Long‐Term Trends of Nutrients and Sediment from the Nontidal Chesapeake Watershed: An Assessment of Progress by River and Season

To assess historical loads of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and suspended sediment (SS) from the nontidal Chesapeake Bay watershed (NTCBW), we analyzed decadal seasonal trends of flow‐normalized loads at the fall‐line of nine major rivers that account for >90% of NTCBW flow. Evaluations of loads by season revealed N, P, and SS load magnitudes have been highest in January‐March and lowest in July‐September, but the temporal trends have followed similar decadal‐scale patterns in all seasons, with notable exceptions. Generally, total N (TN) load has dropped since the late 1980s, but particulate nutrients and SS have risen since the mid‐1990s. The majority of these rises were from Susquehanna River and relate to diminished net trapping at the Conowingo Reservoir. Substantial rises in SS were also observed, however, in other rivers. Moreover, the summed rise in particulate P load from other rivers is of similar magnitude as from Susquehanna. Dissolved nutrient loads have dropped in the upland (Piedmont and above) rivers, but risen in two small rivers in the Coastal Plain affected by lagged groundwater input. In addition, analysis of fractional contributions revealed consistent N trends across the upland watersheds. Finally, total N:total P ratios have declined in most rivers, suggesting the potential for changes in nutrient limitation. Overall, this integrated study of historical data highlights the value of maintaining long‐term monitoring at multiple watershed locations.     

Reducing Fertilizer‐Nitrogen Losses from Rowcrop Landscapes: Insights and Implications from a Spatially Explicit Watershed Model

We present conceptual and quantitative models that predict changes in fertilizer‐derived nitrogen delivery from rowcrop landscapes caused by agricultural conservation efforts implemented to reduce nutrient inputs and transport and increase nutrient retention in the landscape. To evaluate the relative importance of changes in the sources, transport, and sinks of fertilizer‐derived nitrogen across a region, we use the spatially explicit SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes watershed model to map the distribution, at the small watershed scale within the Upper Mississippi‐Ohio River Basin (UMORB), of: (1) fertilizer inputs; (2) nutrient attenuation during delivery of those inputs to the UMORB outlet; and (3) nitrogen export from the UMORB outlet. Comparing these spatial distributions suggests that the amount of fertilizer input and degree of nutrient attenuation are both important in determining the extent of nitrogen export. From a management perspective, this means that agricultural conservation efforts to reduce nitrogen export would benefit by: (1) expanding their focus to include activities that restore and enhance nutrient processing in these highly altered landscapes; and (2) targeting specific types of best management practices to watersheds where they will be most valuable. Doing so successfully may result in a shift in current approaches to conservation planning, outreach, and funding.     

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.     

Seeking,Thinking, Acting: Understanding Suburban Resident Perceptions and Behaviors Related to Stream Quality

Theories in risk, psychology, and communication suggest aiming to inform the public about basic ecological facts may not be enough to influence knowledge of risks or behaviors to mitigate water quality risks. The risk information‐seeking and processing model and the theory of planned behavior suggest several additional variables that are likely to influence risk‐mitigating behaviors. We used data from a survey of watershed residents in Ohio to explore a model of behavioral intentions to positively impact stream health. Residents' informational norms, or the perceived pressure to know about local stream health, strongly predicted their information‐seeking behaviors. Active‐seeking behaviors predicted positive attitudes toward behaviors impacting stream health, which predicted intentions to positively impact stream health. Implications for outreach include couching communication in terms of risk found important to the local community, here wildlife were seen as negatively influenced by water quality, as opposed to plain reports typically provided by utility companies. Increasing social pressure to feel informed by emphasizing the existing knowledge of stream ecology among residents could change the norm for the less informed. A low response rate limits the generalizability of findings here, but leveraging these findings in outreach efforts could prove more successful in engaging the public to improve stream health and support policies to improve stream health.     

基于小流域尺度的目标抗生素排放量估算方法——以梅江流域为例

抗生素的大量使用和排放造成的环境污染和生态风险问题日益突出,抗生素排放量的估算是评价流域内抗生素污染程度的重要指标,但目前抗生素排放量估算方法尚不完善。本研究以梅江流域为例,建立了适合小流域尺度的典型抗生素排放量估算方法,计算了四环素类抗生素(TCs)向不同环境相的排放量并分析了其主要来源。结果表明:2016年梅江流域TCs排放量为8 558.1 kg,不同行政区抗生素排放量差异较大,其中梅江镇受人口密度及养殖密度影响,抗生素排放量最大,高达1 224.4 kg;同时流域内不同抗生素的排放量也有所不同,其大小顺序为强力霉素(DXC)土霉素(OTC)四环素(TC)金霉素(CTC);TCs受排放源、排放途径等因素影响,以进入环境水相及土壤相为主,其中进入水相中的抗生素主要来自人类及生猪粪便,进入土壤相中的抗生素主要来自生猪及三黄鸡粪便。梅江小流域抗生素具有潜在的生态风险,应加强抗生素使用管理。该研究为我国小尺度流域目标抗生素排放量的估算提供了十分有效的方法。     

流域农业面源污染生态工程调控措施

农业面源污染是导致目前流域水环境质量恶化的重要原因。文章从流域水环境状况、农业面源污染现状出发,结合面源污染的特点和研究发展历程,重点探讨了流域农业面源污染生态工程调控的可行性。     

基于流域分析方法的湖泊水污染综合防治研究

鉴于流域思想在水污染防治中应用的重要性和必要性,提出了以流域保护方法、流域分析和景观生态学相关理论为基础的流域分析方法该方法将湖泊-流域水污染综合防治的主要内容界定为4部分:子流域划分与污染负荷预测,"源-途径-末端-汇"的污染防治工程和管理方案体系设计,备选技术方案的提出和方案优选,污染负荷的削减率计算和综合方案设计.以四川省邛海流域为例,在将流域划分为6个子流域的基础上,对TP入湖污染负荷进行了计算和预测,并识别出各子流域内污染物的贡献率,分区提出了以水土流失防治、点源和面源控制、河道生态修复、河流入湖口治理和内源疏浚为主体的污染防治方案,该方案可削减TP 22.5 t·a-1,达到了预期目标.     

基于GIS的北京市妫水河流域水土流失的初步分析

基于ArcGIS空间分析平台和ERDAS空间建模平台,利用水土流失综合指数法,分别以坡度、植被覆盖度和土地利用类型为主要背景因子,分析了北京市妫水河流域水土流失的空间背景特征.结果表明,妫水河流域水土流失的空间背景特征是缓坡、低植被覆盖度和疏林灌草地,而这些特征正是妫水河流域山前洪冲积扇地区的主要特点,缓坡、低植被覆盖度(不考虑城市建成区)和疏林灌草地也主要集中在流域内山前洪冲积扇地区.并提出防治妫水河流域水土流失的有效措施.      

基于多种方法的长江上游小流域水质综合评价

选取大河和巴关河流域2018—2022年水质监测数据,运用单因子评价法、Spearman秩相关系数法、综合污染指数法和主成分分析法,对流域水质状况、变化趋势及主要污染物特征进行综合评价分析。结果表明:2018—2022年,大河流域水质未达到地表水Ⅲ类标准;流域整体综合污染指数超过了1,为重污染,下游污染程度较重;营养指标和有机污染物指标存在显著正相关。巴关河流域水质达到了地表水Ⅲ类标准;流域整体综合污染指数未超过1,为中污染,上游污染程度较重;营养指标、有机污染物指标和重金属指标等均呈现出不同程度的相关性。巴关河流域水质总体优于大河流域。TP、NH₃-N、COD_Mn、COD_Cr和BOD₅是影响大河流域和巴关河流域水质的主要因子,均属于有机型及富营养化污染指标,主要来自生活源和农业源。建议选择适宜的评价方法开展系统性小流域污染溯源,分河段有针对性地开展小流域水环境治理。     

Using environmental stressor information to predict the ecological status of Maryland non-tidal streams as measured by biological indicators

In Maryland, U.S., an interim framework has recentlybeen developed for using biologically based thresholds, or `biocriteria', to assess the health of nontidal streams statewide at watershed scales. The evaluation of impairment is based on indices of biological integrity from the Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS). We applied logistic regression to quantify how the biotic integrity of streams at a local scale is affected by cumulative effects resulting from catchment land uses, point sources, and nearby transmission line rights-of-way. Indicators for land use were developed from the remote sensing National Land Cover Data and applied at different scales. We determined that the risk of local impairment in nontidal streams rapidly increases with increased urban land use in the catchment area. The average likelihood of failing biocriteria doubled with every 10% points increment in urban land, thus an increase in urban land use from 0 to 20% quadruples the risk of impairment. For the basins evaluated in this study, catchments with more than 40–50% urban land use had greater than 80% probability of failing biocriteria, on average. Inclusion of rights-of-way and point sources in the model did not significantly improve the fit for this data set, most likely because of their low numbers. The overall results indicate that our predictive modeling approach can help pinpoint stream ecosystems experiencing or vulnerable to degradation.