Flood Effects on an Alaskan Stream Restoration Project: The Value of Long‐Term Monitoring1

Densmore, Roseann V. and Kenneth F. Karle, 2009. Flood Effects on an Alaskan Stream Restoration Project: The Value of Long‐Term Monitoring. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 45(6):1424‐1433. Abstract: On a nationwide basis, few stream restoration projects have long‐term programs in place to monitor the effects of floods on channel and floodplain configuration and floodplain vegetation, but long‐term and event‐based monitoring is required to measure the effects of these stochastic events and to use the knowledge for adaptive management and the design of future projects. This paper describes a long‐term monitoring effort (15 years) on a stream restoration project in Glen Creek in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The stream channel and floodplain of Glen Creek had been severely degraded over a period of 80 years by placer mining for gold, which left many reaches with unstable and incised streambeds without functioning vegetated floodplains. The objectives of the original project, initiated in 1991, were to develop and test methods for the hydraulic design of channel and floodplain morphology and for floodplain stabilization and riparian habitat recovery, and to conduct research and monitoring to provide information for future projects in similar degraded watersheds. Monitoring methods included surveyed stream cross‐sections, vegetation plots, and aerial, ground, and satellite photos. In this paper we address the immediate and outlying effects of a 25‐year flood on the stream and floodplain geometry and riparian vegetation. The long‐term monitoring revealed that significant channel widening occurred following the flood, likely caused by excessive upstream sediment loading and the fairly slow development of floodplain vegetation in this climate. Our results illustrated design flaws, particularly in regard to identification and analysis of sediment sources and the dominant processes of channel adjustment.     

Model Calculations of Total Maximum Daily Loads of Mercury for Drainage Lakes1

Abstract: The Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework watershed model was enhanced to simulate the transport and fate of mercury and to calculate the fish mercury concentrations (FMC) attained by fish through the food web. The model was applied to Western Lake Superior Basin of Minnesota, which has many peat lands and lakes. Topographic, land use, and soil data were used to set up the model. Meteorology and precipitation chemistry data from nearby monitoring stations were compiled to drive the model. Simulated flow and mercury concentrations for several stream stations were comparable to available data. The model was used to perform mercury total maximum daily load calculations for two contrasting drainage lakes (Wild Rice Lake and Whiteface Reservoir). The model results for wet deposition, dry deposition, evasion, watershed yield, and soil sequestration of mercury were comparable with available actual data. The model predicted lake ice cover from November to April and weak stratification in summer, typical of shallow lakes in cold regions. The simulated sulfate decrease and methylmercury increase near the lake bottom in late summer are caused by sulfate reduction and mercury methylation that occur in the surficial sediment. Simulated FMC were within the range of observed values and the R² of correlation between the simulated and observed FMC was 0.77. Under the 1989‐2004 base condition, the average simulated FMC of four‐year‐old walleye was 0.31 μg/g for Whiteface Reservoir and 0.15 μg/g for Wild Rice Lake. The FMC criterion in Minnesota is 0.2 μg/g. Wild Rice Lake already meets this criterion without any load reduction. The model showed that a 65% reduction in atmospheric mercury deposition will not, by itself, allow Whiteface Reservoir to meet the criterion in 15 years. Additional best management practices will be needed to reduce 50% of the watershed input.     

Modeling Effects of Natural Flow Restoration on Metals Fate and Transport in a Mountain Stream Impacted by Mine Waste1

Abstract: The effects of natural flow restoration on metals fate and transport in the Upper Tenmile Creek Watershed, Montana, were modeled using the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This 50‐km² watershed has over 150 historic abandoned mines, including mine waste rock and tailings, as well as adits discharging acid mine drainage, and is the primary drinking water supply for the City of Helena. Water supply diversions almost completely dewater some stream reaches during summer low flows, but the city is considering a new drinking water source and restoration of natural flows in Tenmile Creek as part of acid mine drainage remediation and broader aquatic habitat restoration. One dimensional steady‐state simulation of total recoverable cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in the mainstem was performed, and the model was calibrated to June 2000 base‐flow data. Representative low‐flows in August and high‐flow snowmelt conditions in June were modeled using mean monthly natural flow estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey and representative USEPA metals concentrations data. The modeling showed that total recoverable metals concentrations, and especially loads, can vary significantly among input locations and over time in the watershed. Some data gaps limit evaluation of variability and increase uncertainty in several locations. Model results indicated, however, that natural low‐ and high‐flow restoration by itself can reduce some metals concentrations in the mainstem compared to June 2000 values, which were influenced by significant water diversion. Some values (such as Zn) may still exceed standards during natural August low flow due to the remaining high concentrations and loads in the primary inputs to the mainstem. Others (such as Cu) can increase during high flow due to remaining mine waste sources and loading of particulate Cu associated with erosion and transport of solids. Greater than 50% reduction in concentrations and loads from some of the main tributaries may be necessary to meet all standards, especially for potential particulate loads with higher flows in June.     

Geochemical and solute transport modelling for CO2 storage, what to expect from it?

Geochemistry plays an important role when assessing the impact of CO₂ storage. Due to the potential corrosive character of CO₂, it might affect the chemical and physical properties of the wells, the reservoir and its surroundings and increase the environmental and financial risk of CO₂ storage projects in deep geological structures. An overview of geochemical and solute transport modelling for CO₂ storage purposes is given, its data requirements and gaps are highlighted, and its progress over the last 10 years is discussed. Four different application domains are identified: long-term integrity modelling, injectivity modelling, well integrity modelling and experimental modelling and their current state of the art is discussed. One of the major gaps remaining is the lack of basic thermodynamical and kinetic data at relevant temperature and pressure conditions for each of these four application domains. Real challenges are the coupled solute transport and geomechanical modelling, the modelling of impurities in the CO₂ stream and pore-scale modelling applications.     

Pipeline design for a least-cost router application for CO2 transport in the CO2 sequestration cycle

CO₂ capture and geological storage (CCS) is considered as a viable option to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions during the transition phase towards the use of clean and renewable energy. This paper concentrates on the transport of CO₂ between source (CO₂ capture at plants) and sink (geological storage reservoirs). In the cost estimation of CO₂ transport, the pipeline diameter plays an important role. In this respect, the paper reviews equations that were used in several reports on CO₂ pipeline transport. As some parameters are not taken into account in these equations, alternative formulas are proposed which calculate the proper inner diameter size based on flow rate, pressure drop per unit length, CO₂ density, CO₂ viscosity, pipeline material roughness and topographic height differences (the Darcy–Weisbach solution) and, in addition, on the amount and type of bends (the Manning solution). Comparison between calculated diameters using the reviewed and the proposed equations demonstrate the important influence of elevation difference (which is not considered in the reviewed equations) and pipeline material roughness-related factor on the calculated diameter. Concerning the latter, it is suggested that a Darcy–Weisbach roughness height of 0.045 mm better corresponds to a Manning factor of 0.009 than higher Manning values previously proposed in literature. Comparison with the actual diameter of the Weyburn pipeline confirms the accuracy of the proposed equations. Comparison with other existing CO₂ pipelines (without pressure information) indicate that the pipelines are designed for lower pressure gradients than 25 Pa/m or for (future) higher flow rates. The proposed Manning equation is implemented in an economic least-cost route planner in order to obtain the best economic solution for pipeline trajectory and corresponding diameter.     

Two modelling approaches to water-quality simulation in a flooded iron-ore mine (Saizerais, Lorraine, France): a semi-distributed chemical reactor model and a physically based distributed reactive transport pipe network model

The flooding of abandoned mines in the Lorraine Iron Basin (LIB) over the past 25 years has degraded the quality of the groundwater tapped for drinking water. High concentrations of dissolved sulphate have made the water unsuitable for human consumption. This problematic issue has led to the development of numerical tools to support water-resource management in mining contexts. Here we examine two modelling approaches using different numerical tools that we tested on the Saizerais flooded iron-ore mine (Lorraine, France). A first approach considers the Saizerais Mine as a network of two chemical reactors (NCR). The second approach is based on a physically distributed pipe network model (PNM) built with EPANET 2 software. This approach considers the mine as a network of pipes defined by their geometric and chemical parameters. Each reactor in the NCR model includes a detailed chemical model built to simulate quality evolution in the flooded mine water. However, in order to obtain a robust PNM, we simplified the detailed chemical model into a specific sulphate dissolution-precipitation model that is included as sulphate source/sink in both a NCR model and a pipe network model. Both the NCR model and the PNM, based on different numerical techniques, give good post-calibration agreement between the simulated and measured sulphate concentrations in the drinking-water well and overflow drift. The NCR model incorporating the detailed chemical model is useful when a detailed chemical behaviour at the overflow is needed. The PNM incorporating the simplified sulphate dissolution-precipitation model provides better information of the physics controlling the effect of flow and low flow zones, and the time of solid sulphate removal whereas the NCR model will underestimate clean-up time due to the complete mixing assumption. In conclusion, the detailed NCR model will give a first assessment of chemical processes at overflow, and in a second time, the PNM model will provide more detailed information on flow and chemical behaviour (dissolved sulphate concentrations, remaining mass of solid sulphate) in the network. Nevertheless, both modelling methods require hydrological and chemical parameters (recharge flow rate, outflows, volume of mine voids, mass of solids, kinetic constants of the dissolution-precipitation reactions), which are commonly not available for a mine and therefore call for calibration data.     

Influence of variable chemical conditions on EDTA-enhanced transport of metal ions in mildly acidic groundwater

Adsorption of Ni and Pb on aquifer sediments from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA increased with increasing pH and metal-ion concentration. Adsorption could be described quantitatively using a semi-mechanistic surface complexation model (SCM), in which adsorption is described using chemical reactions between metal ions and adsorption sites. Equilibrium reactive transport simulations incorporating the SCMs, formation of metal-ion-EDTA complexes, and either Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide solubility or Zn desorption from sediments identified important factors responsible for trends observed during transport experiments conducted with EDTA complexes of Ni, Zn, and Pb in the Cape Cod aquifer. Dissociation of Pb-EDTA by Fe(III) is more favorable than Ni-EDTA because of differences in Ni- and Pb-adsorption to the sediments. Dissociation of Ni-EDTA becomes more favorable with decreasing Ni-EDTA concentration and decreasing pH. In contrast to Ni, Pb-EDTA can be dissociated by Zn desorbed from the aquifer sediments. Variability in adsorbed Zn concentrations has a large impact on Pb-EDTA dissociation.     

兰州地区16种多环芳烃的长距离迁移潜力和总持久性模拟研究

使用TaPL3模型对兰州地区16种PAHs通过大气和水体的长距离迁移潜力(LRTP)和总持久性(Pov)进行了模拟研究,比较了不同环数多环芳烃(PAHs)的特征迁移距离(CTD)和Pov的大小,对两者的关系进行了分析讨论,并以BaP为例对关键参数进行了灵敏度分析.研究结果表明,16种PAHs在兰州地区通过大气的特征迁移距离(CTDAir)在18.9km(BghiP)和734.9km(PYR)之间,总持久性(PovAir)在0.41d(ACE)和1304.76d(BaP)之间;通过水体的特征迁移距离(CTDWater)在511.1km(NAP)和34472.6km(BghiP)之间,PovWater在5.35d(NAP)和4156.59d(BghiP)之间.16种PAHs中,芘在空气中的LRTP最大,苯并[ghi]芘在水中的LRTP最大.中、高环数PAHs的PovAir和PovWater要比低环数PAHs高.此外,CTD和Pov没有表现出直接的关系.与国外的同类研究相比,BaP在兰州地区的CTDAir明显偏低.     

填埋场释放气体运移分析的新解法

针对填埋场释放气体运移问题的求解方法进行了研究,提出了空间上运用无网格伽辽金法离散而时间上采用增维精细积分法离散的新解法,导出了相关的数值计算公式。结果表明,本解法的数值解与理论解吻合较好。本方法的计算过程稳定性和精度受时间步长大小影响比有限差分法小得多。前后数据处理相当方便。     

北京夏季近地面臭氧及其来源的数值模拟研究

高浓度的近地面臭氧一直是北京夏季面临的主要污染问题,本文利用自主发展的空气质量数值模式WRF-NAQPMS(Weather Research and Forecasting Model-Nested Air Quality Prediction Modelling System)以及生物源排放模式MEGAN(Model of Emission of Gases and Aerosols from Nature),数值模拟了2017年6月华北区域臭氧的时空分布,评估了生物源排放可挥发有机物对臭氧的影响,并对北京臭氧的关键源区和形成时间进行量化解析.结果发现:NAQPMS (Nested Air Quality Prediction Modelling System)模式合理再现了北京及其周边臭氧的时空演变规律,特别是生物源的加入有效改善臭氧浓度的模拟效果.生物源对北京6月臭氧浓度月均值的贡献为4%～6%,对最大1小时浓度的贡献最高可达8%以上.源解析结果发现,本地当天排放的臭氧前体物对北京城区浓度影响最大,对最大1小时浓度和8小时移动平均浓度的贡献达到50.2%和45.4%,远高于1～2天前排放污染物的影响.河北对北京的影响主要集中在当天和1天前排放的污染物,对最大1小时浓度的贡献分别为7.9%和6.5%.河南和山东对北京城区最大1小时浓度的贡献较小,分别为2.4%和3.7%,且主要为1～2天前排放的污染物在区域输送过程中的化学反应所贡献.对于北京区域平均来讲,本地的贡献率较城区明显偏小,河北的贡献显著增加,这也说明北京市臭氧来源的空间不均匀性较大.北京地区生成的臭氧沿怀柔区向北输送,到达承德市西侧,对月均值的贡献达到20～30μg·m~(-3).