NATURAL EROSION RATES AND THEIR PREDICTION IN THE IDAHO BATHOLITH1

ABSTRACT: Natural rates of surface erosion on forested granitic soils in central Idaho were measured in 40 m² bordered erosion plots over a period of four years. In addition, we measured a variety of site variables, soil properties, and summer rainstorm intensities in order to relate erosion rates to site attributes. Median winter erosion rates are approximately twice summer period rates, however mean summer rates are nearly twice winter rates because of infrequent high erosion caused by summer rainstorms. Regression equation models and regression tree models were constructed to explore relationships between erosion and factors that control erosion rates. Ground cover is the single factor that has the greatest influence on erosion rates during both summer and winter periods. Rainstorm intensity (erosivity index) strongly influences summer erosion rates, even on soils with high ground cover percentages. Few summer storms were of sufficient duration and intensity to cause rilling on the plots, and the data set was too small to elucidate differences in rill vs. interrill erosion. The regression tree models are relatively less biased than the regression equations developed, and explained 70 and 84 percent of the variability in summer and winter erosion rates, respectively.     

非点源污染模型中土壤侵蚀因子研究进展

非点源污染模型是进行非点源污染模拟研究的重要手段，而土壤侵蚀模型是非点源污染模型的基础，土壤侵蚀因子的研究是土壤侵蚀模型的重要基础。本文对国内外主要土壤侵蚀因子研究的成果进行了概述，并指出在今后相当一段时期内，土壤侵蚀因子的研究仍是土壤侵蚀模型研究的重要工作。     

台风湍流积分尺度与脉动风速谱——基于实测数据的分析

基于4个台风过程中的长时间序列风速、风方向观测数据，分析研究了近地台风的湍流积分尺度和脉动风速谱等脉动特性。介绍了湍流积分尺度的几种常见的计算方法，基于实测台风数据，分析研究了台风过程中湍流积分尺度的变化以及不同计算方法的稳定性。根据实测数据计算了纵向脉动风速谱，并与Von-Karman谱、Davenport谱、Simiu谱和Harris谱等经验谱进行了比较，给出了最适合描述台风纵向脉动风速谱的经验谱。还计算了横向脉动风速功率谱，并与基于各向同性湍流理论推导出的水平横向脉动风速谱进行了对比。     

头屯河流域水土流失现状及治理对策

介绍头屯河流域气候、植被、水土资源状况,分析了流域水土流失的现状,提出了水土流失治理对策,总结了水土流失治理措施并提出一些建议。     

EFFECTIVENESS OF POLYACRYLAMIDE (PAM) IN IMPROVING RUNOFF WATER QUALITY FROM CONSTRUCTION SITES1

ABSTRACT: Erosion from construction sites significantly affects water quality in receiving streams. A rainfall simulator was used to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods for controlling erosion from construction sites. Erosion control methods investigated included dry and liquid applications of polyacrylamide (PAM), hydroseed, and straw mulch. Fertilizer was also applied to each plot to examine the effectiveness of the methods in reducing nutrient losses in runoff. Runoff samples were analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonium, total phosphorus (TP), and orthophosphate. Among all treatments investigated, straw mulch was the most effective treatment for controlling TSS and nutrient losses during short term and long term simulations. The low liquid PAM (half the recommended PAM) treatment resulted in the highest reduction in runoff, TSS bound nitrogen, and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and loadings. The study results indicate that a high application rate (twice the recommended rate) of PAM could actually increase runoff and TSS losses. At a low application rate, both liquid and dry PAM were effective in reducing TSS and nutrient losses in runoff. However, application of the liquid form of PAM to construction sites is more practical and perhaps more economical than applying the PAM in the dry form.     

EFFECTS OF WATERSHED REPRESENTATION ON RUNOFF AND SEDIMENT YIELD MODELING1

ABSTRACT: This paper evaluates the effects of watershed geometric representation (i.e., plane and channel representation) on runoff and sediment yield simulations in a semiarid rangeland watershed. A process based, spatially distributed runoff erosion model (KINEROS2) was used to explore four spatial representations of a 4.4 ha experimental watershed. The most complex representation included all 96 channel elements identifiable in the field. The least complex representation contained only five channel elements. It was concluded that oversimplified watershed representations greatly influence runoff and sediment yield simulations by inducing excessive infiltration on hillslopes and distorting runoff patterns and sediment fluxes. Runoff and sediment yield decrease systematically with decreasing complexity in watershed representation. However, less complex representations had less impact on runoff and sediment‐yield simulations for small rainfall events. This study concludes that the selection of the appropriate level of watershed representation can have important theoretical and practical implications on runoff and sediment yield modeling in semiarid environments.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF INORGANIC PARTICLES IN SELECTED RESERVOIRS AND TRIBUTARIES OF THE NEW YORK CITY WATER SUPPLY1

ABSTRACT: Individual particle analysis (IPA) by scanning electron microscopy interfaced with automated image and X‐ray analyses was used to characterize inorganic particles in five reservoirs and four tributaries located within the Catskill and Delaware systems of the New York City water supply. Individual particle analysis provides combined elemental and morphologic characterizations. Results are presented in terms of particle projected area per unit volume (PAV), consistent with optical impacts, and partitioned into seven generic particle types according to composition. Minerals of terrigenous origins, particularly clay minerals, dominated the inorganic particle populations of all the study systems except one downstream reservoir. Higher PAV levels were observed in the Catskill system. Particle dynamics represented by PAV were driven primarily by runoff, while the reservoirs were also greatly influenced by the timing of sediment resuspension promoted by drawdown of the surface and fall mixing. The benefit of the serial configuration of the reservoirs in decreasing inorganic particles with progression downstream towards the city is demonstrated. The patterns in PAV levels among the study systems generally tracked those of more common metrics of impacts of suspensoids, including mass concentrations of suspended solids, turbidity, and Secchi disc transparency.     

The Relative Importance of Landscape Amenity and Health Impacts in the Wind Farm Debate in Australia

In recent years, Australia has experienced public debate around the growth in wind farms as part of government and community strategies to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Many of the arguments put forward by opponents and supporters are similar to those that have been evident in North America and Western Europe, including possible environmental impacts on wildlife, noise levels and, perhaps most prominently adverse changes in ‘landscape amenity’. A concern of increasing prominence is that of adverse human health impacts from proximity to operating turbines. Using analysis of submissions to public inquiries and a small number of detailed interviews, we consider the increased focus in Australia on the health impacts of wind farms. We note that health impacts, as elsewhere in the world, are often part of a suite of objections to wind farm developments but conclude that for some people near such developments, these are the main concern and not a cover or proxy for other concerns, such as changes in landscape amenity and aesthetics.     

Bison and cattle grazing management,bare ground coverage,and links to suspended sediment concentrations in grassland streams

This study quantified the impact of bison and cattle grazing management practices on bare ground coverage at the watershed, riparian, and forested riparian scales within the Flint Hills ecoregion in Kansas. We tested for correlations between bare ground coverage and fluvial suspended sediment concentrations during base‐flow and storm‐flow events. We used remotely sensed imagery combined with field surveys to classify ground cover and quantify the presence of bare ground. Base‐flow water samples were collected bi‐monthly during rain‐free periods and 24 h following precipitation events. Storm‐flow water samples were collected on the rising limb of the hydrograph, using single‐stage automatic samplers. Ungrazed treatments contained the lowest coverage of bare ground at the watershed, riparian, and forested riparian scales. Bison treatments contained the highest coverage of bare ground at the watershed scale, while high‐density cattle treatments contained the highest coverage of bare ground at the riparian and forested riparian scales. In bison and cattle‐grazed treatments, a majority of bare ground was located near fence lines, watershed boundaries, and third‐ and fourth‐order stream segments. Inorganic sediment concentrations at base flow were best predicted by riparian bare ground coverage, while storm‐flow sediment concentrations were best predicted by watershed scale bare ground coverage.