Review of Desalination and Concentrate Management Issues for Increasing Drinking Water Supplies

Water quantity and quality issues worldwide are causing nations to consider alternate sources for drinking water. Desalination and other membrane processes for treatment of seawater and brackish inland waters have been in use for the past quarter century and are growing in use worldwide. These treatment processes create a highly concentrated waste stream in which the principal constituents are dissolved solids. This report provides an overview of desalination methods and the methods available to dispose of this waste stream. Innovative technologies being studied for possible future use are also discussed.

Recommendations for Soil and Water Conservation Programs

The United States Department of Agriculture employs soil and water conservation programs to assist with the sustainable use of natural resources in balance with economic vitality in rural America. This capstone project analyzed soil and water conservation programs to identify strengths, weaknesses, and methods to maximize environmental benefits. There are many requirements for participation in these programs which are difficult for most agricultural producers to comprehend. Research indicates in order to accomplish the goals of federal conservation programs and assist individuals, a method must be developed to effectively present information in a concise manner. This capstone project created a communicative measure, a template, to disseminate pertinent knowledge on soil and water conservation programs, thereby filling a void in existing literature.

Trees as Tools in Environmental Improvement; An Analysis of the Contribution of Vegetation to Energy and Water Conservation in the Front Range of Colorado

The Denver metropolitan area is facing rapid population growth that increases the stress on already limited resources. Research and advanced computer modeling show that trees, especially those in urban areas, have significant environmental benefits. These benefits include air quality improvements, energy savings, greenhouse gas reduction, and possible water conservation. This Capstone Project applies statistical methods to analyze a small data set of residential homes and their energy and water consumption, as a function of their individual landscape. Results indicate that tree shade can influence water conservation, and that irrigation methods can be an influential factor as well. The Capstone is a preliminary analysis for future study to be performed by the Institute for Environmental Solutions in 2007.