ALT Title reads: Upcoming Opportunity. PFAS & Emerging contaminants workshop biosolids, water & wastewater, air and waste. When: May 6 and 7. Oklahoma County OSU Extension logo.

ALT Title reads: Is AI "Drinking" Water? Potential Water Use of Data Centers. Definitions: Water withdrawal: Freshwater taken from ground or surface water sources, either temporary or permanently (normally excluding hydroelectricity generation), indicates level of competition and dependence vs. Water consumption: 'water withdrawal minus water discharge' – evaporated, transpired, incorporated or otherwise removed from the immediate water environment, indicates impact on downstream availability. How does AI consume water? 1. Datacenter Cooling (onsite), 70% consumption potential reported by Meta. 2. Electricity Generation (offsite), 0.98 gal./kWh consumption potential self-reported by Meta. 3. Server Manufacturing Supply-Chain. U.S. date water consumption average (as of July 2023): 16.9 fluid oz consumed per 29.6 requests. OWRC logo.

ALT Title reads: Conserving Water at Home. Kitchen. Small changes in your kitchen can lead to significant water savings over time. Per load, EnergyStar dishwashers use 6 gallons less of water, while older models can use 16 gallons per cycle and hand washing uses 1.5-27 gallons per minute. How to conserve water: wash full loads only, plug sink when handwashing, check for leaks often, use water-efficient faucets/appliances, thaw food in fridge, not running water and scrape food into trash, avoid using disposal. OWRC logo.

ALT Title reads: Salinity & Plants. Toleration of Salinity in Plants. OWRC logo. Factors influencing salt tolerance: growth stage, varieties and rootstock, nutritional level, climatic environment, chemical ion toxicity and nutritional imbalance. Graphic showing how soil salinity affects plant growth and yield. The x-axis represents soil salinity, increasing from left to right, the y-axis shows crop yield percentage, decreasing from top to bottom. The chart is divided into five zones labeled from left to right: Sensitive, Moderately Sensitive, Moderately Tolerant, Tolerant, and Unsuitable for Crops. As salinity increases, crop yield decreases. Arrow pointing to graphic stating that high salinity can hinder plant growth by limiting water uptake. Another arrow pointing to graphic states that plants vary in salt tolerance, ranging from sensitive to tolerant. Determining soil salinity levels: testing various soil depths by layers or composite samples, hand soil probe or truck-mounted sampler.

ALT Title reads: HAWQS EYE VIEW: Impacts on Turbidity Impairments in OK Surface Waters. OK HAWQS modeled sediment loading in three watersheds with turbidity issues to assess land use impacts and BMP effectiveness. A stacked bar chart titled “Sediment Lost by Land Use in Baseline (%)” compares Stillwater, Turkey, and Wewoka watersheds. Bars show sediment loss by land uses: Pasture, G. Range, D. Forested, W. Wheat, Riparian F. Wetland, and Other. In Wewoka, pasture covered 25% of land but caused about 81% of sediment loss; conservation grazing reduced loss by 10 to 15%. Arrows point to the chart and Wewoka bar. Findings show BMPs should target top sediment sources, and other uses like urban or residential areas also need BMPs. HAWQS models sediment as Total Suspended Solids (mg/L), which may not match turbidity (NTU). By Abby Winrich, Brad Rogers, Ph.D., and Jaime Schussler, Ph.D., P.E. OWRC logo.

ALT Title reads: Backyard Burn. Trash Burning Effects on Water. OWRC logo. It is illegal under state law to burn household items in areas where trash collection services are provided. Effects on water: winds can carry smoke and ash into waterbodies, chemicals released into soil and groundwater, and airborne chemicals can mix with rainwater. These pollutants, once in water or soil, can be ingested by animals directly or through feed and passed to humans through consumption. Open burning of trash carries a variety of risks including health concerns, danger of wildfires and other issues.

ALT Title: Upcoming Opportunity. GIS for Water Resources Class. BAE 4323/5323 Spring 2026. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering logo.

ALT Title: River Watch. Monitoring Water Quality. OWRC logo. What is a water sonde? A tool used to measure various aspects of water quality - such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and turbidity - providing valuable data for assessing the health of aquatic ecosystems. Graph demonstrating the salt levels within the Upper Red River Basin decrease during a rainfall event. Two arrows on the side of the graph read "higher" and "lower" to show the level of the salt content. Arrow pointing the graph after a rainfall event and text box that reads: Rainfall events lower in-stream salinity, which rises again as conditions normalize. Sondes track these changes. Photo of a sonde. Why do we use one? Continuous monitoring of water quality and changes through 15-minute readings, Identifying how salinity and other water quality measures change through specific conductance readings - higher conductance means higher salinity, and assessing environmental impacts and saltwater/freshwater interactions.

ALT Information dump: Gray Water Reuse. OWRC logo. In Oklahoma, gray water is untreated in household wastewater that has not come in contact with toilet waste. This includes used water from bathtubs and showers, wash machines, laundry tubs and washbasins. This does not include water from anything in contact with toilet waste, kitchen sinks, dishwashers, or laundry water contaminated with human excreta (e.g., diaper washing). Benefits of gray water use include: less water sent to septic or treatment plants, provides sustainable wastewater treatment option, lowers energy and chemical use, supplies nutrients for plants and offers irrigation during droughts or restrictions. While gray water can be beneficial when reused, it must be handled properly due to possible health and environmental risks.

ALT Oklahoma Water Research Grants Program. Funded by USGS 104B. Submit a pre-proposal due by October 15, 2025. OWRC logo.

ALT Title reads Smart Shoreline: Pond Fencing for Water Quality, OWRC logo. Balancing habitat and water use is key in pond management- using tools like fencing, buffers, shallow zones and seasonal drawdowns. Fencing Ponds Improves Water Quality By:Gray fence graphic Limiting livestock damage Reducing erosion Limiting manure runoff Lowering turbidity Limiting toxic algae Improving longevity Gray cow graphic. Herbaceous Buffers & Plant Life Supports: Water plants graphic Habitat for several wildlife species- such as waterfowl Enhanced attractiveness Habitat for aquatic life Lower runoff & erosion Shallow Areas & Drawdowns Enhance: Attracting germination of waterfowl plants Forage for deers Habitat for shorebirds & other species Gray deer graphic. In gray box: Balance is Key: While these tools offer valuable habitat and water quality benefits, they should align with overall pond goals. Some practices, like drawdowns, may hinder uses such as fisheries.

ALT Title reads High Water Bill?: Learn how to check for leaks, OWRc logo. In orange box: Have your water bills suddenly increased? Sometimes a high water bill can be a sign of a leak- routinely checking for leaks both indoors and outdoors can lower bills and limit damage from unknown leaks. Indoors: Gray toilet graphic Toilet leaks: perform a dye test to confirm Check for pooling around appliances Orange faucet graphic Look for dripping faucets, shower heads, etc. in bathrooms, kitchens & utility rooms Outdoors: Orange sprinkler graphic Test irrigation systems annually for broken heads or excessive watering & water wisely Gray swimmer graphic If pool loses more than 2-3" per week, you may have a leak- check liner, pump seal, plumbing, etc. In gray box: Signs of hidden leaks: Musty smells Visible mold or mildew Water stains near fixtures Wet or sunken ground Air bubbles, chalky deposits, cracked tiles or concrete

ALT Title reads Plants in Ponds: Plant Choice & Pond Maintenance, OWRC logo. In orange box: Black plant graphics.Healthy ponds contain a moderate amount of aquatic plants, choosing the right plant types and amount helps pond appearance, fishing and lifespan. Below box: Diverse mix of pond plants is ideal. Different species compete for: gray sun graphic, light. Gray nutrient jug graphic, nutrients. Gray arrow graphic, space. However, one species may dominate and limit diversity. In gray box: Manage plant balance by: Limit shallow areas when constructing ponds & livestock access to pond edges to prevent overgrowth of emergent plants Reduce nutrient runoff by proper fertilizer use, based on soil tests Be patient-promoting plant diversity can take years.