GROUNDWATER DISCHARGE AND ITS IMPACT ON SURFACE WATER QUALITY IN A CHESAPEAKE BAY INLET1

ABSTRACT: Surface water, groundwater, and groundwater discharge quality surveys were conducted in Cherrystone Inlet, on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Shallow groundwater below agricultural fields had nitrate concentrations significantly higher than inlet surface waters and shallow groundwater underlying forested land. This elevated nitrate groundwater discharged to adjacent surface waters. Nearshore discharge rates of water across the sediment-water interface ranged from 0.02 to 3.69 liters·m^?2·hr^?1 during the surveys. The discharge was greatest nearshore at low tide periods, and decreased markedly with increasing distance offshore. Vertical hydraulic heads, E_h, and inorganic nitrogen flux in the sediments followed similar patterns. Nitrate was the predominant nitrogen species discharged nearshore adjacent to agricultural land use, changing to ammonium farther offshore. Sediment nitrogen fluxes were sufficient to cause observable impacts on surface water quality; nitrate concentrations were up to 20 times greater in areas of groundwater discharge than in the main stem inlet water. Based on DIN:DIP ratios, nitrogen contributions from direct groundwater discharge and tidal creek inputs appear to be of significant ecological importance. This groundwater discharge links land use activity and the quality of surface water, and therefore must be considered in selection of best management practices and water quality management strategies.     

SLUDGE APPLICATION EFFECTS ON RUNOFF,INFILTRATION, AND WATER QUALITY1

ABSTRACT: Land application of sewage sludge requires careful monitoring because of its potential for contamination of surface water and ground water. A rainfall simulator was used the investigate the effects of freshly applied sludge on infiltration, and on runoff of sediment and nutrients from agricultural crop lands. Rain was applied to 16 experimental field plots. A three-run sequence was used to simulate different initial moisture conditions. Runoff, sediment, and nutrient losses were monitored at the base of each plot during the simulated rainfall events. Sludge was surface applied and incorporated at conventionally-tilled plots and surface applied at no-till plots, at rates of 0, 75, 150 kg-N/ha. Steady-state infiltrability increased as a result of sludge application, although the no-till practice was more effective in increasing the infiltrability than the sludge application. No-till practices greatly reduced runoff, sediment, and nutrient losses from the sludge treated plots, relative to the conventional tillage practices. Incorporation of the sludge was effective in reducing nutrient yields at the conventionally-tilled plots. This effect was more pronounced during the third rainstorm, with wet initial conditions. Peak loadings of nutrients appeared during the rainstorm with wet initial conditions.     

Monitoring of Gin Drinkers' Bay landfill,Hong Kong: II. Gas contents,soil properties,and vegetation performance on the side slope

This second part of the study concerned the plant cover, gas contents, and soil properties of the side slope area of the landfill, which is not protected against gas infiltration. Five different sites on the slope and a control site outside the landfill were chosen, and pipes were installed in the region. Gas contents were tested, and plant cover recorded by quadrat analysis Over 20 species of grasses, herbs, and vines were present on the slope The relative adaptabilities of the species were ranked according to the abundance of the plants Plant cover was found to be negatively correlated with landfill gas contents. The landfill soil had elevated contents of nitrogen, organic carbon, and extractable metals Total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and extractable lead were further identified to be negatively correlated while available phosphate was positively correlated with plant cover     

Effect of Flow Depth and Velocity on Nitrate Loss Rates in Natural Channels1

Carleton, James N. and Yusuf M. Mohamoud, 2012. Effect of Flow Depth and Velocity on Nitrate Loss Rates in Natural Channels. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐12. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12007 Abstract: Loss rates of nitrate from streams and rivers are governed by movement of the ion from water column to anoxic bed sediments. Quantitative representations of nitrate in streams and rivers have often treated such losses as governed by first‐order mechanisms that are invariant with respect to potential modulating factors other than temperature. Results of studies in recent years, however, suggest that rates of water column‐sediment mass transfer are influenced by stream geometry and associated hydraulics. We develop expressions for the instream nitrate loss rate coefficient, k, as a function of water velocity and depth, using hydraulic geometry to empirically relate velocity to depth for two cases: (1) variability in mean conditions among reaches; and (2) temporal variability in conditions at a single reach, under changing flow. The result is expressions for k as functions of water column depth. Measured stream k values reported in the literature are shown to be well represented by expressions developed for the first case, and the potential for application to probabilistic analysis is briefly examined. We explore the latter case using the Hydrologic Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model, modified to incorporate the dependence of k on instantaneous stream depth. In example simulations of two nitrate‐exporting watersheds, the incorporation of depth‐dependence of k produces improvement in the model’s ability to match observed stream nitrate concentrations.     

太湖铜锈环棱螺对氮磷的降解作用

太湖的五湖里湾是一个富营养湖,水质亟待改善。铜锈环棱螺是太湖的常见种群,通过在五里湖的一些室内外实验,研究了螺对水体透明度,总磷、氨氮、溶解氧的作用,发现它能交水体透明度从０．５ｍ左右提高到１．３ｍ,使室内水体浊度迅速降低,降解总磷的幅度能达到５０％,分析为铜锈环棱螺的絮凝作用所致;并且,在其水域氨氮深度大幅度降低,使实验点高达５ｍｇ／Ｌ以上的氨氮浓度降至２ｍｇ／Ｌ以下,从感观和水质指标两方面有效     

东海春季赤潮前后沉积物-海水界面营养盐交换速率的研究

应用实验室培养法现场研究了3～5月东海硅藻赤潮发生前后10个站位的营养盐在沉积物-海水界面的交换,并应用连续函数拟合法计算了营养盐的界面交换速率.结果显示,NO^-₃-N在赤潮前向沉积物中汇聚［-1.33～－0.68 mmol/(m²·d)］,赤潮后却基本由沉积物向海水中释放［－0.69～0.82 mmol/(m²·d)］.NH⁺₄-N在赤潮前后大都从沉积物中释放［－0.65～1.46 mmol/(m²·d)］,赤潮后释放速率小于赤潮前.NO^-₂-N赤潮前后除Zc17站外都向沉积物中汇聚［－0.09～0.05 mmol/(m²·d)］,赤潮后汇聚速率稍高.SiO^2-₃-Si在所有站位都由沉积物向海水释放［0.85～9.23 mmol/(m²·d)］,其赤潮后速率高于赤潮前.PO^3-₄-P在赤潮前向沉积物中汇聚［－0.06～－0.01 mmol/(m²·d)］,在赤潮后却由沉积物向海水中释放［0～1.26 mmol/(m²·d)］.NO^-₃-N和PO^3-₄-P向东海近海沉积物的汇聚在春季不利于硅藻赤潮的暴发,但其在硅藻赤潮暴发后从沉积物的大量释放为后面紧接的大面积甲藻赤潮的暴发提供了重要的营养物质补充.     

水质遥感研究进展

本文简述了遥感技术在水质监测中的意义,总结了可用于遥感监测的水质指标,同时对清澈水体、一类水体、二类水体及污染水体的光谱特征分别给予了介绍。着重讨论了水质遥感的基本方法,并在此基础上从营养盐、有机污染物和营养状态指数三项水质指标出发,对其研究现状进行了阐述,最后进一步提出了水质遥感领域中存在的主要问题,并展望了其未来的发展方向。