Adaptations to the dynamics of rural water supply from natural sources: A village example in semi-arid Nigeria

Domestic and agro-economic activities in the semi-arid region of Nigeria rely exclusively on rainfall, streamflow and groundwater in deep and alluvial (fadama) aquifers. Such water supply systems are subject to considerable seasonal and inter-annual variability. However, a combination of the various sources may mitigate the effects of water scarcity. This study describes the dynamics of the water sources for a village in northeastern Nigeria as an example that demonstrates the linkages between rainfall, streamflow and groundwater. Such linkages are important for developing strategies to mitigate the effects of climatic variation. Long-term records of rainfall were not available at the site so that the short-term data was interpreted in the context of the long-term climatic experience of the region. The stratigraphic profile of the aquifer was developed from resistivity methods, to supplement information obtained from well level hydrographs. Field observations and analysis of the data reveal that the beginning of the rainy season is a precarious period because none of the water sources are reliable. Rainfall infiltration recharges the shallow aquifers while lateral water flux from the floodwater-saturated fadama also contributes to water level rises in the deep wells. A study of the water level changes in response to deepening of the wells suggests that the wells are fed by an assortment of water-bearing lenses, separated by layers of low transmissivity. One major finding of this study is that there exists a close association between the wells in this riparian community and the recharge processes within the fadama. Upstream diversion, abstraction or impoundment could therefore undermine the viability of aquifer exploitation by the communities in the riparian zone. Analysis of the interactions among the various sources of water leads to the identification of several potential adaptation strategies for confronting the problem of water scarcity.     

A new design of groundwater sampling device and its application

Compounds in the atmosphere contaminate samples of groundwater. An inexpensive and simple method for collecting groundwater samples is developed to prevent contamination when the background concentration of contaminants is high. This new design of groundwater sampling device involves a glass sampling bottle with a Teflon-lined valve at each end. A cleaned and dried sampling bottle was connected to a low flow-rate peristaltic pump with Teflon tubing and was filled with water. No headspace volume was remained in the sampling bottle. The sample bottle was then packed in a PVC bag to prevent the target component from infiltrating into the water sample through the valves. In this study, groundwater was sampled at six wells using both the conventional method and the improved method. The analysis of trichlorofluoromethane（ CFC-11 ） concentrations at these six wells indicates that all the groundwater samples obtained by the conventional sampling method were contaminated by CFC-11 from the atmosphere. The improved sampling method greatly eliminated the problems of contamination, preservation and quantitative analysis of natural water.     

Intra-specific variations of two Leymus chinensis divergence populations in Songnen Plain, northeast China

Population demography, seed production, biomassallocation, net photosynthesis and transpiration of two Leymus chinensis divergence populations and between two years in Songnenplain, northeast China were compared. Strong differences betweenthe dry 1997 and moist 1998 occurred in vegetative shoot and sexualshoot densities, sexual differentiation and tiller densities, aswell as in the lengths of inflorescence, seed numbers perinflorescence, seed weights and biomass allocation in eachpopulation respectively (P<0.01). While strong differences betweenthe two populations occurred in vegetative shoot densities, sexualshoot densities, sexual differentiation and seed weights in eachyear (P<0.01). The differences between the two populations intiller densities and in biomass allocation to sexual shoots were significant (P<0.05). But there were no significant differences between the two populations in the lengths of inflorescence, seed numbers per inflorescence and biomass allocation to rhizomes and vegetative shoots (P>0.05). Excepting the transpiration rate in the early June, the differences between the two populations in net photosynthesis and transpiration rate of vegetative shoots and sexual shoots were strongly significant in the early June and July respectively (P<0.01). Relative stable variations in population demography and physiological traits between the two populations indicated that they are divergently in the Songnen Plain.     

南昌地震台地下水位变化异常的分析判别

本篇文章主要通过对南昌台地下水位资料变化的处理分析，利用求地下水水位变化的加速度来判别和分析地震异常，并初步进行试验预报和探索研究。     

Game theory approach to optimal capital cost allocation in pollution control

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Evidence for biodegradation and volatilisation of dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons during in situ air sparging in large laboratory columns

Laboratory column experiments run for up to 13 days compared air sparging of groundwater contaminated by dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons in sterile and non-sterile aquifer sediments as well as uncontaminated sediments and groundwater. Loss of dissolved BTEX compounds in the contaminated columns was very rapid, occurring through volatilisation. The majority of the dissolved total organic carbon (TOC) persisted for much longer periods however. A direct comparison between losses from sterile and non-sterile columns suggested a negligible contribution of biodegradation to the removal of TOC. This was difficult to confirm through examination of O₂ utilisation because oxidation of a small amount of reduced sulphur in the aquifer materials was the dominant sink for O₂. Despite this, it was possible to conclude that less than 22% of the removal of TOC was through biodegradation during the first three days of air sparging.     

矿井水是宝贵的地下水资源

本文针对煤矿矿井水是废水的错误认识，深入浅出地讨论了矿井水的水质特征，鲜明地提出矿井水是宝贵的地下水资源的观点，以及矿井水资源化的法规保证。     

Development of Layered Sediment Structure and its Effects on Pore Water Transport and Hyporheic Exchange

Hyporheic exchange is known to provide an important control on nutrient and contaminant fluxes across the stream-subsurface interface. Similar processes also mediate interfacial transport in other permeable sediments. Recent research has focused on understanding the mechanics of these exchange processes and improving estimation of exchange rates in natural systems. While the structure of sediment beds obviously influences pore water flow rates and patterns, little is known about the interplay of typical sedimentary structures, hyporheic exchange, and other transport processes in fluvial/alluvial sediments. Here we discuss several processes that contribute to local-scale sediment heterogeneity and present results that illustrate the interaction of overlying flow conditions, the development of sediment structure, pore water transport, and stream-subsurface exchange. Layered structures are shown to develop at several scales within sediment beds. Surface sampling is used to analyze the development of an armor layer in a sand-and-gravel bed, while innovative synchrotron-based X-ray microtomography is used to observe patterns of grain sorting within sand bedforms. We show that layered bed structures involving coarsening of the bed surface increase interfacial solute flux but produce an effective anisotropy that favors horizontal pore water transport while limiting vertical penetration.     

水源热泵空调系统的水质处理技术

针对影响水源热泵系统运行效能的地下水水质和回灌过程中井堵塞的问题,提出相应的水质处理方法和水源热泵用地下水水质参考标准.     

Interconnectivity between the Superficial Aquifer and the Deep Confined Aquifers of the Gnangara Mound, Western Australia

Perth groundwater resources are obtained from three major aquifers that occur beneath the Perth metropolitan area: the Superficial aquifer, Leederville aquifer and Yarragadee aquifer. Each aquifer has a unique seasonal water level pattern controlled by soils, geomorphology and geology. Landuse is mainly responsible for variations in recharge; however, the hydraulic properties control aquifer response and water level pattern to a greater degree. Groundwater in the three aquifers is generally of very good quality except in localised areas. Salinity increases with depth and in direction of groundwater flow in the three aquifers. The best water quality is in the Superficial aquifer in the Wanneroo well field area. The geochemistry and stable isotope signatures from the three major aquifers revealed distinct water types that suggest very little hydraulic connection or mixing of waters between these aquifers at the present abstraction and recharge regimes. The results also show that the Leederville and Yarragadee aquifers were recharged during earlier cooler times while the Superficial aquifer is being recharged at present.