ENR 2500 EEDS EXAM STUDY GUIDE
Prior appropriation water rights - ANSWER First person to use water or divert water for
beneficial use acquires the right to use it (as long as they continue to use it for good)
(US West)
Riparian water rights - ANSWER You can use as much as you want, but can't affect
someone else's use of the water downstream (European/US common law traditions of
land ownership along water courses)
What are two critical policy failures in water systems? - ANSWER Subsidies for water
use encourage over-consumption and reduce investments in water saving technology
Institutional systems don't allow water to flow from low value uses to high value uses.
Encourages waste and lowers investment in water saving tech.
Subsidies lower the _______ individuals face and induce them to over-consume water -
ANSWER price
Is most freshwater in the world allocated to agriculture, industrial, or individual
consumptive uses? - ANSWER Most freshwater in the world is allocated to agriculture.
Approx. 70% is for ag. 18% is for industrial, 12% for Municipal
How do irrigation subsidies affect the value agricultural land? If this value is provided by
government allocation (i.e., subsidies) how easy is it to change property rights to
re-allocate water to other uses, like individual consumption or environmental purposes
(instream flows)? - ANSWER Irrigated land values are significantly larger than
non-irrigated land. This causes enormous pressure to build and maintain irrigation
systems for wealthy farmers. It also leads to waste, inefficiency and water quality
problems. This makes it difficult to change property rights to re-allocate water to other
uses because the farmers are dependent upon the water from irrigations.
Worldwide, do most subsidies for water supply accrue to the relatively well off or to the
poor? - ANSWER Most subsidies often raise the price for the poor and lower it for the
well off.
What is the difference between point and nonpoint source water pollution? - ANSWER
Point source: a single identifiable source in which pollutants are released. It can be
traced back to a single source (example: a sewage pipe)
Nonpoint source: pollution that comes from several diffuse sources. It cannot be traced
back to a single source. (example: agricultural run-off)
What is a point source? - ANSWER Point source: a single identifiable source in which
pollutants are released. It can be traced back to a single source (example: a sewage
pipe)
,What is non point source? - ANSWER pollution that comes from several diffuse sources.
It cannot be traced back to a single source. (example: agricultural run-off)
How has the regulatory system in the US differed for point source and nonpoint sources
of pollution? - ANSWER For point source pollution we have historically gone the control
and command route, setting regulations that could easily be tested for. With nonpoint
source pollution we have focused on education and voluntary programs combined with
subsidies to entice behavior.
For point source pollution we have historically gone the ______ and ______ route; setting
regulations that could easily be tested for. - ANSWER control and command
What is an externality? - ANSWER An externality is something that happens
unintentionally, whether it be a positive, negative, pecuniary etc. externality as a result
of a transaction between parties.
The Clean Water Act attempts to achieve zero discharge of pollutants into waterways.
Economists would argue that the costs of achieving this likely outweigh the benefits. -
ANSWER The marginal cost of abatement of pollution at a certain point far outweighs
the social benefits from abatement.
In Ohio, which agency enforces the permits that waste water treatment plants have to
have to discharge treated sewage into rivers (Hint: The Ohio EPA). Is this agency part of
the federal US EPA? - ANSWER No the Ohio EPA is a separate organization from the US
EPA.
What are some implications of externalities for markets? - ANSWER With a negative
externality, the marginal social cost of a product is larger than the private marginal cost.
This causes firms to not pay the true cost for production.
What type of regulatory approach has been used with waste water treatment plants in
the US historically? - ANSWER Best Available Control Technology (BACT)- regulated by
concentration, timing and often the technology
Taxes on outputs could be used to reduce pollution, but what are some problems with
taxes? - ANSWER One-size-fits all mentality. Doesn't encourage innovation past a
certain point.
Non point source pollutants, like agriculture, are largely regulated with voluntary
incentive programs that subsidize the implementation of best management practices on
farm fields. What are some reasons why this approach has not been successful? -
ANSWER Voluntary: people only adopt things that don't cost them a lot of money, so
they adopt the easy ones that don't cost as much
- Agriculture is a leaky system and the technologies are imperfect at best
- Mistakes: we have learned that some of our "best" ideas are actually problematic
o Subsurface drainage provides an excellent way for soluble pollution to leave fields...
,but conservation tillage and other practices trap enormous amounts of pollution that are
released later
What are nonuse values? What role do they play in determining whether to reallocate
water uses in the western US and in particular in the Klamath basin - ANSWER Nonuse
values are those in which, an individual may not use a product or service, but
nevertheless values it, whether it be for its intrinsic value or for possible future use. In
the Klamath basin, some Americans may value that the ecosystem exists even if they
never plan on visiting or recreating there. They simply value healthy ecosystems.
What is the Bureau of Reclamation? - ANSWER The mission of the Bureau of
Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an
environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.
List some benefits and costs that these resource users face if the dams are removed. -
ANSWER Costs: Removal cost, decreased agricultural land, decrease productivity due
to cost of water
Benefits: more water, more increased wildlife population, biodiversity, tribes return to
lifestyle, recreation
What are the important social, economic, political and ecological characteristic of the
Klamath Basin that contributed to the conflict in different ways over time? - ANSWER
Social: farming culture, outdoor activities
Economic: farmers depend of land for income, take away from fisheries
Political: Bureau of Reclamation
Ecological: dry, shallow lake with endangered species
Who were the key groups in this region that were fighting for what they felt was their
share of a limited supply of water? - ANSWER Native Americans, Farmers, Recreators,
Fishers, Business Owners, etc.
How can we define culture? - ANSWER the values, beliefs, and norms shared by a
society which shape the way the society sees the world
How can we define social norms? - ANSWER informal constraints shaped by shared
understandings of appropriate values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
Why might it be difficult for communities to leave the farming lifestyle behind in the
Klamath? - ANSWER Been a part of family culture for generations
The one profession that some of these farmers actually know how to do
How did the Hindustan Coca-Cola bottling plant impact the villagers in Plachimada? -
ANSWER Changes in water, sores/diarrhea in children, poor harvests, shortages
What sub-group of villagers was most important in organizing action against the bottling
, plant and why do you think this sub-group was so vocal and important - ANSWER
Women's group led by Mayilamma called Coca-Cola Virudha Samara Samit
What was the relationship like between the villagers in Plachimada and the people who
were supposed to be representing them who served in the Panchayat? - ANSWER
Corrupt, they worked for self-interest gaining money from Coca-Cola
What is the "diffusion of innovations"? what does this framework try to explain? -
ANSWER Diffusion of innovations is how and why new technologies spread. It tries to
explain the process of how innovations spread to new communities or cultures.
What are some of the reasons that the practice of water boiling didn't get widely
adopted in the village of Los Molinas, Peru. What does this case study tell us about the
relationship between new technologies and ideas and socio-cultural differences -
ANSWER Boiling takes a long time, no concept of germ theory, public health worker was
an outsider, the worker focussed on the wrong types of households (not working with
the people in the community that everyone looked up to and instead focussing on lower
families on the chain), cultural norms regarding hot and cold beverages
What are the 5 characteristics that make an innovation more likely to become widely
adopted? - ANSWER 1. Relative advantage (economic, social prestige, convenience,
satisfaction)
2. Compatible (with existing values, experiences, needs)
3. Understanding/complexity (understanding and use)
4. trialability
5. Observability (results are visible)
Which of these characteristics does the introduction of the practice of water boiling in
Los Molinas, Peru meet and which does it not? - ANSWER DOES NOT:
Understanding/complexity, Observability (results not not immediately visible)
DOES: Relative advantage, compatible, trialability
What is the purpose of the structured decision making approach employed by the
researchers in Tanzania? Which of the five "point of use" water treatment options did
the two villages decide was best for them? What factors were most important for their
decisions? - ANSWER Option chosen and factors: Water guard: faster, easier, tastes
better than boiling, and it doesn't look unnaturally clear.
What do the results of the water treatment project in Tanzania tell us about technologies
Prior appropriation water rights - ANSWER First person to use water or divert water for
beneficial use acquires the right to use it (as long as they continue to use it for good)
(US West)
Riparian water rights - ANSWER You can use as much as you want, but can't affect
someone else's use of the water downstream (European/US common law traditions of
land ownership along water courses)
What are two critical policy failures in water systems? - ANSWER Subsidies for water
use encourage over-consumption and reduce investments in water saving technology
Institutional systems don't allow water to flow from low value uses to high value uses.
Encourages waste and lowers investment in water saving tech.
Subsidies lower the _______ individuals face and induce them to over-consume water -
ANSWER price
Is most freshwater in the world allocated to agriculture, industrial, or individual
consumptive uses? - ANSWER Most freshwater in the world is allocated to agriculture.
Approx. 70% is for ag. 18% is for industrial, 12% for Municipal
How do irrigation subsidies affect the value agricultural land? If this value is provided by
government allocation (i.e., subsidies) how easy is it to change property rights to
re-allocate water to other uses, like individual consumption or environmental purposes
(instream flows)? - ANSWER Irrigated land values are significantly larger than
non-irrigated land. This causes enormous pressure to build and maintain irrigation
systems for wealthy farmers. It also leads to waste, inefficiency and water quality
problems. This makes it difficult to change property rights to re-allocate water to other
uses because the farmers are dependent upon the water from irrigations.
Worldwide, do most subsidies for water supply accrue to the relatively well off or to the
poor? - ANSWER Most subsidies often raise the price for the poor and lower it for the
well off.
What is the difference between point and nonpoint source water pollution? - ANSWER
Point source: a single identifiable source in which pollutants are released. It can be
traced back to a single source (example: a sewage pipe)
Nonpoint source: pollution that comes from several diffuse sources. It cannot be traced
back to a single source. (example: agricultural run-off)
What is a point source? - ANSWER Point source: a single identifiable source in which
pollutants are released. It can be traced back to a single source (example: a sewage
pipe)
,What is non point source? - ANSWER pollution that comes from several diffuse sources.
It cannot be traced back to a single source. (example: agricultural run-off)
How has the regulatory system in the US differed for point source and nonpoint sources
of pollution? - ANSWER For point source pollution we have historically gone the control
and command route, setting regulations that could easily be tested for. With nonpoint
source pollution we have focused on education and voluntary programs combined with
subsidies to entice behavior.
For point source pollution we have historically gone the ______ and ______ route; setting
regulations that could easily be tested for. - ANSWER control and command
What is an externality? - ANSWER An externality is something that happens
unintentionally, whether it be a positive, negative, pecuniary etc. externality as a result
of a transaction between parties.
The Clean Water Act attempts to achieve zero discharge of pollutants into waterways.
Economists would argue that the costs of achieving this likely outweigh the benefits. -
ANSWER The marginal cost of abatement of pollution at a certain point far outweighs
the social benefits from abatement.
In Ohio, which agency enforces the permits that waste water treatment plants have to
have to discharge treated sewage into rivers (Hint: The Ohio EPA). Is this agency part of
the federal US EPA? - ANSWER No the Ohio EPA is a separate organization from the US
EPA.
What are some implications of externalities for markets? - ANSWER With a negative
externality, the marginal social cost of a product is larger than the private marginal cost.
This causes firms to not pay the true cost for production.
What type of regulatory approach has been used with waste water treatment plants in
the US historically? - ANSWER Best Available Control Technology (BACT)- regulated by
concentration, timing and often the technology
Taxes on outputs could be used to reduce pollution, but what are some problems with
taxes? - ANSWER One-size-fits all mentality. Doesn't encourage innovation past a
certain point.
Non point source pollutants, like agriculture, are largely regulated with voluntary
incentive programs that subsidize the implementation of best management practices on
farm fields. What are some reasons why this approach has not been successful? -
ANSWER Voluntary: people only adopt things that don't cost them a lot of money, so
they adopt the easy ones that don't cost as much
- Agriculture is a leaky system and the technologies are imperfect at best
- Mistakes: we have learned that some of our "best" ideas are actually problematic
o Subsurface drainage provides an excellent way for soluble pollution to leave fields...
,but conservation tillage and other practices trap enormous amounts of pollution that are
released later
What are nonuse values? What role do they play in determining whether to reallocate
water uses in the western US and in particular in the Klamath basin - ANSWER Nonuse
values are those in which, an individual may not use a product or service, but
nevertheless values it, whether it be for its intrinsic value or for possible future use. In
the Klamath basin, some Americans may value that the ecosystem exists even if they
never plan on visiting or recreating there. They simply value healthy ecosystems.
What is the Bureau of Reclamation? - ANSWER The mission of the Bureau of
Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an
environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.
List some benefits and costs that these resource users face if the dams are removed. -
ANSWER Costs: Removal cost, decreased agricultural land, decrease productivity due
to cost of water
Benefits: more water, more increased wildlife population, biodiversity, tribes return to
lifestyle, recreation
What are the important social, economic, political and ecological characteristic of the
Klamath Basin that contributed to the conflict in different ways over time? - ANSWER
Social: farming culture, outdoor activities
Economic: farmers depend of land for income, take away from fisheries
Political: Bureau of Reclamation
Ecological: dry, shallow lake with endangered species
Who were the key groups in this region that were fighting for what they felt was their
share of a limited supply of water? - ANSWER Native Americans, Farmers, Recreators,
Fishers, Business Owners, etc.
How can we define culture? - ANSWER the values, beliefs, and norms shared by a
society which shape the way the society sees the world
How can we define social norms? - ANSWER informal constraints shaped by shared
understandings of appropriate values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
Why might it be difficult for communities to leave the farming lifestyle behind in the
Klamath? - ANSWER Been a part of family culture for generations
The one profession that some of these farmers actually know how to do
How did the Hindustan Coca-Cola bottling plant impact the villagers in Plachimada? -
ANSWER Changes in water, sores/diarrhea in children, poor harvests, shortages
What sub-group of villagers was most important in organizing action against the bottling
, plant and why do you think this sub-group was so vocal and important - ANSWER
Women's group led by Mayilamma called Coca-Cola Virudha Samara Samit
What was the relationship like between the villagers in Plachimada and the people who
were supposed to be representing them who served in the Panchayat? - ANSWER
Corrupt, they worked for self-interest gaining money from Coca-Cola
What is the "diffusion of innovations"? what does this framework try to explain? -
ANSWER Diffusion of innovations is how and why new technologies spread. It tries to
explain the process of how innovations spread to new communities or cultures.
What are some of the reasons that the practice of water boiling didn't get widely
adopted in the village of Los Molinas, Peru. What does this case study tell us about the
relationship between new technologies and ideas and socio-cultural differences -
ANSWER Boiling takes a long time, no concept of germ theory, public health worker was
an outsider, the worker focussed on the wrong types of households (not working with
the people in the community that everyone looked up to and instead focussing on lower
families on the chain), cultural norms regarding hot and cold beverages
What are the 5 characteristics that make an innovation more likely to become widely
adopted? - ANSWER 1. Relative advantage (economic, social prestige, convenience,
satisfaction)
2. Compatible (with existing values, experiences, needs)
3. Understanding/complexity (understanding and use)
4. trialability
5. Observability (results are visible)
Which of these characteristics does the introduction of the practice of water boiling in
Los Molinas, Peru meet and which does it not? - ANSWER DOES NOT:
Understanding/complexity, Observability (results not not immediately visible)
DOES: Relative advantage, compatible, trialability
What is the purpose of the structured decision making approach employed by the
researchers in Tanzania? Which of the five "point of use" water treatment options did
the two villages decide was best for them? What factors were most important for their
decisions? - ANSWER Option chosen and factors: Water guard: faster, easier, tastes
better than boiling, and it doesn't look unnaturally clear.
What do the results of the water treatment project in Tanzania tell us about technologies
