Article
Engineering, Civil
Rui Qian, Xuesong Wang, Junfeng Gao, Hongwei Yang, Jichao Han, Qimou Zhang, Renhua Yan, Kaihua Liao, Jiacong Huang
Summary: Excessive phosphorus in freshwater lakes poses a global challenge to drinking water safety. This study developed a modeling framework to track phosphorus sources in Lake Taihu and found that internal loading from sediment played a significant role. The study highlights the importance of internal phosphorus loading on the phosphorus concentration of drinking water intake and demonstrates the value of the modeling framework in quantifying phosphorus sources for a specific site in a lake.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. S. Vale, H. G. Smith, R. J. Davies-Colley, J. R. Dymond, A. O. Hughes, A. Haddadchi, C. J. Phillips
Summary: Suspended fine sediment has a significant impact on freshwater quality variables such as visual clarity. This study examined the influence of erosion sources defined by erosion process and geological parent material on sediment-related water quality attributes, particularly visual clarity. The findings highlight the need to consider both the quality and quantity of sediment when planning erosion control.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Oladipo Bolade, Amy T. Hansen
Summary: Excess nitrate and sediment in surface waters are a global water quality challenge. This study used high-frequency in situ water quality monitoring sensors to investigate the variability and controls on nitrate and sediment dynamics in two large agricultural watersheds. The results showed consistent patterns of nitrate but different behaviors of sediment delivery between the watersheds, highlighting the importance of understanding these dynamics for watershed water quality management, especially in the context of a changing climate.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicolas Layglon, Veronique Lenoble, Louis Longo, Sebastien D'Onofrio, Stephane Mounier, Jean-Ulrich Mullot, Davide Sartori, Dario Omanovic, Cedric Garnier, Benjamin Misson
Summary: This study compares the kinetics of cadmium remobilization and the amplitude of its transfers with different marine sediments. The results show that the process of cadmium re-dissolution is highly reproducible. The intensity of sediment resuspension impacts the amplitude of cadmium remobilization, potentially exceeding the maximum allowable cadmium concentration set by the European Union Water Framework Directive.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Julia E. Kelso, Michelle A. Baker
Summary: As human influence on landscapes increases, the sources of organic matter in rivers become more diverse. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the composition and quality of these sources. In this study, we collected samples from four watersheds in Northeast Utah and used isotopes and spectroscopic analysis to characterize the sources of organic matter. We found that the majority of organic matter came from terrestrial sources, except at sites influenced by wastewater or grazing and recreation activities. Further research is needed to understand the drivers of organic matter composition in watersheds with wastewater treatment plants.
Article
Microbiology
Amanda M. Wilson, Sherry L. Martin, Marc P. Verhougstraete, Anthony D. Kendall, Amity G. Zimmer-Faust, Joan B. Rose, Melanie L. Bell, David W. Hyndman
Summary: This study analyzed a dataset of 64 Michigan watersheds to gain insights into seasonal differences in fecal contamination sources, drivers, and chemical correlates. The results confirmed a link between human-specific sources (e.g., septic systems) and microbial water quality. The study also found that fate and transport mechanisms vary with seasonal hydrologic condition and microorganism source. Overall, this research contributes to the development of strategies to reduce the public health burden of surface water fecal contamination.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. Howley, J. Shellberg, J. Olley, A. Brooks, J. Spencer, M. Burford
Summary: The study found that in the Normanby Basin in northern Australia, suspended sediment concentrations and yields were highest in the upper catchment areas, while mid- and lower catchment rivers and floodplains were a sink for sediments and nutrients, trapping around 75% of suspended sediments during events.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Qiankun Guo, Zhijie Shan, Wen Lu, Wei Qin, Zhe Yin, Haichao Xu
Summary: Identifying the contributions of sediment sources is crucial for understanding soil erosion processes and implementing appropriate soil conservation strategies. This study quantitatively evaluated the relative contributions of potential sediment sources in two watersheds in the dry-hot valleys of Southwest China using the sediment fingerprinting technique. The results revealed the significant impact of gully erosion and the effectiveness of vegetation restoration in reducing sediment yield. Furthermore, the dominant role of orchard land in sediment yield highlights the need for suitable conservation strategies in orchard-related watersheds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. Renee Brooks, Jana E. Compton, Jiajia Lin, Alan Herlihy, Amanda M. Nahlik, William Rugh, Marc Weber
Summary: Nitrogen removal is an important ecosystem service that can help reduce nitrogen pollution in waterways. By measuring the delta N-15 values of Chironomidae in aquatic ecosystems, information on nitrogen sources, input rates, and processing can be obtained for water quality monitoring and assessment at large scales. It is a valuable tool in assessing integrated watershed-level nitrogen dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karina A. Chavarria, Kristin Saltonstall, Jorge Vinda, Jorge Batista, Megan Lindmark, Robert F. Stallard, Jefferson S. Hall
Summary: Land use affects water quality and aquatic microbial communities in tropical streams, with bacterial communities in four streams in central Panama significantly influenced by nearby land uses. Forest-surrounded streams have higher diversity and similar community composition, while streams affected by traditional cattle pasture show lower diversity and unique communities. Streams in silvopasture areas exhibit seasonal shifts in bacterial communities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Samah Anwar, Bahaa Khalil, Mohamed Seddik, Abdelhamid Eltahan, Aiman El Saadi
Summary: Water quality data is crucial for water resources and water quality management. However, limited fiscal resources may result in unavailability of historical water quality data for certain watersheds of interest. This study developed nonparametric statistical approaches using watershed attributes as predictors to estimate the three main quartiles of different water quality indicators in ungauged watersheds. Four nonparametric approaches, based on region of influence (ROI) and Theil-Sen nonparametric multiple regression (TSMR), were calibrated and validated. The results showed that the (CO) ROI-(SF)TSMR approach outperformed the other three approaches.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joseph G. Galella, Sujay S. Kaushal, Paul M. Mayer, Carly M. Maas, Ruth R. Shatkay, Shreeram Inamdar, Kenneth T. Belt
Summary: The impacts of freshwater salinization on total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and NO3-/NO2- concentrations and fluxes in urban watersheds were investigated. The study found that TDN and NO3-/NO2- concentrations and fluxes in urban streams rapidly increased and then declined following winter road salt events. The relationship between Cl- loads and NO3-/NO2- loads was positive across all sites regardless of land use.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
M. Mohammadi, A. Khaledi Darvishan, E. Dinelli, N. Bahramifar, S. J. Alavi
Summary: The impact of land use on sediment quality is influenced by both the type of land use and landscape characteristics at different spatial scales. The study found that higher diversity and interspersion of land use patches have a more negative effect on sediment pollution.
STOCHASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND RISK ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amy T. Hansen, Todd Campbell, Se Jong Cho, Jonathan A. Czuba, Brent J. Dalzell, Christine L. Dolph, Peter L. Hawthorne, Sergey Rabotyagov, Zhengxin Lang, Karthik Kumarasamy, Patrick Belmont, Jacques C. Finlay, Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, Karen B. Gran, Catherine L. Kling, Peter Wilcock
Summary: Despite decades of efforts to reduce nutrient and sediment export from agricultural fields, water quality in intensively managed agricultural landscapes remains highly degraded. Recent analysis shows that current conservation efforts are not enough to reverse water degradation, and a more integrated approach to water quality management is needed. Fluvial wetlands are found to be the most cost-effective management action to reduce nitrate and sediment loads, but interagency cooperation and watershed scale planning are necessary for substantial improvements in water quality.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Darllan Collins da Cunha e Silva, Renan Angrizani Oliveira, Vanessa Cezar Simonetti, Bruno Pereira Toniolo, Jomil Costa Abreu Sales, Roberto Wagner Lourenco
Summary: One of the problems regarding water resources is the management and interactions with the environment. To assess these problems, a water sustainability index (WRSI) was developed for a watershed study. The results showed that regions with predominantly agricultural activities and poor basic sanitary conditions had lower WRSI values, while urban areas had higher WRSI values due to better basic sanitation conditions and lower risk of water contamination.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)