Below the Surface: California's Freshwater Biodiversity
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BIOSPHERE SMART AGRICULTURE in a TRUE COST ECONOMY TRUE COST of FOOD and AGRICULTURE INDEX L Amount of Soil Lost Worldwide, According to the U.N
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE WORLD BANK BIOSPHERE SMART AGRICULTURE IN A TRUE COST ECONOMY TRUE COST OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INDEX l Amount of soil lost worldwide, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): 75 billion tons l Approximate annual economic cost of that lost soil: US $ 400 billion, or about US $ 70 per person, per year (FAO) l Approximate percentage of the world’s population that is now overweight or obese, according to the McKinsey Global Institute: 30 percent l Estimated global economic impact related to the health costs of that nutritional crisis: US$2 trillion annually, or 2.8 percent of global GDP l Percentage of the Earth’s freshwater resources now diverted for agriculture: 70 percent l Number of major underground water reservoirs designated as beyond “sustainability tipping points” according to researchers at the University of California at Irvine: 21 of 37 l Number of impacted marine and riverine ecosystems known as Dead Zones due to excess nutrients greatly affected by agriculutral production: 400 l Probability that the planet will warm by 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century according to the World Bank: at least 40 percent l Estimated amount that crop yields are projected to decrease if temperatures rise above 2 degress C: 15 to 20 percent (WB) l Percentage of people in low-income countries who work in agriculture: 60% (WB) l Estimated health costs of global pesticide applications, a problem barely studied: US$1.1 billion per year. (Pesticide Action Network) l Estimated amount of global food production classified as food waste: 30 to 40 percent l Estimated global costs of food waste when environmental and social impacts are included according to Food Wastage Footprint: US$2.6 trillion per year 2 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE WORLD BANK - zxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzx BIOSPHERE SMART AGRICULTURE IN A TRUE COST ECONOMY September 2015, Washington DC, Our findings and recommendations are relatively simple, yet profound. -
CHAPTER 13 Groundwater Collective Management Systems: the United States Experience
13-Smith.qxd 02-10-2002 19:59 Pagina 257 CHAPTER 13 Groundwater collective management systems: the United States experience Z.A. Smith Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA [email protected] ABSTRACT: Groundwater management in the USA is diverse and decentralized making generaliza- tions sometimes difficult. In many areas groundwater is managed well under permit systems that pre- vent wasteful overuse and allow planned development. In other areas individuals are free to pump water with few restrictions and sometimes with wasteful consequences. This chapter provides an overview of collective groundwater management systems used in the USA by summarizing the types of systems in place and the advantages and disadvantages of each system. It concludes with an exam- ination of what can be learned from the groundwater management experience in the USA and sug- gestions for the development of future groundwater management systems. 1 INTRODUCTION others very little groundwater is used (Table 1 gives a state-by-state breakdown of groundwater The rules governing groundwater use in much of use). the USA and the world bring to mind the state- ment in Plato’s Republic “I declare justice is 1.2 Role of the national government nothing but the advantage of the stronger”. Is this how things should be? In much of the USA To examine in a comprehensive manner the and the rest of the world this is how it is. In this experience of managing groundwater in the chapter we will examine the experience of the USA is a daunting task. The first thing that one USA in the collective cooperation and manage- must understand is that there is no national ment of groundwater resources. -
Module 1 Basics of Water Supply System
Module 1 BASICS OF WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM Training Module for Local Water and Sanitation Management Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) CEPT University 2012 Basics of Water Supply System- Training Module for Local Water and Sanitation Management CONTENT Introduction 3 Module A Components of Water Supply System 4 A1 Typical village/town Water Supply System 5 A2 Sources of Water 7 A3 Water Treatment 8 A4 Water Supply Mechanism 8 A5 Storage Facilities 8 A6 Water Distribution 9 A7 Types of Water Supply 10 Worksheet Section A 11 Module B Basics on Planning and Estimating Components of Water Supply 12 B1 Basic Planning Principles of Water Supply System 13 B2 Calculate Daily Domestic Need of Water 14 B3 Assess Domestic Waste Availability 14 B4 Assess Domestic Water Gap 17 B5 Estimate Components of Water Supply System 17 B6 Basics on Calculating Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting 18 Module C Basics on Water Pumping and Distribution 19 C1 Basics on Water Pumping 20 C2 Pipeline Distribution Networks 23 C3 Type of Pipe Materials 25 C4 Type of Valves for Water Flow Control 28 C5 Type of Pipe Fittings 30 C6 Type of Pipe Cutting and Assembling Tools 32 C7 Types of Line and Levelling Instruments for Laying Pipelines 34 C8 Basics About Laying of Distribution Pipelines 35 C9 Installation of Water Meters 42 Worksheet Section C 44 Module D Basics on Material Quality Check, Work Measurement and 45 Specifications in Water Supply System D1 Checklist for Quality Check of Basic Construction Materials 46 D2 Basics on Material and Item Specification and Mode of 48 Measurements Worksheet Section D 52 Module E Water Treatment and Quality Control 53 E1 Water Quality and Testing 54 E2 Water Treatment System 57 Worksheet Section E 62 References 63 1 Basics of Water Supply System- Training Module for Local Water and Sanitation Management ABBREVIATIONS CPHEEO Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation cu. -
Design and Production of Drinking-Water Supply Network
OUR EXPERT ASSESSMENT DESIGN AND PRODUCTION OF A DRINKING-WATER SUPPLY NETWORK Especially committed to fighting water related diseases and unsanitary conditions, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) has been involved in the field of access to drinking water and sanitation for almost 35 years. The annual number of deaths caused by these diseases has risen to 2.6 million, making it one of the world’s leading causes of death; amongst these victims, 1.8 million children, aged less than 15, still succumb... Today, when more than a billion people are still deprived of access to drinking water and permanently exposed to water-related diseases, the right to drinking water remains a vital concern in developing countries. In this regard, drinking-water supply networks represent quite a relevant technical solution for supplying water to refugees, as well as to dense populations and areas with high population growth. In order to further advance technical and socioeconomic diagnoses, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has led many projects, sometimes lasting years, in partnership with institutions and legitimate operators from the water sector. Hydraulic components and civil engineering relating to rehabilitation, growth and the construction of infrastructure are inseparable from the accompanying social measures, which involve placing sustainability, with the concerted management of water services and the participation of the community, at the heart of the process. Repairing, renovating or building a drinking-water network is a relevant ANALYSING AND ADAPTING technical response when the humanitarian emergency situation requires the re-establishment of the water supply and following the very first emergency TO COMPLEX measures (tanks, mobile treatment units). -
Overdrafting Toward Disaster: a Call for Local Groundwater Management Reform in California’S Central Valley
Comments Overdrafting Toward Disaster: A Call for Local Groundwater Management Reform in California’s Central Valley By PHILIP LAIRD* Introduction MY GRANDFATHER has been a farmer all of his life. He has grown raisins in Selma, California for over seventy years. Like most crops, raisins need good soil, sunshine, and a steady flow of water. Without any one of these elements, the vines will die, and the crop will be a loss. Water, as one can imagine, ends up being the most problematic resource. There are no rivers or canals that run by my grandfather’s property. Thus in order to nourish his vineyard and make the vines grow, he has to pump groundwater. My grandfather first began using his pump in the 1930s. At that time, the well he used only had to extend down eighteen feet to reach the water table and provide suffi- cient water to his ranch. As the years went by though, the water table dropped, and he had to spend more and more money digging deeper wells and pumping from greater depths. Today, in order to reach the water table, my grandfather’s well is ninety feet deep. This story is not unique to my grandfather. The water table throughout California is dropping at an alarming rate, and thus far, efforts to seriously curb this depletion are minimal at best. Currently, groundwater in California provides approximately 30% of the state’s * J.D. Candidate, University of San Francisco School of Law (2013); B.A. English Language Literature, University of California, Santa Cruz (2010). The author would like to thank Professor Richard Roos-Collins for his patience, wisdom, and guidance in overseeing the development of this Comment. -
Lesson 3 - Water and Sewage Treatment
Unit: Chemistry D – Water Treatment LESSON 3 - WATER AND SEWAGE TREATMENT Overview: Through notes, discussion and research, students learn about how water and sewage are treated in rural and urban areas. Through discussion and online research, the sources, safety, treatment and cost of bottled water are considered. Using this information, students then share their views on bottled water. Suggested Timeline: 2 hours Materials: Watery Facts (Teacher Support Material) Water and Sewage Treatment (Teacher Support Material) A Closer Look at Water Treatment – Teacher Key (Teacher Support Material) All Tapped Out? – A Look At Bottled Water (Teacher Support Material) materials for bottled water demonstration: - plastic cups - 3 or more brands of bottled water - a sample of municipal tap water - a sample of local well water Water and Sewage Treatment (Student Handout – Individual) Water and Sewage Treatment (Student Handout – Group) A Closer Look at Water Treatment (Student Handout) All Tapped Out? – A Look At Bottled Water (Student Handout) student access to computers with the Internet and speakers Method: INDIVIDUAL FORMAT: 1. Have students read and complete the questions on ‘Water and Sewage Treatment’ (Student Handout – Individual). 2. Using computers with Internet access and speakers, allow students to research answers to questions on ‘A Closer Look at Water Treatment’ (Student Handout) 3. If possible, use one or more of the ideas on ‘All Tapped Out? – A Look At Bottled Water’ (Teacher Support Material) to spark students’ interest in the issues associated with bottled water. 4. Using computers with Internet access, have students complete the research on bottled water on ‘All Tapped Out? – A Look At Bottled Water’ (Student Handout). -
Questions About Texas Groundwater Conservation Districts
Questions about Texas Groundwater Conservation Districts Bruce Lesikar Associate Professor and Extension Agricultural Engineering Specialist Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering Ronald Kaiser Professor, Institute of Renewable Natural Resources and Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Science Valeen Silvy Program Coordinator, Texas Water Resources Institute All of The Texas A&M University System Contributing editors Kelly Mills, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Harvey Everheart, Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts Trey Powers, Texas Department of Agriculture Cindy Loeffler, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Richard Preston, Texas Water Development Board Disclaimer The purpose of this publication is to present useful information about Texas groundwater law and groundwater conservation dis- tricts. It is not intended to furnish specific legal advice, or to ren- der a legal opinion. If you are seeking specific legal advice, please consult with an attorney. Contents 1 Introduction 1 Water use in Texas 2 Groundwater 2 Surface water 5 Movement of groundwater in aquifers 5 Are all Texas aquifers alike? 5 How much water do Texas aquifers provide each year? 6 How does water get into an aquifer? How is an aquifer replenished? 7 Does water discharge from an aquifer naturally? 7 If aquifers recharge, why is there a problem with pumping? 7 What is a cone of depression? 7 What is well interference? 8 What is aquifer overdrafting or mining? 9 Texas water law 9 What rights do landowners have to use groundwater? 9 -
Systems Approach to Management of Water Resources—Toward Performance Based Water Resources Engineering
water Article Systems Approach to Management of Water Resources—Toward Performance Based Water Resources Engineering Slobodan P. Simonovic Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada; [email protected]; Tel.: +1-519-661-4075 Received: 29 March 2020; Accepted: 20 April 2020; Published: 24 April 2020 Abstract: Global change, that results from population growth, global warming and land use change (especially rapid urbanization), is directly affecting the complexity of water resources management problems and the uncertainty to which they are exposed. Both, the complexity and the uncertainty, are the result of dynamic interactions between multiple system elements within three major systems: (i) the physical environment; (ii) the social environment; and (iii) the constructed infrastructure environment including pipes, roads, bridges, buildings, and other components. Recent trends in dealing with complex water resources systems include consideration of the whole region being affected, explicit incorporation of all costs and benefits, development of a large number of alternative solutions, and the active (early) involvement of all stakeholders in the decision-making. Systems approaches based on simulation, optimization, and multi-objective analyses, in deterministic, stochastic and fuzzy forms, have demonstrated in the last half of last century, a great success in supporting effective water resources management. This paper explores the future opportunities that will utilize advancements in systems theory that might transform management of water resources on a broader scale. The paper presents performance-based water resources engineering as a methodological framework to extend the role of the systems approach in improved sustainable water resources management under changing conditions (with special consideration given to rapid climate destabilization). -
Ecology: Biodiversity and Natural Resources Part 1
CK-12 FOUNDATION Ecology: Biodiversity and Natural Resources Part 1 Akre CK-12 Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to reduce the cost of textbook materials for the K-12 market both in the U.S. and worldwide. Using an open-content, web-based collaborative model termed the “FlexBook,” CK-12 intends to pioneer the generation and distribution of high-quality educational content that will serve both as core text as well as provide an adaptive environment for learning. Copyright © 2010 CK-12 Foundation, www.ck12.org Except as otherwise noted, all CK-12 Content (including CK-12 Curriculum Material) is made available to Users in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution/Non-Commercial/Share Alike 3.0 Un- ported (CC-by-NC-SA) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/), as amended and updated by Creative Commons from time to time (the “CC License”), which is incorporated herein by this reference. Specific details can be found at http://about.ck12.org/terms. Printed: October 11, 2010 Author Barbara Akre Contributor Jean Battinieri i www.ck12.org Contents 1 Ecology: Biodiversity and Natural Resources Part 1 1 1.1 Lesson 18.1: The Biodiversity Crisis ............................... 1 1.2 Lesson 18.2: Natural Resources .................................. 32 2 Ecology: Biodiversity and Natural Resources Part I 49 2.1 Chapter 18: Ecology and Human Actions ............................ 49 2.2 Lesson 18.1: The Biodiversity Crisis ............................... 49 2.3 Lesson 18.2: Natural Resources .................................. 53 www.ck12.org ii Chapter 1 Ecology: Biodiversity and Natural Resources Part 1 1.1 Lesson 18.1: The Biodiversity Crisis Lesson Objectives • Compare humans to other species in terms of resource needs and use, and ecosystem service benefits and effects. -
Concerns About Surface Water As a Drinking Water Source
Concerns About Surface Water NEW YORK STATE as a Drinking Water Source DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH The New York State Department of Health wants to remind people that there are risks from using water from any surface water source as drinking water, unless that water is properly filtered and disinfected. Water from rivers, lakes, ponds and streams can contain bacteria, parasites, viruses and possibly other contaminants. To make surface water fit to drink, treatment is required. Remember, we use our drinking water in many different ways. We use it as a beverage, but also make ice cubes, mix baby formula, wash fruits and vegetables, and brush our teeth. If the water is contaminated, this may put you at risk. Depending on the kind of contamination, it may also be a concern to wash dishes, wash hands, shower or bathe. Public water systems are required to treat, disinfect and monitor water quality for their customers. A public water treatment system is well designed and employs trained technicians to test and maintain water quality. If you are not on a public water system and use surface water as your water supply source, please contact your local health department* for advice. They can talk to you about developing another source of drinking water in your area. If there are no other choices, then they can discuss the treatment options for your surface water source. In the meantime, avoid the use of surface water for your drinking water needs. You should use bottled water or disinfect small batches of water by bringing it to a rolling boil for one – two minutes. -
LATE MIOCENE FISHES of the CACHE VALLEY MEMBER, SALT LAKE FORMATION, UTAH and IDAHO By
LATE MIOCENE FISHES OF THE CACHE VALLEY MEMBER, SALT LAKE FORMATION, UTAH AND IDAHO by PATRICK H. MCCLELLAN AND GERALD R. SMITH MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 208 Ann Arbor, December 17, 2020 ISSN 0076-8405 P U B L I C A T I O N S O F T H E MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN NO. 208 GERALD SMITH, Editor The publications of the Museum of Zoology, The University of Michigan, consist primarily of two series—the Miscellaneous Publications and the Occasional Papers. Both series were founded by Dr. Bryant Walker, Mr. Bradshaw H. Swales, and Dr. W. W. Newcomb. Occasionally the Museum publishes contributions outside of these series. Beginning in 1990 these are titled Special Publications and Circulars and each is sequentially numbered. All submitted manuscripts to any of the Museum’s publications receive external peer review. The Occasional Papers, begun in 1913, serve as a medium for original studies based principally upon the collections in the Museum. They are issued separately. When a sufficient number of pages has been printed to make a volume, a title page, table of contents, and an index are supplied to libraries and individuals on the mailing list for the series. The Miscellaneous Publications, initiated in 1916, include monographic studies, papers on field and museum techniques, and other contributions not within the scope of the Occasional Papers, and are published separately. Each number has a title page and, when necessary, a table of contents. A complete list of publications on Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Fishes, I nsects, Mollusks, and other topics is available. -
A History of the Salmonid Decline in the Russian River
A HISTORY OF THE SALMONID DECLINE IN THE RUSSIAN RIVER A Cooperative Project Sponsored by Sonoma County Water Agency California State Coastal Conservancy Steiner Environmental Consulting Prepared by Steiner Environmental Consulting August 1996 Steiner Environmental Consulting Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Quality P. O. Box 250 Potter Valley, CA 95469 A HISTORY OF THE SALMONID DECLINE IN THE RUSSIAN RIVER A Cooperative Project Sponsored By Sonoma County Water Agency California State Coastal Conservancy Steiner Environmental Consulting Prepared by Steiner Environmental Consulting P.O. Box 250 Potter Valley, CA 95469 August 1996 (707) 743-1815 (707) 743-1816 f«x [email protected] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND Introduction This report gathers together the best available information to provide the historical and current status of chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, and steelhead in the Russian River basin. Although the historical records are limited, all sources depict a river system where the once dominant salmonids have declined dramatically. The last 150 years of human activities have transformed the Russian River basin into a watershed heavily altered by agriculture and urban development. Flows in the main river channel river are heavily regulated. The result is a river system with significantly compromised biological functions. The anthropogenic factors contributing to the decline of salmonids are discussed. Study Area The 1,485 square mile Russian River watershed, roughly 80 miles long and 10 to 30 miles wide, lies in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Lake counties. The basin topography is characterized by a sequence of northwest/southeast trending fault-block ridges and alluvial valleys. Lying within a region of Mediterranean climate, the watershed is divided into a fog-influenced coastal region and an interior region of hot, dry summers.