Browsing by Subject "Water supply"
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Item Access to water and sanitation in Atlantic Nicaragua(2011-05) Gordon, Edmund Wyatt; Hooker, Juliet; Dorn, EdwinAfro-descendant communities in Central America have recently made important legal strides by enshrining their right to equal treatment under the law and in some cases their ability to claim a distinct group status in national constitutions. The United Nations recently issued a draft resolution declaring that access to water and sanitation is a universal right, furthering the tools available to marginalized afro-descendant peoples in their battles against poverty and underdevelopment. Unfortunately, implementation of these measures has been slow in some areas and non-existent in others. Though there have been some advances, the situation for Afro-descendant communities remains largely unchanged and the availability of the basic requirements of life for Afro-descendant populations remains among the lowest in the region. Increased attention to the political, social, and especially the material situation of Afro-descendant communities is needed in political circles, as well as in the academic community. There is a lack of scholarly work on the material well-being of Afro-descendent populations in Central America. An important initial contribution in this area would be the compilation, and accumulation of statistical information as a primary step in developing the literature. The focus of this study then is on the Atlantic Coast Afro-descendant populations in Nicaragua. This document will outline the current material circumstances of Nicaraguan Afro-descendant communities using data gathered from a variety of sources, identify the causes of inadequate access to water and sanitation, and suggest strategies to improve the situation of these communities. It is my sincere hope that, at the very least, increased attention will be brought to the situation.Item Balance between humanity and ecology(2009) Spears, Steven Joseph, 1974-; Catterall, KateIncorporating aspects of public and environmental art practices into my professional endeavors as a landscape architect and urban designer has provided me with opportunities to work at a human scale, consider human needs, and focus on environmental issues that are closely interwoven with those needs. The public and environmental art process has presented greater opportunities to balance the sublime with the pragmatic and allows for a more overt communication between designer and audience, viewer or user. Functioning in this interstitial space allows me to communicate ideas clearly and to initiate a broader discussion on how society might find a balance between the stewardship of the natural environment in the face of the exponential growth of communities and the desire to own and develop land. My aim is to strike a balance between economic development and environmental imperatives through work bridging the practice of landscape architecture and public art. My objective is to use art and design work in the environment to persuade people to utilize all of their senses and to realize the undiscovered in their own journey, to stop and notice the world around them, and to act to protect the delicate balance between contemporary civilization and precious ecosystems. Using a method to register and then to make overt ephemeral elements in the environment, I aim to both demonstrate the ever-changing quality of nature and, more importantly, abuses of the natural environment in our society. Although my interest in the natural environment is multifaceted, water quantity and quality is a focus for my work. It is fast becoming a global issue with dire environmental and social ramifications. In the southwest United States and Australia, water is scarce. In the northwest United States and Finland, water quality remains an issue. In parts of Africa and Asia, water is being privatized and villages are left without a source of life and livelihood that has been a constant for generations. The more poetic aspect of my work focuses on natural time and revealing the abstract beauty of the environment. Shadows, sun, water and wind are all environmental systems that we can learn from and are revealed to us through natural time. It is through natural time that we may learn, respect and come into balance with the environment. In order for my work to succeed on all levels and reach the broadest possible audience, it needs to exist in the public realm. In order for it to communicate effectively it needs to be both, persuasive and poetic; while revealing possibilities for harmony between humanity and ecology. This can be achieved by communicating natures’ equilibrium surrounding environmental issues in the face of human civilization and time.Item Drought and upstream growth sow grain of uncertainty in the lower Colorado River basin(2014-08) Barnett, Marissa McGavran; Todd, RussellCheap water, massive federal subsidies and political clout have sustained rice farming in the lower Colorado River basin for decades, but now the industry is in a precarious situation. Drought, population growth upstream and economic boom in Austin are pushing out the practice because of increasing demand for Texas’ scarce water resources. The tightening supply of water raised questions about the sustainability of producing such a water intensive crop in the state. Drought has cut off the cheap water to farmers for three years, and a mobilized coalition of upper river basin interests is calling for a permanent end to subsidized water. It’s increasingly clear that the politics of water in a drought-prone future is likely to side with cities, where voters are heavily concentrated. Rice farmers have scrambled to adapt. Larger rice farms have switched to groundwater. Some farmers have swapped rice for corn, milo or soybeans to keep their income. Crop insurance, which made up for at least 55 percent of the money lost in drought, softened the blow for rice farmers. But revenues in rice-related industries in Wharton, Matagorda and Colorado counties have dropped sharply and some businesses have already packed it in. These new realities cast uncertainties throughout the lower river basin, where locals fear this way of life is disappearing.Item Effect of the chemical composition of compaction water on the performance of soil subgrades and embankments(Texas Tech University, 2004-12) Ayenu-Prah, Albert YawsonThe Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants to employ the use of other water sources (alternative water) besides potable drinking water for those construction projects that use large amounts of water. This is due to increasing cost of drinking water treatment and, therefore, a consequent scarcity of potable water for construction purposes. The sometimes prohibitive cost of hauling water from remote areas to certain construction sites, and more importantly, issues related to performance are also part of the reason for this research effort. The research deals mainly with the investigation of the potential effects of the chemical composition of compaction water on the performance of soil subgrades and embankments, with an emphasis on the effects of sodium. Shaikh et al. (1988) indicate that the primary factor that influences the erodibility of unsaturated compacted clays is the soil pore-water chemistry. A comprehensive laboratory test program was carried out to ascertain the possible effects that the chemical composition of compaction water could have on engineered soils. Test results from the project would help in developing predictive models to serve as a framework for a preliminary feasibility evaluation, and selection of a particular alternative water source for use among candidate sources. Similarly, appropriate blending ratios could be determined for those water sources to meet design specifications. Varied results have been obtained that would lead to various conclusions. It was observed that even the worst sources of alternative water would have no significant effect on engineered soils.Item Effects of drought on climates in Texas(2016-05) Born, Katie Lynn; Maidment, David R.; McKinney, Daenne C.Drought is a growing global concern with severe ramifications for humanity. Texas is one of many places that faces recurring severe droughts, threatening the livelihood of its people. Within the bounds of Texas there are many different climates, and drought can effect these climates differently. The south east edge of the state tend to have a more humid temperate climate, whereas to the north west it becomes hot and arid. Within one state, the climate goes from subtropical to desert. This opens up the state to a lot of variability as to water supply. This Master's Report investigates the effects that drought has on the varied climates within Texas. Five areas in Texas were chosen to represent the most distinctive climatic shifts. Several hydrologic variables area accessed between regions and drought severity. The hydrologic variables examined are the 2-m above ground temperature, evapotranspiration, latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, net longwave radiation flux, net shortwave radiation flux, total hourly precipitation, and surface runoff. The scope of the analysis is limited to period of January 2000 to January 2013. Two one month periods were selected to highlight changes under dry conditions compared to normal to wet conditions; July 2007 and July 2011, respectively. In all of the areas examined, the earth was shown to be parched and dry after periods of less than average precipitation and more willing to take in water than leave it to be surface runoff. An initial investigation into the climates of the five areas showed that the temperatures in the more southeastern regions were more dramatically affected by the occurrence of drought. When drought came along to these southeastern regions, it transformed the climate into something more similar to that typically found in the northwestern regions. The more humid areas to the south east were consistently more dramatically affected by the drought than the arid regions to the north west. The more arid climates started out more similar to that of a drought ridden zone, leaving less room to change. However, all of the areas are significantly impacted by drought through a declining water supply.Item Equitable cost allocation for rainwater harvesting system : framework analysis : case of Austin,TX(2011-05) Kim, Hyun Woo; Butler, Kent S.; Paterson, Robert G.The limitation of urban water supplies is becoming worse each year. Several studies estimate that 2 billion of the world’s population will suffer from water scarcity by 2050; and urbanization rates is placing an even greater challenge in providing the infrastructure needed to serve growing populations. At this point, rainwater may be considered as the most critical, untapped water resource in a global aspect. Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHS) have tremendous potential, not only to provide sufficient water supply, but also to serve as a valuable stormwater management tool. Despite these benefits, RWHS is still not popular among ordinary people in urban situations, due mostly to high installation costs. This study aims to explore the equitable cost reallocation of residential rainwater harvesting systems between the urban utility, land developer and homebuilder, and individual homeowner sectors. It may be possible to redistribute the cost equitably among the parties based on potential benefits received,thereby making RWHS more affordable and more viable as a new water supply for urban areas.Item Freshwater on the island of Maui : system interactions, supply, and demand(2011-05) Grubert, Emily; Webber, Michael E., 1971-; Passalacqua, Paola; King, CareyThis work is part of a broader, multi-year investigation of Maui Island’s freshwater resources. Maui Island faces multiple resource constraints, including water, land, energy, and capital, and these resource constraints could become relevant over the next forty years. Not only does Maui face potential changes to its water and other systems due to external factors beyond its control, like anthropogenic and other climate changes, but Maui also could make developmental choices that will impact how its resource systems interact. In particular, this work looks at Maui’s freshwater systems as they relate to energy, waste, and environmental systems. This report provides a foundation for future scenario analysis on the island that will aim to characterize potential synergies and hazards of choices like increased food production, local fuel production, and increased use of renewable energies.Item Recovery of contaminated urban land through municipal setting designations in Texas(2011-05) Webb, Jenilee; Butler, Kent S.; Paterson, RobertBound by environmental regulations, many potential developers shy away from brownfield projects because of the high cleanup costs associated with remediating contaminated groundwater. These circumstances create tension between economic and environmental interests, and sometimes between equity interests as well. In Texas, one piece of legislation called the Municipal Setting Designation (2003) aims to reduce liability associated with the redevelopment of contaminated properties. It uses an institutional control to eliminate the ingestion exposure pathway for contaminated groundwater when property owners develop a response action to the contamination. By eliminating risk associated with human consumption, the MSD is designed to reduce costs and accelerate the process for environmental remediation. Some parties praise Texas for taking such steps to quicken the redevelopment of contaminated properties, while others have reservations. This report will explore Texas’ MSD program using case study analysis and GIS analysis. It will examine risks associated with proximity to other water resources, and the principle of “polluter pays.” What are the effects on the environment? What are the implications of extending MSD practices to cover large metropolitan areas over the long-term? Answers to these questions may identify successes and shortfalls that have emerged over the last eight years as municipalities and professionals have put this law into practice. As we continue to learn from experience, these insights may aid in refining Texas’ environmental stewardship policies for future generations.Item Regional water planning and the National Estuary Program(2006) Slovak, Sarah; Butler, Kent S.Water availability, supply, accessibility, and quality issues are becoming urgent issues around the globe. Planning and management of water resources is both complicated and different in every state for every type of water resource. Estuaries are among the most important ecosystems in the world, in terms of their ecological and economic value. The many problems facing estuaries across the nation led to an effort by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect these valuable resources and to characterize their conditions. The National Estuary Program (NEP) was established in 1987, under an amendment to the Clean Water Act to address estuarine issues and planning. Three NEP case studies, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, San Francisco Bay Estuary Program, and Tampa Bay Estuary Program provide insight into the functions, capacities and potential of the NEP. Estuary Programs can be located in a variety of institutional settings, and these case studies evaluate the institutional structure of the individual estuary program in the context of their state political environments. These programs provide interesting management and planning challenges, as estuaries do not conform to exact political jurisdictions, so NEP’s define their management areas according to watershed boundaries and their ecosystems in an effort to provide comprehensive estuarine planning and management. This professional report will evaluate these three case studies to determine the role of the NEP in regional water planning and estuarine management.Item The Texas Hill Country and the looming water crisis(2010-12) Brah, Bryan Lewis; Dahlby, Tracy; Minutaglio, Bill; Brands, Henry W.This report examines the cultural and economic growth of the Texas Hill Country resulting from the construction of the Highland Lake chain. It compares the current political and social climate of the region with the historical past, and offers solutions to avert an inevitable collision between a rising population and the constraints of limited water resources.