Optimal residential water conservation strategies considering related energy in California

Social and behavioral research is crucial for securing environmental sustainability and improving human living environments. Although the majority of people now live in urban areas, we have limited empirical evidence of the anticipated behavioral response to climate change. Using empirical data on daily household residential water use and temperature, our research examines the implications of future climate conditions on water conservation behavior in 501 households within the Portland (OR) metropolitan region. We ask whether and how much change in ambient temperatures impact residential household water use, while controlling for taxlot characteristics. Based on our results, we develop a spatially explicit description about the changes in future water use for the study region using a downscaled future climate scenario. The results suggest that behavioral responses are mediated by an interaction of household structural attributes, and magnitude and temporal variability of weather parameters. These findings have implications for the way natural resource managers and planning bureaus prepare for and adapt to future consequences of climate change.

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Energy implications of the millennium drought on urban water cycles in Southeast Australian cities

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2017.110 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 214-221

Author(s):

K. L. Lam ◽

P. A. Lant ◽

S. J. Kenway

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Energy Use ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Urban Water ◽

Demand Side ◽

Related Energy ◽

Millennium Drought ◽

Wide Range ◽

Supply Systems

Abstract During the Millennium Drought in Australia, a wide range of supply-side and demand-side water management strategies were adopted in major southeast Australian cities. This study undertakes a time-series quantification (2001–2014) and comparative analysis of the energy use of the urban water supply systems and sewage systems in Melbourne and Sydney before, during and after the drought, and evaluates the energy implications of the drought and the implemented strategies. In addition, the energy implications of residential water use in Melbourne are estimated. The research highlights that large-scale adoption of water conservation strategies can have different impacts on energy use in different parts of the urban water cycle. In Melbourne, the per capita water-related energy use reduction in households related to showering and clothes-washing alone (46% reduction, 580 kWhth/p/yr) was far more substantial than that in the water supply system (32% reduction, 18 kWhth/p/yr). This historical case also demonstrates the importance of balancing supply- and demand-side strategies in managing long-term water security and related energy use. The significant energy saving in water supply systems and households from water conservation can offset the additional energy use from operating energy-intensive supply options such as inter-basin water transfers and seawater desalination during dry years.

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Sustainability of Climate Resilient Soil and Water Conservation Strategies Nexus the Practices in Tragedy at the Upper Blue Nile Basin of Northwestern Ethiopia: Economic Welfare Implication to the Farming Communities

Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change ◽

10.4172/2157-7617.1000399 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 08 (05) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hunegnaw AT ◽

Tegegnework GM ◽

Dagmawi L ◽

Abiot M ◽

Esubalew T

Keyword(s):

Water Conservation ◽

Soil And Water Conservation ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Economic Welfare ◽

Nile Basin ◽

Blue Nile ◽

Welfare Implication ◽

Farming Communities ◽

Blue Nile Basin ◽

Soil And Water

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Farming systems and conservation needs in the Northwest Wheat Region

American Journal of Alternative Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0889189300006767 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 11 (2-3) ◽

pp. 52-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

R.I. Papendick

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Winter Precipitation ◽

Water Erosion ◽

Residue Management ◽

Annual Precipitation ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

No Till

AbstractThe Northwest Wheat Region is a contiguous belt of 3.3 million ha in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Its climate varies from subhumid (<650 mm annual precipitation) to semiarid (<350 mm), with more than 60% of the annual precipitation occurring during the winter. Winter wheat yields range from a high of 8 t/ha in the wetter zones to a low of 1.5 t/ha in the drier zones. Winter wheat is grown in rotation with spring cereals and pulses where annual precipitation exceeds 450 mm; winter wheat-fallow prevails where annual precipitation is less than 330 mm. Tillage practices are designed to maximize infiltration and retention of water through soil surface and crop residue management. Because of the combination of winter precipitation, steep topography, and winter wheat cropping, much of the region is subject to a severe water erosion hazard, accentuated by freeze-thaw cycles that increase surface runoff and weaken the soil structure. Wind erosion is a major problem in the drier zones, where cover is less and soils are higher in sand. Residue management, primarily through reduced tillage and no-till systems, is the first defense against both wind and water erosion, but yields often are higher with conventional intensive ti llage. Factors that limit yields with conservation farming include weed and disease problems and th e lack of suitable tillage and seeding equipment. Conservation strategies must shift from relying on traditional tillage methods to development of complete no-till systems. Spring cropping as a replacement for winter wheat also needs to be investigated. In some cases, tillage for water conservation must be made compatible with tillage for erosion control.

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