Georgia Water Resources Conference

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Georgia Water Resources Conference

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https://hdl.handle.net/1853/70886

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Georgia Water Resources Institute

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 1767

Physical and Biogeochemical Patterns in a Saltmarsh/River System (Duplin River, GA)

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Schutte, Charles ; Meile, Christof ; Di Iorio, Daniela ; McKay, Paul ; Hunter, Kimberley ; Blanton, Jackson O. ; Joye, S. B.

Salt marshes are among the most productive habitats on Earth, and constitute a critical interface between the land and the sea. These intertidal ecosystems are home to a unique assemblage of fauna and flora, and play in important role in the transformation of biogeochemically active elements and the export of nutrients to the coastal ocean (Levin et al. 2001, Ecosystems 4(5): 430-451). It is therefore essential to quantify the transport processes and biogeochemical reactions that alter the composition of both surface and subsurface fluids within marsh-coastal river ecotones. Here, we present a synthesis of multidisciplinary data from a tidally driven saltmarsh/river system located in coastal Georgia, USA. We describe spatial and temporal patterns in river chemistry and identify the relative influence of water exchange processes (riverine and groundwater flow, precipitation, and tides) and transformation processes taking place in the saltmarsh/river system on these patterns. We argue that understanding the tidal dynamics and mixing processes within this river/marsh/upland system is critical to understanding surface water geochemical patterns, and that this understanding is facilitated by multidisciplinary research.
Home rule as a mechanism for explaining state preemption of local CAFO regulations

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Centner, Terence J. ; Colson, Greg ; Alcorn, Jessica

Recently, regulation of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) by local governments has been complicated by conflicting state Supreme Court. In Idaho Dairymen’s Association v. Gooding County, the Supreme Court of Idaho found that “regulation of water quality at CAFOs does not call for a uniform regulatory scheme” due to the diverse nature of Idaho’s counties. Despite the similarities, two years later in Adams v. Wis-consin, the Supreme Court held that a local government was not able to condition a livestock facility siting permit because the legislature “expressly withdrew the power of political subdivisions to enforce varied and inconsistent livestock facility siting standards.” This paper will analyze (1) the extent to which a state’s likelihood to preempt (in-dicated by strength of home rule) impacts a state’s live-stock industry and (2) how limitation of local livestock regulation could negatively impact water quality.
Biofilms Provide Critical Ecosystem Services in Urban Piedmont Streams via Retention of Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Rosemond, Amy D. ; Sterling, Jessica L.

There are many stressors associated with urban watersheds, specifically increased nutrient loading and altered hydrology, which affect the functions that streams provide. An important ecosystem service provided by all streams is in slowing the movement of materials downstream (retention) so that biological processing of materials can occur. We evaluated the role of stream biofilms in terms of their retention of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (C, N and P). These elements are tied up in particulate organic matter and associated microorganisms that grow or settle on rocks or sediments in streams. We quantified the mass of these materials and their nutrient content (C, N and P) bimonthly for two years from urban, suburban, mixed-use and forested watersheds in Athens- Clarke County (Upper Oconee River basin) Georgia. Based on the hypothesis that altered hydrology associated with % watershed impervious surface cover (% ISC) reduces retention of biofilms, we tested whether the mass of biofilms was related to the % ISC. To test whether biofilms were important in the uptake and retention of N and P, we tested whether biofilm nutrient content was related to nutrient concentrations in stream water. We found that the quantity of biofilms was reduced in streams with greater % ISC and found that higher streamwater nutrient concentrations were reflected in higher nutrient content of biofilms. On a stream-reach scale, increased % ISC was associated with lower overall capacity to retain nutrients in biofilms, as the overall mass of biofilms was reduced. Our results illustrate that important ecosystem services that streams provide, nutrient and carbon uptake and retention, are reduced in urban streams and are a function of the % ISC in the watershed. These services can potentially be enhanced by implementing management that reduces the negative effects of hydrology and excess nutrient loads associated with watershed urbanization.
Public Perceptions of Water Availability and Receptivity to Water Conservation in Georgia

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Sochacka, Nicola Wendy ; Calabria, Jon ; Borisova, Tatiana ; Boellstorff, Diane ; Evans, Jason

This study investigated public perceptions of water availability in Georgia to identify factors that influence receptivity to water conservation technologies and practices. A receptivity model comprising four components – Awareness, Association, Acquisition and Application – was used to compare and contrast data collected through two different studies conducted in 2002 and 2010. The results suggest that public concern for water availability in Georgia did not change markedly over the eight years separating the two studies, with approximately half of Georgia residents expressing concern for water quantity. Factors found to influence citizen perceptions of water quantity issues and receptivity to calls for water conservation include: the difficulty in ‘seeing’ water availability challenges under normal water conditions, drought, confidence in water authorities (institutional trust), and a perception that other consumers are also conserving water (inter-personal trust). These findings have important implications for the design and implementation of water conservation programs.
Rainwater harvesting: a decentralized water system complementing the centralized water system

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Williams, Steven

Water in Atlanta is plentiful. However, it is just not managed very well. We use approximately 600,000,000 gallons of water each day (gpd) in metro Atlanta according to the Metro North Georgia Water District (MNGWD) and 20% of this water goes towards nonpotable use. The metro area covers 4832 square miles. If 1 inch of rain was evenly distributed over the 14 counties and could be captured, it could supply Atlanta’s water for 140 days. This same concept can be applied, but not quite as efficiently. Rain harvesting (RH) allows the capture of 0.625 gallons of water per inch per 1 inch of rain off a roof, but in reality just over 0.5 gallons of water per inch is realistically captured. RH can lose approximately 15- 20% during catchment depending on the roof and weather condition; however once in the tank the water loss is negligible. Rainwater can be stored, delivered and treated very efficiently using very little energy. This plan will explain how the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DOWM) and other utilities can use rainwater to supply their non-potable water needs and keep more of the revenues generated from the sale of this water. Through the practice of RH large municipal rooftops can be used to collect water for irrigation trucks and other non-potable needs. The clients will be charged, as are fire hydrant users of water providing a revenue stream for the city. The water will be distributed through blue fire hydrants on the street for easy access by using the meters currently available. The tanks can be set up on public property preferably owned by the city or on private property for others who may need this water and do not want to spend the money to build the system. Tanks can also be installed through out the city for community gardens, farms and parks to off set potable water use. The success will come from the economics of a more efficient and less expensive water source.
Evaluating vulnerable locations in the city of Atlanta, GA drinking water distribution system for microbial intrusion and regrowth using an automated monitoring and sampling device

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Vereen, Ethell ; Levy, Karen ; Panwhar, Samina ; Kirby, Amy ; Streby, Ashleigh ; Moe, Christine

The integrity of the drinking water distribution system (DS) is considered the final, and one of the most important barriers for providing safe drinking water. The City of Atlanta (COA) drinking water DS is typical of many large cities in the U.S.; there are older sections, water loss via leaks, and maintenance challenges associated with aging infrastructure. Our previous studies in metro Atlanta indicated modestly increased risks of emergency department visit for gastrointestinal illness associated with longer water residence times (estimated by a hydraulic model) and with source water turbidity. We report on preliminary results of an ongoing study in which we determine the vulnerability to microbial risk for the COA’s drinking water DS using our previous work on longer water residence times, as well as available data on pipe breaks and pressure loss events to assess potential contaminant intrusion and microbial regrowth in the COA DS using an Automated Monitoring & Sampling (AMS) device. The AMS continuously monitors physical and chemical measurements of DS water quality, and collects routine large volume water samples (90L) for microbiological analyses. All samples are concentrated by ultrafiltration and tested for indicators of intrusion (E. coli and Clostridium perfringens), indicators of regrowth (Total coliforms, heterotrophic plate count bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas hydrophila), and coliphages (MS2 and somatic) as models of enteric viruses. Our preliminary results indicate sporadic positive detection of low concentrations of total coliforms, E. coli, C. perfringens, A. hydrophila, P. aeruginosa, and HPC, in routine large-volume samples.
Seeking a Better Set of Operation in the ACF Basin - What Do the Performance Measures Tell Us?

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Zeng, Wei ; Wen, Menghong ; Regan, Jeffrey

The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin has been under various versions of the Interim Operation Plan (IOP) since 2006. The latest revision (RIOP) was released in May 2012, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Biological Opinion (BiOp) supporting it. Through the history of the RIOP and various versions of the BiOp's, performance measures for the different bilogical aspects have become better defined and understood. This development makes it possible to tailor the operations and target the specific performance measures to enhance biological and other performances. Georgia EPD has cooperated with external technical experts to test alternative operations in the ACF Basin. Preliminary results seem to be promising.
Optimitation of the DeKalb County fats, oils, and grease management program

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) De Taboada, Dora D'Andrea

The formal Fats, Oil, and Grease (FOG) Management Program was optimized in order to increase the productivity by efficiently operating its current re-sources. Using the same number of inspectors and the same equipment, the number of establishments inspected per day and the total inspections per month were consider-ably increased. The Daily Planner was implemented as the tool to plan and to review the Inspectors’ daily activities. It helps the Inspectors meet their minimum daily inspection re-quirements. It also helps with the route optimization de-creasing travel time. The new zone distribution method will allow the Inspectors to rotate through all the zones as often as required. It warranties that all the FSEs in the County will be inspected at least once per quarter thus properly enforcing the DeKalb County Ordinance. Additional significant changes were implemented to improve the program productivity. A new database XC2 was integrated into the FOG Program. It helped im-prove proper data storage and management. The FOG Evaluation for new construction and remodeling was in-corporated to the County permitting software “Hansen”. The FOG Evaluation Check list was designed based on the Ordinance requirements. The incorporation to “Hansen” improved the customer service assistance since the cus-tomer submits all the requirements at once. The FOG Permit payment administration was changed in order to give more time to the Inspectors to perform FSE inspections. More changes will be applied to maximize the FOG Permit Renewal Payment.
SEFA - Computer Software System for Environmental Flow Analysis Based on the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Payne, Thomas R. ; Jowett, Ian G.

Several recent technological and generational changes have led to the need for improved approaches to riverine habitat modeling and more comprehensive environmental flow assessments. The Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) described an impact assessment framework but did not create the comprehensive software which would allow for a complete implementation of that framework. SEFA, System for Environmental Flow Analysis, is new software that implements the substance of the IFIM. SEFA has been created through a collaboration of the primary creative forces behind the principal versions of existing physical habitat simulation software. Bob Milhous (PHABSIM), Ian Jowett (RHYHABSIM), and Tom Payne (RHABSIM) have contributed their considerable experience acquired through development and use of these programs, and Juan Manuel Diez Hernández provided both his experience and Spanish language capability. In a single Windows 7-compatible 32-bit program currently available on the internet, SEFA either contains or branches to legal-institutional analysis, both one and two dimensional habitat hydraulics analysis, habitat suitability criteria development, water temperature modeling, sediment transport analysis, dissolved oxygen modeling, riparian modeling, and time series analysis. This new tool and a not-for-profit technical and educational support structure will ensure continuity into the future for the critical science of instream flow evaluation and environmental flow protection.
Lake Bottom Sediment Analysis with Soil and Water Assessment Tool Application

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-04) Panda, Sudhanshu Sekhar

Urban sprawl and poor land management in the watershed of the lake Sidney Lanier, a multipurpose reservoir have affected the water quality of the lake. A major impairment of the lake was sediment deposition. The main goal of this study was to develop the sediment profile of the Lake through actual field samples collection using Ponar Grabber from beneath the lake at various locations and laboratory analysis. Another objective of this study was to analyze the variation in soil texture at different locations and understand the reason for these differences. Aerial photographs from the 1950’s (before reservoir construction) and recent land-use maps were used to explain the lack of samples in some locations and the results for obtained samples. Subwatersheds were delineated for each sampling locations using ArcSWAT for further analysis of the sedimentation occurrence and the soil profile. ArcSWAT was used to generate past, present, and future sediment analysis from each of the subwatersheds to compare to the current field samples. The results from the study showed higher percentage of silt in the northern part of the lake and more sandy sediments near the dam. Significant amount of clay was found close to the dam and central part of the reservoir. It was also observed that sediment profile of sampling locations in the reservoir closely matched to the soil and land-use types present in the catchment area inferring that there was low soil movement in the reservoir after it was built. The ArcSWAT analysis showed that higher soil deposition happed in the past years than present. In 1995, 78509 tons of soil was deposited into the reservoir and 24853 tons in 2009. This study will provide an insight towards the lake’s longevity and water quality change due to sediment deposition because of unfavorable land management activities in the watershed.