Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education最新文献

{"title":"Water Resources Extension: Empowering Action Through Knowledge","authors":"Karen Bareford,&nbsp;Mary J. Donohue,&nbsp;Michael Mezzacapo,&nbsp;Darren T. Lerner","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3357.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3357.x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><b>T</b>he topic of water resources is vast in its diversity and complexity as well as its integration with all components of the environment. In 2018, the editors of this special issue, as part of a National Sea Grant Water Resources Visioning Team, participated in an informal assessment of water resources-related efforts across the National Sea Grant College Program network. The Team received information from 25 individuals, representing 19 of the 34 state Sea Grant programs. No less than 56 discrete topics were identified within the context of water resources by this small sampling effort (Sea Grant <span>2018</span>). The topics ranged from human health issues, such as access to safe drinking water; risks associated with flooding and drought; water infrastructure needs; land and water management; and social and economic issues associated with access to, and competing uses for, water. Clearly, water resources offer an abundance of challenges that demonstrate an ongoing need for reliable and trusted information.</p><p>Professional extension can provide this reliable and trusted information to communities in need, especially in critical times—for example, during natural disasters—when access to resources and knowledge may mean survival. At its most basic level, extension is the conveyance of information. However, there is no widely accepted definition for the term. For many years the focus of extension was often farming and farmers. However, the implementation of extension has expanded widely to encompass informational needs at the watershed scale as well as in marine, coastal, and Laurentian Great Lakes environments. Much of this work in the United States (U.S.) is underpinned by a national academic and legislative foundation (Figure 1).</p><p>The U.S. System of Extension (extending science) is directly tied to, and reliant upon, the research capacities of the larger university enterprise. The extension system provides a critical connection between and among institutions and local communities, a mutualistic relationship with synergistic intent that is anchored in a grounded understanding of current needs, challenges, and opportunities to inform applied research. Extension is in turn necessarily responsive, offering needed information in accessible ways that local communities and individuals can and will use to make more informed decisions. The work of the extension agents and specialists that bridge these two worlds is often referred to as a “professional art.” They must understand science and technical data as well as be able to translate it to be easily understood and utilized by their target audience(s). Extension professionals must be agile and able to adjust and adapt to new and changing needs, be problem-solvers, and above all able to communicate and collaborate within the expectations and identities of the local culture without advocation. This last is an absolutely critical component and the “superpower” of extension professionals; t","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3357.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41958400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ban the Bag: Support for Plastic Bag Reduction Strategies in Northeast Ohio","authors":"Jill F. Bartolotta,&nbsp;Scott D. Hardy","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3361.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3361.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Society's use of plastic is increasing, while the ability to properly manage plastic waste is decreasing. In response, improved waste management systems and the adoption of reusable products made from sustainable materials are needed. Municipal governments in the United States are beginning to institute policies reducing unlimited free access to plastic products such as bags, straws, and Styrofoam. However, some state governments in the Great Lakes region, and elsewhere, have responded by making these pro-environmental policies illegal. Such policies shift the onus of using less plastic to local businesses and conscious consumers. In response, this project sought to determine the effectiveness of a plastic bag ban, supported by targeted education and outreach, at several local businesses in northeast Ohio. Results suggest that the initial implementation and non-enforcement phase of the bag ban did not lead to a reduction in the use of plastic bags. However, survey respondents indicate they are supportive of policies reducing accessibility and unlimited availability of plastic bags. Results further show most people have access to their own reusable bags and support businesses who charge for, or no longer offer, plastic bags. In conclusion, voluntary reduction of bag use by customers is not effective and store policies or legislation is needed to reduce the use of plastic bags.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3361.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42265998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using Community Science to Address Pollution in an Urban Watershed: Lessons about Trash, Diverse Engagement, and the Need for Science Mindsets","authors":"Theresa Sinicrope Talley,&nbsp;Roxanne Ruzic,&nbsp;Lindsay Goodwin McKay,&nbsp;Nina Venuti,&nbsp;Rochelle Mothokakobo","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3359.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3359.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Community science projects offered in urban areas may be particularly effective at addressing environmental problems and engaging people in science, especially individuals whose identities have historically been underrepresented in the field. In this project, we worked with individuals from a racially diverse, low-income community in San Diego, California to conduct community science to: 1) test a conceptual program model aimed at engaging diverse communities in science, and 2) contribute to scientific knowledge about the inputs and accumulations of trash in an urban watershed. While the program model did well at bolstering environmental stewardship, recruitment, and short-term retention of community members as project participants, it was not as effective at building science understanding, interest in science, and awareness of doing science, indicating a need for a mindset approach. Despite this, the data collected by the community between 2014–2018 revealed in-depth information about the spatial and temporal distributions of trash, including the identification of three main debris inputs: encampments, illegal dumping, and storm drain flows, as well as the validation of global trends of a predominance of plastics across waterways and through time. In a few instances, community stewards became community scientists—the quantity and quality of data collected improved, and community members presented results to authorities who responded with concordant management actions (e.g., help with cleanups, outreach to unhoused communities). Based on project outcomes, our revised community science program model includes a focus on strengthening a science mindset, in which even short-term science interventions that improve the recognition of science, a sense of belonging, and access to mentorship may have meaningful long-lasting effects on increased participation in science.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3359.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48016895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Minnesota Stormwater Research and Technology Transfer Program – A Comprehensive Approach to Collaborative Research","authors":"John P. Bilotta,&nbsp;Jeffrey M. Peterson","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3366.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3366.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The University of Minnesota Water Resources Center (UMN WRC) in collaboration with the Minnesota Stormwater Research Council (MSRC) has developed a robust program to advance urban stormwater management and policy through the completion of research. Through this unique collaboration, stormwater professionals and researchers across Minnesota are engaged in multi-sector research to prevent, minimize, and mitigate urban stormwater impacts by studying existing and innovative structural and non-structural practices, policies, and management techniques. The center and the council have evolved a comprehensive approach by:</p>\u0000 <p>\u0000 </p><ul>\u0000 \u0000 <li>Obtaining diversified funding resulting in an annual average $1M budget.</li>\u0000 \u0000 <li>Coordinating and building partnerships at local, regional, state, and federal levels to leverage stormwater research resources.</li>\u0000 \u0000 <li>Using the council to engage with stormwater researchers, professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders. </li>\u0000 \u0000 <li>Identifying strategic priorities through assessments of needed research (i.e., the Minnesota Stormwater Research Roadmap).</li>\u0000 \u0000 <li>Providing a process for prioritizing, soliciting, submitting, approving, and implementing stormwater-related research proposals.</li>\u0000 </ul>\u0000 <p>The program also invests in technology transfer seeking the effective and efficient dissemination of research results to those who can best benefit from it. The council is an organization of stormwater professionals, practitioners, managers, engineers, researchers, and others established in 2016 to work with the center to facilitate relevant, applied research and support education and technology transfer. This paper summarizes the efforts of the program, the future outlook, and highlights the collaboration and the connection of the University and the center to agencies, local units of government, and private engineering consulting businesses, who all were integral to the success of the program.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3366.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48885563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lake Champlain Community Scientist Volunteer Network Communicates Critical Cyanobacteria Information to Region-wide Stakeholders","authors":"Matthew C.H. Vaughan,&nbsp;Mae Kate Campbell,&nbsp;Lori Fisher,&nbsp;Bridget O'Brien,&nbsp;Rebecca M. Gorney,&nbsp;Angela Shambaugh,&nbsp;Lauren S. Sopher,&nbsp;Oliver Pierson,&nbsp;Eric A. Howe","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3358.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3358.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Lake Champlain is a treasured resource for recreation, tourism, and drinking water situated in New York, Vermont (U.S.), and Québec (Canada). Because its shores span two states and two countries, management strategies for the lake require strong cross-boundary partnerships and cooperation. In recent decades, increased prevalence of harmful cyanobacteria blooms has impacted public health and recreation. A lake-wide cyanobacteria monitoring program was established in 2001 with an emphasis on water sample collection and analysis to inform management strategies. In 2012, this program transitioned from laboratory-based analyses at a limited number of locations to a visual assessment protocol validated by water samples. This transition opened the door to more effective and widespread monitoring, communication, and inclusion of a greater number of monitoring locations and stakeholders. Today, through a unique partnership of community scientist volunteers, public beach managers, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal agencies, a comprehensive network of trained cyanobacteria monitors generates timely data on water quality conditions to relay critical public health information. The majority of these reports are provided by trained community scientist volunteers, strengthening the geographic coverage of the program and the environmental literacy of lake users. This program now trains hundreds of community scientists, documents thousands of water quality condition reports annually, and communicates cyanobacteria conditions to the public via an online Cyanobacteria Tracker map. In this article, we describe the evolution of this successful program, discuss key findings from analysis of these volunteer-collected data, and suggest how similar programs could be effectively developed in other regions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3358.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44804497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Legal Extension Strategies to Increase Awareness of Drinking Water Contaminant Regulatory Framework","authors":"Catherine Janasie,&nbsp;Olivia Deans,&nbsp;Taylor Harris","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3363.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3363.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>It is important for stakeholders, scientists, industry, lawyers, and decision-makers to understand the varying approaches to regulating drinking water contaminants. To increase awareness and understanding among stakeholder audiences of the legal framework for drinking water protection, the National Sea Grant Law Center (NSGLC) at the University of Mississippi School of Law has developed and implemented research and extension projects for lead, nitrates, and per-and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). The NSGLC's mission is to encourage a well-informed constituency by providing legal information and analysis to the Sea Grant community, policy makers, and the general public through a variety of products and services. For each contaminant, the NSGLC conducted legal research to identify relevant laws, regulations, policies, and court decisions to gain an in-depth understanding of the existing legal framework. The NSGLC then translated its information on the current legal framework, identified gaps, and potential solutions into a variety of outreach programming. For each of the relevant drinking water contaminants, the NSGLC has taken different outreach approaches. For lead, the NSGLC has worked with an interdisciplinary academic team to conduct community-based research and outreach directly to families. With nitrates, the NSGLC has focused more on professional development for attorneys, natural resource managers, and other policy makers. With PFAS, the NSGLC is proposing a hybrid approach, drawing on lessons learned from its previous projects and the COVID-19 pandemic, to disseminate information to both professionals and communities. This case study will synthesize key findings on the legal overview, potential legal issues, and outreach efforts for lead, nitrates, and PFAS.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3363.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46179714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptable University-Agency Early-Career Fellowship Program Creates a Win-Win-Win for Wisconsin's Waters","authors":"Carolyn B. Voter,&nbsp;Francisco J. Guerrero-Bolaño,&nbsp;Alexander W. Latzka,&nbsp;Bryan M. Maitland,&nbsp;Jennifer A. Hauxwell","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3365.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3365.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Many of today's water resources challenges are wicked problems, demanding innovative solutions across the science-policy-management nexus. Simultaneously, early-career researchers in water resources face a shifting professional landscape in which academic career paths are sparse but where versatile skill sets relevant to water resources issues in governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector are in high demand. Here, we describe an adaptable fellowship model that has proven to be a “win-win-win” for early-career researchers, government agencies, and universities tackling wicked water resources challenges in Wisconsin, USA. The fellowship program recruits post-masters and post-doctoral fellows to lead research on a water resources challenge identified as a high priority by a government agency partner. Fellows receive mentorship from both academic and agency mentors and co-produce actionable knowledge. Costs and administrative responsibilities are shared by the university (Sea Grant/Water Resources Institute) and the host agency. Since its inception in 2015, this program has trained 24 fellows across 11 host programs on issues that range from highly quantitative water quality and hydrogeological questions to qualitative assessments of fisheries management and coastal hazards. In this arrangement, fellows receive collaborative and cross-disciplinary training that prepares them well for diverse career paths, government agencies benefit from new knowledge targeted at pressing water resources management questions, and university institutions accomplish their missions of training researchers and developing actionable knowledge. We describe this model's applicability to other regions and institutions. Ultimately, this type of program benefits society by building long-term capacity for collaboration which addresses wicked water problems.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3365.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45603399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Addressing Water Resources and Environmental Quality Programming Needs in Arequipa, Peru","authors":"Laura C. Bowling,&nbsp;Katy E. Mazer,&nbsp;Edwin Bocardo-Delgado,&nbsp;Jane R. Frankenberger,&nbsp;José Pinto,&nbsp;Ruxandra Popovici,&nbsp;Linda S. Prokopy","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3354.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3354.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Water resources in historically water scarce regions such as Arequipa, Peru are vulnerable to changing conditions. Population growth and climate change are projected to be major threats to water availability in the region, while urban growth, informal mining, and agriculture threaten water quality. To address these concerns and others, the Arequipa Nexus Institute for Food, Energy, Water, and the Environment (the Arequipa Nexus Institute) was formed as a collaboration between Purdue University and the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín to address key challenges to a sustainable future for Arequipa through research. In this work, a vision for water-related extension programming in Arequipa was developed through three phases of data collection. Phases 1 and 2 involved semi-structured interviews and focus groups with agency personnel, community leaders, and farmers in Arequipa. The water education needs of stakeholders that could be addressed by water and environmental extension programming were identified. In Phase 3, a workshop of researchers from the Arequipa Nexus Institute used the data and their knowledge of institutional capacity to identify opportunities for the Institute to serve as a boundary organization facilitating communication and collaboration between scientists and stakeholders to support water extension and engagement in Arequipa. Water resources extension services provided by this boundary organization would include education about water quality, water allocation, and water use, as well as providing resources to improve public participation in water management. Water extension services could be part of a cross-cutting extension initiative within the Arequipa Nexus Institute, which would be responsible for accumulating research data and connecting them to both formal and informal stakeholders. The dual training nature of the boundary organization will serve to both increase public understanding of water concerns and the capacity of information generators in the university and agencies to engage with the public. This study is unique in combining both sides of the boundary (community needs and scientists’ perspectives) in developing the vision for this extension programming.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3354.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42199541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engaging the Public in Water Policy: Do Political Affiliation and Ideology Matter?","authors":"Kristin E. Gibson,&nbsp;Alexa J. Lamm,&nbsp;Kyle Maurice Woosnam,&nbsp;D. Barry Croom","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3355.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3355.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Unsustainable human activities are rapidly depleting freshwater resources in many parts of the United States. Public policy surrounding water conservation is arguably one of the most essential strategies for targeting the preservation of water. Increased public engagement in environmental policy may bolster sustainable consumption of water resources if nuances in human behavior are targeted through communication messages. A quantitative research design using an online survey of the general United States public was used to explore if political affiliation and political ideology predicted how respondents prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water. The study revealed that respondents neither agreed nor disagreed on the level to which they would take specific actions to become prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water, indicating there is room for improvement. Results from a multiple linear regression revealed political affiliation and political ideology significantly predicted how respondents prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water; however, they accounted for a small amount of variance in the models. Future studies should identify additional predictors to determine how respondents prepare to vote on a policy that impacts water since political affiliation and political ideology were not a major influence on how respondents prepare to vote. Environmental communicators should focus their outreach efforts on increasing public preparedness to vote on polices that impact water.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3355.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45942006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential Health Hazards of Roadside Springs: Results from Central New York","authors":"Christopher W. Sinton,&nbsp;Matthew Olivieri,&nbsp;Tara Perry,&nbsp;Katherine Stoddard,&nbsp;Ryan Kresge","doi":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3356.x","DOIUrl":"10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3356.x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Across the United States, groundwater springs adjacent to roadways have been developed as unregulated drinking water sources. We attempted to address two basic questions: 1) why do people collect water at these springs; and 2) is the water safe to drink? We conducted a study during 2015-2019 of seven springs in central New York State that included a survey of 199 users and analysis of the water for common dissolved constituents and bacteria. The survey of water users showed that over 70% of respondents use the springs at least multiple times per month for drinking water and the majority collect more than five gallons per visit. More than 80% of the users live farther than three miles from the springs and a recurring reason for drinking the spring water is that the taste is better than the water available at their homes. However, all the springs at some point tested positive for total coliform bacteria and all but one tested positive at least once for fecal coliform bacteria, meaning that 86% of the springs at some point did not meet U.S. municipal drinking water standards. None of the measured dissolved constituents exceeded drinking water standards, but one spring that exhibited elevated nitrate is downslope from a small cattle operation which may be affecting nutrient values in the water. Most of these springs appear to be fed by shallow, unconfined aquifers that are susceptible to contamination from nearby land uses that are not readily apparent from the roadside collection locations.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":45920,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2021.3356.x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41978585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}