Increasing bacteria levels in the Lower Neches River caused by Hurricane Harvey has been of a serious concern.This study is to analyze the historical water sampling measurements and real-time water quality data collec...Increasing bacteria levels in the Lower Neches River caused by Hurricane Harvey has been of a serious concern.This study is to analyze the historical water sampling measurements and real-time water quality data collected with wireless sensors to monitor and evaluate water quality under different hydrological and hydraulic conditions.The statistical and Pearson correlation analysis on historical water samples determines that alkalinity,chloride,hardness,conductivity,and pH are highly correlated,and they decrease with increasing flow rate due to dilution.The flow rate has positive correlations with Escherichia coli,total suspended solids,and turbidity,which demonstrates that runoff is one of the causes of the elevated bacteria and sediment loadings in the river.The correlation between E.coli and turbidity indicates that turbidity greater than 45 nephelometric turbidity units in the Neches River can serve as a proxy for E.coli to indicate the bacterial outbreak.A series of statistical tools and an innovative two-layer data smoothing filter are developed to detect outliers,fill missing values,and filter spikes of the sensor measurements.The correlation analysis on the sensor data illustrates that the elevated sediment/bacteria/algae in the river is either caused by the first flush rain and heavy rain events in December to March or practices of land use and land cover.Therefore,utilizing sensor measurements along with rainfall and discharge data is recommended to monitor and evaluate water quality,then in turn to provide early alerts on water resources management decisions.展开更多
Natural ecosystems harbor a variety of landscapes which are significantly important for the continuation of life forms on planet earth. Grasslands are natural habitats dominated by grasses and may contain few trees an...Natural ecosystems harbor a variety of landscapes which are significantly important for the continuation of life forms on planet earth. Grasslands are natural habitats dominated by grasses and may contain few trees and shrubs. In the context of protected areas, these resources form the basic foundation for the availability of food in an ecosystem as it plays a magnificent role for the survival of herbivore wild animal and the entire food chain. In many protected areas, including Nech Sar National Park, these ecologically valued resources are facing functional challenges due to the competition for resources. Local communities usually see these resources as the green pasture to feed their livestock and hence compete with the scarce feed resources which are meant for wild animals. This study was aimed to explore the effect of livestock pressure on the availability of grass by examining the proportion of ground cover of herbs and different species of grass. The research also tried to identify the type of grass species in the Nech Sar grassland plain area of the Park. So as to gather information, 38 experimental plots measuring 3 m × 3 m were deployed along with 2 transect lines. Analysis of the finding shows that, the livestock pressure in the area is having a significant impact on the availability of feed for the wild animals. In the experimental plots, livestock related pests like ticks were also observed. Therefore, immediate actions which could stop the entrance of the livestock to the grassland need to be placed if the ecology of the Park has to continue providing its intended ecosystem services.展开更多
This research evaluates the responses of hydrology and geomorphology regarding climate change and illustrates the change in regional streamflow during the period 1955-2001. The Neches River Basin, Texas, is an importa...This research evaluates the responses of hydrology and geomorphology regarding climate change and illustrates the change in regional streamflow during the period 1955-2001. The Neches River Basin, Texas, is an important source of water for fanning, cities, and electrical power production. A 15.9% increase in precipitation and a 20.4% increase in streamflow discharge were observed. The areas of river-flow boundaries also increased. The hydrologic changes appear to be associated with the geomorphic adjustments. To accomplish this research, the Neches River Basin is evaluated using hydro-climate data, historical aerial photography, and GIS in a multiscale approach by using linked geomorphic systems. Changes in the streamflow discharge are main factors that must be considered in undertaking a hydrological impact assessment of climate change.展开更多
基金supported by Center for Resiliency(CfR)at Lamar University(Grant No.22PSSO1).
文摘Increasing bacteria levels in the Lower Neches River caused by Hurricane Harvey has been of a serious concern.This study is to analyze the historical water sampling measurements and real-time water quality data collected with wireless sensors to monitor and evaluate water quality under different hydrological and hydraulic conditions.The statistical and Pearson correlation analysis on historical water samples determines that alkalinity,chloride,hardness,conductivity,and pH are highly correlated,and they decrease with increasing flow rate due to dilution.The flow rate has positive correlations with Escherichia coli,total suspended solids,and turbidity,which demonstrates that runoff is one of the causes of the elevated bacteria and sediment loadings in the river.The correlation between E.coli and turbidity indicates that turbidity greater than 45 nephelometric turbidity units in the Neches River can serve as a proxy for E.coli to indicate the bacterial outbreak.A series of statistical tools and an innovative two-layer data smoothing filter are developed to detect outliers,fill missing values,and filter spikes of the sensor measurements.The correlation analysis on the sensor data illustrates that the elevated sediment/bacteria/algae in the river is either caused by the first flush rain and heavy rain events in December to March or practices of land use and land cover.Therefore,utilizing sensor measurements along with rainfall and discharge data is recommended to monitor and evaluate water quality,then in turn to provide early alerts on water resources management decisions.
文摘Natural ecosystems harbor a variety of landscapes which are significantly important for the continuation of life forms on planet earth. Grasslands are natural habitats dominated by grasses and may contain few trees and shrubs. In the context of protected areas, these resources form the basic foundation for the availability of food in an ecosystem as it plays a magnificent role for the survival of herbivore wild animal and the entire food chain. In many protected areas, including Nech Sar National Park, these ecologically valued resources are facing functional challenges due to the competition for resources. Local communities usually see these resources as the green pasture to feed their livestock and hence compete with the scarce feed resources which are meant for wild animals. This study was aimed to explore the effect of livestock pressure on the availability of grass by examining the proportion of ground cover of herbs and different species of grass. The research also tried to identify the type of grass species in the Nech Sar grassland plain area of the Park. So as to gather information, 38 experimental plots measuring 3 m × 3 m were deployed along with 2 transect lines. Analysis of the finding shows that, the livestock pressure in the area is having a significant impact on the availability of feed for the wild animals. In the experimental plots, livestock related pests like ticks were also observed. Therefore, immediate actions which could stop the entrance of the livestock to the grassland need to be placed if the ecology of the Park has to continue providing its intended ecosystem services.
文摘This research evaluates the responses of hydrology and geomorphology regarding climate change and illustrates the change in regional streamflow during the period 1955-2001. The Neches River Basin, Texas, is an important source of water for fanning, cities, and electrical power production. A 15.9% increase in precipitation and a 20.4% increase in streamflow discharge were observed. The areas of river-flow boundaries also increased. The hydrologic changes appear to be associated with the geomorphic adjustments. To accomplish this research, the Neches River Basin is evaluated using hydro-climate data, historical aerial photography, and GIS in a multiscale approach by using linked geomorphic systems. Changes in the streamflow discharge are main factors that must be considered in undertaking a hydrological impact assessment of climate change.
