volume 2/number 5 september/october 2003 - university · pdf filevolume 2/number 5...

September/October 2003 • Southwest Hydrology • 1

Volume 2/Number 5 September/October 2003

2 • September/October 2003 • Southwest Hydrology


Roscoe Moss Company

4360 Worth Street

Los Angeles, California 90063

phone 323.263.4111 • fax 323.263.4497

www.roscoemoss.com • e-mail: [email protected]

I n 1926, Roscoe Moss Company moved to its present location and built a

factory for the manufacture of well casing, a natural extension to their

traditional role as water well drilling contractors. Since that time, the addition

of new products and continuing innovations in manufacturing methods have

placed Roscoe Moss Company in a unique position as the world’s premier

provider of water well casing and screen. Today these products, along with

water transmission pipe, are used throughout the United States and in over

twenty foreign countries.

ROSCOE MOSS COMPANY MAKES WATER WORK WORLDWIDE


> > > > > > > > >

Departments

6 On the Ground • Arundo donax removal • In-situ chromium remediation • Siphon-infiltration trench

10 Government News from the legislature, agencies, and the courts.

26 People Awards, promotions, and new positions.

27 The Company Line What’s new in the consulting world: project announcements, company news.

28 R & D What’s happening in research, education, and technology.

31 Business Directory And Job Opportunities.

32 The Society Pages Activities and announcements from associations, NGOs, and non-profit organizations.

34 Product Announcements What’s new on the market.

36 Education Real-time data in educational displays.

37 Software Review Crystal Ball reviewed by Evan Anderman.

38 The Calendar Meetings, conferences, training, and short courses.

A bimonthly trade magazine for hydrologists, water managers, and other professionals working with water issues.

Southwest Hydrology Merges with SAHRA

We’re pleased to announce the merger of Southwest Hydrology with the National Science Foundation’s Science and Technology Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA), based at the University of Arizona. As of this issue, we are combining resources to improve the quality of both the magazine and the Web site. More good news: although we continue to rely on our advertisers/sponsors to sustain production of the magazine, we are returning to free subscriptions, boosting our distribution back up to 4,000. (Paid subscribers will receive prorated refunds.)

Southwest Hydrology will continue to be the same magazine with the same focus, except it will become bigger and better. This merger brings more staff, a larger reporting network, and new departments to cover international water issues and water education. We will also expand coverage of water law and economic issues, and soon, back issues will be available on our Web site. In addition, we will regularly survey our readers for feedback, all to further our primary goal, to be the voice of the semi-arid water community.

Our focus in this edition is remote data acquisition…it’s not just for big-budget researchers anymore! We examine a variety of data transmission types and applications ranging from simple to complex.

We thank all the contributors to this issue, listed on the opposite page, and encourage your comments and contributions, particularly as we implement our improvements.

Southwest Hydrology remains a magazine by and for you, our readers.

Betsy Woodhouse Gary Woodard

SWH Publisher SAHRA Knowledge Transfer

Inside This Issue

D1 meteorological station, Niwot Ridge, Front Range, Colorado, elevation 12,300 feet, has the longest high-elevation climate record of any station in North America. Hourly data are transmitted by spread-spectrum radio and may be viewed at www.colorado.edu/mrs/. Funding provided by NSF-LTER current program #DEB 9810218 with additional support from Mountain Research Station, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), University of Colorado. Photo by Mark Losleben, INSTAAR.


Remote Data Acquisition Remote water resource monitoring systems are now being used in applications as simple as

monitoring soil moisture at a golf course to as complex as multi-sensored systems that provide snow melt, stream discharge, reservoir level, meteorological, and water quality data in order to adjust flow through a regional water distribution system. Recent advances in sensor and data transmission technologies have made these systems more feasible than ever. Furthermore, Internet capabilities allow widespread access to the data. Our feature authors discuss various kinds of remote monitoring systems and their applications.

> > > > > > > > >

12 Equipment Developments Offer Remote Monitoring Options to Many

Gregg Gustafson and Linda Chapman

The small size and low power requirements of today’s electronics make possible highly sophisticated data collection and transmission systems.

14 Telemetry Options for Remote Data Acquisition

John Skaggs

Phone modems, cellular modems, line-of-site radios, and satellites: how, when, and where do they work for transmitting remotely acquired data?

16 Meeting the Challenges of Real-Time Data Transport and Integration: HPWREN and ROADNet

Betsy Woodhouse and Todd Hansen

Southern California researchers have developed networks that allow interdisciplinary researchers to acquire near-real-time data from remote sites and allow data access by all.

18 The Wireless Watershed of the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve

Dan Cayan, Mark VanScoy, Michael Dettinger, and John Helly

Scientists have begun the daunting task of instrumenting the rugged walls and canyons of a California coastal watershed to characterize the workings of the suburban-native interface.

20 Water Quality Monitoring in the Las Vegas Wash

Xiaoping Zhou, Debbie VanDooremolen, Robert Huening, Keiba Crear, Peggy Roefer, and Kimberly S. Zikmund

Near-real-time monitoring in Las Vegas Wash and its tributaries helps scientists manage the wash to maximize its environmental health.

22 The Real-Time Data Network of the U.S. Geological Survey

Betsy Woodhouse

Streamflow data and a variety of other water-resource parameters are available for locations across the nation from a single Web site.

23 Remote Monitoring of Soil Moisture

Howard Grahn

Soil moisture monitoring systems that automatically collect and transmit data are being used in settings as diverse as golf courses, copper mines, and nuclear waste dumps.

24 Emery Water Conservancy District: Surfing into the 21st Century

Roger D. Hansen and Bret Berger

With the click of a mouse, real-time environmental conditions throughout the San Rafael River Basin can be obtained.

Publishing Southwest Hydrology furthers SAHRA’s mission of promoting sustainable management of water resources in semi-arid regions.

This material is based upon work supported by SAHRA (Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas) under the STC Program of the National Science Foundation, Agreement No. EAR-9876800. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of SAHRA or of the National Science Foundation.

Southwest HydrologyPublisher

Betsy Woodhouse

Technical Editor Howard Grahn

Editors Mary Black

Louise Shaler

Graphic Design Kyle Carpenter

Debra Bowles/Sun People Studios

Knowledge Transfer Gary Woodard

Contributors Evan R. Anderman

Bret Berger Kyle Blasch

Kyle Carpenter Dan Cayan

Linda Chapman Keiba Crear

Michael Dettinger Jenny Glasser Howard Grahn

Gregg Gustafson Roger D. Hansen

Todd Hansen John Helly

Robert Huening John T. Kay

James A. Kelsey Andrew Messer David Palmer Peggy Roefer John Skaggs Peter Storch

Debbie VanDooremolen Mark VanScoy Gary Woodard

Betsy Woodhouse Xiaoping Zhou

Kimberly S. Zikmund

Printed in the USA by Arizona Lithographers

Southwest Hydrology is published six times per year by the NSF Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA), College of Engineering and

Mines, The University of Arizona. Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. Limited copies may be made for internal use only.

Credit must be given to the publisher. Otherwise, no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written

permission of the publisher.

Subscriptions Subscriptions to Southwest Hydrology are free. To receive the

magazine, contact us as listed at bottom.

Advertising Advertising rates, sizes, and contracts are available at

www.swhydro.arizona.edu. Please direct ad inquiries to us as listed at bottom. Space must be reserved 50 days prior to

publication date.

Classified Advertisements Southwest Hydrology will publish advertisements for job

openings in the Classifieds. The first column inch (about 65 words) for each announcement is free; after that, the charge is $70/column inch. To place an ad, contact us as listed at

bottom. All classified ads, of any length, will be posted on our Web site for no charge (www.swhydro.arizona.edu).

Editorial Contribution Southwest Hydrology welcomes letters and contributions of

news, project summaries, product announcements and items for The Calendar. Send submissions by mail or email as

listed at bottom. Visit www.swhydro.arizona.edu for additional guidelines for submissions.

Web Sites Southwest Hydrology - www.swhydro.arizona.edu

Brad James, Webmaster SAHRA - www.sahra.arizona.edu

CONTACT US Southwest Hydrology, The University of Arizona—SAHRA

PO Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85721-0011. Phone 520-626-1805. Email: [email protected].

©2003 Arizona Board of Regents. All Rights Reserved.


Arundo Donax Removal in the Santa Ana River WatershedJenny Glasser – Orange County Water District

On June 6, 2003, Orange County Water District (OCWD) was awarded the Ruth Anderson Wilson Award by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority for its collaborative efforts in a program to remove Arundo donax (arundo) from the Santa Ana River watershed. The arundo removal program is also one reason the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selected OCWD as a Clean Water Partner for 2003.

Arundo donax, or the giant cane, is a non-native, abundant bamboo-like grass that invades the habitats of native flora and fauna, all the while consuming enormous amounts of water. In addition, it is extremely flammable, it clutters beaches, and it clogs up streams and waterways, causing flooding and even bridge damage. Eight thousand acres of arundo use 20,000 to 30,000 acre-feet (about 10 billion gallons) of water per year more

than does native habitat, enough water for 100,000 people.

Arundo, nicknamed “the plant from hell,”

was introduced into Orange County from Europe in the late 1800s as a means of preventing erosion of irrigation ditches. It is a member of the grass family, although it looks more like bamboo. It is primarily found along the Santa Ana River and its tributaries, but can also be found in neighborhoods throughout Orange County and all the way down to the beach. Given sufficient sunlight and water, it can grow up to 10 inches per day in the summer and reach a height of more than 25 feet. Arundo grows so densely in pure stands that it is virtually impenetrable.

An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 acres of arundo inhabit the Santa Ana River watershed. To date, about 1,500 acres have been removed. Initial removal of one acre of arundo costs $5,000 to $9,500, but removing the plant by cutting it off above ground only stimulates additional growth from its massive root system. Full control requires decades of follow-up treatment of the regrowth by additional manual cutting and treatment with herbicides. Removal of the root systems is impractical. Furthermore, arundo removal must be initiated at the top of each watershed because the persistent plant has the ability to break off and transplant itself downstream. However, after the long battle against arundo is waged, native willows, sycamores, and cottonwoods can be replanted or regenerate

O N T H E G R O U N D

see Arundo, page 33

Arundo donax. Photo by Orange County Water District.


In-Situ Remediation of a Chromium-Contaminated Site Using Calcium PolysulfideAndrew Messer, Peter Storch, and David Palmer – URS Corporation

URS Corporation is using calcium polysulfide (CPS) for in-situ geochemical fixation of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in soil and groundwater in alluvial fan sediments at a former metal plating facility in western Arizona. Concentrations of Cr(VI) in groundwater at the site exceed 200 milligrams per liter (mg/L) compared to the maximum contaminant level of 0.1 mg/L for dissolved chromium in drinking water set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. URS has completed vadose zone and groundwater pilot tests using CPS and has begun full-scale vadose zone application in the source area.

CPS is used extensively as an agricultural soil amendment and for removal of metals in water treatment systems, and has recently been approved for in-situ remediation at several sites in the United States. CPS is more stable and persistent in subsurface environments than other reductants such as

sodium dithionite, does not form insoluble precipitates such as ferrous sulfate, and is relatively safe to handle in the field. CPS reduces Cr(VI), commonly in the form of chromate, CrO4

2-, to the relatively insoluble form of trivalent chromium, Cr(III), which is less toxic and tends to fall out of solution and adhere to soil. One example of the reaction is:

2CrO42- + 3CaS5 + 10H+

2Cr(OH)3 (s) + 15S (s) + 3Ca2+ + 2H2O

The fixation of Cr(VI) by CPS is considered to be a permanent remediation technique under most groundwater conditions. The reaction is theoretically reversible; however, under natural groundwater conditions the

equilibrium condition is dominated by the right side of this reaction. Furthermore, the only mechanism identified in the literature for the re-oxidation of Cr(III) under natural groundwater conditions is by a grain surface reaction that occurs when dissolved Cr(III) is exposed to aquifer sediments coated with manganese dioxide (MnO2). Since Cr(OH)3 is a solid precipitate, reaction with MnO2 is limited by the extremely low solubility of this compound.

Prior to vadose zone treatment, Cr(VI) concentrations in the 20 square-foot test zone were as high as 2,190 mg/kg in soil and 3,600 mg/L in the vadose zone pore water. Over a period of about 24 hours, approximately 660 gallons of 29 percent CPS were applied to infiltration trenches, followed by 2,500 gallons of water to disperse the chemical through the test zone. The wetting front was monitored and sampled with soil lysimeters installed in a basement wall (see figure above). Results during the first 30 days indicated that eight of the nine lysimeters used to monitor the

test were impacted and demonstrated a 90 percent reduction in Cr(VI)

concentrations.

In the groundwater pilot test area, the aquifer at 165 feet below surface was impacted by Cr(VI) concentrations of 240 mg/L, nitrates exceeding 400 mg/L, and trichloroethene and other VOCs. Approximately 9,000 gallons of 29 percent CPS were injected through an existing monitor well, followed by 79,000 gallons of water, at an average rate of 31 gallons per minute, to flush the well and push the reductant to an

observation well at a distance of 30 feet across the regional

hydraulic gradient. Downhole monitoring was conducted in the observation well using a multiparameter probe and depth-specific sampler. After 35 hours, breakthrough of CPS was indicated by a decrease in oxidation/reduction potential (ORP) and an increase in pH and total dissolved solids. Concentrations of Cr(VI) in the observation well dropped from 240 mg/L to less than 1 mg/L shortly after ORP became negative. Mobilization of arsenic, iron, and manganese from aquifer solids due to the reducing conditions was not observed. In the observation well at the edge of the injected CPS footprint, rebound of Cr(VI) concentrations occurred after 115 days. In the injection well at the center of the injected reductant, ORP has remained negative and Cr(VI) concentrations were below detection after 419 days. URS is proceeding with full-scale vadose zone application in the source area and plans a full-scale groundwater remediation.For more information, contact Peter Storch at 602-861-7422 or Andrew Messer 520-407-2844.

Groundwater samples from an observation well: pretreatment (left) and day 9 of treatment (right).

→ ←

Vadose zone pilot test infiltration trenches and lysimeters.


Siphon-Infiltration Trench Field-Tested in Albuquerque James A. Kelsey, Senior Scientist and John T. Kay, Hydrogeologist – Daniel B. Stephens & Associates

Daniel B. Stephens & Associates (DBS&A) recently designed and field-tested a self-cleaning infiltration trench. DBS&A’s siphon-infiltration trench offers a low-cost, low-maintenance solution to the sedimentation and performance problems associated with traditional agricultural drains and other infiltration trenches. The trench intercepts surface runoff and diverts it to the subsurface, and, depending on the location, can result in increased groundwater recharge, decreased erosion, improved water quality, and improved riparian habitat. A siphon creates periodic, rapid-flow conditions that flush sediment out of the infiltration system, thus providing a self-cleaning function.

With the assistance of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA), DBS&A installed a 50-meter-long siphon-infiltration trench adjacent to an unlined arroyo in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The trench was outfitted with multiple flow meters and pressure transducers to monitor flow rates and water levels at different locations along the trench. Self-cleaning ability and infiltration potential are currently being monitored and assessed.

How It WorksAs far as DBS&A has been able to ascertain, siphons have not previously been used in a similar infiltration application. Almost no relevant literature

exists on this subject. The design and installation of this system were determined from bench-scale results obtained in the DBS&A laboratory.

The siphon-infiltration trench is essentially an infiltration trench connected to a siphon at the outlet, and consists of a perforated water supply line, gravel backfill, the surrounding soil, and the siphon mechanisms, as shown in the illustration above. As the infiltration trench fills, water replaces the air at the top of the siphon mechanism, activating the siphon. Once activated, the siphon flushes water from the trench under high velocities until the trench empties, at which point air enters the system and breaks the siphon. When the siphon breaks, the trench begins to refill, thus repeating the cycle. Infiltration of water into the surrounding vadose zone occurs continuously during each phase of the cycle.

Self-Cleaning AbilityFor a trench to be self-cleaning, discharge velocities must be greater than the velocity of flow into the trench. The maximum observed inflow rate in DBS&A’s trench was approximately 0.62 meters per second (m/s). According to Stokes’ Law and the Impact Law (Gibbs and others, 1971), this velocity will entrain a particle approximately 5 millimeters (mm) in diameter. During siphoning, observed velocities ranging from 1.33 m/s to 1.92 m/s were observed (see chart on page 9). These velocities can be expected to flush particles larger than 16 mm in diameter.

During a controlled experiment conducted on Aug. 29, 2002, substantial amounts of sediment previously deposited in the trench were discharged from the siphon during the first cycle. It is estimated that approximately 1,300 kilograms (kg) (0.5 cubic meters) of sand and small

Schematic diagram of a typical siphon-infiltration trench. The infiltration trench can be applied to most locations where diversion of surface water to the subsurface is desirable.

AMAFCA assists with construction of the trench


gravel were flushed during this one cycle. To quantify the siphon’s capability to entrain particles further, known masses of different-sized particles were introduced to the trench during a controlled experiment conducted on Oct. 29, 2002. All sediment with a diameter less than 9.5 mm (40 kg)

was discharged during one siphon cycle. Approximately 70 percent of the sediment with a diameter ranging from 9.5 to 19 mm (20 kg) was discharged, and the remaining sediment was near the upper end of this range.

ConclusionsThe design of the siphon-infiltration trench is very flexible, making it suitable for a wide range of applications and site locations. Trench design must consider local flow regimes and potential sediment loads, and allow a period and magnitude of siphon discharge sufficient to prevent clogging. The design goal is to discharge only as much water as necessary to prevent the buildup of sediments, thus maximizing infiltration while maintaining long-term performance. A few of the applications for which siphon-infiltration trenches can be used are (1) increasing groundwater recharge, (2) vadose zone filtering and treatment of coliforms, pesticides, or other compounds, and (3) promoting plant growth to reduce erosion near unlined ephemeral waterways.

Contact James Kelsey at [email protected] or John Kay at [email protected].

ReferenceGibbs, R.J., M.D. Mathews, and D.A. Link. 1971. The

relationship between sphere size and settling velocity. J. of Sed. Petr. 41:7-18.

Flow rates under siphoning and non-siphoning conditions. When water levels rise to an engineered height, the siphon is actuated. The three peaks in flow rate correspond to three separate siphoning events. After the trench drains, the siphon is broken, and water levels begin to rise again. Infiltration into the surrounding soil occurs continuously.

COMPANY HEADQUARTERS

(877) 426-9355

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

(800) 873-3073

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

(800) 974-2769

ARIZONA

(800) 584-6471

NEW MEXICO

(800) 914-7506

NEVADA

(775) 753-4414

ENVIRONMENTAL ❘ MINERAL ❘ WATER SUPPLY ❘ GEOTECHNICAL ❘ www.wdcexploration.com

WDC will present our drilling methods seminar at your office during a WDC provided lunch. Our seminar’s duration is about one hour and addresses the following topics:• Drilling Fundamentals• Site Safety• Air Rotary Casing Hammer (ARCH)• STRATEX Under-reaming Casing Advance• Continuous Core Casing Advance• Sonic Drilling• Mud Rotary• Large Diameter Reverse Circulation• Hollow Stem Auger

• Geothermal Heat Exchange Wells• Well Development & Abandonment• Depth Discreet Water Sampling• Permanent and Temporary Conductor Casing Installation to Avoid Cross Contamination When Drilling Through Perched Water Bearing Zones.

WDC Exploration & Wells (formerly Water Development Corp. & THF Drilling) is a 53 year old environmental, water supply and geotechnical drilling company with offices in Elko, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Albuquerque. We have 50 state of the art (all year 2000 or newer) rigs. WDC has drilled at virtually every superfund site, military base and landfill in the Western United States in addition to many commercial sites and gas stations. WDC offers exceptionally broad experience with multiple, complex drilling and well installation methods.

1O1DRILLING

seminar!

NO GROUP IS TOO SMALL OR LARGECall a WDC office near you to reserve your next complimentary seminar!


New EPA Reports Available OnlineThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the availability of several new reports online.

New FRTR Cost/Performance Information. The Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR) Web site has 30 new reports, including 14 reports addressing cleanup of volatile organic compounds in groundwater using thermal treatment, chemical oxidation, and air sparging, and 16 reports focusing on in-situ or ex-situ soil treatment. A total of 342 total case study reports on remedial technologies are now available. Also new at FRTR are 11 new site characterization and monitoring case studies covering innovative technologies for organic chemical and explosive characterization, strategies for field-based site characterization, geophysical techniques, and leak detection for bulk fuel tanks and fuel pipelines, for a total of 121 reports on site characterization and monitoring technologies available. Finally, 52 multi-site technology assessment reports are compiled for the first time. These contain information on the design, implementation, and selection of specific technologies. For access to these reports and other FRTR information, visit www.frtr.gov.

Technology Overview Using Case Studies of Alternative Landfill Technologies and Associated Regulatory Topics (ALT-1, March 2003, 107 pages). This document, produced by the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC), showcases flexibility in the regulatory framework for alternatives that may rely on native vegetation instead of artificial liners to keep water from reaching buried waste. The report presents examples of flexibility used in regulatory frameworks for approving alternative landfill cover designs, current research information about the use of alternative covers, and examples of approved designs and constructed covers. Visit www.itrcweb.org/ALT-1.pdf.

Using Dynamic Field Activities for On-Site Decision Making: A Guide for Project Managers (EPA/540/R-03/002, May 2003, 205 pages). This document was developed by EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response to provide environmental cleanup professionals with guidance on how to use an on-site decision-making process to streamline fieldwork at contaminated sites. The process is not new; rather, this document outlines techniques that have been successfully used at a variety of contaminated sites, such as Superfund sites, RCRA facilities, leaking underground storage tanks, and brownfields, so that other project managers can take advantage of existing knowledge. View or download the document at www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/dfa/guidoc.htm.

Rio Grande Water Deal Reached by U.S. and Mexico Article originally appeared in Water Tech Online, July 7, 2003

Mexico has guaranteed that a third of the water conserved by water projects in the state of Chihuahua will be sent to American farmers in an agreement signed July 3, 2003, KVIA-TV in El Paso reported. Sally Spener, a spokeswoman for the International Boundary and Water Commission, said that this new agreement follows through on a June 2002 pact in which Mexico agreed to transfer 90,000 acre-feet of water from Falcon Lake to the United States. She also told the news station that the new agreement allows for U.S. inspections of the projects.

Both pacts are amendments to the 1944 water treaty stipulating that the United States and Mexico share water from the Rio Grande and Colorado River. Mexico has not been meeting its commitment to send the United States 350,000 acre-feet annually and now owes the United States 1.4 million acre-feet, according to the report.

South Texas farmers were outraged to hear that the June 2002 agreement also called for millions of dollars to be sent to Mexico to improve irrigation systems. The $40 million in funds were to come from the North American Development Bank, a bi-national fund, the story said.

Mexico is expected to be able to send the United States 107,014 acre-feet of saved water annually when the projects are completed in about three years, Spener said. This is about a third of the 321,043 acre-feet engineers expect their project to conserve.Visit www.watertechonline.com.

California Dam Decision Signals Major Water Policy ShiftArticle originally appeared in Water Tech Online, July 7, 2003

A top California water official has said that his department is no longer scouting new dam sites, marking a major shift in California state water policy, the Stockton Record reported. A plan being drafted to meet California’s water needs until 2030 will not include consideration of new government-built dams and reservoirs, Jonas Minton, deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources, said in the article.

The halt to scouting dam sites is the most forceful acknowledgment to date that the era of major dam building is over. The only water storage sites that will be part of the California water plan are relatively small storage projects already being studied by the CalFed Bay-Delta Program.

Instead of drawing from new mountain reservoirs, the state hopes to get extra water primarily by promoting conservation, desalination of ocean water, water recycling, and storing any extra water in aquifers, the paper reported. That means that by 2030, California will have 50 percent more people but only 10 percent more usable water.Visit www.watertechonline.com.

G O V E R N M E N T


California Tightens Its Water Quality StandardsIn May 2003, the California Department of Health Services (DHS) approved a tightening of drinking water standards for several compounds, effective June 12. DHS reduced the maximum contaminant levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to more stringent state standards for the following compounds:

• Atrazine: reduced from 0.003 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 0.001 mg/L (the detection limit for purposes of reporting was also reduced from 0.001 mg/L to 0.0005 mg/L)

• Cyanide: reduced from 0.2 mg/L to 0.15 mg/L

• Ethylbenzene: reduced from 0.7 mg/L to 0.3 mg/L

• Methoxychlor: reduced from 0.04 mg/L to 0.03 mg/L

• Oxamyl: reduced from 0.2 mg/L to 0.05 mg/L

• 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene: reduced from 0.07 mg/L to 0.005 mg/L

Visit www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/ps/ddwem/publications/Regulations/MCLrevisions6-12-03.pdf.

30 Billion Gallon Storage Project Planned for Southern California Helping to ensure the reliability of urban Southern California’s water supplies during dry years and emergencies, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) recently partnered with three Inland Valley water agencies on a project that will stockpile more than 30 billion gallons of water underground. Metropolitan’s President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald R. Gastelum joined officials from Inland Empire Utilities Agency, the Three Valleys Municipal Water District, and the Chino Basin Watermaster in signing a 25-year agreement to store water in the Chino Basin, a vast aquifer underlying an area stretching from Pomona to Chino.

The $27.5 million project will allow Metropolitan, in cooperation with the

three local agencies, to store up to 100,000 acre-feet of water in the Chino Basin during wet periods and withdraw 33,000 acre-feet per year during dry spells, droughts, or emergencies. The project calls for drilling seven extraction wells and constructing ion exchange treatment facilities throughout the area to remove nitrates from the pumped groundwater. Construction of the new facilities is expected to begin later this year.Visit www.mwd.dst.ca.us/.

Nevada Requests More WaterOn July 10, 2003, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that representatives of the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and the Colorado River Commission of Nevada recently met with U.S. Assistant Interior Secretary Bennett Raley to request a 20 percent increase in Nevada’s water allotment. The water would come from the Colorado River over a 15-year period, the paper reported.

Nevada’s allotment of Colorado River water is 300,000 acre-feet per year, according to the Review-Journal, and is the smallest allocation of any of the states using the water. Nevada exceeded its use of that amount by about 8 percent last year, said the newspaper. An additional 20 percent would bring their allotment up to 360,000 acre-feet per year.

The newspaper cited fears that residents would leave the state as the reason additional water is needed. According to the paper, Pat Mulroy, general manager of the SNWA, stated that if Nevada does not get additional water, “It would be really bleak. It would mean living in a severe drought. If the drought were to last [15 years] people would get tired of living in these conditions. People will leave.”

According to the Review-Journal, the request for additional water was made at this time because U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton ordered states earlier this year to take only their official allotments from the river. This request was made in light of the failure of California water officials to work out an agreement on dividing their share of the water between urban and agricultural interests.

Nevada officials are optimistic about receiving the additional water allocation because their request is relatively small compared to the quantities used by the other states, said the newspaper. Visit www.reviewjournal.com

Rio Puerco, NM Watershed Receives Funding

On May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced nearly $15 million in grants to 20 watershed organizations selected as part of a new Watershed Initiative. The Rio Puerco Watershed in northwest New Mexico was the only one selected from the Southwest.

Last year, President Bush asked the nation’s governors and tribal leaders to nominate proposals to support community-based approaches to clean up the nation’s watersheds. This year, Congress appropriated $15 million of the President’s original $20 million funding request. The winning watershed organizations were chosen because they best demonstrated the ability to achieve on-the-ground environmental results in a short time frame, exhibited strong partnerships with a wide variety of support, showed innovation, and demonstrated compatibility with existing governmental programs. The grants are one-time awards. EPA expects to announce a call for nominations for another round of grants in late summer.

The lead organization for the Rio Puerco Watershed is the Rio Puerco Management Committee (RPMC), a congressionally mandated collaborative committee chartered in 1997 to tackle the many environmental problems of this watershed. Funding from the EPA’s Watershed Initiative will be used for restoring uplands and in-channel streams, altering channel flow and topography, implementing livestock grazing management practices, and developing programs to educate the public. The award provides $700,000 to RPMC.Visit www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative for more information.


Gregg Gustafson and Linda Chapman – Instrumentation Northwest, Inc.

Technology is converging to allow low-cost, real-time remote monitoring of a wide range of

water resource parameters. The small size and low power requirements of today’s electronics make possible highly sophisticated water testing equipment. Advanced license-free radio telemetry instantaneously transmits the collected data, while powerful software can make the data available in a variety of formats virtually anywhere in the world.

Today’s advances in small, powerful electronics and computer chips are driving development of sensing equipment that can be housed in enclosures that are less than an inch in diameter and only a few inches in length. These sophisticated, self-contained sensors consist of a sensing element, a powerful on-board computer, and an internal power source.

Sensor CapabilitiesThe sensing element is the external window to the environment. It might measure pressure or temperature, detect dissolved oxygen, assess conductivity or turbidity, or determine pH. Basic temperature and pressure (water level) sensors that include a data logger can be purchased for around $600. Sophisticated multiparameter water quality sensors, which measure dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and oxidation/reduction potential, can run as high as $10,000, although single-parameter units are available for under $1,000.

Temperature and pressure sensors normally maintain an accuracy of 0.2 percent of full scale for six months to a year without recalibration. Water quality sensors typically maintain an accuracy of one to five percent

of full scale for one to three months without recalibration.

Additional sensors are available that directly detect nitrate, chlorophyll, and chloride, but they are susceptible to interference, are only accurate to about eight percent of full scale, and need to be recalibrated weekly. Instrumentation also has been developed for measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a few other specific parameters. Such instruments can be set up to monitor remotely, but they generally consume a lot of power, are expensive, and require regular site maintenance. However, these limitations do not completely exclude remote monitoring for such compounds as pesticides, organics, and VOCs from all but high-budget operations. Changes in the concentrations of such contaminants trigger changes in other parameters that can be accurately and reliably monitored remotely, such as

Equipment Developments Offer Remote Monitoring Options to Many

W

Water quality and weather monitoring at Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge near Needles, California. Photo courtesy of Intermountain Environmental, Inc.


dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity. While those measurements may not tell the person doing the monitoring exactly what is wrong, it does sound an alert that there is a problem, whereupon a field technician can be dispatched for further testing at the site, or an auto-sampler can be triggered.

Very low-power electronic components now available make it possible for a sensor to draw only tiny amounts of power. A number of sensors now on the market can run for more than a year on small internal batteries. The addition of inexpensive solar panels can allow a sensor to run virtually forever.

On-Board ComputersOutput from the sensing element is fed into an on-board computer and data logger that reside in the field with the sensor. The on-board computer is the brain of the sensor and serves several functions. First, it can initiate complex, multiphased test sequences, allowing a wide variety of tests to be run. It can also respond to input from the sensor, either increasing or decreasing the sampling intervals based on gathered data, triggering alarms, or controlling external fixtures such as pumps or valves. In addition, the on-board computer can monitor the sensor’s activity and go into a “sleep” mode when not taking readings or actively communicating with other equipment, thus conserving power.

The on-board computer can also run sophisticated algorithms. For example, digital temperature information can be combined with pressure data to produce highly accurate pressure information. Complex calibration values, stored in the sensor, can also be applied to compensate for individual sensor drift.

Finally, the computer’s nonvolatile memory stores gathered data and protects it in the event of a power failure on the sensor. Although the sensor cannot collect data without power, when power is restored, the data again become available.

License-Free Radio TelemetryOnce data have been collected, the next step is to transfer them to a central computer for examination and analysis.

In the past, this typically required a technician to go into the field, connect to the sensor or data logger, and upload data into a laptop, handheld, or special data-collection device. The data were then carried back to a central location for further study. Although today’s smart sensors still allow for data transfer using laptops and handhelds, the use of low-cost, license-free radio telemetry can instantaneously transmit data from the collection site to a base station computer, without the need to send personnel into the field.

Using the 900 MHz or the 1.2 GHz radio bands avoids costly government licensing fees. Radios using these frequencies can transmit up to five miles using simple dipole antennas or up to 25 miles with more sophisticated Yagi antennas. These distances can be increased considerably through the use of repeater stations – each repeater station a low-cost, license-free transmitter. These small transmitters have data throughputs up to 19,200 bits per second and operate on small, rechargeable batteries and/or solar panels. A complete low-power transmitter unit, including radio, antenna, and power supply, costs in the neighborhood of $900. Add to that a $600 sensor that contains its own data logger and you have a complete testing and transmission site for $1,500.

Powerful Base Station SoftwareOnce the data have been transmitted to the base station computer, powerful software can format and analyze them in a variety of ways. The data can then be accessed from or transmitted to other systems worldwide via cellular phones, wired phone lines, satellite transmission, or the Internet.

Imagine a water resources director sitting at headquarters in Sacramento, watching the ebb and flow of irrigation water over thousands of acres of farmland along California’s central valley. Envision a public health official at an office in Phoenix, monitoring the water quality in the state’s drinking water reservoirs, able to know the moment a potential health hazard appears. The currently available sensors can instantly signal a change in the environment, sending immediate notice or even triggering automatic water sampling for further testing in a laboratory. Environmental sensor manufacturers are committed to continuing research and development of state-of-the-art equipment and methodologies for better and lower-cost water monitoring.

For more information, contact Gregg Gustafson at [email protected], or visit Instrumentation Northwest at inw.com.

Equipment Developments Offer Remote Monitoring Options to Many


In ancient Egypt, water managers trekked arduous miles to collect data from the Nile using only crude

staff gauges. Today’s water resource managers receive real-time water data from far away without leaving their air-conditioned offices. They are beneficiaries of four modern telemetry options: phone modems, cellular modems, line-of-site (LOS) radios, and satellites.

Phone modems, cellular modems, LOS radio, and some satellites provide two-way communication links between the user’s office location and remote data-collection sites. Two-way communication allows users to “poll” Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) remotely for real-time information at one site or many. Control signals can also be sent to the stations.

Phone ModemsPhone modems have two primary advantages: They are readily available and very affordable, between $400 and $900. A recent system developed for a county government included ten river gauging stations equipped with telephone modems. The telephone modems added only about $700 to the cost of each station. Telephone service was about $50 per station per month.

With only a PC, an operator can connect to each station to download its log, view live data, or access the station set-up. More powerful software enhances system functions. With it, remote sites can be polled automatically 24 hours a day on a specific schedule. All station data can be automatically stored in a relational database for real-time viewing, Web posting, or future study and processing. Alarms can be sent from the site to a pager or phone as well as to a PC, where they can automatically trigger a control

task at the site. Additionally, stations can be configured to accept telephone calls and report — “speak” with pre-recorded voice messages — the exact sensor values at the time of the call.

A primary disadvantage of phone modems is the lack of telephone service to sites. Also, phone modems have not proven as reliable as other forms of telemetry. This is because phone service in rural areas is sometimes unreliable and DCPs connected to long telephone cable runs are more susceptible to lightning damage.

Cellular ModemsCellular modems provide the same features and advantages as phone modems, but cellular service is available in many places where wire-line telephone service is not. Both the hardware and the cellular service have proven very dependable in most cases, but care must be taken to ensure adequate signal availability at the DCP location. Also, cellular carriers sometimes make system changes that enhance system coverage overall but may actually decrease coverage in a specific location.

Disadvantages include recurring cellular phone bills and the fact that cellular modems use significantly more current to transmit voice and data than do phone modems; this must be taken into account when configuring solar and battery components that power most sites. Changing cellular technology is also an issue. Migration to digital cellular and the lack of a single nationwide digital cellular protocol requires that users be careful about the equipment they buy and be knowledgeable about the cellular services available in their area.

Telemetry Options for Remote Data AcquisitionJohn Skaggs – Western Regional Manager, Sutron Corporation

Photos courtesy of John Skaggs, Sutron Corp.


LOS Radio SystemsLOS radio systems require investment in infrastructure beyond the radio module inside the DCP. A base station, appropriate software, and repeater stations to provide a radio frequency path from the base station to the DCPs can add significant cost to such a system. Therefore, LOS radio systems are often larger systems where the number of DCPs justifies the fixed infrastructure investment. LOS is often used for flood-warning systems where immediate communication of hazardous conditions is critical. A simple LOS radio system (including automatic polling software) where all DCPs are line-of-site from the base station can add $500 to $2,000 to the cost for each DCP. A base station, including software, usually costs from $5,000 to $10,000. More complex systems involving additional repeater sites are, of course, more expensive.

Traditionally, LOS radio systems communicate on a dedicated network. Irrigation systems, river control systems, and groundwater pumping and diversion systems exist with more than 100 DCPs sending water data and receiving control signals to manage water movement. Infrastructure costs for some of these systems exceed $100,000.

Several frequencies and technologies exist for use in an LOS radio system. Factors contributing to a decision on whether to purchase an LOS system include regulations specific to a user’s agency or industry; terrain; distance to remotes; and electrical environment at the DCP and base station sites. In general, lower frequencies cover greater distances, but can be subject to interference from other communications in the area. Spread-spectrum technology is generally less prone to interference because alternate communication channels are available. However, selection of the best approach is best left to consulting engineers who specialize in the design of radio frequency systems.

Once installed, LOS radio systems do not have the recurring expenses of cellular or phone systems.

SatellitesCommercial and government satellites are available for transmission of environmental telemetry. The most commonly used satellite telemetry for hydrographic data is a one-way communications link, although two-way satellite service is available commercially.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates two Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellites (GOES) in a Data Collection System (DCS). Use of the GOES DCS is regulated, by law, to the collection of environmental data by federal, state, and local government agencies, and by international government agencies and research organizations with a U.S. government sponsor. More information on becoming a GOES user is available at the agency’s Web site at noaasis.noaa.gov/DCS/htmfiles/howto.html.

Available virtually everywhere, including locations where phone and cellular service is nonexistent, GOES satellites offer numerous advantages for data collection applications meeting NOAA’s criteria. Users can download their data from NOAA’s site. Large system users frequently use commercial software to download their data automatically, receive and respond to alarms, and automatically store all station data in a relational database for viewing, Web posting, and future study and processing. Other users invest in base station equipment that can receive a rebroadcast of the GOES data. Operators of mission-critical systems may

want their own equipment to receive their data directly from the GOES satellite.

GOES has no recurring costs and is free for those who qualify. The new High Data Rate GOES transmitters range in price from about $2,300 to $2,600. As of July 2003, at least one transmitter also has data-logging capabilities and can operate as a fully functional DCP.

Although the GOES DCS is currently a one-way system, it has proven to be very reliable and the most cost-effective data-collection solution for a majority of water resource managers. More than 22,000 actively transmitting DCPs use the system.

GOES DCPs transmit their data on pre-assigned channels at specific times, generally every four hours (some stations report hourly). Because GOES DCPs transmit at a specific time on shared channels, problems can occur if timing is not accurate. One GOES DCP may transmit during part of another DCP’s time slot. This can cause missed messages. Fortunately, new GOES DCPs get their timing signals from GPS satellites, so timing problems are quite infrequent. When problems do occur, they can usually be solved very quickly by users working with their vendor’s customer service technicians and the satellite agency. Some GOES DCPs are permitted to transmit alarm information immediately. GOES DCPs cannot be polled and no control signals may be sent to them.

see Telemetry, page 30


A lthough the ability of scientists to collect and store remote environmental field data is

becoming more commonplace in today’s wired world, researchers still need interdisciplinary repositories from which they can easily share and into which they can infuse real-time information straight from the field. In Southern California, the University of California at San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography are leading efforts to create an environmental observing and monitoring network that demonstrates the collection and streaming of real-time seismic, oceanographic, hydrological, ecological, geodetic, and physical data via wireless networking.

The High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN) was funded by a three-year, $2.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation for

the creation, demonstration, and evaluation of a non-commercial, prototype, high-performance, wide-area, wireless network. The network was designed to address the lack of high-speed Internet connectivity, or often any Internet connectivity, away from the urban core. In rural or uninhabited areas, data are being collected for a variety of scientific disciplines, but transmitting those data has previously been a slow process. Alternative options for Internet access, such as fiber optics and satellite links, can be prohibitively expensive; thus a more feasible option was desired, and HPWREN was born.

While working with interdisciplinary scientists ranging from oceanographers to ecologists, the HPWREN team also provides support for the wireless networking aspects of UCSD’s Real-time Observatories, Applications, and Data management Network (ROADNet) project.

Meeting the Challenges of Real-Time Data Transport and Integration: HPWREN and ROADNetBetsy Woodhouse, Ph.D. – Southwest Hydrology, SAHRA and Todd Hansen – System Coordinator, ROADNet

Photos courtesy of the HPWREN team.


ROADNet was spun off from HPWREN to focus exclusively on sensor integration; real-time data transport; and data analysis, discovery, and widespread access (see sidebar). In short, HPWREN is the network on which ROADNet data travel.

Linking it All TogetherJust how does this network work?

At the outer edges of the network, real-time data are collected by field sensors connected to HPWREN using radio and Internet protocol (IP) methods. Researcher locations, science monitoring sites, and educational sites are connected to relay nodes, which are 3 to 45 miles apart. Individual sites are as far as 70 miles from their relay node (see network map, below left). The data are transmitted via HPWREN’s IP network, which uses a variety of media, including fiber optic cable and wireless networks.

Currently, a variety of geophysical, astronomical, and ecological data are being collected. For example, earthquake sensors in the desert east of San Diego record strain measurements. Images from Palomar Observatory and San Diego State University’s Mount Laguna Observatory are transmitted back to researchers worldwide. At SDSU’s 4,344-acre Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, capture

systems for real-time video and audio, as well as micrometeorology and hydrologic monitoring systems transmit data to the network for common use (see article on page 18). Oceanographic data, including current direction and velocity and ocean temperature, are recorded from sensors in the Pacific Ocean.

As soon as they are collected, real-time data are relayed through HPWREN directly to the research scientists and sent to their assigned servers for widespread access. For example, ocean buoy data are posted to an oceanographic server while data from seismic and geodetic sensors are posted to the IGPP Digital Library. These servers are joined together to form an overall network, which is accessible by users within seconds of data being collected.

Data ManagementUsing a GRID-type infrastructure design, HPWREN’s data management system consists of three primary components:

• data handling system• information “discovery” system• real-time analysis system

The data handling system contains the data repositories and distributes the data

Meeting the Challenges of Real-Time Data Transport and Integration: HPWREN and ROADNet

The Focus of ROADNet

The University of California at San Diego developed the ROADNet program as a spinoff of HPWREN to facilitate real-time data integration, transport, analysis, and discovery. ROADNet was developed on a platform originally designed to handle the data requirements of seismic researchers who wanted to conduct real-time analysis of seismic events. It has expanded to allow users to collect, post, analyze, and retrieve data from seismic stations, lowland river watersheds, mountainous watersheds, observatories, ocean buoy research vessels, and GPS observatories.

Data are collected from a variety of sensors in remote field locations and sent to a data transport and analysis system that manages multiple connections to multiple field sensors. The system not only provides data to multiple users in real time, but can also interface with more traditional databases. An additional interface is under development that will be able to reconfigure and prioritize data capture and analysis dynamically, directly from the sensor networks. ROADnet’s data transport network consists of a series of computers that act as data relays and buffers in the case of network problems.

All of the real-time data are now accessible through the ROADnet Web site at roadnet.ucsd.edu/rtd.html. Data currently available include seismic and strain meter data, meteorological data, streamflow and water quality measurements, and ocean currents and temperatures from stations in remote San Diego County, offshore islands, and ships and buoys in the Pacific. A new status feature at mercali.ucsd.edu/status.cgi allows each research group to show the most recent data collected.

The ROADNet project is interested in working with other research groups that could benefit from the data integration and analysis system that is being developed.

For more information, visit roadnet.ucsd.edu.

see ROADNet, page 30


Southern California is famous for its beaches, traffic, and verdant suburbs. It relies so heavily upon external

supplies of water, power, and people that one may easily forget that the landscape is still mostly natural. Little is known about the interactions between the suburban settings and the natural cocoon of mountains, canyons, and rangelands that encompass them. At the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve (SMER) in Southern California, scientists are beginning the daunting task of instrumenting the rugged walls and canyons of the coastal sagebrush landscape to characterize the workings of the suburban-native interface. In establishing a hydrometeorological window on the rugged Southern California landscape, they are developing and testing important wireless methods for bringing monitoring results from remote sites directly onto the Internet.

Established in 1962, SMER is one of four field stations that make up the San Diego State University (SDSU) Field Stations Program. SMER encompasses 4,344 acres

of steep mountains, canyons, and

river channels in the open coastal-sage

countryside in southwestern Riverside and northwestern San Diego counties in Southern California, about 10 miles inland near the suburbs of Temecula and Fallbrook. SDSU manages the reserve cooperatively with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, The Nature Conservancy, and the California Department of Fish and Game.

In addition to providing a natural laboratory at the suburban/rural interface, SMER provides a test site for new wireless technologies and sensor networks. A wireless communication system has been installed that provides a “bubble” of connectivity over 65 percent of the reserve. The sensing technology that is being deployed at SMER has the potential to be a prototype for high-density environmental monitoring in urban and wilderness settings worldwide.

Wireless InfrastructureAnywhere within this system, instruments can be linked directly to the Internet, with their own IP addresses (URLs), merely by erecting a small, cell-phone-style antenna. The Intra-SMER wireless Ethernet network that forms the system is based on an array of 2.4 GHz unlicensed radio antennas, arranged to enable real-time data collection

from environmental sensors and

imagers anywhere in the system. The network was constructed on the basis of extensive GIS and ground-truthing to identify those locations within the reserve that offer the best vantage points and greatest reserve coverage from the fewest antennas or telecommunications (TC) sites. Data transmission is accomplished by a network of radios and routers. The combined views from the five TC sites allow coverage of almost 2,800 acres of the reserve, in canyons, around steep and undulating terrain, and in a variety of habitats. Additionally, the wireless coverage provided by the network is flexible. By redirecting an antenna or adding another radio to a TC site, service to new research sites can be added. Three of the five TC sites are too remote to receive line power and therefore rely on solar power systems that are designed to power them continuously for years.

The wireless communication and sensor networks at SMER make monitoring much easier but are obtained in the face of a number of complicating factors. The topography is rugged and the line-of-sight relations required by wireless connections are often difficult to obtain. River channels are among the most difficult locations in which to make the connections because of steep canyon walls. Installation and repairs are often difficult because trails are rough and some locations are only accessible by foot. Some of SMER is controlled by federal agencies (U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) that impose restrictions on wilderness intrusions. Because AC power is available in only a few locations, solar or battery power is often required. The river channel is prone to flooding; in fact, a heavily anchored meteorological tower was toppled and torn out during one of the past winter’s heavier rainstorms. However, these

The Wireless Watershed at the Santa Margarita Ecological ReserveDan Cayan, Ph.D. – Scripps Institution of Oceanography and U.S. Geological Survey, Mark VanScoy – Research Coordinator, Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, San Diego State University, Michael Dettinger, Ph.D. – Scripps Institution of Oceanography and U.S. Geological Survey, and John Helly, Ph.D. – San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California at San Diego

Repeater station at the SMER.


obstacles—which are also encountered in other network settings—are being overcome at SMER by hard work and careful planning.

Hydrometeorological Data CollectionScientists from around the world are beginning to use the wireless data-transmission capabilities at SMER to obtain real-time access to their research projects and to test wireless methods for use elsewhere. While much of the research at SMER has an ecological focus, researchers in other disciplines are finding the site’s protected, undeveloped setting and wireless communication facilities well-suited to their needs. A group that includes researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego (Scripps), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) worked at SMER to develop a program to answer questions about the water balance and variability of weather and water in the Southern California landscape. In addition, they are monitoring airflow and other meteorological properties related to airborne pollutant loadings and sources of water and air pollution.

Precipitation, wind speed and direction, air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, and solar radiation are currently being collected at SMER, with additional parameters on the drawing board. To date, 20 meteorological towers have been installed and are presently being outfitted with sensors, specially designed data loggers, and spread-spectrum radios. This array should provide some of the highest-density information yet collected over a coastal Southern California watershed.

The SMER staff is currently measuring stream pressure (to calculate stage), temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen at one central location, and the USGS has long-term streamflow gauging stations above and below the reserve. The Santa Margarita River, as it enters the reserve, derives from the heavily suburbanized Temecula basin immediately upstream, and thus provides opportunities for understanding the hydrology of a suburban-rural interface. Soon, hydrologic monitoring by the

Scripps-USGS researchers will include stream stages (to calculate stream discharge), water temperature, and conductivity (to estimate total dissolved solids) at several locations along the main stem of the river and in some of its tributaries, including Stone Creek, an unregulated drainage that is relatively unaffected by development. The tributary observations are intended to characterize the near-natural variations of Southern California runoff.

The network of hydrometeorological stations is currently connected to the wireless Internet through three TC sites. These sites receive radio signals from data logger stations as short-range spread-spectrum signals and convert the dataflow into a wireless Internet protocol. The TCs then transmit the information into the intra-SMER wireless network, which, in turn, is connected to HPWREN, the noncommercial High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (see page 16) that provides Internet access to the SMER data.

The weather elements are sampled once per second and averaged each minute. Data are stored at SDSC and eventually will be available from the Western Regional Climate Center. The data are available to the public through the ROADNet Web site, at roadnet.ucsd.edu/.

The Scripps researchers and their partners plan to use weather and stream data to investigate microclimates, temporal and spatial variations of storms, sea breezes and Santa Ana winds, and water balances as the basis for water and air quality studies. The effects of evapotranspiration on the discharge of the Santa Margarita River and its tributaries will be studied, and the water budgets of the Santa Margarita River, regulated through substantial injections of fresh water upstream of SMER, and of unregulated Stone Creek will be compared.

Future PlansThis fall, the research team plans to install additional meteorological towers within SMER, and in the longer term, they hope to extend the network beyond the boundaries of SMER into upper and lower parts of the river’s watershed. Eventually, they plan to couple these hydrometeorological observations into a watershed model to synthesize the water balances and other hydrometeorological aspects. With their SDSU partners, the researchers are discussing an expansion of their emphasis from the physical aspects of weather, climate, and the water balance to studies of air and water quality and to fire-protection networks. The weather towers, data loggers, and communications structures are also available to support other kinds of sensors, so it is hoped that new experimental efforts will take hold as this project evolves.

For more information, contact Dan Cayan at [email protected], Mark VanScoy at [email protected], Michael Dettinger at [email protected], or John Helly at [email protected]. The Scripps-USGS-SDSC hydrometeorological research at SMER is supported by the National Science Foundation through the ROADNet Project, the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (CalIT2), the NOAA Office of Global Programs through the California Applications Program, and the California Energy Commission through the California Climate Change Center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.


The Las Vegas Wash is the sole drainage from the Las Vegas Valley watershed to Lake Mead.

The flow to the wash includes highly treated wastewater from three treatment facilities in the valley, urban runoff, shallow groundwater, and storm water. Rapid growth and urbanization in the Las Vegas Valley over the past two decades have resulted in increased flows to the wash. These flows have not only caused significant erosion and wetland loss, but have the potential to affect water quality in the wash and in Lake Mead, which provides 88 percent of the drinking water for the entire region.

Since 1998, the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee, a group of 28 local, state, and federal stakeholders, has worked to implement long-term management strategies for the Las Vegas Wash. A Comprehensive Adaptive Management Plan (CAMP) was developed in 2000, and a series of projects, such as erosion-control structures, revegetation along the wash’s banks, and wetland enhancement in the wash, have been implemented to

control erosion, improve water quality, and enhance the ecosystem in the wash. In order to continue making decisions that meet the goals of the CAMP, water quality in the wash has been intensively monitored through several programs. One of these programs is the near real-time water quality monitoring of the wash and its tributaries using Hydrolab® multiprobe data loggers.

Data collected from this program give valuable information on general water

quality in the areas monitored and support both the mainstream wash and tributary sampling programs. Specifically, scientists anticipate that results from this investigation will help to:

• obtain baseline data of water quality in the wash and selected tributaries

• monitor near real-time changes and unusual water quality conditions in the wash and its tributaries

• compare differences in water quality both over time and among different sites

• provide near-real-time water quality data to professionals and the public through a Web site.

These results, along with those from other water quality investigations in the area, will also help scientists to design and manage the Las Vegas Wash as a whole to maximize its environmental health.

Monitoring Sites Five sites in the wash and its tributaries (see map), including Las Vegas Creek (LW12.1), Duck Creek (DC_1), upstream of Pabco Erosion Control Structure (LW6.05), downstream of Pabco Erosion Control Structure (LW5.9), and below Lake Las Vegas (LW0.8), have been selected for near-real-time water quality monitoring. Las Vegas Creek and Duck Creek are two of six major tributaries to the wash. They capture urban runoff from northwest and southwest parts of the Las Vegas Valley watershed. Sites LW6.05, LW5.9, and LW0.8 are located in the mainstream of the wash; LW5.9

Water Quality Monitoring in the Las Vegas WashXiaoping Zhou, Debbie VanDooremolen, Robert Huening, Keiba Crear, Peggy Roefer, Kimberly S. Zikmund – Southern Nevada Water Authority

Water quality monitoring and data transmission in the Las Vegas Wash area.

Sites selected for near-real-time water quality monitoring in the Las Vegas Wash.


and LW0.8 are below the discharges from three wastewater treatment facilities; and LW0.8 is located near the end of the wash, representing the outlet of the Las Vegas Valley watershed.

Data CollectionThis near-real-time water quality monitoring program began with three mainstream wash sites in December 2000 and was expanded in May 2001 to include two tributary sites. Hydrolab units, containing DataSonde® water quality multiprobes and a Surveyor® water quality data logger, have been used to measure water quality parameters, including water temperature (T), pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and electrical conductivity (EC), from which total dissolved solids are calculated. Each multiprobe remains in the water 24 hours a day throughout the year, except when out for maintenance and calibration or during flood events in the valley. The multiprobes record the water quality parameters and the data loggers store the collected data every 20 minutes. With a memory of 512 kilobytes, the data loggers can store as many as 100 days’ worth of water quality data collected at 20-minute intervals. The recorded data from each site are downloaded to the water quality database monthly. One tributary and two mainstream sites are also accessible via modem inside the communication box, which operates with solar power. The data from these remotely accessible sites are transmitted and downloaded hourly and displayed online. The probes are cleaned and calibrated at the sites weekly and in the laboratory monthly. The monitoring sites are also cleaned and maintained in good condition during the weekly site visit.

Data UploadAfter automatically downloading the data to a personal computer in the office, errors in the data, such as data gaps due to cleaning and calibration, extreme or incorrect readings due to burying of probes by sediments, and recording failures due to low batteries, can be identified and eliminated. Oracle Database Upload automatically uploads the data to the database. During this process, the data are checked one more time by an Oracle trigger. A wide range for each parameter

(T, pH, DO, EC) was previously defined. When the entered data are out of range, they are flagged.

Data DisplayAll uploaded data are maintained in an Oracle database, which is accessible to the public through the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee Web site, www.lvwash.org/applications/iwq_chart/. Using the search features, one can obtain and display water quality data from a single site or multiple sites, for a single water quality parameter or multiple parameters. The data can be extracted from the database for different periods (daily, weekly, or monthly) and for different time intervals (every 20 minutes or a specified time). All extracted data can be displayed as a chart, table, or both. These charts and tables allow comparisons of water quality among different sites over days, weeks, or months.

In summary, water quality parameters are measured every 20 minutes at five sites in the Las Vegas Wash and selected tributaries. The data are stored in a water quality database and are accessible by water quality professionals and the public. Through the Las Vegas Wash Web site, one can view these water quality data online within an hour of the latest measurement from remote-access sites.

Contact Xiaoping Zhou at 702-822-3302 or [email protected]. Visit www.lvwash.org.


Betsy Woodhouse, Ph.D. – Southwest Hydrology, SAHRA

When it comes to collecting remotely acquired data, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has the process

wired. USGS has been providing near-real-time streamflow data on the Web since 1994, and more recently the agency has added data on stream stage, depth to groundwater, water quality parameters such as temperature and specific conductance, elevation of reservoirs and lakes, and precipitation. Additional water quality parameters such as turbidity and concentrations of nitrogen, chlorophyll, chloride, and sodium; and meteorological parameters such as wind speed and direction, solar radiation, and snow water content are available for some locations. All data collected throughout the United States are available from a single Web site, waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt.

According to the USGS (2002), data are collected from more than 8,800 real-time sites nationwide. The agency defines “real” time

as “automatically collected, transmitted, and made available to the public at least once each day” (USGS, 2001); however, the data are typically transmitted every four hours. The number of monitoring stations and the parameters monitored at any given station vary considerably from state to state, as shown in the table above.

The real-time data are transmitted primarily by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) telemetry, although land-line or cellular telephone modems and radio-frequency technology are used in some locations.

ReferencesU.S. Geological Survey, 2001. Real-Time Ground-Water Data for the Nation. Fact

Sheet FS-090-01.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2002. NWISWeb: New Site for the Nation’s Water Data. Fact Sheet FS-128-02.

The Real-Time Data Network of the U.S. Geological Survey

streamflowdischarge

depth togroundwater

water quality

precipitation

reservoir/lake

elevationtemperaturespecific

conductanceArizona 153 10 3** 3** 50 0

California 317 36 25 5 4 1

Nevada 79 6 1 1 12 4

New Mexico 88 0 0 0 0 4

Texas 431 47 34 34 4 143

Utah 108 0 7 4 0 2

Real-Time Data Available from the U.S. Geological Survey* Number of Stations Monitored (Southwest states only)

*Additional parameters that may be available in some locations include daily stage, daily streamflow, and other water quality parameters besides those listed in table.** Two water quality stations in Arizona were unavailable when site was checked, and the third has been discontinued.Source: waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt

USGS real-time streamflow monitoring station at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in Tucson, Arizona.


Soil moisture monitoring systems that have the capability to automatically collect and transmit data are

being used in settings as diverse as golf courses, copper mines, and nuclear waste repositories. The ability to receive real-time data from remote locations greatly enhances the utility of the systems for both the operators and the clients.

In the first example, an irrigation monitoring system was installed at a southern Arizona golf course using capacitance-type soil moisture sensors and a full weather station. The sensors, installed at several fairway locations, monitor soil moisture by measuring the dielectric strength of the soil at depths of 4, 8, and 16 inches. The data are transmitted directly to a base receiver and computer in the greenskeeper’s office four times per hour via FM transceivers at each monitoring station. The chart above illustrates the wetting front from a heavy irrigation cycle during a 14-day period. The effects of overwatering are apparent, as moisture at the 16-inch sensor exceeds surface moisture. This monitoring system allows the golf course operator to optimize irrigation practices using real-time soil moisture data, thus avoiding both overwatering and underwatering.

At a large copper mine, stacked heat dissipation sensors (HDS) were installed to monitor moisture flux through experimental tailings cover systems. These laboratory-calibrated sensors measure water energy conditions at depths of 0.5, 1.5, 3, 6, and 10 feet. Stacking the sensors in this fashion allows a hydraulic gradient to be calculated and a one-dimensional flux estimation to be made within the system. The soil pressure potential data are collected by data logger and downloaded on demand by cellular phone, both powered by a solar panel.

HDS and water content reflectometer arrays were installed in a clay cover system constructed over a low-level nuclear waste repository. The system allows near-real-time monitoring of soil moisture conditions. Data are transmitted hourly by low-frequency radio telemetry, allowing operators to monitor cover performance conditions.

The data transmitting capabilities of all three systems allow both the data and the system operation to be closely monitored, thus enabling immediate evaluation of site conditions, and saving the operator and client costly site visits and system downtime.

For more information, contact Howard Grahn at [email protected]

Remote Monitoring of Soil Moisture Howard Grahn – Principal, GeoSystems Analysis, Inc.

A 14-day golf course irrigation record, illustrating a period of overwatering. Note that the 16-inch depth moisture exceeds surface moisture after 10 days.

A fairway transceiver receives sampling commands from, and transmits sample data back to, the golf course base station.

Installation of automated HDS and water content reflectometer arrays in a nuclear repository clay cover.


When Jay Humphrey, manager of the Emery Water Conservancy District in Utah, arrives at work,

he sits down at his computer and logs onto www.ewcd.org. This public Web site provides hourly updates on weather conditions, the status of the county’s water supply, and general environmental conditions in the district’s watershed and service area. With a click of the mouse, Humphrey can survey real-time environmental conditions throughout Emery County and the San Rafael River Basin. Information on the Web site is never more than one hour old.

The district’s real-time monitoring system and Web site have been particularly useful during the current drought, which is now in its fifth year. According to Humphrey, “the network allows me to react faster to changing weather and streamflow conditions, thereby better managing our water supply.”

BackgroundEmery County is located in rural east- central Utah, about 115 miles south of Salt Lake City. The county’s most productive

farmland is located in Castle Valley, a verdant lowland lying between the mountainous 11,100-foot-high Wasatch Plateau to the west and the arid San Rafael Swell region to the east. The area receives an average of 7.6 inches of rain per year. The principal river system in western Emery County is the San Rafael, which emerges from the confluence of Huntington, Cottonwood, and Ferron creeks.

Environmental Monitoring NetworkAt the request of Emery County officials, the district began a program 10 years ago to monitor environmental conditions throughout the western half of the county. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation agreed to assist with the program. The goal was to provide a database for protecting the county’s water supply and water rights. Since that time, the monitoring system has grown from 17 to just over 80 sites, with plans to add at least eight new sites this summer. Included in this system are stream and canal gauging stations, reservoir control sites, weather stations, and water quality monitoring sites.

Early data communications on the district’s real-time monitor system were by narrow-band VHF radios. The data loggers/controllers, radio modems, radios, and sensors all were powered by solar energy. Because of evolution of equipment and changing district needs, a more complex configuration is now used on major monitoring and control sites. Communication is by spread-spectrum radios to increase the bandwidth and make streaming video surveillance possible. The newer system uses the TCP/IP networking protocol made popular by the Internet to communicate with remote sites. They are also equipped with webcams.

Operating the real-time monitoring system has not always been easy. On occasion, solar panels have been stolen or vandalized, although the problem has not been as bad as originally anticipated. Wireless communication is frequently difficult. Many of the district’s field sites are located deep in incised canyons. For this reason, Humphrey has had to install six repeaters and still occasionally has trouble with reliable communication to some of his field sites.

Emery Water Conservancy District:

Surfing into the 21st CenturyRoger D. Hansen, Ph.D. – Team Leader, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Bret Berger – Senior Engineer, StoneFly Technology


Since 1993, the base station for the district’s network has evolved substantially. The first unit consisted of a PC running DOS and the data logger manufacturer’s software. The current base station includes a router/firewall, an ADSL modem to connect to the upstream Internet provider, and file and Web servers.

District’s Web SiteThe district’s real-time environmental monitoring system generates a great deal of information, much of it potentially useful to outside organizations. There was a long debate about the best and most efficient method to dispense the data. At the recommendation of the district’s computer network consultant, it was decided to connect the environmental monitoring system dynamically to the district’s Web site.

In 1999, a first attempt was made at using the district’s Web site to distribute the county’s real-time information. The Web site includes five major sections: reservoirs, rivers, canals, springs, and weather. Each section allows the user to display real-time data in either a graphical or tabular format. Stylized schematic “stick” maps display hydrologic features annotated with current flows which are dynamically updated each time a visitor loads a page. A flexible graphing tool generates time-series graphs that may be exported to an Adobe Acrobat PDF file for publication-quality output.

The Web site is also designed to exchange data dynamically with a variety of other Web sites, including those of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (SNOTEL), the U.S. Geological Survey, Mesonet (a real-time weather system developed by the University of Utah), and the National

Weather Service. The goal is to provide water managers and others with a comprehensive data source for the entire Emery County area. The Web site is the start of creating a “virtual” river basin, an accurate real-time representation of the San Rafael River on the Internet. Already, the site has proved to be very popular with Emery County residents.

The software that runs the Web site is based in large part on Open Source packages. The Open Source software movement has created many popular, robust, and secure programs, including the Linux operating system and the Apache Web server. In the spirit of giving back to the open software community, the district’s computer network consultant started the OpenBasin project in 2003. At the project Web site (www.openbasin.org), the software that runs the district’s Web site is being rewritten and released to the public. It is hoped that a community of users will evolve that will use, test, and enhance this software for the benefit of all.

FutureBy any measure, the Emery County real-time monitoring system and Web site have been successful, but having a product that is continually evolving has not always been easy for Humphrey and other system users. It is not uncommon for them to express frustration with new “improvements.”

Comments such as: “But we just got used to the last one!” are typical. Ways to mitigate the impact of a continually changing product need to be carefully considered, particularly as the rate of technological change continues to increase. Ensuring that new products are backward-compatible is always an issue.

Nevertheless, Humphrey feels that the district has only scratched the surface of the network’s potential. With a grant in 2002 from the U.S. Department of Commerce Technology Opportunity Program, the district will be expanding its monitoring/Internet system to empower an even wider range of users.

Contact Roger Hansen at [email protected], Bret Berger at [email protected], or Jay Humphrey at [email protected]. Visit www.ewcd.org and www.stoneflytech.com for more information.

Installing monitoring and control equipment.

Real-time flow monitoring on Huntington North Inlet Canal.

Stick diagram showing real-time flows in the canals along Cottonwood Creek.


Hannigan Retires; Spear Named Interim Director of California DWRThomas Hannigan retired from his position as director of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on June 2, The Sacramento Bee reported the following day. Hannigan held the position for a “taxing” four years, according to the newspaper, and administration officials said that he never intended to stay in the position as long as he did. The Bee said that Hannigan’s annual salary at the time of his retirement was $117,386, which included a five percent pay cut that California Governor Gray Davis had asked all employees to take in light of the state’s fiscal difficulties.

On June 9, Governor Davis announced the appointment of Michael J. Spear as interim director of the DWR. Spear was appointed deputy secretary for land conservation and stewardship of the DWR in June 2001, and was a member of the Governor’s Clean Energy Green Team. Previously he worked at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for more than 27 years. Spear served as manager of California/Nevada operations for the FWS, where he developed and implemented habitat conservation planning programs in California in areas where rapid urbanization was occurring.

Spear will receive a salary of $107,291, reported the governor’s office. The position does not require Senate confirmation.Visit wwwdwr.water.ca.gov/.

Pettis, Kieley Appointed to California Water Board California Governor Gray Davis recently announced the appointments of Gregory Pettis and F. Thomas Kieley to the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Pettis, of Cathedral City, has been the community affairs director of Coachella/Yucca Valley Petroleum since 2002 and a

general partner of Eagle Enterprises since 1997. He has been on the city council of Cathedral City since 1994 and currently serves as mayor pro tem.

Kieley, of Palm Springs, has 30 years of experience in the insurance and financial planning industry. He has owned Kieley Insurance and Financial Services since 1992 and has been director of the Desert Water Agency since 1985. Since 1995, he has been the secretary-treasurer of the Agua Caliente Development Authority, a subsidiary of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla.

The mission of the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board is to develop and enforce water quality objectives and implementation plans that will best protect the beneficial uses of California’s waters, while recognizing local differences in climate, topography, geology, and hydrology. The Board develops basin plans, issues waste discharge permits, takes action against violators, and monitors water quality for southeastern California, including Imperial County and portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties. Members do not receive a salary. The appointments require Senate confirmation. Visit www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb7/.

Gutzman Honored by CSUFThe Association of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers Division of the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) reported in July that California State University at Fullerton (CSUF) and the Orange County (California) Water District recently honored Myron Gutzman by naming a well after him. The Myron Gutzman Multiport Research Well, dedicated June 19 at the CSUF campus, will be used for ongoing education and research into local groundwater and geology and will enable CSUF to conduct a unique hands-on, field-based education program. The research well contains a Westbay multiport sampling system, installed for long-term monitoring of water levels and water chemistry. Beylik Drilling

Inc. of La Habra, California donated their well-drilling services.

Gutzman, retired vice president of environmental services for Beylik Drilling, is a graduate of the California State University system and is known for his contributions in the fields of environmental and water well drilling.Visit www.ngwa.org and www.fullerton.edu.

U of AZ Profs Head to California; Shuttleworth Takes SAHRA Helm

University of Arizona Regents Professor Soroosh Sorooshian (shown right) has accepted a position as Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering with a joint appointment in Earth Systems at the University of California at Irvine. Others researchers relocated to Irvine from the University of Arizona’s Department of Hydrology are Drs. Xiaogang Gao, Kuo-lin Hsu, and Bisher Imam.

Sorooshian’s position as Director of the Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA) has been assumed by University of Arizona Hydrology Professor Jim Shuttleworth (shown left). Sorooshian has become Founding Director of SAHRA.

Professors Roger Bales and Martha Conklin also have left the University of Arizona’s Department of Hydrology to become founding faculty in the Division of Engineering at the University of California at Merced. Bales, Conklin, and Sorooshian all remain affiliated with SAHRA, and University of California at Merced and University of California at Irvine have become partner institutions.Visit www.sahra.arizona.edu, www.hwr.arizona.edu.

P E O P L E


T H E C O M P A N Y L I N E

GeoSystems Analysis Expands

GeoSystems Analysis Inc. of Tucson, Arizona announces the addition of Mr. Bob Rice (left) and Dr. Mike Yao (right) to the firm.

Rice will be responsible for overseeing the GeoSystems Analysis hydrologic testing laboratory and will manage groundwater recharge and riparian restoration studies. He has 38 years of experience in soil science and hydrology and is the author or coauthor of 73 publications on measuring the hydraulic conductivity of soils and aquifer material, wastewater renovation, and preferential flow and spatial variability of solute transport in the vadose zone.

Yao will be responsible for managing vadose zone investigations and monitoring and modeling studies. He has 17 years of experience in large field-scale studies on water and solute movement through the unsaturated and saturated zones and the application of computer models to these processes. His expertise includes the use of invasive and noninvasive geophysical techniques to measure soil water and solute movement in the vadose zone, and field and laboratory characterization of unsaturated porous media and subsurface monitoring system design. Visit www.gsanalysis.com.

Phelps Dodge Reaches $484 Million Agreement with New MexicoOn May 22, Phelps Dodge Mining Company announced it had reached an agreement with the State of New Mexico on the financial assurance required as part of the closure and closeout plans related to the company’s operations at Tyrone, Chino, and Cobre. The financial assurance is a

requirement of two state laws, the Water Quality Act and the Mining Act. Both laws require companies to provide financial assurance to the state that reclamation and closure work can proceed at a mine site in the event that a company is unable to complete the work. Under New Mexico law, the amounts are premised on hiring a third party to complete the necessary work. The company plans to complete the required reclamation at its New Mexico operations at the appropriate time in the life of each respective mine.

Under the agreement, Phelps Dodge Tyrone Inc., Chino Mines Co., and Cobre Mining Co. will provide financial assurance to the state in the amount of $484.1 million (net present value) through a combination of $50 million in cash (10.3 percent), $96.8 million in collateral (20 percent), accelerated reclamation expenditures during the next ten years totaling $30 million (6.2 percent), and a $307.3 million corporate guarantee (63.5 percent). The agreement also requires the cash component to increase by $25 million within a five-year period ending July 1, 2008, with an equivalent reduction in the amount of collateral.

Until the agreement was reached, the company had met its financial assurance obligations through surety bonds. The insurance industry, however, no longer makes these bonds economically feasible to support reclamation programs.

According to the Phelps Dodge news release, the agreement has the support of the state’s governor, environmental secretary, and secretary of energy, minerals, and natural resources. It is subject to public review and comment. Visit www.phelpsdodge.com.

Multi-Pure’s Arsenic Reduction System Receives First NSF CertificationOn June 2, NSF International announced the certification of Multi-Pure Corporation’s drinking water systems for

pentavalent arsenic reduction. Multi-Pure’s drinking water systems are the first to be NSF Certified under NSF/ANSI Standard 53 (Drinking Water Treatment Units - Health Effects) since the pentavalent arsenic reduction claim was added to the standard. Multi-Pure’s headquarters are in Las Vegas, Nevada.

NSF/ANSI Standard 53 covers point-of-use and point-of-entry systems designed to reduce specific health-related contaminants that may be present in drinking water. The pentavalent arsenic reduction claim was added to the standard in response to industry, regulatory, and consumer demand for water treatment devices to meet the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for arsenic in drinking water.

The NSF Drinking Water Treatment Unit Certification Program conducts testing according to national standards to verify contaminant reduction claims, product structural integrity, and material safety through material formulation reviews and extraction testing. The program conducts label and other product literature reviews to verify conformity to the requirements of the standard. In addition, periodic product retesting and unannounced production facility audits ensure that drinking water systems continue to meet NSF/ANSI Standard 53 requirements.

NSF International, known as “The Public Health and Safety Company™,” is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization. It is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop American National Standards. ANSI’s accreditation verifies that NSF develops standards in a manner to ensure openness and due process allowing for equity and fair play. The organization is internationally known for standards development, product certification, education, and risk management for public health and safety. The association’s primary stakeholder groups include industry, the regulatory community, and the public at large.Visit www.multipureco.com and www.nsf.org.


California Digital Atlas Produces Custom Maps

The California Digital Conservation Atlas was created to be California’s comprehensive public Web site for conservation information. It is designed to provide easy-to-use map views of California’s natural resources and working landscapes for people who may not be familiar with specialized geographic software.

The atlas brings together data from a variety of local, state, and national sources, and allows users to mix and match those layers of information at different scales to create custom maps such as the one shown at right. A zoom tool is available to focus on any area of interest in the state. Five different map “themes” can be selected, and a variety of layers can be selected under each theme to be shown on the map. For example, under the “aquatic biodiversity” theme, the user can view such coverages as impaired rivers, streams, and water bodies; wild and scenic rivers; federal, state, and local water district boundaries; and 100-year flood zones. Other themes include:

• terrestrial biodiversity, containing data on land cover and species diversity;

• urban open space and rural recreation, with boundaries of parks and recreation areas;

• working landscapes, containing agricultural and tree-seeding designations; and

• stressors, containing solid waste sites, fish contamination, and toxic substances monitoring.

All themes also contain common categories of coverage, including hydrologic information (rivers, lakes, dams, water bodies, river basin boundaries), conservation data (land trusts and conservation plans of various agencies and organizations), land ownership, land use, transportation systems, and political boundaries.

The California Digital Conservation Atlas is produced by the California Legacy Project, which is sponsored by the California Resources Agency. It was developed in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency and its Office of Health Hazard Assessment.

The digital atlas currently only works with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser; visit it at legacy.ca.gov/new_atlas.epl.

New Report Evaluates Geothermal Potential

As part of efforts to advance the President’s National Energy Policy, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released a report that identifies

R E S E A R C H A N D D E V E L O P M E N T


and evaluates geothermal energy opportunities on public lands in the West. The report, “Opportunities for Near-Term Geothermal Development on Public Lands in the Western United States,” focuses on areas of the West that provide the best opportunities and highest potential for development of geothermal energy.

BLM and NREL used Geographic Information System (GIS) data to assess geothermal energy potential on BLM lands in the West. The assessment identifies which of BLM’s planning units have the highest potential for developing geothermal resources. The assessment of these high-potential areas focuses on BLM’s knowledge of and experience with geothermal resources in western states. BLM experts identified 35 top-pick sites in 18 planning units throughout six western states that have high potential for near-term geothermal development, including nine California sites, three New Mexico sites, 10 Nevada sites, seven Oregon sites, three Utah sites, and three Washington sites.

“Top Picks” are areas defined by BLM as having the greatest geothermal potential for rapid development in terms of power generation. “Near-term” development means that geothermal potential is high and conditions are favorable so that power generation could be developed within the next two years. Currently more than two-thirds of the “top pick” areas are addressed in existing BLM land-use plans. Once environmental analysis is complete, these areas would be ready for the geothermal industry to develop.

The report on geothermal opportunities and all supporting documentation can be downloaded from www.nrel.gov/docs/fy03osti/33105.pdf.

Underground Water Storage May Alter Groundwater QualityU.S. Geological Survey Press Release

As alternative approaches to increasing water supply and availability in Southern California are explored, such as injecting and storing treated water underground, water managers need to be aware of

potential impacts on water quality, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Research conducted at a test site in the Antelope Valley of Southern California, near Lancaster, found that when treated surface water was used to recharge the aquifer, byproducts of the water disinfection process accumulated in the aquifer. Among the byproducts are trihalomethanes (THMs), which have been listed as carcinogenic by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Injection, storage, and recovery projects that integrate surface-water and groundwater supplies are rapidly becoming important parts of California’s water supply system,” said USGS scientist Miranda Fram, lead author of the study, “However, this study demonstrates that these projects may alter groundwater quality, and thus, potentially may affect the future usability of the water for some purposes.”

The USGS study, in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency, examined the effects of an injection, storage, and recovery test cycle on water quality, with particular emphasis on the formation and fate of THMs.

The study found that THMs continued to form in the aquifer until the residual disinfectant (chlorine) present in the injected surface water was used up, and that bacteria in the aquifer did not consume significant amounts of THMs. Multiple lines of evidence indicated that THM concentrations in the water extracted from the aquifer decreased with time because the injected water was mixed with the native groundwater in the aquifer. Because of this mixing, it was not possible to recover all the THMs in the aquifer.

“Consequently,” said Fram, “repeated injection, storage, and recovery cycles in Antelope Valley aquifers would alter groundwater quality there. Accumulation of THMs could be minimized by removal of the residual chlorine in the water

before injection, or by modification of the extraction program.”

The USGS report, “Processes Affecting the Trihalomethane Concentrations Associated with the Third Injection, Storage, and Recovery Test at Lancaster, Antelope Valley, California, March 1998 through April 1999” by Miranda S. Fram, Brian A. Bergamaschi, Kelly D. Goodwin, Roger Fujii, and Jordan F. Clark, can be found at water.usgs.gov/pubs/wri/wri034062/.

EPA Identifies Sites, Companies for Year-Long Tests of Arsenic Treatment TechnologiesIn October 2001, Christine Todd Whitman, then-administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced an initiative for research and development of cost-effective technologies to help small systems meet the new arsenic maximum contaminant level of 0.01 milligrams per liter and to provide technical assistance to operators of small systems to reduce compliance costs. As part of that initiative, in fiscal year 2003, Congress appropriated $5 million for Small System Arsenic Removal research to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of drinking water treatment technologies, process modifications, and engineering approaches to meet the new arsenic standard at locations that have varied source water quality. The program will evaluate the reliability of technologies for small systems; gauge simplicity of operation, maintenance, and required operator skills; determine cost-effectiveness; and characterize treatment residuals. Several proven arsenic removal technologies exist, such as activated alumina, ion exchange, conventional coagulation, iron removal, lime softening, and membranes, but they are not easily applied to all systems without significant redesign and testing.

EPA recently announced that 12 volunteer small community water systems (of less than 10,000 customers) have been chosen for full-scale demonstration tests of a selected arsenic treatment technology. The tests will last for one year and participants will have the option of keeping the treatment equipment when the test is complete.

continued on next page


Commercial satellite services offer two-way communications to those users who need to “talk” to their DCPs and who are outside the service area of landline and cellular service and for whom an LOS radio system is impractical.

A satellite phone behaves much like a phone modem. Users can dial into their DCP and manually download data or use software to automate this process. Some satellite services provide an Internet protocol (IP) connection to the DCPs using the more expensive phones, allowing the DCP to send data at any time. Basic satellite phone modems communicating at 2,400 to 4,800 bps cost around $1,500 to $4,000. Phones with higher data rates can cost as much as $10,000. Monthly service charges range from $45 to near $100 per month for low-volume data, and can exceed $100 per month if extended periods of station communication occur frequently.

A key advantage of commercial satellite service is two-way communication, which provides the ability to interact with the DCP to change parameters in its setup or

to send control signals. Also, technicians have voice communications available to them at the DCP site. Disadvantages are recurring costs and power consumption. Compared to a GOES DCP, some satellite phones require augmentation of the battery and solar panel size by a factor of three or greater, increasing the site cost significantly. Care must also be taken to ensure interoperability of the data logging equipment and the satellite phone. Reliability for systems using geostationary satellites is very high.

Location, terrain, time sensitivity of the data, and budget are primary factors to consider in deciding which telemetry to use. Consulting engineers, equipment vendors, and other water management agencies can provide information to help you in this process.

John Skaggs has 22 years’ experience in telemetry and wireless communications. Contact him at [email protected].

For more information on phone modems, cellular modems, LOS radios, and GOES telemetry, visit www.sutron.com. For information on commercial satellite service, visit www.inmarsat.com/index.cfm, www.msvlp.com/index.cfm, and www.globalstarusa.com.

Five sites in the Southwest will participate in the demonstration program. Rimrock, Arizona and Nambe Pueblo, New Mexico will test the granular ferric oxide technology of Adedge Technologies Inc. The water system of Valley Vista, Arizona will test Kinetico’s activated alumina treatment process. In Anthony, New Mexico, Desert Sands Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association will test Severn Trent’s iron media, and the capabilities of U.S. Filter’s iron media will be demonstrated in Reno, Nevada at South Truckee Meadows General Improvement District.

The EPA will not provide direct funding for the demonstration program. Instead, the agency will purchase equipment and engineering services and pay for the installation of the equipment at the sites. EPA will also purchase and provide supplies such as chemicals or media if needed.Visit www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/arsenic/research.htm for more information.

USGS Reports Record Low 2002 StreamFlows in AZA compilation of surface-water, water quality, and groundwater data for water year 2002 (October 2001 to September 2002) was released in May by the U.S. Geological Survey in Tucson, Arizona. The report was prepared in cooperation with other agencies and the State of Arizona. According to the report, annual mean streamflow at 29 of 201 streamflow-gauging stations (14 percent) in Arizona during the 2002 water year was the lowest on record. Three of the stations are on the Verde River in central Arizona and 19 are on tributaries of the Verde, Salt, or Gila rivers. Yearly discharge at five key gauging stations during water year 2002 ranged from 29 to 57 percent of the median of yearly discharges computed for the period 1950 to 2002.

The report contains:

• discharge records for 201 streamflow-

gauging stations, 29 crest-stage, partial-record streamflow stations, and 48 miscellaneous sites;

• stage or content-only records for 10 lakes and reservoirs;

• water-quality records for 21 streamflow-gauging stations and 65 wells; and

• water levels for 18 wells. The report was released in printed form and is also available online at pubs.water.usgs.gov/wdraz021/.

across a network of heterogeneous storage systems. The information discovery system allows users to find data, including data that they might not have known existed, by searching on geographic location or sensor type, and to extract data based upon characteristics rather than location. The data analysis system allows the collection and performance of operations on data and data streams that are stored in different locations as if they were all from a single location. The ability to extract metadata from real-time data flow is anticipated as a future enhancement.

The San Diego Supercomputer Center’s Storage Resource Broker (SRB) provides the interface for ROADNet’s connection of heterogeneous data sources via HPWREN, as well as acquisition of data from other storage locations. In conjunction with the Metadata Catalog (MCAT), the SRB provides users with an efficient means to access data sets and resources based on their attributes rather than their names, disciplines, or physical locations.

Additional information on the HPWREN system is available at hpwren.ucsd.edu.

ROADNet, continued from page 17

continued from previous page

Telemetry, continued from page 15

Southwest Hydrology is

Proud to Merge with University of Arizona’s SAHRA

(see page 4)


Business Directory Job Opportunities

Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. (DBS&A) is a progressive environmental science and engineering consulting firm, serving a broad spectrum of government and private sector clients, providing comprehensive services in the investigation and remediation of soil and groundwater, groundwater and surface water hydrology, and soil sciences.

DBS&A is seeking geologists/hydrogeologists in our Austin office. Candidates must have two to ten years of progressively responsible experience conducting LPST site assessments (including risk-based assessments), geological field work, overseeing drilling operations and well installations, performing environmental sampling, groundwater modeling and report preparation. Candidates must possess a BS degree in geology or hydrogeology (MS preferred). Senior level candidates must possess PG licensure in Texas or ability to obtain. The positions require excellent interpersonal and written communication skills. Strong quantitative ability and field experience are desirable.

DBS&A offers challenging work, opportunities for professional development, and a competitive compensation and benefits package. Position level and compensation commensurate with qualifications. For immediate consideration, please email (MS Word) resume, cover letter specifying Job #261, references, and salary history to [email protected] or mail to: Human Resources, DBS&A, 6020 Academy Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. EEO/AA Employer, www.dbstephens.com

STAFF GEOLOGIST/HYDROGEOLOGIST

Southwest Hydrology offers one column inch (65 words) of ad space without charge for job openings.

Additional space is available for $70 per inch.

Environmental consulting firm is seeking a Senior Hydrogeologist to work on all aspects of ground water related projects. Experience in surface and ground water flow and fate and transport modeling is required. Candidates should have consulting experience and strong communication and writing skills. California registration is desirable. The successful candidate will work in a well established, dynamic firm on projects including water resources, contamination issues, and client contact.

Send your resume including a list of 3 references to: TEAM Engineering & Management, Inc., PO Box 1265, Bishop, CA 93515 or email to [email protected].

SENIOR HYDROGEOLOGIST

Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. (DBS&A) is a progressive environmental science and engineering consulting firm, serving a broad spectrum of government and private sector clients, providing comprehensive services in the investigation and remediation of soil and groundwater, groundwater and surface water hydrology, and soil sciences.

DBS&A is seeking Environmental Engineers in its Austin office. Candidates must have two to ten years of progressively responsible environmental remediation experience at LPST and hazardous waste sites. Experience requirements include remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial design/remedial actions, plans and specifications preparation, corrective action plans, construction oversight and/or operation of remediation systems. Senior level candidates must possess PE licensure in Texas or ability to obtain through reciprocity. Candidates with an EIT will also be considered. A BS degree in environmental, chemical or civil engineering is preferred (MS desirable).

DBS&A offers challenging work, opportunities for professional development, and a competitive compensation and benefits package. For immediate consideration, please email resume, cover letter specifying Job #263, and references in MS Word format to [email protected] or mail to: Human Resources, DBS&A, 6020 Academy Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. EEO/AA Employer, www.dbstephens.com

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS


13th Annual California Water Policy ConferenceThe 13th annual California Water Policy Conference, “Juggling Our Water Future,” will be held Nov. 19-20, 2003 in Los Angeles. Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker and will talk about what California and Nevada can learn from each other as both states plan for an uncertain water future with many common challenges. The conference planning committee has announced it is actively searching for award nominees. This year the committee is looking for individuals, public and nonprofit agencies, and private companies that have advanced innovation, breakthrough technologies, and/or new ways of thinking about water in California to the benefit of multiple stakeholders.

Visit www.cawaterpolicy.org for more information, or contact Debbi Dodson at 858-272-9627.

BECC Funds Border ImprovementsThe Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) recently approved funds for wastewater collection system construction and expansion along the U.S.-Mexico border. A new wastewater collection system, pumping station, and pressure and conveyance line will be constructed in

Gadsden, Arizona, north of the twin border cities of San Luis, Arizona and San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora. The conveyance line will connect to the San Luis Arizona wastewater treatment plant. The project will have an estimated cost of $5.3 million and will benefit 880 residents.

In addition, BECC has approved nearly $448,000 for technical assistance to nine U.S. border communities and two Mexican communities. The funding covers a variety of activities, ranging from financial analysis, certification documentation, and planning to environmental assessment updates and public participation. Projects generally involve the expansion of wastewater, sewer, or irrigation systems to improve public health, environmental compliance, and water conservation along the Rio Grande.

Visit www.cocef.org.

Dictionary of Drillers’ Terms AvailableHave you ever been confused by the use of terms such as “monkey board,” “cat head,” “bull reel,” or “dog house” around a drilling rig, when there were no animals in sight? The terminology and slang expressions used in the well-drilling industry provide useful and sometimes colorful descriptions of the various activities, equipment, people, or situations that occur at a drilling site. Definitions of these terms are not typically found in hydrological text books or conventional dictionaries, so a dictionary of drillers’ terms has been compiled by Marvin Glotfelty and Sheryl Gordon of Clear Creek Associates in Phoenix, Arizona and Ronald Peterson of Baroid IDP, South Jordan, Utah.

The Dictionary of Drillers’ Terms is expected to be available from the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) in August 2003. This dictionary provides an update to Marvin’s Dictionary of Driller’s Terms, published in 1992 by the Arizona Water Well Association. The new edition will be more than twice the size of that work, with over 650 defined terms and about 100 photographs. The authors will contribute their royalties (15% of annual dictionary sales revenue) to the Arizona Hydrological Society and the Arizona Water Well Association.

Visit www.ngwa.org/bookstore.html to order the dictionary.

Nominations Sought for New International Water PrizeThe Prince Sultan Research Center for Environment, Water & Desert at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia announced the creation of “the largest award for outstanding research and innovation in water fields.” The Prince Sultan Bin AbdulAziz International Prize for Water, worth $133,000 for each of five categories, rewards the

T H E S O C I E T Y P A G E S


on their own. Restoration of the natural habitat supports local flora and fauna and saves water.

OCWD has not tackled arundo removal alone; the agency has partnered with several others, including the Santa Ana Watershed Association, which consists of the Riverside-Corona, East Valley, San Jacinto Basin, and Inland Empire West Resource Conservation Districts; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the California Department of Fish and Game; and area counties, cities, and private landowners abutting the Santa Ana River and its tributaries. To date, more than $17 million has been raised for arundo removal. The resource conservation districts either perform or oversee most of the work on the ground.

Compounding problems in removing arundo is the fact that some commercial nurseries sell it for use as a privacy screen

because of its dense growth. It is hoped that soon the California Department of Food and Agriculture will ban the sale of arundo in the state.

The Ruth Anderson Wilson Award is named after a co-founder of the Tri-County Conservation League. The group aims to keep a “soft bottom” to the river for recreational use when it is not in flood conditions, let the natural effects of flooding be accommodated so that new soil and seeds can create young forage for wildlife, and retain water in the Santa Ana River to refill the local groundwater reservoirs. The Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, which sponsors the award, is a group of water agencies that collaborate to protect and improve the environment and water in the land drained by the Santa Ana River. The Authority includes the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Eastern Municipal Water District, Orange County Water District, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and Western Municipal Water District.Visit www.ocwd.com for more information.

Arundo, continued from page 6efforts of scholars, scientists, and water resources organizations worldwide. It aims to advance research in the provision and preservation of water resources, particularly in arid regions.

Categories for the first award include:

• Surface Water: effective flood control methods

• Groundwater: artificial groundwater recharge

• Alternative (nontraditional) Water Resources: economical technologies in seawater desalination

• Water Resources Management: effective new techniques of irrigation water conservation

• Protection of Water Resources: protection of groundwater from agricultural pollutants

Nominations for individual and organization awards will be accepted through Oct. 30, 2003. Winners will be announced in May/June 2004.

Visit www.psipw.org for details.


Do you have questions

about wells or well water?

Call the wellcare® hotline. 1-888-395-1033

W W W. W E L L C A R E H OT L I N E . O R G

W E L L WAT E R – N AT U R A L LY B E T T E R

P R O D U C T A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Remote Automatic Sampling Capability Added to Hach Water Distribution Monitoring PanelEarlier this year, Hach announced that the company successfully configured an American Sigma 900 MAX Auto-Sampler with the Hach Water Distribution Monitoring panel. The panel provides continuous, remote surveillance of drinking water distribution systems. With the addition of the American Sigma sampler, a sample can be collected immediately when an out-of-limit condition occurs.

Configuring an auto sampler to work in conjunction with the Water Distribution

Monitoring Panel presented significant challenges. The primary problem lay in overcoming a wide gap in allowable sample pressures. Flow entering the panel itself is typically between 40 and 70 psi

and can be as much as 150 psi, while the sampler works with sample pressure only up to about 7 psi. Hach came up with a successful engineering solution to this problem and has created an interface panel that can provide a sample the moment any instrument shows a parameter has deviated beyond the acceptable range.

The auto sampler provides 24 individual sample bottles and can be programmed to sample at selected intervals as well as in out-of-limit conditions. Samples can be returned to the laboratory for analysis

to determine the specific events and conditions associated with changes in water quality.

Visit www.hach.com.

No-Purge Groundwater Sampler Available from GeoInsightGeoInsight recently introduced the HydraSleeve groundwater sampler that the company says is an effective, inexpensive, disposable no-purge sampler that is fast, easy to use, and can cut field sampling costs in half. Especially effective in low-yield wells, the HydraSleeve is an innovative alternative to traditional, more expensive sampling devices, and it can sample for all compounds.

What makes the HydraSleeve sampler unique and effective, says GeoInsight, is its patented design and ease of use. The sampler is lowered into the well screen at a user-specified interval. Water pressure keeps the bag collapsed and the check


valve closed. HydraSleeve fills when the check valve is moved upward faster than one foot per second. There is no

change in water level and minimal sample agitation during collection, providing lower turbidity than purge-and-sample techniques. Once filled, the sampler seals itself and can be recovered without entry of extraneous, overlying fluids.

GeoInsight is currently offering a free sample of the HydraSleeve to qualifying companies; call 800-996-2225 for details.

Visit GeoInsight at www.geoinsightonline.com.

In-Situ Announces New Water Quality SondeIn-Situ Inc. announced the release of the Multi Parameter (MP) TROLL 9000E water quality sonde specifically designed for long-term deployment. According to the company, the sonde has an extended battery life of close to seven months when sampling nine parameters at 15-minute intervals, offering advantages such as increased accuracy due to less site disruption and cost savings from reduced labor associated with site visits. The instrument is 1.79 inches in diameter

and is powered by four standard D-size alkaline batteries.

The MP TROLL 9000E is the extended deployment option available on certain MP TROLL 9000 units that monitor groundwater or surface-water parameters including temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, oxidation/reduction potential (ORP), total dissolved solids, salinity, depth, and barometric pressure, with additional options for measuring nitrate, ammonium, ammonia, chloride, and turbidity. In-Situ states that innovations in the MP TROLL 9000 series were designed to address shortfalls in similar products elsewhere on the market. These innovations include “smart sensors” that are precalibrated at the factory; “digital DO,” which ensures that dissolved oxygen measurements are correctly compensated for changes in temperature, salinity, and barometric pressure; and “Single Quick-Calibration Solution,” which allows simultaneous calibration of DO, conductivity, pH, and ORP.

For more information, visit www.In-Situ.com or contact Forbes Guthrie at 800-446-7488, ext. 544.

Empty HydraSleeve sampler (left) and filled HydraSleeve sampler (right).


Real-Time Data in Educational Displays Enhance Hydrologic LiteracyGary Woodard and Kyle Carpenter – Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas, University of Arizona, and Kyle Blasch – U.S. Geological Survey

Sabino Canyon is a popular recreation area northeast of Tucson, Arizona at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. It receives nearly 1.5 million visits per year by tourists from around the world and local residents. The centerpiece of the recreation area is Sabino Creek, an ephemeral stream fed by seasonal snowmelt, monsoon rains, and springs.

Regular visitors often call the Visitor Center to see if the creek is flowing, or if storms have made any of the nine bridges on the main path impassable. First-time visitors ask more basic, yet challenging, questions, such as:

• How can a creek flow in the desert?• Why does the creek disappear and then

reappear further downstream?• Where do springs originate?• Why are the mountaintops so much

cooler and wetter?• When is flash flooding most likely?• Where does the water go when it leaves

the canyon?

To better serve Sabino Canyon users and increase their hydrological literacy, a joint project was launched by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the NSF Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA) at the University of Arizona to develop displays, a touch-screen kiosk, and a Web site on the hydrology of Sabino Creek. These exhibits address the origins and fate of the creek, the hydrology of “sky island” environments, and conditions that produce flash flooding. Real-time data are incorporated into the kiosk and Web site, including:

• streamflow and flood-warning data from the USGS/Tucson Water Department gauge in Sabino Creek;

• weather and fire-risk data from the Coronado National Forest meteorological station near the Visitor Center;

• climate and hydrological research data from SAHRA’s meteorological tower on Mount Bigelow near the top of the Santa Catalina Mountains; and

• webcam images from SAHRA’s meteorological tower.

Data include current weather and streamflow information at various points in the canyon, plus extreme values for the date. Streamflow data are tied to information on the conditions required for various bridges to become inundated. Webcam shots from Sabino Creek’s headwaters are updated every five minutes. Normally aimed so as to show snowfall in winter and monsoon storms in summer, the webcam can be controlled by researchers, local weather forecasters, and Forest Service personnel.

Incorporating and interpreting real-time data increase the complexity and cost of developing educational displays, but the benefits are numerous. Hikers use the information to make plans, thereby reducing routine calls to staff. Public awareness of the work of agency and academic researchers is increased. Finally, constantly changing real-time and near-real-time data give people a reason to keep coming back.

Visit www.sabinocanyon.arizona.edu. Contact Gary Woodard at [email protected].

E D U C A T I O N

Sample of kiosk usage data during a busy holiday season.

Sabino Canyon Visitors Center exhibit on hydrology of the stream in the canyon.


Review of Crystal BallEvan R. Anderman, Ph.D. – Calibra Consulting LLC

Crystal Ball is an easy-to-use yet powerful Monte Carlo simulation add-in to Microsoft Excel that allows analysis of the risks and uncertainties associated with Microsoft Excel spreadsheet models. Monte Carlo simulation is a well-established method for defining the uncertain components in a mathematical model. It involves generating numerous scenarios from a user-defined range of values, or a probability distribution for each uncertain parameter in a spreadsheet. It calculates the result for each scenario, generating a range of results, which is evaluated to assess risk. Crystal Ball is widely used in education, financial planning, and in the environmental, oil and gas, and telecommunications industries, among other fields. There are many statistical distributions to choose from, or the user can enter a custom distribution.

Crystal Ball’s functionality includes sensitivity analysis, correlation, and historical data fitting. The sensitivity analysis indicates which of the uncertain variables are most critical, and thus dominate the uncertainty associated with the model. The correlation feature allows the user to link uncertain variables to account for their positive or negative dependencies. If historical data are available, the data-fitting feature can be used to compare the data to the range of results and calculate the parameter values that yield the best fit to the data.

Crystal Ball’s clear graphics and reports facilitate inclusion of as little or as much detail as needed to present the results effectively, although there are no options for personalized chart formats. The user’s manual is well written and includes straightforward directions to get users started, as well as in-depth discussions of the underlying theory. Crystal Ball is easy to use; experienced Excel users should have a simulation running in 30 minutes or less.

More information can be obtained at www.CrystalBall.com, where demo versions are available for download and various applications of Monte Carlo simulation are discussed. Commercial

prices begin at $1,490, and significant educational discounts are available.

Visit www.crystalball.com and Calibra Consulting at www.inversemodeling.com .

S O F T W A R E R E V I E W

Crystal Ball Software ReviewReviewer: Evan R. Anderman, Ph.D.

Rating System for graphics:

Ease of Use:

GUI:

Application:

Output/Plotting:

Documentation:

Best Feature:

Speed:

Worst Feature:

OVERALL RATING

Ease of use

Chart Formatting

Excellent

Very Good

Good

Satisfactory

Poor

International Ground Water Modeling Center

Department of Geology and Geological Engineering


T H E C A L E N D A R

NOVEMBER 2003

SEPTEMBER 2003

OCTOBER 2003

DECEMBER 2003

9-11 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Free) Workshop on Mining-Impacted Native American Lands. Reno, NV. www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/miningimpact.htm

12 University of California at Berkeley. A Decade of Water Policy Reform: The Central Valley Project Improvement Act in 2003. Berkeley, CA. Phone 510-642-5440.

16-19 International Ground Water Modeling Center. MODFLOW and More 2003: Understanding through Modeling. Golden, CO. www.mines.edu/research/igwmc/events/

17-20 Arizona Hydrological Society. 16th Annual Symposium. Mesa (Phoenix area), AZ. www.azhydrosoc.org

22-23 CLE International. Western Water Law. Denver, CO. www.cle.com

25 National Business Institute. Fundamentals of Water Law in Arizona: Protecting Water Rights, Use and Quality. Phoenix, AZ. www.nbi-sems.com/

25- 26 The University of Montana Center for Riverine Science and Stream Re-Naturalization. Assessing and Re-naturalizing Streams Impacted by Mining. Missoula, MT. www.umt.edu/rivercenter/

25-27 Arizona Water and Pollution Control Association. 19th Tri-State Seminar-on-the-River. Laughlin, NV. www.tristateseminar.com

29-Oct. 3 National Ground Water Association. Natural Attenuation, Risk Assessment, and Risk-Based Corrective Action. San Diego, CA. www.ngwa.org/education

30 Groundwater Resources Association of California. Subsurface Vapor Intrusion to Indoor Air: When is Soil and Groundwater Contamination an Indoor Air Issue? San Jose, CA. www.grac.org/ia.html

1 Groundwater Resources Association of California. Subsurface Vapor Intrusion to Indoor Air: When is Soil and Groundwater Contamination an Indoor Air Issue? Long Beach, CA. www.grac.org/ia.html

2-3 CLE International. Texas Water Law. Austin, TX. www.cle.com

4-9 American Institute of Professional Geologists. 40th AIPG Annual Meeting. Glenwood Springs, CO. www.aipg.org

5-8 Inland Northwest Research Alliance. 2003 Subsurface Science Symposium: Advances in Understanding and Modeling Subsurface Processes. Salt Lake City, UT. www.b-there.com/breg/inra/

5-9 International Water Resource Association. XI World Water Congress: Water Resources Management in the 21st Century. Madrid, Spain. www.cedex.es/iwracongress2003/en/hoja2_en.htm

9-10 CLE International. California Water Law. San Diego, CA. www.cle.com

12-15 Colorado State University and other sponsors. 10th Annual Conference on Tailings and Mine Waste. Fort Collins, CO. www.engr.colostate.edu/hsrc/

14-15 National Ground Water Association. Ground Water Data Management Using Microsoft, Oracle, and Internet Database Technologies. Westerville, OH. www.ngwa.org/education

17-18 Xeriscape Council of New Mexico. Water: Our Future…Our Legacy. Albuquerque, NM. www.xeriscapenm.com

28-29 Groundwater Resources Association of California and University of California Center for Water Resources. 24th Biennial Groundwater Conference and 12th Annual GRA Meeting. Ontario, CA. www.grac.org

28-30 Multiple Federal Agencies. First Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds. Benson, AZ. www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/unit/ICRW.htm

28-30 National Ground Water Association. Natural and Enhanced Bioremediation. Orange, CA. www.ngwa.org/education

2-5 Geological Society of America. Annual Meeting. Seattle, WA. www.geosociety.org/meetings/2003

3-6 American Water Resources Association. 2003 Annual National Meeting. San Diego, CA. www.awra.org/meetings/California2003/

5-6 New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute. 48th Annual New Mexico Water Conference. Santa Ana Pueblo, NM. wrri.nmsu.edu/

12-15 Groundwater Foundation. Annual Conference: Water Supply Scarcity. Las Vegas, NV. www.groundwater.org

13-14 CLE International. Endangered Species Act. Tucson, AZ. www.cle.com

13-14 National Ground Water Association. Isotopic and Hydrogeological Characterization of Fractured Rock Settings: Current and Novel Approaches. Denver, CO. www.ngwa.org/education

18-20 National Ground Water Association. Fracture Trace and Lineament Analysis: Applications to Ground Water Resources Characterization and Protection. Reno, NV. www.ngwa.org/education

8-12 American Geophysical Union. AGU Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA. www.agu.org/meetings/fm03

10 Groundwater Resources Association of California. 1,4-Dioxane Symposium. San Jose, CA. www.grac.org

volume 2/number 5 september/october 2003 - university · pdf filevolume 2/number 5...

Documents