Model linkage to assess forest disturbance impacts on water quality: A wildfire case study using LANDIS(II)-VELMA.

Wildfires in western US forests increased over the last two decades, resulting in elevated solid and nutrient loadings to streams, and occasionally threatening drinking water supplies. We demonstrated that a linked LANDIS (LANDscape DIsturbance and Succession)-VELMA (Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments) modeling approach can simulate wildland fire effects on water quality using the 2002 Colorado Hayman Fire. Utilizing LANDIS-II's forest landscape model to simulate forest composition and VELMA's eco-hydrologic model to simulate pre- and post-fire water quantity and quality, the best calibration performance yielded a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.

Calibration using R-programming and parallel processing at the HUC12 subbasin scale in the Mid-Atlantic region: Development of national SWAT hydrologic calibration.

The first phase of a national scale Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model calibration effort at the HUC12 (Hydrologic Unit Code 12) watershed scale was demonstrated over the Mid-Atlantic Region (R02), consisting of 3036 HUC12 subbasins. An R-programming based tool was developed for streamflow calibration including parallel processing for SWAT-CUP (SWAT- Calibration and Uncertainty Programs) to streamline the computational burden of calibration. Successful calibration of streamflow for 415 gages (KGE ≥0.

Forecasting freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms for Sentinel-3 satellite resolved U.S. lakes and reservoirs.

This forecasting approach may be useful for water managers and associated public health managers to predict near-term future high-risk cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHAB) occurrence. Freshwater cyanoHABs may grow to excessive concentrations and cause human, animal, and environmental health concerns in lakes and reservoirs. Knowledge of the timing and location of cyanoHAB events is important for water quality management of recreational and drinking water systems.

Holistic Sustainability Assessment of Riparian Buffer Designs: Evaluation of Alternative Buffer Policy Scenarios Integrating Stream Water Quality and Costs.

Riparian buffer zones (RBZs) have been shown to be effective best management practices (BMPs) in controlling non-point source pollutants in waterbodies. However, the holistic sustainability assessment of individual RBZ designs is lacking. We present a methodology for evaluating the holistic sustainability of RBZ policy scenarios by integrating environmental and economic indicators simulated in three watersheds in the southeastern USA.

Catchment scale runoff time-series generation and validation using statistical models for the Continental United States.

We developed statistical models to generate runoff time-series at National Hydrography Dataset Plus Version 2 (NHDPlusV2) catchment scale for the Continental United States (CONUS). The models use Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) based Curve Number (CN) to generate initial runoff time-series which then is corrected using statistical models to improve accuracy. We used the North American Land Data Assimilation System 2 (NLDAS-2) catchment scale runoff time-series as the reference data for model training and validation.

Sensitivity of Riparian Buffer Designs to Climate Change-Nutrient and Sediment Loading to Streams: A Case Study in the Albemarle-Pamlico River Basins (USA) Using HAWQS.

Riparian buffer zones (RBZs) provide multiple benefits to watershed ecosystems. We aimed to conduct an extensive sensitivity analysis of the RBZ designs to climate change nutrient and sediment loadings to streams. We designed 135 simulation scenarios starting with the six baselines RBZs (grass, urban, two-zone forest, three-zone forest, wildlife, and naturalized) in three 12-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watersheds within the Albemarle-Pamlico river basin (USA).

PiSCES: Pi(scine) stream community estimation system.

The Piscine Stream Community Estimation System (PiSCES) provides users with a hypothesized fish community for any stream reach in the conterminous United States using information obtained from Nature Serve, the US Geological Survey (USGS), StreamCat, and the Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of North America for over 1000 native and non-native freshwater fish species. PiSCES can filter HUC8-based fish assemblages based on species-specific occurrence models; create a community abundance/biomass distribution by relating relative abundance to mean body weight of each species; and allow users to query its database to see ancillary characteristics of each species (e.g.

Comparison and Evaluation of Gridded Precipitation Datasets in a Kansas Agricultural Watershed Using SWAT.

Gridded precipitation datasets are becoming a convenient substitute for gauge measurements in hydrological modeling; however, these data have not been fully evaluated across a range of conditions. We compared four gridded datasets (Daily Surface Weather and Climatological Summaries [DAYMET], North American Land Data Assimilation System [NLDAS], Global Land Data Assimilation System [GLDAS], and Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model [PRISM]) as precipitation data sources and evaluated how they affected hydrologic model performance when compared with a gauged dataset, Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily (GHCN-D). Analyses were performed for the Delaware Watershed at Perry Lake in eastern Kansas.

Spatio-Temporal Modeling for Forecasting High-Risk Freshwater Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms in Florida.

Due to the occurrence of more frequent and widespread toxic cyanobacteria events, the ability to predict freshwater cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cyanoHAB) is of critical importance for the management of drinking and recreational waters. Lake system specific geographic variation of cyanoHABs has been reported, but regional and state level variation is infrequently examined. A spatio-temporal modeling approach can be applied, via the computationally efficient Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA), to high-risk cyanoHAB exceedance rates to explore spatio-temporal variations across statewide geographic scales.

Quantification and valuation of ecosystem services in life cycle assessment: Application of the cascade framework to rice farming systems.

The integration of ecosystem service (ES) assessment with life cycle assessment (LCA) is important for developing decision support tools for environmental sustainability. A prequel study has proposed a 4-step methodology that integrates the ES cascade framework within the cause-effect chain of life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to characterize the physical and monetary impacts on ES provisioning due to human interventions. We here follow the suggested steps in the abovementioned study, to demonstrate the first application of the integrated ES-LCIA methodology and the added value for LCA studies, using a case study of rice farming in the United States, China, and India.

Towards integrating the ecosystem services cascade framework within the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) cause-effect methodology.

The assessment of ecosystem services (ES) is covered in a fragmented manner by environmental decision support tools that provide information about the potential environmental impacts of supply chains and their products, such as the well-known Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Within the flagship project of the Life Cycle Initiative (hosted by UN Environment), aiming at global guidance for life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) indicators, a dedicated subtask force was constituted to consolidate the evaluation of ES in LCA. As one of the outcomes of this subtask force, this paper describes the progress towards consensus building in the LCA domain concerning the assessment of anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems and their associated services for human well-being.

Mapping Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes albopictus Vector Mosquito Distribution in Brownsville, TX.

Aedes mosquitoes are vectors of several emerging diseases and are spreading worldwide. We investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) mosquito trap captures in Brownsville, TX, using high-resolution land cover, socioeconomic, and meteorological data. We modeled mosquito trap counts using a Bayesian hierarchical mixed-effects model with spatially correlated residuals.

Life cycle assessment of a rainwater harvesting system compared with an AC condensate harvesting system.

This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a rainwater harvesting (RWH) system and an air-conditioning condensate harvesting (ACH) system for non-potable water reuse. U.S.

Sustainability assessment of agricultural rainwater harvesting: Evaluation of alternative crop types and irrigation practices.

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has been used globally to address water scarcity for various ecosystem uses, including crop irrigation requirements, and to meet the water resource needs of a growing world population. However, the costs, benefits and impacts of alternative crop types and irrigation practices is challenging to evaluate comprehensively. We present an assessment methodology to evaluate the sustainability of agricultural systems as applied to a southeastern U.

Phenology-adjusted dynamic curve number for improved hydrologic modeling.

The Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN, or CN) is a widely used method to estimate runoff from rainfall events. It has been adapted to many parts of the world with different land uses, land cover types, and climatic conditions and successfully applied to situations ranging from simple runoff calculations and land use change assessment to comprehensive hydrologic/water quality simulations. However, the CN method lacks the ability to incorporate seasonal variations in vegetated surface conditions, and unnoticed landuse/landcover (LULC) change that shape infiltration and storm runoff.

Land-Use/Land-Cover Change from Socio-Economic Drivers and Their Impact on Biodiversity in Nan Province, Thailand.

The rate of deforestation declined steadily in Thailand since the year 2000 due to economic transformation away from forestry. However, these changes did not occur in Nan Province located in northern Thailand. Deforestation is expected to continue due to high demand for forest products and increased agribusiness.

Spatiotemporal Bayesian modeling of West Nile virus: Identifying risk of infection in mosquitoes with local-scale predictors.

Monitoring and control of West Nile virus (WNV) presents a challenge to state and local vector control managers. Models of mosquito presence and viral incidence have revealed that variations in mosquito autecology and land use patterns introduce unique dynamics of disease at the scale of a county or city, and that effective prediction requires locally parameterized models. We applied Bayesian spatiotemporal modeling to West Nile surveillance data from 49 mosquito trap sites in Nassau County, New York, from 2001 to 2015 and evaluated environmental and sociological predictors of West Nile virus incidence in Culex pipiens-restuans.

Basin-wide Impacts of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services in the Lower Mekong Basin.

Water resources support more than 60 million people in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) and are important for food security-especially rice production-and economic security. This study aims to quantify water yield under near- and long-term climate scenarios and assess the potential impacts on rice cultivation. The InVEST model (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) forecasted water yield, and land evaluation was used to delineate suitability classes.

Mobile device application for monitoring cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms using Sentinel-3 satellite Ocean and Land Colour Instruments.

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHAB) cause human and ecological health problems in lakes worldwide. The timely distribution of satellite-derived cyanoHAB data is necessary for adaptive water quality management and for targeted deployment of water quality monitoring resources. Software platforms that permit timely, useful, and cost-effective delivery of information from satellites are required to help managers respond to cyanoHABs.

Ecosystem quality in LCIA: status quo, harmonization, and suggestions for the way forward.

Purpose: Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results are used to assess potential environmental impacts of different products and services. As part of the UNEP-SETAC life cycle initiative flagship project that aims to harmonize indicators of potential environmental impacts, we provide a consensus viewpoint and recommendations for future developments in LCIA related to the ecosystem quality area of protection (AoP). Through our recommendations, we aim to encourage LCIA developments that improve the usefulness and global acceptability of LCIA results.

An Integrated Ecological Modeling System for Assessing Impacts of Multiple Stressors on Stream and Riverine Ecosystem Services within River Basins.

We demonstrate a novel, spatially explicit assessment of the current condition of aquatic ecosystem services, with limited sensitivity analysis for the atmospheric contaminant mercury. The Integrated Ecological Modeling System (IEMS) forecasts water quality and quantity, habitat suitability for aquatic biota, fish biomasses, population densities, productivities, and contamination by methylmercury across headwater watersheds. We applied this IEMS to the Coal River Basin (CRB), West Virginia (USA), an 8-digit hydrologic unit watershed, by simulating a network of 97 stream segments using the SWAT watershed model, a watershed mercury loading model, the WASP water quality model, the PiSCES fish community estimation model, a fish habitat suitability model, the BASS fish community and bioaccumulation model, and an ecoservices post-processer.

Life cycle assessment of a commercial rainwater harvesting system compared with a municipal water supply system.

Building upon previously published life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, we conducted an LCA of a commercial rainwater harvesting (RWH) system and compared it to a municipal water supply (MWS) system adapted to Washington, D.C. Eleven life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) indicators were assessed, with a functional unit of 1 m of rainwater and municipal water delivery system for toilets and urinals in a four-story commercial building with 1000 employees.

A modified eco-efficiency framework and methodology for advancing the state of practice of sustainability analysis as applied to green infrastructure.

We propose a modified eco-efficiency (EE) framework and novel sustainability analysis methodology for green infrastructure (GI) practices used in water resource management. Green infrastructure practices such as rainwater harvesting (RWH), rain gardens, porous pavements, and green roofs are emerging as viable strategies for climate change adaptation. The modified framework includes 4 economic, 11 environmental, and 3 social indicators.