Non‐point source pollution estimation using a modified approach

Non‐point source (NPS) pollution from agricultural land is increasing exponentially in many countries of the world, including India. A modified approach based on the conservation of mass and reaction kinetics has been derived to estimate the inflow of non‐point source pollutants from a river reach. Two water quality variables, namely, nitrate (NO₃) and ortho‐phosphate (o‐PO₄), which are main contributors as non‐point source pollution, were monitored at four locations of River Kali, western Uttar Pradesh, India, and used for calibration and validation of the model. Extensive water quality sampling was done with a total of 576 field data sets collected during the period from March 1999 to February 2000. Remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) techniques were used to obtain land use/land cover of the region, digital elevation model (DEM), delineation of basin area contributing to non‐point source pollution at each sampling location and drainage map. The results obtained from a modified approach were compared with the existing mass‐balance equations and distributed modelling, and the performances of different equations were evaluated using error estimation viz. standard error, normal mean error, mean multiplicative error and correlation statistics. The developed model for the River Kali minimizes error estimates and improves correlation between observed and computed NPS loads. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mass-size distribution of PM10 and its characterization of ionic species in fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10−2.5) mode, New Delhi, India

Size distribution of PM₁₀ mass aerosols and its ionic characteristics were studied for 2 years from January 2006 to December 2007 at central Delhi by employing an 8-stage Andersen Cascade Impactor sampler. The mass of fine (PM_2.5) and coarse (PM_10?2.5) mode particles were integrated from particle mass determined in different stages. Average concentrations of mass PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were observed to be 306 ± 182 and 136 ± 84 μg m^?3, respectively, which are far in excess of annual averages stipulated by the Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PM₁₀: 60 μg m^?3 and PM_2.5: 40 μg m^?3). The highest concentrations of PM_10?2.5 (coarse) and PM_2.5 (fine) were observed 505 ± 44 and 368 ± 61 μg m^?3, respectively, during summer (June 2006) period, whereas the lower concentrations of PM_10?2.5 (35 ± 9 μg m^?3) and PM_2.5 (29 ± 13 μg m^?3) were observed during monsoon (September 2007). In summer, because of frequent dust storms, coarse particles are more dominant than fine particles during study period. However, during winter, the PM_2.5 contribution became more pronounced as compared to summer probably due to enhanced emissions from anthropogenic activities, burning of biofuels/biomass and other human activities. A high ratio (0.58) of PM_2.5/PM₁₀ was observed during winter and low (0.24) during monsoon. A strong correlation between PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 (r ² = 0.93) was observed, indicating that variation in PM₁₀ mass is governed by the variation in PM_2.5. Major cations (NH₄ ⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺) and anions (F^?, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^?) were analyzed along with pH. Average concentrations of SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^? were observed to be 12.93 ± 0.98 and 10.33 ± 1.10 μg m^?3, respectively. Significant correlation between SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^? in PM_1.0 was observed indicating the major sources of secondary aerosol which may be from thermal power plants located in the southeast and incomplete combustion by vehicular exhaust. A good correlation among secondary species (NH⁺, NO₃ ^? and SO₄ ^2?) suggests that most of NH₄ ⁺ is in the form of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate in the atmosphere. During winter, the concentration of Ca²⁺ was also higher; it may be due to entrainment of roadside dust particles, traffic activities and low temperature. The molar ratio (1.39) between Cl^? and Na⁺ was observed to be close to that of seawater (1.16). The presence of higher Cl^? during winter is due to western disturbances and probably local emission of Cl^? due to fabric bleaching activity in a number of export garment factories in the proximity of the sampling site.     

Flood estimation in Mahanadi river system,India using partial duration series

Flood frequency analysis is a pre-requisite for setting up and safeguarding of many hydraulic structures, such as dams, barrages, check-dams, culverts and urban drainage systems. In the flood frequency analysis, partial duration series (PDS) may be considered when dealing with values exceeding certain limits causing floods. In fact, the PDS is capable of getting more information about extreme events than the annual maximum series (AMS). Additionally, an assumption that, the magnitude of the extreme events of a PDS is best described by a generalized Pareto (GP) distribution. The present work investigates the at-site flood frequency analysis to find the average number of peaks (λ) for modelling the PDS on the basis of the PDS/GP assumption and variability in the GP parameters coupled with the quantile estimation with an increase in the value of average number of peaks (λ) each year in the Mahanadi river system, Odisha, India. Also, to verify the PDS/GP assumption we tested seven different frequency distributions (Exponential, Gumbel, logistics, generalized extreme value (GEV), Lognormal (LN), generalized logistics (GL) and Pearson Type 3). Extensive daily discharge data collected from 23 gauging sites were used for the analysis. The results indicate precision and stability of GP distribution parameters for λ?=?4 for almost all the discharge sites. The peak flood estimated for various return periods in the Mahanadi river system using GP distribution is endowed with high correlation statistics for this λ value.     

Shear Wave Velocity Estimates through Combined Use of Passive Techniques in a Tectonically Active Area

We made an attempt to assess the shear wave velocity values V _S and, to a lesser extent, the V _P values from ambient noise recordings in an array configuration. Five array sites were situated in the close proximity to borehole sites. Shear wave velocity profiles were modeled at these five array sites with the aid of two computational techniques, viz. spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) and H/V ellipticity. Out of these five array sites, velocity estimates could be reliably inferred at three locations. The shear wave velocities estimated by these methods are found to be quite consistent with each other. The computed V _S values up to 30 m depth are in the range from 275 to 375 m/s in most of the sites, which implies prevalence of a low velocity zone at some pocket areas. The results were corroborated by evidence of site geology as well as geotechnical information.     

Imaging of sand lens at a barrage site in the Indian Himalaya — a case study using cross-hole seismic tomography

Drilling at the barrage site of a hydropower project usually gives a reasonable picture of the sub-surface rock mass condition. However, when the overburden (OB) comprising river borne materials is very thick and the basement rock is deep, the drilling results become unreliable. In the present case, the depth to the granitic gneiss basement is 45m from the river level and the height of the proposed diversion barrage is only 24.5 m. For this reason, stripping of the overburden up to the basement is not considered feasible. Cross-borehole seismic tomography (CST) was carried out at the barrage site to investigate the inclusions and structure of the OB material in order to facilitate a foundation design suitable for permeable formation. Three sets of CST surveys were carried out up to a depth of 30 m between the three vertical boreholes that were prepared at the vertices of an equilateral triangle with a separation of 17.8 m. The tomograms precisely imaged the nature and disposition of the different constituents of the overburden material. A lens shaped low velocity layer (LVL) with seismic velocity V_p=2000–2500 ms^?1 was mapped at a depth of 14.5m from the surface. Hence, it was recommended to shift the barrage axis by 50 m towards the downstream side of the proposed axis. The outcome of this study proved valuable for the designer who finalised the foundation design. Successful application of CST in OB characterisation has reiterated the need of such studies for barrage site investigations particularly in the Himalayan terrain.     

MHD free-convection and mass-transform flow through a porous medium

The effect of a uniform transverse magnetic field on the free-convection and mass-transform flow of an electrically-conducting fluid past an infinite vertical plate for uniformly accelerated motion of the plate through a porous medium is discussed. The magnetic lines of force are assumed to be fixed relative to the plate. Expression for the velocity field and skin-friction are obtained by the Laplace transform technique. The influence of the various parameters, entering into the problem, on the velocity field and skin-friction is extensively discussed.     

Evaluation of the Soil Conservation Service curve number methodology using data from agricultural plots

The Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method, also known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service curve number (NRCS-CN) method, is popular for computing the volume of direct surface runoff for a given rainfall event. The performance of the SCS-CN method, based on large rainfall (P) and runoff (Q) datasets of United States watersheds, is evaluated using a large dataset of natural storm events from 27 agricultural plots in India. On the whole, the CN estimates from the National Engineering Handbook (chapter 4) tables do not match those derived from the observed P and Q datasets. As a result, the runoff prediction using former CNs was poor for the data of 22 (out of 24) plots. However, the match was little better for higher CN values, consistent with the general notion that the existing SCS-CN method performs better for high rainfall–runoff (high CN) events. Infiltration capacity (fc) was the main explanatory variable for runoff (or CN) production in study plots as it exhibited the expected inverse relationship between CN and fc. The plot-data optimization yielded initial abstraction coefficient (λ) values from 0 to 0.659 for the ordered dataset and 0 to 0.208 for the natural dataset (with 0 as the most frequent value). Mean and median λ values were, respectively, 0.030 and 0 for the natural rainfall–runoff dataset and 0.108 and 0 for the ordered rainfall–runoff dataset. Runoff estimation was very sensitive to λ and it improved consistently as λ changed from 0.2 to 0.03.