Reducing Nonpoint Source Pollution Through Collaboration: Policies and Programs Across the U.S. States

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution has emerged as the largest threat to water quality in the United States, influencing policy makers and resource managers to direct more attention toward NPS prevention and remediation. In response, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) spent more than $204 million in fiscal year (FY) 2006 on the Clean Water Act’s Section 319 program to combat NPS pollution, much of it on the development and implementation of watershed-based plans. State governments have also increasingly allocated financial and technical resources to collaborative watershed efforts within their own borders to fight NPS pollution. With increased collaboration among the federal government, states, and citizens to combat NPS pollution, more information is needed to understand how public resources are being used, by whom, and for what, and what policy changes might improve effectiveness. Analysis from a 50-state study suggests that, in addition to the average 35% of all Section 319 funds per state that are passed on to collaborative watershed groups, 35 states have provided financial assistance beyond Section 319 funding to support collaborative watershed initiatives. State programs frequently provide technical assistance and training, in addition to financial resources, to encourage collaborative partnerships. Such assistance is typically granted in exchange for requirements to generate a watershed action plan and/or follow a mutually agreed upon work plan to address NPS pollution. Program managers indicated a need for greater fiscal resources and flexibility to achieve water quality goals.     

Occurrence and source characterization of perfluorochemicals in an urban watershed

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are used in numerous applications, mainly as surfactants, and occur ubiquitously in the environment as complex mixtures. This study was undertaken to characterize the occurrence and sources of commonly detected PFC compounds in surface waters of the Marina catchment, a watershed that drains an urbanized section of Singapore. Of the 19 target PFCs, 13 were detected with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (5-31 ng L⁻¹) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (1-156 ng L⁻¹) being the dominant components. Other compounds detected included perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (C7-C12) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (C6 and C8). Sulfonamide compounds detected 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA), 2-(N-methylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) acetic acid (N-MeFOSAA), perfluorooctanesulfonamido acetic acid (FOSAA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (FOSA) were putative transformation products of N-EtFOSE and N-MeFOSE, the N-ethylated and N-methylated ethyl alcohol derivatives, respectively. Surface water concentrations were generally higher during dry weather than during storm water flow: the median concentrations of total PFCs in dry and wet weather were 57 and 138 ng L⁻¹ compared to 42 and 79 ng L⁻¹, respectively, at Stamford and Alexandra canal, suggesting the presence of a continuous source(s) which is subject to dilution during storm events. In rain water, median concentrations were 6.4 ng L⁻¹, suggesting rain contributed from 12-25% to the total PFC load for non-point source sites. The longitudinal concentration profile along one of the canals revealed a point source of sulfonated PFCs (PFOS), believed to originate from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Sources were characterized using principal component analysis (PCA) and by plotting PFHxS/PFOA against PFOS/PFOA. Typical surface waters exhibit PFOS/PFOA and PFHxS/PFOA ratios below 0.9 and 0.5, respectively. PCA plots reveal waters impacted by “non-typical” PFC sources in Alexandra canal.     

Adapting the RUSLE and GIS to model soil erosion risk in a mountains karst watershed, Guizhou Province, China

Soil erosion is a serious environmental problem in Guizhou Province, which is located in the centre of the karst areas of southwestern China. Unfortunately, Guizhou Province suffers from a lack of financial resources to research, monitor and model soil erosion at large watershed. In order to assess the soil erosion risk, soil erosion modeling at the watershed scale are urgently needed to be undertaken. This study integrated the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with a Geographic Information System (GIS) to estimate soil loss and identify the risk erosion areas in the Maotiao River watershed, which is a typical rural watershed in Guizhou Province. All factors used in the RUSLE were calculated for the watershed using local data. It was classified into five categories ranging from minimal risk to extreme erosion risk depending on the calculated soil erosion amount. The soil erosion map was linked to land use, elevation and slope maps to explore the relationship between soil erosion and environmental factors and identify the areas of soil erosion risk. The results can be used to advice the local government in prioritizing the areas of immediate erosion mitigation. The integrated approach allows for relatively easy, fast, and cost-effective estimation of spatially distributed soil erosion. It thus indicates that RUSLE-GIS model is a useful and efficient tool for evaluating and mapping soil erosion risk at a large watershed scale in Guizhou Province.     

基于氮磷指数的小流域氮磷流失风险评价

识别区域氮磷流失综合风险分布状况并对氮磷流失进行综合调控是控制非点源污染的有效措施。但传统的研究往往局限于氮或磷流失风险的单独评估和调控,以密云水库沿湖集约化农区东庄小流域为例,应用氮指数、磷指数及氮磷综合指数法,对区域氮磷流失风险进行综合评价。结果表明:流域氮、磷流失风险总体上较小,80%以上的区域均处于氮、磷流失的无风险或低风险区,但氮、磷流失的空间分布存在较大差异。其中氮流失的高度风险区集中在山地中土壤侵蚀指数较大的果园;而磷流失的高风险区域主要分布在河流沿岸的农业用地。氮磷综合风险指数显示,93.1%的区域处于无风险和低风险区,中度以上风险区占总面积的6.9%,主要集中在流域中部有着较高的肥料施用、地势陡峭且处在河流沿岸的农业用地或山地中。单独考虑氮指数或磷指数都难以反映区域氮磷流失的综合风险状况,容易忽略磷指数高氮指数低、氮指数高和磷指数低以及氮、磷风险在中等的区域。因此,在氮、磷流失风险评估基础上,进行氮磷流失风险的综合评价,可为氮磷流失的综合调控提供指导。     

漓江流域红壤侵蚀区植被演替与复合农林试验

漓江季节性的干旱和洪涝并存成为地方政府、有关专家和旅游行业密切关注的环境问题,漓江流域的环境建设尤其是上游森林植被恢复,成为生态治理重点内容。漓江上游红壤区植被类型主要包括针叶林、阔叶林、竹林、灌丛和草丛,植被的水分特征差异较大,植被的生态调节、水源涵养功能各异。在漓江上游红壤区开展4种模式的植被恢复和复合农林试验示范,3年的试验表明,乡土常绿阔叶树适应性强、有效保持水土,果林经济效益显著、但生态功能较差,木本药材林具有较好的生态功能和潜在的经济效益。通过调查和试验示范,提出亚热带红壤退化山地农林经营的植物种类和复合模式,对漓江流域水资源调控和水土流失治理提出建议和对策。     

Using NDVI to Assess Vegetative Land Cover Change in Central Puget Sound

We used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the rapidly growing Puget Sound region over three 5-year time blocks between 1986–1999 at three spatial scales in 42 Watershed Administrative Units (WAUs) to assess changes in the amounts and patterns of green vegetation. On average, approximately 20% of the area in each WAU experienced significant NDVI change over each 5-year time block. Cumulative NDVI change over 15 years (summing change over each 5-year time block) was an average of approximately 60% of each WAU, but was as high as 100% in some. At the regional scale, seasonal weather patterns and green-up from logging were the primary drivers of observed increases in NDVI values. At the WAU scale, anthropogenic factors were important drivers of both positive and negative NDVI change. For example, population density was highly correlated with negative NDVI change over 15 years (r = 0.66, P < 0.01), as was road density (r = 0.71, P < 0.01). At the smallest scale (within 3 case study WAUs) land use differences such as preserving versus harvesting forest lands drove vegetation change. We conclude that large areas within most watersheds are continually and heavily impacted by the high levels of human use and development over short time periods. Our results indicate that varying patterns and processes can be detected at multiple scales using changes in NDVIa values.     

A Water Quality Monitoring Network Design Methodology for the Selection of Critical Sampling Points: Part I

The principal instrument to temporally and spatially manage water resources is a water quality monitoring network. However, to date in most cases, there is a clear absence of a concise strategy or methodology for designing monitoring networks, especially when deciding upon the placement of sampling stations. Since water quality monitoring networks can be quite costly, it is very important to properly design the monitoring network so that maximum information extraction can be accomplished, which in turn is vital when informing decision-makers. This paper presents the development of a methodology for identifying the critical sampling locations within a watershed. Hence, it embodies the spatial component in the design of a water quality monitoring network by designating the critical stream locations that should ideally be sampled. For illustration purposes, the methodology focuses on a single contaminant, namely total phosphorus, and is applicable to small, upland, predominantly agricultural-forested watersheds. It takes a number of hydrologic, topographic, soils, vegetative, and land use factors into account. In addition, it includes an economic as well as logistical component in order to approximate the number of sampling points required for a given budget and to only consider the logistically accessible stream reaches in the analysis, respectively. The methodology utilizes a geographic information system (GIS), hydrologic simulation model, and fuzzy logic.     

Mass Balances of Mercury and Nitrogen in Burned and Unburned Forested Watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, USA

Precipitation and streamwater samples were collected from 16 November 1999 to 17 November 2000 in two watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, and analyzed for mercury (Hg) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, nitrate plus ammonium). Cadillac Brook watershed burned in a 1947 fire that destroyed vegetation and soil organic matter. We hypothesized that Hg deposition would be higher at Hadlock Brook (the reference watershed, 10.2 μg/m²/year) than Cadillac (9.4 μg/m²/year) because of the greater scavenging efficiency of the softwood vegetation in Hadlock. We also hypothesized the Hg and DIN export from Cadillac Brook would be lower than Hadlock Brook because of elemental volatilization during the fire, along with subsequently lower rates of atmospheric deposition in a watershed with abundant bare soil and bedrock, and regenerating vegetation. Consistent with these hypotheses, Hg export was lower from Cadillac Brook watershed (0.4 μg/m²/year) than from Hadlock Brook watershed (1.3 μg/m²/year). DIN export from Cadillac Brook (11.5 eq/ha/year) was lower than Hadlock Brook (92.5 eq/ha/year). These data show that ∼50 years following a wildfire there was lower atmospheric deposition due to changes in forest species composition, lower soil pools, and greater ecosystem retention for both Hg and DIN.     

基于GIS与QuickBird影像的小流域土壤侵蚀定量评价

基于GIS技术和QuickBird遥感影像,采用修正的通用土壤流失方程RUSLE作为评价模型,计算了清水沟小流域土壤侵蚀量,并结合土壤侵蚀强度分级标准,生成流域土壤侵蚀强度等级图;利用GIS的叠置分析功能,定量分析了土壤侵蚀与坡度和土地利用之间的关系,并针对不同水保措施预测了水土保持治理效果.结果表明清水沟小流域土壤侵蚀模数为75.02 t·hm-2·a-1,属强度侵蚀区,年水土流失量2.6×104 t;流域64.5%的泥沙来自于占流域面积仅28%的极强度和剧烈侵蚀区域;经分析,流域土壤侵蚀模数与坡度呈显著正相关,不同土地利用类型的土壤侵蚀模数大小排序依次为难利用地＞建设用地＞坡耕地＞园地＞草地＞林地;退耕还林是降低土壤侵蚀强度与减少水土流失量的主要途径.     

Response of Nitrogen Loading to the Chesapeake Bay to Source Reduction and Land Use Change Scenarios: A SPARROW‐Informed Analysis

In response to concerns regarding the health of streams and receiving waters, the United States Environmental Protection Agency established a total maximum daily load for nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for which practices must be in place by 2025 resulting in an expected 25% reduction in load from 2009 levels. The response of total nitrogen (TN) loads delivered to the Bay to nine source reduction and land use change scenarios was estimated using a Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes model. The largest predicted reduction in TN load delivered to the Bay was associated with a scenario in which the mass of TN as fertilizer applied to agricultural lands was decreased. A 25% decrease in the mass of TN applied as fertilizer resulted in a predicted reduction in TN loading to the Bay of 11.3%, which was 2.5–5 times greater than the reductions predicted by other scenarios. Eliminating fertilizer application to all agricultural land in the watershed resulted in a predicted reduction in TN load to the Bay of 45%. It was estimated that an approximate 25% reduction in TN loading to the Bay could be achieved by eliminating fertilizer applied to the 7% of subwatersheds contributing the greatest fertilizer‐sourced TN loads to the Bay. These results indicate that management strategies aimed at decreasing loading from a small number of subwatersheds may be effective for reducing TN loads to the Bay, and similar analyses are possible in other watersheds.