SUSPENDED SEDIMENT AND TURBIDITY FOLLOWING ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND LOGGING IN WESTERN MONTANA1

ABSTRACT: Forest management activities in a second order drainage basin increased suspended sediment yields 7.7 fold in the first year following road construction, and two-fold following logging in the second year. Sediment supply limitations resulted in poor correlations between sediment concentrations with discharge. Sediment transport was strongly hysteretic, with the highest sediment concentrations occurring on the rising limbs of snowmelt hydrographs and individual peaks. In addition to discharge, hydrograph characteristics such as limb, dQ/dt, and the product of dQ/dt and limb aided in explaining variability of observed sediment concentrations. Sediment-turbidity relationships were strongly discharge dependent, reflecting the changing composition of the suspended load with stream power and sediment supplies.     

THE POTENTIAL FOR REMOTE SENSING OF LOESS SOILS SUSPENDED IN SURFACE WATERS1

ABSTRACT: The potential for detecting the concentration and type of soils suspended in surface water through remote sensing techniques was investigated by studying the spectral reflectance of two types of soils in suspension. In a large tank filled with 7510 liters of water, 20 levels of suspended sediment (soil) concentration (SSC), ranging from 50 to 1000 mg/l were prepared. A high resolution spectroradiometer was used to measure the reflectance at each SSC level. The reflectance spectra of two contrasting soils were distinct in the visible and near infrared (NIR) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The wavelength range between 580–690 nm (visible) was found to be optimal for indicating the type of soil, whereas, the wavelength range between 714–880 (NIR) was found to be appropriate for estimating the concentration of sediment suspended in surface waters.     

FOREST PRACTICES AS NONPOINT SOURCES OF POLLUTION IN NORTH AMERICA1

ABSTRACT: Forest management activities may substantially alter the quality of water draining forests, and are regulated as nonpoint sources of pollution. Important impacts have been documented, in some cases, for undesirable changes in stream temperature and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nitrate-N, and suspended sediments. We present a comprehensive summary of North American studies that have examined the impacts of forest practices on each of these parameters of water quality. In most cases, retention of forested buffer strips along streams prevents unacceptable increases in stream temperatures. Current practices do not typically involve addition of large quantities of fine organic material to streams, and depletion of streamwater oxygen is not a problem; however, sedimentation of gravel streambeds may reduce oxygen diffusion into spawning beds in some cases. Concentrations of nitrate-N typically increase substantially after forest harvesting and fertilization, but only a few cases have resulted in concentrations approaching the drinking-water standard of 10 mg of nitrate-NIL. Road construction and harvesting increase suspended sediment concentrations in streamwater, with highly variable results among regions in North America. The use of best management practices usually prevents unacceptable increases in sediment concentrations, but exceptionally large responses (especially in relation to intense storms) are not unusual.     

Estimation of Suspended‐Sediment Concentration From Total Suspended Solids and Turbidity Data for Kentucky, 1978‐19951

Williamson, Tanja N. and Charles G. Crawford, 2011. Estimation of Suspended‐Sediment Concentration From Total Suspended Solids and Turbidity Data for Kentucky, 1978‐1995. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(4):739‐749. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00538.x Abstract: Suspended sediment is a constituent of water quality that is monitored because of concerns about accelerated erosion, nonpoint contamination of water resources, and degradation of aquatic environments. In order to quantify the relationship among different sediment parameters for Kentucky streams, long‐term records were obtained from the National Water Information System of the U.S. Geological Survey. Suspended‐sediment concentration (SSC), the parameter traditionally measured and reported by the U.S. Geological Survey, was statistically compared to turbidity and total suspended solids (TSS), two parameters that are considered surrogate data. A linear regression of log‐transformed observations was used to estimate SSC from TSS; 72% of TSS observations were less than coincident SSC observations; however, the estimated SSC values were almost as likely to be overestimated as underestimated. The SSC‐turbidity relationship also used log‐transformed observations, but required a nonlinear, breakpoint regression that separated turbidity observations ≤6 nephelometric turbidity units. The slope for these low turbidity values was not significantly different than zero, indicating that low turbidity observations provide no real information about SSC; in the case of the Kentucky sediment record, this accounts for 30% of the turbidity observations.     

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF LANDUSE ON WATER QUALITY IN A SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WATERSHED1

ABSTRACT: Water quality variables were sampled over 109 weeks along Coweeta Creek, a fifth-order stream located in the Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina. The purpose of this study was to observe any changes in water quality, over a range of flow conditions, with concomitant downstream changes in the mix of landuses. Variables sampled include pH, HCO₃^2?, conductivity, NO₃^?_?-N, NH₄⁺-N, PO₄^3?-P, C1^?-, Na, K, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, SO₄^2?, 5iO₂, turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, total and fecal coliform, and focal streptococcus. Landcover/landuse was interpreted from 1:20,000 aerial photographs and entered in a GIS, along with information on total and paved road length, building location and density, catchment boundaries, hydrography, and slope. Linear regressions were performed to relate basin and near-stream landscape variables to water quality. Consistent, cumulative, downstream changes in water quality variables were observed along Coweeta Creek, concomitant with downstream, human-caused changes in landuse. Furthermore, larger downstream changes in water quality variables were observed during stormflow when compared to baseflow, suggesting cumulative impacts due to landscape alteration under study conditions were much greater during storm events. Although most water quality regulations, legislation, and sampling are promulgated for baseflow conditions, this work indicates they should also consider the cumulative impacts of physical, chemical, and biological water quality during stormflow.     

ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN BED SEDIMENTS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER,CALIFORNIA1

ABSTRACT: Bed sediments of the San Joaquin River and its tributaries were sampled during October 7–11, 1985, and analyzed for organochiorine pesticide residues in order to determine their areal distribution and to evaluate and prioritize needs for further study. Residues of DDD, DDE, DDT, and dieldrin are widespread in the fine-grained bed sediments of the San Joaquin River and its tributaries despite little or no use of these pesticides for more than 15 years. The San Joaquin River has among the highest bed-sediment concentrations of DDD, DDE, DDT, and dieldrin residues of major rivers in the United States. Concentrations of all four pesticides were correlated with each other and with the amount of organic carbon and fine-grained particles in the bed sediments. The highest concentrations occurred in bed sediments of westside tributary streams. Potential tributary loads of DDD, DDE, DDT, and dieldrin to the San Joaquin River were computed from bed-sediment concentrations and data on streamfiow and suspended-sediment concentration in order to identify the general magnitude of differences between streams and to determine study priorities. The estimated loads indicate that the most important sources of residues during the study period were Salt Slough because of a high load of fine sediment, and Newman Wasteway, Orestimba Creek, and Hospital Creek because of high bed-sediment concentrations. Generally, the highest estimated loads of DDD, DDE, DDT, and dieldrin were in Orestimba and Hospital Creeks.     

Environmental management in resource-rich Alberta, Canada: first world jurisdiction, Third World analogue?

Economic growth is frequently touted as a cure for environmental ills, particularly for those in Third World countries. Here we examine that paradigm in a case study of Alberta, Canada, a wealthy, resource-rich province within a wealthy nation. Through provincial-scale datasets, we examine the increasing pressures of the forest, petroleum, and agricultural industries upon the ecosystems of Alberta within management, economic, and political contexts. We advance the thesis that economic activity leads to environmental degradation unless ecosystem-based management is integrated into economic decision making. Agricultural lands cover 31.7%, and forest management areas leased to industry cover 33.4% of Alberta; both continue to increase in extent. The rate of logging (focused on old-growth by government policy) continues a decades-long exponential rise. Current Alberta annual petroleum production is 52.5 million m3 crude oil and 117 billion m3 of gas. As of early 1999, there were approximately 199,025 oil and gas wells and a conservative total of approximately 1.5-1.8 million km of seismic lines in Alberta. Fire occurrence data indicate no downward trends in annual area burned by wildfire, which may be characterized as driven by climate and inherently variable. When logging and wildfire are combined, the annual allowable cut in Alberta is unsustainable, even when only timber supply is considered and the effects of expanding agriculture and oil and gas activities are ignored. Ecosystem degradation in Alberta is pervasive and contrasts prominently with a high standard of living. A wealth of ecological data exists that indicates current resource-based economic activities are non-sustainable and destructive of ecosystem health yet these data are not considered within the economic decision making process. Given the complex, compounded, and increasing ecosystem perturbations, a future of unpleasant ecological surprises is likely. We conclude with tentative predictions as to where current trends in Alberta may lead if decisions biased against ecosystems continue.     

DESIGN OF AN INDEX OF WATER QUALITY1

ABSTRACT: This paper describes the formulation of an Index of Water Quality to evaluate the level of pollution in fresh water. A Four-Round Delphi equation, using a panel of seven nationally recognized water scientists, was performed to ascertain the pollutants to be included in the index, the relationship between the quantity of these pollutants in the water and the resulting quality of the water, and the importance of each pollution variable to each water use as well as to overall pollution. A multiplicative index was used to bring the pollutants together into one system.     

COST-EFFECTIVE REGULATORY OPTIONS FOR WATER QUALITY LIMITED STREAMS1

With the pressure from industries and municipalities to reduce the waste water treatment costs associated with the permit limits needed to attain the goals of the Clean Water Act, attention has turned ways of introducing flexibility into the regulations without sacrificing the water quality goals. Wisconsin is the first state to have adopted a variety of options from which dischargers may choose when meeting their water quality requirements. These options were developed for the express purpose of minimizing the costs and maximizing the flexibility of the point source water quality regulations while ensuring that permitted discharge would not violate the water quality standards. This paper presents five options that the state has made available to dischargers, as well as one the state did not adopt. The conclusion is that a mix of options can substantially increase the flexibility and reduce the costs of meeting water quality standards on effluent limited streams.     

湿地生态系统累积影响评价研究

定量分析湿地生态系统的累积环境影响,确定所要评价的功能,然后定量分析影响该功能的各种累积方式,将湿地生态系统的累积方式分为四种方式进行描述,对各种干扰活动的相互关系予以定性并进行量化,探讨湿地生态系统累积影响评价的步骤,有助于湿地生态系统CEA方法体系的建立与完善.     

EVALUATION OF A DEPTH PROPORTIONAL INTAKE DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC PUMPING SAMPLERS1

ABSTRACT: A depth proportional intake boom for portable pumping samplers was used to collect suspended sediment samples in two coastal streams for three winters. The boom pivots on the stream bed while a float on the downstream end allows debris to depress the boom and pass without becoming trapped. This equipment modifies point sampling by maintaining the intake nozzle at the same proportion of water depth regardless of stage. Data taken by pumping samplers with intakes mounted on the boom were compared with depth integrated hand samples. Pumped samples showed higher concentrations than depth integrated hand samples. Results suggested that cross-sectional sampling can give high precision with proper placement and calibration of a boom mounted intake.     

WATER QUALITY FROM TWO SMALL FORESTED WATERSHEDS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS1

Two intermittent streams on oak-hickory watersheds in southern Illinois were gaged with a V-notched weir and sampled with an automatic water sampler. For three years data were collected on flow volume and water quality. Flow volumes show large variations between years and watersheds. Samples were analyzed for Na⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺, P, and NO^-₃. Water quality was consistently high, although there were significant differences between watersheds. A baseline for water quality has been established for comparison after one of the watersheds is clearcut at a later date.     

NITRATE TRANSFORMATIONS IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO STREAM SEDIMENTS1

The transformation of nitrate was investigated in diverse stream sediments from six areas of Southern Ontario, Canada. Laboratory Experiments conducted with intact 0-5 cm depth sediment cores overlain with aerated 5 mg/l nitrate-N solution reveald considerable nitrate depletion during a six-day period as a resuit of denitrification and nitrate reduction to ammonium. Nitrification and ammonification also occurred simultaneously with nitrate reduction in many stream sediments. Mixed 0-5 cm depth sediments collected from 81 stream sites were used to examine the relationship between microbial nitrate removal and sediment characteristics. Rates of nitrate-N loss from aerated 5 mg/l nitrate-N solutions overlying these sediments ranged between 11 and 171 mg/m²/day for a 24-hour incubation period. Rates of nitrate loss for the 24-hour period exhibited a significant positive correlation (r=0.72) with sediment ammonium content. Organic carbon, total nitrogen and sediment texture also had significant but weak correlations with nitrate loss.