Residential Water Use Trend Shifts by Implementation of Best Management Practices for Water Conservation

Author(s):  
M. Lee ◽  
B. Tansel ◽  
M. Balbin ◽  
B. Barney
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Shandas ◽  
Meenakshi Rao ◽  
Moriah McSharry McGrath

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.


2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 191-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Goyne ◽  
G.T. McIntyre

The Cotton and Grains Adoption Program of the Queensland Rural Water Use Efficiency Initiative is targeting five major irrigation regions in the state with the objective to develop better irrigation water use efficiency (WUE) through the adoption of best management practices in irrigation. The major beneficiaries of the program will be industries, irrigators and local communities. The benefits will flow via two avenues: increased production and profit resulting from improved WUE and improved environmental health as a consequence of greatly reduced runoff of irrigation tailwater into rivers and streams. This in turn will reduce the risk of nutrient and pesticide contamination of waterways. As a side effect, the work is likely to contribute to an improved public image of the cotton and grain industries. In each of the five regions, WUE officers have established grower groups to assist in providing local input into the specific objectives of extension and demonstration activities. The groups also assist in developing growersÕ perceptions of ownership of the work. Activities are based around four on-farm demonstration sites in each region where irrigation management techniques and hardware are showcased. A key theme of the program is monitoring water use. This is applied both to on-farm storage and distribution as well as to application methods and in-field management. This paper describes the project, its activities and successes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chikondi Makwiza ◽  
Musandji Fuamba ◽  
Fadoua Houssa ◽  
Heinz Erasmus Jacobs

Abstract In this study, panel linear models were used to develop an empirical relationship between metered household water use and the independent variables plot size and theoretical irrigation requirement. The estimated statistical model provides a means of estimating the climate-sensitive component of residential water use. Ensemble averages of temperature and rainfall projections were used to quantify potential changes in water use due to climate change by 2050. Annual water use per household was estimated to increase by approximately 1.5% under the low emissions scenario or 2.3% under the high emissions scenario. The model results provide information that can enhance water conservation initiatives relating particularly to outdoor water use. The model approach presented utilizes data that are readily available to water supply utilities and can therefore be easily replicated elsewhere.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongbo Liu ◽  
Wanhong Yang ◽  
Chengzhi Qin ◽  
Axing Zhu

<p>Understanding the impacts of global climate change on the spatiotemporal pattern of hydrologic cycle and water resources is of major importance in highly developed watersheds all over the world. These impacts are strongly dependent on related changes in intensity and frequency of extreme climate events. Implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and policy approaches at watershed and regional scales is essential for mitigating their negative impacts on soil and water conservation, and sustainable economic development. However, the uncertainty of BMP effectiveness including increasing variability of future water supply and changing magnitudes of nonpoint source pollution has to be accounted for in watershed planning and management. This paper provides a review and discussion on the impacts of global climate change on BMP’s hydrologic performance, the current progress on hydrologic assessment of BMPs, as well as the existing problems and countermeasures. Research challenges and opportunities in the field of hydrologic assessment of BMPs under global climate change are also discussed in this paper.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 930 (1) ◽  
pp. 012068
Author(s):  
A A Rofikha ◽  
Y Saputra ◽  
F A Islami

Abstract Erosion and sedimentation problems caused by human activities disturbed the primary conditions of the watershed. This situation was also influenced by significant hydrometeorological shifts and high rainfall, which increased soil erosion. These inclement watershed conditions resulted in high sedimentation rates and caused severe problems for the quality and quantity of water in the reservoir. This study aims to solve the Sermo watershed problems by calculating the value of erosion and sedimentation, then providing a solution to deal with these problems in the form of Best Management Practices (BMP). This research used a USLE method to calculate the erosion and sedimentation rate. The calculation results showed that 40.86% of Sermo Reservoir within 809.12 hectares was classified as a high level of erosion. Further recommendations for overcoming this condition were made by referring to BMP for erosion and sediment control, including structures and soil water conservation. Further recommendations to address this condition were made regarding BMP for controlling water, maintaining soil stability, controlling sedimentation, and managing and maintaining optimal watersheds.


2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Novotny ◽  
K. Hill

Water bodies are highly stressed by overdrafts of water for many purposes upstream and in the cities, and effluent domination and excessive point and diffuse pollution downstream. Pollution is also caused by the urban landscape which prefers impervious rather than porous surfaces; fast-conveyance infrastructure rather than “softer” approaches like ponds and vegetation; and stream channelization instead of natural stream courses, buffers and floodplains, and development in the floodplains. In future, the comprehensive and complex problems of urban pollution must be solved within the framework of the total hydrological cycle concept. This provides a new impetus to diffuse pollution management in urban areas. The best management practices that have been developed in the past could become key components of the new urban total hydrological cycle paradigm for solving the water shortage and pollution problems in an integrated manner, and making the urban systems hydrologically and ecologically sustainable. The paradigm will include landscape changes (less imperviousness, more green space used as buffers and groundwater recharge) as well application of the best management practices that provide water conservation, storage and reuse.


1999 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn D. Israel ◽  
Janice O. Easton ◽  
Gary W. Knox

The Florida Cooperative Extension Service (FCES) teaches residents the importance of proper landscaping practices. FCES offers several educational programs that teach residents how to integrate energy and water conservation, pest management, and waste recycling practices into their home landscapes. In 1997, extension staff and volunteers planned and conducted environmental landscape management (ELM) programs resulting in >800,000 customer contacts. A survey was conducted to measure the adoption of recommended best management practices by program participants and nonparticipants. Results show that, of 39 practices examined, Master Gardener trainees increased the number of practices used by an average of 7.3, while educational seminar and publications-only participants increased by an average of 4.5 and 2.8 practices, respectively. Nonparticipants showed essentially no change. When practices are examined one at a time, the Master Gardeners made statistically significant increases in 28 of the 39 recommended practices. Educational seminar and publications-only participants made similar gains in 31 and 6 practices, respectively, and the nonparticipant comparison group made significant increases in 2 practices and decreases in 8. The results suggest that the publications-only strategy for delivering information to homeowners is less effective than strategies combining educational seminars or intensive training with relevant publications.


Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Reynaud ◽  
Giulia Romano

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather evidence on the impact of price policies (PP) and non-price policies (NPP) in shaping residential water use in a context of increased water scarcity. Indeed, a large body of the empirical economic literature on residential water demand has been devoted to measuring the impact of PP (water price increases, use of block rate pricing or peak pricing, etc.). The consensus is that the residential water demand is inelastic with respect to water price, but not perfectly. Given the low water price elasticity, pricing schemes may not always be effective tools for modifying household water behaviors. This is puzzling since increasing the water price is still viewed by public authorities as the most direct economic tool for inducing water conservation behaviors. Additional evidence regarding the use of PP in shaping residential water use is then required. More recently, it has been argued that residential consumers may react to NPP, such as water conservation programs, education campaigns, or smart metering. NPP are based on the idea that residential water users can implement strategies that will result in water savings via changing their individual behaviors. Feedback information based on smart water metering is an example of approach used by some water utilities. There are still large gaps in the knowledge on the residential water demand, and in particular on the impact of PP and NPP on residential water use, household water affordability and water service performance. These topics are addressed in this Special Issue “Advances in the Economic Analysis of Residential Water Use”.


HortScience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared. A. Hoyle ◽  
Gerald M. Henry ◽  
Travis Williams ◽  
Aaron Holbrook ◽  
Tyler Cooper ◽  
...  

Growing concern over the sufficiency and variability of present water supplies in the arid Southwest has led to the examination of buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] for water conservation. Increasing acceptance of buffalograss will require investigation into conversion techniques for its establishment. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of seedbed preparation and seeding rate on the establishment of buffalograss after bermudagrass desiccation with glyphosate. Research was conducted at the Texas Tech Quaker Research farm in 2009 and 2010 on a mature ‘Riviera’ common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] rough. Bermudagrass was sprayed with glyphosate at 1.1 kg acid equivalent (ae)/ha 5 and 1 weeks before seedbed preparation. Plots were scalped after desiccation. Treatments were arranged in a two × four factorial, randomized complete block design with four replications. two buffalograss seeding rates and four seedbed preparation treatments. Seedbed preparation treatments consisted of no seedbed preparation, topdressing alone (0.6-cm layer), hollow-tine aerification + topdressing, or verticutting + topdressing. ‘TopGun’ buffalograss was planted on 1 June 2009 and 4 June 2010 at 146 or 195 kg·ha−1. Grid counts were conducted to determine buffalograss cover one, two, and three months after planting (MAP). Counts were then converted to percent cover (0% to 100%). Greater buffalograss cover was observed when seed was applied at the higher rate (196 kg·ha−1) except within treatments that did not receive seedbed preparation treatment. No seedbed preparation resulted in unacceptable buffalograss cover. Percent buffalograss cover three MAP was 75%, 83%, and 86% for topdressing alone, aerification + topdressing, and verticutting + topdressing treatments seeded at 195 kg·ha−1, respectively.


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