norton, Kevin

2016-12-01

Groundwater age or residence time is the time water has resided in the subsurface since recharge. This can provide information on groundwater mixing and flow, and volumes of groundwater and recharge, etc. Groundwater age can be inferred from environmental tracers, such as SF6 and tritium that have a known input to groundwater and/or undergo known alteration processes in groundwater. Multiple tracers are often applied complementarily in order to increase the robustness of age interpretations. To this end, it is desirable to develop cost-effective and easily applicable age tracers/techniques to supplement the existing ones. A number of hydrochemical parameters are spatially and temporally widely available due to national and regional groundwater monitoring programmes. Their determination is cost-effective and relatively simple compared to existing age tracers. Hydrochemistry has been used as an age proxy but its use as an independent age tracer has only been demonstrated for water recharged weeks to months ago (relying on seasonal changes). This study focuses on the Lower Hutt Groundwater Zone, New Zealand, and assesses whether hydrochemistry can be used as an independent indicator of groundwater age, or if not, whether hydrochemistry can be used to complement groundwater age measurements based on other tracers. This study also examines the use of hydrochemistry as an indicator for recharge sources and weathering processes. This study shows that, when used independently, hydrochemistry could only be used as an age proxy, but in combination with tritium measurements, hydrochemistry provided useful additional constraint on age of groundwater recharged days to ∼100 years ago.

Lithologic influences on groundwater recharge through incised glacial till from profile to regional scales: Evidence from glaciated Eastern Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gates, John B.; Steele, Gregory V.; Nasta, Paolo; Szilagyi, Jozsef

2014-01-01

Variability in sediment hydraulic properties associated with landscape depositional and erosional features can influence groundwater recharge processes by affecting soil-water storage and transmission. This study considers recharge to aquifers underlying river-incised glaciated terrain where the distribution of clay-rich till is largely intact in upland locations but has been removed by alluvial erosion in stream valleys. In a stream-dissected glacial region in eastern Nebraska (Great Plains region of the United States), recharge estimates were developed for nested profile, aquifer, and regional scales using unsaturated zone profile measurements (matric potentials, Cl- and 3H), groundwater tracers (CFC-12 and SF6), and a remote sensing-assisted water balance model. Results show a consistent influence of till lithology on recharge rates across nested spatial scales despite substantial uncertainty in all recharge estimation methods, suggesting that minimal diffuse recharge occurs through upland glacial till lithology whereas diffuse recharge occurs in river valleys where till is locally absent. Diffuse recharge is estimated to account for a maximum of 61% of total recharge based on comparison of diffuse recharge estimated from the unsaturated zone (0-43 mm yr-1) and total recharge estimated from groundwater tracers (median 58 mm yr-1) and water balance modeling (median 56 mm yr-1). The results underscore the importance of lithologic controls on the distributions of both recharge rates and mechanisms.

The Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resources and Groundwater Quality in the Patcham Catchment, England.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, R. J.; Smith, M.; Pope, D. J.; Gumm, L.

2012-04-01

The CLIMAWAT project is an EU-Regional Development Fund Interreg IV funded research programme to study the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources and groundwater quality from the Chalk aquifer of SE England. The use of partially treated wastewater for artificial recharge will also be extensively studied in both the field and laboratory. The Chalk is a major aquifer and regionally supplies 70% of potable water supplies. The long term sustainable use of this resource is of paramount importance and the outcomes of this project will better inform and enhance long term management strategies for this. Project partners include water companies, regulatory bodies and industry consultancies. The four main objectives of the CLIMAWAT project are: i) better improve the prediction of the impact of climate change on this groundwater resource; ii) better understand and quantify how recharge mechanisms will vary due to the uncertainty associated with climate change; iii) better understand the storage mechanisms and fate of contaminants (e.g. nitrates and pesticides) in this aquifer and iv) investigate the impact of using partially treated wastewater for artificial recharge. An extensive field monitoring and data collection programme is underway in the Patcham Catchment (SE of England). Simultaneous monitoring of climatic, unsaturated zone potentiometric, groundwater level and chemistry data will allow for a better understanding of how changes in recharge patterns will effect groundwater quality and quantity. Isoptopic analysis of sampled groundwaters has allowed for interpretations and a better understanding of the storage and movement of water through this aquifer. The laboratory experimental programme is also underway and the results from this will compliment the field based studies to further enhance the understanding of contaminant behaviour in the both unsaturated and saturated zones. Core experiments are being used to investigate how nutrient and other contaminants are transported and retained in the Chalk aquifer. The results of which will better help understand how these contaminants are transported and held in the Chalk matrix and will provide quantitative information on the risk associated with the use of partially treated wastewater for artificial recharge and the contamination of groundwater reserves. This poster will present the findings of the research project so far.

Determining the market value of high-rise residential buildings based on evaluation of consumer properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolobova, Svetlana

2018-03-01

As you know, high-rise construction is an indicator of the practical implementation of advanced innovative technologies in the construction industry of the country. High-rise building inevitably comes to the big cities, in connection with the shortage and value of land. The life cycle of any construction project, including high-rise buildings consists of chains: of engineering survey - design-construction-operation. In the process of operation of a tall building, decisions about major repairs or reconstruction of a building are made for decision-making on further use. This article describes methods of assessing the consumer quality of high-rise residential buildings and the establishment of prices based on consumer characteristics of a tall residential building. It is proposed to assess the premises under their quality characteristics. The study was conducted to establish the influence of individual, comprehensive and integral indicators of comparable quality for effective quality living spaces. Simultaneously, there was established a relationship of quality with the consumer cost of housing, ultimately with the potential needs of owners, tenants of the home, lessor dwelling, or buyers of residential properties and other participants in the residential real estate market. This relationship further creates consumer requirements to quality standard of premises at a certain stage of socio-economic development.

Electronic Health Record Patient Portal Adoption by Health Care Consumers: An Acceptance Model and Survey.

PubMed

Tavares, Jorge; Oliveira, Tiago

2016-03-02

The future of health care delivery is becoming more citizen centered, as today's user is more active, better informed, and more demanding. Worldwide governments are promoting online health services, such as electronic health record (EHR) patient portals and, as a result, the deployment and use of these services. Overall, this makes the adoption of patient-accessible EHR portals an important field to study and understand. The aim of this study is to understand the factors that drive individuals to adopt EHR portals. We applied a new adoption model using, as a starting point, Ventkatesh's Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology in a consumer context (UTAUT2) by integrating a new construct specific to health care, a new moderator, and new relationships. To test the research model, we used the partial least squares (PLS) causal modelling approach. An online questionnaire was administrated. We collected 360 valid responses. The statistically significant drivers of behavioral intention are performance expectancy (beta=.200; t=3.619), effort expectancy (beta=.185; t=2.907), habit (beta=.388; t=7.320), and self-perception (beta=.098; t=2.285). The predictors of use behavior are habit (beta=0.206; t=2.752) and behavioral intention (beta=0.258; t=4.036). The model explained 49.7% of the variance in behavioral intention and 26.8% of the variance in use behavior. Our research helps to understand the desired technology characteristics of EHR portals. By testing an information technology acceptance model, we are able to determine what is more valued by patients when it comes to deciding whether to adopt EHR portals or not. The inclusion of specific constructs and relationships related to the health care consumer area also had a significant impact on understanding the adoption of EHR portals.

Spatially distributed groundwater recharge estimated using a water-budget model for the Island of Maui, Hawai`i, 1978–2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Adam G.; Engott, John A.; Bassiouni, Maoya; Rotzoll, Kolja

2014-12-14

Demand for freshwater on the Island of Maui is expected to grow. To evaluate the availability of fresh groundwater, estimates of groundwater recharge are needed. A water-budget model with a daily computation interval was developed and used to estimate the spatial distribution of recharge on Maui for average climate conditions (1978–2007 rainfall and 2010 land cover) and for drought conditions (1998–2002 rainfall and 2010 land cover). For average climate conditions, mean annual recharge for Maui is about 1,309 million gallons per day, or about 44 percent of precipitation (rainfall and fog interception). Recharge for average climate conditions is about 39 percent of total water inflow consisting of precipitation, irrigation, septic leachate, and seepage from reservoirs and cesspools. Most recharge occurs on the wet, windward slopes of Haleakalā and on the wet, uplands of West Maui Mountain. Dry, coastal areas generally have low recharge. In the dry isthmus, however, irrigated fields have greater recharge than nearby unirrigated areas. For drought conditions, mean annual recharge for Maui is about 1,010 million gallons per day, which is 23 percent less than recharge for average climate conditions. For individual aquifer-system areas used for groundwater management, recharge for drought conditions is about 8 to 51 percent less than recharge for average climate conditions. The spatial distribution of rainfall is the primary factor determining spatially distributed recharge estimates for most areas on Maui. In wet areas, recharge estimates are also sensitive to water-budget parameters that are related to runoff, fog interception, and forest-canopy evaporation. In dry areas, recharge estimates are most sensitive to irrigated crop areas and parameters related to evapotranspiration.

The Study of Cross-layer Optimization for Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks Implemented in Coal Mines

PubMed Central

Ding, Xu; Shi, Lei; Han, Jianghong; Lu, Jingting

2016-01-01

Wireless sensor networks deployed in coal mines could help companies provide workers working in coal mines with more qualified working conditions. With the underground information collected by sensor nodes at hand, the underground working conditions could be evaluated more precisely. However, sensor nodes may tend to malfunction due to their limited energy supply. In this paper, we study the cross-layer optimization problem for wireless rechargeable sensor networks implemented in coal mines, of which the energy could be replenished through the newly-brewed wireless energy transfer technique. The main results of this article are two-fold: firstly, we obtain the optimal relay nodes’ placement according to the minimum overall energy consumption criterion through the Lagrange dual problem and KKT conditions; secondly, the optimal strategies for recharging locomotives and wireless sensor networks are acquired by solving a cross-layer optimization problem. The cyclic nature of these strategies is also manifested through simulations in this paper. PMID:26828500

The Study of Cross-layer Optimization for Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks Implemented in Coal Mines.

PubMed

Ding, Xu; Shi, Lei; Han, Jianghong; Lu, Jingting

2016-01-28

Wireless sensor networks deployed in coal mines could help companies provide workers working in coal mines with more qualified working conditions. With the underground information collected by sensor nodes at hand, the underground working conditions could be evaluated more precisely. However, sensor nodes may tend to malfunction due to their limited energy supply. In this paper, we study the cross-layer optimization problem for wireless rechargeable sensor networks implemented in coal mines, of which the energy could be replenished through the newly-brewed wireless energy transfer technique. The main results of this article are two-fold: firstly, we obtain the optimal relay nodes' placement according to the minimum overall energy consumption criterion through the Lagrange dual problem and KKT conditions; secondly, the optimal strategies for recharging locomotives and wireless sensor networks are acquired by solving a cross-layer optimization problem. The cyclic nature of these strategies is also manifested through simulations in this paper.

Mexicali aquifer and its relation with the Colorado river and the Cerro Prieto geothermal reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez-Hernandez, J.; Reyes-Lopez, J. A.; Carreon-Diazconti, C.; Lazaro-Mancilla, O.

2008-05-01

Until some years ago the Colorado River has been the main recharge source of the Mexicali and the Imperial Valley aquifers. River discharge interruption after the constructions of dams upstream (i.e. Parker, Davis and Hoover) and the creation of great irrigation systems in both Valleys have modified their dynamics. Currently, the distribution of water recharge is the network of irrigation and drainage channels that distribute water to more than 500.000 ha. The chemical quality of the recharge water also has changed because the irrigation run-off water has become more mineralized. On the other hand, the intense steam exploitation of the Cerro Prieto geothermal reservoir has inverted the flow direction from the Volcano Lagoon area that until the 60s constituted the discharge zone of the aquifer and the geothermal reservoir. In this work, changes in the aquifer water recharge regime, the phreatic level and the water chemical quality are analyzed. It was found that after the reduction of the annual water extraction from aquifer up to 750X106 m3, the static levels have reached a dynamic balance that could be altered if water seepage from the irrigation channels, specially from the All American Channel, is reduced. The total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration has increased from 1000 ppm in 1970 to 1800 ppm in 2005. The water of recent infiltration, the gradual cooling of the shallowest strata of the geothermal reservoir, and the almost total disappearance of the hydrothermal surface manifestations are evidences of groundwater flow inversion. The new source of groundwater recharge due to seepage of evaporation disposal geothermal brine pond is documented. This pond incorporates water with a very different chemical composition to the groundwater system. Therefore, mineralization of the shallow aquifer layers and the soil contamination process are identified. It was concluded that the aquifer hydrodynamics in the Valley of Mexicali depends on the irrigation system more than on the Colorado River. The river has become a drainage channel to the Gulf of California.

A conceptual framework for assessing cumulative impacts on the hydrology of nontidal wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winter, Thomas C.

1988-01-01

Wetlands occur in geologic and hydrologic settings that enhance the accumulation or retention of water. Regional slope, local relief, and permeability of the land surface are major controls on the formation of wetlands by surface-water sources. However, these landscape features also have significant control over groundwater flow systems, which commonly play a role in the formation of wetlands. Because the hydrologic system is a continuum, any modification of one component will have an effect on contiguous components. Disturbances commonly affecting the hydrologic system as it relates to wetlands include weather modification, alteration of plant communities, storage of surface water, road construction, drainage of surface water and soil water, alteration of groundwater recharge and discharge areas, and pumping of groundwater. Assessments of the cumulative effects of one or more of these disturbances on the hydrologic system as related to wetlands must take into account uncertainty in the measurements and in the assumptions that are made in hydrologic studies. For example, it may be appropriate to assume that regional groundwater flow systems are recharged in uplands and discharged in lowlands. However, a similar assumption commonly does not apply on a local scale, because of the spatial and temporal dynamics of groundwater recharge. Lack of appreciation of such hydrologic factors can lead to misunderstanding of the hydrologic function of wetlands within various parts of the landscape and mismanagement of wetland ecosystems.

RRAWFLOW: Rainfall-Response Aquifer and Watershed Flow Model (v1.15)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

The Rainfall-Response Aquifer and Watershed Flow Model (RRAWFLOW) is a lumped-parameter model that simulates streamflow, spring flow, groundwater level, or solute transport for a measurement point in response to a system input of precipitation, recharge, or solute injection. I introduce the first version of RRAWFLOW available for download and public use and describe additional options. The open-source code is written in the R language and is available at http://sd.water.usgs.gov/projects/RRAWFLOW/RRAWFLOW.html along with an example model of streamflow. RRAWFLOW includes a time-series process to estimate recharge from precipitation and simulates the response to recharge by convolution, i.e., the unit-hydrograph approach. Gamma functions are used for estimation of parametric impulse-response functions (IRFs); a combination of two gamma functions results in a double-peaked IRF. A spline fit to a set of control points is introduced as a new method for estimation of nonparametric IRFs. Several options are included to simulate time-variant systems. For many applications, lumped models simulate the system response with equal accuracy to that of distributed models, but moreover, the ease of model construction and calibration of lumped models makes them a good choice for many applications (e.g., estimating missing periods in a hydrologic record). RRAWFLOW provides professional hydrologists and students with an accessible and versatile tool for lumped-parameter modeling.

In Situ Activation of 3D Porous Bi/Carbon Architectures: Toward High-Energy and Stable Nickel-Bismuth Batteries.

PubMed

Zeng, Yinxiang; Lin, Ziqi; Wang, Zifan; Wu, Mingmei; Tong, Yexiang; Lu, Xihong

2018-05-01

To achieve high-energy and stable aqueous rechargeable batteries, state-of-the art of anode materials are needed. Bismuth (Bi) has recently emerged as an attractive anode material due to its highly reversible redox reaction and suitable negative operating working window. However, the capacity and durability of currently reported Bi anodes are still far from satisfactory. Here, an in situ activation strategy is reported to prepare a 3D porous high-density Bi nanoparticles/carbon architecture (P-Bi-C) as an efficient anode for nickel-bismuth batteries. Taking advantages of the fast channels for charge transfer and ion diffusion, enhanced wettability, and accessible surface area, the highly loaded P-Bi-C electrode delivers a remarkable capacity of 2.11 mA h cm -2 as well as high rate capability (1.19 mA h cm -2 at 120 mA cm -2 ). To highlight, a robust aqueous rechargeable Ni//Bi battery based on the P-Bi-C anode is first constructed, achieving decent capacity (141 mA h g -1 ), impressive durability (94% capacity retention after 5000 cycles), and admirable energy density (16.9 mW h cm -3 ). This work paves the way for designing superfast nickel-bismuth batteries with high energy and long-life and may inspire new development for aqueous rechargeable batteries. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Simulation of streamflow, evapotranspiration, and groundwater recharge in the middle Nueces River watershed, south Texas, 1961-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dietsch, Benjamin J.; Wehmeyer, Loren L.

2012-01-01

Selected results of the model include streamflow yields for the subwatersheds and water-balance information for the Carrizo–Wilcox aquifer outcrop area. For the entire model domain, the area-weighted mean streamflow yield from 1961 to 2008 was 1.12 inches/year. The mean annual rainfall on the outcrop area during the 1961–2008 simulation period was 21.7 inches. Of this rainfall, an annual mean of 20.1 inches (about 93 percent) was simulated as evapotranspiration, 1.2 inches (about 6 percent) was simulated as groundwater recharge, and 0.5 inches (about 2 percent) was simulated as surface runoff.

Water Budget of East Maui, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shade, Patricia J.

1999-01-01

Ground-water recharge is estimated from six monthly water budgets calculated using long-term average rainfall and streamflow data, estimated pan-evaporation and fog-drip data, and soil characteristics. The water-budget components are defined seasonally, through the use of monthly data, and spatially by broad climatic and geohydrologic areas, through the use of a geographic information system model. The long-term average water budget for east Maui was estimated for natural land-use conditions. The average rainfall, fog-drip, runoff, evapotranspiration, and ground-water recharge volumes for the east Maui study area are 2,246 Mgal/d, 323 Mgal/d, 771 Mgal/d, 735 Mgal/d, and 1,064 Mgal/d, respectively.

Wind power demonstration and siting problems. [for recharging electrically driven automobiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergey, K. H.

1973-01-01

Technical and economic feasibility studies on a small windmill to provide overnight charging for an electrically driven car are reported. The auxiliary generator provides power for heating and cooling the vehicle which runs for 25 miles on battery power alone, and for 50 miles with the onboard charger operating. The blades for this windmill have a diameter of 12 feet and are coupled through to a conventional automobile alternator so that they are able to completely recharge car batteries in 8 hours. Optimization of a windmill/storage system requires detailed wind velocity information which permits rational sitting of wind power system stations.

How to Recharge a Confined Aquifer: An Exploration of Geologic Controls on Groundwater Storage.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maples, S.; Fogg, G. E.; Maxwell, R. M.; Liu, Y.

2017-12-01

Decreased snowpack storage and groundwater overdraft in California has increased interest in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) of excess winter runoff to the Central Valley aquifer system, which has unused storage capacity that far exceeds the state's surface reservoirs. Recharge to the productive, confined aquifer system remains a challenge due to the presence of nearly-ubiquitous, multiple silt and clay confining units that limit recharge pathways. However, previous studies have identified interconnected networks of sand and gravel deposits that bypass the confining units and accommodate rapid, high-volume recharge to the confined aquifer system in select locations. We use the variably-saturated, fully-integrated groundwater/surface-water flow code, ParFlow, in combination with a high-resolution, transition probability Markov-chain geostatistical model of the subsurface geologic heterogeneity of the east side of the Sacramento Valley, CA, to characterize recharge potential across a landscape that includes these geologic features. Multiple 180-day MAR simulations show that recharge potential is highly dependent on subsurface geologic structure, with a several order-of-magnitude range of recharge rates and volumes across the landscape. Where there are recharge pathways to the productive confined-aquifer system, pressure propagation in the confined system is widespread and rapid, with multi-kilometer lateral pressure propagation. Although widespread pressure propagation occurs in the confined system, only a small fraction of recharge volume is accommodated there. Instead, the majority of recharge occurs by filling unsaturated pore spaces. Where they outcrop at land surface, high-K recharge pathways fill rapidly, accommodating the majority of recharge during early time. However, these features become saturated quickly, and somewhat counterintuitively, the low-K silt and clay facies accommodate the majority of recharge volume during most of the simulation. These findings (1) highlight the large variability of MAR potential across the landscape, wherein the recharge capacity in select areas far exceeds recharge potential over most of the landscape, and (2) elucidate important physical processes that control MAR potential in alluvial aquifer systems.

Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Tissue Insertion Devices

PubMed Central

Khan, Salman Nasir; Shiakolas, Panos S.; Mootha, Venkateswara Vinod

2015-01-01

This review study provides information regarding the construction, design, and use of six commercially available endothelial allograft insertion devices applied for Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). We also highlight issues being faced in DSAEK and discuss the methods through which medical devices such as corneal inserters may alleviate these issues. Inserter selection is of high importance in the DSAEK procedure since overcoming the learning curve associated with the use of an insertion device is a time and energy consuming process. In the present review, allograft insertion devices were compared in terms of design, construction material, insertion technique, dimensions, incision requirements and endothelial cell loss to show their relative merits and capabilities based on available data in the literature. Moreover, the advantages/disadvantages of various insertion devices used for allograft insertion in DSAEK are reviewed and compared. The information presented in this review can be utilized for better selection of an insertion device for DSAEK. PMID:27051492

Impact of climate change on mean groundwater residence time in several Mediterranean Spanish aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulido-Velazquez, David; Marín-Lechado, Carlos; Martos-Rosillo, Sergio; Collados-Lara, Antonio-Juan; Ruíz-Constan, Ana

2017-04-01

The mean residence time in an aquifer, also known as natural turnover time or renewable period, can be obtained as the relation (R / St) between its storage capacity (St) and its recharge (R). It is an excellent indicator of the aquifer response capacity to its exploitation. Aquifers in which R is close to St values are extremely vulnerable to exploitation, even when it is less than the average recharge. This is especially relevant in Mediterranean climate areas, where long and intensive drought periods appear and will be exacerbated in future scenarios of global change. The natural turnover time depends on the recharge and the Global Change can produce important changes on it in the future. In this research we propose a method for a detailed estimation of natural turnover time by combining detailed 3D geological modelling of the case studies, estimated fields of specific yield for the aquifers (based on the analysis of multiple field sample), and rainfall-recharge models in several aquifer with different ratios of natural turnover time. These detailed 3D geological models have been defined by integrating information coming from seismic profiles, boreholes, magnetotelluric, electromagnetic and electrical sounding, digital elevation models, previous geological maps and new structural dates. They also allow us to deduce the reserve curve as a function of the elevation. On the other hand, different ensemble and downscaling techniques will be used to define potential future global climate change scenarios for the test-regions based on the data coming from simulations with different Regional Circulation Models (RCMs). These precipitation and temperature scenarios will be employed to feed the previously calibrated rainfall-recharge models in order to estimated future recharge and turnover time values. The methodology applied in this work could be a tool of special interest to identify at regional level which aquifers are most vulnerable to exploitation considering hydrogeological and climate change aspects. This research has been supported by the CGL2013-48424-C2-2-R (MINECO) Project.

7 CFR 1260.124 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Consumer information. 1260.124 Section 1260.124... Promotion and Research Order Definitions § 1260.124 Consumer information. Consumer information means nutritional data and other information that will assist consumers and other persons in making evaluations and...

Quantifying effects of humans and climate on groundwater resources through modeling of volcanic-rock aquifers of Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotzoll, K.; Izuka, S. K.; Nishikawa, T.; Fienen, M. N.; El-Kadi, A. I.

2015-12-01

The volcanic-rock aquifers of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui are heavily developed, leading to concerns related to the effects of groundwater withdrawals on saltwater intrusion and streamflow. A numerical modeling analysis using the most recently available data (e.g., information on recharge, withdrawals, hydrogeologic framework, and conceptual models of groundwater flow) will substantially advance current understanding of groundwater flow and provide insight into the effects of human activity and climate change on Hawaii's water resources. Three island-wide groundwater-flow models were constructed using MODFLOW 2005 coupled with the Seawater-Intrusion Package (SWI2), which simulates the transition between saltwater and freshwater in the aquifer as a sharp interface. This approach allowed relatively fast model run times without ignoring the freshwater-saltwater system at the regional scale. Model construction (FloPy3), automated-parameter estimation (PEST), and analysis of results were streamlined using Python scripts. Model simulations included pre-development (1870) and current (average of 2001-10) scenarios for each island. Additionally, scenarios for future withdrawals and climate change were simulated for Oahu. We present our streamlined approach and preliminary results showing estimated effects of human activity on the groundwater resource by quantifying decline in water levels, reduction in stream base flow, and rise of the freshwater-saltwater interface.

The StreamCat Dataset: Accumulated Attributes for NHDPlusV2 Catchments (Version 2.1) for the Conterminous United States: Base Flow Index

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This dataset represents the base flow index values within individual, local NHDPlusV2 catchments and upstream, contributing watersheds. Attributes of the landscape layer were calculated for every local NHDPlusV2 catchment and accumulated to provide watershed-level metrics. (See Supplementary Info for Glossary of Terms) The base-flow index (BFI) grid for the conterminous United States was developed to estimate (1) BFI values for ungaged streams, and (2) ground-water recharge throughout the conterminous United States (see Source_Information). Estimates of BFI values at ungaged streams and BFI-based ground-water recharge estimates are useful for interpreting relations between land use and water quality in surface and ground water. The bfi (%) was 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).

Design and test of a 100 ampere-hour nickel cadmium battery module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaston, S.; Wertheim, M.; Burgess, F. S.; Lehrfeld, D.; Winegard, A.

1973-01-01

A feasibility study was conducted on the design and construction of a flight-worthy replaceable battery module consisting of four 100 A.H. nickel-cadmium rechargeable cells for large manned space vehicles. The module is planned to weigh less than 43 pounds and be fully maintainable in a zero-g environment by one man without use of special tools. An active environmental control system was designed for the temperature control of the module.

Ground-water hydrology and water quality of Irwin Basin at Fort Irwin National Training Center, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Densmore, Jill N.; Londquist, Clark J.

1997-01-01

Geohydrologic data were collected from Irwin Basin at Fort Irwin National Training Center in the Mojave Desert of southern California by the U.S. Geological Survey during 199296 to deter mine the quantity and quality of ground water available in this basin. In addition to data collected from existing wells and test holes, 17 monitoring sites were constructed in Irwin Basin to provide data on subsurface geology, ground-water levels, and ground-water quality. Eleven of these sites were multiple-well monitoring sites that were constructed to provide depth-dependent geohydrologic data in the aquifer system. The aquifer system of Irwin Basin, defined on the basis of hydrologic data collected from wells in Irwin Basin, consists of an upper and a lower aquifer. A 1994 water-table contour map shows that a cone of depression beneath Irwin Basin well field has developed as a result of ground-water development. Water-quality samples collected from Irwin Basin wells to determine potential sources of ground-water degradation indicate that water in three areas in the basin contains high nitrate and dissolved-solids concentrations. The stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen indicate that present-day precipitation is not a major source of recharge in this basin. Tritium and carbon-14 data indicate that most of the basin was recharged before 1953 and that this water may be more than 14,000 years old.

Meeting Consumers' Information Needs: Putting Research to Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steketee, Drew

The Consumer Information Center is a federal program which encourages federal agencies to develop and release consumer information to the public. It also promotes consumer awareness and access to information through the "Consumer Information Catalog" and a mail order distribution operation. Through research, the Center can learn the…

16 CFR 682.3 - Proper disposal of consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... OF CONSUMER REPORT INFORMATION AND RECORDS § 682.3 Proper disposal of consumer information. (a) Standard. Any person who maintains or otherwise possesses consumer information for a business purpose must... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Proper disposal of consumer information. 682...

16 CFR 682.3 - Proper disposal of consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Proper disposal of consumer information. 682... OF CONSUMER REPORT INFORMATION AND RECORDS § 682.3 Proper disposal of consumer information. (a) Standard. Any person who maintains or otherwise possesses consumer information for a business purpose must...

Assessing Non-Technical Site Suitability Criteria for Stormwater Capture, Treatment and Recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenstein, W.

2016-12-01

This presentation will describe a new method for assessing non-technical site suitability criteria for the siting of stormwater capture, treatment and recharge (or stormwater CTR) facilities in Sonoma County, California, USA. "Non-technical site suitability criteria" include issues such as community acceptance, aesthetics, nuisances and hazards, and compatibility with neighboring land uses, and are distinguished from "technical criteria" such as hydrology and soil characteristics that are the traditional subject of suitability analyses. Non-technical criteria are rarely, if ever, considered in formal siting suitability studies conducted by agencies and municipalities, yet can be fatal to the prospects of a given project's construction if not identified and mitigated. The researchers developed a new method for identifying and spatially characterizing relevant non-technical criteria through interviews and questionnaires with community stakeholders, and introducing those criteria into a spatial multi-criteria decision analysis framework that assesses site suitabilty across a study watershed (the Upper Petaluma River watershed in Sonoma County).

Environmental impact analysis of mine tailing reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, J. Z.

2016-08-01

Under certain conditions landscape topography which utilizes mine tailing reservoir construction using is likely to increase lateral recharge source regions, resulting in dramatic changes to the local hydrological dynamic field and recharge of downstream areas initiated by runoff, excretion state, elevated groundwater depth, shallow groundwater, rainfall direct communication, and thinning of the vadose zone. Corrosive leaching of topsoil over many years of exposure to chemical fertilizers and pesticides may result in their dissolution into the groundwater system, which may lead to excessive amounts of many harmful chemicals, therby affecting the physical and mental health of human residents and increase environmental vulnerability and risk associated with the water and soil. According to field survey data from Yujiakan, Qian'an City, and Hebei provinces, this paper analyzes the hydrogeological environmental mechanisms of areas adjacent to mine tailing reservoirs and establishes a conceptual model of the local groundwater system and the concentration-response function between NO3 - content in groundwater and the incidence of cancer in local residents.

Fabrication of solid-state secondary battery using semiconductors and evaluation of its charge/discharge characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Atsuya; Sasaki, Akito; Hirabayashi, Hideaki; Saito, Shuichi; Aoki, Katsuaki; Kataoka, Yoshinori; Suzuki, Koji; Yabuhara, Hidehiko; Ito, Takahiro; Takagi, Shigeyuki

2018-04-01

Li-ion batteries have attracted interest for use as storage batteries. However, the risk of fire has not yet been resolved. Although solid Li-ion batteries are possible alternatives, their performance characteristics are unsatisfactory. Recently, research on utilizing the accumulation of carriers at the trap levels of semiconductors has been performed. However, the detailed charge/discharge characteristics and principles have not been reported. In this report, we attempted to form new n-type oxide semiconductor/insulator/p-type oxide semiconductor structures. The battery characteristics of these structures were evaluated by charge/discharge measurements. The obtained results clearly indicated the characteristics of rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, the fabricated structure accumulated an approximately 5000 times larger number of carriers than a parallel plate capacitor. Additionally, by constructing circuit models based on the experimental results, the charge/discharge mechanisms were considered. This is the first detailed experimental report on a rechargeable battery that operates without the double injection of ions and electrons.

Mine dewatering and impact assessment in an arid area: Case of Gulf region.

PubMed

Yihdego, Yohannes; Drury, Len

2016-11-01

Analytical and empirical solution coupled with water balance method were used to predict the ground water inflow to a mine pit excavated below the water table, final pit lake level/recovery and radius of influence, through long-term and time variant simulations. The solution considers the effect of decreased saturated thickness near the pit walls, distributed recharge to the water table and upward flow through the pit bottom. The approach is flexible to accommodate the anisotropy/heterogeneity of the real world. Final pit void water level was assessed through scenarios to know whether it will be consumed by evaporation and a shallow lake will form or not. The optimised radius of influence was estimated which is considered as crucial information in relation to the engineering aspects of mine planning and sustainable development of the mine area. Time-transient inflow over a period of time was estimated using solutions, including analytical element method (AEM). Their primary value is in providing estimates of pit inflow rates to be used in the mine dewatering. Inflow estimation and recovery helps whether there is water to supplement the demand and if there is any recovery issue to be dealt with in relation to surface and groundwater quality/eco-system, environmental evaluations and mitigation. Therefore, this method is good at informing decision makers in assessing the effects of mining operations and developing an appropriate water management strategy.

SARS wars: an examination of the quantity and construction of health information in the news media.

PubMed

Berry, Tanya R; Wharf-Higgins, Joan; Naylor, P J

2007-01-01

The media have the power to sway public perception of health issues by choosing what to publish and the context in which to present information. The media may influence an individual's tendency to overestimate the risk of some health issues while underestimating the risk of others, ultimately influencing health choices. Although some research has been conducted to examine the number of articles on selected health topics, little research has examined how the messages are constructed. The purpose of this article is to describe an examination of the construction of news reports on health topics using aspects of the social amplification of risk model and the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion for theoretical direction. One hundred news media reports (print, radio, television, and Internet) were analyzed in terms of message repetition, context, source, and grammar. Results showed that health topics were more often discussed in terms of risk, by credible sources using strong language. This content analysis provides an empirical starting point for future research into how such health news may influence consumer's perceptions of health topics.

Assessment of Areal Recharge to the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, Spokane County, Washington, and Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartolino, James R.

2007-01-01

A numerical flow model of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer currently (2007) being developed requires the input of values for areally-distributed recharge, a parameter that is often the most uncertain component of water budgets and ground-water flow models because it is virtually impossible to measure over large areas. Data from six active weather stations in and near the study area were used in four recharge-calculation techniques or approaches; the Langbein method, in which recharge is estimated on the basis of empirical data from other basins; a method developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in which crop consumptive use and effective precipitation are first calculated and then subtracted from actual precipitation to yield an estimate of recharge; an approach developed as part of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer Model (ESPAM) Enhancement Project in which recharge is calculated on the basis of precipitation-recharge relations from other basins; and an approach in which reference evapotranspiration is calculated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Penman-Monteith equation, crop consumptive use is determined (using a single or dual coefficient approach), and recharge is calculated. Annual recharge calculated by the Langbein method for the six weather stations was 4 percent of annual mean precipitation, yielding the lowest values of the methods discussed in this report, however, the Langbein method can be only applied to annual time periods. Mean monthly recharge calculated by the USDA method ranged from 53 to 73 percent of mean monthly precipitation. Mean annual recharge ranged from 64 to 69 percent of mean annual precipitation. Separate mean monthly recharge calculations were made with the ESPAM method using initial input parameters to represent thin-soil, thick-soil, and lava-rock conditions. The lava-rock parameters yielded the highest recharge values and the thick-soil parameters the lowest. For thin-soil parameters, calculated monthly recharge ranged from 10 to 29 percent of mean monthly precipitation and annual recharge ranged from 16 to 23 percent of mean annual precipitation. For thick-soil parameters, calculated monthly recharge ranged from 1 to 5 percent of mean monthly precipitation and mean annual recharge ranged from 2 to 4 percent of mean annual precipitation. For lava-rock parameters, calculated mean monthly recharge ranged from 37 to 57 percent of mean monthly precipitation and mean annual recharge ranged from 45 to 52 percent of mean annual precipitation. Single-coefficient (crop coefficient) FAO Penman-Monteith mean monthly recharge values were calculated for Spokane Weather Service Office (WSO) Airport, the only station for which the necessary meteorological data were available. Grass-referenced values of mean monthly recharge ranged from 0 to 81 percent of mean monthly precipitation and mean annual recharge was 21 percent of mean annual precipitation; alfalfa-referenced values of mean monthly recharge ranged from 0 to 85 percent of mean monthly precipitation and mean annual recharge was 24 percent of mean annual precipitation. Single-coefficient FAO Penman-Monteith calculations yielded a mean monthly recharge of zero during the eight warmest and driest months of the year (March-October). In order to refine the mean monthly recharge estimates, dual-coefficient (basal crop and soil evaporation coefficients) FAO Penman-Monteith dual-crop evapotranspiration and deep-percolation calculations were applied to daily values from the Spokane WSO Airport for January 1990 through December 2005. The resultant monthly totals display a temporal variability that is absent from the mean monthly values and demonstrate that the daily amount and timing of precipitation dramatically affect calculated recharge. The dual-coefficient FAO Penman-Monteith calculations were made for the remaining five stations using wind-speed values for Spokane WSO Airport and other assumptions regarding

Managed care for Medicare: some considerations in designing effective information provision programs.

PubMed

Jayanti, R K

2001-01-01

Consumer information-processing theory provides a useful framework for policy makers concerned with regulating information provided by managed care organizations. The assumption that consumers are rational information processors and providing more information is better is questioned in this paper. Consumer research demonstrates that when faced with an uncertain decision, consumers adopt simplifying strategies leading to sub-optimal choices. A discussion on how consumers process risk information and the effects of various informational formats on decision outcomes is provided. Categorization theory is used to propose guidelines with regard to providing effective information to consumers choosing among competing managed care plans. Public policy implications borne out of consumer information-processing theory conclude the article.

Invasive Species Science Update (No. 4)

Treesearch

Ned B. Klopfenstein; Brian W. Geils

2010-01-01

The fourth issue of Invasive Species Science Update has finally arrived. This newsletter has no set publication schedule, but our intent is to deliver invasive species information on a timely basis. The RMRS Invasive Species Working Group (ISWG) has been reorganized and recharged. General information on the ISWG is presented in a publication by Butler and others (2009...

7 CFR 1209.3 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Definitions § 1209.3 Consumer information. Consumer information means information and programs that will assist consumers and other persons in making evaluations and decisions regarding the purchase...

7 CFR 1230.5 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Consumer information. 1230.5 Section 1230.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING... CONSUMER INFORMATION Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order Definitions § 1230.5 Consumer...

Ground-Water Recharge in Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.; Falteisek, J.D.

2007-01-01

'Ground-water recharge' broadly describes the addition of water to the ground-water system. Most water recharging the ground-water system moves relatively rapidly to surface-water bodies and sustains streamflow, lake levels, and wetlands. Over the long term, recharge is generally balanced by discharge to surface waters, to plants, and to deeper parts of the ground-water system. However, this balance can be altered locally as a result of pumping, impervious surfaces, land use, or climate changes that could result in increased or decreased recharge. * Recharge rates to unconfined aquifers in Minnesota typically are about 20-25 percent of precipitation. * Ground-water recharge is least (0-2 inches per year) in the western and northwestern parts of the State and increases to greater than 6 inches per year in the central and eastern parts of the State. * Water-level measurement frequency is important in estimating recharge. Measurements made less frequently than about once per week resulted in as much as a 48 percent underestimation of recharge compared with estimates based on an hourly measurement frequency. * High-quality, long-term, continuous hydrologic and climatic data are important in estimating recharge rates.

Hydrogeology and Aquifer Storage and Recovery Performance in the Upper Floridan Aquifer, Southern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reese, Ronald S.; Alvarez-Zarikian, Carlos A.

2007-01-01

Well construction, hydraulic well test, ambient water-quality, and cycle test data were inventoried and compiled for 30 aquifer storage and recovery facilities constructed in the Floridan aquifer system in southern Florida. Most of the facilities are operated by local municipalities or counties in coastal areas, but five sites are currently being evaluated as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The relative performance of all sites with adequate cycle test data was determined, and compared with four hydrogeologic and design factors that may affect recovery efficiency. Testing or operational cycles include recharge, storage, and recovery periods that each last days or months. Cycle test data calculations were made including the potable water (chloride concentration of less than 250 milligrams per liter) recovery efficiency per cycle, total recovery efficiency per cycle, and cumulative potable water recovery efficiencies for all of the cycles at each site. The potable water recovery efficiency is the percentage of the total amount of potable water recharged for each cycle that is recovered; potable water recovery efficiency calculations (per cycle and cumulative) were the primary measures used to evaluate site performance in this study. Total recovery efficiency, which is the percent recovery at the end of each cycle, however, can be substantially higher and is the performance measure normally used in the operation of water-treatment plants. The Upper Floridan aquifer of the Floridan aquifer system currently is being used, or planned for use, at 29 of the aquifer storage and recovery sites. The Upper Floridan aquifer is continuous throughout southern Florida, and its overlying confinement is generally good; however, the aquifer contains brackish to saline ground water that can greatly affect freshwater storage and recovery due to dispersive mixing within the aquifer. The hydrogeology of the Upper Floridan varies in southern Florida; confinement between flow zones is better in southwestern Florida than in southeastern Florida. Vertical hydraulic conductivity in the upper part of the aquifer also may be higher in southeastern Florida because of unconformities present at formation contacts within the aquifer that may be better developed in this area. Recovery efficiencies per cycle varied widely. Eight sites had recovery efficiencies of less than about 10 percent for the first cycle, and three of these sites had not yet achieved recoveries exceeding 10 percent, even after three to five cycles. The highest recovery efficiency achieved per cycle was 94 percent. Three southeastern coastal sites and two southwestern coastal sites have achieved potable water recoveries per cycle exceeding 60 percent. One of the southeastern coastal sites and both of the southwestern coastal sites achieved good recoveries, even with long storage periods (from 174 to 191 days). The high recovery efficiencies for some cycles apparently resulted from water banking?an operational approach whereby an initial cycle with a large recharge volume of water is followed by cycles with much smaller recharge volume. This practice flushes out the aquifer around the well and builds up a buffer zone that can maintain high recovery efficiency in the subsequent cycles. The relative performance of all sites with adequate cycle test data was determined. Performance was arbitrarily grouped into ?high? (greater than 40 percent), ?medium? (between 20 and 40 percent), and ?low? (less than 20 percent) categories based primarily on their cumulative recovery efficiency for the first seven cycles, or projected to seven cycles if fewer cycles were conducted. The ratings of three sites, considered to be borderline, were modified using the overall recharge rate derived from the cumulative recharge volumes. A higher overall recharge rate (greater than 300 million gallons per year) can improve recovery efficiency because of the water-bankin

An efficient workflow to accurately compute groundwater recharge for the study of rainfall-triggered deep-seated landslides, application to the Séchilienne unstable slope (western Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallet, A.; Bertrand, C.; Fabbri, O.; Mudry, J.

2015-01-01

Pore water pressure build-up by recharge of underground hydrosystems is one of the main triggering factors of deep-seated landslides. In most deep-seated landslides, pore water pressure data are not available since piezometers, if any, have a very short lifespan because of slope movements. As a consequence, indirect parameters, such as the calculated recharge, are the only data which enable understanding landslide hydrodynamic behaviour. However, in landslide studies, methods and recharge-area parameters used to determine the groundwater recharge are rarely detailed. In this study, the groundwater recharge is estimated with a soil-water balance based on characterisation of evapotranspiration and parameters characterising the recharge area (soil available water capacity, runoff and vegetation coefficient). A workflow to compute daily groundwater recharge is developed. This workflow requires the records of precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and wind speed within or close to the landslide area. The determination of the parameters of the recharge area is based on a spatial analysis requiring field observations and spatial data sets (digital elevation models, aerial photographs and geological maps). This study demonstrates that the performance of the correlation with landslide displacement velocity data is significantly improved using the recharge estimated with the proposed workflow. The coefficient of determination obtained with the recharge estimated with the proposed workflow is 78% higher on average than that obtained with precipitation, and is 38% higher on average than that obtained with recharge computed with a commonly used simplification in landslide studies (recharge = precipitation minus non-calibrated evapotranspiration method).

Hydrogeologic Framework, Groundwater Movement, and Water Budget in the Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed and Vicinity, Pierce County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savoca, Mark E.; Welch, Wendy B.; Johnson, Kenneth H.; Lane, R.C.; Fasser, Elisabeth T.

2010-01-01

This report presents information used to characterize the groundwater-flow system in the Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed and vicinity, and includes descriptions of the geology and hydrogeologic framework; groundwater recharge and discharge; groundwater levels and flow directions; seasonal groundwater level fluctuations; interactions between aquifers and the surface-water system; and a water budget. The study area covers about 706 square miles in western Pierce County, Washington, and extends north to the Puyallup River, southwest to the Nisqually River, and is bounded on the south and east by foothills of the Cascade Range and on the west by Puget Sound. The area is underlain by a northwest-thickening sequence of unconsolidated glacial and interglacial deposits which overlie sedimentary and volcanic bedrock units that crop out in the foothills along the southern and southeastern margin of the study area. Geologic units were grouped into 11 hydrogeologic units consisting of aquifers, confining units, and an underlying bedrock unit. A surficial hydrogeologic unit map was developed and used with well information from 450 drillers' logs to construct 6 hydrogeologic sections, and unit extent and thickness maps. Groundwater in unconsolidated glacial and interglacial aquifers generally flows to the northwest towards Puget Sound, and to the north and northeast towards the Puyallup River. These generalized flow patterns likely are complicated by the presence of low permeability confining units that separate discontinuous bodies of aquifer material and act as local groundwater-flow barriers. Water levels in wells completed in the unconsolidated hydrogeologic units show seasonal variations ranging from less than 1 to about 50 feet. The largest groundwater-level fluctuation (78 feet) observed during the monitoring period (March 2007-September 2008) was in a well completed in the bedrock unit. Synoptic streamflow measurements made in September 2007 and July 2008 indicated a total groundwater discharge to streams in the study area of 87,310 and 92,160 acre-feet per year, respectively. The synoptic streamflow measurements show a complex pattern of gains and losses to streamflows that varies throughout the study area, and appears to be influenced in places by local topography. Groundwater discharge occurs at numerous springs in the area and the total previously reported discharge of springs in the area is approximately 80,000 acre-feet per year. There are, in addition, many unmeasured springs and the total spring discharge in the area is unknown. The water-budget area (432 mi2 located within the larger study area) received an annual average (September1, 2006, to August 31, 2008) of about 1,025,000 acre-ft or about 45 inches of precipitation a year. About 44 percent of precipitation enters the groundwater system as recharge. Almost one-half of this recharge (49 percent) discharges to the Puyallup and Nisqually Rivers and leaves the groundwater system as submarine groundwater discharge to Puget Sound. The remaining groundwater recharge discharges to streams (20 percent) and springs (18 percent) or is withdrawn from wells (13 percent)

Management decision of optimal recharge water in groundwater artificial recharge conditions- A case study in an artificial recharge test site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, H. Y.; Shi, X. F.; Zhu, W.; Wang, C. Q.; Ma, H. W.; Zhang, W. J.

2017-11-01

The city conducted groundwater artificial recharge test which was taken a typical site as an example, and the purpose is to prevent and control land subsidence, increase the amount of groundwater resources. To protect groundwater environmental quality and safety, the city chose tap water as recharge water, however, the high cost makes it not conducive to the optimal allocation of water resources and not suitable to popularize widely. To solve this, the city selects two major surface water of River A and B as the proposed recharge water, to explore its feasibility. According to a comprehensive analysis of the cost of recharge, the distance of the water transport, the quality of recharge water and others. Entropy weight Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method is used to prefer tap water and water of River A and B. Evaluation results show that water of River B is the optimal recharge water, if used; recharge cost will be from 0.4724/m3 to 0.3696/m3. Using Entropy weight Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method to confirm water of River B as optimal water is scientific and reasonable. The optimal water management decisions can provide technical support for the city to carry out overall groundwater artificial recharge engineering in deep aquifer.

7 CFR 1219.4 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Consumer information. 1219.4 Section 1219.4..., AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order Definitions § 1219.4 Consumer information. Consumer information means any action or program that disseminates or otherwise provides...

Consuming Anomie: Children and Global Commercial Culture. Research Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langer, Beryl

2005-01-01

This article locates George Herbert Meads account of self-formation in the context of global consumer capitalism, in which the "generalized other" is constructed as a desiring consumer. It argues for a sociology of consumer childhood that, via Mead, takes children's agency as a given and explores the implications of their interaction with the…

Inventory and review of aquifer storage and recovery in southern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reese, Ronald S.

2002-01-01

publications > water resources investigations > report 02-4036 US Department of the Interior US Geological Survey WRI 02-4036Inventory and Review of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Southern Florida By Ronald S. ReeseTallahassee, Florida 2002 prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Place-Based Studies Program ABSTRACT Abstract Introduction Inventory of Data Case Studies Summary References Tables Aquifer storage and recovery in southern Florida has been proposed on an unprecedented scale as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Aquifer storage and recovery wells were constructed or are under construction at 27 sites in southern Florida, mostly by local municipalities or counties located in coastal areas. The Upper Floridan aquifer, the principal storage zone of interest to the restoration plan, is the aquifer being used at 22 of the sites. The aquifer is brackish to saline in southern Florida, which can greatly affect the recovery of the freshwater recharged and stored.Well data were inventoried and compiled for all wells at most of the 27 sites. Construction and testing data were compiled into four main categories: (1) well identification, location, and construction data; (2) hydraulic test data; (3) ambient formation water-quality data; and (4) cycle testing data. Each cycle during testing or operation includes periods of recharge of freshwater, storage, and recovery that each last days or months. Cycle testing data include calculations of recovery efficiency, which is the percentage of the total amount of potable water recharged for each cycle that is recovered.Calculated cycle test data include potable water recovery efficiencies for 16 of the 27 sites. However, the number of cycles at most sites was limited; except for two sites, the highest number of cycles was five. Only nine sites had a recovery efficiency above 10 percent for the first cycle, and 10 sites achieved a recovery efficiency above 30 percent during at least one cycle. The highest recovery efficiency achieved per cycle was 84 percent for cycle 16 at the Boynton Beach site.Factors that could affect recovery of freshwater varied widely between sites. The thickness of the open storage zone at all sites ranged from 45 to 452 feet. For sites with the storage zone in the Upper Floridan aquifer, transmissivity based on tests of the storage zones ranged from 800 to 108,000 feet squared per day, leakance values indicated that confinement is not good in some areas, and the chloride concentration of ambient water ranged from 500 to 11,000 milligrams per liter.Based on review of four case studies and data from other sites, several hydrogeologic and design factors appear to be important to the performance of aquifer storage and recovery in the Floridan aquifer system. Performance is maximized when the storage zone is thin and located at the top of the Upper Floridan aquifer, and transmissivity and salinity of the storage zone are moderate (less than 30,000 feet squared per day and 3,000 milligrams per liter of chloride concentration, respectively). The structural setting at a site could also be important because of the potential for updip migration of a recharged freshwater bubble due to density contrast or loss of overlying confinement due to deformation.

Decision Support System for Aquifer Recharge (AR) and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Aquifer recharge (AR) is a technical method being utilized to enhance groundwater resources through man-made replenishment means, such as infiltration basins and injections wells. Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) furthers the AR techniques by withdrawal of stored groundwater at a later time for beneficial use. It is a viable adaptation technique for water availability problems. Variants of the water storage practices include recharge through urban green infrastructure and the subsurface injection of reclaimed water, i.e., wastewater, which has been treated to remove solids and impurities. In addition to a general overview of ASR variations, this report focuses on the principles and technical basis for an ASR decision support system (DSS), with the necessary technical references provided. The DSS consists of three levels of tools and methods for ASR system planning and assessment, design, and evaluation. Level 1 of the system is focused on ASR feasibility, for which four types of data and technical information are organized around: 1) ASR regulations and permitting needs, 2) Water demand projections, 3) Climate change and water availability, and 4) ASR sites and technical information. These technical resources are integrated to quantify water availability gaps and the feasibility of using ASR to meet the volume and timing of the water resource shortages. A systemic analysis of water resources was conducted for sustainable water supplies in Las Vegas, Nevada f

Quantity and location of groundwater recharge in the Sacramento Mountains, south-central New Mexico (USA), and their relation to the adjacent Roswell Artesian Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawling, Geoffrey C.; Newton, B. Talon

2016-06-01

The Sacramento Mountains and the adjacent Roswell Artesian Basin, in south-central New Mexico (USA), comprise a regional hydrologic system, wherein recharge in the mountains ultimately supplies water to the confined basin aquifer. Geologic, hydrologic, geochemical, and climatologic data were used to delineate the area of recharge in the southern Sacramento Mountains. The water-table fluctuation and chloride mass-balance methods were used to quantify recharge over a range of spatial and temporal scales. Extrapolation of the quantitative recharge estimates to the entire Sacramento Mountains region allowed comparison with previous recharge estimates for the northern Sacramento Mountains and the Roswell Artesian Basin. Recharge in the Sacramento Mountains is estimated to range from 159.86 × 106 to 209.42 × 106 m3/year. Both the location of recharge and range in estimates is consistent with previous work that suggests that ~75 % of the recharge to the confined aquifer in the Roswell Artesian Basin has moved downgradient through the Yeso Formation from distal recharge areas in the Sacramento Mountains. A smaller recharge component is derived from infiltration of streamflow beneath the major drainages that cross the Pecos Slope, but in the southern Sacramento Mountains much of this water is ultimately derived from spring discharge. Direct recharge across the Pecos Slope between the mountains and the confined basin aquifer is much smaller than either of the other two components.

The spatial and temporal variability of groundwater recharge in a forested basin in northern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dripps, W.R.; Bradbury, K.R.

2010-01-01

Recharge varies spatially and temporally as it depends on a wide variety of factors (e.g. vegetation, precipitation, climate, topography, geology, and soil type), making it one of the most difficult, complex, and uncertain hydrologic parameters to quantify. Despite its inherent variability, groundwater modellers, planners, and policy makers often ignore recharge variability and assume a single average recharge value for an entire watershed. Relatively few attempts have been made to quantify or incorporate spatial and temporal recharge variability into water resource planning or groundwater modelling efforts. In this study, a simple, daily soil-water balance model was developed and used to estimate the spatial and temporal distribution of groundwater recharge of the Trout Lake basin of northern Wisconsin for 1996-2000 as a means to quantify recharge variability. For the 5 years of study, annual recharge varied spatially by as much as 18 cm across the basin; vegetation was the predominant control on this variability. Recharge also varied temporally with a threefold annual difference over the 5-year period. Intra-annually, recharge was limited to a few isolated events each year and exhibited a distinct seasonal pattern. The results suggest that ignoring recharge variability may not only be inappropriate, but also, depending on the application, may invalidate model results and predictions for regional and local water budget calculations, water resource management, nutrient cycling, and contaminant transport studies. Recharge is spatially and temporally variable, and should be modelled as such. Copyright ?? 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Alterations to groundwater recharge due to anthropogenic landscape change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Dongmei; Currell, Matthew J.; Cao, Guoliang; Hall, Benjamin

2017-11-01

The impacts of anthropogenic modifications to the landscape on groundwater recharge rates, locations, and mechanisms are reviewed. The two major categories of change examined are conversion of land for agriculture and urbanization, both of which have significant effects on groundwater recharge. Techniques for identifying and quantifying the changes in recharge due to these impacts are discussed. Land-clearing for agriculture and surface water transfer for irrigation have resulted in order of magnitude increases in recharge rates in many semi-arid regions worldwide, causing ongoing land and water salinization and water-logging problems. While increased recharge by irrigation return flow may alleviate shallow groundwater depletion in some settings, this is complicated by the effect of unsaturated zone thickening, which reduces the fraction of potential recharge becoming actual recharge, and may result in new water quality risks such as nitrate contamination. Expansion of urban and peri-urban land and their associated surface and sub-surface infrastructure results in complex water balance changes that re-distribute groundwater recharge locations, modify recharge mechanism(s) and result in variable impacts on recharge rates (e.g., overall net decrease, increase or minimal change) and quality. While changes to groundwater recharge resulting from conversion of land for agriculture are relatively well understood, less is documented about the changes resulting from urbanization, due to a paucity of data from field-based studies. Two case studies from Beijing, China and Melbourne Australia are examined, which highlight these impacts and demonstrate some potential methodological techniques for this topic.

Three-dimensional steady-state simulation of flow in the sand-and-gravel aquifer, southern Escambia County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trapp, Henry; Geiger, L.H.

1986-01-01

The sand-and-gravel aquifer is the only freshwater aquifer in southern Escambia County, Florida and is the source of public water supply for the area, including the City of Pensacola. The aquifer was simulated by a two-layer, digital model to provide hydrologic information for water resource planning. The lower layer represents the main-producing zone; the upper layer represents all of the aquifer above the main-producing zone including an unconfined zone and discontinuous perched, confined , and confining zones. The model was designed for steady-state simulation and predicts the response of the aquifer (changes in water levels) to groundwater pumping where steady-state conditions have been reached. Input to the model includes matrices representing constant-head nodes, starting head, transmissivity of layer 1, leakance between layers 1 and 2, lateral hydraulic conductivity of layer 2, and altitude of the base layer 2. The sources of water to the model are from recharge by infiltrated precipitation (estimated from base runoff), inflow across boundaries, and induced recharge from river leakance in periods of prolonged groundwater pumping. Model output includes final head and drawdown for each layer and total values for discharge and recharge in the model area. The model was calibrated for 1972 pumping and tested by simulating pumpages during 1939-40, 1958, and 1977. Sensitivity analyses showed water levels in both layers were most sensitive to changes in the recharge matrix and least sensitive to river leakage. Suggestions for further development of the model include subdivision and expansion of the grid, assignment of storage coefficients for transient simulations, more intensive study of the stream-aquifer relations, and consideration of the effects of infiltration basins on recharge. (Author 's abstract)

Geochemical and statistical evidence of recharge, mixing, and controls on spring discharge in an eogenetic karst aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Paul J.; Martin, Jonathan B.; Screaton, Elizabeth J.

2009-10-01

SummaryInformation about sources of recharge, distributions of flow paths, and the extent of water-rock reactions in karst aquifers commonly result from monitoring spring chemistry and discharge. To investigate the relationship between spring characteristics and the complexities of karst aquifers, we couple variations in surface- and groundwater chemistry to physical conditions including river stage, precipitation, and evapotranspiration (ET) within a sink-rise system through a 6-km portion of the Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA) in north-central Florida. Principal component analysis (PCA) of time series major-element compositions suggests that at least three sources of water affect spring discharge, including allogenic recharge into a swallet, diffuse recharge through a thin vadose zone, and water upwelling from deep within the aquifer. The deep-water source exerts the strongest influence on water chemistry by providing a majority of Na +, Mg 2+, K +, Cl -, and SO42- to the system. Anomalously high temperature at one of several monitoring wells reflects vertical flow of about 1 m/year. Mass-balance calculations suggest diffuse recharge and deep-water upwelling can provide up to 50% of the spring discharge; however, their contributions depend on head gradients between the conduit and surrounding aquifer matrix, which are influenced by variations in precipitation, ET, and river stage. Our results indicate that upwelling from deep flow paths may provide significant contributions of water to spring discharge, and that monitoring only springs limits interpretations of karst systems by masking critical components of the aquifer, such as water sources and flow paths. These results also suggest the matrix in eogenetic aquifers is a major pathway for flow even in a system dominated by conduits.

Preparation of MoS2/TiO2 based nanocomposites for photocatalysis and rechargeable batteries: progress, challenges, and perspective.

PubMed

Chen, Biao; Meng, Yuhuan; Sha, Junwei; Zhong, Cheng; Hu, Wenbin; Zhao, Naiqin

2017-12-21

The rapidly increasing severity of the energy crisis and environmental degradation are stimulating the rapid development of photocatalysts and rechargeable lithium/sodium ion batteries. In particular, MoS 2 /TiO 2 based nanocomposites show great potential and have been widely studied in the areas of both photocatalysis and rechargeable lithium/sodium ion batteries due to their superior combination properties. In addition to the low-cost, abundance, and high chemical stability of both MoS 2 and TiO 2 , MoS 2 /TiO 2 composites also show complementary advantages. These include the strong optical absorption of TiO 2 vs. the high catalytic activity of MoS 2 , which is promising for photocatalysis; and excellent safety and superior structural stability of TiO 2 vs. the high theoretic specific capacity and unique layered structure of MoS 2 , thus, these composites are exciting as anode materials. In this review, we first summarize the recent progress in MoS 2 /TiO 2 -based nanomaterials for applications in photocatalysis and rechargeable batteries. We highlight the synthesis, structure and mechanism of MoS 2 /TiO 2 -based nanomaterials. Then, advancements and strategies for improving the performance of these composites in photocatalytic degradation, hydrogen evolution, CO 2 reduction, LIBs and SIBs are critically discussed. Finally, perspectives on existing challenges and probable opportunities for future exploration of MoS 2 /TiO 2 -based composites towards photocatalysis and rechargeable batteries are presented. We believe the present review would provide enriched information for a deeper understanding of MoS 2 /TiO 2 composites and open avenues for the rational design of MoS 2 /TiO 2 based composites for energy and environment-related applications.

Direct-to-consumer advertising and its utility in health care decision making: a consumer perspective.

PubMed

Deshpande, Aparna; Menon, Ajit; Perri, Matthew; Zinkhan, George

2004-01-01

The growth in direct-to-consumer advertising(DTCA)over the past two decades has facilitated the communication of prescription drug information directly to consumers. Data from a 1999 national survey are employed to determine the factors influencing consumers' opinions of the utility of DTC ads for health care decision making. We also analyze whether consumers use DTC ad information in health care decision making and who are the key drivers of such information utilization. The study results suggest that consumers have positive opinions of DTCA utility, varying across demographics and perceptions of certain advertisement features. Specifically, consumers value information about both risks and benefits, but the perception of risk information is more important in shaping opinions of ad utility than the perception of benefit information. Consumers still perceive, however that the quality of benefit information in DTC ads is better than that of risk information. Opinions about ad utility significantly influence whether information from DTC ads is used in health care decision making.

24 CFR 3286.7 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Consumer information. 3286.7... Requirements § 3286.7 Consumer information. (a) Manufacturer's consumer manual. In each consumer manual... manufactured home, the retailer must provide the purchaser or lessee with a consumer disclosure. This...

Groundwater recharge in Wisconsin--Annual estimates for 1970-99 using streamflow data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gebert, Warren A.; Walker, John F.; Hunt, Randall J.

2011-01-01

The groundwater component of streamflow is important because it is indicative of the sustained flow of a stream during dry periods, is often of better quality, and has a smaller range of temperatures, than surface contributions to streamflow. All three of these characteristics are important to the health of aquatic life in a stream. If recharge to the aquifers is to be preserved or enhanced, it is important to understand the present partitioning of total streamflow into base flow and stormflow. Additionally, an estimate of groundwater recharge is important for understanding the flows within a groundwater system-information important for water availability/sustainability or other assessments. The U.S. Geological Survey operates numerous continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations (Hirsch and Norris, 2001), which can be used to provide estimates of average annual base flow. In addition to these continuous record sites, Gebert and others (2007) showed that having a few streamflow measurements in a basin can appreciably reduce the error in a base-flow estimate for that basin. Therefore, in addition to the continuous-record gaging stations, a substantial number of low-flow partial-record sites (6 to 15 discharge measurements) and miscellaneous-measurement sites (1 to 3 discharge measurements) that were operated during 1964-90 throughout the State were included in this work to provide additional insight into spatial distribution of annual base flow and, in turn, groundwater recharge.

The drugs don't sell: DIY heart health and the over-the-counter statin experience.

PubMed

Will, Catherine M; Weiner, Kate

2015-04-01

This paper draws on a study of over-the-counter statins to provide a critical account of the figure of the 'pharmaceutical consumer' as a key actor in the pharmaceuticalisation literature. A low dose statin, promising to reduce cardiovascular risk, was reclassified to allow sale in pharmacies in the UK in 2004. We analysed professional and policy debates about the new product, promotional and sales information, and interviews with consumers and potential consumers conducted between 2008 and 2011, to consider the different consumer identities invoked by these diverse actors. While policymakers constructed an image of 'the citizen-consumer' who would take responsibility for heart health through exercising the choice to purchase a drug that was effectively rationed on the NHS and medical professionals raised concerns about 'a flawed consumer' who was likely to misuse the product, both these groups assumed that there would be a market for the drug. By contrast, those who bought the product or potentially fell within its target market might appear as 'health consumers', seeking out and paying for different food and lifestyle products and services, including those targeting high cholesterol. However, they were reluctant 'pharmaceutical consumers' who either preferred to take medication on the advice of a doctor, or sought to minimize medicine use. In comparison to previous studies, our analysis builds understanding of individual consumers in a market, rather than collective action for access to drugs (or, less commonly, compensation for adverse effects). Where some theories of pharmaceuticalisation have presented consumers as creating pressure for expanding markets, our data suggests that sociologists should be cautious about assuming there will be demand for new pharmaceutical products, especially those aimed at prevention or asymptomatic conditions, even in burgeoning health markets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrometeorological daily recharge assessment model (DREAM) for the Western Mountain Aquifer, Israel: Model application and effects of temporal patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheffer, N. A.; Dafny, E.; Gvirtzman, H.; Navon, S.; Frumkin, A.; Morin, E.

2010-05-01

Recharge is a critical issue for water management. Recharge assessment and the factors affecting recharge are of scientific and practical importance. The purpose of this study was to develop a daily recharge assessment model (DREAM) on the basis of a water balance principle with input from conventional and generally available precipitation and evaporation data and demonstrate the application of this model to recharge estimation in the Western Mountain Aquifer (WMA) in Israel. The WMA (area 13,000 km2) is a karst aquifer that supplies 360-400 Mm3 yr-1 of freshwater, which constitutes 20% of Israel's freshwater and is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change. DREAM was linked to a groundwater flow model (FEFLOW) to simulate monthly hydraulic heads and spring flows. The models were calibrated for 1987-2002 and validated for 2003-2007, yielding high agreement between calculated and measured values (R2 = 0.95; relative root-mean-square error = 4.8%; relative bias = 1.04). DREAM allows insights into the effect of intra-annual precipitation distribution factors on recharge. Although annual precipitation amount explains ˜70% of the variability in simulated recharge, analyses with DREAM indicate that the rainy season length is an important factor controlling recharge. Years with similar annual precipitation produce different recharge values as a result of temporal distribution throughout the rainy season. An experiment with a synthetic data set exhibits similar results, explaining ˜90% of the recharge variability. DREAM represents significant improvement over previous recharge estimation techniques in this region by providing near-real-time recharge estimates that can be used to predict the impact of climate variability on groundwater resources at high temporal and spatial resolution.

Novel rechargeable calcium phosphate nanoparticle-containing orthodontic cement.

PubMed

Xie, Xian-Ju; Xing, Dan; Wang, Lin; Zhou, Han; Weir, Michael D; Bai, Yu-Xing; Xu, Hockin Hk

2017-03-01

White spot lesions (WSLs), due to enamel demineralization, occur frequently in orthodontic treatment. We recently developed a novel rechargeable dental composite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) with long-term calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ion release and caries-inhibiting capability. The objectives of this study were to develop the first NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement and investigate the effects of recharge duration and frequency on the efficacy of ion re-release. The rechargeable cement consisted of pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDM) and ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA). NACP was mixed into the resin at 40% by mass. Specimens were tested for orthodontic bracket shear bond strength (SBS) to enamel, Ca and P ion initial release, recharge and re-release. The new orthodontic cement exhibited an SBS similar to commercial orthodontic cement without CaP release (P>0.1). Specimens after one recharge treatment (e.g., 1 min immersion in recharge solution repeating three times in one day, referred to as "1 min 3 times") exhibited a substantial and continuous re-release of Ca and P ions for 14 days without further recharge. The ion re-release did not decrease with increasing the number of recharge/re-release cycles (P>0.1). The ion re-release concentrations at 14 days versus various recharge treatments were as follows: 1 min 3 times>3 min 2 times>1 min 2 times>6 min 1 time>3 min 1 time>1 min 1 time. In conclusion, although previous studies have shown that NACP nanocomposite remineralized tooth lesions and inhibited caries, the present study developed the first orthodontic cement with Ca and P ion recharge and long-term release capability. This NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement is a promising therapy to inhibit enamel demineralization and WSLs around orthodontic brackets.

Comparing groundwater recharge and storage variability from GRACE satellite observations with observed water levels and recharge model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, D. M.; Henry, C.; Demon, H.; Kirste, D. M.; Huang, J.

2011-12-01

Sustainable management of groundwater resources, particularly in water stressed regions, requires estimates of groundwater recharge. This study in southern Mali, Africa compares approaches for estimating groundwater recharge and understanding recharge processes using a variety of methods encompassing groundwater level-climate data analysis, GRACE satellite data analysis, and recharge modelling for current and future climate conditions. Time series data for GRACE (2002-2006) and observed groundwater level data (1982-2001) do not overlap. To overcome this problem, GRACE time series data were appended to the observed historical time series data, and the records compared. Terrestrial water storage anomalies from GRACE were corrected for soil moisture (SM) using the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) to obtain monthly groundwater storage anomalies (GRACE-SM), and monthly recharge estimates. Historical groundwater storage anomalies and recharge were determined using the water table fluctuation method using observation data from 15 wells. Historical annual recharge averaged 145.0 mm (or 15.9% of annual rainfall) and compared favourably with the GRACE-SM estimate of 149.7 mm (or 14.8% of annual rainfall). Both records show lows and peaks in May and September, respectively; however, the peak for the GRACE-SM data is shifted later in the year to November, suggesting that the GLDAS may poorly predict the timing of soil water storage in this region. Recharge simulation results show good agreement between the timing and magnitude of the mean monthly simulated recharge and the regional mean monthly storage anomaly hydrograph generated from all monitoring wells. Under future climate conditions, annual recharge is projected to decrease by 8% for areas with luvisols and by 11% for areas with nitosols. Given this potential reduction in groundwater recharge, there may be added stress placed on an already stressed resource.

Leveraging consumer's behaviour to promote generic drugs in Italy.

PubMed

Zerbini, Cristina; Luceri, Beatrice; Vergura, Donata Tania

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to fill the lack of knowledge regarding a more grounded exploration of the consumer's decision-making process in the context of generic drugs. In this perspective, a model, within the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), for studying the consumers' purchase intention of generic drugs was developed. An online survey on 2,222 Italian people who bought drugs in the past was conducted. The proposed model was tested through structural equation modelling (SEM). Almost all the constructs considered in the model, except the perceived behavioural control, contribute to explain the consumer's purchase intention of generic drugs, after controlling for demographic variables (age, income, education). Specifically, attitude, subjective norm, past behaviour, self-identity and trust in the pharmacist have a positive influence on the intention to buy generic drugs. On the contrary, perceived risk towards products and brand sensitivity act negatively. The results of the present study could be useful to public policy makers in developing effective policies and educational campaigns aimed at promoting generic drugs. Specifically, marketing efforts should be directed to inform consumers about the generic drugs' characteristics to mitigate the perceived risk towards these products and to raise awareness during their decision-making process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The causes and circumstances of drinking water incidents impact consumer behaviour: Comparison of a routine versus a natural disaster incident.

PubMed

Rundblad, Gabriella; Knapton, Olivia; Hunter, Paul R

2014-11-18

When public health is endangered, the general public can only protect themselves if timely messages are received and understood. Previous research has shown that the cause of threats to public health can affect risk perception and behaviours. This study compares compliance to public health advice and consumer behaviour during two "Boil Water" notices issued in the UK due to a routine incident versus a natural disaster incident. A postal questionnaire was sent to 1000 randomly selected households issued a routine "Boil Water" notice. Findings were then compared to a previous study that explored drinking water behaviour during a "Boil Water" notice issued after serious floods. Consumers affected by the routine incident showed a significant preference for official water company information, whereas consumers affected by the natural disaster preferred local information sources. Confusion over which notice was in place was found for both incidents. Non-compliance was significantly higher for the natural disaster (48.3%) than the routine incident (35.4%). For the routine incident, compliance with advice on drinking as well as preparing/cooking food and brushing teeth was positively associated with receiving advice from the local radio, while the opposite was true for those receiving advice from the water company/leaflet through the post; we suggest this may largely be due to confusion over needing boiled tap water for brushing teeth. No associations were found for demographic factors. We conclude that information dissemination plans should be tailored to the circumstances under which the advice is issued. Water companies should seek to educate the general public about water notices and which actions are safe and unsafe during which notice, as well as construct and disseminate clearer advice on brushing teeth and preparing/cooking food.

The Causes and Circumstances of Drinking Water Incidents Impact Consumer Behaviour: Comparison of a Routine versus a Natural Disaster Incident

PubMed Central

Rundblad, Gabriella; Knapton, Olivia; Hunter, Paul R.

2014-01-01

When public health is endangered, the general public can only protect themselves if timely messages are received and understood. Previous research has shown that the cause of threats to public health can affect risk perception and behaviours. This study compares compliance to public health advice and consumer behaviour during two “Boil Water” notices issued in the UK due to a routine incident versus a natural disaster incident. A postal questionnaire was sent to 1000 randomly selected households issued a routine “Boil Water” notice. Findings were then compared to a previous study that explored drinking water behaviour during a “Boil Water” notice issued after serious floods. Consumers affected by the routine incident showed a significant preference for official water company information, whereas consumers affected by the natural disaster preferred local information sources. Confusion over which notice was in place was found for both incidents. Non-compliance was significantly higher for the natural disaster (48.3%) than the routine incident (35.4%). For the routine incident, compliance with advice on drinking as well as preparing/cooking food and brushing teeth was positively associated with receiving advice from the local radio, while the opposite was true for those receiving advice from the water company/leaflet through the post; we suggest this may largely be due to confusion over needing boiled tap water for brushing teeth. No associations were found for demographic factors. We conclude that information dissemination plans should be tailored to the circumstances under which the advice is issued. Water companies should seek to educate the general public about water notices and which actions are safe and unsafe during which notice, as well as construct and disseminate clearer advice on brushing teeth and preparing/cooking food. PMID:25411725

Ground-water recharge from small intermittent streams in the western Mojave Desert, California: Chapter G in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izbicki, John A.; Johnson, Russell U.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Predmore, Steven; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Population growth has impacted ground-water resources in the western Mojave Desert, where declining water levels suggest that recharge rates have not kept pace with withdrawals. Recharge from the Mojave River, the largest hydrographic feature in the study area, is relatively well characterized. In contrast, recharge from numerous smaller streams that convey runoff from the bounding mountains is poorly characterized. The current study examined four representative streams to assess recharge from these intermittent sources. Hydraulic, thermal, geomorphic, chemical, and isotopic data were used to study recharge processes, from streamflow generation and infiltration to percolation through the unsaturated zone. Ground-water movement away from recharge areas was also assessed.Infiltration in amounts sufficient to have a measurable effect on subsurface temperature profiles did not occur in every year in instrumented study reaches. In addition to streamflow availability, results showed the importance of sediment texture in controlling infiltration and eventual recharge. Infiltration amounts of about 0.7 meters per year were an approximate threshold for the occurrence of ground-water recharge. Estimated travel times through the thick unsaturated zones underlying channels reached several hundred years. Recharging fluxes were influenced by stratigraphic complexity and depositional dynamics. Because of channel meandering, not all water that penetrates beneath the root zone can be assumed to become recharge on active alluvial fans.Away from study washes, elevated chloride concentrations and highly negative water potentials beneath the root zone indicated negligible recharge from direct infiltration of precipitation under current climatic conditions. In upstream portions of washes, generally low subsurface chloride concentrations and near-zero water potentials indicated downward movement of water toward the water table, driven primarily by gravity. Recharging conditions did not extend to the distal ends of all washes. Where urbanization had concentrated spatially distributed runoff into a small number of fixed channels, enhanced infiltration induced recharging conditions, mobilizing accumulated chloride.Estimated amounts of ground-water recharge from the studied reaches were small. Extrapolating on the basis of drainage areas, the estimated aggregate recharge from small intermittent streams is minor compared to recharge from the Mojave River. Recharge is largely controlled by streamflow availability, which primarily reflects precipitation patterns. Precipitation in the Mojave Desert is strongly controlled by topography. Cool moist air masses from the Pacific Ocean are mostly blocked from entering the desert by the high mountains bordering its southern edge. Storms do, however, readily enter the region through Cajon Pass. These storms generate flow in the Mojave River that often reaches Afton Canyon, more than 150 kilometers downstream. The isotopic composition of ground water reflects the localization of recharge beneath the Mojave River. Similar processes occur near San Gorgonio Pass, 75 kilometers southeast from Cajon Pass along the bounding San Andreas Fault.

How Might Recharge Change Under Projected Climate Change in Western US?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niraula, R.; Meixner, T.; Rodell, M.; Ajami, H.; Gochis, D. J.; Castro, C. L.

2015-12-01

Although ground water is a major source of water in the western US, little research has been done on the impacts of climate change on western groundwater storage and recharge. Here we assess the impact of projected changes in precipitation and temperature on groundwater recharge across the western US by dividing the domain into five major regions (viz. Northern Rockies and Plains, South, Southwest, Northwest and West). Hydrologic outputs from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model based on Bias-Correction and Spatial Disaggregation (BCSD) Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate projections from 11 Global Circulation Models (GCMs) for Representative Concentration pathway 6.0 (RCP 6.0) scenarios were selected for projecting changes in recharge. Projections are made for near future (2020-2050) and far future (2070-2100) relative to the historical period (1970-2000). Averaged over the domain, half of the GCMs caused VIC to increase recharge across the region while the remaining half resulted in decreased recharge for both the near (-10.1% to 5.8%) and far (-9.7% to 17%) future. A majority (9 out of 11 GCMs) of the VIC simulations projected increased recharge in the Northern Rockies and Plains for both the near and far future. A majority of the simulations agreed on reduced recharge in other regions for the near future. For the far future, a majority of the simulations agreed on decreased recharge in the South (9 out of 11 GCMs) and Southwest (7 out of 11 GCMs) regions. The change is projected to be largest for the South region which could see recharged reduced by as much as 50%. Changes in recharge in the Northwest region are predicted to be small (within 10% of historical recharge). Despite the large variability in projected recharge across the GCMs, recharge projections from this study will help water managers with long term water management planning.

A groundwater recharge perspective on locating tree plantations within low-rainfall catchments to limit water resource losses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dean, J. F.; Webb, J. A.; Jacobsen, G. E.; Chisari, R.; Dresel, P. E.

2015-02-01

Despite the many studies that consider the impacts of plantation forestry on groundwater recharge, and others that explore the spatial heterogeneity of recharge in low-rainfall regions, there is little marriage of the two subjects in forestry management guidelines and legislation. Here we carry out an in-depth analysis of the impact of reforestation on groundwater recharge in a low-rainfall (< 700 mm annually), high-evapotranspiration paired catchment characterized by ephemeral streams. Water table fluctuation (WTF) estimates of modern recharge indicate that little groundwater recharge occurs along the topographic highs of the catchments (average 18 mm yr-1); instead the steeper slopes in these areas direct runoff downslope to the lowland areas, where most recharge occurs (average 78 mm yr-1). Recharge estimates using the chloride mass balance (CMB) method were corrected by replacing the rainfall input Cl- value with that for streamflow, because most recharge occurs from infiltration of runoff through the streambed and adjacent low gradient slopes. The calculated CMB recharge values (average 10 mm yr-1) are lower than the WTF recharge values (average 47 mm yr-1), because they are representative of groundwater that was mostly recharged prior to European land clearance (> BP 200 years). The tree plantation has caused a progressive drawdown in groundwater levels due to tree water use; the decline is less in the upland areas. The results of this study show that spatial variations in recharge are important considerations for locating tree plantations. To conserve water resources for downstream users in low-rainfall, high-evapotranspiration regions, tree planting should be avoided in the dominant zone of recharge, i.e. the topographically low areas and along the drainage lines, and should be concentrated on the upper slopes, although this may negatively impact the economic viability of the plantation.

Nickel-hydrogen bipolar battery system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thaller, L. H.

1982-01-01

Rechargeable nickel-hydrogen systems are described that more closely resemble a fuel cell system than a traditional nickel-cadmium battery pack. This was stimulated by the currently emerging requirements related to large manned and unmanned low Earth orbit applications. The resultant nickel-hydrogen battery system should have a number of features that would lead to improved reliability, reduced costs as well as superior energy density and cycle lives as compared to battery systems constructed from the current state-of-the-art nickel-hydrogen individual pressure vessel cells.

Improved, low cost inorganic-organic separators for rechargeable silver-zinc batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheibley, D. W.

1979-01-01

Several flexible, low-cost inorganic-organic separators with performance characteristics and cycle life equal to, or better than, the Lewis Research Center Astropower separator were developed. These new separators can be made on continuous-production equipment at about one-fourth the cost of the Astropower separator produced the same way. In test cells, these new separators demonstrate cycle life improvement, acceptable operating characteristics, and uniform current density. The various separator formulas, test cell construction, and data analysis are described.

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement Construction and Operation of Space Launch Complex 7. Volume 2. Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-15

3 Sincerely, William H. Ehorn3Suerintenent United States Department of the Interior FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE LAGUNA NIGUEL FIELD OFFICE 24000 Avila...Road Laguna Niguel, California 92656 Ma’ 19, 1988 Department of the Air Force Headquarters Space Division (AFSC) Los Angeles Air Force Station P. 0...agricultural supply, and ground water recharge. In addition, all minor streams and tributaries in the central coastal region, including Honda Creek and Jalama

Potential groundwater recharge for the State of Minnesota using the Soil-Water-Balance model, 1996-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Erik A.; Westenbroek, Stephen M.

2015-01-01

On an annual basis, however, potential recharge rates were as high as 27.2 inches per year. The highest annual mean recharge estimate across the State was for 2010, and the lowest mean recharge estimate was for 2003. Although precipitation variability partially explained the annual differences in potential recharge estimates, precipitation alone did not account for these differences, and other factors such as antecedent moisture conditions likely were important. Also, because precipitation gradients across the State can vary from year to year, the dominant land-cover class and hydrologic soil group combinations for a particular region had a large effect on the resulting potential recharge value. During 1996–2010, April had the greatest monthly mean potential recharge compared to all other months, accounting for a mean of 30 percent of annual potential recharge in this single month.

12 CFR 717.83 - Disposal of consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... FAIR CREDIT REPORTING Duties of Users of Consumer Reports Regarding Address Discrepancies and Records... consumer report or is derived from a consumer report and that is maintained or otherwise possessed by or on... information includes: (A) A consumer report that you obtain; (B) Information from a consumer report that you...

Simulation of groundwater flow, effects of artificial recharge, and storage volume changes in the Equus Beds aquifer near the city of Wichita, Kansas well field, 1935–2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Brian P.; Pickett, Linda L.; Hansen, Cristi V.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2013-01-01

The Equus Beds aquifer is a primary water-supply source for Wichita, Kansas and the surrounding area because of shallow depth to water, large saturated thickness, and generally good water quality. Substantial water-level declines in the Equus Beds aquifer have resulted from pumping groundwater for agricultural and municipal needs, as well as periodic drought conditions. In March 2006, the city of Wichita began construction of the Equus Beds Aquifer Storage and Recovery project to store and later recover groundwater, and to form a hydraulic barrier to the known chloride-brine plume near Burrton, Kansas. In October 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Wichita, began a study to determine groundwater flow in the area of the Wichita well field, and chloride transport from the Arkansas River and Burrton oilfield to the Wichita well field. Groundwater flow was simulated for the Equus Beds aquifer using the three-dimensional finite-difference groundwater-flow model MODFLOW-2000. The model simulates steady-state and transient conditions. The groundwater-flow model was calibrated by adjusting model input data and model geometry until model results matched field observations within an acceptable level of accuracy. The root mean square (RMS) error for water-level observations for the steady-state calibration simulation is 9.82 feet. The ratio of the RMS error to the total head loss in the model area is 0.049 and the mean error for water-level observations is 3.86 feet. The difference between flow into the model and flow out of the model across all model boundaries is -0.08 percent of total flow for the steady-state calibration. The RMS error for water-level observations for the transient calibration simulation is 2.48 feet, the ratio of the RMS error to the total head loss in the model area is 0.0124, and the mean error for water-level observations is 0.03 feet. The RMS error calculated for observed and simulated base flow gains or losses for the Arkansas River for the transient simulation is 7,916,564 cubic feet per day (91.6 cubic feet per second) and the RMS error divided by (/) the total range in streamflow (7,916,564/37,461,669 cubic feet per day) is 22 percent. The RMS error calculated for observed and simulated streamflow gains or losses for the Little Arkansas River for the transient simulation is 5,610,089 cubic feet per day(64.9 cubic feet per second) and the RMS error divided by the total range in streamflow (5,612,918/41,791,091 cubic feet per day) is 13 percent. The mean error between observed and simulated base flow gains or losses was 29,999 cubic feet per day (0.34 cubic feet per second) for the Arkansas River and -1,369,250 cubic feet per day (-15.8 cubic feet per second) for the Little Arkansas River. Cumulative streamflow gain and loss observations are similar to the cumulative simulated equivalents. Average percent mass balance difference for individual stress periods ranged from -0.46 to 0.51 percent. The cumulative mass balance for the transient calibration was 0.01 percent. Composite scaled sensitivities indicate the simulations are most sensitive to parameters with a large areal distribution. For the steady-state calibration, these parameters include recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and vertical conductance. For the transient simulation, these parameters include evapotranspiration, recharge, and hydraulic conductivity. The ability of the calibrated model to account for the additional groundwater recharged to the Equus Beds aquifer as part of the Aquifer Storage and Recovery project was assessed by using the U.S. Geological Survey subregional water budget program ZONEBUDGET and comparing those results to metered recharge for 2007 and 2008 and previous estimates of artificial recharge. The change in storage between simulations is the volume of water that estimates the recharge credit for the aquifer storage and recovery system. The estimated increase in storage of 1,607 acre-ft in the basin storage area compared to metered recharge of 1,796 acre-ft indicates some loss of metered recharge. Increased storage outside of the basin storage area of 183 acre-ft accounts for all but 6 acre-ft or 0.33 percent of the total. Previously estimated recharge credits for 2007 and 2008 are 1,018 and 600 acre-ft, respectively, and a total estimated recharge credit of 1,618 acre-ft. Storage changes calculated for this study are 4.42 percent less for 2007 and 5.67 percent more for 2008 than previous estimates. Total storage change for 2007 and 2008 is 0.68 percent less than previous estimates. The small difference between the increase in storage from artificial recharge estimated with the groundwater-flow model and metered recharge indicates the groundwater model correctly accounts for the additional water recharged to the Equus Beds aquifer as part of the Aquifer Storage and Recovery project. Small percent differences between inflows and outflows for all stress periods and all index cells in the basin storage area, improved calibration compared to the previous model, and a reasonable match between simulated and measured long-term base flow indicates the groundwater model accurately simulates groundwater flow in the study area. The change in groundwater level through recent years compared to the August 1940 groundwater level map has been documented and used to assess the change of storage volume of the Equus Beds aquifer in and near the Wichita well field for three different areas. Two methods were used to estimate changes in storage from simulation results using simulated change in groundwater levels in layer 1 between stress periods, and using ZONEBUDGET to calculate the change in storage in the same way the effects of artificial recharge were estimated within the basin storage area. The three methods indicate similar trends although the magnitude of storage changes differ. Information about the change in storage in response to hydrologic stresses is important for managing groundwater resources in the study area. The comparison between the three methods indicates similar storage change trends are estimated and each could be used to determine relative increases or decreases in storage. Use of groundwater level changes that do not include storage changes that occur in confined or semi-confined parts of the aquifer will slightly underestimate storage changes; however, use of specific yield and groundwater level changes to estimate storage change in confined or semi-confined parts of the aquifer will overestimate storage changes. Using only changes in shallow groundwater levels would provide more accurate storage change estimates for the measured groundwater levels method. The value used for specific yield is also an important consideration when estimating storage. For the Equus Beds aquifer the reported specific yield ranges between 0.08 and 0.35 and the storage coefficient (for confined conditions) ranges between 0.0004 and 0.16. Considering the importance of the value of specific yield and storage coefficient to estimates of storage change over time, and the wide range and substantial overlap for the reported values for specific yield and storage coefficient in the study area, further information on the distribution of specific yield and storage coefficient within the Equus Beds aquifer in the study area would greatly enhance the accuracy of estimated storage changes using both simulated groundwater level, simulated groundwater budget, or measured groundwater level methods.

Effects of environmental change on groundwater recharge in the Desert Southwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Fred M.; Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Small, Eric E.; Hogan, James F.; Phillips, Fred M.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2004-01-01

Climate and other environmental conditions have varied in the past, and will almost certainly vary significantly in the near future. The response of groundwater recharge to changes in environmental conditions is thus a matter of active concem for water-resources management. The major mechanisms for this response of recharge are three-fold. First, changes in vegetation communities can shift the water balance at the base of the root zone, increasing or decreasing the amount of recharge. Second, variations in the amount of runoff can affect channel recharge. Finally, shifts in the seasonality of precipitation can strongly affect the fraction that is evapotranspired back into the atmosphere and thus affect the amount that becomes recharge. Increases in recharge (defined as the water flux across the water table) may in some cases significantly increase fluxes through regional aquifers, but in other cases, depending on the hydrogeology, may only result in increased streamflow or evapotranspiration within the recharge area. Basins with relatively low maximum elevations, deep water tables, thin soils, and highly permeable recharge areas experience the largest recharge response to increases in precipitation. The relatively well-known paleoenvironmental history of the American Southwest can be compared with various lines of evidence for changes in recharge. These lines of evidence include timing of speleothem formation, chloride profiles in thick vadose zones, changes in water table shown by subsurface calcite precipitation, and expanded groundwater discharge areas. This evidence indicates that the wettest periods of the past 25 ka, which were generally between 20 and 13 ka, were also periods of enhanced vadose zone fluxes and aquifer discharge. Climate-driven changes in recharge appear to have been substantially mediated through changes in vegetation. This evidence for strong recharge response to past environmental changes indicates that expected future climate and environmental change will also cause changes in recharge. The ability to adequately predict future changes in recharge will depend on developing process-based numerical models that can simulate coupled climate/vegetation/ vadose zone processes and incorporate the outputs into groundwater/surface water models that can resolve processes at scales ranging from the hillslope to the basin. 

7 CFR 1220.230 - Promotion, research, consumer information, and industry information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Promotion, research, consumer information, and...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SOYBEAN PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND CONSUMER INFORMATION Soybean Promotion and Research Order Expenses and Assessments § 1220.230 Promotion, research, consumer information, and industry...

Assessment of metal retention in newly constructed highway embankments.

PubMed

Werkenthin, Moritz; Kluge, Björn; Wessolek, Gerd

2016-12-01

Newly constructed embankments should provide both a specific bearing capacity to enable trafficability in emergency cases and a sufficient pollutant retention capacity to protect the groundwater. A number of lysimeters were installed along the A115 highway to determine total and dissolved metal concentrations in road runoff and in the soil solution of newly constructed embankments. Dissolved concentrations in soil solution of the embankments did not exceed the trigger values of the German legislation. Depending on the metal, total concentrations in soil solution were more than twice as high as dissolved concentrations. The high infiltration rates lead to increased groundwater recharge beneath the embankments (up to 4100 mm a -1 ). Although metal concentrations were not problematic from the legislators' point of view, the elevated infiltration rates beside the road facilitated the transfer of high metal loads into deeper soil layers and potentially into the groundwater as well.

Changes in groundwater recharge under projected climate in the upper Colorado River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred; Gangopadhyay, Subhrendu; Pruitt, Tom

2016-01-01

Understanding groundwater-budget components, particularly groundwater recharge, is important to sustainably manage both groundwater and surface water supplies in the Colorado River basin now and in the future. This study quantifies projected changes in upper Colorado River basin (UCRB) groundwater recharge from recent historical (1950–2015) through future (2016–2099) time periods, using a distributed-parameter groundwater recharge model with downscaled climate data from 97 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 climate projections. Simulated future groundwater recharge in the UCRB is generally expected to be greater than the historical average in most decades. Increases in groundwater recharge in the UCRB are a consequence of projected increases in precipitation, offsetting reductions in recharge that would result from projected increased temperatures.

Chloride mass-balance method for estimating ground water recharge in arid areas: examples from western Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazuhair, Abdulghaffar S.; Wood, Warren W.

1996-11-01

The chloride mass-balance method, which integrates time and aerial distribution of ground water recharge, was applied to small alluvial aquifers in the wadi systems of the Asir and Hijaz mountains in western Saudi Arabia. This application is an extension of the method shown to be suitable for estimating recharge in regional aquifers in semi-arid areas. Because the method integrates recharge in time and space it appears to be, with certain assumptions, particularly well suited for and areas with large temporal and spatial variation in recharge. In general, recharge was found to be between 3 to 4% of precipitation — a range consistent with recharge rates found in other and and semi-arid areas of the earth.

Chloride mass-balance method for estimating ground water recharge in arid areas: Examples from western Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bazuhair, A.S.; Wood, W.W.

1996-01-01

The chloride mass-balance method, which integrates time and aerial distribution of ground water recharge, was applied to small alluvial aquifers in the wadi systems of the Asir and Hijaz mountains in western Saudi Arabia. This application is an extension of the method shown to be suitable for estimating recharge in regional aquifers in semi-arid areas. Because the method integrates recharge in time and space it appears to be, with certain assumptions, particularly well suited for and areas with large temporal and spatial variation in recharge. In general, recharge was found to be between 3 to 4% of precipitation - a range consistent with recharge rates found in other arid and semi-arid areas of the earth.

Evaluation of Alternative Conceptual Models Using Interdisciplinary Information: An Application in Shallow Groundwater Recharge and Discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y.; Bajcsy, P.; Valocchi, A. J.; Kim, C.; Wang, J.

2007-12-01

Natural systems are complex, thus extensive data are needed for their characterization. However, data acquisition is expensive; consequently we develop models using sparse, uncertain information. When all uncertainties in the system are considered, the number of alternative conceptual models is large. Traditionally, the development of a conceptual model has relied on subjective professional judgment. Good judgment is based on experience in coordinating and understanding auxiliary information which is correlated to the model but difficult to be quantified into the mathematical model. For example, groundwater recharge and discharge (R&D) processes are known to relate to multiple information sources such as soil type, river and lake location, irrigation patterns and land use. Although hydrologists have been trying to understand and model the interaction between each of these information sources and R&D processes, it is extremely difficult to quantify their correlations using a universal approach due to the complexity of the processes, the spatiotemporal distribution and uncertainty. There is currently no single method capable of estimating R&D rates and patterns for all practical applications. Chamberlin (1890) recommended use of "multiple working hypotheses" (alternative conceptual models) for rapid advancement in understanding of applied and theoretical problems. Therefore, cross analyzing R&D rates and patterns from various estimation methods and related field information will likely be superior to using only a single estimation method. We have developed the Pattern Recognition Utility (PRU), to help GIS users recognize spatial patterns from noisy 2D image. This GIS plug-in utility has been applied to help hydrogeologists establish alternative R&D conceptual models in a more efficient way than conventional methods. The PRU uses numerical methods and image processing algorithms to estimate and visualize shallow R&D patterns and rates. It can provide a fast initial estimate prior to planning labor intensive and time consuming field R&D measurements. Furthermore, the Spatial Pattern 2 Learn (SP2L) was developed to cross analyze results from the PRU with ancillary field information, such as land coverage, soil type, topographic maps and previous estimates. The learning process of SP2L cross examines each initially recognized R&D pattern with the ancillary spatial dataset, and then calculates a quantifiable reliability index for each R&D map using a supervised machine learning technique called decision tree. This JAVA based software package is capable of generating alternative R&D maps if the user decides to apply certain conditions recognized by the learning process. The reliability indices from SP2L will improve the traditionally subjective approach to initiating conceptual models by providing objectively quantifiable conceptual bases for further probabilistic and uncertainty analyses. Both the PRU and SP2L have been designed to be user-friendly and universal utilities for pattern recognition and learning to improve model predictions from sparse measurements by computer-assisted integration of spatially dense geospatial image data and machine learning of model dependencies.

Simulation of streamflow and estimation of ground-water recharge in the Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed, south-central Texas, 1992-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ockerman, Darwin J.

2007-01-01

A watershed model (Hydrological Simulation Program?FORTRAN) was developed, calibrated, and tested by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Antonio River Authority, San Antonio Water System, and Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, to simulate streamflow and estimate ground-water recharge in the upper Cibolo Creek watershed in south-central Texas. Rainfall, evapotranspiration, and streamflow data were collected during 1992?2004 for model calibrations and simulations. Estimates of average ground-water recharge during 1992?2004 from simulation were 79,800 acre-feet (5.47 inches) per year or about 15 percent of rainfall. Most of the recharge (about 74 percent) occurred as infiltration of streamflow in Cibolo Creek. The remaining recharge occurred as diffuse infiltration of rainfall through the soil and rock layers and karst features. Most recharge (about 77 percent) occurred in the Trinity aquifer outcrop. The remaining 23 percent occurred in the downstream part of the watershed that includes the Edwards aquifer recharge zone (outcrop). Streamflow and recharge in the study area are greatly influenced by large storms. Storms during June 1997, October 1998, and July 2002 accounted for about 11 percent of study-area rainfall, 61 percent of streamflow, and 16 percent of the total ground-water recharge during 1992?2004. Annual streamflow and recharge also were highly variable. During 1999, a dry year with about 16 inches of rain and no measurable runoff at the watershed outlet, recharge in the watershed amounted to only 0.99 inch compared with 13.43 inches during 1992, a relatively wet year with about 54 inches of rainfall. Simulation of flood-control/recharge-enhancement structures showed that certain structures might reduce flood peaks and increase recharge. Simulation of individual structures on tributaries showed relatively little effect. Larger structures on the main stem of Cibolo Creek were more effective than structures on tributaries, both in terms of flood-peak reduction and recharge enhancement. One simulated scenario that incorporated two main-stem structures resulted in a 37-percent reduction of peak flow at the watershed outlet and increases in stream-channel recharge of 6.6 percent in the Trinity aquifer outcrop and 12.6 percent in the Edwards aquifer (recharge zone) outcrop.

Online Patient Resources for Liposuction: A Comparative Analysis of Readability.

PubMed

Vargas, Christina R; Ricci, Joseph A; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

2016-03-01

As patients strive to become informed about health care, inadequate functional health literacy is a significant barrier. Nearly half of American adults have poor or marginal health literacy skills and the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association have recommended that patient information should be written at a sixth grade level. The aim of this study is to identify the most commonly used online patient information about liposuction and to evaluate its readability relative to average American literacy. An internet search of "liposuction" was performed and the 10 most popular websites identified. User and location data were disabled and sponsored results excluded. All relevant, patient-directed articles were downloaded and formatted into plain text. Articles were then analyzed using 10 established readability tests. A comparison group was constructed to identify the most popular online consumer information about tattooing. Mean readability scores and specific article characteristics were compared. A total of 80 articles were collected from websites about liposuction. Readability analysis revealed an overall 13.6 grade reading level (range, 10-16 grade); all articles exceeded the target sixth grade level. Consumer websites about tattooing were significantly easier to read, with a mean 7.8 grade level. These sites contained significantly fewer characters per word and words per sentence, as well as a smaller proportion of complex, long, and unfamiliar words. Online patient resources about liposuction are potentially too difficult for a large number of Americans to understand. Liposuction websites are significantly harder to read than consumer websites about tattooing. Aesthetic surgeons are advised to discuss with patients resources they use and guide patients to appropriate information for their skill level.

Estimating natural recharge in San Gorgonio Pass watersheds, California, 1913–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hevesi, Joseph A.; Christensen, Allen H.

2015-12-21

The SGPWM was used to simulate a 100-year water budget, including recharge and runoff, for water years 1913 through 2012. Results indicated that most recharge came from episodic infiltration of surface-water runoff in the larger stream channels. Results also indicated periods of great variability in recharge and runoff in response to variability in precipitation. More recharge was simulated for the area of the groundwater basin underlying the more permeable alluvial fill of the valley floor compared to recharge in the neighboring upland areas of the less permeable mountain blocks. The greater recharge was in response to the episodic streamflow that discharged from the mountain block areas and quickly infiltrated the permeable alluvial fill of the groundwater basin. Although precipitation at the higher altitudes of the mountain block was more than double precipitation at the lower altitudes of the valley floor, recharge for inter-channel areas of the mountain block was limited by the lower permeability bedrock underlying the thin soil cover, and most of the recharge in the mountain block was limited to the main stream channels underlain by alluvial fill.

Identifying and quantifying urban recharge: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner, David N.

2002-02-01

The sources of and pathways for groundwater recharge in urban areas are more numerous and complex than in rural environments. Buildings, roads, and other surface infrastructure combine with man-made drainage networks to change the pathways for precipitation. Some direct recharge is lost, but additional recharge can occur from storm drainage systems. Large amounts of water are imported into most cities for supply, distributed through underground pipes, and collected again in sewers or septic tanks. The leaks from these pipe networks often provide substantial recharge. Sources of recharge in urban areas are identified through piezometry, chemical signatures, and water balances. All three approaches have problems. Recharge is quantified either by individual components (direct recharge, water-mains leakage, septic tanks, etc.) or holistically. Working with individual components requires large amounts of data, much of which is uncertain and is likely to lead to large uncertainties in the final result. Recommended holistic approaches include the use of groundwater modelling and solute balances, where various types of data are integrated. Urban recharge remains an under-researched topic, with few high-quality case studies reported in the literature.

A novel clinical decision support algorithm for constructing complete medication histories.

PubMed

Long, Ju; Yuan, Michael Juntao

2017-07-01

A patient's complete medication history is a crucial element for physicians to develop a full understanding of the patient's medical conditions and treatment options. However, due to the fragmented nature of medical data, this process can be very time-consuming and often impossible for physicians to construct a complete medication history for complex patients. In this paper, we describe an accurate, computationally efficient and scalable algorithm to construct a medication history timeline. The algorithm is developed and validated based on 1 million random prescription records from a large national prescription data aggregator. Our evaluation shows that the algorithm can be scaled horizontally on-demand, making it suitable for future delivery in a cloud-computing environment. We also propose that this cloud-based medication history computation algorithm could be integrated into Electronic Medical Records, enabling informed clinical decision-making at the point of care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recharge processes in an alluvial aquifer riparian zone, Norman Landfill, Norman, Oklahoma, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scholl, Martha; Christenson, Scott; Cozzarelli, Isabelle; Ferree, Dale; Jaeshke, Jeanne

2005-01-01

Analyses of stable isotope profiles (d2H and d18O) in the saturated zone, combined with water-table fluctuations, gave a comprehensive picture of recharge processes in an alluvial aquifer riparian zone. At the Norman Landfill U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology research site in Norman, Oklahoma, recharge to the aquifer appears to drive biodegradation, contributing fresh supplies of electron acceptors for the attenuation of leachate compounds from the landfill. Quantifying recharge is a first step in studying this process in detail. Both chemical and physical methods were used to estimate recharge. Chemical methods included measuring the increase in recharge water in the saturated zone, as defined by isotopic signature, specific conductance or chloride measurements; and infiltration rate estimates using storm event isotopic signatures. Physical methods included measurement of water-table rise after individual rain events and on an approximately monthly time scale. Evapotranspiration rates were estimated using diurnal watertable fluctuations; outflux of water from the alluvial aquifer during the growing season had a large effect on net recharge at the site. Evaporation and methanogenesis gave unique isotopic signatures to different sources of water at the site, allowing the distinction of recharge using the offset of the isotopic signature from the local meteoric water line. The downward movement of water from large, isotopically depleted rain events in the saturated zone yielded recharge rate estimates (2.2 - 3.3 mm/day), and rates also were determined by observing changes in thickness of the layer of infiltrated recharge water at the top of the saturated zone (1.5 - 1.6 mm/day). Recharge measured over 2 years (1998-2000) in two locations at the site averaged 37 percent of rainfall, however, part of this water had only a short residence time in the aquifer. Isotopes showed recharge water entering the ground-water system in winter and spring, then being removed during the growing season by phreatophyte transpiration. Recharge timing was variable over the course of the study; July and August were the only months that had no recharge in both years. Recharge to the aquifer from the slough (wetland pond) was estimated at one location using the isotopic signature of water affected by evaporation. Recharge was correlated with the rainfall amount over the period of estimation, suggesting that recharge from the slough to the downgradient aquifer was an episodic process, corresponding to elevated water levels in the slough after large rain events.

Exploring consumer opinions on the presentation of side-effects information in Australian Consumer Medicine Information leaflets.

PubMed

Tong, Vivien; Raynor, David K; Blalock, Susan J; Aslani, Parisa

2016-06-01

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is a brand-specific and standardized source of written medicine information available in Australia for all prescription medicines. Side-effect information is poorly presented in CMI and may not adequately address consumer information needs. To explore consumer opinions on (i) the presentation of side-effect information in existing Australian CMI leaflets and alternative study-designed CMIs and (ii) side-effect risk information and its impact on treatment decision making. Fuzzy trace, affect heuristic, frequency hypothesis and cognitive-experiential theories were applied when revising existing CMI side-effects sections. Together with good information design, functional linguistics and medicine information expertise, alternative ramipril and clopidogrel CMI versions were proposed. Focus groups were then conducted to address the study objectives. Three focus groups (n = 18) were conducted in Sydney, Australia. Mean consumer age was 58 years (range 50-65 years), with equal number of males and females. All consumers preferred the alternative CMIs developed as part of the study, with unequivocal preference for the side-effects presented in a simple tabular format, as it allowed quick and easy access to information. Consumer misunderstandings reflected literacy and numeracy issues inherent in consumer risk appraisal. Many preferred no numerical information and a large proportion preferred natural frequencies. One single method of risk presentation in CMI is unable to cater for all consumers. Consumer misunderstandings are indicative of possible health literacy and numeracy factors that influence consumer risk appraisal, which should be explored further. © 2014 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health sciences library building projects: 1994 survey.

PubMed Central

Ludwig, L

1995-01-01

Designing and building new or renovated space is time consuming and requires politically sensitive discussions concerning a number of both long-term and immediate planning issues. The Medical Library Association's fourth annual survey of library building projects identified ten health sciences libraries that are planning, expanding, or constructing new facilities. Two projects are in predesign stages, four represent new construction, and four involve renovations to existing libraries. The Texas Medical Association Library, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre Library, and the Northwestern University Galter Health Sciences Library illustrate how these libraries are being designed for the future and take into account areas of change produced by new information technologies, curricular trends, and new ways to deliver library services. Images PMID:7599586

47 CFR 64.703 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... (Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Information Bureau, Consumer Complaints—Telephone, Washington, D.C. 20554), to which the consumer may direct complaints regarding operator services. An existing... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Consumer information. 64.703 Section 64.703...

47 CFR 64.703 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... (Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Information Bureau, Consumer Complaints—Telephone, Washington, D.C. 20554), to which the consumer may direct complaints regarding operator services. An existing... 47 Telecommunication 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Consumer information. 64.703 Section 64.703...

47 CFR 64.703 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... (Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Information Bureau, Consumer Complaints—Telephone, Washington, D.C. 20554), to which the consumer may direct complaints regarding operator services. An existing... 47 Telecommunication 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Consumer information. 64.703 Section 64.703...

47 CFR 64.703 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... (Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Information Bureau, Consumer Complaints—Telephone, Washington, D.C. 20554), to which the consumer may direct complaints regarding operator services. An existing... 47 Telecommunication 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Consumer information. 64.703 Section 64.703...

Wood Products Other Building Materials Used in New Residential Construction in the United States

Treesearch

David B. McKeever; Joe Elling

2015-01-01

On average, new residential construction accounts for about one-third of all wood products consumed in the United States annually. During periods of robust housing activity, 45% or more of all wood products consumed are for new single-family and multifamily housing. This can fall to as low as 20% or less during times of economic recession. Unfortunately, 2012 was not...

7 CFR 1260.124 - Consumer information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Promotion and Research Order Definitions § 1260.124 Consumer information. Consumer information means nutritional data and other information that will assist consumers and other persons in making evaluations and decisions regarding the purchasing, preparing, and use of beef and beef products. ...

Investigation of recharge dynamics and flow paths in a fractured crystalline aquifer in semi-arid India using borehole logs: implications for managed aquifer recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alazard, M.; Boisson, A.; Maréchal, J.-C.; Perrin, J.; Dewandel, B.; Schwarz, T.; Pettenati, M.; Picot-Colbeaux, G.; Kloppman, W.; Ahmed, S.

2016-02-01

The recharge flow paths in a typical weathered hard-rock aquifer in a semi-arid area of southern India were investigated in relation to structures associated with a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) scheme. Despite the large number of MAR structures, the mechanisms of recharge in their vicinity are still unclear. The study uses a percolation tank as a tool to identify the input signal of the recharge and uses multiple measurements (piezometric time series, electrical conductivity profiles in boreholes) compared against heat-pulse flowmeter measurements and geochemical data (major ions and stable isotopes) to examine recharge flow paths. The recharge process is a combination of diffuse piston flow and preferential flow paths. Direct vertical percolation appears to be very limited, in contradiction to the conceptual model generally admitted where vertical flow through saprolite is considered as the main recharge process. The horizontal component of the flow leads to a strong geochemical stratification of the water column. The complex recharge pattern, presented in a conceptual model, leads to varied impacts on groundwater quality and availability in both time and space, inducing strong implications for water management, water quality evolution, MAR monitoring and longer-term socio-economic costs.

Numerical study on the responses of groundwater and strata to pumping and recharge in a deep confined aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yang-Qing; Wang, Jian-Hua; Chen, Jin-Jian; Li, Ming-Guang

2017-05-01

Groundwater drawdown and strata settlements induced by dewatering in confined aquifers can be relieved by artificial recharge. In this study, numerical simulations of a field multi-well pumping-recharge test in a deep confined aquifer are conducted to analyze the responses of groundwater and strata to pumping and recharge. A three-dimensional numerical model is developed in a finite-difference software, which considers the fluid-mechanical interaction using the Biot consolidation theory. The predicted groundwater drawdown and ground settlements are compared to the measured data to confirm the validation of the numerical analysis of the pumping and recharge. Both numerical results and measured data indicate that the effect of recharge on controlling the groundwater drawdown and strata settlements correlates with the injection rate and well arrangements. Since the groundwater drawdown induced by pumping can be controlled by artificial recharge, soil compression can be relieved by reducing the changes of effective stress of the soils. Consequently, strata settlement induced by pumping can be relieved by artificial recharge and ground settlements can be eliminated if an appropriate injection rate and well arrangement are being determined. Moreover, the changes of the pore pressure and seepage force induced by pumping and recharge will also result in significant horizontal deformations in the strata near the recharge wells.

Comparison of methods for estimating ground-water recharge and base flow at a small watershed underlain by fractured bedrock in the Eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risser, Dennis W.; Gburek, William J.; Folmar, Gordon J.

2005-01-01

This study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, compared multiple methods for estimating ground-water recharge and base flow (as a proxy for recharge) at sites in east-central Pennsylvania underlain by fractured bedrock and representative of a humid-continental climate. This study was one of several within the USGS Ground-Water Resources Program designed to provide an improved understanding of methods for estimating recharge in the eastern United States. Recharge was estimated on a monthly and annual basis using four methods?(1) unsaturated-zone drainage collected in gravity lysimeters, (2) daily water balance, (3) water-table fluctuations in wells, and (4) equations of Rorabaugh. Base flow was estimated by streamflow-hydrograph separation using the computer programs PART and HYSEP. Estimates of recharge and base flow were compared for an 8-year period (1994-2001) coinciding with operation of the gravity lysimeters at an experimental recharge site (Masser Recharge Site) and a longer 34-year period (1968-2001), for which climate and streamflow data were available on a 2.8-square-mile watershed (WE-38 watershed). Estimates of mean-annual recharge at the Masser Recharge Site and WE-38 watershed for 1994-2001 ranged from 9.9 to 14.0 inches (24 to 33 percent of precipitation). Recharge, in inches, from the various methods was: unsaturated-zone drainage, 12.2; daily water balance, 12.3; Rorabaugh equations with PULSE, 10.2, or RORA, 14.0; and water-table fluctuations, 9.9. Mean-annual base flow from streamflow-hydrograph separation ranged from 9.0 to 11.6 inches (21-28 percent of precipitation). Base flow, in inches, from the various methods was: PART, 10.7; HYSEP Local Minimum, 9.0; HYSEP Sliding Interval, 11.5; and HYSEP Fixed Interval, 11.6. Estimating recharge from multiple methods is useful, but the inherent differences of the methods must be considered when comparing results. For example, although unsaturated-zone drainage from the gravity lysimeters provided the most direct measure of potential recharge, it does not incorporate spatial variability that is contained in watershed-wide estimates of net recharge from the Rorabaugh equations or base flow from streamflow-hydrograph separation. This study showed that water-level fluctuations, in particular, should be used with caution to estimate recharge in low-storage fractured-rock aquifers because of the variability of water-level response among wells and sensitivity of recharge to small errors in estimating specific yield. To bracket the largest range of plausible recharge, results from this study indicate that recharge derived from RORA should be compared with base flow from the Local-Minimum version of HYSEP.

A water-budget model and estimates of groundwater recharge for Guam

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Adam G.

2012-01-01

On Guam, demand for groundwater tripled from the early 1970s to 2010. The demand for groundwater is anticipated to further increase in the near future because of population growth and a proposed military relocation to Guam. Uncertainty regarding the availability of groundwater resources to support the increased demand has prompted an investigation of groundwater recharge on Guam using the most current data and accepted methods. For this investigation, a daily water-budget model was developed and used to estimate mean recharge for various land-cover and rainfall conditions. Recharge was also estimated for part of the island using the chloride mass-balance method. Using the daily water-budget model, estimated mean annual recharge on Guam is 394.1 million gallons per day, which is 39 percent of mean annual rainfall (999.0 million gallons per day). Although minor in comparison to rainfall on the island, water inflows from water-main leakage, septic-system leachate, and stormwater runoff may be several times greater than rainfall at areas that receive these inflows. Recharge is highest in areas that are underlain by limestone, where recharge is typically between 40 and 60 percent of total water inflow. Recharge is relatively high in areas that receive stormwater runoff from storm-drain systems, but is relatively low in urbanized areas where stormwater runoff is routed to the ocean or to other areas. In most of the volcanic uplands in southern Guam where runoff is substantial, recharge is less than 30 percent of total water inflow. The water-budget model in this study differs from all previous water-budget investigations on Guam by directly accounting for canopy evaporation in forested areas, quantifying the evapotranspiration rate of each land-cover type, and accounting for evaporation from impervious areas. For the northern groundwater subbasins defined in Camp, Dresser & McKee Inc. (1982), mean annual baseline recharge computed in this study is 159.1 million gallons per day, which is 50 percent of mean annual rainfall, and is 42 percent greater than the recharge estimate of Camp, Dresser & McKee Inc. (1982). For the northern aquifer sectors defined in Mink (1991), which encompass most of the northern half of the island, mean annual baseline recharge computed in this study is 238.0 million gallons per day, which is 51 percent of mean annual rainfall, and is about 6 percent lower than the recharge estimate of Mink (1991). For the drought simulation performed in this study, recharge for the entire island is 259.3 million gallons per day, which is 34 percent lower than recharge computed for baseline conditions. For all aquifer sectors defined by Mink (1991), total recharge during drought conditions is 32 percent lower than mean baseline recharge. For the future land-cover water-budget simulation, which represents potential land-cover changes owing to the military relocation and population growth, estimated recharge for the entire island is nearly equal to the baseline recharge estimate that was based on 2004 land cover. Using the water-budget model, estimated recharge in the northern half of the island is most sensitive to crop coefficients and net precipitation rates—two of the water-budget parameters used in the estimation of total evapotranspiration. Estimated recharge in the southern half of the island is most sensitive to crop coefficients, net precipitation rate, and runoff-to-rainfall ratios. During March 2010 to May 2011, bulk-deposition samples from five rainfall stations on Guam were collected and analyzed for chloride. Additionally, samples from five groundwater sites were collected and analyzed for chloride. Results were used to estimate groundwater recharge using the chloride mass-balance method. Recharge estimates using this method at three bulk-deposition stations on the northern limestone plateau range from about 25 to 48 percent of rainfall. These recharge estimates are similar to the estimate of Ayers (1981) who also used this method. Recharge estimates at each bulk-deposition station, however, are lower than the baseline recharge estimate from the water-budget model used in this study. This may be because no large storms, such as tropical cyclones, passed near Guam during March 2010 to May 2011.

Time-lapse gravity data for monitoring and modeling artificial recharge through a thick unsaturated zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Jeffrey R.; Ferre, Ty P.A.; Creutzfeldt, Benjamin

2016-01-01

Groundwater-level measurements in monitoring wells or piezometers are the most common, and often the only, hydrologic measurements made at artificial recharge facilities. Measurements of gravity change over time provide an additional source of information about changes in groundwater storage, infiltration, and for model calibration. We demonstrate that for an artificial recharge facility with a deep groundwater table, gravity data are more sensitive to movement of water through the unsaturated zone than are groundwater levels. Groundwater levels have a delayed response to infiltration, change in a similar manner at many potential monitoring locations, and are heavily influenced by high-frequency noise induced by pumping; in contrast, gravity changes start immediately at the onset of infiltration and are sensitive to water in the unsaturated zone. Continuous gravity data can determine infiltration rate, and the estimate is only minimally affected by uncertainty in water-content change. Gravity data are also useful for constraining parameters in a coupled groundwater-unsaturated zone model (Modflow-NWT model with the Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) package).

Time-lapse gravity data for monitoring and modeling artificial recharge through a thick unsaturated zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Jeffrey; Ferré, Ty P. A.; Creutzfeldt, Benjamin

2016-09-01

Groundwater-level measurements in monitoring wells or piezometers are the most common, and often the only, hydrologic measurements made at artificial recharge facilities. Measurements of gravity change over time provide an additional source of information about changes in groundwater storage, infiltration, and for model calibration. We demonstrate that for an artificial recharge facility with a deep groundwater table, gravity data are more sensitive to movement of water through the unsaturated zone than are groundwater levels. Groundwater levels have a delayed response to infiltration, change in a similar manner at many potential monitoring locations, and are heavily influenced by high-frequency noise induced by pumping; in contrast, gravity changes start immediately at the onset of infiltration and are sensitive to water in the unsaturated zone. Continuous gravity data can determine infiltration rate, and the estimate is only minimally affected by uncertainty in water-content change. Gravity data are also useful for constraining parameters in a coupled groundwater-unsaturated zone model (Modflow-NWT model with the Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) package).

RRAWFLOW: Rainfall-Response Aquifer and Watershed Flow Model (v1.15)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, A. J.

2015-03-01

The Rainfall-Response Aquifer and Watershed Flow Model (RRAWFLOW) is a lumped-parameter model that simulates streamflow, spring flow, groundwater level, or solute transport for a measurement point in response to a system input of precipitation, recharge, or solute injection. I introduce the first version of RRAWFLOW available for download and public use and describe additional options. The open-source code is written in the R language and is available at http://sd.water.usgs.gov/projects/RRAWFLOW/RRAWFLOW.html along with an example model of streamflow. RRAWFLOW includes a time-series process to estimate recharge from precipitation and simulates the response to recharge by convolution, i.e., the unit-hydrograph approach. Gamma functions are used for estimation of parametric impulse-response functions (IRFs); a combination of two gamma functions results in a double-peaked IRF. A spline fit to a set of control points is introduced as a new method for estimation of nonparametric IRFs. Several options are included to simulate time-variant systems. For many applications, lumped models simulate the system response with equal accuracy to that of distributed models, but moreover, the ease of model construction and calibration of lumped models makes them a good choice for many applications (e.g., estimating missing periods in a hydrologic record). RRAWFLOW provides professional hydrologists and students with an accessible and versatile tool for lumped-parameter modeling.

Hierarchically Designed 3D Holey C2N Aerogels as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrodes for Flexible and Rechargeable Zn-Air Batteries.

PubMed

Shinde, Sambhaji S; Lee, Chi Ho; Yu, Jin-Young; Kim, Dong-Hyung; Lee, Sang Uck; Lee, Jung-Ho

2018-01-23

The future of electrochemical energy storage spotlights on the designed formation of highly efficient and robust bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts that facilitate advanced rechargeable metal-air batteries. We introduce a scalable facile strategy for the construction of a hierarchical three-dimensional sulfur-modulated holey C 2 N aerogels (S-C 2 NA) as bifunctional catalysts for Zn-air and Li-O 2 batteries. The S-C 2 NA exhibited ultrahigh surface area (∼1943 m 2 g -1 ) and superb electrocatalytic activities with lowest reversible oxygen electrode index ∼0.65 V, outperforms the highly active bifunctional and commercial (Pt/C and RuO 2 ) catalysts. Density functional theory and experimental results reveal that the favorable electronic structure and atomic coordination of holey C-N skeleton enable the reversible oxygen reactions. The resulting Zn-air batteries with liquid electrolytes and the solid-state batteries with S-C 2 NA air cathodes exhibit superb energy densities (958 and 862 Wh kg -1 ), low charge-discharge polarizations, excellent reversibility, and ultralong cycling lives (750 and 460 h) than the commercial Pt/C+RuO 2 catalysts, respectively. Notably, Li-O 2 batteries with S-C 2 NA demonstrated an outstanding specific capacity of ∼648.7 mA h g -1 and reversible charge-discharge potentials over 200 cycles, illustrating great potential for commercial next-generation rechargeable power sources of flexible electronics.

Three-dimensional variable-density flow simulation of a coastal aquifer in southern Oahu, Hawaii, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gingerich, S.B.; Voss, C.I.

2005-01-01

Three-dimensional modeling of groundwater flow and solute transport in the Pearl Harbor aquifer, southern Oahu, Hawaii, shows that the readjustment of the freshwater-saltwater transition zone takes a long time following changes in pumping, irrigation, or recharge in the aquifer system. It takes about 50-years for the transition zone to move 90% of the distance to its new steady position. Further, the Ghyben-Herzberg estimate of the freshwater/saltwater interface depth occurred between the 10 and 50% simulated seawater concentration contours in a complex manner during 100-years of the pumping history of the aquifer. Thus, it is not a good predictor of the depth of potable water. Pre-development recharge was used to simulate the 1880 freshwater-lens configuration. Historical pumpage and recharge distributions were used and the resulting freshwater-lens size and position were simulated through 1980. Simulations show that the transition zone moved upward and landward during the period simulated. Previous groundwater flow models for Oahu have been limited to areal models that simulate a sharp interface between freshwater and saltwater or solute-transport models that simulate a vertical aquifer section. The present model is based on the US Geological Survey's three-dimensional solute transport (3D SUTRA) computer code. Using several new tools for pre- and post-processing of model input and results have allowed easy model construction and unprecedented visualization of the freshwater lens and underlying transition zone in Hawaii's most developed aquifer. ?? Springer-Verlag 2005.

Effects of Individual Health Topic Familiarity on Activity Patterns During Health Information Searches

PubMed Central

Moriyama, Koichi; Fukui, Ken–ichi; Numao, Masayuki

2015-01-01

Background Non-medical professionals (consumers) are increasingly using the Internet to support their health information needs. However, the cognitive effort required to perform health information searches is affected by the consumer’s familiarity with health topics. Consumers may have different levels of familiarity with individual health topics. This variation in familiarity may cause misunderstandings because the information presented by search engines may not be understood correctly by the consumers. Objective As a first step toward the improvement of the health information search process, we aimed to examine the effects of health topic familiarity on health information search behaviors by identifying the common search activity patterns exhibited by groups of consumers with different levels of familiarity. Methods Each participant completed a health terminology familiarity questionnaire and health information search tasks. The responses to the familiarity questionnaire were used to grade the familiarity of participants with predefined health topics. The search task data were transcribed into a sequence of search activities using a coding scheme. A computational model was constructed from the sequence data using a Markov chain model to identify the common search patterns in each familiarity group. Results Forty participants were classified into L1 (not familiar), L2 (somewhat familiar), and L3 (familiar) groups based on their questionnaire responses. They had different levels of familiarity with four health topics. The video data obtained from all of the participants were transcribed into 4595 search activities (mean 28.7, SD 23.27 per session). The most frequent search activities and transitions in all the familiarity groups were related to evaluations of the relevancy of selected web pages in the retrieval results. However, the next most frequent transitions differed in each group and a chi-squared test confirmed this finding (P<.001). Next, according to the results of a perplexity evaluation, the health information search patterns were best represented as a 5-gram sequence pattern. The most common patterns in group L1 were frequent query modifications, with relatively low search efficiency, and accessing and evaluating selected results from a health website. Group L2 performed frequent query modifications, but with better search efficiency, and accessed and evaluated selected results from a health website. Finally, the members of group L3 successfully discovered relevant results from the first query submission, performed verification by accessing several health websites after they discovered relevant results, and directly accessed consumer health information websites. Conclusions Familiarity with health topics affects health information search behaviors. Our analysis of state transitions in search activities detected unique behaviors and common search activity patterns in each familiarity group during health information searches. PMID:25783222

Multiple recharge processes to heterogeneous Mediterranean coastal aquifers and implications on recharge rates evolution in time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoni, S.; Huneau, F.; Garel, E.; Celle-Jeanton, H.

2018-04-01

Climate change is nowadays widely considered to have major effects on groundwater resources. Climatic projections suggest a global increase in evaporation and higher frequency of strong rainfall events especially in Mediterranean context. Since evaporation is synonym of low recharge conditions whereas strong rainfall events are more favourable to recharge in heterogeneous subsurface contexts, a lack of knowledge remains then on the real ongoing and future drinking groundwater supply availability at aquifers scale. Due to low recharge potential and high inter-annual climate variability, this issue is strategic for the Mediterranean hydrosystems. This is especially the case for coastal aquifers because they are exposed to seawater intrusion, sea-level rise and overpumping risks. In this context, recharge processes and rates were investigated in a Mediterranean coastal aquifer with subsurface heterogeneity located in Southern Corsica (France). Aquifer recharge rates from combining ten physical and chemical methods were computed. In addition, hydrochemical and isotopic investigations were carried out through a monthly two years monitoring combining major ions and stable isotopes of water in rain, runoff and groundwater. Diffuse, focused, lateral mountain system and irrigation recharge processes were identified and characterized. A predominant focused recharge conditioned by subsurface heterogeneity is evidenced in agreement with variable but highly favourable recharge rates. The fast water transfer from the surface to the aquifer implied by this recharge process suggests less evaporation, which means higher groundwater renewal and availability in such Mediterranean coastal aquifers.

75 FR 32161 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Consumer Focus...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... staff relies on its expert judgment about consumer behavior, perceptions, and similar information... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2010-0046] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Consumer Focus Groups AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety...

Recharge sources and geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer at Atfih area, the northeastern Nile Valley, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sayed, Salah Abdelwahab; Morsy, Samah M.; Zakaria, Khalid M.

2018-06-01

This study addresses the topic of recharge sources and evolution of groundwater in the Atfih area situated in the northeastern part of the Nile Valley, Egypt. Inventory of water wells and collection of groundwater and surface water samples have been achieved. Water samples are analyzed for major ions according to the American Society for Testing and Materials and for the environmental isotopes analysis (oxygen-18 and deuterium) by using a Triple Liquid Isotopic Water Analyzer (Los Gatos). The groundwater is available from the Quaternary aquifer formed mainly of graded sand and gravel interbedded with clay lenses. The hydrogeologic, hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations indicate the hydrodynamic nature of the aquifer, where different flow paths, recharge sources and evolution mechanisms are distinguished. The directions of groundwater flow are from E, W and S directions suggesting the contribution from Nile River, the Eocene aquifer and the Nile basin, respectively. The groundwater altitudes range from 13 m (MSL) to 44 m (MSL). The hydraulic gradient varies between 0.025 and 0.0015. The groundwater is alkaline (pH > 7) and has salinity ranging from fresh to brackish water (TDS between 528 mg/l and 6070 mg/l). The observed wide range in the ionic composition and water types reflects the effect of different environmental and geological conditions through which the water has flowed. The isotopic compositions of groundwater samples vary between -14.13‰ and +23.56 for δD and between - 2.91‰ and +3.10 for δ18O. The isotopic data indicates that the Quaternary aquifer receive recharge from different sources including the Recent Nile water, surplus irrigation water, old Nile water before the construction of Aswan High Dam, surface runoff of local rains and Eocene aquifer. Evaporation, water rock interaction and mixing between different types of waters are the main processes in the groundwater evolution. Major suggestions are presented to develop the aquifer productivity and to mitigate the deterioration of groundwater quality.

Exploring the effect of organizational culture on consumer perceptions of agency support for mental health recovery.

PubMed

Clossey, Laurene; Rheinheimer, David

2014-05-01

This research explores the impact of mental health agency culture on consumers' perceptions of agency support for their recovery. This study hypothesized that a constructive organizational culture must be present for consumers to perceive agency support for recovery. A sample of 12 mental health agencies in rural Pennsylvania participated in the research. Agency administrators completed an instrument called the recovery oriented service environment, which measured the number of recovery model program components offered by the agency. Consumers completed the recovery oriented services indicators, which taps into their perception of agency support for recovery. Direct service staff completed the organizational social context, which measured their agency's culture. Results showed that in this sample stronger consumer perceptions of agency support for recovery were correlated with higher ratings of agency constructive culture. The results suggest that agency culture is an important variable to target when implementing recovery model programming.

A Na+ Superionic Conductor for Room-Temperature Sodium Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Shufeng; Duong, Hai M.; Korsunsky, Alexander M.; Hu, Ning; Lu, Li

2016-08-01

Rechargeable lithium ion batteries have ruled the consumer electronics market for the past 20 years and have great significance in the growing number of electric vehicles and stationary energy storage applications. However, in addition to concerns about electrochemical performance, the limited availability of lithium is gradually becoming an important issue for further continued use and development of lithium ion batteries. Therefore, a significant shift in attention has been taking place towards new types of rechargeable batteries such as sodium-based systems that have low cost. Another important aspect of sodium battery is its potential compatibility with the all-solid-state design where solid electrolyte is used to replace liquid one, leading to simple battery design, long life span, and excellent safety. The key to the success of all-solid-state battery design is the challenge of finding solid electrolytes possessing acceptable high ionic conductivities at room temperature. Herein, we report a novel sodium superionic conductor with NASICON structure, Na3.1Zr1.95Mg0.05Si2PO12 that shows high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 3.5 × 10-3 S cm-1. We also report successful fabrication of a room-temperature solid-state Na-S cell using this conductor.

A Na+ Superionic Conductor for Room-Temperature Sodium Batteries

PubMed Central

Song, Shufeng; Duong, Hai M.; Korsunsky, Alexander M.; Hu, Ning; Lu, Li

2016-01-01

Rechargeable lithium ion batteries have ruled the consumer electronics market for the past 20 years and have great significance in the growing number of electric vehicles and stationary energy storage applications. However, in addition to concerns about electrochemical performance, the limited availability of lithium is gradually becoming an important issue for further continued use and development of lithium ion batteries. Therefore, a significant shift in attention has been taking place towards new types of rechargeable batteries such as sodium-based systems that have low cost. Another important aspect of sodium battery is its potential compatibility with the all-solid-state design where solid electrolyte is used to replace liquid one, leading to simple battery design, long life span, and excellent safety. The key to the success of all-solid-state battery design is the challenge of finding solid electrolytes possessing acceptable high ionic conductivities at room temperature. Herein, we report a novel sodium superionic conductor with NASICON structure, Na3.1Zr1.95Mg0.05Si2PO12 that shows high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 3.5 × 10−3 S cm−1. We also report successful fabrication of a room-temperature solid-state Na-S cell using this conductor. PMID:27572915

A Na(+) Superionic Conductor for Room-Temperature Sodium Batteries.

PubMed

Song, Shufeng; Duong, Hai M; Korsunsky, Alexander M; Hu, Ning; Lu, Li

2016-08-30

Rechargeable lithium ion batteries have ruled the consumer electronics market for the past 20 years and have great significance in the growing number of electric vehicles and stationary energy storage applications. However, in addition to concerns about electrochemical performance, the limited availability of lithium is gradually becoming an important issue for further continued use and development of lithium ion batteries. Therefore, a significant shift in attention has been taking place towards new types of rechargeable batteries such as sodium-based systems that have low cost. Another important aspect of sodium battery is its potential compatibility with the all-solid-state design where solid electrolyte is used to replace liquid one, leading to simple battery design, long life span, and excellent safety. The key to the success of all-solid-state battery design is the challenge of finding solid electrolytes possessing acceptable high ionic conductivities at room temperature. Herein, we report a novel sodium superionic conductor with NASICON structure, Na3.1Zr1.95Mg0.05Si2PO12 that shows high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 3.5 × 10(-3) S cm(-1). We also report successful fabrication of a room-temperature solid-state Na-S cell using this conductor.

Estimation of ground-water recharge from precipitation, runoff into drywells, and on-site waste-disposal systems in the Portland Basin, Oregon and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snyder, D.T.; Morgan, D.S.; McGrath, T.S.

1994-01-01

The average recharge rate in the Portland Basin, in northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington, is estimated to be about 22.0 inches per year. Of that amount, precipitation accounts for about 20.8 inches per year, runoff into drywells 0.9 inches per year, and on-site waste disposal about 0.4 inches per year. Recharge is highest, about 49 inches per year, in the Cascade Range. Recharge is lowest, near zero, along and between the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Recharge is higher locally in discrete areas owing to recharge from runoff into drywells and on-site, waste-disposal systems in urbanized parts of the study area. In these urbanized areas, recharge ranges from 0 to 49 inches per year.

COMMUNITY WATER QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR A NEW AND SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY

EPA Science Inventory

Clearwater Renewable Resource Facility. The Clearwater facility will provide a carefully selected blend of recharged Colorado River water and groundwater to the community beginning in 2001, thereby providing a renewable drinking water supply, lessening dependence on Tucson's p...

An Agent-Based Information System for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Deployment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-18

The current scarcity of public charging infrastructure is one of the major barriers to mass household adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Although most PEV drivers can recharge their vehicles at home, the limited driving range of the vehicl...

Enhanced recharge rates and altered recharge sensitivity to climate variability through subsurface heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Andreas; Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide; Wagener, Thorsten

2017-04-01

Karst aquifers in Europe are an important source of fresh water contributing up to half of the total drinking water supply in some countries. Karstic groundwater recharge is one of the most important components of the water balance of karst systems as it feeds the karst aquifers. Presently available large-scale hydrological models do not consider karst heterogeneity adequately. Projections of current and potential future groundwater recharge of Europe's karst aquifers are therefore unclear. In this study we compare simulations of present (1991-2010) and future (2080-2099) recharge using two different models to simulate groundwater recharge processes. One model includes karst processes (subsurface heterogeneity, lateral flow and concentrated recharge), while the other is based on the conceptual understanding of common hydrological systems (homogeneous subsurface, saturation excess overland flow). Both models are driven by the bias-corrected 5 GCMs of the ISI-MIP project (RCP8.5). To further assess sensitivity of groundwater recharge to climate variability, we calculate the elasticity of recharge rates to annual precipitation, temperature and average intensity of rainfall events, which is the median change of recharge that corresponds to the median change of these climate variables within the present and future time period, respectively. Our model comparison shows that karst regions over Europe have enhanced recharge rates with greater inter-annual variability compared to those with more homogenous subsurface properties. Furthermore, the heterogeneous representation shows stronger elasticity concerning climate variability than the homogeneous subsurface representation. This difference tends to increase towards the future. Our results suggest that water management in regions with heterogeneous subsurface can expect a higher water availability than estimated by most of the current large-scale simulations, while measures should be taken to prepare for increasingly variable groundwater recharge rates.

Using noble gases to investigate mountain-front recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, A.H.; Solomon, D.K.

2003-01-01

Mountain-front recharge is a major component of recharge to inter-mountain basin-fill aquifers. The two components of mountain-front recharge are (1) subsurface inflow from the mountain block (subsurface inflow), and (2) infiltration from perennial and ephemeral streams near the mountain front (stream seepage). The magnitude of subsurface inflow is of central importance in source protection planning for basin-fill aquifers and in some water rights disputes, yet existing estimates carry large uncertainties. Stable isotope ratios can indicate the magnitude of mountain-front recharge relative to other components, but are generally incapable of distinguishing subsurface inflow from stream seepage. Noble gases provide an effective tool for determining the relative significance of subsurface inflow, specifically. Dissolved noble gas concentrations allow for the determination of recharge temperature, which is correlated with recharge elevation. The nature of this correlation cannot be assumed, however, and must be derived for the study area. The method is applied to the Salt Lake Valley Principal Aquifer in northern Utah to demonstrate its utility. Samples from 16 springs and mine tunnels in the adjacent Wasatch Mountains indicate that recharge temperature decreases with elevation at about the same rate as the mean annual air temperature, but is on average about 2??C cooler. Samples from 27 valley production wells yield recharge elevations ranging from the valley elevation (about 1500 m) to mid-mountain elevation (about 2500 m). Only six of the wells have recharge elevations less than 1800 m. Recharge elevations consistently greater than 2000 m in the southeastern part of the basin indicate that subsurface inflow constitutes most of the total recharge in this area. ?? 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Understanding the past to interpret the future: Comparison of simulated groundwater recharge in the upper Colorado River basin (USA) using observed and general-circulation-model historical climate data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred D.; Gangopadhyay, Subhrendu; Pruitt, Tom

2017-01-01

In evaluating potential impacts of climate change on water resources, water managers seek to understand how future conditions may differ from the recent past. Studies of climate impacts on groundwater recharge often compare simulated recharge from future and historical time periods on an average monthly or overall average annual basis, or compare average recharge from future decades to that from a single recent decade. Baseline historical recharge estimates, which are compared with future conditions, are often from simulations using observed historical climate data. Comparison of average monthly results, average annual results, or even averaging over selected historical decades, may mask the true variability in historical results and lead to misinterpretation of future conditions. Comparison of future recharge results simulated using general circulation model (GCM) climate data to recharge results simulated using actual historical climate data may also result in an incomplete understanding of the likelihood of future changes. In this study, groundwater recharge is estimated in the upper Colorado River basin, USA, using a distributed-parameter soil-water balance groundwater recharge model for the period 1951–2010. Recharge simulations are performed using precipitation, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature data from observed climate data and from 97 CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, phase 5) projections. Results indicate that average monthly and average annual simulated recharge are similar using observed and GCM climate data. However, 10-year moving-average recharge results show substantial differences between observed and simulated climate data, particularly during period 1970–2000, with much greater variability seen for results using observed climate data.

Sensitivity of ground - water recharge estimates to climate variability and change, Columbia Plateau, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vaccaro, John J.

1992-01-01

The sensitivity of groundwater recharge estimates was investigated for the semiarid Ellensburg basin, located on the Columbia Plateau, Washington, to historic and projected climatic regimes. Recharge was estimated for predevelopment and current (1980s) land use conditions using a daily energy-soil-water balance model. A synthetic daily weather generator was used to simulate lengthy sequences with parameters estimated from subsets of the historical record that were unusually wet and unusually dry. Comparison of recharge estimates corresponding to relatively wet and dry periods showed that recharge for predevelopment land use varies considerably within the range of climatic conditions observed in the 87-year historical observation period. Recharge variations for present land use conditions were less sensitive to the same range of historical climatic conditions because of irrigation. The estimated recharge based on the 87-year historical climatology was compared with adjustments to the historical precipitation and temperature records for the same record to reflect CO2-doubling climates as projected by general circulation models (GCMs). Two GCM scenarios were considered: an average of conditions for three different GCMs with CO2 doubling, and a most severe “maximum” case. For the average GCM scenario, predevelopment recharge increased, and current recharge decreased. Also considered was the sensitivity of recharge to the variability of climate within the historical and adjusted historical records. Predevelopment and current recharge were less and more sensitive, respectively, to the climate variability for the average GCM scenario as compared to the variability within the historical record. For the maximum GCM scenario, recharge for both predevelopment and current land use decreased, and the sensitivity to the CO2-related climate change was larger than sensitivity to the variability in the historical and adjusted historical climate records.

Modeling Methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healy, Richard W.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2010-01-01

Simulation models are widely used in all types of hydrologic studies, and many of these models can be used to estimate recharge. Models can provide important insight into the functioning of hydrologic systems by identifying factors that influence recharge. The predictive capability of models can be used to evaluate how changes in climate, water use, land use, and other factors may affect recharge rates. Most hydrological simulation models, including watershed models and groundwater-flow models, are based on some form of water-budget equation, so the material in this chapter is closely linked to that in Chapter 2. Empirical models that are not based on a water-budget equation have also been used for estimating recharge; these models generally take the form of simple estimation equations that define annual recharge as a function of precipitation and possibly other climatic data or watershed characteristics.Model complexity varies greatly. Some models are simple accounting models; others attempt to accurately represent the physics of water movement through each compartment of the hydrologic system. Some models provide estimates of recharge explicitly; for example, a model based on the Richards equation can simulate water movement from the soil surface through the unsaturated zone to the water table. Recharge estimates can be obtained indirectly from other models. For example, recharge is a parameter in groundwater-flow models that solve for hydraulic head (i.e. groundwater level). Recharge estimates can be obtained through a model calibration process in which recharge and other model parameter values are adjusted so that simulated water levels agree with measured water levels. The simulation that provides the closest agreement is called the best fit, and the recharge value used in that simulation is the model-generated estimate of recharge.