11 research outputs found
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Findings of the DRAFT 2004 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List for the Austin Area
This 2004 summary of findings highlights the most common water quality impairments found in Waller Creek.The Texas Water Quality Inventory (305(b) report) is prepared by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) biennially in accordance with Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). For the 2004 report, a “target assessment” was conducted that included evaluation of a limited number of waterbodies, resulting in little overall change in assessment results. The table below summarizes Austin area impairments and concerns as compared to that of 2002.
Water bodies noted on the 303(d) list as "impaired" are those that do not support their designated uses in the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards (30 TAC 307), and for which existing water quality controls are not adequate. "Concerns" are also identified where the uses are met but elevated pollutants with indirect impacts are identified or limited data are available. Assessments are based on the prior five years of water quality data collected by the TCEQ and cooperating agencies under approved quality assurance guidelines. City of Austin Watershed Protection and Development Review Department (WPDRD) staff have been working for several years to ensure City water quality monitoring data is incorporated into the TCEQ assessments through the Clean Rivers Program administered by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). The 2002 and 2004 assessments included creeks based on City data that otherwise would not have been assessed. Both impairments and concerns were identified for water bodies in the Austin area. For water bodies where a priority impairment is identified, a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study may be required by TCEQ to determine the maximum pollutant load that can be borne by the water body without violating water quality standards. The pollutant load is allocated among the sources in the watershed, and any actions necessary to restore and maintain designated uses of the water body are determined. An ongoing bacteria TMDL study of Onion Creek is anticipated to result in delisting due to LCRA monitoring results. An upcoming bacteria TMDL study of Gilleland Creek may also result in delisting or modifications to permit limits of several wastewater treatment plants in the area. A primary focus at this time in the Austin area is the appropriate biological monitoring and establishing a baseline for aquatic life use supported. In addition, elevated toxins in sediments and nutrients in water are focus areas for WPDRD monitoring. These pollutants are currently addressed only as “secondary concerns” by TCEQ because no regulatory criteria have been adopted. In addition, statewide screening levels for these constituents have not been exceeded sufficiently to make them priorities for TCEQ to pursue in the Austin area. However, monitoring results for these parameters have been used in masterplanning and program targeting by the City.Waller Creek Working Grou
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Findings of the DRAFT 2002 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List for the Austin Area
This 2002 summary of findings highlights the most common water quality impairments found in Waller Creek.The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is responsible for determining the status of water resources statewide including those in Austin Area. Its methodology for ranking these water bodies is reviewed and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. From the most recent assessment, the condition of water bodies in the Austin area are summarized. The current status of nineteen water bodies is listed as impaired or of concern due to benthic macroinvertebrate community degradation, elevated bacteria levels, elevated toxins in sediments, or depressed dissolved oxygen concentrations. This information provides a standard of comparison for Austin water bodies state-wide and a source of information to target watersheds for special attention in protection and remediation efforts.Waller Creek Working Grou
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The Town Lake Report, Volumes I and II
This report makes brief references to sediment and other trends seen in Waller Creek.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Town Lake’s importance as a natural resource is growing in tandem with Austin’s rapid population. The lake is a source of drinking water for the City, and its greenbelt and open waters are widely used for recreation and as a focal-point for public events. In 1992, under the Clean Lakes program, a comprehensive report entitled the “Town Lake Study” (COA 1992a; COA 1992b; COA 1992c) was prepared. It examined the condition of the lake (Volume I), water quality control alternatives (Volume II) and a feasibility study (Volume III). This report updates the diagnostic study, Volume I (COA 1992a), including the current status of water quality with data analyzed through the year 2000. It also includes a summary of measures taken to reduce pollution from urban runoff since 1990.Waller Creek Working Grou
Analysis of three different equations for predicting quadriceps femoris muscle strength in patients with COPD
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Impacts of Stream Hydrologic Characteristics on Ambient Water Quality and Aquatic Health in the Austin, Texas Area
Water quality and aquatic health data collected as part of the City of Austin (COA) Environmental Integrity Index (EII) were compared to stream flow characteristics using forty-four metrics derived from daily average flows collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and COA. Water quality data were highly correlated with impervious cover (r = -0.911). Most of the flow metrics were correlated with each other, as was expected, resulting in a redundancy of information and the possibility of cross-correlation when performing additional analyses. A statistical relationship between aquatic life data and three flow metrics, fraction of time the creek is dry, single pass baseflow ratio and the natural log of the 90th percentile flow, was developed based on the correlations and what metrics can be predicted reliably with existing watershed models. The resulting model has an adjusted r2 = 0.702. This model will be used to predict aquatic life potential in Austin-area streams using modeled flows under different development scenarios.Waller Creek Working Grou
Oxygen Desaturation in Daily Life and During a Laboratory-Based Protocol of Activities of Daily Living in COPD: Is There Relationship?
To analyze the relationship between oxygen desaturation episodes during a laboratory-based ADL protocol and in real-life routine in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).status: publishe
Development, Validity and Reliability of the Londrina Activities of Daily Living Protocol for Subjects With COPD
To avoid symptoms, patients with COPD may reduce the amount of activities of daily living (ADL). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to develop a standardized protocol to evaluate ADL performance in subjects with COPD (Londrina ADL protocol) and to assess the validity and reliability of the protocol in this population.status: publishe
Oxygen Desaturation in Daily Life and During a Laboratory-Based Protocol of Activities of Daily Living in COPD: Is There Relationship?
Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research