The ecohealth system and the community engagement movement in foundations: A case study of mutual benefits from grants funded by the United Nations Foundation

Ecohealth is a process for identifying key environmental determinants causing mortality or morbidity and combating them by mobilizing multiple social sectors. Evolving out of the concept of environmental health, ecohealth provides a framework for long‐term sustainability. The health outcomes anticipated by environmental interventions are part of a long‐term agenda and require fundamental groundwork for the growth of community‐driven development. Building long‐term sustainability requires that two key approaches be developed through ecohealth. The first is the strengthening of local community institutions, whether formal or informal. The second is building financial mechanisms that are more diversified and less reliant on a single donor. As a result, the ecohealth system provides an opportunity for foundations to empower communities, build cross‐cutting cooperation, and gain knowledge through projects. If people's environmental behaviour is to change and be sustained in the long term to produce desired health outcomes, this will require all members of society to be capable of functioning within the existing institutional infrastructure. This means that not only do formal institutions need to become more accessible but also that concepts relating to local informal institutions must be incorporated into ecohealth projects. It is imperative that we identify and understand relevant local institutions and how they can be transformed so that new environmental forms of behaviour can be sustained and result in positive health outcomes. The intersection of environmental and health concerns provides an ideal area in which the gap between government and civil society can be bridged — not only providing solutions to ecohealth concerns, but building government capacity in general and making these positive changes sustainable in the long term. This article is a case study, based on several United Nations Foundation grants. It outlines the significance of traditional community organizations, the breadth of their long‐term relations with communities, their resources, and the adoption of sustained forms of behaviour. In addition, the article highlights the role that international foundations can play in creating innovative financing mechanisms through community‐based foundations.     

Stationarity: Wanted Dead or Alive?1

Lins, Harry F. and Timothy A. Cohn, 2011. Stationarity: Wanted Dead or Alive? Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):475‐480. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00542.x Abstract: Aligning engineering practice with natural process behavior would appear, on its face, to be a prudent and reasonable course of action. However, if we do not understand the long‐term characteristics of hydroclimatic processes, how does one find the prudent and reasonable course needed for water management? We consider this question in light of three aspects of existing and unresolved issues affecting hydroclimatic variability and statistical inference: Hurst‐Kolmogorov phenomena; the complications long‐term persistence introduces with respect to statistical understanding; and the dependence of process understanding on arbitrary sampling choices. These problems are not easily addressed. In such circumstances, humility may be more important than physics; a simple model with well‐understood flaws may be preferable to a sophisticated model whose correspondence to reality is uncertain.     

BASIN SCALE WATER MANAGEMENT AND FORECASTING USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS1

ABSTRACT: Water scarcity in the Sevier River Basin in south‐central Utah has led water managers to seek advanced techniques for identifying optimal forecasting and management measures. To more efficiently use the limited quantity of water in the basin, better methods for control and forecasting are imperative. Basin scale management requires advanced forecasts of the availability of water. Information about long term water availability is important for decision making in terms of how much land to plant and what crops to grow; advanced daily predictions of streamflows and hydraulic characteristics of irrigation canals are of importance for managing water delivery and reservoir releases; and hourly forecasts of flows in tributary streams to account for diurnal fluctuations are vital to more precisely meet the day‐to‐day expectations of downstream farmers. A priori streamflow information and exogenous climate data have been used to predict future streamflows and required reservoir releases at different timescales. Data on snow water equivalent, sea surface temperatures, temperature, total solar radiation, and precipitation are fused by applying artificial neural networks to enhance long term and real time basin scale water management information. This approach has not previously been used in water resources management at the basin‐scale and could be valuable to water users in semi‐arid areas to more efficiently utilize and manage scarce water resources.     

Instream Flow Science For Sustainable River Management1

Abstract: Concerns for water resources have inspired research developments to determine the ecological effects of water withdrawals from rivers and flow regulation below dams, and to advance tools for determining the flows required to sustain healthy riverine ecosystems. This paper reviews the advances of this environmental flows science over the past 30 years since the introduction of the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology. Its central component, Physical HABitat SIMulation, has had a global impact, internationalizing the e‐flows agenda and promoting new science. A global imperative to set e‐flows, including an emerging trend to set standards at the regional scale, has led to developments of hydrological and hydraulic approaches but expert judgment remains a critical element of the complex decision‐making process around water allocations. It is widely accepted that river ecosystems are dependent upon the natural variability of flow (the flow regime) that is typical of each hydro‐climatic region and upon the range of habitats found within each channel type within each region. But as the sophistication of physical (hydrological and hydraulic) models has advanced emerging biological evidence to support those assumptions has been limited. Empirical studies have been important to validate instream flow recommendations but they have not generated transferable relationships because of the complex nature of biological responses to hydrological change that must be evaluated over decadal time‐scales. New models are needed to incorporate our evolving knowledge of climate cycles and morphological sequences of channel development but most importantly we need long‐term research involving both physical scientists and biologists to develop new models of population dynamics that will advance the biological basis for 21st Century e‐flow science.     

Tributary Plunging in an Urban Lake (Onondaga Lake): Drivers,Signatures, and Implications1

Abstract: A combination of long‐term fixed‐frequency and robotic monitoring information for a polluted urban lake, Onondaga Lake, New York, and two of its tributaries is used to resolve the propensity for, and occurrences of, tributary plunging. Cooler temperatures (T) and higher salinity (S) are primarily responsible for the elevated density and plunging of one of these polluted streams for the summer through early fall interval. In‐lake transport of this plunging tributary, which receives inputs from combined sewer overflows (CSOs), is tracked by its high S during dry weather, its high turbidity (T_n) with associated lower S (dilution with rainwater) following runoff events, and by its characteristic ionic composition. These signatures are documented extending from the creek mouth, through a connecting navigation channel, through the inflow zone of the lake, and into metalimnetic depths of pelagic portions of the lake. The entry of this polluted tributary below the depth interval(s) of primary production and contact recreation has important implications for the ongoing major rehabilitation program for this lake. The plunging phenomenon diminishes the benefits previously expected for related features of the lake’s water quality from ongoing management efforts to abate CSO inputs and reduce nonpoint nutrient loading from the tributary. Previously this tributary tended to instead enter the upper layers of the lake during the operation of an adjoining soda ash manufacturing facility (closure in 1986), as a result of high lake S caused by the industry’s ionic waste discharge.     

Population Dynamics of Escherichia coli in Surface Water1

Bucci, Vanni, Marin Vuli?, Xiaodan Ruan, and Ferdi L. Hellweger, 2011. Population Dynamics of Escherichia coli in Surface Water. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):611‐619. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00528.x Abstract: Present models of the fate of enteric bacteria in surface water usually assume simple first‐order decay. However, observed decay kinetics are typically biphasic and there is increasing evidence for growth in the ambient environment. These features are similar to the stationary phase of long‐term batch cultures, where the dynamics are the result of repeated cycles of population takeovers by Growth Advantage in Stationary Phase (GASP) mutants able to scavenge nutrients released from dead cells. We investigated the possible role of this mechanism (i.e., growth of an adapted subpopulation) in surface water using laboratory experiments with various strains of Escherichia coli in different types of water. Addition of ampicillin (which only kills dividing cells) to these cultures caused a decrease in the total cell density, demonstrating the presence of a growing subpopulation. Furthermore, long‐term survivors from surface water cultures outcompete naïve cells and take over the population in surface water. This growth advantage is heritable (i.e., aged strains were isolated from a single cell) and consistent with the GASP mechanism, although the responsible loci were not identified. Our results show that E. coli populations in surface water are dynamic and consist of dying naïve cells and growing surface water adapted cells. These results can explain the apparent biphasic decay pattern observed in laboratory experiments. This mechanism may also be important in the ambient environment.     

The Arkansas Valley “Super Ditch”— An Analysis of Potential Economic Impacts1

McMahon, Tyler G. and Mark Griffin Smith, 2012. The Arkansas Valley “Super Ditch”— An Analysis of Potential Economic Impacts. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 00(0):000‐000. 1‐12. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12005 Abstract: In Colorado’s Arkansas River basin, urban growth and harsh farming conditions have resulted in water transfers from agricultural to urban uses. Several studies have shown that these transfers have significant secondary economic impacts associated with the removal of irrigated land from production. In response, new methods of sharing water are being developed to allow water transfers that benefit both farm and urban economies, compared with previous permanent transfers that negatively impacted surrounding farm communities. One such project currently under development is the Arkansas Valley “Super Ditch,” which is a rotational crop fallowing plan based on long‐term water leasing designed to provide an annual supply of 25,000 acre‐feet of water (31.6 Mm³). This article analyzes the net benefits of implementing the “Super Ditch” for both the farmers and the surrounding community.     

The Atmosphere can be a Source of Certain Water Soluble Volatile Organic Compounds in Urban Streams

Surface water and air volatile organic compound (VOC) data from 10 U.S. Geological Survey monitoring sites were used to evaluate the potential for direct transport of VOCs from the atmosphere to urban streams. Analytical results of 87 VOC compounds were screened by evaluating the occurrence and detection levels in both water and air, and equilibrium concentrations in water (C_w^s) based on the measured air concentrations. Four compounds (acetone, methyl tertiary butyl ether, toluene, and m‐ & p‐xylene) were detected in more than 20% of water samples, in more than 10% of air samples, and more than 10% of detections in air were greater than long‐term method detection levels (LTMDL) in water. Benzene was detected in more than 20% of water samples and in more than 10% of air samples. Two percent of benzene detections in air were greater than one‐half the LTMDL in water. Six compounds (chloroform, p‐isopropyltoluene, methylene chloride, perchloroethene, 1,1,1‐trichloroethane, and trichloroethene) were detected in more than 20% of water samples and in more than 10% of air samples. Five VOCs, toluene, m‐ & p‐xylene, methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE), acetone, and benzene were identified as having sufficiently high concentrations in the atmosphere to be a source to urban streams. MTBE, acetone, and benzene exhibited behavior that was consistent with equilibrium concentrations in the atmosphere.     

Upstream Sediment‐Control Dams: Five Decades of Experience in the Rapidly Eroding Dahan River Basin,Taiwan

Sedimentation is emerging as a key issue in sustainable reservoir management. One approach to controlling reservoir sedimentation is to trap sediment in hydraulic structures upstream of the reservoir. In the 1,163‐km² catchment of the Dahan River (Taiwan) over 120 “sabo” dams were built to reduce sediment yield to Shihmen Reservoir. Built in 1963 for water supply, Shihmen has lost over 40% of its 290‐Mm³ storage capacity to sedimentation. Most of these upstream structures were small, but three had capacities >9 Mm³. Field measurements and historical data from the Water Resources Agency show most smaller dams had filled with sediment by 1976. The three largest were full or nearly so by 2007, when one (Barlin Dam) failed, releasing a pulse of 7.5 Mm³, most of its 10.4 Mm³ stored sediment downstream. The Central Range of Taiwan is rapidly eroding (denudation rates 3‐6 mm/yr), so geologically high loads make sediment problems manifest sooner. Even in other environments, however, eventually small dams built upstream of large reservoirs are likely to fill themselves, creating multiple small sediment‐filled reservoirs, some located in sites inaccessible to mechanical removal. Our analysis suggests sabo dams do not offer a long‐term basis for controlling reservoir sedimentation in such a high‐sediment yield environment. Sustainable solutions must somehow pass sediment downstream, as would be accomplished by a sediment bypass around Shihmen Reservoir, as now being studied.     

Managing Drought Through Water Markets: Farmer Preferences in the Rio Grande Basin1

Abstract: Managing drought in agriculture has taken on growing importance as population growth and environmental concerns place increasing pressures on agricultural water use. One alternative for agricultural water resource management in areas of recurrent drought is allocation through market mechanisms. While past research has aimed to explain why farmers are reluctant to participate in already established water markets, this research seeks to identify the appropriate market mechanism given farmers’ preexisting attitudes toward water markets. Statistical analysis of survey data from 166 farmer interviews in the Rio Grande Basin indicate that farmers are significantly more likely to participate in short‐term water mechanisms, such as spot water markets and water banks than in permanent transfer mechanisms, particularly those that fully separate water rights from land. In sharp contrast to expectations, the choice of market mechanism did not differ significantly between farmers based on their a priori intention to buy, sell or both buy and sell in these markets. Choice of market mechanism also did not differ among farmer types although small, lifestyle or hobby farmers clearly preferred spot water markets to other types of short‐term mechanisms. Evaluating these attitudes a priori may help to design more suitable water market mechanisms for the basin.     

Buy Me a River: Purchasing Water Rights to Restore River Flows in the Western USA

In recent decades, public and private environmental entities have been purchasing or leasing water rights across the Western United States (U.S.) in efforts to restore river flows and aquatic ecosystems. The need to pay for flow restoration arises from the fact that state governments did not begin to reserve water for instream purposes until the 1970s, long after water rights had become over‐appropriated and flows were substantially depleted in most rivers. As a consequence, flow depletion has become the leading cause of fish endangerment in the U.S., including the imperilment of two‐thirds of all native fish species in the Colorado River system. This paper takes stock of the progress made in buying water for the environment, specifically by reviewing and analyzing more than 50 transactions executed by public and private entities and the sources of funding underpinning these transactions. We conclude that nongovernmental actors — such as environmental organizations and state water trusts — are integral to regional efforts to restore river flows; these nongovernmental actors executed more than two‐thirds of the transactions we documented. However, we also conclude that the long‐term success of these nongovernmental actors depends upon the availability of sustained public funding that enables them to build capacity and engage in the large number of transactions needed to restore flows across each state.     

Decoupling Streamflow Responses to Climate Variability and Land Use/Cover Changes in a Watershed in Northern China

Restored annual streamflow (Q_r) and measured daily streamflow of the Chaohe watershed located in northern China and associated long‐term climate and land use/cover data were used to explore the effects of land use/cover change and climate variability on the streamflow during 1961‐2009. There were no significant changes in annual precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration, whereas Q_r decreased significantly by 0.81 mm/yr (p < 0.001) over the study period with a change point in 1999. We used 1961‐1998 as the baseline period (BP) and 1999‐2009 the change period (CP). The mean Q_r during the CP decreased by 39.4 mm compared with that in the BP. From 1979 to 2009, the grassland area declined by 69.6%, and the forest and shrublands increased by 105.4 and 73.1%, respectively. The land use/cover change and climate variability contributed for 58.4 and 41.6% reduction in mean annual Q_r, respectively. Compared with the BP, median and high flows in the CP decreased by 38.8 and up to 75.5%, respectively. The study concludes that large‐scale ecological restoration and watershed management in northern China has greatly decreased water yield and reduced high flows due to the improved land cover by afforestation leading to higher water loss through evapotranspiration. At a large watershed scale, land use/cover change could play as much of an important role as climate variability on water resources.     

On‐Site Exposure to Treated Wastewater Effluent Has Subtle Effects on Male Fathead Minnows and Pronounced Effects on Carp

This study tested the hypotheses that (1) exposure to treated Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) effluent will induce biological effects in exposed fish that are consistent with environmental estrogen (EE) exposure; and (2) seasonal differences in effluent composition will moderate biological effects. We conducted seven on‐site exposures using a mobile laboratory. Total estrogenicity of effluents was 10‐ to 20‐fold higher during spring than in fall. Common EEs including steroid estrogens, alkylphenols, and bisphenol‐A were ubiquitous. An unusual spike in total estrogenicity identified a combined sewer overflow event. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) responded to exposure with subtle changes in vitellogenin concentrations and secondary sex characteristics. An opportunity to assess a common carp (Cyprinus carpio) population permanently sustained inside the Stickney WRP revealed pronounced exposure effects, but also the resilience of biological organisms even under long‐term exposure. In contrast to other studies, no histopathological changes were found. The mobile exposure laboratory proved capable of maintaining U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‐recommended exposure conditions while providing flexibility for rapid deployment at multiple sites with minimal operational disruption. Further studies using this platform hold promise to resolve the convoluted interactions between complex effluents and inherent biological complexity.     

A Perspective on Nonstationarity and Water Management1

Hirsch, Robert M., 2011. A Perspective on Nonstationarity and Water Management. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):436‐446. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00539.x Abstract: This essay offers some perspectives on climate‐related nonstationarity and water resources. Hydrologists must not lose sight of the many sources of nonstationarity, recognizing that many of them may be of much greater magnitude than those that may arise from climate change. It is paradoxical that statistical and deterministic approaches give us better insights about changes in mean conditions than about the tails of probability distributions, and yet the tails are very important to water management. Another paradox is that it is difficult to distinguish between long‐term hydrologic persistence and trend. Using very long hydrologic records is helpful in mitigating this problem, but does not guarantee success. Empirical approaches, using long‐term hydrologic records, should be an important part of the portfolio of research being applied to understand the hydrologic response to climate change. An example presented here shows very mixed results for trends in the size of the annual floods, with some strong clusters of positive trends and a strong cluster of negative trends. The potential for nonstationarity highlights the importance of the continuity of hydrologic records, the need for repeated analysis of the data as the time series grow, and the need for a well‐trained cadre of scientists and engineers, ready to interpret the data and use those analyses to help adjust the management of our water resources.     

Regional and Temporal Differences in Nitrate Trends Discerned from Long‐Term Water Quality Monitoring Data

Riverine nitrate (NO₃) is a well‐documented driver of eutrophication and hypoxia in coastal areas. The development of the elevated river NO₃ concentration is linked to anthropogenic inputs from municipal, agricultural, and atmospheric sources. The intensity of these sources has varied regionally, through time, and in response to multiple causes such as economic drivers and policy responses. This study uses long‐term water quality, land use, and other ancillary data to further describe the evolution of river NO₃ concentrations at 22 monitoring stations in the United States (U.S.). The stations were selected for long‐term data availability and to represent a range of climate and land‐use conditions. We examined NO₃ at the monitoring stations, using a flow‐weighting scheme meant to account for interannual flow variability allowing greater focus on river chemical conditions. River NO₃ concentration increased strongly during 1945‐1980 at most of the stations and have remained elevated, but stopped increasing during 1981‐2008. NO₃ increased to a greater extent at monitoring stations in the Midwest U.S. and less so at those in the Eastern and Western U.S. We discuss 20th Century agricultural development in the U.S. and demonstrate that regional differences in NO₃ concentration patterns were strongly related to an agricultural index developed using principal components analysis. This unique century‐scale dataset adds to our understanding of long‐term NO₃ patterns in the U.S.     

A concept for simultaneous wasteland reclamation, fuel production, and socio-economic development in degraded areas in India: Need, potential and perspectives of Jatropha plantations

The concept of substituting bio‐diesel produced from plantations on eroded soils for conventional diesel fuel has gained wide‐spread attention in India. In recent months, the Indian central Government as well as some state governments have expressed their support for bringing marginal lands, which cannot be used for food production, under cultivation for this purpose. Jatropha curcas is a well established plant in India. It produces oil‐rich seeds, is known to thrive on eroded lands, and to require only limited amounts of water, nutrients and capital inputs. This plant offers the option both to cultivate wastelands and to produce vegetable oil suitable for conversion to bio‐diesel. More versatile than hydrogen and new propulsion systems such as fuel cell technology, bio‐diesel can be used in today's vehicle fleets worldwide and may also offer a viable path to sustainable transportation, i.e., lower greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced mobility, even in remote areas. Mitigation of global warming and the creation of new regional employment opportunities can be important cornerstones of any forward looking transportation system for emerging economies.     

Estimation of Evapotranspiration Across the Conterminous United States Using a Regression With Climate and Land‐Cover Data1

Sanford, Ward E. and David L. Selnick, 2012. Estimation of Evapotranspiration Across the Conterminous United States Using a Regression with Climate and Land‐Cover Data. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐14. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12010 Abstract: Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important quantity for water resource managers to know because it often represents the largest sink for precipitation (P) arriving at the land surface. In order to estimate actual ET across the conterminous United States (U.S.) in this study, a water‐balance method was combined with a climate and land‐cover regression equation. Precipitation and streamflow records were compiled for 838 watersheds for 1971‐2000 across the U.S. to obtain long‐term estimates of actual ET. A regression equation was developed that related the ratio ET/P to climate and land‐cover variables within those watersheds. Precipitation and temperatures were used from the PRISM climate dataset, and land‐cover data were used from the USGS National Land Cover Dataset. Results indicate that ET can be predicted relatively well at a watershed or county scale with readily available climate variables alone, and that land‐cover data can also improve those predictions. Using the climate and land‐cover data at an 800‐m scale and then averaging to the county scale, maps were produced showing estimates of ET and ET/P for the entire conterminous U.S. Using the regression equation, such maps could also be made for more detailed state coverages, or for other areas of the world where climate and land‐cover data are plentiful.     

FTABLE Generation Method Effects on Instream Fecal Bacteria Concentrations Simulated With HSPF1

Abstract: Computer simulation models are used extensively for the development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). Specifically, the Hydrological Simulation Program‐FORTRAN (HSPF) is used in Virginia for the development of TMDLs for bacteria impairments. HSPF estimates discharge from a reach using function tables (FTABLES). The FTABLE relates stream stage, surface area, and volume to discharge from a reach. In this study, five FTABLE estimation methods were assessed by comparing their effect on various simulation outputs. Four “field‐based” methods used detailed cross‐sectional data collected via site surveys. A fifth “digital‐based” method used digital elevation data in combination with the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves. Sets of FTABLEs created using each method were used in simulations of instream bacteria concentration for a Virginia watershed. Several statistics relating to instream bacteria including long‐term average concentration, die‐off, and the violation rate of Virginia’s bacteria criterion were compared. The pair‐wise Student’s t‐test was used for the comparison. The HSPF simulations that used FTABLES estimated from digitally based data consistently produced significantly higher long‐term average instream fecal bacteria concentrations, significantly lower instream fecal bacteria die‐off, which is related to differences in residence time in the streams, and significantly higher water quality criterion violation rates.     

A National Assessment of the Potential Linkage between Soil,and Surface and Groundwater Concentrations of Phosphorus

A meta‐analysis of three national databases determined the potential linkage between soil and surface and groundwater enrichment with phosphorus (P). Soil P was enriched especially under dairying commensurate with an increase in cow numbers and the tonnage of P‐fertilizers sold. Median P concentrations were enriched in surface waters receiving runoff from industrial and dairy land uses, and in groundwater beneath dairying especially in those aquifers with gravel or sand lithology, irrespective of groundwater redox status. After geographically pairing surface and groundwater sites to maximize the chance of connectivity, a subset of sites dominated by aquifers with gravel and sand lithology showed increasing P concentrations with as little as 10 years data. These data raise the possibility that groundwater could contribute much P to surface water if: there is good connectivity between surface and groundwater, intensive land use occurs on soils prone to leaching, and leached‐P is not attenuated through aquifers. While strategies are available to mitigate P loss from intensive farming systems in the short‐term, factors such as enriched soils and slow groundwater may mean that despite their use, there will be a long‐term input (viz. legacy), that may sustain surface water P enrichment. To avoid poor surface water quality, management and planning may need to consider the connectivity and characteristics of P in soil‐groundwater‐surface water systems.     

Effect of Soils on Water Quantity and Quality in Piedmont Forested Headwater Watersheds of North Carolina1

Boggs, Johnny, Ge Sun, David Jones, and Steven G. McNulty, 2012. Effect of Soils on Water Quantity and Quality in Piedmont Forested Headwater Watersheds of North Carolina. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐19. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12001 Abstract: Water quantity and quality data were compared from six headwater watersheds on two distinct soil formations, Carolina Slate Belt (CSB) and Triassic Basins (TB). CSB soils are generally thicker, less erodible, and contain less clay content than soils found in TB. TB generated significantly more discharge/precipitation ratio than CSB (0.33 vs. 0.24) in the 2009 dormant season. In the 2009 growing season, TB generated significantly less discharge/precipitation ratio than CSB (0.02 vs. 0.07). Over the entire monitoring period, differences in discharge/precipitation ratios between CSB and TB were not significantly different (0.17 vs. 0.20, respectively). Storm‐flow rates were significantly higher in TB than CSB in both dormant and growing season. Benthic macroinvertebrate biotic index scores were excellent for all streams. Nutrient concentrations and exports in CSB and TB were within background levels for forests. Low‐stream nitrate and ammonium concentrations and exports suggested that both CSB and TB were nitrogen limited. Soils appear to have had a significant influence on seasonal and storm‐flow generation, but not on long‐term total water yield and water quality under forested conditions. This study indicated that watersheds on TB soils might be more prone to storm‐flow generation than on CSB soils when converted from forest to urban. Future urban growth in the area should consider differences in baseline hydrology and effects of landuse change on water quantity and quality.