AN ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM

Dissolved salts (salinity) adversely affect numerous urban and agricultural users of Colorado River water in California and Arizona. Congress in 1974 authorized a major salinity control program. Studies of general economic benefits from salinity abatement and the cost per unit of salinity reduction expected from specific proposed projects have been developed by the responsible federal agencies, but no project-by-project evaluation has been published. We find a conceptual basis for a substantial downward revision of prospective economic benefits of salinity abatement. Revised benefits are compared with estimated costs, and only for five of the nineteen projects do economic benefits appear to exceed costs.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Groundwater Flow Demonstration Model Activities for Grades 6-12

This set of activities is designed to use a demonstration model available through the Uath County Cooperative Extension Services or from Project WET. They demonstrate such concepts as aquifers, groundwater flow, water table, the relationship between groundwater and surface water, recharge, and others. A glossary and standards correlations to the Utah Core Curriculum for Science are included. The physical model can be obtained through the Utah County Cooperative Extension Service, the Utah Water Resources Education Program, or for sale from Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). Educational levels: High school, Middle school

A Proposed Livestock Research Program for Alaska

This report presents, primarily, areas of research and research goals on range management and beef cattle production that 1) appear to be most urgent and 2) that appear attainable within the next few years without a great expansion of personnel, equipment and funds. Other areas of research and development in the livestock industry (not including dairy) are discussed briefly. Present trends in agricultural research and recommendations for an expanded research program in animal husbandry are given. Some of these recommendations have appeared in other reports and are singled out here to emphasize their importance to a livestock research program for Alaska.Alaska's feedbase studies -- Beef cattle production research -- Other livestock research -- Recommendations -- Appendi

An inventory of state natural resources information systems

The status of a project to inventory state natural resources information systems is summarized. All tasks accomplished are described, and tasks remaining to be completed are outlined

GLOBE: Science and Education

This article provides a brief overview of the GLOBE Program and describes its benefits to scientists, teachers, and students. The program itself is designed to use environmental research as a means to improve student achievement in basic science, mathematics, geography, and use of technology. Linking of students and scientists as collaborators is seen as a fundamental part of the process. GLOBE trains teachers to teach students how to take measurements of environmental parameters at quality levels acceptable for scientific research. Teacher training emphasizes a hands-on, inquiry-based methodology. Student-collected GLOBE data are universally accessible through the Web. An annual review over the past six years indicates that GLOBE has had a positive impact on students' abilities to use scientific data in decision-making and on students' scientifically informed awareness of the environment. Educational levels: Graduate or professional

Salt-gradient Solar Ponds: Summary of US Department of Energy Sponsored Research

The solar pond research program conducted by the United States Department of Energy was discontinued after 1983. This document summarizes the results of the program, reviews the state of the art, and identifies the remaining outstanding issues. Solar ponds is a generic term but, in the context of this report, the term solar pond refers specifically to saltgradient solar pond. Several small research solar ponds have been built and successfully tested. Procedures for filling the pond, maintaining the gradient, adjusting the zone boundaries, and extracting heat were developed. Theories and models were developed and verified. The major remaining unknowns or issues involve the physical behavior of large ponds; i.e., wind mixing of the surface, lateral range or reach of horizontally injected fluids, ground thermal losses, and gradient zone boundary erosion caused by pumping fluid for heat extraction. These issues cannot be scaled and must be studied in a large outdoor solar pond

Summary of space imagery studies in Utah and Nevada

The author has identified the following significant results. An enhanced enlargement of a S190B color image at a scale of 1/19,200 of the Bingham porphyry copper deposit has compared a geological map of the area with the space imagery map as fair for the intrusion boundaries and total lack of quality for mapping the sediments. Hydrothermal alteration is only slightly evident on space imagery at Bingham, but in the Tintic mining district and the volcanic piles of the Keg and Thomas ranges, Utah, hydrothermal alteration is readily mapped on color enlargements of S190B. Several sites of calderas were recognized and new ones located on space imagery. One of the tools developed is a mercury soil-gas analyzer that is becoming significant as an aid in locating hidden mineralized zones which were suggested from space imagery. In addition, this tool is a prime aid in locating and better delineating geothermal sites