Nutrient inputs to the Choptank River estuary: Implications for watershed management

Degraded water quality due to water column availability of nitrogen and phosphorus to algal species has been identified as the primary cause of the decline of submersed aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay and its subestuaries. Determining the relative impacts of various nutrient delivery pathways on estuarine water quality is critical for developing effective strategies for reducing anthropogenic nutrient inputs to estuarine waters. This study investigated temporal and spatial patterns of nutrient inputs along an 80-km transect in the Choptank River, a coastal plain tributary and subestuary of Chesapeake Bay, from 1986 through 1991. The study period encompassed a wide range in freshwater discharge conditions that resulted in major changes in estuarine water quality. Watershed nitrogen loads to the Choptank River estuary are dominated by diffuse-source inputs, and are highly correlated to freshwater discharge volume. in years of below-average freshwater discharge, reduced nitrogen availability results in improved water quality throughout most of the Choptank River. Diffuse-source inputs are highly enriched in nitrogen relative to phosphorus, but point-source inputs of phosphorus from sewage treatment plants in the upper estuary reduce this imbalance, particularly during summer periods of low freshwater discharge. Diffuse-source nitrogen inputs result primarily from the discharge of groundwater contaminated by nitrate. Contamination is attributable to agricultural practices in the drainage basin where agricultural land use predominates. Groundwater discharge provides base flow to perennial streams in the upper regions of the watershed and seeps directly into tidal waters. Diffuse-source phosphorus inputs are highly episodic, occurring primarily via overland flow during storm events. Major reductions in diffuse-source nitrogen inputs under current landuse conditions will require modification of agricultural practices in the drainage basin to reduce entry rates of nitrate into shallow groundwater. Rates of subsurface nitrate delivery to tidal waters are generally lower from poorly-drained versus well-drained regions of the watershed, suggesting greater potential reductions of diffuse-source nitrogen loads per unit effort in the well-drained region of the watershed. Reductions in diffuse-source phosphorus loads will require long-term management of phosphorus levels in upper soil horizons. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY074 00021     

密西西比河流域监测、修复管理经验对我国流域生态保护修复的启示

美国流域保护修复的研究与实践开始较早,并在密西西比河的修复与治理上取得了良好成效,对我国流域生态保护修复工作具有一定借鉴意义。介绍了密西西比河的管理模式,并对美国在密西西比河开展的具有代表性的长期生态监测及修复管理工作进行了总结,总结了对我国流域生态保护修复工作的7点启示: ①建立和完善流域生态系统监测与评价指标体系; ②建立流域综合监测网络,进行全流域持续监测; ③建设流域生态信息平台,加强数据共享; ④以流域为单元开展生态状况调查和评估; ⑤建立和完善监测、评估、规划、实施循环体系; ⑥提升对流域生态系统的科学认知; ⑦加强流域协调治理,创新我国流域生态保护修复管理体系。旨在为我国广泛开展流域保护修复工作提供一个覆盖河源头至河口的流域监测与修复管理案例。     

Uncertainty analysis of HEC-HMS model using the GLUE method for flash flood forecasting of Mekerra watershed,Algeria

In this paper, the lumped quasi-distributed hydrological model HEC HMS is used to simulate the rainfall–runoff process of the Mekerra watershed, located in the northwest of Algeria. The model parameters’ uncertainty and the predictive intervals were evaluated with the generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) approach. According to the results, good simulations were obtained with different values of variables for many sets of parameters generated randomly by the Monte Carlo procedure, which is known as Equifinality. After the analysis, only the hydraulic conductivity at saturation parameter appears well defined, taking values within a limited range. In addition, results indicated that combinations of likelihood measures associated with multiple and different periods of observations reduce a posterior uncertainty of estimated parameters and predictive intervals in some degree. Overall, the GLUE analysis showed that there is a significant uncertainty associated with hydrological modelling of watershed Mekerra, to a great extent due to multiple sources of errors.     

黄河数字流域模型的建立和应用

黄河数字流域模型是“数字黄河”的重要组成部分,在数字流域模型框架下,以坡面为基本单元,建立了包括植被截留、融雪、地表蓄滞、表层土蓄滞、中层土蓄滞和深层土蓄滞共6层的产流模型.模型在垂向上考虑3层出流:地表超渗产流、表层土侧向渗流和中层土侧向渗流,既反映当前的降水过程,又体现前期降水过程和土壤前期含水量的影响,比较适合黄河流域的产流特点.在坡面产流的基础上,还给出了坡面单元侵蚀产沙公式,用于建立流域产沙数学模型.应用建立的模型,给出了3个计算实例:黄河全流域水量计算、小花区间汛期洪水模拟和多沙粗沙区产沙计算.实践表明:建立的模型基本具备了在黄河全流域进行降雨-径流模拟、侵蚀产沙计算的功能,辅以降雨预报模块则可进行洪水预报.     

Evolution of Mid-Atlantic Coastal and Back-Barrier Estuary Environments in Response to a Hurricane: Implications for Barrier-Estuary Connectivity

Assessments of coupled barrier island-estuary storm response are rare. Hurricane Sandy made landfall during an investigation in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor estuary that included water quality monitoring, geomorphologic characterization, and numerical modeling; this provided an opportunity to characterize the storm response of the barrier island-estuary system. Barrier island morphologic response was characterized by significant changes in shoreline position, dune elevation, and beach volume; morphologic changes within the estuary were less dramatic with a net gain of only 200,000 m³ of sediment. When observed, estuarine deposition was adjacent to the back-barrier shoreline or collocated with maximum estuary depths. Estuarine sedimentologic changes correlated well with bed shear stresses derived from numerically simulated storm conditions, suggesting that change is linked to winnowing from elevated storm-related wave-current interactions rather than deposition. Rapid storm-related changes in estuarine water level, turbidity, and salinity were coincident with minima in island and estuarine widths, which may have influenced the location of two barrier island breaches. Barrier-estuary connectivity, or the transport of sediment from barrier island to estuary, was influenced by barrier island land use and width. Coupled assessments like this one provide critical information about storm-related coastal and estuarine sediment transport that may not be evident from investigations that consider only one component of the coastal system.     

渭河源区典型小流域水沙演变规律分析

根据渭河源区清源河典型小流域实测水文资料,分析了流域水文要素的年内和年际变化规律,流域降水、径流和泥沙主要集中在汛期,5-9月降水量占全年的78.5%,5-10月径流占全年的78.7%,5-8月输沙量占全年的88.9%。受上游修建水库、水土保持等人类活动的影响,流域汛期径流和泥沙1997-2013年比1980-1996年均减少了5.9%。流域面平均降水量、平均流量、平均输沙量年际变化不稳定,总体呈减少趋势,序列最大可能变异点分别为1995年、1994年和1997年。建立了流域年降水量与年径流深、次降水量P+Pa与次径流深相关模型,相关系数达到0.902和0.860。以年最大洪峰流量为参数,分别建立了流域年径流量与年输沙量、次径流量与次输沙量关系模型,相关系数达到0.835和0.917,公式模拟值与实测值接近,误差较小,可以作为以径流推算泥沙的重要依据。通过定性定量分析人类活动对流域径流、泥沙的影响程度,对区域抗旱防洪减灾、水资源管理、小流域治理及生态环境保护具有重要意义。     

Sedimentation and Organic Carbon Burial in the Yangtze River and Hudson River Estuaries: Implications for the Global Carbon Budget

One of the most important challenges in global climate change research is balancing the carbon budget within the global carbon cycle. Carbon burial in sediments at the land–ocean interface has been difficult to quantify and model because it represents non-steady-state boundary conditions that are also affected by human activities. In this study, we document carbon burial rates in the Yangtze River (1.6–4.9 × 10¹² gC year^?1) and Hudson River (1.8–3.6 × 10¹⁰ gC year^?1) estuaries and integrate our results with carbon burial rates determined by others in the world’s 25 largest river-estuarine systems (6–11 × 10¹³ gC year^?1). Our results indicate that carbon burial in estuaries, bays, coves, lagoons, mud flats, marshes, mangroves, and other highly productive or protected low-energy areas at the land–ocean interface along the entirety of the world’s coastlines may serve as an unrecognized sink within the global carbon budget.     

Mineralogical and geochemical features of alluvial sediments from the Lobo watershed (Southern Cameroon): Implications for rutile exploration

This paper is focused on the morphological, mineralogical, and geochemical features of alluvial sediments from the Neoproterozoic Pan-African belt to explore rutile. The fine-grained sediments, which contain a large proportion of rutile, are made up of quartz, rutile, zircon, brookite, tourmaline, andalusite, and kyanite. The high SiO₂ and TiO₂ contents highlight the predominance of silica minerals in the alluvia from the humid tropical zone. La/Sc, La/Co, Th/Sc and Zr/Cr ratios reflect the contribution of felsic and mafic sources. The highest Ti contents, which occur at the outlet of the Lobo watershed, indicate the resistance of rutile. The REE distribution could be linked to the heavy mineral sorting. The low (La/Yb)_N ratios and high Zr contents are attributed to the high proportion of zircon. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns indicate high felsic sources, which are the regional rocks. Ultimately, the Yaoundé Group constitutes a favorable potential target for further rutile exploration.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Assessment of soil erosion using RUSLE and GIS: a case study of the Maotiao River watershed,Guizhou Province,China

Due to the existence of fragile karst geo-ecological environments, such as environments with extremely poor soil cover, low soil-forming velocity, and fragmentized terrain and physiognomy, as well as inappropriate and intensive land use, soil erosion is a serious problem in Guizhou Province, which is located in the centre of the karst areas of southwestern China; evaluation of soil loss and spatial distribution for conservation planning is urgently needed. This study integrated the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) with a GIS to assess soil loss and identify risk erosion areas in the Maotiao River watershed of Guizhou. Current land use/cover and management practices were evaluated to determine their effects on average annual soil loss and future soil conservation practices were discussed. Data used to generate the RUSLE factors included a Landsat Thematic Mapper image (land cover), digitized topographic and soil maps, and precipitation data. The results of the study compare well with the other studies and local data, and provide useful information for decision makers and planners to take appropriate land management measures in the area. It thus indicates the RUSLE–GIS model is a useful tool for evaluating and mapping soil erosion quantitatively and spatially at a larger watershed scale in Guizhou.     

Temporal and spatial patterns of trace elements in the Patuxent River: A whole watershed approach

Trace element distributions, partitioning, and speciation were examined at 15 sites in the Patuxent River watershed from May 1995 through October 1997 to determine possible sources of trace elements to the river and estuary, to examine the relationship of the trace element discharges to freshwater discharges as well as to land use and geographic region, to validate previous estimates of loadings to the river, and to provide baseline data for trace elements in the Patuxent River watershed and estuary. Six freshwater sites were examined, representing different basins and geographic provinces, and nine sites along the estuarine salinity gradient. Subregions within the watershed varied considerably in concentrations and areal yields for some elements. Concentrations of As, Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were elevated in the Coastal Plain sites compared to the Piedmont sites, while Cu and Hg were more evenly distributed. Cadmium, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn showed overall positive correlations with river flow while As and methylHg (meHg) showed negative correlations with river flow. Concentrations of trace elements in the estuarine portion of the river were generally low, and consistent with mixing between Patuxent River water with elevated concentrations and the lower concentrations of the Chesapeake Bay. Interesting features included a local Cd maximum in the low salinity region of the estuary, probably caused by desorption from suspended sediments, and a significant input of water containing high As concentrations from the Chesapeake Bay and from As being released from bottom sediments in summer. Comparisons between the estimated annual flux of trace elements and the estimates of suspected source terms (atmospheric deposition, urban runoff, and known point sources) suggest that, except for Hg, direct atmospheric deposition is small compared to fluvial loads. Current estimates of trace element inputs from point sources or from urban runoff are inadequate for comparison with other sources, because of inappropriate techniques and/or unacceptably high detection limits. A complete examination of trace element dynamics in the Patuxent River (and in other coastal systems) will require better data for these potential sources.     

Runoff simulations using water and energy balance equations in the lower reaches of the Heihe River, northwest China

Drinking water quality was investigated in seven rural villages surrounding Mount Kasigau in southeastern Kenya, where water is piped from unprotected dammed streams and springs in the Kasigau cloud forest down to taps, kiosks, and tanks in the villages. Analyses were conducted for nutrients, trace metals, and pathogen indicators in water from community taps, water stored in homes, and collection points along the pipelines up to catchment dams on the mountain. Water was relatively free from nutrient and trace-metal contamination; however, all samples were contaminated with total coliforms and nearly all were contaminated with Escherichia coli. There was no discernable pattern in the extent of contamination from the catchment dams to the villages. In each of three villages chosen for further study, six residents were selected for a more in-depth investigation. Water quality was generally worse in water stored in those homes compared to water collected at the village taps. The quality of drinking water in homes where treatment was applied was no better than in homes with no water treatment. The Kasigau villages, as many other areas in the developing world, need inexpensive and effective water treatment, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of sanitary and hygienic practices.     

Mainstem and Backwater Fish Assemblages in the Tidal Caloosahatchee River: Implications for Freshwater Inflow Studies

Research strategies for investigating the freshwater-inflow requirements of estuarine fishes often integrate life-history information and correlative analyses of inflow and fish abundance. In tidal rivers, however, some fish have affinities for embayments, oxbows, and smaller tributaries, often referred to collectively as river “backwaters”. The objective of this study was to determine whether freshwater and estuarine fish assemblages differed between backwaters and the mainstem of the tidal Caloosahatchee River, a highly managed river system located in an urban setting in southwest Florida. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling of 21.3-m seine data revealed that fish assemblages did indeed differ between the backwater and mainstem habitats in each of three river sections. Univariate analyses identified species that differed in abundance between the habitats, which included ecologically and economically important fishes in the region. For example, striped mullet Mugil cephalus and pinfish Lagodon rhomboides were more abundant along the river's mainstem; common snook Centropomus undecimalis and bluegill Lepomis macrochirus were more abundant in the river's backwaters. For those species that were more abundant along the mainstem of the river or showed no difference, studies that measure changes in the distribution and abundance of these species with varying inflow along the mainstem of the river are justified. However, for species that were more abundant in backwater areas, geomorphological features should be considered in the design of studies that assess factors affecting fish use.     

长江上游水系沉积物锶-钕同位素组成及物源示踪

泥沙资料表明,现代长江干流沉积物主要源自上游地区。因此,长江上游干支流沉积物主控关系及其源汇过程在长江水系沉积物物源示踪研究中极为重要。为探讨上述过程,详细测定了上游水系沉积物Sr-Nd同位素组成。结果显示,金沙江及闽江沉积物具有较高的εNd(0)值,主要受控于流域内大面积分布的峨眉山玄武岩的高εNd(0)背景值;嘉陵江水系沉积物具有相对较低的εNd(0)值,反映了其流域内源岩对沉积物Nd同位素组成的控制;与Nd同位素组成相比,水系沉积物87Sr/86Sr值具有更大的变化范围,表明除源岩因素外,沉积物Sr同位素组成受更为复杂的因素制约。支流与干流沉积物Sr-Nd同位素组成对比表明,长江上游干流沉积物主要来源于金沙江流域内的源岩,金沙江流域内的表壳岩系主导了上游干流沉积物的Sr-Nd同位素组成。     

Deep seismic reflection study over the Vindhyans of Rajasthan: Implications for geophysical setting of the basin

This paper presents results of high-resolution deep seismic reflection profiling of the Proterozoic Vindhyan basin of the Rajasthan area along the Chandli-Bundi-Kota-Kunjer profile. Seismic images have been used to estimate the thickness of Vindhyan strata as well as to understand the tectonic framework of the basin. The results are constrained by gravity, magnetic and magnetotelluric data. The study reveals gentle SE-dipping reflection bands representing the Vindhyan strata. The seismic sections depict gradual thickening of the Vindhyan succession towards southeast from Bundi. The velocities of the upper and lower Vindhyans are identified as 4.6-4.8 km/s and 5.1-5.3 km/s. The NW limit of the Vindhyan basin is demarcated by the Great Boundary Fault (GBF) that manifests as a 30 km wide NW dipping thrust fault extending to a depth of 30 km.     

珠江口盆地惠州凹陷转换体控沉-控储特性及其油气地质意义

构造转换带以其重要石油地质意义而受到学者们的广泛关注,尤其强调转换斜坡对大型砂体展布方向及堆积范围的控制.针对转换带及附近陡坡带的砂体及优质储层分布规律的复杂性,以惠州凹陷西南缘为例提出一种基于"转换体"概念的转换体优质砂体预测方法.相比于转换带,转换体研究变"带"为"体",是对转换带的扩充和深入.研究范围上,将转换斜坡带与断控陡坡纳为组合体,强调两者在三维立体组合下沉积体存在动态时空交互作用;研究内容上,以"构造-地貌-沉积-储层"思路来分析优质砂体的成因及演化.基于"转换体"的优质砂体预测方法,指出惠州26洼西南缘可划分出"锐角-直角-钝角"三类转换体模型,在不同类型转换体的构造-地貌格局下,陡坡和转换斜坡扇体间具有孤立-叠加-联控三类控沉效应,其对应储层物性逐渐变好.系统解析惠州凹陷转换体控沉-控储特性对完善转换体系框架有理论意义,同时可服务大中型油气田的勘探需求.     

Particle suspensions and their regions of effect in the Neuse River Estuary: Implications for water quality monitoring

Monitoring of estuarine condition depends on water quality parameters that have significant and interpretable ecological effects and can be assessed either in situ or via rapid laboratory techniques. Two commonly measured parameters are water column turbidity (NTU) and total suspended solids (TSS). Under certain conditions, either of these measures could represent a proxy for runoff and provide rapid, in situ measures to improve protection of the public by decreasing the time required to detect and monitor associated effects (e.g., reduced water clarity and eutrophication). The Neuse River Estuary (NRE) has experienced a decline in water quality due to anthropogenic inputs, including stormwater containing nutrient and particle loads. Water samples were collected from the NRE during both dry weather and storm events over 16 mo across the entire estuarine gradient. Particle size distributions, ratio of particulate organic carbon to nitrogen, chlorophylla (chla), TSS, and NTU were measured in each of these samples, with the data separated into regions based on salinity and depth of sample collection. Particle analyses were directed at identifying suspensions dominated by phytoplankton, runoff particles, or resuspended sediments. Particle size distributions for suspensions in Region I (all samples with salinity less than 2) varied little during sampling, resulting in a robust NTU-TSS relationship. This relationship confirmed the usefulness of turbidity as a measure of runoff and resuspension of recently deposited runoff in the upper NRE. Phytoplankton cells represented a majority of the particles in Region II (surface samples with salinity greater than 2), based on the close relationship between chla and total particle volume in these samples. Suspensions of large, nearly uniform diameter particles, which are likely aggregates and resuspended sediment, were observed in Region III (bottom samples with salinity greater than 2). Using these techniques as part of routine monitoring, particle suspension measures in different hydrographic regions of an estuary provide evidence useful for identifying the source and water quality consequences of particle suspensions (e.g., microbial contamination and algal blooms).     

Coastal changes along the coast of Vere, Jamaica over the past two hundred years: data from maps and air photographs

Analysis of air photographs and maps indicates complex patterns of shoreline changes along the south coast of Vere, Jamaica, between the mouths of the Rio Minho and Milk River. These include up to half a kilometre of shore-normal coastal recession between 1941 and 1991, the largest known shoreline change in Jamaica over the past 60 years. Previously, the coastline had been prograding seawards from a low cliff cut into the Rio Minho alluvial fan, in the process constructing a shore-parallel ridge and lagoon complex. The cliff itself is evidence of earlier coastal erosion. Maps published in 1804 and 1885 confirm the mobility of this coastline in historical times. They suggest that the more easterly complex of shore-parallel lagoons was constructed prior to about 1880, while the more recent, westerly beach ridges developed, at least partly, from progressive destruction of the lagoon complex, following a change in orientation of the Rio Minho mouth in the late 19th Century. Photographs of 1999 indicate the onset of accretion, probably resulting from the gradual onshore movement of massive quantities of sediment deposited off the Rio Minho mouth during the extreme flood event of 1986 and several lesser events in 1988 and the 1990s.     

GIS and SBF for estimating groundwater recharge of a mountainous basin in the Wu River watershed,Taiwan

The temporal and spatial distributions of precipitation are extremely uneven; so, careful management of water resources in Taiwan is crucial. The long-term overexploitation of groundwater resources poses a challenge to water resource management in Taiwan. However, assessing groundwater resources in mountainous basins is challenging due to limited information. In this study, a geographic information system (GIS) and stable base-flow (SBF) techniques were used to assess the characteristics of groundwater recharge considering the Wu River watershed in central Taiwan as a study area. First, a GIS approach was used to integrate five contributing factors: lithology, land cover/land use, lineaments, drainage, and slope. The weights of factors contributing to the groundwater recharge were obtained from aerial photos, geological maps, a land use database, and field verification. Second, the SBF was used to estimate the groundwater recharge in a mountainous basin scale. The concept of the SBF technique was to separate the base-flow from the total streamflow discharge in order to obtain a measure of groundwater recharge. The SBF technique has the advantage of integrating groundwater recharge across an entire basin without complex hydro-geologic modelling and detailed knowledge of the soil characteristics. In this study, our approach for estimating recharge provides not only an estimate of how much water becomes groundwater, but also explains the characteristics of a potential groundwater recharge zone.     

黄河共和-贵德段河流阶地对青藏高原东北缘晚期隆升的指示

实测黄河共和-贵德段4个河流阶地剖面,并对采自4个剖面的20个砂样进行了电子自旋共振波谱测年(ESR)。结果显示,T3～T9的形成时代分别为:0.134Ma B.P.、 0.176Ma B.P.、 0.228.1Ma B.P.、 0.41Ma B.P.、 0.82Ma B.P.、 0.93Ma B.P.、 1.32 Ma B.P., T11～T20阶地的形成时代分别为1.71Ma B.P.、 1.75Ma B.P.、 1.88Ma B.P.、 1.94Ma B.P.、 2.01Ma B.P.、 2.12Ma B.P.、 2.23Ma B.P.、 2.31Ma B.P.、 2.36Ma B.P.、 2.47 Ma B.P.。结合各级阶地拔河,综合分析共和-贵德河流阶地下蚀速率,探讨青藏高原东北缘第四纪以来隆升过程。认为青藏高原东北缘2.47Ma以来以阶段性隆升的模式隆升至现今高度,总隆升量为647m,平均隆升速率为0.26 mm/a,其中2.47～1.71 Ma期间,隆升速率约为0.51mm/a;1.71～0.41 Ma期间,构造隆升活动减缓,速率下降至约0.09mm/a;而0.41Ma之后隆升又开始加速至0.35mm/a。推断青藏高原东北缘祁连山地区在中新世中期之前海拔较低(小于2000m),中新世中晚期以来快速隆升了2000多米。