Archive for 2006

TWRI grant recipient researches regeneration of Carbon Aerogel Ions

By Emily Baker
Carbon-based derivatives such as charcoal, carbon cloth, activated powder and pellets are frequently used in water treatment. Sanjay Tewari, a graduate student in Texas A&M University’s Department of Civil Engineering and 2005-2006 TWRI research grant recipient, under the direction of the late Dr. Timothy Kramer, is researching the use of Carbon Aerogel (CA) [...]

December 1st, 2006 | Posted in USGS Research Grants
TWRI grant recipient develops enhanced flooding model

By Emily Baker
Flooding continues to be a serious problem for many major urbanized cities. In particular, the City of Houston has encountered serious flooding over the last several decades, most recently from tropical storm Allison in 2001, a storm causing over $2 billion in damages in the Harris Gully area.
To improve flood alert capabilities, Nick [...]

December 1st, 2006 | Posted in USGS Research Grants
The Wave of the Future

Plans use local involvement to enhance water quality
Comprehensive watershed protection plans, outlining ways to preserve or restore watersheds, are becoming a popular approach for protecting Texas surface waters.
The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension are taking an active role in providing assessment, educational outreach, management and training to [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
Recovering from the Past

Group committed to restoring the Arroyo Colorado
Paul Bergh’s love of the Arroyo Colorado in the Lower Rio Grande Valley goes back more than 40 years. His first experience with the Arroyo was in 1961 when the then 15-year-old was a guest of his girlfriend whose family had a place on the channel.
“Drinking water was hauled [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
Champions of Texas Water

At quick glance, the two Texas women might seem opposite. One is tall, brown-haired and East coast educated; the other petite, blonde and educated on the West coast. A closer look reveals two women who are both ranchers and state officials with a similar passion for Texas and preserving its waters.
Kathleen Hartnett White is chair [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
Freeing up Water

Brush control efforts yield water
For 10 years during the 1990s drought, H. R. Wardlaw, a West Texas rancher, watched and waited.
He watched as the Middle Concho River and Rocky Creek running through his ranch near San Angelo became dry. He watched as the Florida bass from East Texas he stocked in the river and 75- [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
A Dash of Salt

Researcher assesses salinity impacts on grasses, trees and shrubs
A Texas A&M researcher is assessing the impact of using moderately saline water for irrigating urban landscapes in West Texas and southern New Mexico.
“The primary purpose of using moderately saline water for irrigation, including reclaimed water, is to conserve potable [drinkable] water,” said Dr. Seiichi Miyamoto, a [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
Global Predictions

Lab uses advanced technologies to forecast change
Every morning forest rangers and specialists from the Texas Forest Service meet to make decisions about protecting the state’s natural resources from fire. Essential to making these decisions are Keetch–Byram Drought Index (KBDI) maps produced daily by the Spatial Sciences Laboratory in College Station.
Spatial Sciences Laboratory Director Dr. Raghavan [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
Ripple Effects

Water conservation policies, practices impact Ogallala region’s economy
With water levels in the southern part of the Ogallala Aquifer—the major source of groundwater for the Southern Great Plains—declining, researchers across the Texas High Plains and Kansas are developing agricultural practices and technologies that use water more efficiently.
At the same time, a group of agricultural economists is [...]

November 1st, 2006 | Posted in tx H2O
Agreement signed to commercialize desalination technology

Representatives from the Global Petroleum Research Institute (GPRI) of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University and The Texas A&M University System Office of Technology Commercialization signed an agreement Monday (Oct. 23) to commercialize a desalination process technology with GeoPure Water Technologies LLC.
Signing the agreement are [...]

October 24th, 2006 | Posted in Uncategorized
Saltcedar beetles successfully introduced near Big Spring

Saltcedar beetles introduced to help control the water-consuming, invasive saltcedar tree along the Upper Colorado River have defoliated 18 acres of a saltcedar stand, an increase in defoliation of 10 times each year for 3 years, according to a researcher involved in the project.
“We expect the beetles to begin actually killing trees in 2 more [...]

September 25th, 2006 | Posted in Uncategorized
Perry: Environmental Efforts to Focus on Trinity River Basin

View video coverage from CBS News
Perry promises money to help Trinity water quality
ARLINGTON – Gov. Rick Perry announced today a major environmental initiative on the Trinity River to improve its ecosystem and water quality. More than $500,000 in state seed money and in-kind contributions is being made available to the Trinity River Basin Environmental Restoration [...]

September 5th, 2006 | Posted in Uncategorized
Fact sheets available on technologies to reduce phosphorus runoff

By Courtney Swyden
Going into its second year of evaluating new technologies, Texas Cooperative Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute are collaborating to reduce high levels of phosphorus runoff from two Central Texas watersheds. The New Technologies for Animal Waste Pollution Control project, funded through a 319 grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation [...]

August 28th, 2006 | Posted in Uncategorized
Graduate student researches insect control of saltcedar

By Courtney Swyden
Results from a Texas A&M Entomology graduate student’s research on using saltcedar beetles as a biological control for saltcedar showed that in one year the insects can help defoliate this invasive, water consuming tree.
“Results from field cage and natural experiments indicate that one full season of defoliation has adverse consequence for the trees,” [...]

August 28th, 2006 | Posted in USGS Research Grants
TWRI awards Mills Scholarships to graduate students

COLLEGE STATION –The Texas Water Resources Institute recently awarded Mills Scholarships to 13 Texas A&M University graduate students for the 2006-07 academic year to pursue water-related research.
TWRI’s Mills Scholars Program, an endowed fund that supports research in water conservation and management, provided the $1,500 scholarships to the students to use for education-related expenses. The scholarship [...]

August 22nd, 2006 | Posted in Mills Scholarship Program