Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Water Clarity ◽  
Resultant Increase ◽  
Community Fisheries ◽  
University Of Nebraska Lincoln ◽  
Recreational Benefits ◽  
The University

<em>Abstract.-</em>Numerous community lakes throughout Nebraska were suffering from water quality degradation. Historically, these lakes were focal points within the community park system; however, cultural and natural eutrophication had reduced water clarity and diminished esthetic and recreational benefits. The Community Lakes Enhancement and Restoration (CLEAR) program was created in 2000 to combine the resources and technical expertise of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, and the University of Nebraska- Lincoln in fisheries, water quality and education. With funding totaling $4.97 million from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local community partners, CLEAR assisted 26 communities improve their park lakes. Pre- and postproject water quality measurements showed improvements in total phosphorus (75% average decline), total nitrogen (39% average decline), turbidity (85% average decline), and chlorophyll a (86% average decline), yielding improvements in water clarity (350% average increase), as measured by Secchi disk. Postproject electrofishing samples and angler surveys demonstrated the positive impact of CLEAR program improvements on the quality of fishing opportunities and a resultant increase in angler use.

scholarly journals Development of the School Science Club at Cardiff University

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Blaxland ◽  
Rhys Thomas ◽  
Les Baillie
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
School Science ◽  
The University ◽  
Science Club

Challenges faced by schools include how to make science interesting, relevant and engaging for their pupils. This can perhaps be made more difficult by staff members not having direct experience in many areas of the science they are tasked to teach, and therefore lacking the confidence to teach in these areas (Murphy et al., 2007). Within the higher education sector, there is demand for researchers to actively engage with the local community (Linder and Spear, 2003; Wynne, 2006). Working with eight schools, we co-developed a programme that both highlights academic research and complements the Key Stage 2 national curriculum with the aims of improving science aspirations, knowledge and confidence in Key Stage 2 (Year 6) children, supporting teachers in the delivery of areas of the curriculum identified as challenging, and increasing science communication and engagement within the university. We delivered two separate sessions with all eight primary schools, interacting with approximately three hundred and fifty pupils. Overall, the project had a positive impact on teachers, children and academic staff. Key findings indicated that 92.9 per cent of 348 children surveyed felt that they had learned something new, while 85.7 per cent surveyed felt they were more interested in science, and 14.3 per cent reported no change in their feelings towards science. The School Science Club represents a collaborative engagement project which highlights the requirement of accurate co-development and outcome settings from both the university and school in order to have a positive impact on all those involved. Findings suggested improvements in planning and delivery for future such endeavours.

scholarly journals Definitions of Water Quality: A Survey of Lake-Users of Water Quality-Compromised Lakes

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2114
Author(s):  
Ashley M. Votruba ◽  
Jessica R. Corman
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Water Clarity ◽  
Agricultural Watershed ◽  
Potential Outcomes ◽  
Washington Dc ◽  
Urban Watershed ◽  
Chemical Parameters ◽  
The Us ◽  
Quality Features

Understanding and defining water quality is an important precursor for influencing pro-environmental behavior and accurately assessing potential outcomes of human–lake interactions. This study surveyed 82 lake-users in Nebraska regarding their definitions of water quality and the importance of various water quality features to determine if lake-users’ definitions align with complex and multi-faceted governmental and scientific definitions. Survey sites included two recreational reservoirs (e.g., boating and fishing), Holmes Lake (urban watershed) and Branched Oak Lake (agricultural watershed). The biological and chemical parameters are similar between the lakes and both lakes were listed as “impaired” on the Section 303(d) (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA) list of impaired waters of the US at the time of the surveys. The results of our survey suggest that the overwhelming majority of lake-users’ self-generated definitions of water quality did not include more than one feature of water quality found in the relevant policy and regulatory definitions and they focused primarily on water clarity. Further, when provided a list of specific water quality features, the participants rated all provided features of water quality as highly important. This suggests that the failure to include those features in a self-generated definition is not the consequence of perceiving that feature as low importance.

Water Quality Violations

Pained ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 15-18
Author(s):  
Michael D. Stein ◽  
Sandro Galea
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of California ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
The University

This chapter focuses on water quality violations in America. Most Americans have access to safe drinking water. However, there are pockets of American communities that are afflicted with high levels of contaminated water. In 2015, almost 10% of Americans were drinking contaminated water that violated water quality standards. The chapter then evaluates research at the University of California, Irvine, which examined water quality violations across the United States from 1982 to 2015. Researchers analyzed geographic and temporal patterns, with the goal of helping state enforcement agencies focus their attention on areas at high risk of contamination. The researchers cite decreasing population size and incomes as common obstacles faced by rural populations trying to follow water purification standards. Indeed, rural towns often rely on outside funding and low-interest government loans to support infrastructure to correct water quality violations. However, as of June 2017, over $600 million in grant funding was cut from Environmental Protection Agency drinking water programs. Such cuts, coupled with attempted environmental deregulation, threaten the public’s health.

scholarly journals Sand Dams as a Potential Solution to Rural Water Security in Drylands: Existing Research and Future Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Ritchie ◽  
Jessica A. Eisma ◽  
Alison Parker
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Harvesting Technique

Sand dams, a rainwater harvesting technique, are small dams constructed across ephemeral streams. During the rainy season, water is stored in the sand that accumulates behind the dam. Sand dams provide communities in drylands with water during the dry season via scoop holes, pools, and shallow wells. Whilst many studies portray sand dams as a positive solution to the growing threat of dryland water insecurity, others highlight their challenges, including poor water quality, evaporation and leakage from some dams, and the contested failure rate and ability of dams to provide water year-round. This article reviews the peer-reviewed and gray literature on sand dams discovered through Scopus and Google Scholar searches, reference lists, and personal contacts. Findings from the collected literature were reviewed and categorized into sand dam hydrology, health and well-being impacts, economic cost and benefits, and water quality topics. In most numerical simulations, sand dams supply water to the local community throughout much of the dry season and exhibit a long-term positive impact on groundwater. Accounts of water storage and loss based on field measurements, conversely, often show that most water is lost due to evapotranspiration and seepage from the sand reservoir rather than community use. Furthermore, the positive impact on local groundwater storage, while variable, is likely seasonal. Sand dams are relatively affordable to build; construction estimates range from 6,000 to 8,500 EUR. However, existing literature suggests that sand dams are likely not a cost-efficient means of supplying water. Nevertheless, successful sand dams can significantly increase water availability and use, whilst reducing traveling time for water collection, subsequently providing a host of secondary benefits from improved hygiene, economic opportunity, and education. Positive impacts, however, are not equally shared and depend on variables, such as abstraction method, catchment, and household location. Furthermore, their water quality is variable, with high microbiological levels detected especially in scoop holes. Whilst sand dams can increase water security and resilience, they may not be an inclusive solution for all. More research is needed to assess the long-term sustainability of sand dams while accounting for the uncertainty of a changing climate.

Long-Term (15 Years) Results of NPS Controls in an Agricultural Watershed upon a Receiving Lake's Water Quality

1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (3-5) ◽  
pp. 441-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Garrison ◽  
Timothy R. Asplund
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Water Clarity ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Agricultural Watershed ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Phosphorus Loading ◽  
Phosphorus Concentration ◽  
White Clay

Nonpoint source controls were installed in a 1215 ha agricultural watershed in northeastern Wisconsin in the late 1970. Changes were made in handling of animal wastes and cropping practices to reduce runoff of sediment and nutrients. Modelling results predicted a reduction in phosphorus runoff of 30 percent. The water quality of White Clay Lake has worsened since the installation of NPS controls. The lake's phosphorus concentration has increased from a mean of 29 µg L−1 in the late 1970s to 44 µg L−1 in recent years. Water clarity has declined from 2.7 to 2.1 m and the mean summer chlorophyll levels have increased from 9 to 13 µg L−1 with peak values exceeding 40 µg L−1. Increased phosphorus loading is not the result of elevated precipitation but instead the failure of the control measures to sufficiently reduce P loading. Most of the effort was placed on structural changes while most of the P loading comes from cropland runoff. Further, soil phosphorus concentrations have increased because of artificial fertilizers and manure spreading. The White Clay Lake experience is discouraging since the majority of the polluters in this watershed utilized some NPS control practices, including 76 percent of the farms which installed waste management control facilities.

scholarly journals Mobilizing foreign language students for multilingual crisis translation in Shanghai

Multilingua ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyan Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Local Community ◽  
University Student ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Close Collaboration ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Student Volunteers ◽  
The University

AbstractThis paper examines the multilingual translation efforts of a group of university student volunteers during the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of the volunteer team leader, team members, and a local community health worker. Findings identified time constraints, limited language proficiency, and limited technical knowledge as the major challenges confronting the university volunteers. In order to overcome the challenges, they worked in close collaboration and used translingual and network strategies to facilitate prompt and high-quality crisis translation. Findings suggest that foreign language university students in local universities may serve as readily available multilingual resources and can be mobilized in prompt response to the grassroots multilingual needs of the local community in times of crisis. The paper ends with implications for measures and strategies to enhance effective emergency language service and crisis communication for global multilingual cities.

scholarly journals Historical Assessments of Inorganic Pollutants in the Sinkhole Region of Winkler County, Texas, USA

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7513
Author(s):  
Joshua Lozano ◽  
Joonghyeok Heo ◽  
Mijin Seo
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Water Contamination ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Inorganic Pollutants ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
The Public ◽  
West Texas ◽  
Contamination Levels

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the public water contamination levels of Winkler County, in West Texas. With water scarcity becoming more prevalent in arid climates like West Texas, it is important to ensure the water quality in these areas. The Dockum and Pecos Valley aquifers were analyzed for inorganic pollutants that could inhibit the water. The parameters such as copper, lead, arsenic, nitrate, chloride, and chromium level reports were provided from 1972 to 2018 to analyze and compare to other studies such as the ones conducted in the Midland/Odessa area. The results were compared to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety standards, and conclusions were made for the safety consumption of water within the county. We found that inorganic pollutants resulted mainly from the mobilization of the contaminant from anthropogenic activities such as chemical fertilizers, oil and gas developments. This research provides important information for inorganic pollutants in the sinkhole region of Winkler County and contributes to understanding the response to the aquifers. The significance of water quality in West Texas is now more important than ever to ensure that everyone has clean drinking water.

scholarly journals Water Quality Estimation and Population’s Attitudes: A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective of Environmental Implications in Tara National Park (Serbia)

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
Jovana Brankov ◽  
Ana Milanović Pešić ◽  
Dragana Milijašević Joksimović ◽  
Milan M. Radovanović ◽  
Marko D. Petrović
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Pollution Index ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Water Pollution Index

The paper analyzes the water quality of hydrological resources in the wider area of Tara National Park (NP Tara) in Serbia and the opinions of the local community and the national park visitors about the grade of the possible damage. The pollution level of the Drina River at the Bajina Bašta hydrological station was analyzed using the Water Pollution Index. The results showed that water quality corresponded to classes II (clean water) or III (moderately polluted water) and revealed the presence of organic pollution. In addition, using a survey combined with field research, the perceptions of local inhabitants and national park visitors related to environmental pollution were analyzed. The community believed that tourism does not cause significant damage to the environment. However, the older and more educated groups of residents and visitors had a more critical perception of the environmental impact of tourism. The results also indicated that the perceptions of visitors were mostly in agreement with measured water quality in the Drina River. The findings of this study have important implications for the management of protected areas and future policies related to national parks.

scholarly journals Picking Up Where the TMDL Leaves Off: Using the Partnership Wild and Scenic River Framework for Collaborative River Restoration

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1878
Author(s):  
Alan R. Hunt ◽  
Meiyin Wu ◽  
Tsung-Ta David Hsu ◽  
Nancy Roberts-Lawler ◽  
Jessica Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Bacterial Contamination ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Private Land ◽  
The Public ◽  
Wild And Scenic Rivers

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects less than ¼ of a percent of the United States’ river miles, focusing on free-flowing rivers of good water quality with outstandingly remarkable values for recreation, scenery, and other unique river attributes. It predates the enactment of the Clean Water Act, yet includes a clear anti-degradation principle, that pollution should be reduced and eliminated on designated rivers, in cooperation with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state pollution control agencies. However, the federal Clean Water Act lacks a clear management framework for implementing restoration activities to reduce non-point source pollution, of which bacterial contamination impacts nearly 40% of the Wild and Scenic Rivers. A case study of the Musconetcong River, in rural mountainous New Jersey, indicates that the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act can be utilized to mobilize and align non-governmental, governmental, philanthropic, and private land-owner resources for restoring river water quality. For example, coordinated restoration efforts on one tributary reduced bacterial contamination by 95%, surpassing the TMDL goal of a 93% reduction. Stakeholder interviews and focus groups indicated widespread knowledge and motivation to improve water quality, but resource constraints limited the scale and scope of restoration efforts. The authors postulate that the Partnership framework, enabled in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, facilitated neo-endogenous rural development through improving water quality for recreational usage, whereby bottom-up restoration activities were catalyzed via federal designation and resource provision. However, further efforts to address water quality via voluntary participatory frameworks were ultimately limited by the public sector’s inadequate funding and inaction with regard to water and wildlife resources in the public trust.

scholarly journals Effects of Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn containing an α-amylase trait on finishing cattle performance and carcass characteristics1

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 504-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
M L Jolly-Breithaupt ◽  
M E Harris ◽  
B L Nuttelman ◽  
D B Burken ◽  
J C MacDonald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Feedlot Performance ◽  
Finishing Cattle ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
University Of Nebraska Lincoln ◽  
The University ◽  
Extension Center ◽  
Enzyme Supplement ◽  
Corn Hybrid

Abstract Two experiments evaluated the effects of feeding a new corn hybrid, containing an α-amylase enzyme trait, Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn (SYT-EFC), on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics at two locations. Experiment 1 utilized 300 calffed steers (298.5 ± 16.3 kg of BW) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center Mead, NE. Treatments were designed as a 2 × 2 + 1–factorial arrangement with factors consisting of 1) corn type (SYT-EFC or conventional [CON]) and 2) byproduct type (with or without Sweet Bran [SB]), or a BLEND of STY-EFC and CON without SB. In Exp. 2, 240 crossbred, calf-fed steers (287.6 ± 15.4 kg of BW) were utilized at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center near Scottsbluff, NE. Steers were fed SYT-EFC, CON, BLEND, or CON with a commercial α-amylase enzyme supplement (CON-E). In Exp. 1, there was an interaction for ADG (P = 0.05) and G:F (P = 0.02). Steers fed SYT-EFC with SB had greater ADG and G:F than CON; however, in diets without SB, SYT-EFC and CON were not different resulting in a 10.1% change in G:F when steers were fed SYT-EFC in SB compared with CON and only 1.6% change between SYT-EFC and CON without SB. Energy values, based on performance data, resulted in a 6.5% and 8.3% change in NEm and NEg, respectively, for steers fed SYT-EFC and CON with SB and 1.6% change for both NEm and NEg for steers fed SYT-EFC and CON without SB. For the main effect of corn trait, steers fed SYT-EFC had greater marbling scores, fat depth, and calculated yield grade compared with CON (P ≤ 0.03). In diets without SB, there was no difference between SYT-EFC, CON, or BLEND for DMI, final BW, ADG, G:F, NEm, or NEg (P ≥ 0.35). In Exp. 2, cattle fed SYT-EFC, BLEND, or CON-E had greater final BW, ADG, and G:F than cattle fed CON (P ≤ 0.03). On average, NEm and NEg were 4.9% and 7.0% greater, respectively, for steers fed amylase enzyme treatments compared with CON (P ≤ 0.01). Hot carcass weights were greater in steers fed α-amylase treatments compared with CON (P &lt; 0.01). Feeding Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn, which contains an α-amylase enzyme trait, at both locations improved feed efficiency in finishing cattle diets containing WDGS or SB.

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