Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Making the shift from grey to green infrastructure for stormwater management: a case study of austin, texas(Montana State University, 2021) Oliver, Rebecca L.Austin, Texas is the eleventh most populous city in the United States as of July 2019, and the population is swiftly growing (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Increasing urbanization inadvertently leads to pollutant deposition and build-up that is consequently washed-off with stormwater runoff into the receiving waters (Goonetilleke & Lampard, 2019). The culmination of this changing land use is a higher likelihood of flooding, severe stream-bank erosion, and degraded water quality throughout the city's watersheds. Therefore, I evaluated whether shifting away from a traditional stormwater management approach towards a green infrastructure strategy would be beneficial to Austin. I focused on the Slaughter Creek Watershed within the city. To model pollutant concentrations in runoff, I evaluated historical daily precipitation data for a 51-year period from a station in central Austin was evaluated to calculate the average precipitation value of the two-year storm. Twenty years of water quality data for untreated stormwater were acquired from a monitoring location in central Austin and paired with the precipitation values. Regression analysis was used to determine a relationship between measured precipitation and the concentration of each of four pollutants: total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and E. coli, in stormwater runoff. The pollutant removal efficacy of two traditional stormwater management features, underground detention vaults and sand filters, and two green infrastructure features, bioretention and permeable pavers, was evaluated against the calculated pollutant concentrations. The EPA-funded Community-enabled Lifecycle Analysis of Stormwater Infrastructure Costs tool was used to determine implementation costs and cobenefits of three stormwater management scenarios in the Slaughter Creek Watershed. The results of the model indicate that a hybrid approach, combining both green and traditional infrastructure features, is the most inexpensive and captures the most runoff by volume. However, the green infrastructure approach has significantly more co-benefits and has greater positive water quality impacts. The traditional infrastructure scenario was the most expensive, had the fewest co-benefits and water quality impacts, and captured the least runoff volume. The information in this study indicates that the Slaughter Creek Watershed will benefit from a revised hybrid approach featuring primarily green infrastructure practices yet incorporating traditional features where more practicable.Item Evaluation of mixed-oxidants against sodium hypochlorite for the disinfection and removal of biofilms from distribution systems(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 1997) Crayton, Cynthia Lynn; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Anne CamperProblem Statement: As drinking water regulations are applied to smaller utilities, an area of emerging concern for the water industry is the installation of disinfection systems to meet the newly imposed standards. Since traditional disinfection technologies are usually beyond the safety, economic, and/or site restraint considerations for small systems, an alternative is required. The mixed-oxidants disinfection system (MIOX) appears to provide a reasonable alternative for small distribution systems as a safe, reliable, and cost effective technology that is easy to operate and is readily compatible with other treatment systems. The goal of this five-phase study was to evaluate the potential of the MIOX disinfectant (produced on-site using feedstocks of ordinary salt, water, and twelve volt electricity) against free chlorine for biocidal efficacy, biofilm/biofouling removal, biofilm regrowth potential, relative corrosion potential, and cost effectiveness. Although mixed-oxidants have been proven effective in potable water disinfection, biofilm removal is a new application for this alternative disinfection technology.Item Toward a water quality management strategy for the Flathead Basin(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1990) Murdock, William Allen; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Karen C. JacobsonItem State water quantity and quality management and planning, with recommendations for Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1981) Repac, Steven MichaelItem Filter ripening sequence reduction by physical and chemical variation of backwashing(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 1987) Cranston, Kelly OrvilleItem The Limulus lysate assay as a rapid and sensitive test of bacterial water quality(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1975) Evans, Thomas MorganItem Analysis of water planning and management alternatives using interactive simulation(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 1986) Michel, Gerald ScottItem Effects of renovation on the Sacajawea Park Lagoon system in Livingston, Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 1983) Clancey, PatItem A review of select water education initiatives of the last 40 years(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2013) Hill, Alexandra Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carl IgoThe Clean Water Act of 1972 brought public attention to the issues surrounding water quality and availability in the U.S. Although the Clean Water Act was not an educational initiative per se, it did provide the foundation and interest for education on water related issues. Much has been learned about sustainable water use and human effect on water quality, but not all efforts to disseminate this knowledge to the general public were successful. This author reviewed and categorized select water education initiatives implemented in the last 40 years and examined their long-term efficacy. Within the first generation, the author looked at the Chesapeake Bay cleanup and the Lake Erie cleanup along with associated education efforts. Chesapeake Bay was relatively successful as an educational effort, while Lake Erie has not had the same kind of long-term public involvement or success mitigating nutrient loading to the lake. The second generation was identified by emphasis on nonpoint source pollution and respective education efforts. Voluntary nonpoint source education was not received nor effective at the rates originally anticipated, largely because of the economic uncertainty associated with implementing best management practices. The third, and current, generation has focused on technological advances and their impacts on water rights, use and mitigation. Agricultural and environmental educators must strive to provide fast, fact-based information and to increase individual self-efficacy by modifying cultural and perceptual norms regarding historic water use. Additional research is needed on impacts from and to specific demographic water users as well as the most effective content and contexts for water resource and educational programming.Item Retention of a model pathogen in a porous media biofilm(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2007) Bauman, Wesley James; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Anne CamperThe inadvertent or deliberate introduction of bacterial pathogens into drinking water systems can lead to serious public health consequences. As a result, rapid sampling opportunities within distribution systems are needed that can provide information on the source, species and fate of introduced pathogens. In this study, a porous media biofilm reactor was used to investigate the ability of an established mixed-species drinking water biofilm to immobilize cyan-labeled Escherichia coli 0157:H7 as a model pathogen. Test reactors were colonized with biofilm for two or three weeks at 0.5 mg/l C, resulting in the formation of thin and thick biofilms, respectively. Colonized reactors were then injected with slug doses of approximately 1 x 109 cfu E. coli O157:H7. Plate counts were able to successfully close a mass balance on E. coli O157:H7 around the reactor and were used measure the fractions of inocula immobilized within reactors. Compared with control reactors (0.22%), reactors colonized for two or three weeks immobilized significantly more cells (0.75% and 9.37% respectively).