scholarly journals Effects of Home Value, Home Age, and Lot Size on Lawn-watering Perceptions and Behaviors of Residential Homeowners

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale J. Bremer ◽  
Steven J. Keeley ◽  
Abigail Jager
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Sprinkler System ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Impervious Surfaces ◽  
Lot Size ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Lawn Care ◽  
Water Based ◽  
Home Value

Urbanization is increasing the land area covered with turfgrasses, which may affect water quantity and quality. Our objective was to understand lawn-watering habits of homeowners in Olathe and Wichita, KS, based on home value, home age, and lot size. Surveys were mailed to 9992 homeowners in Olathe and 15,534 in Wichita, with a return rate of 12%. Owners of more expensive and/or newer homes were more likely to water frequently, water on a routine schedule, feel it was important to have a green lawn, have an in-ground sprinkler system, and sweep or blow grass clippings and lawn care products off impervious surfaces. Owners of less expensive and/or older homes were more likely to never water or water infrequently, water based on the lawn’s appearance rather than on a routine schedule, consider it less important to have a green lawn; not have an in-ground sprinkler system, and leave grass clippings and lawn care products on impervious surfaces rather than blowing them off. A small percentage of homeowners who swept or blew clippings and/or lawn-care products did so into streets/storm drains. Owners of less expensive and/or older homes were somewhat more likely to engage in this practice. Educational efforts to improve lawn water conservation should be concentrated on homeowners in more expensive and/or newer homes because they water more frequently and routinely. Efforts to protect surface water quality should include homeowners of less expensive and/or older homes.

scholarly journals In-ground Irrigation Systems Affect Lawn-watering Behaviors of Residential Homeowners

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 651-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale J. Bremer ◽  
Steven J. Keeley ◽  
Abigail Jager ◽  
Jack D. Fry ◽  
Cathie Lavis
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Know How ◽  
Lawn Care ◽  
Sprinkler Systems ◽  
Care Guidelines ◽  
Lawn Irrigation ◽  
Water Quantity And Quality

Urbanization is increasing the land area covered with turfgrasses, which may have implications for water quantity and quality. The largest sector of turfgrass is residential lawns. Our objectives were to compare lawn-irrigation perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors of residential homeowners with and without in-ground sprinkler systems (IGS and NIGS, respectively); homeowners were surveyed in three Kansas cities, each with distinctive water quantity and quality issues. Surveys were mailed to 15,500 homeowners in Wichita, 10,000 in Olathe, and 5000 in Salina; the return rate was 11% to 13%. Homeowners with IGS watered more frequently than NIGS; 67% to 90% of IGS and 19% to 31% of NIGS homeowners watered two to three times per week or more. More IGS homeowners watered routinely and applied the same amount of water each time than NIGS homeowners, who mostly watered and adjusted watering amounts based on lawn dryness. More IGS than NIGS homeowners wanted their lawn green all the time, followed lawn-care guidelines, and considered their neighborhood appearance important. Among IGS homeowners, 41% to 54% claimed to know how much water their lawns required compared with only 29% to 33% of NIGS homeowners. However, 65% to 83% in both groups did not know how much water they applied when they irrigated. About 7% to 9% of homeowners swept or blew clippings or lawn-care products into streets or storm drains; this percentage was unaffected by whether they had IGS or not. All homeowners’ lawn irrigation knowledge and habits must be improved to help conserve water and protect water quality, but educational efforts should concentrate on IGS homeowners because they water more frequently.

scholarly journals Predicting college students' future intentions to engage in public-sphere water conservation behaviors

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-49
Author(s):  
Austin Wise ◽  
Donald Johnson ◽  
George Wardlow ◽  
Kathi Jogan
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Linear Combination ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Subjective Norms ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Local Water

The purpose of this study was to describe selected college students’ (N = 252) perceptions of and future intentions (FI) to engage in public-sphere water conservation behaviors, and to determine if FI could be predicted by a single or linear combination of student demographic characteristics  and latent variables. A majority of respondents agreed a growing population will negatively affect water quantity (90.5%) and there is a need for water resource management (85.6%). A majority disagreed or strongly disagreed that they (53.4%), their family (57.1%), or their friends (67.5%) practiced water conservation, or that people in their hometowns were concerned about local water availability (78.1%). A majority agreed they would engage in four of five public-sphere water conservation behaviors in the future: support water conservation programs (86.4%), care more deeply about water conservation (81.2%), join a water conservation organization (79.2%), and vote for stricter water use laws (55.0%). Fewer than one-half agreed or strongly agreed they would donate money to support water conservation (45.8%). Responses to statements concerning water conservation were factor analyzed and two factors were extracted: lack of agency (LA) and subjective norms (SN). A linear combination of gender, LA, and SN explained 36.7% of the variance in FI. 

Study on the Water Quality and Quantity Scheduling Scheme in Xinxue River Constructed Wetland of China under the Constraint Condition of Class III of Surface Water Quality

2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 923-927
Author(s):  
Chao Liu ◽  
Xiao Jie Cao ◽  
Chao Wang ◽  
Jing Jing Sun ◽  
Yu Ting Gu
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Ammonia Nitrogen ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Constraint Condition ◽  
Scheduling Scheme ◽  
Influent Water ◽  
Water Quality And Quantity

Using Xinxue River Constructed Wetland as the study object, the wetland prediction models based on BP neural network were established through the seasonal division of the wetland, and the maximum influent water load was determined on the constraint condition that effluent water quality achieved class Ⅲ of surface water quality. Then nonlinear functions of water quality and quantity scheduling were constructed by Origin software. The optimal influent load was determined adopting prediction results of the models as constraint conditions of the functions. Thus the water quality and quantity scheduling scheme of the wetland was established. The results show that optimal influent load for Feb. ~ May: the influent water quantity is no more than 8560m3/d, CODCr is 25.47mg/l~26.37mg/l, ammonia nitrogen 0.11mg/l~1.0mg/l, TN 10.28mg/l~10.51mg/l, TP 0.16mg/l; for Jun. ~ Sept.: the water quantity is no more than 31750m3/d, CODCr is 26mg/l~32.36mg/l, or 37.15mg/l~45.37mg/l, ammonia nitrogen 0.48 mg/l~1.78mg/l, TN 5.15mg/l~6.18mg/l, TP 0.07mg/l~0.09mg/l; for Oct. ~ Dec.: the water quantity is no more than 11070m3/d, CODCr is 24.55mg/l~26.91mg/l, ammonia nitrogen no more than 0.75, TN no more than 8.61 mg/l, TP 0.10mg/l~0.12mg/l, or 0.16mg/l~0.17mg/l.

scholarly journals Plant Factors for Irrigating Mixed Turfgrass and Shrub Landscapes in a Humid Environment

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-329
Author(s):  
Tim R. Pannkuk
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Sprinkler System ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Soil Leachate ◽  
Soil Moisture Sensors ◽  
Randomized Block Design ◽  
Loam Soil

Landscape water conservation methods and techniques contribute to managing water resources. Use of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) data and landscape coefficients is one method that needs further development. Local ETo data and actual plant water use were used to calculate plant factors (PFs) for three model landscapes composed of mixtures of turfgrass and shrubs. Model landscapes using a sandy loam soil included st. augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), privet (Ligustrum japonicum), dwarf burford holly (Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordii Nana’), and dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’) at three ratios of turfgrass to shrub vegetative cover: 80:20, 50:50, and 20:80. Soil was placed into inground lysimeters in a complete randomized block design with soil moisture sensors and a drainage system. Lysimeters were irrigated with a sprinkler system, and water was applied at a rate of 100% replacement of ETo minus precipitation. Lysimeter soil leachate was collected from the drainage system and quantified. After 2 years, the PF of 20:80 and 50:50 turfgrass/shrub combination were greater than the PF of the 80:20 combination. Plant factors for the 80:20, 50:50, and 20:80 turfgrass:shrub combinations were 0.68, 0.97, and 1.01, respectively. There were no seasonal differences in PFs. Total growing season leachate depth over 2 years was 63.4, 30.7, and 12.6 mm for 80:20, 50:50, and 20:80, respectively. Further work on PFs should include other plant combinations, and evaluation in other climatic zones.

Developing Capacity for Large-Scale Rainwater Harvesting in Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khosrow Farahbakhsh ◽  
Christopher Despins ◽  
Chantelle Leidl
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Impervious Surfaces ◽  
Widespread Implementation ◽  
Market Capacity ◽  
Wide Scale ◽  
Quality Design

Abstract Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is the ancient practice of capturing rainwater from impervious surfaces and storing it for future use. Harvesting roof runoff for domestic purposes has historically been prevalent in rural areas of Canada and the practice is currently experiencing revived interest and uptake in the urban environment. When implemented on a wide scale, RWH can contribute to both stormwater abatement and water conservation, serving to relieve pressure on existing infrastructure and potentially delay the need for infrastructure expansion. While such benefits are known, there remain several barriers that impede widespread implementation. These include cost, liability concerns, and a lack of clear policy for RWH. This paper outlines the benefits of RWH and describes findings of recent research that has attempted to develop some of the technical, administrative, and market capacity needed to overcome these barriers, focussing on water quality, design practices, economic analysis, and policy development.

scholarly journals Landscape Pattern Change of Impervious Surfaces and Its Driving Forces in Shanghai during 1965–2010

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 1956
Author(s):  
Yang Yao ◽  
Sen Zhang ◽  
Yuqing Shi ◽  
Mengqi Xu ◽  
Jiaquan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Landscape Pattern ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Water Area ◽  
Impervious Surfaces ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
The Past ◽  
Pattern Change ◽  
Quality Variation

Rapid urbanization influences the landscape pattern of impervious surfaces, and potentially affects surface water quality. Using ArcGIS and Fragstats, this study analyzed the temporal change of the landscape pattern of impervious surfaces in Shanghai over the past 45 years, and its driving forces and impact on water quality were also analyzed. The results show that both low and high impervious surfaces showed different degrees of expansion, and as a result, the pervious surfaces and water area reduced by 40.1% and 13.8%, respectively. It proves that the fragmentation and diversity of impervious surfaces in Shanghai notably increased in the past decades, and especially the low and high impervious surfaces show substantial changes. The primary driving forces of the landscape pattern change are population density, unit area Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the percentage of primary industry. The result of Redundancy analysis (RDA) is that the explanatory ability of landscape pattern to water quality variations decreased from 68.7% to 46.4% in the period 2000–2010. It should be stressed that the contribution of the configuration of impervious surfaces to water quality variation is less than that of the percentage of impervious surfaces.

scholarly journals Mechanisms and Empirical Modeling of Evaporation from Hardened Surfaces in Urban Areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1790
Author(s):  
Jinjun Zhou ◽  
Jiahong Liu ◽  
Qi Chu ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Weiwei Shao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Empirical Modeling ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Impervious Surfaces ◽  
Surface Evaporation ◽  
Local Water ◽  
Water Amount ◽  
Hardened Surface

Urban evaporation, as an essential part of local water vapor resources in urban areas, has often been underestimated. One possible reason is that the evaporation of urban hardened surfaces is seldom considered and poorly understood in urban evaporation estimation. This study focused on the mechanisms and calculation of evaporation on hardened surfaces in urban areas. Experimental monitoring was used to monitor the processes and characteristics of evaporation on hardened surfaces. Mathematical models based on water quantity constraints were built to calculate evaporation of hardened surfaces. The results showed that: The interception abilities for rainwater and rainfall days of impervious hardened surfaces determine their evaporated water amount, which means no water, no evaporation for the impervious surfaces. The greater evaporation of artificial sprinkling on roads happened in fewer days of rainfall and frost. The evaporation of pervious hardened ground is continuous compared to the impervious surface. Its soil moisture in the sub-layer of permeable concrete decreases periodically with a period of one day. The evaporation of hardened surfaces occupies 16–29% of the total amount of evaporation in the built-up areas in cities. Therefore, the hardened surface evaporation has great significance on the urban hydrological cycle and urban water balance.

scholarly journals Integration of soil and water conservation measures in an intensively cultivated watershed – a case study of Jihlava river basin (Czech Republic)

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Konečná ◽  
Petr Karásek ◽  
Petr Fučík ◽  
Jana Podhrázská ◽  
Michal Pochop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Soil And Water Conservation ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Model Calculations ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Soil And Water

Abstract Reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus inputs into surface waters from nonpoint agricultural sources requires targeted application of differentiated measures. In the study focused on soil and water conservation in the Jihlava river basin upstream of the Dalešice reservoir, we identified areas at potential risk of soil erosion, elevated infiltration and nutrient leaching, tile-drained areas and vulnerable riparian zones of water bodies. We then designed a system of complex protective measures for this river basin in more variants, and their effectiveness was estimated using simple empirical model calculations and research findings. Application of the measures defined by optimal variant 3 in the studied watershed could lead to reduction of the soil erosion effects on the surface water quality by 26.5 %, with simultaneous reduction of the amount of washed out total nitrogen by 22.8 %. The results of our study constitute a partial component of the Qualitative Model of the Jihlava River Basin and they were provided for use to the Vysočina Region authorities and the State Land Office.

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