scholarly journals Integrated water resources management and modeling at multiple spatial scales in Jordan

Water Policy ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 615-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Rosenberg
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Water Utility ◽  
Stochastic Optimization With Recourse ◽  
Utility Managers ◽  
Complementary Actions ◽  
Improve Access

Water shortages from intermittent public supplies are a major and expanding problem in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Yet individual users, utility managers, and government officials can improve access or cope with shortages in many ways. New supplies, more efficient use of existing resources, long-term investments to expand infrastructure and reduce leakage, and short-term measures to flexibly transfer, ration, or curtail some uses represent several different approaches for management. This paper reviews three separate systems analysis that use stochastic optimization with recourse. Analysis for individual residential users, the water utility serving 2.2 million residents in the capital Amman, and the entire kingdom comprising Amman and 11 other governorates identify complementary actions to be undertaken by individual users, utility managers, and government officials.

scholarly journals Solving Management Problems in Water Distribution Networks: A Survey of Approaches and Mathematical Models

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladipupo Bello ◽  
Adnan Abu-Mahfouz ◽  
Yskandar Hamam ◽  
Philip Page ◽  
Kazeem Adedeji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Water Distribution Networks ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Water Utility ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Management Problems ◽  
Utility Managers

Modern water distribution networks (WDNs) are complex and difficult to manage due to increased level of urbanization, varying consumer demands, ageing infrastructure, operational costs, and inadequate water resources. The management problems in such complex networks may be classified into short-term, medium-term, and long-term, depending on the duration at which the problems are solved or considered. To address the management problems associated with WDNs, mathematical models facilitate analysis and improvement of the performance of water infrastructure at minimum operational cost, and have been used by researchers, water utility managers, and operators. This paper presents a detailed review of the management problems and essential mathematical models that are used to address these problems at various phases of WDNs. In addition, it also discusses the main approaches to address these management problems to meet customer demands at the required pressure in terms of adequate water quantity and quality. Key challenges that are associated with the management of WDNs are discussed. Also, new directions for future research studies are suggested to enable water utility managers and researchers to improve the performance of water distribution networks.

scholarly journals Ideas and perspectives: Biogeochemistry – Its Future Role in Interdisciplinary Frontiers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Bianchi ◽  
Madhur Anand ◽  
Chris T. Bauch ◽  
Donald E. Canfield ◽  
Luc De Meester ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Integration Of Disciplines ◽  
Term Monitoring

Abstract. Biogeochemistry has an important role to play in many environmental issues of current concern related to global change and air, water, and soil quality. However, reliable predictions and tangible take-up of solutions offered by biogeochemistry will need further integration of disciplines. Here, we emphasize how further developing ties between biology, geology, and chemistry and social sciences will advance biogeochemistry through: 1) better integration of mechanisms including contemporary evolutionary adaptation to predict changing biogeochemical cycles; 2) better integration of data from long-term monitoring sites in terrestrial, aquatic, and human systems across temporal and spatial scales, including the continental and global scale, for use in modeling efforts; and 3) implementing insights from social sciences to better understand how sustainable and equitable responses by society are achieved. The challenges of 21st century biogeochemists are formidable, and will require both the capacity to respond fast to pressing issues and intense collaboration with government officials, the public, and internationally-funded programs. Keys to its success will be the degree to which biogeochemistry succeeds in making biogeochemical knowledge more available to policy makers and educators, in predicting future changes in the biosphere in response to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on time scales from seasons to centuries, and in facilitating sustainable and equitable responses by society.

scholarly journals Responses of Vertebrate Wildlife to Oil and Natural Gas Development: Patterns and Frontiers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Chalfoun
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Natural Gas Development ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Oil And Natural Gas

Abstract Purpose of Review Anthropogenic activities can lead to the loss, fragmentation, and alteration of wildlife habitats. I reviewed the recent literature (2014–2019) focused on the responses of avian, mammalian, and herpetofaunal species to oil and natural gas development, a widespread and still-expanding land use worldwide. My primary goals were to identify any generalities in species’ responses to development and summarize remaining gaps in knowledge. To do so, I evaluated the directionality of a wide variety of responses in relation to taxon, location, development type, development metric, habitat type, and spatiotemporal aspects. Recent Findings Studies (n = 70) were restricted to the USA and Canada, and taxonomically biased towards birds and mammals. Longer studies, but not those incorporating multiple spatial scales, were more likely to detect significant responses. Negative responses of all types were present in relatively low frequencies across all taxa, locations, development types, and development metrics but were context-dependent. The directionality of responses by the same species often varied across studies or development metrics. Summary The state of knowledge about wildlife responses to oil and natural gas development has developed considerably, though many biases and gaps remain. Studies outside of North America and that focus on herpetofauna are lacking. Tests of mechanistic hypotheses for effects, long-term studies, assessment of response thresholds, and experimental designs that isolate the effects of different stimuli associated with development, remain critical. Moreover, tests of the efficacy of habitat mitigation efforts have been rare. Finally, investigations of the demographic effects of development across the full annual cycle were absent for non-game species and are critical for the estimation of population-level effects.

scholarly journals Treated Wastewater Irrigation—A Review

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1527
Author(s):  
Mahmoud S. Hashem ◽  
Xue-Bin Qi
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Wastewater Reuse ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Water Resource Utilization ◽  
Extension Program ◽  
Agricultural Demand

As the most important resource for life, water has been a central issue on the international agenda for several decades. Yet, the world’s supply of clean freshwater is steadily decreasing due to extensive agricultural demand for irrigated lands. Therefore, water resources should be used with greater efficiency, and the use of non-traditional water resources, such as Treated Wastewater (TW), should be increased. Reusing TW could be an alternative option to increase water resources. Thus, many countries have decided to turn wastewater into an irrigation resource to help meet urban demand and address water shortages. However, because of the nature of that water, there are potential problems associated with its use in irrigation. Some of the major concerns are health hazards, salinity build-up, and toxicity hazards. The objectives of this comprehensive literature review are to illuminate the importance of using TW in irrigation as an alternative freshwater source and to assess the effects of its use on soil fertility and other soil properties, plants, and public health. The literature review reveals that TW reuse has become part of the extension program for boosting water resource utilization. However, the uncontrolled application of such waters has many unfavorable effects on both soils and plants, especially in the long-term. To reduce these unfavorable effects when using TW in irrigation, proper guidelines for wastewater reuse and management should be followed to limit negative effects significantly.

Protected Areas: offering security to whom, when and where?

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALICE B. KELLY ◽  
A. CLARE GUPTA
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Context ◽  
Term Management ◽  
Over Time

SUMMARYThis study considers the issue of security in the context of protected areas in Cameroon and Botswana. Though the literature on issues of security and well-being in relation to protected areas is extensive, there has been less discussion of how and in what ways these impacts and relationships can change over time, vary with space and differ across spatial scales. Looking at two very different historical trajectories, this study considers the heterogeneity of the security landscapes created by Waza and Chobe protected areas over time and space. This study finds that conservation measures that various subsets of the local population once considered to be ‘bad’ (e.g. violent, exclusionary protected area creation) may be construed as ‘good’ at different historical moments and geographical areas. Similarly, complacency or resignation to the presence of a park can be reversed by changing environmental conditions. Changes in the ways security (material and otherwise) has fluctuated within these two protected areas has implications for the long-term management and funding strategies of newly created and already existing protected areas today. This study suggests that parks must be adaptively managed not only for changing ecological conditions, but also for shifts in a protected area's social, political and economic context.

When Vacant Lots Become Urban Gardens: Characterizing the Perceived and Actual Food Safety Concerns of Urban Agriculture in Ohio

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (11) ◽  
pp. 2070-2080 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHELLE L. KAISER ◽  
MICHELE L. WILLIAMS ◽  
NICHOLAS BASTA ◽  
MICHELLE HAND ◽  
SARAH HUBER
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Soils ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Urban Gardens ◽  
Soil Contaminants ◽  
Improve Access

This study was intended to characterize the perceived risks of urban agriculture by residents of four low-income neighborhoods in which the potential exists for further urban agriculture development and to provide data to support whether any chemical hazards and foodborne pathogens as potential food safety hazards were present. Sixty-seven residents participated in focus groups related to environmental health, food security, and urban gardening. In addition, soils from six locations were tested. Residents expressed interest in the development of urban gardens to improve access to healthy, fresh produce, but they had concerns about soil quality. Soils were contaminated with lead (Pb), zinc, cadmium (Cd), and copper, but not arsenic or chromium. Results from our study suggest paint was the main source of soil contamination. Detectable polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in urban soils were well below levels of concern. These urban soils will require further management to reduce Pb and possibly Cd bioavailability to decrease the potential for uptake into food crops. Although the number of locations in this study is limited, results suggest lower levels of soil contaminants at well-established gardens. Soil tillage associated with long-term gardening could have diluted the soil metal contaminants by mixing the contaminants with clean soil. Also, lower PAH levels in long-term gardening could be due to enhanced microbial activity and PAH degradation, dilution, or both due to mixing, similar to metals. No foodborne pathogen targets were detected by PCR from any of the soils. Residents expressed the need for clearness regarding soil quality and gardening practices in their neighborhoods to consume food grown in these urban areas. Results from this study suggest long-term gardening has the potential to reduce soil contaminants and their potential threat to food quality and human health and to improve access to fresh produce in low-income urban communities.

Marketing urban water services: information needs for water utility managers in developing countries

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
J. Mugabi ◽  
C. Njiru
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Water Utility ◽  
Customer Information ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
Utility Managers

A decade ago the ‘Dublin Principles’ shifted global thinking towards treating water as an economic good. The concern was that overly supply-driven approaches had been financially unsustainable, and therefore failed to reduce the service gap. Accompanying this conceptual shift has been a wider move towards focusing on the customer's needs and preferences and their willingness to pay, and applying marketing techniques to meet those needs in a financially sustainable manner. Although regarded as a positive move, its success is heavily dependent on how well water utilities understand their customers. This paper examines existing literature on the determinants of customer willingness to use and pay for improved water services in developing countries. The contribution of past research to our understanding of the behaviour of customers, with regard to service level choice and payment for services, is critically analysed. Basing on this analysis, we develop and discuss a generic model of a water consumer's decision-making process. The model serves two purposes. First, it consolidates past research into a coherent framework to facilitate implementation of the marketing approach. Secondly, we use the model to identify critical customer information that water utility managers need to know in order to be customer-focused.

scholarly journals Developing and Demonstrating Climate Indicators for Monitoring the Changing Water Cycle

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Feng ◽  
Paul Houser
Keyword(s):  
Water Cycle ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Atmospheric Moisture ◽  
Spatial Correlations ◽  
Climate Indicators ◽  
Terrestrial Water ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Atmospheric Moisture Content ◽  
Daily Total

In this study, we developed a suite of spatially and temporally scalable Water Cycle Indicators (WCI) to examine the long-term changes in water cycle variability and demonstrated their use over the contiguous US (CONUS) during 1979–2013 using the MERRA reanalysis product. The WCI indicators consist of six water balance variables monitoring the mean conditions and extreme aspects of the changing water cycle. The variables include precipitation (P), evaporation (E), runoff (R), terrestrial water storage (dS/dt), moisture convergence flux (C), and atmospheric moisture content (dW/dt). Means are determined as the daily total value, while extremes include wet and dry extremes, defined as the upper and lower 10th percentile of daily distribution. Trends are assessed for annual and seasonal indicators at several different spatial scales. Our results indicate that significant changes have occurred in most of the indicators, and these changes are geographically and seasonally dependent. There are more upward trends than downward trends in all eighteen annual indicators averaged over the CONUS. The spatial correlations between the annual trends in means and extremes are statistically significant across the country and are stronger forP,E,R, andCcompared todS/dtanddW/dt.

scholarly journals Variability of Cloudiness over Mountain Terrain in the Western United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1227-1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin Sumargo ◽  
Daniel R. Cayan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Empirical Orthogonal Functions ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Cloud Albedo

Abstract This study investigates the spatial and temporal variability of cloudiness across mountain zones in the western United States. Daily average cloud albedo is derived from a 19-yr series (1996–2014) of half-hourly Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) images. During springtime when incident radiation is active in driving snowmelt–runoff processes, the magnitude of daily cloud variations can exceed 50% of long-term averages. Even when aggregated over 3-month periods, cloud albedo varies by ±10% of long-term averages in many locations. Rotated empirical orthogonal functions (REOFs) of daily cloud albedo anomalies over high-elevation regions of the western conterminous United States identify distinct regional patterns, wherein the first five REOFs account for ~67% of the total variance. REOF1 is centered over Northern California and Oregon and is pronounced between November and March. REOF2 is centered over the interior northwest and is accentuated between March and July. Each of the REOF/rotated principal components (RPC) modes associates with anomalous large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and one or more large-scale teleconnection indices (Arctic Oscillation, Niño-3.4, and Pacific–North American), which helps to explain why anomalous cloudiness patterns take on regional spatial scales and contain substantial variability over seasonal time scales.

National Foresight in Korea: History of Futures Studies and Foresight in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-244
Author(s):  
Kyungmoo Heo ◽  
Yongseok Seo
Keyword(s):  
National Development ◽  
Futures Studies ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Public Interests ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
National Assembly ◽  
The Public ◽  
History Of

Public interests in coming futures of Korea continue to be increasing. Fears on uncertainties and pending challenges as well as demands on a new but Korea-own development model trigger a quantitative increase of futures research and relevant organizations in both public and private. The objective of this paper is to review history of futures studies and national development plan and strategy linked with foresight along with its challenges and recommendations. This paper identifies drawbacks and limits of Korea foresight such as misapplication of foresight as a strategic planning tool for modernization and economic development and its heavy reliance on government-led mid- and long-term planning. As a recommendation, an implementation of participatory and community-based foresight is introduced as a foundation for futures studies in Korea. A newly established research institute, the National Assembly Futures Institute, has to be an institutional passage to deliver opinions of the public, a capacity-building platform to increase the citizen’s futures literacy, and a cooperative venue for facilitating a participation and dialogue between politicians, government officials, and researchers.

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