Economic and Ecological Rules for Water Quality Trading1

Horan, Richard D. and James S. Shortle, 2011. Economic and Ecological Rules for Water Quality Trading. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):59‐69. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00463.x Abstract: Emissions trading in textbook form uses markets to achieve pollution targets cost‐efficiently. This result is accomplished in markets that regulators can implement without knowing pollution abatement costs. The theoretical promise of emissions trading, along with real‐world success stories from air emissions trading, has led to initiatives to use trading for water pollution control. Yet, trading, particularly when it involves nonpoint sources of pollution, requires significant departures from the textbook concept. This paper explores how features of water quality problems affect the design of markets for water pollution control relative to textbook emissions markets. Three fundamental design tasks that regulators must address for pollution trading to achieve an environmental goal at low cost are examined: (1) defining the point and nonpoint commodities to be traded, (2) defining rules governing commodity exchange, and (3) setting caps on the commodity supplies so as to achieve an environmental target. We show that the way in which these tasks are optimally addressed for water quality markets differs significantly from the textbook model and its real‐world analogs. We also show that the fundamental appeal of emissions trading is lost in the case of realistic water quality markets, as market designs that reduce the costs of achieving water quality goals may no longer be implementable without the regulatory authority having information on abatement costs.     

Hydrologic and Phosphorus Export Behavior of Small Streams in Commercial Poultry‐Pasture Watersheds1

Romeis, J. Joshua, C. Rhett Jackson, L. Mark Risse, Andrew N. Sharpley, and David E. Radcliffe, 2011. Hydrologic and Phosphorus Export Behavior of Small Streams in Commercial Poultry‐Pasture Watersheds. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐19. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00521.x Abstract: Few watershed‐scale studies have evaluated phosphorus export in streamflow from commercial poultry‐pasture operations. Continuous streamflow and mixed‐frequency water quality datasets were collected from nine commercial poultry‐pasture (AG) and three forested (FORS) headwater streams (2.4‐44 ha) in the upper Etowah River basin of Georgia to estimate total P (TP) loads and examine variability of hydrologic response and water quality of storm and nonstorm‐flow regimes. Data collection duration ranged from 18 to 22 months, and approximately 1,600 water quality samples were collected. Significant (p < 0.1) inverse relationships were detected between peak flow response variables and both drainage area and fraction of forest cover. Order‐of‐magnitude differences in TP and dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentration were observed between AG and FORS sites and among AG sites. TP yields of FORS sites ranged from 0.01 to 0.1 kg P/ha. Yields of AG sites ranged from 0.031 to 3.17 kg P/ha (median = 0.354 kg P/ha). With 95% confidence intervals, AG yields ranged from 0.025 to 13.1 kg P/ha. These small‐watershed‐scale yields were similar to field‐scale yields measured in other studies in other regions. TP yields were significantly related to area‐weighted Mehlich‐1 soil test P concentrations (p = 0.0073) and base‐flow water sample P concentrations (p ≤ 0.0005). Water quality sampling during base‐flow conditions may be a useful screening tool for P risk‐based management programs.     

Nutrient Loadings to Streams of the Continental United States from Municipal and Industrial Effluent1

Maupin, Molly A. and Tamara Ivahnenko, 2011. Nutrient Loadings to Streams of the Continental United States From Municipal and Industrial Effluent. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):950‐964. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00576.x Abstract: Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Permit Compliance System national database were used to calculate annual total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads to surface waters from municipal and industrial facilities in six major regions of the United States for 1992, 1997, and 2002. Concentration and effluent flow data were examined for approximately 118,250 facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Inconsistent and incomplete discharge locations, effluent flows, and effluent nutrient concentrations limited the use of these data for calculating nutrient loads. More concentrations were reported for major facilities, those discharging more than 1 million gallons per day, than for minor facilities, and more concentrations were reported for TP than for TN. Analytical methods to check and improve the quality of the Permit Compliance System data were used. Annual loads were calculated using “typical pollutant concentrations” to supplement missing concentrations based on the type and size of facilities. Annual nutrient loads for over 26,600 facilities were calculated for at least one of the three years. Sewage systems represented 74% of all TN loads and 58% of all TP loads. This work represents an initial set of data to develop a comprehensive and consistent national database of point‐source nutrient loads. These loads can be used to inform a wide range of water‐quality management, watershed modeling, and research efforts at multiple scales.     

Factors Affecting Stream Nutrient Loads: A Synthesis of Regional SPARROW Model Results for the Continental United States1

Preston, Stephen D., Richard B. Alexander, Gregory E. Schwarz, and Charles G. Crawford, 2011. Factors Affecting Stream Nutrient Loads: A Synthesis of Regional SPARROW Model Results for the Continental United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):891‐915. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00577.x Abstract: We compared the results of 12 recently calibrated regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models covering most of the continental United States to evaluate the consistency and regional differences in factors affecting stream nutrient loads. The models – 6 for total nitrogen and 6 for total phosphorus – all provide similar levels of prediction accuracy, but those for major river basins in the eastern half of the country were somewhat more accurate. The models simulate long‐term mean annual stream nutrient loads as a function of a wide range of known sources and climatic (precipitation, temperature), landscape (e.g., soils, geology), and aquatic factors affecting nutrient fate and transport. The results confirm the dominant effects of urban and agricultural sources on stream nutrient loads nationally and regionally, but reveal considerable spatial variability in the specific types of sources that control water quality. These include regional differences in the relative importance of different types of urban (municipal and industrial point vs. diffuse urban runoff) and agriculture (crop cultivation vs. animal waste) sources, as well as the effects of atmospheric deposition, mining, and background (e.g., soil phosphorus) sources on stream nutrients. Overall, we found that the SPARROW model results provide a consistent set of information for identifying the major sources and environmental factors affecting nutrient fate and transport in United States watersheds at regional and subregional scales.     

太湖部分沉积物中多环芳烃生态风险评估

对2009年12月采集的部分太湖表层沉积物中多环芳烃类化合物（PAHs）的现状进行调查和研究,结果表明,太湖流域表层沉积物中共检出属于美国优先控制16种PAHs中的9种,各采样点位PAHs浓度范围在264.9—1703.2 ng·g-1之间.分析显示,表层沉积物中以4环及4环以上PAHs为主,两者之和约占PAHs总量的...     

小流域面源污染减控措施优化管理

以长春市重要饮用水源地石头口门水库的莫家沟小流域为研究区,选择横垄耕作、修建梯田、退耕还林、化肥减施和人工湿地5种措施进行磷素削减处理,共计21个措施组合方案;以实施措施的费用最小为目标函数,以水库水质TP浓度和采用不同措施的土地面积为约束条件,建立小流域出口水质优化管理模型。模拟计算3个阶段的可行性最优方案分别为:2011—2020年,选取措施为施肥量不变,现状梯田面积不变,坡度≤5°的耕地采取横垄耕作,其他退耕还林;2021—2030年,在第一阶段实施方案的基础上,新建人工湿地0.03 km2;2031—2050年,全部农田原位退耕还林,保持人工湿地面积不变,最终实现入库水质ρ(TP)≤0.01 mg.L-1的目标。化肥减施和梯田建设面积是影响方案选择的主要因素。     

近50年三江源地表湿润指数变化特征及其影响因素

基于三江源区1959—2008年月平均气温、最高气温、最低气温、相对湿度、降水量、风速和日照百分率等气候要素资料,应用修订的Penman-Monteith（P-M）模型计算了最大潜在蒸散量和地表湿润指数,分析其空间分布、年际和年代际变化特征及其主要气象因子的影响。结果表明：1959—2008年间,研究区年降水量呈增加趋势,降水量变化曲线线性拟合倾向率为5.316~13.047 mm.（10a）-1,春夏季增幅较大;最大潜在蒸散量呈增加趋势,年最大潜在蒸散量变化曲线线性拟合倾向率在5.073~10.712 mm.（10a）-1,夏季增幅最大;地表湿润指数变化也呈增加趋势,年地表湿润指数变化曲线线性拟合倾向率0.011~0.026（10a）-1,冬季增幅最大,在15年周期附近,出现了3~5个干湿交替期,1984年之后为偏湿期,在中高频区,1998—2006年有偏干振荡;影响三江源区地表湿润指数的主要因子是降水量、相对湿度和平均最高气温。     

具有危险源性质的复杂系统安全行为演化研究

为解决具有危险源性质的复杂社会技术系统安全行为演化动力机制问题,针对系统生命周期长、影响因素多的特点,以日本福岛核泄漏事故为例,创建扩展型功能共振模型,用于描述系统内安全事故影响因素的作用过程。而后将系统相关主体分为实施方、业主方和第三方共3类,运用演化博弈方法深入研究发现,三方所承担的安全执行成本、安全处罚成本及事故成本之间的数量关系变化是系统安全行为演化发展的动力,3类成本失衡引发的监管机制失效是导致此次核泄漏事故的根源,并据此提出保持政府独立性和权威性、限制业主行为、建立项目责任主体终生追溯机制和采用立体处罚方式的建议。     

2010年渤海海冰灾害特征分析

2010年中国遭遇到近30年来最严重的海冰冰情,因灾直接经济损失高达63.18亿元,占全年海洋灾害总经济损失的47.6%——海冰成为中国2010年海洋灾害中的主要灾种之一。基于区域灾害系统论,运用气象数据、MODIS图像和社会经济统计等资料,对2010年渤海海冰灾害的特征进行了初步分析。结果显示,以莱州湾结冰范围扩大为代表的渤海海冰分布变化是致灾因子区域危险性增大的主要特征,环渤海地区海水养殖面积和产量的增加是承灾体暴露性增大的主要特征,而总体灾情严重则是二者的综合结果。     

2018年石家庄市秋冬季典型霾污染特征

依托河北省灰霾污染防治重点实验室,对2018年10月31日至12月3日期间石家庄市大气PM_(2.5)的质量浓度和化学组分进行连续在线观测,解析石家庄市秋末冬初典型灰霾过程的特征.观测期间,石家庄市共发生4次霾污染过程,PM_(2.5)均为首要污染物,日均浓度最大值分别为154、228、379和223μg·m~(-3),达到重度污染甚至严重污染.PM_(2.5)主要组分为无机水溶性离子(WSII)和含碳气溶胶,两者质量浓度的平均占比分别为(60. 7±15. 6)%和(21. 6±9. 7)%.相比优良天,两者浓度分别上升了4. 4倍和3. 1倍,是霾污染形成的主要原因.WSII中NO_3~-为首要成分,SO_4~(2-)和NH_4~+次之,三者(SNA)质量浓度之和占WSII质量浓度的(91. 5±17. 3)%,污染期间SNA的暴发式增长是推高PM_(2.5)浓度的主要原因.非高湿条件下,单位质量NO_3~-和SO_4~(2-)的变化速率差异不明显,高湿条件触发SO_2的液相氧化过程后,SO_4~(2-)二次转化被显著促进.大气处于富NH_3状态,PM_(2.5)中n(NH_4~+)与n(NO_3~-+2×SO_4~(2-))的比值 1,过量NH_3加剧NO_3~-和SO_4~(2-)的转化.霾污染时段,燃煤和机动车排放的一次污染物的积累为含碳气溶胶浓度上升的主要原因,相比优良天,二次有机碳的生成受到抑制.在采暖季开始之前的两次霾污染过程,移动源为PM_(2.5)首要污染源,平均占比30. 8%和39. 8%.随着燃煤采暖污染排放的增加,燃煤源贡献逐步增高至25. 2%,攀升为首要污染源.