Web-based application for estimating water quality impacts due to environmental dredging

A Web-based dredge plume simulation software has been developed for estimating sediment transport and contaminant release from dredging operations. This application software comprises a near-field source model and far-field sediment transport model, combined with the settling analysis of flocculent particles. It is designed to run on all computing platforms with a standard Web browser and is accessible over the Internet. This paper describes its internal software structures and the major features of the application software. In addition, an example application of sediment transport in the Savannah River, GA, is included to illustrate typical input and output screens and to demonstrate the accuracy of the model. The water quality assessment software developed herein will greatly enhance the ability of the predictive tool for estimating sediment transport and resuspension during dredging operations.     

Using the geologic setting of talc deposits as an indicator of amphibole asbestos content

This study examined commercial talc deposits in the U.S. and their amphibole-asbestos content. The study found that the talc-forming environment directly influenced the amphibole and amphibole-asbestos content of the talc deposit. Large talc districts in the U.S. have mined hydrothermal talcs that replaced dolostone. Hydrothermal talcs, created by siliceous fluids heated by magmas at depth, consistently lack amphiboles as accessory minerals. In contrast, mineable talc deposits that formed by contact or regional metamorphism consistently contain amphiboles, locally as asbestiform varieties. Examples of contact metamorphic deposits occur in Death Valley, California; these talc-tremolite deposits contain accessory amphibole-asbestos. Talc bodies formed by regional metamorphism always contain amphiboles, which display a variety of compositions and habits, including asbestiform. Some industrial mineral deposits are under scrutiny as potential sources of accessory asbestos minerals. Recognizing consistent relations between the talc-forming environment and amphibole-asbestos content may be used in prioritizing remediation or monitoring of abandoned and active talc mines.     

Geostatistical analysis of soil moisture measurements and remotely sensed data at different spatial scales

The European remote sensing satellite (ERS-2) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data was used for temporal monitoring of soil moisture at Sukhothai, Thailand. Higher correlations were found between the observed soil moisture and the radar backscattering coefficient. The soil moisture distribution shows great variation in space and time due to its stochastic nature. In order to obtain a better understanding of the nature and causes of spatial variation of soil moisture, the extensive soil moisture measurements observed in Thailand and also remotely sensed ERS-2 SAR data were used for geostatistical analysis. The observed soil moisture shows seasonal variations with mean varying from 3.33 %v/v (dry season) to 33.44 %v/v (wet season). The spatial geostatistical structure also shows clear seasonal variations in the geostatistical characteristics such as range and sill. The sills vary from 1.00 (%v/v)² for the driest day to 107.57 (%v/v)² for one of the wet days. The range or the correlation lengths varies between 46.5 and 149.8 m for the wettest and driest periods. The nugget effect does not show strong seasonal pattern or trend but the dry periods usually have a smaller nugget effect than the wet periods. The spherical variogram model fits the sample variograms very well in the case of soil moisture observations while the exponential model fits those of the remotely sensed data. The ranges observed from the observed soil moisture data and remotely sensed data at the same resolution are very similar. Resolution degradation affects the geostatistical structure of the data by reducing the sills, and increasing the ranges.     

Soil erosion assessment and its verification using the Universal Soil Loss Equation and Geographic Information System: a case study at Boun,Korea

This study is aimed at the evaluation of the hazard of soil erosion and its verification at Boun, Korea, using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing. Precipitation, topographic, soil, and land use data were collected, processed, and constructed into a spatial database using GIS and remote sensing data. Areas that had suffered soil erosion were analysed and mapped using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The factors that influence soil erosion are rainfall erosivitiy (R) from the precipitation database, soil erodibility (K) from the soil database, slope length and steepness (LS) from the topographic database, and crop and management (C) and conservation supporting practices (P) from the land use database. Land use was classified from Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite images. The soil erosion map verified use of the landslide location data. Landslide locations were identified in the Boun area from interpretation of aerial photographs and field surveys.     

Environmental impact of drainage of Dianzi Iron Mine on the groundwater system of the Dawu Water Supply Base

Due to growing water extraction for industry and agriculture, the Dawu Water Supply Base, in the east of Zibo, China, has been in a state of serious over-extraction. It will also be affected by the deep drainage of the Dianzi Iron Mine, which will be exploited in 2005. As to the environmental impact on the groundwater system of the Dawu Water Supply Base is concerned, this paper makes a systematic study about the influence of the mine draining on the water-supply environment of the Dawu Water Supply Base by using the numerical model of groundwater system. The result shows that the groundwater level will have an additional drawdown of 1.2–1.8 m/yr by the mine draining alone. The numerical analysis results indicate that the optimal model for determining the best extraction plan is the solution for the contradiction between water supply and water drainage.     

The extent of desertification on Saudi Arabia

Desertification is the process that turns productive deserts into non-productive deserts as a result of poor land-management. Desertification reduces the ability of land to support life, affecting wild species, domestic animals, agricultural crops and humans. The reduction in plant cover that accompanies desertification leads to accelerated soil erosion by wind and water. South Africa is losing approximately 300–400 million tons of topsoil every year. As vegetation cover and soil layer are reduced, rain fall impact and run-off increases. This paper discusses the extent of desertification, its potential threat to sustained irrigated agriculture and possible measures adopted to control ongoing desertification processes to minimize the loss of agricultural productivity in an arid country such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.     

Composition and exhalation flux of gases from mud volcanoes in Taiwan

Many mud volcanoes are distributed along the tectonic sutures in southern Taiwan and can be divided into five zones based on their relative positions in different tectonic domains. Most active mud volcanoes are exhaling methane-dominated gases. Nevertheless, some gases show unusual carbon dioxide-dominated and/or nitrogen-excess compositions. This implies that there are multiple sources for the gas compositions of mud volcanoes in Taiwan.For better understanding the total amount of exhalation gases and its flux, the gas flow and compositions were continuously measured in the interval of two minutes at Chung-lun (CL) bubbling mud pool for a few months. The major compositions of gases exhaling from this site were 75~90% of CO₂ and 5~12% of CH₄. The amount of gases exhaling from the mud pool can be estimated to be about 1.4 ton/year for CH₄ and 28 ton/year for CO₂, respectively. The preliminary results of exhaling gas flux from the major vents of representative active mud volcanoes, yielded an estimated total CH₄ output of the mud volcanoes in Taiwan of ca. 29 ton/year during quiescent period.     

A new estimate of global methane flux from onshore and shallow submarine mud volcanoes to the atmosphere

A new estimate of global methane emission into the atmosphere from mud volcanoes (MVs) on land and shallow seafloor is presented. The estimate, considered a lower limit, is based on 1) new direct measurements of flux, including both venting of methane and diffuse microseepage around craters and vents, and 2) a classification of MV sizes in terms of area (km²) based on a compilation of data from 120 MVs. The methane flux to the atmosphere is conservatively estimated between 6 and 9 Mt y^–1. This emission from MVs is 3–6% of the natural methane sources and is comparable with ocean and hydrate sources, officially considered in the atmospheric methane budget. The total geologic source, including MVs, seepage from seafloor, microseepage in hydrocarbon-prone areas and geothermal sources, would amount to 35–45 Mt y^–1. The authors believe it is time to add this parameter in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change official tables of atmospheric methane sources.GEM     

A field evaluation of enhanced reductive dechlorination of chlorinated solvents in groundwater,New York Metropolitan Area

An initial assessment of an old manufacturing site with groundwater impacted by trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in the metropolitan New York area showed that the TCE was being removed naturally by reductive dechlorination. However, complete dechlorination was not expected at the site because the process was progressing too slowly under transitional to aerobic conditions at a degradation constant of –0.0013 and a TCE half life of 533 days. A pilot test was conducted at the site in which a carbohydrate substrate (molasses) was injected into the groundwater to create an In-Situ Reactive Zone (IRZ). Post-pilot test groundwater sampling and analysis indicated that an IRZ was created successfully as the total organic carbon (TOC) content and conductivity increased significantly while oxidation-reduction (REDOX) potential and dissolved oxygen (DO) decreased. The created IRZ caused enhanced reductive dechlorination of TCE at the site, found to proceed with a degradation constant of –0.0158 and a TCE half life of 44 days.     

Trace elements in medium-temperature (40–80 °C) thermal waters from the Mura basin (North-Eastern Slovenia)

Medium-temperature thermal waters in the Mura basin occur in hydrogeological systems different in age, burial depth, temperature, porosity and permeability, and the presence of free carbon dioxide which penetrates through the fractures from pre-Tertiary basement. The waters commonly belong to sodium-bicarbonate hydrogeochemical facies, but may have significantly different amounts of total dissolved solids, including trace elements. Thermal waters occurring in low-permeable, well-compacted and moderately fractured Tertiary sediments older than Upper Pliocene are the richest in trace elements, although their abundance may be very variable from one aquifer to another. The ratios of major alkaline and alkaline earth elements (Na, K, Ca) and trace elements (Li, Rb, Cs, Ba, Sr) commonly show relative enrichment in highly mineralised waters with respect to the waters with lower mineralisation. Rare earth elements (REEs) and Y show only minor fractionation in the highly mineralised waters, whereas in the waters with lower mineralisation strong fractionation of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) over light rare earth elements (LREEs) occurs, along with a pronounced positive europium anomaly. Positive Th/U ratios are commonly observed, although both actinide elements occur in the range of some hundredths of ppb to some ppb. Trace elements were particularly useful in the study of well cycling in two hydraulically interconnected geothermal wells in the town of Murska Sobota, which produce a mixture of low- and high-mineralised waters.