SOLIDS DISTRIBUTION IN LAKE CHAPALA,MEXICO1

ABSTRACT: Lake Chapala is the largest natural water body in Mexico and also one of the most important shallow lakes in Latin America. For the past several years it has suffered various environmental problems such as the upstream overuse of water, contamination, and sedimentation. For the past 10 years the lake has had less than 50 percent of its historical water level over the past century. No criteria are reported in the literature that establish a water storage volume that will guarantee water quality conditions necessary for the survival of the lake. After determining the behavior of total solids concentrations in relation to the variations in the lake's depth, we proposed a minimum water column height of 5.0 m, representing a storage volume of about 5,000 Mm³. This volume would result in the recommended water quality standards for total dissolved solids. Calculated distribution maps show that the total solids concentration in the lake has increased since the end of the 1970s. The solids are primarily concentrated in the eastern part of the lake, as a consequence of the high solids discharged from the Lerma River, its main tributary.     

CALIBRATION OF STORM LOADS IN THE SOUTH PRONG WATERSHED,FLORIDA, USING BASINS/HSPF1

ABSTRACT: The South Prong watershed is a major tributary system of the Sebastian River and adjacent Indian River Lagoon. Continued urbanization of the Sebastian River drainage basin and other watersheds of the Indian River Lagoon is expected to increase runoff and nonpoint source pollutant loads. The St. Johns River Water Management District developed watershed simulation models to estimate potential impacts on the ecological systems of receiving waters and to assist planners in devising strategies to prevent further degradation of water resources. In the South Prong system, a storm water sampling program was carried out to calibrate the water quality components of the watershed model for total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorous (TP), and total nitrogen (TN). During the period of May to November 1999, water quality and flow data were collected at three locations within the watershed. Two of the sampling stations were located at the downstream end of major watercourses. The third station was located at the watershed outlet. Five storm events were sampled and measured at each station. Sampling was conducted at appropriate intervals to represent the rising limb, peak, and recession limb of each storm event. The simulations were handled by HSPF (Hydrologic Simulation Program‐Fortran). Results include calibration of the hydrology and calibration of the individual storm loads. The hydrologic calibration was continuous over the period 1994 through 1999. Simulated storm runoff, storm loads, and event mean concentrations were compared with their corresponding observed values. The hydrologic calibration showed good results. The outcome of the individual storm calibrations was mixed. Overall, however, the simulated storm loads agreed reasonably well with measured loads for a majority of the storms.     

Determination of arsenic levels in the water resources of Aksaray Province, Turkey

Arsenic levels were determined in 62 stations utilized as drinking and potable water resources by local community for Turkey's Aksaray Province (4589 km(2); 980 m above sea level). The samplings were implemented every two months for 1 year. The arsenic values were found to be ranging between 10 and 50 μg/L in 22 points and were found to be >50 μg/L in 5 stations, according to the mean value of the 6 samples. WHO and the Turkish Standards have permitted an arsenic concentration of 10 μg/L in drinking waters. The multivariate statistical technique, cluster analysis (CA), followed by principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to the data on 17 water quality parameters in 47 stations that are used for drinking and other domestic resources. Two significant sampling locations were detected based on the similarity of their water quality. The chemical correlations were observed in the two sub-sampling locations by Principal Component Analysis.     

A HYDRODYNAMIC MODELING STUDY TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM WATER INTAKE LOCATION IN LAKE PALDANG,KOREA1

A three‐dimensional hydrodynamic model was applied to Lake Paldang, South Korea. The lake has three inflows, of which Kyoungan Stream has the smallest flow rate and poorest water quality. Since all drinking water intake stations are located near the confluence of Kyoungan Stream within the lake, this contaminated tributary may have a significant impact on the quality of drinking water sources. The optimum drinking water intake location was determined from the applied model. The model was calibrated and verified using the data measured under different hydrological conditions. The model results were in reasonable agreement with the field measurements in both calibration and verification. The circulation and spreading patterns of the incoming flows in the lake, as well as their composition ratios to the drinking water intakes were determined from the model, and three alternative intake locations were proposed. The simulation results suggested that the horizontal and vertical relocations of the intake aqueduct could significantly decrease the composition ratio of the contaminated water. From this study, it was concluded that the three‐dimensional hydrodynamic model could successfully simulate the temporal and spatial mixing patterns of incoming flows and become a useful tool in determining the optimum water intake location in Lake Paldang.     

Identification of anthropogenic effects and seasonality on water quality in Daya Bay, South China Sea

Thirteen water quality parameters from 12 monitoring stations were collected to study the effects caused by climate and anthropogenic activities on water quality in 2003 in Daya Bay, South China Sea. The data matrix has been built according to the results, which were analyzed by fuzzy c-mean cluster (FCM) and cluster analysis (CA). This analysis has identified anthropogenic effects and seasonal characters of water quality. The dry and wet seasonality have been demonstrated with FCM and CA. The precipitation and the Southeast Asian monsoons, northeasterly from October to the next April and southwesterly from May to September have also an important influence on water quality in Daya Bay. In the spatial pattern, two groups have been classified with FCM and CA. Cluster I consisted of the sites S3, S8, S10 and S11 in the west and north coastal parts of Daya Bay. Cluster I is mainly related to anthropogenic activities such as fish-farming. Cluster II consisted of the rest of the stations in the center, east and south parts of Daya Bay. Cluster II is mainly related to seawater input from South China Sea. Thus, fuzzy c-mean cluster and cluster analysis can be an important tool for the successful characterization of regional-scale water quality.     

FIELD MEASUREMENT OF FLOW VELOCITIES,SUSPENDED SOLIDS CONCENTRATIONS,AND TEMPERATURES IN LAKE OKEECHOBEE1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a field investigation of collecting hydrodynamic and sediment data in Lake Okeechobee with analyses examining mechanisms affecting sediment resuspension in the lake. Lake Okeechobee is a large subtropical lake located in south central Florida. Three‐dimensional flow velocities, suspended solids concentrations (SSC), and temperatures at four locations were measured from January 18 to March 5, 2000. Analyses of these data indicate that wind is the dominant factor in driving flow velocities and therefore transporting suspended solids. Wind direction also affects the SSC, especially in the north central and west littoral areas of the lake. The surface and bottom velocity components frequently flow in opposite directions, forming a stratification of the water column and preventing suspended solids from settling out. This retention of SSC in the water column may have a strong impact on the water quality of Lake Okeechobee. This study provides valuable storm event data and mechanism analyses, which will improve our understanding of the transport of suspended solids, thermal exchanges, and flow patterns within Lake Okeechobee.     

Mapping Three‐Dimensional Water‐Quality Data in the Chesapeake Bay Using Geostatistics1

Abstract:  Data interpretation and visualization software tools with geostatistical capabilities were adapted, customized, and tested to assist the Chesapeake Bay Program in improving its water‐quality modeling protocols. Tools were required to interpolate, map, and visualize three‐dimensional (3D) water‐quality data, with the capability to determine estimation errors. Components of the software, originally developed for ground‐water modeling, were customized for application in estuaries. Additional software components were developed for retrieval, and for pre‐ and post‐ processing of data. The Chesapeake Bay Program uses the 3D mapped data for input to the Bay water‐quality model that projects the future health of the Bay and its tidal tributary system. In determining water‐quality attainment criteria, 3D kriging estimation errors are needed as a statistical measure of uncertainty. Furthermore, given the high cost of installing and operating new monitoring stations, geostatistical techniques can assist the Chesapeake Bay Program in the identification of suitable data collection locations. Following the evaluation, selection, and development of the software components phase, 3D ordinary kriging techniques with directional semi‐variograms to account for anisotropy were successfully demonstrated for mapping 3D fixed station water‐quality data, such as dissolved oxygen and salinity. Additionally, an improved delineation tool was implemented to simulate the upper and lower pycnocline boundary surfaces allowing the segregation of the interpolated 3D data into three separate zones for a better characterization of the pycnocline layer.     

TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF WATER QUALITY IN THE ST. LUCIE ESTUARY,SOUTH FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: Four years of monthly freshwater discharge and constituent concentration data from three tributaries were related to a concurrent series of data for three segments of the St. Lucie Estuary in South Florida using multiple regression and time-series analysis techniques. Water quality parameters examined were dissolved inorganic and total nitrogen and phosphorus, chlorophyll a, total suspended solids, turbidity, and color. On monthly time scales, a multiple regression, which included freshwater discharge, freshwater constituent concentration, and dilution with ocean water (salinity) as independent variables, explained 50 percent or less of the variability in estuarine constituents. No single independent variable explained more variation than another. By contrast, on seasonal (wet, dry) time scales, freshwater discharge explained the bulk of variation in estuarine water quality (up to 93 percent). On monthly time scales, variability in concentrations of nutrients and other constituents may be largely controlled by processes internal to the system. At seasonal time scales, freshwater discharge appears to drive variability in most estuarine water quality parameters examined. Results indicate that management of tributary input on a seasonal basis, with the expectation of achieving seasonal concentration goals in the estuary, would have a higher probability of success than managing on a monthly basis.     

Optimal water quality monitoring network design for river systems

Typical tasks of a river monitoring network design include the selection of the water quality parameters, selection of sampling and measurement methods for these parameters, identification of the locations of sampling stations and determination of the sampling frequencies. These primary design considerations may require a variety of objectives, constraints and solutions. In this study we focus on the optimal river water quality monitoring network design aspect of the overall monitoring program and propose a novel methodology for the analysis of this problem. In the proposed analysis, the locations of sampling sites are determined such that the contaminant detection time is minimized for the river network while achieving maximum reliability for the monitoring system performance. Altamaha river system in the State of Georgia, USA is chosen as an example to demonstrate the proposed methodology. The results show that the proposed model can be effectively used for the optimal design of monitoring networks in river systems.     

Effects of Changing Environments of Mangrove Creeks on Fish Communities at Trat Bay, Thailand

Effects of changing environments of riverside mangroves, coastal land uses, and water quality on fish communities were studied in Bangphra and Thaprik creeks, Trat Bay, Thailand. Regression analysis revealed that fish species richness in the wet season had a negative relationship with water transparency, nitrate, and phosphate and a positive relationship with zooplankton. In the dry season, species richness had a negative relationship with nitrate and phosphate and a positive relationship with salinity, pH, and zooplankton. Abundances and species richness of fish declined over distance from downstream to upstream in both creeks. Riparian mangroves and water quality also declined with distance upstream in both creeks. Results from one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s HSD test revealed that the highest zooplankton volume with the lowest amounts of nitrate and phosphate were observed at the downstream station in both creeks in each season. Low zooplankton volume with high amounts of nitrate and phosphate were found at the midstream and upstream stations of the creeks. The midstream and upstream stations of Bangphra Creek had low to moderate abundance of mangroves along the riversides, whereas shrimp farms were mainly found along the riversides at the midstream and upstream stations of Thaprik Creek. Correlation analysis results of land-use types and the significant habitat factors were discussed. This study found that mangrove degradation, shrimp farming, and residential and agricultural areas altered water quality and the health of fish habitats, causing the decreases in fish abundance and species richness.     

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.     

WATER QUALITY AND SOURCE OF FRESHWATER DISCHARGE TO THE CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARY,FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: The Caloosahatchee River has two major sources of freshwater one from its watershed and the other via an artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee. The contribution of each source to the freshwater discharge reaching the downstream estuary varies and either may dominate. Routine monitoring data were analyzed to determine the effects of total river discharge and source of discharge (river basin, lake) on water quality in the downstream estuary. Parameters examined were: color, total suspended solids, light attenuation, chlorophyll a, and total and dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. In general, the concentrations of color, and total and dissolved inorganic nitrogen increased, and total suspended solids decreased, as total discharge increased. When the river basin was the major source, the concentrations of nutrients (excepting ammonia) and color in the estuary were relatively higher than when the lake was the major source. Light attenuation was greater when the river basin dominated freshwater discharge to the estuary. The analysis indicates that water quality in the downstream estuary changes as a function of both total discharge and source of discharge. Relative to discharge from the river basin, releases from Lake Okeechobee do not detectably increase concentrations of nutrients, color, or TSS in the estuary.     

Magnesium-rich minerals in sediment and suspended particulates of South Florida water bodies: implications for turbidity

Fine sediments in shallow water bodies such as Lake Okeechobee are prone to resuspension. Predominantly inorganic "mud" sediment that covers approximately 670 km2 of the lake has been recognized as a persistent source of turbidity. The objective of this study was to determine if mineral components of sediments in Lake Okeechobee and water conveyances of the northern Everglades also occur as suspended sediment and hence constitute a potential abiotic contributor to turbidity. Sediment samples were collected from nine stations within the lake and eight locations north of Water Conservation Area 2A in the Everglades. Water samples were also collected at selected locations. The silt and clay mineralogy of sediment and suspended particles was determined using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, scanning-electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray elemental microanalysis, and high-resolution transmission-electron microscopy. Clay fractions of the lake sediment contained the Mg silicate minerals sepiolite and palygorskite, along with smectite, dolomite, calcite, and kaolinite. Sediment silt fractions were dominated by carbonates and/or quartz, with smaller amounts of Ca phosphates and sepiolite. Mineralogy of the mud sediment was similar to that reported for geologic phosphate deposits. This suggests that the mud sediment might have accumulated by stream transport of minerals from these deposits. Suspended solids and mud-sediment mineralogy were similar, except that smectite was more abundant in suspended solids. Everglade samples also contained Mg-rich minerals. The small size, low density, and fibrous or platy nature of the prevalent mud sediment minerals make them an abiotic, hydrodynamically sensitive source of persistent turbidity in a shallow lake. Mitigation efforts focused exclusively on P-induced biogeochemical processes do not address the origin or effects of these minerals. Ecological management issues such as turbidity control, P retention, geologic P input, and suitability of dredging are related to mud-sediment properties and provenance.     

POLLUTANT LOADING CAPACITY FOR THE BLACK RWER,CHEHALIS RWER SYSTEM,WASHINGTON1

ABSTRACT: The Black River, a tributary of the Chehalis River in western Washington State, has a history of widespread low dissolved oxygen (DO), anoxia in some locations, and fish kills. As part of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, environmental data were collected during two summer dry seasons and simulations were conducted with the WASP5 model to assess the effect of biochemical oxygen demand ( BOD ), ammonia, and nutrient loads on DO in the Black River. DO levels were below the State water quality regulatory criterion of 8.0 mg/L in almost all locations during the study. The slow middle reach of the river showed stratified conditions, with anoxia in some of the deepest pools. Based on model simulations, DO was found to still fall below the 8.0 mg/L criterion in the entire mainstem under “natural” conditions, and eutrophication was identified as a potential problem in the middle reach. A TMDL was proposed for BOD and ammonia that would prevent significant degradation of DO in the Black River. To prevent eutrophic conditions in the Black River, a TMDL for total phosphorus was proposed that establishes a protective criterion of 0.05 mg/L for the middle river during the dry low-flow season.     

Seasonality of selected surface water constituents in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Seasonality is often the major exogenous effect that must be compensated for or removed to discern trends in water quality. Our objective was to provide a methodological example of trend analysis using water quality data with seasonality. Selected water quality constituents from 1979 to 2004 at three monitoring stations in southern Florida were evaluated for seasonality. The seasonal patterns of flow-weighted and log-transformed concentrations were identified by applying side-by-side boxplots and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p < 0.05). Seasonal and annual trends were determined by trend analysis (Seasonal Kendall or Tobit procedure) using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Estimate TREND (ESTREND) program. Major water quality indicators (specific conductivity, turbidity, color, and chloride), except for turbidity at Station C24S49, exhibited significant seasonal patterns. Almost all nutrient species (NO(2)-N, NH(4)-N, total Kjeldahl N, PO(4)-P, and total P) had an identical seasonal pattern of concentrations significantly greater in the wet than in the dry season. Some water quality constituents were observed to exhibit significant annual or seasonal trends. In some cases, the overall annual trend was insignificant while opposing trends were present in different seasons. By evaluating seasonal trends separately from all data, constituents can be assessed providing a more accurate interpretation of water quality trends.     

Water quality trends at inflows to Everglades National Park, 1977-2005

Restoration of the Florida Everglades is important for the health of the natural system, including both the "River of Grass" and its downstream estuaries. Water quality improvement is one indicator of successful restoration in this complex ecosystem. Using the period of record of 1977 through 2005, we evaluated data from seven inflow sites to the Everglades National Park (ENP) for temporal trends of various forms of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) and analyzed them using principal component analysis and factor analysis without flow adjustments. Locally estimated scatter plot smoothing (LOESS) trend lines identified two inflection points (three time periods) of changing trend in total P (TP) concentration at the seven sites. Results indicated that overall water quality in ENP inflow improved from 1977 to 2005, with significant downward trends in TP concentration. The overall trend ofTP is probably mediated by hydrology, which is evident by a negative relationship between flow and annual average TP concentration at the majority of stations within the available data, although additional changes in vegetation due to hydroperiod may have some effects. Total N (TN), total Kjeldahl N, and total organic N concentrations also generally decreased at inflow sites. Water quality standards for TP, TN, and NH4+ -N were exceeded at selected sites during the study period. Principle component analysis and factor analysis detected a grouping of sampling sites related to the water delivery system that could be used as indicators to better manage monitoring resources. Study results suggest that water quality data analyses could provide additional insight into the success of a restoration management plan and on how monitoring may be modified for more efficient use ofresources.     

LAKEMAP: A 2-D AND 3-D MAPPING SYSTEM FOR VISUALIZING WATER QUALITY DATA IN LAKES1

ABSTRACT: The visualization of water quality data in lakes was achieved by integrating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) STORET water quality database, lake shoreline polygons from EPA's Reach File (version 3), and the UNIMAP 2-D and 3-D interactive mapping and modeling software. Based on lake name (and state abbreviation), a lake shoreline polygon can be accessed from the Reach File. The coordinates of the polygon are portrayed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 1:100,000 scale Digital Line Graph (DLG) hydrography layer. This polygon is passed, in turn, to the STORET water quality file. Monitoring stations located within the polygon boundary are extracted along with the complete sampling survey. Specific parameters, such as total phosphorus, pH, ammonia, and optional time and depth restrictions can be selected to build a file of x, y, z₁, z₁…, zn data which is imported to UNIMAP. Up to four parameters, including depth, can be selected at a time. Within UNIMAP, the data is gridded and then displayed as a 2-D color contour map, 3-D perspective contour map, or 2-D projected time or depth slices. This system operates on the EPA ES9000 mainframe computer located in Research Triangle Park (RIP), North Carolina. LAKEMAP is the culmination of an effort to bridge the gap between the vast array of environmental data collected by the EPA and the complex analytical and display software resident on the mainframe.     

Water quality assessment and meta model development in Melen watershed – Turkey

Istanbul, being one of the highly populated metropolitan areas of the world, has been facing water scarcity since the past decade. Water transfer from Melen Watershed was considered as the most feasible option to supply water to Istanbul due to its high water potential and relatively less degraded water quality. This study consists of two parts. In the first part, water quality data covering 26 parameters from 5 monitoring stations were analyzed and assessed due to the requirements of the “Quality Required of Surface Water Intended for the Abstraction of Drinking Water” regulation. In the second part, a one-dimensional stream water quality model with simple water quality kinetics was developed. It formed a basic design for more advanced water quality models for the watershed. The reason for assessing the water quality data and developing a model was to provide information for decision making on preliminary actions to prevent any further deterioration of existing water quality. According to the water quality assessment at the water abstraction point, Melen River has relatively poor water quality with regard to NH₄⁺, BOD₅, faecal streptococcus, manganese and phenol parameters, and is unsuitable for drinking water abstraction in terms of COD, PO₄^3?, total coliform, total suspended solids, mercury and total chromium parameters. The results derived from the model were found to be consistent with the water quality assessment. It also showed that relatively high inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations along the streams are related to diffuse nutrient loads that should be managed together with municipal and industrial wastewaters.     

MATERIALS INPUT OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN: A SYNOPTIC APPRAISAL1

ABSTRACT: The complex morphometry of Lake Champlain requires that detailed, regional studies be made, and the results integrated, to yield total lake conditions. Using specific conductance measurements, and values of total dissolved solids calculated from them, we present an approach to assessing the materials budget of the lake. The sampling program involved inventorying all 319 tributaries, determining the watershed area for each, and dividing the Champlain basin into appropriate hydrographic regions. Data were obtained from samples collected from 41 selected streams (representing 97.5% of the annual water input), sampling occurring in all seasons of the year since 1970. Results indicate that over one million metric tonnes of total dissolved solids enter Lake Champlain annually, about two-thirds (63%) from the eastern (Vermont) portion and almost one-fourth (22%) from the western (New York) part of the drainage basin, the remainder (15%) entering from the south end. Of the total quantity added annually, 17.4% is retained in the lake, indicating that a solids build-up is occurring, at a significant rate. We suggest that specific conductance, and therefore total dissolved solids, be utilized as a convenient indicator of water quality conditions, and results applied to permit more efficient watershed management.