Impoundment Productivity in the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field, Alaska: Implications for Waterbirds

a ), and nutrient availability (phosphorus and nitrogen). High variability in these limnological characteristics, particularly among impoundments, obscured potential differences between impoundments and ponds. No significant differences were found in chlorophyll or nutrient concentrations, and in only two cases were there differences in invertebrate production: gastropods were significantly more abundant in impoundments than in ponds in June, and trichopterans were significantly more abundant in impoundments than in ponds in July. For comparisons within impoundments and ponds, there were significant differences in invertebrate abundance between habitats and between wetland types. For example, plecopterans, trichopterans, and gastropods (all taxa combined) were consistently more abundant in shallow–Arctophila impoundments and ponds than in shallow–Carex impoundments and ponds. Thus, ponds and impoundments may differ significantly in invertebrate production, but we lack information on the amount of different habitat types (i.e., center versus emergent vegetation, Carex versus Arctophila) used by these taxa within each water body type. It is a reasonable speculation, based on results of this study, that impoundments and ponds may have similar value as feeding habitat for invertebrate-eating waterbirds. Thus the presence of impoundments may be consistent with waterbird management goals on the Arctic Coastal Plain.     

Nitrate losses in subsurface drainage from a corn-soybean rotation as affected by fall and spring application of nitrogen and nitrapyrin

Substantial amounts of NO3 from agricultural crop production systems on poorly drained soils can be transported to surface water via subsurface drainage. A field study was conducted from the fall of 1993 through 2000 on a tile-drained Canisteo clay loam soil (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquoll) to determine the influence of fall vs. spring application of N and nitrapyrin [NP; 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine] on NO3 losses from a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation. Four anhydrous ammonia treatments (fall N, fall N + NP, spring preplant N, and spring N + NP) were replicated four times and applied at 135 kg N ha(-1) for corn on individual drainage plots. Drainage occurred in all seven years. Seventy-one percent of the annual drainage and 75% of the annual NO3 loss occurred in April, May, and June. Fifty-four percent of the NO3 lost in the drainage occurred during the corn phase and 46% during the soybean phase. Annual flow-weighted NO3-N concentrations for the fall, fall + NP, spring, and spring + NP treatments averaged 14.3, 11.5, 10.7, and 11.3 mg L(-1) during the corn phase but annual NO3-N concentrations were still > or =10 mg L(-1) in three of six years for the spring preplant treatment. Averaged across the six rotation cycles, flow-normalized NO3-N losses ranked in the order: fall N > spring N + NP > fall N + NP > spring N. Under these conditions, NO3 losses in subsurface drainage from a corn-soybean rotation can be reduced 14% by spring N and 10% by late fall N + NP compared with fall-applied N. Nitrate losses were not appreciably reduced by adding NP to spring preplant N.     

Recovery of Sediment Characteristics in Moraine,Headwater Streams of Northern Minnesota After Forest Harvest1

Merten, Eric C., Nathaniel A. Hemstad, Randall K. Kolka, Raymond M. Newman, Elon S. Verry, and Bruce Vondracek, 2010. Recovery of Sediment Characteristics in Moraine, Headwater Streams of Northern Minnesota After Forest Harvest. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(4): 733-743. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00445.x Abstract: We investigated the recovery of sediment characteristics in four moraine, headwater streams in north-central Minnesota after forest harvest. We examined changes in fine sediment levels from 1997 (preharvest) to 2007 (10 years postharvest) at study plots with upland clear felling and riparian thinning, using canopy cover, proportion of unstable banks, surficial fine substrates, residual pool depth, and streambed depth of refusal as response variables. Basin-scale year effects were significant (p < 0.001) for all responses when evaluated by repeated-measures ANOVAs. Throughout the study area, unstable banks increased for several years postharvest, coinciding with an increase in windthrow and fine sediment. Increased unstable banks may have been caused by forest harvest equipment, increased windthrow and exposure of rootwads, or increased discharge and bank scour. Fine sediment in the channels did not recover by summer 2007, even though canopy cover and unstable banks had returned to 1997 levels. After several storm events in fall 2007, 10 years after the initial sediment input, fine sediment was flushed from the channels and returned to 1997 levels. Although our study design did not discern the source of the initial sediment inputs (e.g., forest harvest, road crossings, other natural causes), we have shown that moraine, headwater streams can require an extended period (up to 10 years) and enabling event (e.g., high storm flows) to recover from large inputs of fine sediment.     

SOIL WATER CHARACTERISTICS OF TWO SOIL CATENAS IN ILLINOIS: IMPLICATIONS FOR IRRIGATION1

ABSTRACT: Soil water was monitored by neutron scattering in six soils, three each within two drainage catenas in east-central Illinois, over a 15-month time span. The prairie soils have formed in: (1) 76–152 cm of silt loam, eolian sediments (bess) over glacial till (Catlin-Flanagan-Drummer catena), and (2) bess greater than 152 cm in thickness (Tama-Ipava-Sable catena). We characterized the water content of these soils over the total time span and for wet and dry climatic subsets, as an aid to potential irrigation decisions. Soils of the thin bess, C-F-D catena dried out to lower water contents and had greater soil water variability than did the thick bess soils. Under wet conditions, soil water contents in the two catenas were quite similar. Alleviation of surface and subsurface drying via irrigation would thus be more advantageous to yields on the C-F-D soils than on the T-I-S soils.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUMMER-SEASON RAINFALL EVENTS AND LAKE-SURFACE AREA1

ABSTRACT: Research is presented that statistically analyzes the relationship between lake area and precipitation. These hydrologic variables are assessed in part using LANDSAT MSS satellite data and digital-image processing techniques. Results show dramatic regional hydrologic differences in lake area fluctuations and in lake area response to short term climatic variation.     

AN EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE POLICIES FOR CONTROLLING AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION1

An economic analysis of nonpoint source pollution management was conducted for the Nansemond River and Chuckatuck Creek watersheds in Southeast Virginia. The potential effects of alternative public policies on farm income, land use, and pollution loadings were investigated. Regulatory programs could have quite different impacts depending on which pollutant is targeted. Cost-share rates greater than 50 percent would have little additional effect on pollution from crop enterprises, but would reduce pollution from livestock     

FACTORS THAT AFFECT ACTIVATED SLUDGE PHOSPHATE RELEASE1

The activated sludge process can remove significant amounts of phosphorus from sewage, but the removal efficiency is usually significantly reduced by the release of phosphate back to solution during subsequent treatment steps. This research presents a study of soluble phosphate release from activated sludge with emphasis on defining the factors that affect such release and the actual release mechanisms. Laboratory units were used for experimental purposes. The experiments were designed to study the relationship between soluble phosphate release and various environmental factors such as redox potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, solids concentration, solids destruction, and sulfate salt addition. The effect of substrate utilization on phosphate uptake and the relationship between uptake characteristics and subsequent phosphate release were also studied. The results show that some phosphate storage occurs during aerobic substrate utilization. Following substrate utilization, activated sludge phosphate release is directly related to the amount of biological stress the organisms are subjected to, and the mechanism of release is primarily cell lysis. The phosphate released per unit sludge under anoxic conditions is relatively constant. Under normal environmental conditions, neither ORP or pH change have a significant affect on phosphate release.     

POLLUTIONAL ASPECTS OF PESTICIDES IN NATURAL STREAMS

The extensive use of synthetic organic pesticides in this country during the past twenty-five years has resulted in widespread pollution of our water resources. An obvious detrimental effect of such pollution has been observed in the numerous fish kills that have occurred. The most widely used pesticides, and the ones that have been implicated in the vast majority of the pollutional episodes, are the chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides. These compounds, generally speaking, have almost no solubility in water, are subject to very slow microbial degradation if any at all, and are so resistent to natural degradation forces they can persist almost indefinitely in aqueous environments; characteristics that are all detrimental from a stream pollution standpoint. In addition, studies have shown that, as a group, the chlorinated hydrocarbons are more toxic to higher forms of aquatic life than other chemicals widely used for pest control. Because of these undesirable characteristics, present trends are to discontinue using these highly toxic, persistent compounds for pest control in outdoor areas. Legislation banning the sale of DDT has been introduced. Similar legislation controlling the use of several of the chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides is probably the most effective way to reduce pollution.