Groundwater flow in alluvial valleys consists of two components, baseflow and underflow. The baseflow component of the Darcy flux flows normal to the river and contributes to the surface flow. The underflow component moves downstream in the same direction as the river but at a much slower rate. Underflow is important in Texas because the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water is regulated by controlling the diversion of underflow by wells. Land owners in Texas are legally entitled to unrestricted use of the underground water beneath their property. Stream underflow, however, has been expressly excluded from the definition of underground water. The distinction is important because it allows the State to legally restrict the non-domestic pumpage of groundwater (in an "underflow zone") near streams. Regulators are interested in controlling pumpage near rivers in order to prevent streamflow depletion. Historically, the underflow exemption has not been well recognized by the courts. In large measure, this may be due to the fact that our understanding of underflow in alluvial valleys is incomplete. If the underflow rule is to be successfully implemented, a complete understanding of the nature and occurrence of underflow is imperative. This study was initiated to: 1) determine the hydrogeologic factors that control underflow (and baseflow) in alluvial valley aquifers in Texas and the United States; and 2) to examine the suitability of the underflow criterion as a management tool for the prevention of streamflow depletion by wells. To accomplish this, a data base of 23 alluvial river basins was compiled and a 3-dimensional digital model of a hypothetical alluvial valley aquifer was constructed. Examples from the data base indicate that alluvial aquifers can be classified into three types based on the predominant regional groundwater flow direction: baseflow-dominated, underflow-dominated, and mixed flow. Flow patterns can be transient, however, and respond rapidly to changing river stage if the aquifer and the riverbed are highly permeable. Therefore, the distinction must be made between local, transient underflow and baseflow occurring near the river and regional, steady state underflow and baseflow away from the river. Underflow dominated aquifers are found in classic bedload depositional settings which are characterized by high channel gradient, high width to depth ratio, low channel sinuosity, and low river penetration. Linear regressions performed on the parameter values in the data base verify the validity of the data. The degree of correlation provides the basis for a method of estimating the predominant regional groundwater flow direction in an alluvial aquifer based on geomorphologic and morphometric data. The results from the digital model agree with the findings from the data base. Digital simulations indicate that the amount of underflow is directly related to the channel gradient, the amount of recharge, the aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and the streambed hydraulic conductivity. The riverbed hydraulic conductivity is the most critical hydraulic factor controlling the amount of underflow. The output from the model is 100 percent underflow at low values of riverbed permeability. Both the model results and published field data do not support the existence of a significant local "underflow zone" adjacent to rivers in large alluvial systems. Close to the river, the baseflow component may predominate even in regionally underflow-dominated systems due to the influence of high transverse valley gradients. There are many problems associated with the use of underflow as a management tool. The definition is vague and ambiguous. Underflow can be transient and spatially variable. Texas alluvial systems are baseflow dominated and there is probably no significant "underflow zone" near rivers. Lastly, the presence of underflow has been difficult to prove in court. It is the finding of this study that the underflow criterion is insufficient to prevent streamflow depletion by wells. The underflow rule in the Texas Water Code should be reconsidered, or perhaps abandoned, in favor of criteria that are more justifiable. / text

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No description available.

Water is a key natural resource in our way of life. Without water such miracles of human achievement as the building of great cities and the spanning of the continent with railroads and automobile highways would not have been possible. Such a key natural resource must be protected and controlled by adequate legislation which will prevent its waste, undue consumption, misuse or contamination. With this view in mind the writer has critically analysed the legislation governing water distribution and sewage-disposal control in British Columbia by comparing it with that in other provinces, the United States of America, and Italy. To achieve this critical analysis, the writer has used two excellent references on which to base his recommendations in the form of desirable principles for the existing British Columbia water legislation. These two references are entitled, "Desirable Principles of State Water Legislation," and "Suggested State Water Pollution Control Act," and are published by the National Reclamation Association and the United States Public Health Service, respectively. As a result of the critical analysis of the existing British Columbia water supply and distribution legislation, it is felt that the British Columbia Act Respecting the Diversion and Use of Water has both sound legislative foundations and administrative procedure, and is far superior to any of the similar pieces of legislation of the other provinces in Canada. The writer also feels that the Act ranks high in comparison with the water acts of comparable western states in the United States. However, there are certain recommendations for improvement that have been made for the British Columbia water supply and distribution legislation. Briefly, these are as follows: 1. That some provision be made for the acquiring, controlling, and exercising of rights to the use of ground waters, including both definite underground streams and percolating waters. 2. That some provision be made for an appropriator to have the opportunity of recapturing and re-using return water which results from his development when he is diligent and uses foresight in his attempt not to infringe upon preexisting rights. 3. That some provision be made for the appropriation of salvaged water and developed water in preparation for any foreseeable shortage of our natural water resources. 4. That some provision be made for the rotation in use of water in the event of an unexpected shortage of water for domestic or other purposes. 5. That some provision be made for the exchange of water so that appropriators may exchange water with one another so long as the rights of others are not impaired with respect to either quantity or quality of the water, and so bring about a more effective utilization of water by appropriators who are already entitled to divert under terms of their separate appropriative rights. 6. That some provision be made for the appropriation of interprovincial waters with the use of a doctrine of reciprocity. As a result of the critical analysis of the existing British Columbia water-pollution control legislation, it is felt that, in the past, the authority has been divided among several agencies, a situation which gave rise to lax control and a lack of coordination. However, the recently-passed Act (March 1956) to Control the Pollution of Waters of the Province is an excellent beginning of effective, coordinated control. It is difficult to compare this Act with those in other provinces or in the United States because of its recent enactment. Briefly, the writer would suggest the following recommendations: 1. That some definite and exact classification be adopted in setting the quality standards of beneficial uses for receiving waters, and that these standards be inserted in the Pollution-control Act. 2. That the beneficial uses of the receiving water be evaluated, and that discharges into the receiving water be controlled so as to protect as many of the benefits as possible. 3. That some provision be made for setting up regional boards, in whose hands will be the primary control. 4. That the Provincial Pollution-control Board be given power to hold an inquiry, and for that purpose it be given all the powers and jurisdiction of a Justice of the Peace under the "Summary Convictions Act." 5. That the Board be given the power to require the keeping of records and making of reports, and to enter on property at reasonable times for purposes of inspection and investigation. 6. That one member of the Board be experienced in the field of municipal government and one be experienced in the field of industrial activities. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The need for conservation of existing water resources in countries which are experiencing rapid urbanization and industrialization becomes quite obvious when one considers the tremendous increase in demand for water as the standard of living rises and as new uses for water evolve. The problems which may arise from lack of recognition of the need for planned utilization of water resources, and the development of means to cope with these problems once they have developed, are exemplified in the case of the highly urbanized and industrialized Ruhr Valley in West Germany. The U.S.A. has reached the stage of recognition of problems which arise out of water pollution and has recently embarked on the development of means to resolve existing and potential problems. Canada will undoubtedly follow this experience very closely. There is a multiplicity of uses for water for domestic and industrial purposes and the range of these uses is rapidly expanding. This vast and increasing range of beneficial uses often results in conflicts whereby, since the degree of water quality differs for different uses, overuse for one purpose may limit the use for another purpose. To alleviate this situation it is sometimes advantageous or even necessary to determine a hierarchy of use priorities for the various available water supplies. The hypothesis of this study is that: Adverse physical conditions resulting from water pollution, which impede satisfactory urban development, can be minimized by implementation of appropriate legislation and policy at the regional level. The management of water resources, including the control of water quality, since they are so vital to such a large range of uses by man, must be planned on a comprehensive basis. The basis of the planning should be an attempt to attain the goals and objectives established by the planner according to his estimation of the needs and desires of society. These goals and objectives will be most satisfactorily realized by the development of a plan and policy for water quality control, and implementation of that plan through the performance of a logical series of operations within the planning process. Within the Province of British Columbia there are about thirteen agencies, at the Federal, Provincial, and Municipal levels of Government, which have the legal power to control water quality. This multiplicity of controlling agencies creates overlaps in jurisdictions which may result in inactivity in the imposition of control by these agencies which may unduly rely on each other to exercise their powers. The Pollution-control Board, one of these agencies, was established through the Pollution-control Act in 1956 to resolve these problems of overlapping jurisdictions. The Board has not been successful in becoming a single, competent, authoritative agency responsible for the control of water pollution within the Province of British Columbia, for the following reasons: 1. It is not fully representative; 2. It has not established water quality and effluent standards criteria; 3. The education program is too limited; 4. It has insufficient budget and staff; 5. The jurisdiction of the Board does not include the whole Province; 6. There are ambiguities in the Act; 7. Insufficient power is given to enforce the Act; and 8. Administration of the Act does not commence at a small enough level of government. It is suggested that the Board may become the effective unified agency for the control of water pollution in British Columbia if deficiencies under the Act are rectified and if an efficient administrative structure is developed. The proposed administrative structure consists of a Development Board, with representation from the three levels of government, established within each Regional District. Existing and proposed Regional Districts would have to be altered to coincide with river-basin drainage systems or sub-basins in order to make this framework practicable. It is concluded that with some relatively minor alterations in the existing legal and administrative organization, the desired means of control of water pollution in the Province of British Columbia can be satisfactorily achieved. This substantiates the hypothesis which formed the basis of this study. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

During the early 1980s, concern over the poor quality of the nation's drinking water began to arise. Though the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) had been passed almost a decade earlier, many problems still existed. These problems included the inability of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate new drinking water standards and to enforce new and existing standards. To address the shortcomings of the original act, Congress passed the 1986 SDWA Amendments. This document attempts to accomplish two main goals. The first is to summarize selectively the requirements of the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments as reflected in proposed and finalized drinking water regulations. The areas of coverage include proposed regulations for eight inorganic and thirty synthetic organic chemical contaminants, the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR), and the Total Coliform Rule (TCR). In order to facilitate an understanding of the SDWA and the 1986 Amendments, a sectional analysis was provided in an appendix. The second goal of this document is to assess the economic impact of this legislation upon Virginia water facilities. In this regard, the cost of water treatment technologies whose use will likely increase as a result of the legislation have been estimated, compiled, and documented. These technologies include granular activated carbon (GAC); reverse osmosis; ion exchange; and various aeration, filtration, and disinfection technologies. Several case studies that assess and highlight the direct impacts of the 1986 SDWA Amendments upon Virginia water facilities are presented. / Master of Science

The challenges of water governance in Chile today lie at the confluence of growing water demands, increasing climatic variability, and mounting discontent with neoliberal water policy. These these dynamics coalesce in the Maipo, Chile's most densely populated river basin and seat of the capital city, Santiago. The Maipo River sustains the growing capital city of Santiago, booming agricultural production in the Santiago valley, and hydroelectric generation from the river's swift descent from the Andes. Now, with the population of Santiago exceeding 5 million, a seventh year of drought racking central Chile, and controversial hydropower development sparking mass protests, the stakes of water governance in this critical river basin are higher than ever. Based on in-depth empirical research in the Maipo River basin, this thesis explores how processes of environmental and social change interact with Chile's internationally famous water laws to shape water governance, understood as the set of processes through which actors influence decision-making and conflict resolution related to water resources. Bringing legal geography and political ecology into conversation with water governance literature, I analyze the ways that law, social mobilization, and water scarcity are shaping water governance. In Chapter 1, I analyze the law of river sectioning and the way it influences water use and management practices throughout the Maipo River basin. Chapter 2 explores the Alto Maipo hydropower conflict in the upper basin and demonstrates the important role of social movement actors trying to shift water governance in new directions. Themes from both of these chapters converge in Chapter 3, which examines the struggle over the meaning of water scarcity in the context of increasing attention to drought and climate change. These dynamic socio-environmental processes are considered in relation to each other as integral parts of the ongoing negotiation of water governance. This research aims to insert considerations of social and environmental justice into ongoing policy debates about water governance in Chile to address the conflicts stemming from uneven access to resources and decision-making.

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Este trabalho busca compreender o papel do Direito e sua relação as políticas públicas de águas na região das bacias hidrográficas dos rios Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí (Bacias PCJ), com base na perspectiva da Sociologia Ambiental do Direito. Os procedimentos metodológicos envolvem pesquisa bibliográfica, entrevistas com membros dos Comitês PCJ e da Agência de Bacias PCJ e análises documentais. Inicialmente, analisa-se a emergência de uma questão \"socioambiental\" e delineiam-se desafios para o Direito no enfrentamento dos problemas e conflitos socioambientais. Em seguida, aborda-se a multidimensionalidade do bem \"água\" e se expõe os conflitos relativos à apropriação e à gestão, além do arcabouço jurídico das águas no Estado de São Paulo e no Brasil. Por fim, apresenta-se um panorama dos desafios, conflitos e problemas socioambientais relativos às águas nas Bacias PCJ, com enfoque no Direito enquanto trincheira de enfrentamento. Nesta análise se destaca a atuação do Grupo de Atuação Especial do Meio Ambiente (GAEMA) e o conflito relativo à renovação da outorga do Sistema Cantareira, na conjuntura da crise hídrica que se instalou no Estado de São Paulo entre os anos de 2014-2016. / This dissertations aims to understand the role of Law and its relation to water public policies in the region of Piracicaba, Capivari and Jundiaí rivers basins (PCJ Basins), based on the perspective of the Sociologia Ambiental do Direito. The methodological procedures involve bibliographic research, interviews with members of PCJ Committees and PCJ Basins Agency, and document analysis. Initially, the emergence of \"socio-environmental\" issue is analyzed and challenges for the Law are presented in face of socio-environmental problems and conflicts. Next, we adress the multidimensionality of water and expose the conflicts related to the appropriation and management of water and the juridical framework of the waters in the State of São Paulo and in Brazil. Finally, an overview of the challenges, conflicts and socioenvironmental problemas related to waters in PCJ Basins is presented, focusing on the Law as a confrontation trench. This analysis highlights the performance of Grupo de Atuação Especial do Meio Ambiente (GAEMA) and the conflict regarding the renewal of the granting of the Cantareira System, in the conjuncture of the water crisis that was installed in the State of São Paulo between 2014-2016.

China, the world's most populous country, has been experiencing a severe water crisis. This has manifested itself through water shortages, water pollution and natural water disasters, and has been exacerbated by the rapid social and economic development that has taken place in the last two decades. To deal with these problems, an integrated water resources management programme, within which an effective and enforceable water rights system can play a key role, should emerge as soon as possible under the principle of sustainable development. However, there are many problems under the water rights system in the current Chinese water law, involving the property right of water resources, the human right to water, and the environmental right to water. ... this dissertation recommends a well structured water rights system under which the economic, social and environmental values of water resources co-exist equitably in harmony.