This study was made to further define the trophic dynamics of Fundulus notatus by determining its ration composition under natural conditions, measuring feeding selectivity under various laboratory conditions of prey-species composition and availability, and determining the efficiencies with which F. notatus utilizes ingested chironomid larvae.

Spatio-temporal variability in groundwater discharge and contaminant fluxes along a channelized stream in western Kentucky Surface and groundwater discharges and contaminant fluxes can vary with time and space depending upon the hydrogeological processes and geological setting of the area of interest. This study examined a ~300-m-long, channelized reach of a first-order perennial stream, Little Bayou Creek, in the Coastal Plain of far western Kentucky during the period October 2010–February 2012. Along the study reach, springs discharge groundwater contaminated by the chlorinated organic compound trichloroethene (TCE) and radionuclide technetium-99 (99Tc) released as a result of past activities at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The study addressed variability in groundwater discharge patterns and contaminant concentrations at various timescales (seasonal, annual, and decadal) and the extent to which the discharge sites are spatially persistent. Understanding patterns of groundwater discharge along a stream can be important for assessing the fate and transport of aqueous contaminants. Groundwater discharge was estimated during baseflow conditions using different mass-balance approaches, including velocity-area and dye-dilution gauging. Discharge fluctuated seasonally but typically increased downstream, indicating the entire study reach to be gaining throughout the year. Discharge rates of individual springs also fluctuated seasonally. Tracer test data were utilized to model flow and transient storage along the reach using the USGS software OTIS-P. Cross-sectional area determined from OTIS-P was similar to that measured by velocity-area gauging. Reach area-normalized discharge fluxes were comparable to values determined by Darcy’s law calculations from a pair of monitoring wells at the downstream end of the study reach. Temperature data acquired from probing along grids in winter and summer, from fiber-optic sensing along the reach in autumn, and from data-loggers and manual measurements in springs were used to delineate focused discharge locations. Comparison of temperature-probing results with prior studies indicated that locations of some springs persisted over a decade, whereas other springs emerged and disappeared. Because the stream is located in unlithified sediments, discharge rates of springs appear to fluctuate with soil piping and collapse along joints in fractured clay. Contaminant concentrations in springs decreased downstream along the reach and were lower than observed during September 1999 – May 2001. The continued occurrence of dissolved oxygen and the absence of TCE daughter products in springs suggest that the decrease in TCE concentrations resulted from the installation of upgradient extraction wells, rather than from intrinsic reductive degradation. KEYWORDS: Contaminant fluxes, trichloroethene, technetium-99, baseflow, temperature probing.

Over the past thirty-five years, anthropogenic disturbances around Bayou Lacombe have altered its fish assemblage. In 2005, the impact of Hurricane Katrina on southeast Louisiana presented me with a unique opportunity to explore the effects of a catastrophic storm on the Bayou. I explored the effects of natural and human disturbances on the Bayou's fish assemblage by electrofishing six historically sampled stations. My research goals were to determine: 1) which Bayou Lacombe fish assemblages were most resilient to the multiple effects of Hurricane Katrina, 2) if there were significant differences in the Bayou's fish assemblages over the past 35 years based on historical fish assemblage data, and 3) what are the drivers of fish assemblage change in Bayou Lacombe. I found significant differences in upstream fish assemblages before and after Hurricane Katrina in the Bayou. I also documented the disappearance of nearly all cyprinid species over the past 35 years.

Bayou St. John is a degraded water-body located within the City of New Orleans and is the focus of restoration efforts. I tested the ability of reintroduced red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) to survive in this system and assessed their habitat use and behavior. I tracked 29 red drum fitted with external acoustic radio transmitters to determine if they could survive the degraded habitats and determine their general dispersion within the Bayou. All 29 tagged red drum exhibited post-stocking movement (i.e., survival) and occurred primarily in the northern section of the Bayou (nearest Lake Pontchartrain). To assess habitat use and behavior on a finer scale, a second group of 19 red drum were internally tagged with VEMCO transmitters and movements monitored by four remote receivers. These fish exhibited behavior similar to red drum in natural habitats. Monthly movements changed as temperatures changed but were not influenced by diurnal differences, salinity, or conductivity.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Kentucky, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 163 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-161).

Bayou St. John, an urban water body extending south from Lake Pontchartrain, has two anthropogenic structures that regulate flow from the Lake . The City of New Orleans has plans to remove the inner control structure to improve water quality. Field and numerical methods used in this study show removing this structure increased water elevations throughout the Bayou but resulted in lower water elevation signal amplitudes that caused a lower tidal flow exchange from north to south. Bulk Richardson numbers showed mixing was inversely related to flow and the Bayou generally remains stratified. Resuspension of contaminated sediment could negatively impact the local ecology but predicted shear stress values did not reach a critical value (0.1 N/m2) for resuspension. Removal of the waterfall structure will benefit Bayou St. John by decreasing energy losses from the Lake, however a more pronounced tidal signal from Lake Pontchartrain is required to flush the Bayou.

West Belle Pass Barrier is a barrier spit that formed during the last delta lobe progradation associated with the Lafourche delta complex. Located on the western flank of the Caminada-Moreau Headland, West Belle Pass Barrier and Raccoon Pass are located downdrift of the Belle Pass jetties. Morphological changes stemming from storms, jetty infrastructure, and an expanding tidal inlet are evaluated using historical shoreline data and imagery. Littoral transport around the jetties combined with inlet growth created a framework wherein sediment is transported through Raccoon Pass and sequestered as a flood-tidal delta. These events aided in the landward migration of West Belle Pass Barrier, which ultimately loaded and consolidated previously unconsolidated facies. A conceptual model illustrating the primary consolidation of backbarrier facies resulting from washover deposits during one storm is presented. The primary consolidation settlement associated with loading near-surface, water-saturated backbarrier facies is substantially larger than current subsidence rates.

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are a commonly used means of wastewater treatment in the Dickinson Bayou watershed which is located between Houston and Galveston. The Dickinson Bayou is classified as "impaired" by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality due to high levels of bacteria, specifically E. coli. Failing OWTSs within the bayou's watershed are possible sources for the impairment of the bayou. Conventional OWTSs, comprised of a septic tank and a soil absorption field, rely heavily on soil treatment of effluent. The type of soils is a significant factor in treatment capabilities. In the Dickinson Bayou watershed, soils are primarily composed of clays, which are known to be problematic for conventional systems as they restrict water flow and create perched water tables. These perched water tables may contribute to surface runoff during rainfall events. The HYDRUS modeling software for water and solute flow through variably saturated media was used to simulate OWTSs in the Dickinson Bayou watershed. HYDRUS was used to simulate conventional septic systems with soil absorption fields, aerobic treatment units (ATUs) with spray dispersal systems, and mound systems. Results found that the simulated conventional systems fail due to high water tables and clay soils. However, system failure in the watershed remains uncertain due to lack of field data for validation. The alternative systems mitigate these issues, but ATUs can lead to higher contamination levels without proper maintenance. Therefore, mound systems are the suggested alternative for OWTSs in the watershed.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1994. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-176).

This collection of short stories spans subjects and characters from all around this world and the next. From Himalayan moth girls to swamp princesses and alligator wrestlers, The Ballad of Sparrowfoot offers a unique glimpse inside real and imagined communities and the people who live there. Search for pirate treasure on a magical island, join the cast of fairy tale princesses being raised in a convent, and experience the tribulations of the a bird-footed girl in Louisiana as she searches for her genealogical roots.