Thesis (Ph. D., Environmental Science)--University of Idaho, August 2008. / Major professor: Robert L. Mahler. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M. Sc.(Agric))(Agricultural Economics)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes summary. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-95). Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Patterns and perceptions of water use have changed since Anglo settlement in Texas in the early nineteenth century. Change has not been constant, gradual, or linear, but rather has occurred in fits and spurts. This pattern of punctuated equilibrium in water use regimes is the central finding of this dissertation. Water use is examined in terms of built, organizational, and institutional inertias that resist change in the cultural landscape. Change occurs only when forced by crisis and results in water management at an increasing scale. Perception is critical in forcing response to crisis. Four water use regimes are identified. The agrarian regime was characterized by individual family and plantation units that were self-sufficient in their water supply. Water was perceived as abundant, but used sparingly. The agrarian regime began with Texas’s declaration of independence from Mexico in 1836 and lasted for the remainder of the nineteenth century. The waterworks regime was characterized by the introduction of piped water. During this second regime, water was still perceived as abundant, but was also taken for granted. The crisis forcing the waterworks regime was the need for better fire protection in cities. The almost constant threat of flood and drought, underscored by the Drought of the 1950s, in conjunction with a demographic shift, brought about the dam and levee regime. As a consequence of the Drought of the 1950s, water was for the first time perceived as scarce. We have just entered the groundwater regime. Recent water legislation and a state supreme court decision in favor of a bottled water company are putting new emphasis on groundwater sales from rural property owners to municipal water companies. Empirical studies supporting this theoretical framework are drawn from the heretofore unpublished 1868 journal of Pleasant B. Watson, from municipal bond records in the archives of the Texas Comptroller, from the early history of the waterworks at Bryan, Texas, from newly discovered records of a levee along the Brazos River, from an overview of dam and reservoir construction, and from a recent proliferation of groundwater districts.

Thesis (Ph. D. - Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering)--University of Arizona, 1995. / We acknowledge that there are two pages numbered 47 in this thesis. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-138).

Thesis Ph.D. (Agric.(Pasture science))-University of Pretoria, 2005. / Included summaries in Afrikaans and English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

This paper discusses residential water demand in Central Texas, specifically the Cities of Austin and Sunset Valley. Predicting and managing residential water demand is a much researched topic that has gained importance as water has been recognized as a finite resource whose conservation and efficient use becomes more important as population grows and development patterns sprawl. Using monthly water use data from both cities, a statistical analysis was conducted of usage numbers and patterns. Several variables were considered in the modeling process including: monthly precipitation and average temperature, house size (sq. ft.), lot size (sq. ft.), appraised value of homestead, type of landscaping and presence of pool. For the City of Austin, aggregate monthly water distributed to single family residences and climate data that corresponded to each month were used in a linear regression for the fiscal years 2003-07. The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between water use among single family residential Austin Water Utility customers and precipitation and temperature (R² = .456). A more thorough examination of water use in Sunset Valley revealed a somewhat inconclusive relationship between residential water use and the aforementioned independent variables. Both a "fixed effects" panel data model and a simple linear regression model reported extremely low R² results (both .097). Several reasons are proposed in an attempt to explain the results, which differ from previous studies but no clear reason is identifiable. / text

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Arizona, 1986. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-188).

Strawberry plants (Fragaria x annanasa D.) were grown in drip irrigated plots covered with gray/black plastic mulch at the Campus Agricultural Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. During the 1993-94 season varieties Chandler and Oso Grande were grown while in the 1994-95 season varieties Chandler and Selva were grown. Crop coefficients to estimate crop evapotranspiration for Chandler were determined on calendar day and growing degree day (GDD) basis. For the harvest period, the crop coefficients ranged from 0.35 for early March to 0.6 for early June. GDD were computed using 6 °C as the base temperature and 26 °C as the upper threshold temperature. Although GDD is useful to estimate water needs, it did not predict the starting date of harvest because other factors such as day length, transplanting date, and chilling period are involved. In the 1994-95 season, dry, medium and wet irrigation treatments were established for the Chandler. The well irrigated plants yielded 328 g/plant, equivalent to 21.2 metric tons/ha. The dry treatment received 33 % less water than the medium treatment and resulted 25% less yield. There were no statistical differences in yield between the medium and wet treatments, although the wet treatment received 33% more water than the medium treatment. The Oso Grande and Selva were tested and they yielded 46 and 22% less than Chandler, respectively. The harvest period extended for 70 to 100 days and premium size berries were produced during the first half of the harvesting season.

Revised; Originally published: 2009 / 2 pp. / This publication discusses water use in cauliflower production in Arizona.

Revised; Originally published: 2009 / 2 pp. / The publication discusses water use in carrot production in Arizona.