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In response to water quality concerns in the Jordan Lake Reservoir and state and federal mandates, several cities in North Carolina are being required for the first time to reduce nutrient loads in stormwater from previously developed lands; that is, install retrofits. It is anticipated that similar requirements will become necessary for other urban areas in North Carolina. The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of alternative approaches to stormwater management for existing developments within North Carolina cities. Geographic coverage of the study included a portion of the New Hope Creek watershed, located within the City of Durham in central North Carolina. The watershed was analyzed to identify potential retrofit opportunities that could be implemented to reduce pollutant loadings entering New Hope Creek and, ultimately, Jordan Lake. Current pollutant loadings generated by the watershed, as well as reductions in annual loadings of total suspended solids, total nitrogen and total phosphorus that could be achieved by implementing the identified retrofits, were estimated. Trends and relationships between land use type and the quantity and type of retrofit opportunities were identified and conclusions were drawn as to the most appropriate types of retrofits for certain land uses.
The objective of this study is to assess the economic and water quality impact of land use change in a small watershed in the Wiregrass region of Alabama. The study compares changes in water quality and revenue from agricultural and timber production due to changes in land use between years 1992 and 2001. The study was completed in two stages. In the first stage, a biophysical model was used to estimate the effect of land use change on nitrogen and phosphorus runoff and sediment deposition in the main channel; in the second stage, farm enterprise budgeting tools were used to estimate the economic returns for the changes in land use condition. Both biophysical and economic results are discussed, and a case for complex optimization to develop a decision support system is presented.
Off-flavor in catfish restricts farm marketings 10 to 45% depending on the season. The economic impact on society of this imposed supply restriction depends, in part, on the elasticity of demand for catfish. Econometric estimates based on disaggregated processing plant data indicate an elastic demand at the processor level but an inelastic demand at the farm level. Short-run social welfare gains from the elimination of off-flavor are estimated to equal 12.0% of farm revenues ($10.0 million in 1983). The inelastic demand for catfish at the farm level, however, means that most of the societal gains will accrue to individuals beyond the farm gate. Thus, an economic justification exists for public sector funding of off-flavor research.
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