A spatial-temporal optimization approach to watershed management: Acid mine drainage treatment in the Cheat River watershed, WV, USA

Most water management studies concentrate on the inter-temporal allocation problem or, more recently, spatial dynamics - but not both. While early spatial-temporal studies focused on the allocation of water quantity, this paper presents an approach to water quality analysis that incorporates both spatial and temporal dynamics in a watershed framework. The acid mine drainage (AMD) problem in the Cheat River watershed of West Virginia, USA, serves as a case study and provides an opportunity to test the modeling approach developed. The empirical models are written in General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) and solved using the CPLEX mixed integer programming package. The results suggest that available investments should be concentrated in heavily impaired stream segments. The model can be used to assess the economic implications of alternative watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation or other management strategies.     

Fuel derived pollutants and boating activity patterns in the Sea of Galilee

MTBE (Methyl tert-Butyl Ether) is a fuel additive that replaced lead as an antiknock compound in internal combustion motors. Few years after its introduction, detectable levels of MTBE were found in various water bodies. MTBE has a very low taste and odor threshold and is a potential carcinogen. Another group of fuel derived toxic compounds that has been detected in water bodies is BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene). Boating activity and allochthonous contributions from watersheds are the major sources of fuel derived pollutants in lakes. Their concentrations in lakes thus vary as a function of boating activity intensity, lake surface area and depth, weather and wind regime, land-use in the watershed, etc. The Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) is the only recreational lake in Israel and an important freshwater source. In the current study, a sampling campaign was conducted in order to quantify MTBE and BTEX concentrations in Lake Kinneret, its marinas and its main contributing streams. In addition, a boating-use survey was performed in order to estimate MTBE and BTEX contribution of recreational boating. The sampling campaign revealed that, as expected, MTBE concentrations were higher than BTEX, and that near shore (i.e., marina) concentrations were higher than in-lake concentrations. Despite the clear contribution from boating, high MTBE concentrations were found following a major inflow event in winter, indicating the importance of the allochthonous contribution. The contribution from boating during summer, as measured indirectly by in-lake concentrations, is likely underestimated due to enhanced MTBE volatilization due to strong winds and high temperatures. May–September was found to be the main recreational boating season, with continued boating year round. On average, a single boat is active 23 d/y, with 84% of the watercrafts being active only during weekends and holidays. The survey further indicated that boats stay in the lake for 4.5 h on average, which conforms to the unique winds regime that limits afternoon activity due to high winds, and have an average fuel consumption of 14 L/h. The annual load of MTBE and BTEX from recreational boating in Lake Kinneret was estimated at 4430 and 6220 kg/y respectively.     

A conjoint analysis of landholder preferences for reward-based land-management contracts in Kapingazi watershed, Eastern Mount Kenya

Unsustainable land-use decisions and agricultural practices have become the key drivers of deteriorating watershed services in developing countries. However, landholders may have little or no incentives to take these impacts into account in their decision-making process. In recent years, reward-based provision of environmental services has emerged as an important market-based incentive for motivating landholders to adopt environmentally friendly land-use changes and agricultural practices. In this regard, for instance, the Pro-Poor Rewards for Environmental Services in Africa (PRESA) project has emerged as a large network to support and facilitate reward mechanisms in Africa. However, in many African rural settings, little is known about landholder attitudes and preferences related to the alternative land-management schemes. Using locally identified sets of six key land-management attributes, this paper applies conjoint methods to evaluate landholder preferences towards alternative land-management schemes aimed at enhancing the provision of watershed services in the River Kapingazi catchment in central Kenya. Data were collected from primary sources through focus groups and a questionnaire based conjoint survey. Three conjoint models were used; a traditional conjoint ratings model, a binary logit model, and an ordered logit model. Results from the focus groups indicated that shortage of water for both domestic use and irrigation was perceived as the most acute environmental problem in the area. Deforestation, poor river bank management and agricultural practices were identified as the major causes of the problem. Results from conjoint models show that the three principal attributes influencing landholder's ratings and probability of adopting the proposed land management options were 'size of land area to be committed', 'length of contract period', and 'granting or prohibiting rights to harvest environmental products from the committed land'. Thus, these attributes should be the focal points in designing land-management contract for watershed services in the study area.     

A hybrid scheme for comparing the effects of bird diversity conservation approaches on landscape patterns and biodiversity in the Shangan sub-watershed in Taiwan

This work utilizes bird survey data, regression modeling, land-use modeling and landscape metrics to evaluate the effects of various spatial bird diversity conservation approaches on land-use allocation, land-use patterns, and biodiversity in the Shangan sub-watershed in central Taiwan. A survey of the distribution of species revealed that bird species are concentrated in the central and western parts of the sub-watershed. The results obtained using a Shannon-Weaver diversity regression model suggest that diversity of land-use increases the diversity of bird species. Logistic regression results verify that socio-economic factors determine the potential advantages of designating a particular type of land-use in certain parts of the study area. The results of land-use simulation modeling indicate that the eastern and southwestern areas of the sub-watershed will change most frequently between 2007 and 2017. Additionally, increasing the areas to protect bird diversity will effectively increase the patch size, habitat core area, edge effect and habitat connectivity. The Shannon-Weaver diversity regression model shows that protecting bird species diversity in large areas increases bird diversity. The proposed modeling approach is an effective tool that provides useful information for ecological planning and policymaking related to watersheds.     

洋河流域万全段重金属污染风险及控制对策

洋河流域是北京官厅水库重要的入库水源,通过对洋河流域万全段采集地表水和沉积物样品,研究重金属空间特征及其生态风险,结果表明,地表水中所监测的Cu、Ni、Cd、Zn、Cr、Pb、Hg、As含量分别为1.28~24.13、1.13~16.84、0.08~0.11、1.80~10.65、1.40~19.12、0.13~2.05、0.06~0.99、0.46~4.22μg·L-1,不同点位各重金属含量均低于国家Ⅳ类水质标准,仅满足一般工业用水和农业灌溉用水要求.沉积物中Cu、Ni、Cd、Zn、Cr、Pb、Hg、As含量分别为5.90~110.11、17.34~56.04、0.07~0.31、38.71~116.74、40.39~85.77、18.65~22.74、nd~0.047、0.85~9.98 mg·kg-1.沉积物中各重金属平均潜在生态风险均表现为轻微等级,但有部分点位Cd、Hg的潜在生态危害指数达到中等,危害指数由高到低分别为Cd>Cu>Hg>Ni>As>Pb>Cr>Zn.监测点重金属的累积生态风险由高到低分别为:YH-07>YH-03>YH-09>YH-02>YH-06>YH-04>YH-05>YH-01,平均潜在生态危害累积指数处于轻微级别,但点位YH-07潜在生态风险累积指数已达到中等级别.整个万全河段区域中,风险较高区域集中在农业耕作较密集的YH-02~YH-03点位和人工化程度较高的YH-07~YH-09点位.基于研究结果,提出了具体的重金属生态风险管理对策及建议,并明确了农业耕作控制区、河道改造控制区以及洋河水源保护缓冲区等3个污染风险调控功能区.     

首都水源地——洋河流域人为源多环芳烃(PAHs)排放清单估算及其影响分析

洋河流域位于京西北上风向,是北京重要水源地和生态保护屏障,我国北方典型的农牧交错带和生态脆弱敏感区,也是北京-张家口2022年冬奥会的申办地,具有极重要的战略地位.建立洋河流域大气PAHs排放清单,分析其可能来源及影响,通过气团后向轨迹辨识其区域PAHs传输途径,对于北京及张家口地区环境PAHs的污染控制具有重要的指导意义.本研究收集和分析了洋河流域大量工、农业生产和居民生活等相关数据资料,评估了流域各行业、各县市PAHs排放因子,单体排放量及其影响因素,通过气团后向轨迹模型分析了PAHs的传输轨迹.结果表明,洋河流域大气PAHs排放量为4.4×102t.从排放行业看,煤炭燃烧源、秸秆燃烧源是洋河流域大气PAHs的重要排放源,其贡献率分别为76%和16%.从排放地区看,宣化县的排放量最大,约49 t;其次分别为:兴和县、天镇县、怀来县、万全县,排放量分别约为:36、32、24和15 t.从排放谱看,低环(2~3环)与高环分子(4~6环)PAHs的排放量相差不大,分别约占PAHs排放总量的50%左右.洋河流域单位PAHs总排放量与各县市的工业生产总值(r=0.96,P<0.05)、居民收入(r=0.94,P<0.05)、人口密度呈正相关(r=0.92,P<0.05),与单位国土面积呈负相关(r=-0.9,P<0.05),与农业生产总值没有显著相关(r=0.026,P>0.01).流域内PAHs的较高排放与该地以煤炭为主的能源结构和较高的居民消费水平有关.基于气团后向轨迹模拟和洋河流域PAHs排放,可以推断洋河流域已成为PAHs的高污染风险区,通过西北气流可将流域高浓度的PAHs输送至北京,对北京的生态环境和人体健康造成潜在风险.     

清河流域水生态维持功能评估

利用野外样点调查数据、遥感解译数据和多年降水监测数据,从生物多样性维持功能、生境维持功能和水资源支持功能3个方面对2011年清河流域水生态维持功能进行评估,为"十二五"期间水专项在清河流域开展水环境管理技术实施示范效果评估奠定基础。结果表明:2011年清河流域生物多样性维持功能和生境维持功能较好,而水资源支持功能较差。建议通过开展生态保护工程增加植被覆盖度,增强水资源支持功能和水土保持能力。     

流域综合管理系统的技术探讨——以拉萨河为例

河流受人类活动破坏日益严重,水质污染、生态退化、水资源不足、管理分散等问题尤为突出,多部门协同,实现综合管理是河流水资源、水质、水生态恢复和改善的必然趋势。文章探讨水资源、防汛、水质、水生态多方面综合管理,实现"多管合一"的技术基础。以拉萨河为例,将地理信息系统、物联网技术与地表水环境管理相结合,建设水环境综合管理决策平台,以信息技术为支撑,实现有效的水环境监控和管理。     

Effect of Environmental Setting on Sediment, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Concentrations in Albemarle-Pamlico Drainage Basin, North Carolina and Virginia, USA

/ Environmental settings were defined, through an overlay process, as areas of coincidence between categories of three mapped variables\Mland use, surficial geology, and soil drainage characteristics. Expert judgment was used in selecting factors thought to influence sediment and nutrient concentrations in the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage area. This study's findings support the hypothesis that environmental settings defined using these three variables can explain variations in the concentration of certain sediment and nutrient constituents. This finding underscores the importance of developing watershed management plans that account for differences associated with the mosaic of natural and anthropogenic factors that define a basin's environmental setting. At least in the case of sediment and nutrients in the Albemarle-Pamlico region, a watershed management plan that focuses only on anthropogenic factors, such as point-source discharges, and does not account for natural characteristics of a watershed and the influences of these characteristics on water quality, may lead to water-quality goals that are over- or underprotective of key environmental features and to a misallocation of the resources available for environmental protection.KEY WORDS: Environmental setting; Water quality; Watershed management; Nutrients; Sediment     

WATER RESOURCES INVESTIGATIONS IN WEST CENTRAL IRAN USING LANDSAT DATA1

ABSTRACT: Extensive investigations have been undertaken to determine the utility of Landsat data for detecting and analyzing hydrologic characteristics of an interior watershed of Iran that drains to Daryachehye-Namak (salt lake). This interior playa serves as the terminus for surface water discharging to it from the Karaj, Shur, Saveh, and Ghom Rivers and ground water from their underlying aquifers. These drainage systems encompass heavily populated and industrial sectors of west central Iran, including Tehran. The result of this investigation demonstrates the applicability of Landsat data for mapping and monitoring water regimen as an aid in interpreting hydrologic conditions throughout this arid region. Fluctuation of water area in a playa lake, occupying the lowest part of this closed basin, was monitored on repetitive Landsat coverage. As the result of field investigations combined with optical and digital analyses of the Landsat data, fluctuating water depths were determined in order to estimate the volume of water present in this lake during various seasons. A comparison between stream discharge rates and the estimated volume of standing water make it possible to quantitatively evaluate the hydrologic regimen and to detect the significance of ground water discharge.