Section A·Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, April 17, 2000
Geologist maps area landslides
Data helps builders adjust for land shifts
By Jennifer Knopp Special to the Kansan
Greg Ohlmacher, an associate scientist at the Kansas Geological Survey, has spent three years on shaky ground along the Missouri River looking for landslides.
Ohlmacher created maps that isolated landslide-prone areas for homebuilders or construction companies looking at prospective building sites.
"They would use the maps I'm providing as guidelines, but they should still hire an engineer and geologist to check their specific site for potential landslides," Ohlmacher said.
Ohlmacher studied landslides and potential landslide activity in Atchison County, an area with soil conditions conducive to sliding activity. A landslide occurs
when soil and rock become loose and gravity pulls the two materials downward.
Ohlmacher said landslides happened most frequently in shale soils and where slopes were steeper. When shale is near the ground surface, where the water content fluctuates because of rainfall or other precipitation, the shale weathers into a claylike soil that could produce a landslide.
"I'm trying to identify the causal factors of landslides," Ohlmacher said.
Ohlmacher's research, which eventually will include Douglas County, could provide information in the future for Jim Modig, director of design and construction management at the University of Kansas. Modig spends much of his time making sure that the foundations of buildings at the University are safe before and after they are built.
"In terms of facilities, I think
everything is really in good shape. "Modie said."
But Modig said caution was warranted where certain buildings were built on steeper slopes.
Modig said that he found a small amount of sliding in the soil by the parking garage on Irving Hill Road but that it was accounted for during the construction process.
He said that Malott Hall, Anschutz Library and Haworth Hall were built using special reinforcements under their foundations because of the steepness of the slopes and the composition of the soil where they sat.
"We typically go in and have a geotechnical engineer survey the site," Modig said. "They check the subsoll conditions down to identifying rock materials."
Ohlmacher said that the process Modig described was the best way to deal with landslides instead of trying to remedy the effects of sliding after a building was constructed.
State officials watch aquifer closely
The Associated Press
HUTCHINSON — The aquifer that provides water for a half-million Kansans is as healthy as ever, and state officials are watching it closely so that it stays that way.
Strict limits are put on much water can be drawn from the Equus Beds aquifer that provides water to Hutchinson, McPherson, Halstead, Wichita and many small towns in between.
The aquifer is managed carefully so that water is not taken out faster than the aquifer can be recharged, said Mike Dealy, manager of the Equus Beds district.
"We're only approving about 50 percent of the groundwater applications we get," Dealy said. "As long as we continue to manage the aquifer on a 'safe yield' principle
shale rock below and earth above.
— where we don't remove water faster than the natural recharge rate of the aquifer — we'll be in good shape well into future."
Like a giant sponge, the aquifer recharges by absorbing water that percolates into it when it rains. The aquifer is sand and gravel with
Don Koci, a hydrologist for the district, said the water level in many parts of the district rose remarkably between January 1999 and January 2000.
At two areas in particular — northeast of Buhler and south of Halstead — the aquifer rose more than 3 feet, thanks to above-average rainfall and careful application of the safe-yield policy. Koei said.
"That was the largest increase we've seen in the McPherson County area in years," he said. "From a long-term perspective, it is unusual. But it's nice to see the groundwater recovering over much of the area."
Dealy said 1988 through 1993 were considered drought years in which annual rainfall was below average.
"We've been in a recovery phase during the last three years," he said. "We've had above-average rainfall and below-normal usage. We're just waiting for that future rainfall decline phase to hit. Until then, we're trying to put more water into storage overall than we're pulling out."
Dealy said the 1,800 farm, municipal and industrial wells in the district withdraw between 250,000 and 300,000 acre-feet of water a year. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre a foot deep - 325,851 gallons.
Until recently, the district relied on annual January readings from more than 300 observation wells to measure the health of the aquifer.
But the Equus Beds district, the cities of McPherson and Wichita, and the Kansas Water Office recently shared the cost of installing five new high-tech automated monitoring devices that measure groundwater levels, atmospheric conditions and soil temperatures on an hourly basis.
Dealy said having that kind of instantaneous data eventually will provide a much clearer picture of the aquifer's health, as well as how various weather events affect recharge rates.
"We've seen some rainfall events of a half inch to 2 inches where we began to see water rise within that area of the aquifer in a matter of several hours," he said.
Wendy Brown, Lecompton senior, reads an article from the Lawrence Journal-World in one of several recording studios at the Batesr Audio-Reader Center. More than 400 volunteers read daily and weekly publications as a service for anyone who is blind or has difficulty reading. Photo by Matt J. Daugherty/KANSAN
Audio-Reader broadcasts help many stay informed
Bv Ana Cunha
Special to the Kansan
Audio-Reader is broadcast on subcarrier frequencies on FM radio. This means a special radio is required to tune in to the program. Audio-Reader provides the radios, and broadcasts also are available through the program's Web site.
"I think they are great. I'm very happy they exist." Magario said.
"They usually help you a lot with
Rachel Magario, Sao Paulo,
Brazil, junior, is always on top of
the news despite her difficulties
reading the newspaper.
Magario, who is blind, gets her news by listening to the latest newspaper stories on the radio. She is one of 6,000 people who rely daily on the Audio-Reader program at the University of Kansas.
Audio-Reader is a reading service for anyone who has difficulty reading standard printed material. The network broadcasts 24 hours a day from studios at the University to the entire state of Kansas and Western Missouri. The studios are on campus at the Baehr Audio-Reader Center, near KJHK's studios, which are off 11th Street near West Campus Road.
deadlines, and when you need to read something they usually get volunteers to read for you."
Although Audio-Reader's average listeners are elderly people from rural Kansas, visually impaired KU students also benefit from the services.
"Our goal is to keep people in touch with their local community," said Janet Campbell, Audio-Reader director.
She said that when the program first started, organizers had no idea how large it would become.
Campbell said the volunteers started working at 5:30 a.m. and read all day long.
Janet Majure, Lawrence graduate student, has volunteered for a year and a half. She said it was a pleas-
"Our volunteers are very talented, and they even have to take an audition." Campbell said.
"I don't just say we are a radio-reading service any longer. We are a full-service reading service," she said.
Audio-Reader has operated since 1971 and is one of the first radio-reading services in the world. Now more than 45,000 Kansans will qualify for the service after a recent expansion in the coverage area.
AUDIO-READER
For more information about the service and how to volunteer, call 1-800-772-8898 or visit their web site at
http://www.ukans.edu/~arnet
ure to read for the service.
"I enjoy reading," she said. "And I believe in helping others and giving back to the community."
In addition to Majure, Audio-Reader has 400 volunteers who read daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and books, as well as news, interviews and other programs dealing with disability and aging issues.
Audio-Reader also features a dial-up system that allows users to listen to daily editions of the Kansas City Star, Topeka Capital-Journal and Wichita Eagle, plus Sunday magazines, grocery and discount store ads, and TV Guide on the phone.
Another service provided is personal taping of materials less than 100 pages onto a cassette. All the services are free, and any person with difficulty in reading may qualify.
Graduation Regalia
Available at the KU Bookstores
CONGRATULATIONS!
The KU Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council would like to congratulate the following sorority and fraternity members who received a 4.0 GPA for the fall 1999 semester
Elizabeth Aldridge
Lindsy Alleman
Jastin Antisel
Kelley Appleyard
Jeffrey Arkell
Meridith Ashley
Juliette Ast
Rachael Augustyn
Jennifer Bacani
Elizabeth Baddeley
Lisa Bainum
Hannah Ballou
Sara Baumgartner
John Beck
Jamie Bert
Nate Blahmaier
Sarah Blakey
Lori Bookbinder
Jill Bradshaw
Jodi Breon
Deborah Brooks
Robert Bruchman
Sarah Bueker
Lindsey Connealy
Nicole Charpentier
Emily Childs
Tracy Chiles
Kenneth Cleveland
Angela Cofer
Kristen Colantuono
Alison Collins
Blake Conklin
Robert Connealy
Kerry Connelly
Carolyn Coulson
Alisa Criger
Chad Cryder
Jennifer Davis
Laura Denny
Allegra Desalvo
Heather Dillon
Ethan Domke
Lisa Donnelly
Deanna Doyle
Matthew Drake
Jessica Dunn
Spencer Eagan
Allison Early
Jennifer Epstein
Lindsey Erickson
Travis Fairchild
Kathleen Ferrell
Lacy Fields
Zachary Finley
Hadley Fitzgerald
Kathryn Flaspholder
Valerie Flick
Mary Forbes
Staci Furman
Jonacci Garner
Wendy Garrett
Christine Garton
Melanie Gehrer
Ashley Gerald
Jon Gertken
Taylor Gill
Jay Goettelmann
Jamie Goode
Natalia Goodwin
Kelly Graf
Jeffery Graves
Vincent Grisell
Kydie Grosshuesch
Bill Guerry
Brooke Gugat
Alison Hamel
Kathryn Hanson
Jamie Harper
Lewis Heaven
Sarah Heavrin
Matthew Heffner
Alison Henry
Eric Hernandez
Carrie Hesler
Robert Hingula
Katherine Holman
Sarah Hovel
Holly Hydeman
Blair Izard
Melissa Jabbour
Lora Jennings
Staci Johnson
Bridget Jones
Jennifer Keenan
Kristin Kelley
Tracy Kemp
Lisa Kenney
Laura Kissel
Katherine Kline
Joni Koehler
Jon Korte
Laura Lampman
Joseph Larsen
Caroline Lee
John Leever
Lori Legg
Ashley Little
Antonia Luebbe
Erin Lynn
Kristi Maharay
Elizabeth Malone
Marcy Martin
Sarah Martin
Kimberly Mathews
Adam May
Erin Mccall
Daniel Mcfarlane
John Meier
Karla Mencer
Justin Mennen
Megan Migliazzo
Katharine Milberger
Stacia Miller
David Milroy
Emily Monckton
Kayla Monson
Christian Morgan
Clayborn Morris
Megan Murphy
Laura Nathan
Carrie Nelson
Sara Nelson
Cassie Norris
Dara Norris
Jeffery Otkiter
Kimberly Oliver
Francien Oosterwijk
Angela Packard
Brooke Palmer
Breanne Patton
Edward Paxton
Jennifer Pittsford
Carrie Pohl
Sarah Porter
Kelly Prochaska
Mary Ramseyer
Kevin Raymer
Sarah Rebel
Alison Reynolds
Carolyn Rhoades
Jared Rider
Christopher Roark
Laura Roddy
Amy Roth
Thomas Ruane
Kathleen Ryan
Kara Ryckman
Kristina Rzesotsarski
Sarah Sadler
Derek Schumm
Amanda Schurle
Frank Scirae
Week of the Scholar, April 17-21 Striving for Academic Excellence
Amber Scott
Tiffany Seeman
Debra Seibel
Courtney Sevier
Seymour Seymour
Kerri Shafer
Meghan Shaughnessy
Ryan Sheahan
Jessica Slavik
Hilary Smith
Michael Smith
Andrea Southard
Stephanie Sprague
Jessica Stein
Carrie Stephenson
John Stephenson
Shae Steven
Stacy Stratton
Michael Struble
Kathleen Suellentrop
Anna Sunderland
Scott Thein
Sarah Thimsem
Mali Thompson
Alissa Thorsland
Jamie Tillett
Judith Togtman
Amy Varner
Jennifer Voelzkne
Amy Vonlintel
Shelby Wagner
Noelle Waldron
Benjamin Walker
Laura Walstad
Brian Wanamaker
Christina Warinner
Charity Warlick
Amanda Weinberg
Ashley Weitzel
Meghan Welch
Alice White
Jennifer Williams
Christina Wilson
Christopher Wittman
Amanda Witty
Joshua Woelk
Courtney Wood
Katy Wood
Fatemah Yadullah
Julie Zeka
Carly Zimmerman
Kyle Zimmerman
Lauren Zuwoweste
LOOKING FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE?
Now is the time to plan for next fall. Here are five of 25 reasons to consider a KU MBA:
6. It is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, engineering, journalism computer science, and other nonbusiness fields.
9. The median starting salary for 1999 KU MBA grads was $56,000.
CONSIDER A KU MBA.
13. College algebra is the only math prerequisite.
20. You can choose study-abroad programs including Italy, France, and Mexico.
25. The career path for KU MBA's is wide open Choose private industry, the public sector, or entrepreneurship.
Want to know the other 20 reasons? See Dave Collins, 206 Summerfield or call 864-7596.
THE KU MBA www.bschool.ukans.edu
The University Of Kansas School of Business