In “Interactive Geospatial Analysis Tool for Estimating Watershed-Scale Consumptive Use: Potomac River Basin Case Study,” Ducnuigeen, Ahmed, Bencala,
Moltz, Nagel, and Schultz state that temporal and spatial watershed-scale information is needed on both the total amount of water withdrawal and the portion of
withdrawn water which is not returned to the source for effective water resource
management decisions. Authors present a case study of consumptive water use
model developed for the Potomac River Basin in the United States. The model and
associated tools consist of a basin-wide analysis and mapping tool that incorporates
monthly water use data from multiple political jurisdictions, estimates consumptive
water use, displays raw and summary information in an interactive geospatial
format, and shares information with stakeholders via an interactive web-based
mapping tool.
In “Advances in Water Sensor Technologies and Real-Time Water Monitoring,”
Younos and Heyer state that traditional discrete water quantity measurements and
water quality sampling do not provide sufficient data to capture temporal and
spatial changes that occur during episodic events. In recent decades, significant
advances in water-monitoring technologies have occurred; sensors, remote monitoring, and data-transfer technologies allow real-time and continuous water monitoring and can capture temporal changes and provide broader spatial coverage of
water quantity and quality in a watershed. Authors present and discuss various types
of sensors for water quantity and water quality measurements, examples of commercially available water quantity and water quality monitoring devices, data
collection and transport platforms, and data management and quality assurance/
quality control for water monitoring. Authors conclude that water sensor technologies and associated computer hardware/software and telemetry technologies are
evolving fields of research and technology development and discuss some of the
limitations of existing technologies.
In “Instrumenting Caves to Collect Hydrologic and Geochemical Data: Case
Study from James Cave, Virginia,” Schreiber, Schwartz, Orndorff, Doctor, Eagle,
and Gerst state that karst aquifers are productive groundwater systems, supplying
approximately 25 % of the world’s drinking water. Sustainable use of this critical
water supply requires information about rates of recharge and quality in karst
aquifers. Caves are an important feature in karst environments. Authors provide
detailed information about the instrumentation, data processing, and data management and show examples of collected hydrologic and geochemical datasets for an
instrumented cave study site in Virginia, United States. The cave has been instrumented for continuous measurement of the temperature and rate of precipitation;
water temperature, specific conductance, and rate of epikarst dripwater; temperature of the cave air; and temperature, conductivity, and discharge of the cave
stream. The chapter provides recommendations on instrumentation and methods
of measurement for cave water.
In “Principles for the Development of Contemporary Bioassessment Indices for
Freshwater Ecosystems,” Garey and Smock define “bioassessment” as the use of
biota to assess the nature and magnitude of anthropogenic impacts to natural water
systems. Authors particularly focus on an important and specific type of
xvi
Volume Preface
Moltz, Nagel, and Schultz state that temporal and spatial watershed-scale information is needed on both the total amount of water withdrawal and the portion of
withdrawn water which is not returned to the source for effective water resource
management decisions. Authors present a case study of consumptive water use
model developed for the Potomac River Basin in the United States. The model and
associated tools consist of a basin-wide analysis and mapping tool that incorporates
monthly water use data from multiple political jurisdictions, estimates consumptive
water use, displays raw and summary information in an interactive geospatial
format, and shares information with stakeholders via an interactive web-based
mapping tool.
In “Advances in Water Sensor Technologies and Real-Time Water Monitoring,”
Younos and Heyer state that traditional discrete water quantity measurements and
water quality sampling do not provide sufficient data to capture temporal and
spatial changes that occur during episodic events. In recent decades, significant
advances in water-monitoring technologies have occurred; sensors, remote monitoring, and data-transfer technologies allow real-time and continuous water monitoring and can capture temporal changes and provide broader spatial coverage of
water quantity and quality in a watershed. Authors present and discuss various types
of sensors for water quantity and water quality measurements, examples of commercially available water quantity and water quality monitoring devices, data
collection and transport platforms, and data management and quality assurance/
quality control for water monitoring. Authors conclude that water sensor technologies and associated computer hardware/software and telemetry technologies are
evolving fields of research and technology development and discuss some of the
limitations of existing technologies.
In “Instrumenting Caves to Collect Hydrologic and Geochemical Data: Case
Study from James Cave, Virginia,” Schreiber, Schwartz, Orndorff, Doctor, Eagle,
and Gerst state that karst aquifers are productive groundwater systems, supplying
approximately 25 % of the world’s drinking water. Sustainable use of this critical
water supply requires information about rates of recharge and quality in karst
aquifers. Caves are an important feature in karst environments. Authors provide
detailed information about the instrumentation, data processing, and data management and show examples of collected hydrologic and geochemical datasets for an
instrumented cave study site in Virginia, United States. The cave has been instrumented for continuous measurement of the temperature and rate of precipitation;
water temperature, specific conductance, and rate of epikarst dripwater; temperature of the cave air; and temperature, conductivity, and discharge of the cave
stream. The chapter provides recommendations on instrumentation and methods
of measurement for cave water.
In “Principles for the Development of Contemporary Bioassessment Indices for
Freshwater Ecosystems,” Garey and Smock define “bioassessment” as the use of
biota to assess the nature and magnitude of anthropogenic impacts to natural water
systems. Authors particularly focus on an important and specific type of
xvi
Volume Preface