Development of Technology for Biological Treatment of Wastewater Contaminated with Oil and Oil Products Using Aquatic Plants and Algae

The Enemy Within: Oil in the Niger Delta

This chapter draws together the evidence of the last three chapters to consider the emergence of global standards as a driver of improvements in the environmental performance of industry. Our particular focus is the growing importance of firm-based global environmental standards as an alternative to the more widely recognized state-centered approaches to setting and implementing environmental standards. Increasing numbers of multinational firms (MNCs) are adopting uniform approaches to environmental management across all of their facilities worldwide, including in some cases process and performance-based environmental standards. Such intra-firm standards have even broader reach when they are also applied to the suppliers of the MNCs as part of standardized supply chain management. In this chapter we examine the rationale behind the adoption of firm-based approaches to global environmental standards, and whether such firm-based approaches add value to traditional state-centered environmental regulation and governance. Why are firm-based global standards being adopted by MNCs, and do these standards constitute a novel and effective approach to improving the environmental performance of industry? The chapter addresses the issue of global standards and the environment from the perspective of recent research within economic geography on issues of economic globalization. We take this starting point precisely because much of the recent interest in global environmental standards among politicians and policy makers is a reaction to economic globalization and to the likely environmental and social consequences of intensified flows of capital, technology, and information on a global scale. The growing force of neoliberal trade and investment regimes, and the rapid growth in foreign direct investment and international trade within the world economy, has led many to call for a new global governance of economic processes that will ensure more positive development outcomes (Rodrik et al. 2002; UNDP 2003). What Rodrik and others have in mind in this regard is some combination of supra-national institutional capability and strengthened state-based regulation to match the growing global reach of MNCs.

The Central Yangtze ecoregion in China includes a number of lakes, but these have been greatly affected by human activities over the past several decades, resulting in severe loss of biodiversity. In this paper, we document the present distribution of the major lakes and the changes in size that have taken place over the past 50 years, using remote sensing data and historical observations of land cover in the region. We also provide an overview of the changes in species richness, community composition, population size and age structure, and individual body size of aquatic plants, fishes, and waterfowl in these lakes. The overall species richness of aquatic plants found in eight major lakes has decreased substantially during the study period. Community composition has also been greatly altered, as have population size and age and individual body size in some species. These changes are largely attributed to the integrated effects of lake degradation, the construction of large hydroelectric dams, the establishment of nature reserves, and lake restoration practices.

Light attenuation has a significant impact on the growth of submersed aquatic vegetation(SAV).SAV occupies a position between the two water and sediment organic nutrition database in aquatic ecosystems,which plays a vital role in the stability of water ecosystems of biological productivity,structure and function.However,with the increasing of water pollution and the accelerated process of eutrophication,there is serious deterioration of water quality worldwide,resulting in light attenuation enhanced widely.The photosynthesis of SAV is the most important metabolic activities.Light is essential for its growth and development.However,the formation of low light is most likely to occur in the water.The growth,development and spatial distribution of SAV are subject to restrict on photosynthesis.SAV receives the amount of light is very limited in water.Light penetrating the water reaches the surface of plant leaves by the constraints of multiple environmental factors.This paper systematically analyzed light attenuation and the associated environmental factors affecting the growth of SAV,and pointed out that light was the most important environmental factor to SAV.Colour dissolved organic matter,chlorophyll,total suspended solids and water itself had direct impact on the intensity decay when light went through the water,which were the most important water quality parameters of light attenuation.Beyond Light factors such as nutrients,sediment,water dynamics and other factors would directly or indirectly affect the light attenuation of water quality parameters,thereby affecting water transparency and turbidity and the photosynthesis of SAV,which were important environmental factors to the light attenuation of SAV.Based on the world-wide recession and large areas disappearance of SAV,enhance the recovery and protection of SAV has become an important issue.There have been done a lot of work on the light attenuation studies of SAV,but still exist some problems.We should strengthen the following areas of research:(1) Enhance the water quality parameters of optical attenuation quantitative expression.There are little studies on the nutrients,sediment and other water quality parameters quantify on the light attenuation,we should strengthen research in this area.(2) Enhance the light attenuation in the diagnosis of combination factors.Each factor which affects the light attenuation is not isolated in the water,one factor always linked with other factors,we should consider the combined effects of multiple factors.(3)Strengthen the delivery of land-sourced pollutants(such as nutrients,suspended particles,etc.) on the impact of SAV.The water quality parameters which affect the light attenuation of SAV mostly from land-based,watershed and estuarine characteristics and anthropogenic pollutants play more role on the growth of SAV light attenuation.We should carry out the research of land-sourced pollutants and provide evidence for the control of the light attenuation factors(such as water quality factor,etc.).(4) Large-scale remote sensing monitoring on SAV.There have been done lots of researches during large-scale,long-term and continuous work on SAV abroad,we should learn from foreign experience,take a wide range of long-term remote monitoring and carry out large-scale research on SAV,in order to promote better recovery and development of SAV.

The study aims to demonstrate the role of the local environment as a decisive factor in architecture design. It plays an important role in determining the form and function of buildings, from the presence of the landscape to its reflection in the architectural fabric. What constitutes the physical features of the local environment, such as terrain, climate, and availability of natural resources, by imposing environmental standards of measurement that are consistent with global environmental standards. Where the idea of sustainability in buildings was addressed. We decided to use the analytical approach in the study, as well as the inductive approach, to derive some standards in the research process. Four basic elements were identified that are relied upon in society through its social, cultural, and human environment, in addition to studying global and regional environmental standards, which are: LEED standards, which in turn also affect the integrated building strategy from an environmental standpoint, in terms of the functional performance of activities, environmental conditions, social needs, and the human aspect. The results of the environmental classification according to the research procedure showed that it gave results close to the LEED scale, which was between the normal and gold classification, and in the green cod classification, that matches the LED scale. Keywords: Local environment, design considerations, evaluation criteria, LED scale.

It might seem incongruous that a research focused organisation such as the International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry would pay attention to an issue as pragmatic as oil spills. After all, an oil spill tends to be viewed as a very practical matter, its issues characterised by loss of a valuable commercial product, damage to the environment, high costs of clean up, high legal liabilities, and very much media attention. Oil spills are not generally considered a pure or even applied chemistry issue. However, this would be a very short-sighted interpretation. Effectively every element of an oil spill, whether environmental, physical, operational or legal, is related to the complex chemistry of the oil and its breakdown products released to the environment. Indeed, it would be safe to say that if petroleum were a simple chemical product, the difficulties inherent in clean up of an oil spill would be much reduced, no matter what the origin or cause of the spill.

Comprehensive insights into the impact of oil pollution on the environment

QuestionsWhat are the geographic patterns of γ‐diversity of aquatic plants and what are the main driving factors? Are richness trends for aquatic plants similar to total plant richness? Is theMediterranean area a hot spot for aquatic plants?LocationEurope and theMediterraneanBasin.MaterialWe listed vascular aquatic plant presence or absence for 44 countries. We also compiled total plant species richness and geographic and environmental variables for each country.MethodsWe first analysed country ordination based on their aquatic flora constrained by environmental variables (dbRDA), and selected the environmental variables best explaining species patterns (BESTanalysis). Total species richness patterns were studied using maps and latitudinal gradients. We used generalized additive models (GAM) to detect the main environmental factors driving species richness, both for aquatic plants and total plants.ResultsTheBESTanalysis identified a single variable that best explains aquatic plant species distribution: evapotranspiration. However, richness of aquatic plants vs latitude varies and no clear trend was observed. No relation was found between total plant and aquatic plant richness. Aquatic and total plant richness peak between 40° and 50°N, and values were intermediate at low latitudes.GAMrelated aquatic plant richness with water resources and rainfall, while total plant richness is mainly driven by evapotranspiration and temperature. Hydrophytes were relatively more abundant at higher latitudes than helophytes and the ratio correlated with evapotranspiration.ConclusionSouthern and westernEurope hold the highest aquatic plant diversity, although no clear latitudinal species richness patterns were found. Aquatic plant richness is mainly driven by water‐related variables. Total plant richness exhibits a latitudinal pattern influenced by theSahara desert, which depresses richness at low latitudes. Best predictors of total plant richness patterns are water–energy variables.

Global environmental standards are emerging as an increasingly important influence on the environmental performance of industry. In this chapter, we develop a new definition and a categorization of global environmental standards that reflect the different agents involved in their development and the particular network architecture through which environmental standards achieve global reach. We examine new forms of global environmental standards, such as firm-based standards and standards initiated by third-party organizations, such as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and industry associations. The growing interest in global environmental standards is shown to arise from processes of economic globalization as well as from increasing external pressure on firms and industries with respect to environmental concerns. The chapter reviews what is known about the prevalence of different types of global environmental standards and the efficacy of these standards in influencing the environmental performance of firms and industries.

Oil production is increasing. This increases the number of accidents. Oil spills are increasing. Since oil has special physical and chemical properties and parameters, contamination of water resources by oil and oil products causes man-made disasters. The authors made the assumption that a robot with artificial intelligence will be used to purify the water surface from oil (oil products) by biological methods. This robot will be located directly on the ship and will monitor and analyze oil pollution. In order to carry out clean-up activities at the site of the accident, it is necessary to have information on the main parameters of oil pollution. The authors of this article propose a structure for the monitoring and analysis of oil pollution in water resources. According to this structure, analysis and monitoring must be carried out by an intelligent decision support system. An intelligent decision support system includes a database of oil pollution parameters and a knowledge base. The aim of this work is to analyze oil pollution on the water surface using an intelligent decision support system. In order to achieve this objective, the article proposes the structure of the oil pollution parameter database, which is part of an intelligent system to support decision-making on oil pollution analysis and assessment. This scheme includes the main parameters of oil pollution affecting the decision on the choice of type and quantity of treatment products for the biological treatment method. An algorithm for determining the capacity of oil spill is proposed. The main elements of the oil pollution parameters database are: type of oil products, capacity of oil spill, water flow, wave height and velocity, wind direction and speed. In future, the analysis and monitoring scheme for oil-based water pollution will be expanded to include special technical, measuring and meteorological instruments that will allow the immediate presence of the oil (oil products) spill investigate oil contamination parameters.

Recently, there has been an expansion of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the tidal fresh and oligohaline portions of lower Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Much like the resurgence seen in the Potomac in the 1980’s, this spread of SAV in Virginia systems such as the Mattaponi, Pamunkey and Chickahominy seems to have been initiated by the introduction and spread of the invasive species Hydrilla verticillata, and appears to have been rapid. However the resurgence in the Piankatank has occurred in the absence of the introduction of this species. The factors that are influencing the growth of SAV in these tributary environments, including water quality and habitat conditions as well as the potential for interspecific competition between H. verticillata and the other SAV species in these regions are not well known. Annual aerial mapping surveys of the Chickahominy River were used alongside historical water quality data to investigate the patterns and rates of SAV bed development, and the relationships between this development and water quality conditions. Field investigations were performed in order to better understand the seasonal community dynamics relative to water quality conditions and interspecific competition. Historical analysis, field monitoring and field experimentation all showed salinity and turbidity to be the main factors controlling SAV abundance and species distribution along the Chickahominy River. Historical analysis of the Chickahominy River revealed a decline in SAV abundance in 2002, which corresponded with seasonal mean salinities of 4.1 psu. SAV abundance from 1998-2007 showed a significant correlation with vegetation emergence period secchi depth, in which secchi depths of 0.3 meters, the lowest of the time period, occurred during the 2002 SAV decline. Field data showed species zonation, in which H. verticillata was the overall dominant species, but was limited to the upper portion of the river where salinity intrusion remained below 2 psu throughout the growing season. Najas minor was dominant in the lower portion of the river where salinities reached over 4 psu in October. Salinity was the best predictor for H. verticillata’s biomass difference between the upper and lower river. SAV in the Chickahominy was able to grow in a wide range of conditions, with total suspended solids and chlorophyll a concentrations at times greater than 20 mg l and 40 μg l, respectively, and sediment organic content ranging from less than 1% to greater than 25%. Comparisons with the Mattaponi and Piankatank rivers revealed ideal habitat for H. verticillata growth in the Mattaponi, where salinities along the vegetated reach of the upper river did not extend above 1 psu. On the other hand, this species was not found growing in the Piankatank, where salinities in the very upper portion of the river reached 3.5 psu. Finally, a field species removal experiment demonstrated that environmental conditions rather than interspecific competition were most important in determining plant performance, as both H. verticillata and N. minor exhibited poor growth in the lower river site, which had higher salinity and turbidity levels than the upper river site. Influences of Habitat Conditions on Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Development in the Chickahominy River and other Virginia Tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay

General Background: Oil and gas production is a cornerstone of Iraq's economic development. Specific Background: However, this industry significantly impacts the environment, necessitating the implementation of environmental sustainability systems during production. The current governmental framework, while somewhat organized in hydrocarbon production, lacks a unified law that comprehensively regulates all aspects of oil and gas production, including environmental preservation. Knowledge Gap: Existing environmental laws suffer from poor coordination, complicating the regulation of environmental activities to meet the minimum global standards set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. Aims: This article aims to analyze the environmental protection measures undertaken by Iraqi administrative authorities in the oil and gas sector, examining the public administration, technical aspects, and related institutions' efforts to mitigate pollution. Results: The study reveals that despite some organized efforts, the regulatory framework is insufficiently coordinated, hindering effective environmental protection. Novelty: The article highlights the chaotic regulatory environment and underscores the urgent need for a unified legal framework and better-coordinated environmental laws. Implications: The findings suggest that Iraq must adopt advanced technologies and modern policies to improve environmental sustainability in its oil and gas industry, aligning with global environmental standards. Proposed measures include enhanced regulatory coordination and the integration of innovative technologies to reduce pollution levels in hydrocarbon production processes.Highlights: Lack of a unified law in hydrocarbon production regulation. Poor coordination of existing environmental laws. Need for advanced technologies to reduce pollution in the oil and gas industry. Keywords: Environmental Protection, Pollution, Regulation, Oil, Gas

Three-dimensional Water Quality and SAV Modeling of a Large Shallow Lake

Petroleum, a type of fossil fuels, is made up of the words “petra” meaning stone in Latin and “oleum” meaning oil (Petra oleum = Petrol) and it is Petroleum is English. Due to the growing population in the world, dependence on oil continues despite the search for clean and sustainable alternative energy sources. Just like all fossil-based energy sources, it is a fact that the use of oil causes air pollution, indirectly pollution of land and water resources, and the most important problem of today, global warming. Oil spills are one of the causes of this pollution. Natural and artificial oil spills cause oil pollution and cause damage that is difficult to recycle in the environment. Petroleum poses a serious risk to water resources in the pre-use phase. In this study; it will be investigated whether there is any pollutant effect on the fresh water resources in the pre-use stages of oil exploration, production, transportation, processing and storage. As a research area, Diyarbakır Province, which is located in the north of the Upper Mesopotamian Basin, where all phases (systems) before use such as exploration, production, transmission, storage and treatment (refining) are found altogether. Almost all of the oil production in Turkey is provided from the South-eastern Anatolia Region. With daily crude oil production, Diyarbakır is the second largest producer of crude oil after Batman. In Diyarbakır province there are 42 Oil Fields operated by various oil producers and over 260 Oil Wells are located in these fields. In the scope of this study; In Diyarbakır province, active or inactive oil fields and their locations will be determined and their impact areas will be determined. Underground and surface water resources (existing wells, streams and natural and artificial lakes) being in the impact area will be identified and their locations will be processed on the map. Samples will be taken from the water sources along with the field study. Physical and chemical analyzes of the samples will be performed. In this context, it will be investigated whether there are any petroleum components in the water resources and in what stage and where the pollution before the consumption occurs.

Managing water in an integrated and sustainable manner is currently challenging water resource managers throughout the world. It requires professionals from many disciplines working together with impacted stakeholders in crafting a strategy that is economically efficient, ecologically sound, and acceptable to all who are impacted by how this resource is managed over space and time. We at universities are continually thinking about how we can better prepare our students who elect to become our future water resources planners and managers. This paper identifies some of the issues and challenges facing educators in this field, and some possible ways of addressing them. The amount of water available and suitable for human use in the world is limited. Too many humans must live with less water than what they would like, and even need, to maintain their health let alone their overall welfare. Currently the world's water resource systems are not able to provide everyone reliable potable water at reasonable costs. Populations are increasing, as are per capita demands for water. The United Nations tells us about one person in six, on average, in this world has no access to safe drinking water, and about one in three lacks adequate sanitation. In many countries these percentages are substantially higher. One can assume that those without clean water to drink are sick. The World Health Organization (WHO) tells us more than 30 thousand children under the age of five die from either hunger or from water-borne and easily-preventable diseases. We use about 70 percent of our freshwater resources for agriculture. What we get for that varies considerably. The World Water Council believes that by 2020 we shall need 17 percent more water than is currently available if we are to feed everyone. Do all these grim statistics suggest a water crisis? Will there be a water crisis in the future? Much depends on how we manage our water and our watersheds (Rogers et al. 2006). And this in turn depends on our abilities at universities to provide the personnel with the training and capacity to manage this resource effectively. With perhaps a few exceptions, those of us who live in North America are not dying from lack of water or sanitation. We are fortunate. We seem to have enough water, although the recent droughts in the southeast and in the west suggests we may be increasingly challenged to meet our demands for water supplies, to keep our rivers flowing and clean and our aquatic ecosystems functioning as they should. We can manage all our natural resources better, and professionals know this, but deciding what is better and implementing measures to be better involves more than just professionals. Politicians representing the public, and increasingly the public itself, are participants in this decision-making process. They define what is “better” and when and how to act. And inevitably acting requires money. Acting in ways to prevent crises is not always easy to do. There are always more pressing matters that get people's attention – and their money – until of course there really is a water crisis. This has prompted the well-known concept called the hydro-illogical cycle illustrating the lack of interest in planning for floods during periods of drought, or in planning for droughts when experiencing a flood. Many of the issues facing water and environmental resource managers today generally stem from the following factors: changing priorities of water and environmental management objectives over time – for example from economic efficiency to ecological health and diversity that require changes in past policies and even infrastructure, the way our institutions work, the need for multiple disciplinary inputs and public participation, uncertainties regarding future demands, supplies, and pollutant types and loads, and a lack of adequate understanding of many natural and social processes affecting, and affected by, the management of water and environmental resources. Managers and planners are challenged to develop plans and policies for serving often conflicting multiple purposes and satisfying multiple objectives expressed by multiple stakeholders representing multiple interests and backgrounds, all lacking perfect knowledge of what economic, physical, chemical, biological, ecological and social impacts will result from what ever decisions they make. We all could benefit from better science, better management tools, better training of professionals in all the applicable disciplines, and political institutions that can provide the expertise and leadership that will result in more timely, integrated, and sustainable water resources and environmental management plans and policies. The remainder of this paper outlines some current issues related to the training of individuals who wish to accept the challenges just described and contribute to improving how we manage our water and environmental resources. Recent decades have witnessed a shift in emphasis by U.S. agencies providing funds for research and training of graduates interested in environmental and water resources management. The emphasis has been on addressing scientific uncertainties and less toward planning and management issues. This runs counter to those who claim there is a need for improved environmental and water resource management. One result of this shift away from research in planning and managerial issues has been the decline of academic programs in water management and planning. Ironically, weather- and climate-related research programs, as well as large-scale observation initiatives promoted by many in the hydrologic, ecological, environmental engineering and other communities, increasingly cite benefits for water resources, environmental, and ecological management as central to their programmatic justification. Having more scientific information and the understanding that comes from it does not automatically mean we know how best to use it. There are many scientific, technical, political, practical, and regulatory challenges to integrating advances in hydrologic science into policies for managing environmental and water resources. There may be an unrealized potential, for instance, for using improvements in hydrologic forecasting based on new data sources and methods, such as embedded environmental sensors and data assimilation techniques. As science teaches us more about the processes taking place at the interface of hydrology and climate, and as the hydrologic, water quality, and associated ecological implications of land cover change become better understood, ways are needed to incorporate this knowledge into management plans and policies. Research is needed to figure out how best to do that, and trained professional planners and managers are needed to make it happen. At various universities, debates are taking place over a variety of issues, some of which are listed below. Issue #1: Educational policy – should universities turn out more well-trained engineering professionals and scientists, or more broadly trained generalists? Many will argue that there is an overarching need for people who know there is a world beyond where they live and work and can appreciate how history and culture affects current events. There is a need for individuals who can evaluate, think, and speak and write effectively at technical and non-technical levels. In my opinion, such skills should be obtained at the undergraduate level. One way to get this background is to obtain a liberal arts education (including study in a foreign country). Expertise in specific technical disciplines can be obtained at the master's level. After all, medicine, law, and business are graduate subjects. Why not in this multidisciplinary water resource field as well? Obviously for those desiring engineering or the sciences some basic introductory courses would be expected at the undergraduate level, just as pre-med courses are expected for admission to most medical schools. This is not to say we cannot train students to become competent technical professionals with engineering, economic, ecological, or natural resource degrees, for example, at the undergraduate level, but doing that eliminates the time needed for students to obtain the other skills that all should have who expect to become tomorrow's leaders in whatever they do. Yet in much of the world, attending universities costs money, especially at private universities and colleges. This means we need fellowships and training grants to attract the best and brightest students we can to our water resources profession. Issue #2: Course curricula – do they need changing? Many universities need to take a serious look at their curricula more often than they do. It seems much easier to change course contents than the overall plan. Most educators support exposing students to interdisciplinary projects at both graduate and undergraduate levels, so that students learn to participate productively in such projects and recognize the approaches and issues of fields other than their own. Engineers, economists, and ecologists especially need to appreciate each other's approaches to problem solving. Being exposed to case studies, including failed projects and those that get students out in the field is also beneficial. This gives them an appreciation of multidisciplinary team-building and dealing with multiple conflicting goals such as drought mitigation, flood management, flash flood prediction, water supply, transportation, emergency management, agriculture, and ecosystem stewardship – and conflicting opinions about how to achieve them. Issue #3: Continuing education: How can it best be provided to all professionals? Some have suggested that whatever the technical information students learn, it will be obsolete by the time they get their first job. The rate of increase in knowledge and changes in technology seem to be increasing over time. The half-life of the technical information we teach our students is decreasing. On-the-job training and continuing education throughout one's professional career is an absolute necessity. How can universities best meet this need? Some governmental agencies concerned with environmental and water resources management have programs for continuing education. However, a high turnover rate often makes this uneconomic. Professors themselves need continuing education as well. Their research provides some of this, but they also can learn from their consulting and what they do on their sabbatical leaves. All professionals should be provided such opportunities, not just academics. Issue #4: Funding. Can the needed changes in education be accomplished in the absence of changes in funding “carrots and sticks”? Difficulties in supporting students studying water and environmental resources management have led to the relative lack of students studying these subjects. University deans look for where the money is when they analyze continuing and new directions for their academic departments. The availability of fellowships, traineeships, and research grants are noticed. Industry can also provide support, and in many disciplines they do, but in the water and environmental resources arena the private sector has not been a major player. Managing water and environmental resources is primarily a public responsibility. Nevertheless industry has provided some support, for example to the American Water Works Association Research Foundation which promotes research and technology transfer. Coop programs, internships, and traineeships that expose students to the real world may be a partial solution. The USDA-CSREES coop funding program is an example for agricultural water management. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers master's degree program in planning is another example. Employers working in the water management area often report difficulties in finding employees with the appropriate backgrounds. Because of the decrease in funding of research and training grants in the water planning and management area, few young graduate students are finding their way into the field. This leads to fewer students being trained in the areas of most interest to these employers. The report Freshwater Ecosystems: Revitalizing Educational Programs in Limnology (National Research Council 1996) included a chapter on linking education and water resource management. Water is viewed as a public good, and thus those who manage it are often associated with government agencies. At a recent meeting of the National Research Council (Logan 2006), several government agencies stated their need for articulate young people prepared for working in interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary teams, which is the nature of modern water management, viewing problems in a broad systems context – water management decisions made upstream “reverberate” downstream influencing eco-systems, fisheries, and the coastal zone in general, linking societal goals and objectives with performance measures and conceptual eco-logical models, adaptability in general and adaptive manage-ment in particular, quantifying and dealing with risk and uncertainty, and conflict management and resolution in a stakeholder-driven participatory political process. One can think of other skills needed to address some of our current and future management challenges. For example, how can managers most effectively design, manage and operate infrastructure in the face of non-stationarity in water supply and demand; identify and provide environmental flows in already over-allocated systems, especially in times of drought, and environmental effects of reservoir operation and dam removal; alter reservoir regulation in the face of changing uses and priorities, environmental and ecological uncertainties and needs, and possibly the removal of past engineering infrastructure such as dams and canals; predict and then respond to hydrologic responses to precipitation, surface water generation and transport, environmental stresses on aquatic ecosystems, the relationships between landscape changes, sediment fluxes, and subsurface transport, as well as mapping ground water recharge and discharge vulnerability; respond to the environmental, economic, health and social impacts caused by floods, droughts, sedimentation, and contamination including from pharmaceuticals and other household chemicals and products; provide an early warning for flooding, droughts, habitat degradation, and health hazards, increase the efficiency of water use, especially in the agricultural sector; address questions whose answers require knowledge of the quantitative relationships among various physical, chemical, biological, and social process occurring at disparate spatial or temporal scales. For example, how can we scale up to larger area forecasts from knowledge of smaller habitat patch scale ones? How can we estimate regional aquatic ecosystem processes over entire river basins often based on small plot experiments and observations? deal with deforestation, suburbanization, road construction, agriculture, and other human land-use activities that impact economies and ecosystems (changes in land cover, climate, and land use affect water quantity and quality regimes which impact ecosystem health and other uses of water such as for drinking, irrigation, industry and recreation); manage chemical and biological components of the hydrological cycle under changing land uses and habitats, and control invasive species … This list could continue. Suffice to say there are many subjects a competent water resource manager should be familiar with, at least to the extent that the issues are appreciated and that effective communication can take place between the manager and experts or specialists when appropriate. Today's planning and management environment involves public participation, not just at the final stages of planning, but throughout the process, including decision making. Tools are being developed to help all stakeholders gain a “shared vision” of how their system works, and the physical, economic, environmental, ecological and sometimes the social impacts of various plans and management policies. Such public participation does not make the planning and management processes any easier, or more efficient, or cheaper. In fact often the opposite happens. But the end result has a far better chance of being robust to multiple interests and thus more sustainable in the long run (ASCE 1998). Future water resources managers need to know how to facilitate such participation. Water resources professors cannot rest on their laurels. Planning and management issues continue to evolve as do their demands on this profession. Students today will be faced with problems and technology we can only speculate about today. But they have to be prepared to effectively address those issues and use that technology. It's the job of those of us involved in water resources planning and management programs at universities to ensure our graduates have that capability. The increasing breadth, complexity, and rate of change of professional practice places a greater emphasis not only on continuing education but also on what a basic professional education must deliver at the undergraduate as well as graduate levels. The body of knowledge necessary to effectively manage water resources is beyond the scope of the traditional bachelor's degree, even when coupled with early-career experience. Education must meld technical excellence with the ability to lead, influence, and integrate a diverse number of disciplines and stakeholders – all required to meet societal goals in some ‘best’ and most sustainable way. Ideally, graduates from university programs in water resources planning and management should be knowledgeable in their particular discipline, as well as conversant with other applicable disciplines. An engineer, for example, should not only understand how to use the theories, principles, and/or fundamentals of mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering economics, biology, and probability and statistics underlying engineering but also be exposed to political processes, systems analysis and computer modeling, laws and regulations, history, sociology, and ethics. Most importantly, they should know how to work in interdisciplinary teams and effectively and clearly communicate orally and in writing. They must be optimistic in the face of challenges and setbacks they will surely face, and be committed to ethical behavior, both personally and professionally. After graduation they must remain curious and willing to continue learning fresh approaches, develop and use new technology or innovative applications of existing technology, and take on new endeavors that require research and ingenuity. Managing our water resources, including our ecosystems in our natural and built environments, involves both technical and administrative expertise. It involves both the “hard” as well as the “soft” sciences. In the hard sciences, the laws of physics, biology, chemistry, and mathematics are well established. The same cannot be said of the soft social and political sciences. Thus the “hard” sciences are easy. The “soft” sciences are hard. Clearly, however, we need more people competent in both to address many of the issues water resource managers are facing today. Daniel P. Loucks is a professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, USA, (www.cornell.edu) where he teaches and directs research in the development and application of economics, ecology and systems analysis methods for estimating the impacts of alternative policies aimed at solving environmental and regional water resources problems. He has authored articles and book chapters in these subject areas and has been involved in various development and environmental restoration projects throughout the world. He may be reached at Loucks@cornell.edu.