A Before–After–Control–Impact Analysis of the Effects of a Mississippi River Freshwater Diversion on Estuarine Nekton in Louisiana, USA

Since 1991, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion has been reintroducing Mississippi River water into a previously hydrologically isolated estuary in an effort to restore wetlands. To determine the effect of freshwater inflow on estuarine nekton community structure, a Before?CAfter?CControl?CImpact study design was applied. As a result of the opening, salinities in the impact area decreased, and the nekton community structure in the estuary changed significantly. Species of economical or ecological importance either increased in biomass or exhibited no response to the opening of the diversion. Higher abundances of small fish were observed in the area receiving freshwater flow, which is an indication that the area serves as a refuge from large marine predators. Because a salinity gradient was established, as opposed to a uniform but lower salinity regime, aquatic habitat was available to nekton species from a wide spectrum of salinity tolerances.     

Numerical modelling of installation effects for diaphragm walls in sand

The scopes of this work are to study the mechanisms of load transfer and the deformations of the ground during slurry trenching and concreting in dry sand and to evaluate their effects on service structural loads, wall deflections and ground displacements behind the wall caused by subsequent excavation. A series of three-dimensional finite element analyses was carried out modelling the installation of diaphragm walls consisting of panels of different length. The soil was modelled as either linearly elastic-perfectly plastic or incrementally non-linear (hypoplastic) with elastic strain range. Plane strain analyses of diaphragm walls of identical cross section were also carried out in which wall installation was either modelled or the wall was wished in place (WIP). The analyses predict ground movements consistent with the experimental observations both in magnitude and trend. The results also show that the maximum horizontal wall deflections and structural loads reduce with increasing panel aspect ratio towards a minimum which is about twice the value computed for WIP analyses. Panel aspect ratios should be larger than about three to take advantage of the three-dimensional effects. The pattern and magnitude of surface vertical displacements obtained from linearly elastic-perfectly plastic analyses, no matter whether three- or two-dimensional, are unrealistic.     

Coupling hydrogeological with surface runoff model in a Poltva case study in Western Ukraine

This paper presents the hydrological coupling of the software framework OpenGeoSys (OGS) with the EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Conceptual models include the Saint Venant equation for river flow, the 2D Darcy equations for confined and unconfined groundwater flow, a two-way hydrological coupling flux in a compartment coupling approach (conductance concept), and Lagrangian particles for solute transport in the river course. A SWMM river–OGS aquifer inter-compartment coupling flux is examined for discharging groundwater in a systematic parameter sensitivity analysis. The parameter study involves a small perturbation (first-order) sensitivity analysis and is performed for a synthetic test example base-by-base through a comprehensive range of aquifer parametrizations. Through parametrization, the test cases enables to determine the leakance parameter for simulating streambed clogging and non-ocillatory river-aquifer water exchange rates with the sequential (partitioned) coupling scheme. The implementation is further tested with a hypothetical but realistic 1D river–2D aquifer model of the Poltva catchment, where discharging groundwater in the upland area affects the river–aquifer coupling fluxes downstream in the river course (propagating feedbacks). Groundwater contribution in the moving river water is numerically determined with Lagrangian particles. A numerical experiment demonstrates that the integrated river–aquifer model is a serviceable and realistic constituent in a complete compartment model of the Poltva catchment.     

Uncertainties of geochemical modeling during CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> sequestration applying batch equilibrium calculations

One of the uncertainties in the field of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is caused by the parameterization of geochemical models. The application of geochemical models contributes significantly to calculate the fate of the CO₂ after its injection. The choice of the thermodynamic database used, the selection of the secondary mineral assemblage as well as the option to calculate pressure dependent equilibrium constants influence the CO₂ trapping potential and trapping mechanism. Scenario analyses were conducted applying a geochemical batch equilibrium model for a virtual CO₂ injection into a saline Keuper aquifer. The amount of CO₂ which could be trapped in the formation water and in the form of carbonates was calculated using the model code PHREEQC. Thereby, four thermodynamic datasets were used to calculate the thermodynamic equilibria. Furthermore, the equilibrium constants were re-calculated with the code SUPCRT92, which also applied a pressure correction to the equilibrium constants. Varying the thermodynamic database caused a range of 61% in the amount of trapped CO₂ calculated. Simultaneously, the assemblage of secondary minerals was varied, and the potential secondary minerals dawsonite and K-mica were included in several scenarios. The selection of the secondary mineral assemblage caused a range of 74% in the calculated amount of trapped CO₂. Correcting the equilibrium constants with respect to a pressure of 125 bars had an influence of 11% on the amount of trapped CO₂. This illustrates the need for incorporating sensitivity analyses into reaction pathway modeling.     

Engineering geological data in support of municipal land use planning—a case study in Analandia, southeast Brazil

This paper presents a method for transforming the information of an engineering geological map into useful information for non-specialists involved in land-use planning. The method consists of classifying the engineering geological units in terms of land use capability and identifying the legal and the geologic restrictions that apply in the study area. Both informations are then superimposed over the land use and a conflict areas map is created. The analysis of these data leads to the identification of existing and forthcoming land use conflicts and enables the proposal of planning measures on a regional and local scale. The map for the regional planning was compiled at a 1:50,000 scale and encompasses the whole municipal land area where uses are mainly rural. The map for the local planning was compiled at a 1:10,000 scale and encompasses the urban area. Most of the classification and operations on maps used spatial analyst tools available in the Geographical Information System. The regional studies showed that the greater part of Analandia’s territory presents appropriate land uses. The local-scale studies indicate that the majority of the densely occupied urban areas are in suitable land. Although the situation is in general positive, municipal policies should address the identified and expected land use conflicts, so that it can be further improved.     

Assessment to the potential mobility and toxicity of metals and metalloids in soils contaminated by old Sb–Au and As–Au mines (NW Portugal)

The main purpose of this study is to assess arsenic and antimony availability in soils, as well as Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn availability in soils derived from the schist–metagraywacke complex close to old Sb–Au mines and in soils developed from Ordovician slates and close to an old As–Au mine in Portugal. The availability was determined using a European certified sequential extraction procedure (BCR). The results demonstrated that metalloids are not readily bioavailable, because they are mainly associated with the residual fraction. Arsenic and antimony proportions in exchangeable fractions are up to 3 and 1%, respectively. However, arsenic is up to 24% in oxy-hydroxide fractions, while antimony is up to 4% in them, demonstrating the highest bioavailability of arsenic compared to that of antimony, as metalloids are weakly bound to the soils in that fraction. Therefore, arsenic tends to be more toxic than antimony in all soils studied. However, the pseudo-total contents show that both metalloids are above the Italian and Dutch guidelines. Therefore, if physico-chemical changes occur arsenic and antimony will show higher potential environmental risk than evidenced by Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn.     

Morphosedimentary analysis of the Limoeiro Stream (center-northern Minas Gerais State,Brazil): clues to the eastward tilting of southern Espinhaco range sites

The morphosedimentary evolution of a sector of the southern Espinhaco range (northern Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and its regional neotectonic setting are presented herein. The studied site is a stream at base level flowing along the western border of the range. Its identification was accomplished by using remote sensing techniques including the analysis of 3D slope models generated with shuttle radar topography mission images. The main geomorphological features of the identified site were surveyed in a 1:500 scale. In addition, seven stratigraphic logs are described. A regional geologic compilation and facies diagrams were used as a basis for the integration of the geomorphological and stratigraphic data, which produced some conclusions about the recent tectonic reactivations at the eastern border of Sao Francisco Craton. The results point to a local eastward tilting of the Espinhaco range. This fact is in accordance with previous findings in neighboring areas and results in the asymmetric evolution of the fluvial valley, as well as the regional relief.     

Analysis of aquifer vulnerability and water quality using SINTACS and geographic weighted regression

Aquifer vulnerability and water quality were assessed in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca (Mexico) using the SINTACS method, based on a geographic information system. SINTACS layers were prepared using data such as climate (rainfall and temperature), water table, hydraulic conductivity, geology, soil type and topographic model. Maps for water quality index (WQI), contamination index and pollution sources index (PSI) were also obtained by this work. Groundwater quality in the Central Valleys may be affected by two factors, those with an anthropogenic origin and those with natural origin. High vulnerability values are located in the valleys of the basin, where granular sediments are exposed. Low vulnerability values are distributed in the basin??s ranges, where metamorphic rocks are found. Given that many of the zones with the highest groundwater vulnerability values correspond to zones with the greatest PSI values, there is great risk of groundwater contamination for the area of study because external (indicated by PSI) and internal (indicated by SINTACS) factors that cause pollution can be frequently observed in the same place. Geographic weighted regression (GWR) is used to test the dependency between WQI as dependent variable and SINTACS, PSI, Urban localities, Agriculture, Pastures and Rivers as predictors. The results indicate the non-stationary behavior of the dependent variable with respect to the predictors. While the obtained GWR models used to model WQI cannot be used in practical situations to predict the behavior of said variable, they can be used to estimate the degree to which the predictors influence the variable of interest.