September2007

Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles, along with Gulf State governors, senior federal and state agency officials, renewed a commitment to enhance the economic and environmental health of the Gulf at the Gulf of Mexico Alliance meeting on August 26,2007, in Biloxi, MS. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is a partnership among the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and the federal government to work together to protect the Gulf of Mexico's economic and natural resources.

In March of 2006, the five U.S. Gulf state governors released the Governors' Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts. The Action Plan challenges the Alliance to make tangible progress on issues such as water quality, wetland conservation, and environmental education. In the 18 months since the Action Plans release, work on more than 90 percent of the plans 70+ actions have either been completed or are in progress. For more information visit: http://www2.nos.noaa.gov/gomex/welcome.html.

A historic around-the-world relay run reached its finish line on September 4, 2007 in New York City. On August 31, EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles joined other government, NGO, and corporate officials in welcoming to Washington a team of 20 citizen athletes representing 13 countries who have been running around the world nonstop since starting at the United Nations in New York on June 1, 2007. The inaugural 2007 Blue Planet Run is an unprecedented international athletic event dedicated to raising awareness and funds for projects that will deliver safe drinking water to some of the more than one billion people globally who currently live without it.

The team has traveled relay-style 24 hours a day, seven days a week and, by the time they reached Washington, had passed through 16 countries and covered more than 14,000 miles of the 15,200 mile journey. The runners have taken approximately 26.7 million strides, burning roughly 1.4 million calories, and have collectively run the distance of 573 marathons, all for the worthy cause of raising awareness and funds for safe drinking water projects around the world.

EPA recently issued a new technical document called "An Approach for Using Load Duration Curves in the Development of TMDLs." This document provides an overview on the use of duration curves for developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The duration curve approach allows for characterizing water quality conditions at different flow regimes. The method provides a visual display of the relationship between stream flow and water quality. In addition, the document describes basic steps needed to develop duration curves, which identify loading capacities, load and wasteload allocations, margins of safety, and seasonal variations. It is written for TMDL practitioners who are familiar with relevant technical approaches and legal requirements. The guide also discusses some considerations and limitations in using the approach, and includes several case examples.

Related to this, in November 2006, EPA issued a memorandum entitled "Establishing TMDL Daily Loads in Light of the Decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. EPA et. al., No. 05-5015 (April 25, 2006) and Implications for NPDES Permits." The memorandum clarified EPA's expectations concerning the appropriate time increment used to express TMDLs in light of the recent decision. This Memorandum is posted at http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/dailyloadsguidance.html. The notification also indicated that additional technical information would be forthcoming, such as this 74-page technical document, which may be found at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/duration_curve_guide_aug2007.pdf.

The ability to manage water resources effectively in arid and semi-arid areas has been severely limited by poor knowledge and understanding of the special hydrological characteristics of these areas, and the lack of modelling tools to represent these special characteristics adequately.

One man’s work to remedy these deficiencies has won him the Prince Sultan International Water Prize for 2004-6. Professor Howard Wheater is Professor of Hydrology at Imperial College in London, UK, and has been working for 25 years to improve the understanding of the hydrology of these areas. Professor Wheater has sought to develop suitable modelling tools for management, to apply these in practice for improved water resources management, and to disseminate state-of-the-art information to students and practitioners. This has particular application in arid and semi-arid areas, which brought him particular favour with the Prince Sultan Prize, which rewards research to improve water resources in these regions.

Prof. Wheater’s latest achievement is setting up with UNESCO the G-Wadi global network for information on water and development for arid lands, the areas globally facing the greatest pressures to deliver and manage freshwater resources. It has been estimated that some 80 countries, constituting 40% of the world’s population were suffering from serious water shortages by the mid 1990s and that in less than 25 years two-thirds of the world’s people will be living in water-stressed countries, most of these in North Africa, the Middle East and West Asia.

Already several countries in the area show a deficit in water budgets, water tables are in decline and prolonged droughts currently affect many countries in semi-arid areas such as Southern Africa, northern China, India, the western coast of South America, and Australia. Other marginal areas such as southern Europe and the Great Plains of the USA also suffer from water stress, overabstraction of groundwater and desertification.

The strategic objective of G-WADI is to strengthen the global capacity to manage the water resources of arid and semi-arid areas. Its primary aim is to build an effective global community through integration of selected existing material from networks, centers, organizations, and individuals who would become members of G-WADI.

The network will promote international and regional cooperation in the arid and semi-arid areas through events such as the international conference on Water, Environment, Energy & Society (WEES) 2007 which will be held during 18-21, December 2007, in Roorkee, India. This follows a Mediterranean region meeting in September 2006 in Tunisia.

However, G-WADI is far from Prof. Wheater’s only interest. He recently returned from Sudan, where he was looking at water management in the country with the National Water Centre.

At Imperial College, he has two research students, one looking at surface water resources in Oman and the other at issues to do with climate change in Iran. The Oman research, particularly, reflects back to some of the first work Prof. Wheater carried out.

In 1981, Wheater undertook the first Flood Study of Northern Oman for the government of Oman, responding to a flood emergency. He collated the available data on rainfall and flows, and produced analyses of rainfall depth-duration-frequency relationships that were subsequently used as the basis of hydrological design for the following 15-20 years. He also introduced, for the first time in the Arab region, the use of distributed, physically-based modelling of rainfall-runoff processes. As part of his work, he designed flood protection for various strategic installations in Oman, including the Royal Palace in Muscat. His paper, published in the Proceedings of the UK Institution of Civil Engineers, won national recognition and was awarded the ICE Overseas Premium. Professor Wheater later returned to Oman to work on the sustainable and integrated management of water resources in Wadi Ghulaji. Here he developed a pioneering new modelling approach, which:

The model was successfully used to explore the potential of recharge dams in a variety of locations, and the sustainability of yield from alternative climate sequences. Prof. Wheater has also worked in Saudi Arabia, where he carried out the Five Wadis Representative Basins study in the late 1980s, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Arizona. He was recently invited by the Government of Chile to assist in the development of a centre for Arid Zone water resources for Latin America and the Caribbean, and was invited by the Japanese government to give a keynote address on water scarcity to the 2003 Kyoto World Water conference. He is currently consultant to the State of Nevada concerning safety assessment for a proposed repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain.

The Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water is intended to reward the efforts undertaken by innovative scholars and scientists as well as related organizations in the realm of water resources worldwide. It has been established to acknowledge the special achievements that have contributed to the development of scientific solutions to solve the problems associated with the provision as well as the preservation of adequate and sustainable water resources, particularly in arid regions.

The current round of the Prize, which will be awarded in 2008, is the third in the series initiated with the patronage of HRH Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz as a humanitarian contribution by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the world and as an initiative that deals with the issue of water considered as one of the basic life elements in human existence.

The awards under the Prize include a major new Creativity Prize worth 1 million Saudi Riyals (SR) or around US$266,000, and a smaller prize of SR 500,000 ($133,000 approx.) in each of four branches of water resources research.

her dedicated service over the course of her term for the Fiscal Year 2006-2007. Throughout her presidency, the Institute was able to accomplish many goals that she and the Governing Board had established as she entered the position on October 1, 2007.

She played a vital role in many EWRI events, including the annaul Council Weekend, the 2007 Congress in Tampa, FL, and the Strategic Planning process for the year following her term. In addition to these specific tasks, Jeanette has been a solid source of support for the Governing Board and EWRI as a whole. Her efforts in the betterment of EWRI are not limited to her contributions as president, as she has been a strong component of the organization for years.

With the end of her term as president, Jeanette passes the torch to Kyle Schilling, P.E., BCEE, D.WRE, Hon.M.ASCE, who will assume the position for the Fiscal Year 2007-2008. He becomes the acting president of EWRI on October 1, 2007, and his time in the position extends to September 30, 2008.

Rollin H. Hotchkiss, P.E., D.WRE, M.ASCE will assume the role of EWRI Treasurer for the Fiscal Year 2007-2008. He will be succeeding Karen Kabbes, who leaves big shoes to fill following her year in the position. Rollin has been an active member of the Technical Coordination Executive Committee in past years, and he should bring some great experience to the table for the Governing Board. Rollin is a professor of engineering at Brigham Young University's Fulton College of Engineering & Technology, and he has always found time to contribute to EWRI and its causes.

This four-part web seminar has been designed to assist public and private sector engineers and management professionals in preparation for, and implementation of, comprehensive disaster debris management plans. Participants will benefit from the invaluable experiences and “lesson learned” presentations given by nationally recognized organizations who have assisted and been directly involved in major disaster debris management efforts resulting from recent disasters, notably hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and other emergency incidents. This webinar series will present critical “need-to-know” information that will be helpful in preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural and other disaster events. The webinar concludes with a discussion highlighting a broad range of emerging issues on disaster debris management.

This seminar is co-sponsored by ASCE's Environmental & Water Resources Institute. Part I of this series will take place on November 29, Part II on December 6, Part III on December 13, and Part IV on December 20. All sessions will take place from 12 Noon, until 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The cost of these seminars are $299 for Members and $349 for Non-members per seminar site; or the entire series can be attended for $939 per Member, and $1,099 per Non-member.

The Phillip R. Hoffman award was officially instituted by action of the Board of Direction in October 1987 through the generosity of Nevenka Hoffman, widow of Phillip R. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman, who received the Rickey Medal in 1981, was associated with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for many years. He had special interest in the design and development of hydroelectric generation-pumped storage. It is hoped that this memorial award will encourage others to concern themselves with this field.

The ASCE Energy Division’s Hydropower Technical Committee invites nominees for the 2008 Award. The award may be made annually to an engineer who has made a definite contribution to the field of hydroelectric generation-pumped storage. Membership in the Society is not a required for consideration. Contributions of the nominee can be in the form of a published paper or performance in the field. The Executive Committee of the Energy Division shall recommend the recipient to the Executive Committee of the ASCE Board of Direction for approval. This award shall consist of a plaque and suitably inscribed certificate, and the 2008 Award will be presented to the recipient at the HydroVision 2008 Conference.

Electronic submissions are encouraged to awards@asce.org by November 1, 2007 with a copy to Mario.finis@mwhglobal.com. Paper submissions are also accepted, in which case one copy of the complete nomination package should be received by the Honors and Awards Program at the ASCE headquarters: 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191-4400, and one copy to Mario Finis c/o MWH, 175 W. Jackson Blvd Suite 1900, Chicago, IL 60604.

The Rickey Medal prize was established in 1947 in honor of James W. Rickey, M.ASCE, a leader in hydroelectric engineering progress, by Mrs. Rickey. Financial means were donated to provide for a suitable medal, with certificate, and to establish a permanent fund, the proceeds from which would supply the necessary yearly expenses for this medal.

The medal is given for a meritorious paper published by the Society during the twelve-month period, ending in June 2007 (June of the year preceding the year of award). The schedule of procedure for selection and award follows the general guidelines for Society prizes:

The 2008 Award will be presented to the recipient at the HydroVision 2008 Conference.

It is with great sadness that EWRI and ASCE acknowledge the passing of Kenneth K. Tanji, Professor Emeritus of Hydrology.

Professor Tanji devoted over 47 years of research developing the scientific and engineering understanding about salinity and other water quality aspects of irrigation and drainage. His approach reflected an unusual blend of laboratory, field, and comupter modeling efforts with soil and water chemistry as the core, applying all of this to irrigated agriculture. In addition to serving as a long-time member of ASCE and EWRI and devoting much time to several committees, Professor Tanji received ASCE's prestigious Royce J. Tipton Award "for his significant contributions to sustaining agriculture in California and the western United States, as well as other countries with increasing water quality and other environmental constraints."

At the request of EWRI's Irrigation and Drainage Council, he served as the editor of ASCE Manual No. 71, Agricultural Salinity Appraisal and Management. Published in 1990, this manual came to replace the widely used, but obsolute, USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 60, which was published in 1954. Professor Tanji, with the help of an editorial committee, completed this manual in a matter of two short years. ASCE Manual 71 was recognized internationally as a premier reference book in salinity causes and management. At the time of his death, Professor Tanji was again the chair of a new Task Committee to revise this manual over the next two years. He received excellent cooperation from the contributing authors because of the respect he held as a leader in research and teaching on agricultural salinity problems. He has authored other books dealing with water quality in irrigated agriculture and recently completed Agricultural Drainage Water Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas, FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 61 (with N.C. Kielen). For ASCE's 150th Anniversary, he co-authored a history and heritage article on Water Quality Aspects of Irrigation and Drainage: Past History and Future Challenges.

Professor Emeritus Kenneth Tanji made seminal contributions to the interdisciplinary understanding of water quality aspects of irrigation and drainage. His wisdom, kindness, and support will be missed by all of his many colleagues and students throughout the world. The Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources at UC Davis is planning a "celebration of Ken's life" in October. The family has asked that charitable contributions be made in his name to the LAWR Opportunity Fund.

Please remember Professor Tanji for both his tremendous contributions to his field of study and his presence as an outstanding individual.

Several changes have been made to various ASCE awards, and will be applied for the 2008 selection cycle. The changes include amendments to the actual prizes, changes in eligibility, and adjustments to the selection process. Listed below are the general changes to awards:

Information on these rule changes, as well as features including a calendar of award deadlines and information on the nomination processes, please visit www.asce.org/awards.

ASCE kicked off its annual Member-Get-A-Member campaign this week, and the 2008 drive gives you even more incentive to recruit new members. When you sponsor members now through Dec. 31, 2007, you’ll be eligible to win the choice between a Nintendo Wii or $250. Plus, each month you could be one of five lucky winners who receive a $25 gift card, whether your recruits join ASCE or not – it’s ASCE’s way of saying thank you for helping us bring in new members.

Visit www.ascedrive.org today and help your colleagues and peers find their professional home at ASCE.

Ordering Information: Visit http://www.pubs.asce.org or call 1-800-548-2723 (U.S.) / 1-703-295-6300 (Int’l.) / 1-703-295-6278 (Fax)

Contains 18 papers, many of which were presented at the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Congress and Fourth National EWRI History Symposium held May 15-19, 2007 in Tampa, Florida.

View table of contents

Softcover, 2007, 168 pp., Stock# 40928,

Proceedings of the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2007, held May 15-19, 2007 in Tampa, Florida. Contains all technical papers presented on-site at the conference.

CD-ROM, 2007, 644 papers, Stock# 40927, ISBN 978-07844-0927-5, List Price $180 / ASCE Member $135

The new edition of Dam Foundation Grouting has been revised to reflect contemporary grouting practice and has been substantially enlarged to include coverage of geologic considerations and to address remedial grouting issues.

Dating back to 1999, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has sponsored the annual symposia on Water Distribution Systems Analysis (WDSA). The WDSA series has developed into a foremost international forum on all aspects of water distribution systems. In 2006 the WDSA event was held for the first time as a stand-alone conference, hosted by the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. EPA. In 2008, the WDSA series will be reaching another milestone with the first conference to be held outside the USA.

The 10th WDSA conference (WDSA2008) is planned for August 17-20, 2008 in Kruger National Park, South Africa, a world-famous wildlife sanctuary and one of the world’s greatest natural assets. It will be hosted by the University of Johannesburg.

Sessions on water distribution systems are also planned for EWRI's 2008 Congress to be held in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 13-16, 2008. The Track Chair for these sessions is Dr. Avi Ostfeld (ostfeld@tx.technion.ac.il). In 2009, the WDSA series will return to the annual EWRI Congress.

The Skukuza restcamp, where WDSA2008 will be held, is the ‘capital’ of the Kruger National Park and is situated on a scenic river with ample opportunities to view game from the safety of the perimeter fence. There is an extensive network of roads in the Park that allows visitors to view nature from close quarters. While the Skukuza restcamp was not chiefly developed to host large conferences, and it cannot match the luxury of a five-star conference hotel, it does offer a unique opportunity to be part of nature as it has been for millennia, virtually undisturbed by human hands. We believe it will be an unequalled setting for meeting people and sharing ideas. There can be no doubt that WDSA2008 will be a conference with a difference.

An abstract of not more than 500 words should be submitted by e-mail in text, MS Word or PDF format to wdsa2008@uj.ac.za by 1 February 2008. The title, author's name, organization, address, telephone number and e-mail address should appear on the abstract page.

Abstracts will be peer reviewed. Final acceptance of papers is subject to one of the authors attending the conference. The Organizing Committee retains the right to limit the number of papers presented per author if the available presentation slots are oversubscribed.

SPREAD THE WORD

Please forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in environmental and water-related issues and would like to hear from the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Encourage your friends and colleagues to JOIN EWRI and receive all the benefits of being an EWRI Member.

NOTICE FROM ASCE: You are receiving this e-mail as an information service that is integrated with your ASCE/EWRI membership. If you would rather receive ASCE/EWRI e-mails at another e-mail address or prefer to opt-out of all ASCE/EWRI e-mails, please call (800) 548-ASCE (2723), (703) 295-6300, or e-mail member@asce.org. Thank you for your membership and support of the environmental and water resources engineering profession.