Conversion of a Missouri River Dam and Reservoir to a Sustainable System: Sediment Management1

Abstract: A present and future challenge for water resources engineers is to extend the useful life of our dams and reservoirs. Ongoing reservoir sedimentation in impoundments must be addressed; sedimentation in many reservoirs already limits project benefits and effective project life. Sustainability requires that incoming sediment be moved downstream past the impounding dam. We use Lewis and Clark Lake, the most downstream of the six Missouri River main stem reservoirs, to demonstrate how a reservoir in advanced stages of its project life could be converted to a sustainable system with local benefits exceeding costs by a factor of 1.5. Full consideration of benefits would further enhance project justification. The proposed strategy involves four phases that will take about 50 years to complete. Cost estimates for this potential project range from the quantitative to the plausible, but it is clear that the results justify a full engineering, environmental, and economic study of this model project. If implemented, the project will create scientific knowledge and develop technologies useful for achieving sustainability at many other reservoirs in the Mississippi River basin and beyond.     

Adaptive Management of Stream Channel Maintenance at Bridge Crossings in the Northern Tier Region,Pennsylvania1

Abstract: An adaptive management framework is applied to the problem of identifying mitigation measures for sediment deposition near bridge crossings in small streams in the Northern Tier region of northern Pennsylvania. The presence of the rigid bridge infrastructure introduces a challenge for applying adaptive management practices, because the integrity of the bridge structure itself has to be maintained regardless of the mitigation practices used in the stream channel near the bridge. In an effort to overcome the unacceptable risk that field‐scale adaptive management experiments present to rigid bridge infrastructure, an adaptive management approach for laboratory‐scale experimentation of mitigation methods at bridge crossings in the Northern Tier region is presented as a way to decrease the level of uncertainty about channel response to mitigation measures and increase the rate of learning about the effectiveness of these measures. Four cycles of adaptive management experiments are discussed to demonstrate that this approach results in fast and efficient learning about channel response to mitigation methods for the given conditions. The value of monitoring and of assessment of monitored data in the overall efficiency of the adaptive management approach is highlighted. Assessment of what was learned in the adaptive management experiment cycles presented here leads to new directions to continually improve management policies and practices in stream channels at bridge crossings in the Northern Tier region. The adaptive management process, rather than continuing with a normally risk‐averse management approach, results in opportunities for learning new information about a system’s response.     

Extraction of labile metals from solid media by dilute hydrochloric acid

Extraction of labile metals from solid media is environmentally more meaningful than a total digestion. A variety of reagents have been introduced in the literature, but dilute HCl has received the greatest attention. We compare metal concentrations liberated by a dilute HCl leach with the sum of the 3-step optimized (standardized) BCR sequential extraction procedure. This is the first study to compare these procedures over a range of grain sizes. Road-deposited sediments from 10 sites in Honolulu were fractionated into six grain size classes. Aliquots of individual fractions were digested with dilute HCl, the 3-step BCR procedure (‘labile’), and a 4-acid (total) procedure. Results indicated that the weighted labile concentrations of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were statistically greater than those from the dilute HCl leach. However, regression analysis indicated strong statistically significant relationships between the two partial extraction procedures for all metals. On a whole-sample basis, the toxicity classifications for anthropogenic-enhanced metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) were similar between extractions. Taken together, results suggest that the application of dilute HCl to solid media provides a rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally meaningful approach for contaminant monitoring.     

河流沉积物中有机污染物的分析研究进展

总结了近年来河流沉积物中有机污染物的研究进展 ,集中评述了国内有关沉积物中多环芳烃、有机氯农药和多氯联苯的分析研究现状 ,包括样品采集、样品前处理和样品分析 ,并对今后河流、湖泊及水库沉积物中污染物的分析工作作了展望     

Assessment of sediment contamination in Casco Bay, Maine, USA

The current status of contaminant concentrations in Casco Bay, decadal trends of these contaminants and changes in their geographical distribution are assessed using sediment samples collected approximately 10 years apart. In general, regulated contaminants appeared to be decreasing in concentration. Total PAH and dioxins/furans concentrations did not significantly change over this period. Total organochlorine pesticides, 4,4-DDE, 4,4-DDD, total DDT, PCB, tributyltin and total butyltin decreased in concentration. Trace element concentrations in sediments decreased at the majority of the sampling sites for chromium, nickel, and selenium while arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc remained relatively constant. None of the contaminants measured has increased by more than a factor of 2. Selected sites located in the Inner Bay, where concentrations are higher and new inputs were more likely, showed increased concentrations of contaminants. Most contaminants were not found at concentrations expected to adversely affect sediment biota based on ERL/ERM guidelines.     

底泥中多环芳烃(PAHs)提取方法评析

总结了底泥中多环芳烃(PAHs)提取的处理流程和国内外多种提取方法,比较了几种在我国较为常用的提取方法的效率.同时还提出了PAHs分离纯化的方法和步骤,并指出了提取过程中影响实验回收率的几个因素.     

船舶螺旋桨射流对湘江河床底泥扰动影响分析

船舶航行时螺旋桨产生的射流会对河道水流产生扰动,这种扰动是否能引起河床底泥的再悬浮需要更深入的论证分析。通过对比分析螺旋桨射流发展规律的研究成果,以湘江典型河段为研究对象,结合实船测量结果和此段河流地质资料,探讨了螺旋桨射流对湘江长株潭段河床底泥扰动的影响,并对此段河床底泥起动和悬浮条件进行了理论分析。结果表明:在周围环境流速较低的条件下,螺旋桨射流初始速度、河床水深及泥沙粒径是决定泥沙是否运动的主要因素。湘江长株潭河段已基本库区化,大部分河道平均水深远大于航道的标准水深2.8 m,河床泥沙平均粒径大于0.87 mm,其中细颗粒泥沙很少,由于螺旋桨射流断面平均流速小于泥沙起动流速,悬浮指标计算值远大于4,因此可以判断船舶正常航行在该段河流时底泥难以起动和再悬浮。     

淀山湖沉积物的污染特征及其风险评价

对上海淀山湖代表性表层沉积物中的重金属、磷、PAHs及OCPs等典型污染物质进行了分析和风险评价。其中总磷含量范围为1 072~1 229 mg/kg,以无机磷为主,生物可利用磷含量较高,对水体富营养化具有潜在的威胁。重金属Cu、Cr、Zn、Pb的平均含量分别为25.5、34.1、244.5、32.2 mg/kg,污染程度大小依次为ZnPbCuCr,潜在生态风险程度依次为PbCuZnCr。∑PAHs、∑OCPs含量范围分别为617.1~843.2 ng/g以及22.03~28.94 ng/g,风险结果表明PAHs和大部分OCPs均未超出ERL值,生态风险水平低。     

西南涌流域底泥重金属污染特征及潜在生态危害评价

西南涌流域近年来受到比较严重的污染,为了解受重金属污染状况,对该流域底泥重金属污染水平与特征进行了调查与分析,并在此基础上采用地累积指数法和潜在生态危害指数法对西南涌流域底泥重金属污染程度与生态危害进行了评价。结果表明,西南涌流域底泥已不同程度受到重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Cr的污染,与珠三角土壤背景值相比,西南涌流域底泥重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Cr分别超标11.38、3.32、1.81、19.45、3.20倍;底泥中的Cu、Zn、Cr、Cd之间呈极显著正相关(r=0.615~0.964)。通过地累积指数法评价表明,西南涌流域底泥中的Cd为偏重污染,Cu、Zn为偏中度污染,Pb为轻度污染,Cr为无污染;潜在生态危害指数法评价结果表明,西南涌流域底泥重金属的潜在生态危害程度总体属中等,主要是由Cd的含量过高引起。     

滇池污染底泥环保疏浚一期工程实施后环境效益评估

通过对滇池草海污染底泥环保疏浚一期工程实施前后水质、底质及水生生物的监测和分析,评价工程实施后对改善草海水质,减轻内源负荷及对水生态恢复的环境效益。结果表明,疏浚工程直接去除了草海污染底泥层,随污染层分别去除TN、TP20 538 t和1 716 t。疏浚后草海水体透明度由0.37 m提高到0.80 m,水体中的TN和TP由疏挖前的8.91 mg/L和1.07 mg/L降低到疏挖后的8.15 mg/L和0.69 mg/L。疏浚后新生界面层促使形成新的水—沉积物的平衡,水质与底质条件改善以及水下光照条件超过沉水植物恢复的需求,是疏浚后水生态呈现恢复趋势的机理。