FARMERS’ATTITUDES TOWARD GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN PREVENTING AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE WATER POLLUTION1

ABSTRACT: Concern over the pollution of our lakes and streams has become a major issue in the United States. Sedimentation from sigricultural lands has been identified as a significant factor in water pollution. Some citizens suggest that government should force compliance with soil loss standards, while others suggest that we ask farmers to voluntarily comply. Related questions are “DO farmers think government should be involved in controlling erosion and protecting water quality?”“To what extent should government be involved?” What level of government should be involved? Federal? State? Local?“Why should pay for water quality projects?” Farmers from a small watershed in northeastern Indiana were interviewed before and after a major demonstration project. Their responses suggest that farmers feel that individual landowners should be responsible for controlling erosion and agricultural nonpoint source water pollution. However, over 60 percent of the study fanners indicated that the federal government should play an important role, in terms of both technical and financial assistance.     

RESERVOIR SEDIMENTATION1

ABSTRACT: Reservoirs, as well as lakes and estuaries, are subject to sediment accumulation. The rate at which sedimentation occurs is accelerated or diminished by man's activities. Acceptable rates of sedimentation are considered on the basis of costs of sediment storage and removal and a review of reservoirs constructed with sediment removal capabilities is given. The rates of reservoir sedimentation in the United States are summarized based on reliable data obtained from all sizes of reservoirs. Problems confronting the engineer concerning reservoir construction and maintenance are discussed on the basis of these data.     

THE FATE OF NITRATE IN LAKE SEDIMENT COLUMNS1

ABSTRACT: To investigate the magnitude of denitrification and assimilatory nitrate reduction as these reactions relate to the fate of nitrate reaching sediments via groundwater seepage, undisturbed core samples of sediments (40 cm length) from two lakes (Mendota and Tomahawk) were leached from the bottom (at 1.4 cm/day) with a solution of ¹⁵N-nitrate (10 mg N/liter). The sediment columns were fitted with Pt electrodes to measure the oxidation-reduction (Eh) potential. While leaching removed considerable ammonium-N and soluble organic N, essentially no ¹⁵N had passed through the columns by 50 days. The Eh readings indicated that denitrification was occurring in the lower portions of the columns. The ¹⁵N distribution of the sediment N after 50 days showed that about 15 to 26% of the added nitrate-N was converted to organic N and ammonium-N. The data show that denitrification can be a significant N sink in seepage lakes.     

Risk assessment and binding mechanisms of potentially toxic metals in sediments from different water levels in a coastal wetland

The excessive accumulation of potentially toxic metals (Pb and Cd) in coastal wetlands is among the main factors threatening wetland ecosystems. However, the effects of water table depth (WTD) on the risk and binding mechanisms of potentially toxic metals in sediments remain unclear. Here, sediments from different WTD obtained from a typical coastal wetland were evaluated using a newly developed strategy based on chemical extraction methods coupled with high-resolution spectroscopy. Our findings indicated that the WTD of the coastal wetland fluctuates frequently and the average enrichment factor for Pb was categorized as minor, whereas Cd enrichment was categorized as moderate. High-resolution spectroscopy techniques also demonstrated that organic functional groups and partly inorganic compounds (e.g., Fe-O/Si-O) played a vital role in the binding of Pb and Cd to surface sediments. Additionally, mineral components rather than organic groups were mainly bound to these metals in the bottom sediments. Collectively, our findings provide key insights into the potential health effects and binding characteristics of potentially toxic metals in sediments, as well as their dynamic behavior under varying sediment depths at a microscale.     

Metal Concentration in Oyster, Crassostrea Gigas, and Sediment in Ann-Ping Mariculture Ground, Taiwan

This study was to assess the metal contamination in oyster tissue grown in the Ann-ping mariculture ground in Taiwan. the information generated from this work also revealed general metal pollution problem for Taiwan's oyster farmers. Oysters, Crassostrea gigas, and surficial sediments collected from ten locations in Ann-ping mariculture ground in Taiwan for metals concentration (Cu, Zn, Pd, Cd, Fe and Mn) were performed. Analytical results indicated that the yearly averaged oyster copper concentrations (μg g^-1, wet weight) in oyster soft parts from Ann-ping increased from 21.3±4.1 in 1993; 24.1±6.8 in 1994; 36.8±11.9 in 1995 to 43.9±23.1 μg g^-1, wet weight, in the 1996 raising season. the mean oyster copper concentration reached a level of 50 μg g^-1, wet weight, in December 1996. This increasing trend of metal concentration in oyster tissue indicates a potential pollution source which may pose a potential disaster as green oyster incidence, which occurred on the Charting coast in 1986, in Taiwan. Sediment samples in Ann-ping mariculture ground were also collected and examined. the seasonal variation of the copper concentration in surficial sediment from Ann-ping did not show an increasing trend as observed in oyster tissue.     

细水雾灭火技术在微重力环境下应用的可行性分析

针对细水雾灭火技术在载人航天器安全中应用的可行性,通过理论分析研究了微重力环境下液滴滞止距离与初始速度、粒径的关系,并利用Fluent模拟研究了水雾喷嘴雾场结构.理论分析结果表明,初始速度一定,水雾粒径越小,其滞止距离也越短;初始速度越大,其滞止距离越长.粒径小于50μm时,初始速度对滞止距离影响不大.数值模拟结果表明,微重力下的雾场分布与常重力下有明显差异,水雾主要集中在喷嘴附近,而且水雾蒸发速率较慢,液滴存活时间长.对比理论分析和模拟结果,模拟的迁移距离要小于理论值,这是因为理论分析中忽略了液滴的蒸发.为解决液滴滞止的问题,建议微重力环境下采取气体载运水雾的方式.     

The Aging of America's Reservoirs: In‐Reservoir and Downstream Physical Changes and Habitat Implications

Reservoirs are important for various purposes including flood control, water supply, power generation, and recreation. The aging of America's reservoirs and progressive loss of water storage capacity resulting from ongoing sedimentation, coupled with increasing societal needs, will cause the social, economic, environmental, and political importance of reservoirs to continually increase. The short‐ and medium‐term (<50 years) environmental consequences of reservoir construction and operation are well known and include an altered flow regime, lost connectivity (longitudinal, floodplain), an altered sediment regime, substrate compositional change, and downstream channel degradation. In general, reservoir‐related changes have had adverse consequences for the natural ecosystem. Longer term (>50 years) environmental changes as reservoirs enter “old” age are less understood. Additional research is needed to help guide the future management of aging reservoir systems and support the difficult decisions that will have to be made. Important research directions include assessment of climate change effects on aging and determination of ecosystem response to ongoing aging and various management actions that may be taken with the intent of minimizing or reversing the physical effects of aging.     

Streamside Management Zones Compromised by Stream Crossings,Legacy Gullies,and Over‐Harvest in the Piedmont

Streamside management zone (SMZ) breakthroughs were identified and characterized to determine frequency and potential causes, in order to provide enhanced guidance for future water quality protection. Ten kilometers of SMZs were carefully examined for partial or complete breakthroughs. With partial breakthroughs the SMZ trapped sediment before it reached the stream, while complete breakthroughs appeared to have allowed sediment to have passed through with minimal restriction. A total of 41 breakthroughs occurred (33 complete, 8 partial) across 16 sites, averaging 1 complete breakthrough per 0.3 km of SMZ length. The most common complete breakthroughs were caused by stream crossings (42%), reactivation of legacy agricultural gullies (27%), and harvest related soil disturbances near/within SMZs (24%). Pearson correlations of site characteristics at breakthroughs indicated no strong relationships between breakthrough sites, representing the variable nature of these unique circumstances. Stream crossings are an intentional breakthrough for access purposes, but resulting environmental impacts can be reduced with best management practice implementation. Current recommendations for SMZs tend to work in most situations, yet further research is needed to identify causal factors and quantify breakthrough severity.     

秦淮河干流沉积物磷形态沿程分布特征

应用化学连续提取法,分析了秦淮河干流14个表层沉积物样品的磷形态沿程变化特征及其影响因素.结果发现,秦淮河干流由上游至南京市区段,随城市化程度的提高,河流沉积物总磷和各种形态磷沿程增加的趋势十分明显.Ca-P和Fe-P平均含量分别占TP的26.8%和25.7%,是主要的磷形态.易吸附态磷(L-P)在TP中的比例最低,但在城区由于TP的高度富集,其含量均超过15 mg·kg-1.沉积物中的总磷含量在城区河段显著增加,但只有很少部分转化为稳定形态的磷,人口密集区生活污水等各种来源排放的磷仍然深刻影响着城市河流的水环境质量.随城市化程度的提高,秦淮河中下游沉积物样品中钙富集的趋势明显,与之相对应的是沉积物Ca-P含量均超过200 mg·kg-1,相关分析和通径分析结果表明,二者之间存在成因上的联系.钙的富集提高了沉积物的固磷能力,将上覆水体中的磷转化为钙结合态磷.城区河流沉积物中钙含量的升高,对于河流生态系统磷的迁移转化有重要影响.     

重庆主城区次级河流表层沉积物重金属污染特征及风险评价

山地城市次级河流因季节性降雨容易导致沉积物中污染物形成"二次污染",沉积物可能具有重金属潜在生态风险.本文采集了重庆市主城区19条次级河流表层沉积物,分析了7种重金属元素(V、Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd和Pb)的污染水平,解析了重金属污染来源,并从流域层面评价次级河流表层沉积物重金属的潜在生态风险.结果表明,与背景值(中国土壤元素背景值)相比,除V外,其它6种重金属元素超标1.1~6.7倍.富集系数分析和主成分分析显示,沉积物中重金属V、Ni和Pb均未发生富集(富集系数小于1.5),且主要来源于自然源.Cd、Zn、Cu和Cr平均富集系数分别为6.63、2.31、1.90和1.40,均存在不同程度的富集;Cr、Zn和Cu主要来源于工业废水的排放.主城区次级河流表层沉积物重金属潜在生态风险指数RI值范围为77~382,均值为228,总体属于中等生态风险等级.空间分布上,重庆主城区西北部汇入嘉陵江的次级河流表层沉积物重金属表现出较高的生态风险,东南部汇入长江的次级河流表层沉积物表现为相对较低的风险.