Using GIS to Delineate Headwater Stream Origins in the Appalachian Coalfields of Kentucky

Headwater streams have a significant nexus or physical, chemical, and/or biological connection to downstream reaches. Generally, defined as 1st‐3rd order with ephemeral, intermittent, or perennial flow regimes, these streams account for a substantial portion of the total stream network particularly in mountainous terrain. Due to their often remote locations, small size, and large numbers, conducting field inventories of headwater streams is challenging. A means of estimating headwater stream location and extent according to flow regime type using publicly available spatial data is needed to simplify this complex process. Using field‐collected headwater point of origin data from three control watersheds, streams were characterized according to a set of spatial parameters related to topography, geology, and soils. These parameters were (1) compared to field‐collected point of origin data listed in three nearby Jurisdictional Determinations, (2) used to develop a geographic information system (GIS)‐based stream network for identifying ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams, and (3) applied to a larger watershed and compared to values obtained using the high‐resolution National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). The parameters drainage area and local valley slope were the most reliable predictors of flow regime type. Results showed the high‐resolution NHD identified no ephemeral streams and 9 and 65% fewer intermittent and perennial streams, respectively, than the GIS model.     

Uncertainty Models for Estimates of Physical Characteristics of River Segments Over Large Areas

Spatially comprehensive estimates of the physical characteristics of river segments over large areas are required in many large‐scale analyses of river systems and for the management of multiple basins. Remote sensing and modeling are often used to estimate river characteristics over large areas, but the uncertainties associated with these estimates and their dependence on the physical characteristics of the segments and their catchments are seldom quantified. Using test data with varying degrees of independence, we derived analytical models of the uncertainty associated with estimates of upstream catchment area (CA), segment slope, and mean annual discharge for all river segments of a digital representation of the hydrographic network of France. Although there were strong relationships between our test data and estimates at the scale of France, there were also large relative local uncertainties, which varied with the physical characteristics of the segments and their catchments. Discharge and CA were relatively uncertain where discharge was low and catchments were small. Discharge uncertainty also increased in catchments with large rainfall events and low minimum temperature. The uncertainty of segment slope was strongly related to segment length. Our uncertainty models were consistent across large regions of France, suggesting some degree of generality. Their analytical formulation should facilitate their use in large‐scale ecological studies and simulation models.     

Hydrologic Controls on Nitrogen and Phosphorous Dynamics in Relict Oxbow Wetlands Adjacent to an Urban Restored Stream

Although wetlands are known to be sinks for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), their function in urban watersheds remains unclear. We analyzed water and nitrate (NO₃^?) and phosphate (PO₄^3?) dynamics during precipitation events in two oxbow wetlands that were created during geomorphic stream restoration in Baltimore County, Maryland that varied in the nature and extent of connectivity to the adjacent stream. Oxbow 1 (Ox1) received 1.6‐4.2% and Oxbow 2 (Ox2) received 4.2‐7.4% of cumulative streamflow during storm events from subsurface seepage (Ox1) and surface flow (Ox2). The retention time of incoming stormwater ranged from 0.2 to 6.7 days in Ox1 and 1.8 to 4.3 days in Ox2. Retention rates in the wetlands ranged from 0.25 to 2.74 g N/m²/day in Ox1 and 0.29 to 1.94 g N/m²/day in Ox2. Percent retention of the NO₃^?‐N load that entered the wetlands during the storm events ranged from 64 to 87% and 23 to 26%, in Ox1 and Ox2, respectively. During all four storm events, Ox1 and Ox2 were a small net source of dissolved PO₄^3? to the adjacent stream (i.e., more P exited than entered the wetland), releasing P at a rate of 0.23‐20.83 mg P/m²/day and 3.43‐24.84 mg P/m²/day, respectively. N and P removal efficiency of the oxbows were regulated by hydrologic connectivity, hydraulic loading, and retention time. Incidental oxbow wetlands have potential to receive urban stream and storm flow and to be significant N sinks, but they may be sources of P in urban watersheds.     

Modeling Flow Through a One-Dimensional Multi-Layered Soil Profile Using the Method of Lines

The vertical flow of water through horizontal layers of soil is considered using the Method of Lines. Continuity of mass principles are used to develop the interface boundary conditions, by introducing fictitious points at the interface, and the boundary conditions are handled using explicit and iterative approximations. Both the pressure based, and the water content based forms of Richards' equation are solved using the Method of Lines. The solutions obtained are compared with some particular analytic solutions obtained from the literature, and the results show that good accuracy can be achieved. It is also shown that the water content model can handle a large discontinuity at the interface when compared against the analytical solution. This result is also confirmed against a numerical example from the literature, and was effective for relatively dry initial conditions.     

塔克拉玛干沙尘暴源区空气微生物群落的代谢特征

采用BIOLOG生态微平板(BIOLOG EcoPlateTM)技术,对采集自塔克拉玛干沙漠南北缘5个地区的空气样品进行研究,目的是了解空气微生物群落碳代谢功能的特点与差异.结果表明,5个地区空气样品的平均吸光度(AWCD)在培养10 d没有达到饱和且差异显著,AWCD值最高的为莎车县,和田县最低,分别为0.24和0.1;碳源利用水平表明这5个地区空气微生物对聚合物类碳源利用率最高,其次是碳水化合物、氨基酸类、羧酸类碳源,而酚类和胺类最低;主成分分析(PCA)发现有20种碳源与PC1显著相关,12种与PC2显著相关,并且这5个地区也被分为两类,和田和皮山聚为一类,乌恰、莎车和轮台聚为一类;典范对应分析(CCA)和相关分析表明一些非生物因素对空气微生物群落碳代谢强度和单一碳源的利用能力具有不同程度的影响,如风速、海拔、湿度等;进一步的研究也表明非生物因素对空气微生物群落利用的能力影响显著,其中β-甲基D-葡萄糖苷、D-半乳糖醛酸和腐胺的光密度值与纬度显著正相关(P<0.05),2-羟苯甲酸和α-D-乳糖与风速显著正相关(P<0.05),D-葡萄胺酸与气压显著正相关(P<0.05)且与海拔为显著负相关(P<0.05).综上可知,塔克拉玛干沙尘暴源区周边地区空气微生物群落碳代谢能力较低,呈现区域性特征,非生物因素显著影响空气微生物群落碳代谢强度及微生物群落对31种单一碳源的利用.     

装甲车辆沙漠戈壁地区环境适应性试验设计

针对我军当前装甲车辆鉴定定型试验中，沙漠戈壁地区适应性试验考核试验覆盖度较低、考核强度不足、试验标准老旧等问题，导致作战效能大幅下降，甚至无法满足作战使用要求。在参照当前传统的严寒、湿热、高原地区适应试验组织方法基础上，结合当前复杂环境试验及边界条件考核要求，分析了沙漠戈壁地区敏感环境因素，提出了2种新型试验方法，一是“基础+复杂”组合的沙漠戈壁地区适应性试验方法，二是基于作战使用任务剖面循环的试验方法，进一步提升试验考核强度及深度，为装甲车辆沙漠戈壁地区适应性试验开展提供了设计新思路。     

MEAN AREAL PRECIPITATION FOR DAILY HYDROLOGIC MODELING IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS1

ABSTRACT: A procedure using detrended kriging has been developed to calculate daily values of mean areal precipitation (MAP) for input to hydrologic models. The important features of this procedure that overcome weaknesses in existing MAP procedures are: (1) specific precipitation-elevation relationships are determined for each time period as opposed to using relationships based on climatological averages, (2) spatial variability is incorporated by estimating precipitation for each grid cell over a watershed, (3) the spatial correlation structure of precipitation is explicitly modeled, and (4) station weights for precipitation estimates are determined objectively and optimally. Detailed cross-validation testing of the procedure was done for the Reynolds Creek research watershed in southwestern Idaho. The procedure is suitable for use in operational streamflow forecasting.     

河西走廊中部荒漠植被的生态学研究

根据对河西走廊中部荒漠植被的调查，对荒漠植被进行了分类及生态学描述，重点讨论了荒漠植被对改善河西走廊中部农村生态环境的作用，提出了保护和利用荒漠植被的措施及改善生态环境的途径。     

EFFECTS OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON FOREST STREAMWATER QUALITY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY1

ABSTRACT: Forest land managers are concerned about the effects of logging on soil erosion, streamflow, and water quality and are promoting the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control impacts. To compare the effects of BMP implementation on streamwater quality, two of three small watersheds in Kentucky were harvested in 1983 and 1984, one with BMPs, the other without BMPs. There was no effect of clearcutting on stream temperatures. Streamflow increased by 17.8 cm (123 percent) on the BMP watershed during the first 17 months after cutting and by 20.6 cm (138 percent) on the Non-BMP watershed. Water yields remained significantly elevated compared to the uncut watershed 8 years after harvesting. Suspended sediment flux was 14 and 30 times higher on the BMP and Non-BMP Watersheds, respectively, than on the uncut watershed during treatment, and 4 and 6.5 times higher in the 17 months after treatment was complete. Clearcutting resulted in increased concentrations of nitrate, and other nutrients compared to the uncut watershed, and concentrations were highest on the non-BMP watershed. Recovery of biotic control over nutrient losses occurred within three years of clearcutting. The streamside buffer strip was effective in reducing the impact of clearcutting on water yield and sediment flux.     

RUNOFF RESPONSE FROM TWO RECLAIMED WATERSHEDS1

ABSTRACT: Detailed studies of the surface hydrology of reclaimed surface-mined watersheds for both rainfall and snowmelt events are non-existent for central Alberta yet this information is crucial for design of runoff conveyance and storage structures. A study was initiated in 1992 with principal objectives of quantifying surface runoff for both summer rainfall and spring snowmelt events and identifying the dominant flow processes occurring in two reclaimed watersheds. Snowmelt accounted for 86 and 100% of annual watershed runoff in 1993 and 1994, respectively. The highest instantaneous peak flow was recorded during a summer rainfall event with a return period of greater than 50 years. Infiltration-excess overland flow was identified as the dominant flow process occurring within the Sandy Subsoil Watershed, whereas saturation overland flow was the principal runoff process occurring within the West Watershed.