Modelling the transport of radionuclides from land to water

This paper addresses some fundamental problems related to the structure and function of catchment areas in general and for seasonal (weekly, monthly) mass balance calculations of radionuclides (and metals, organics and nutrients) in particular. A new catchment area model has been developed and critically tested. This modelling approach is based on mechanistic principles. The catchment area is differentiated into inflow ( approximately dry land) areas and outflow (=wetland) areas. The model also accounts for time-dependent fixation of substances in the catchment related to single-pulse fallouts. The model has a general structure. It is simple to use since there are only two soil type classes and three categories for the outflow areas. In critical tests, the model was put within a framework where it is intended, i.e., within a more comprehensive lake model. Radiocesium was used as a tracer in these tests. Modelled values were compared to empirical data from 23 lakes (351 data on (137)Cs in water, as well as in sediments, small fish and on suspended particles) covering a very wide limnological domain (latitudes from 42 to 61 degrees V, altitudes from 0 to 1090 m ASL, catchment areas from 0.17 to 114,700 km(2), precipitation from 430 to 1840 mm/year, lake areas from 0.042 to 1147 km(2), mean depths from 1.1 to 90 m, pH from 5.1 to 9 units, potassium concentrations from 0.23 to 27.5 mg/l, total P concentrations from 8.3 to 100 microg/l and theoretical water retention times from 0.02 to 137 years). When modelled values were compared to empirical data, the slope was almost perfect (0.99) as well as the coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.96).