Urban stormwater quality I. Hillcrest,Hamilton, New Zealand

Water quality parameters associated with siltation (non‐volatile and volatile suspended solids), oxygen depletion (chemical and biochemical oxygen demand), nutrient enrichment (N, P), toxicity (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Cd), and human pathogenic micro‐organisms (coliforms, faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci) were measured in baseflow and stormflow from a residential catchment in Hamilton, New Zealand, from November 1979 to December 1981. A macro‐invertebrate survey was conducted. All parameters, except nitrogen, were predominantly associated with particulate material, and closely followed suspended solids behaviour during storm runoff. The concentrations of these particulate parameters are linearly related to suspended solid concentrations, which implies a reasonable consistency in the particulate source material, probably attributable to the uniform stable land use. The runoff was enriched with nitrate (from septic tank seepage) and the particles by Zn, Pb, and Cu. There was little or no enrichment of the particulates with phosphorus, nitrogen, organic matter, Cr, or Ni relative to catchment soils. Ni, Cr, and Cd were generally below detection limits. Dissolved reactive phosphorus and NH₄ ⁺‐N levels were low and unimportant in total P or N leaving the catchment. Most organic matter was particulate and only slowly degraded, and consequently the biological oxygen demand was only a small fraction (c. 13%) of chemical oxygen demand. Interpretation of the water quality data allows some tentative predictions to be made of potential receiving water impacts. It is doubtful that urban runoff will cause significant oxygen depletion, although the high level of organic‐rich particulate material could lead to a deterioration of receiving water sediments and affect benthic invertebrates. Urban runoff may be an important source of nutrients, but (apart from nitrate) its importance depends on the amount of suspended material in the runoff rather than increased input of nutrients from urban‐related activities. Bacterial counts indicate a poor water quality. The impact of metals will depend largely on the bioavailability of the particulate‐bound fraction. The key to the understanding of transport, treatment, and impact of most potential pollutants in urban runoff is probably their association with particulate materials.     

Long-term pan evaporation observations as a resource to understand the water cycle trend: case studies from Australia

Abstract

Acceleration of the global water cycle over recent decades remains uncertain because of the high inter-annual variability of its components. Observations of pan evaporation (E_pan), a proxy of potential evapotranspiration (ET_p), may help to identify trends in the water cycle over long periods. The complementary relationship (CR) states that ET_p and actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) depend on each other in a complementary manner, through land–atmosphere feedbacks in water-limited environments. Using a long-term series of E_pan observations in Australia, we estimated monthly ET_a by the CR and compared our estimates with ET_a measured at eddy covariance Fluxnet stations. The results confirm that our approach, entirely data-driven, can reliably estimate ET_a only in water-limited conditions. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that ET_a did not show any significant trend in the last 30 years, while short-term analysis may indicate a rapid climate change that is not perceived in a long-term perspective.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor D. Gerten

Citation Lugato, E., Alberti, G., Gioli. B., Kaplan, J.O., Peressotti, A., and Miglietta, F., 2013. Long-term pan evaporation observations as a resource to understand the water cycle trend: case studies from Australia. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (6), 1287–1296.     

Identification of buried sinkholes using refraction tomography at Ft. Campbell Army Airfield,Kentucky

Karst aquifers are highly susceptible to contamination, with numerous points of entry for contaminants through recharge features such as sinkholes, swallow holes and solutionally enlarged fractures. These recharge features may be filled or obscured at the surface, requiring the use of geophysical or remote sensing techniques for their identification. This study uses seismic refraction data collected at the Ft. Campbell Army Airfield (CAAF), Kentucky, USA, to test the hypothesis that refraction tomography is a useful tool for imaging bedrock depressions beneath thick overburden (greater than 20 m of unconsolidated sediment). Southeast of the main taxiway of CAAF seismic velocity tomograms imaged a bedrock low, possibly a closed depression, at a depth of 25 m that had been earlier identified through delay-time analysis of the same refraction data. Tomography suggests the bedrock low is about 250-m wide by 10-m deep at its widest point. High rates of contaminant vapor extraction over the western extension of this feature suggest a high concentration of contaminants above, and within, this filled bedrock low, the base of which may contain solutionally enlarged fractures (i.e. karst conduits) that could funnel these contaminants to the upper or lower bedrock aquifers. This study thus demonstrates the viability of seismic refraction tomography as a tool for identification of filled sinkholes and bedrock depressions in karst areas.     

Cloud drop spectra at different levels and with respect to cloud thickness and rain

Measurements on drop size were made in cumulus clouds over Pune (inland region) during the summer monsoon seasons. In this paper, the measurements of the cloud drop spectra made in non-raining clouds at different levels and for different thickness have been studied. Also, those on the days with rain and with no rain (the rain being observed within the clouds) have been compared. The average spectra broadened with height. The concentration of drops >50 μm (N_L), liquid water content (LWC), mean volume diameter (MVD) and dispersion increased with height. The concentration of drops <20 μm (N_S) and total concentration (N_T) decreased with height. The spectra were broader, while N_S and N_T are smaller and the other parameters are greater for thicker clouds as compared to those for thinner. The spectra were broader, while N_S and N_T are smaller and the other parameters are greater on the days with rain with respect to those on the days with no rain. The distributions were bimodal at higher levels, for thicker clouds and on the days with rain, while they were unimodal at lower levels, for thinner clouds and on the days with no rain. The variations of the cloud drop spectra, preceding rain, at initial stage of rain and following rain are discussed.     

1975-2006年西藏羊卓雍错流域内湖泊水位变化对气候变化的响应

根据1975年地形图、1988年至2006年的TM、CBERS卫星遥感资料和1962-2006年逐年平均气温、降水量、蒸发量、相对湿度、风速和日照时数等气象资料以及1974-2005年的湖泊水位水文资料,对西藏羊卓雍错及其流域内的空姆错、沉错和巴纠错等4个湖泊的水位变化以及对气候变化的响应作了分析.结果表明:该区湖泊面积在近30 a来呈缓慢下降趋势,2005年与1975年相比,分别减少了46.55 km2、1.73km2、0.03 km2、6.01 km2,减少幅度分别为7.2%、4.3%、0.1%、13.6%.其主要原因是,由于羊卓雍错的湖水主要以降水补给为主,在降水增加、气温上升的情况下由于升温引起的湖泊蒸发效应超过降水增加导致的补给影响,是湖泊面积下降的主要原因.     

塔里木盆地北部油气运移二维二相数值模拟分析

油气运移和聚集过程实际上是油（气）水饱和度知疏导层的变化过程，盆地中油（气）二相流动问题的研究就是对这一过程的定量描述，本项研究是在前人工作基础上，考察压实作用造成骨架变形来推导新的二维二相流动方程，它容描述异常压力演化与二相流动于一式，在模拟方法上采用有限分析的数值方法，这应用于新疆塔里木盆地北部地区，展示了该区异常压力、含水饱和度弥散状扩散效应以及流速场在地质历史时期动态模拟演化特征；指出了该     

深海沉积物分类与命名的参数指标和主成分分析

对于南海中部(118个表层沉积物样,水深82~4 420 m)、东部(106个表层沉积物样,水深700~4 508 m)海域的表层沉积物的粒度资料按小于200 m,200~2 000 m,大于2 000 m水深段对水深、平均粒径、黏土含量进行统计分析,结果表明从陆架到陆坡再到深海,平均粒径和黏土含量随水深增加呈非常有规律的变化;把大于2 000 m水深区域再细分为大于2 500 m,大于3 000 m,大于3 500 m,结果表明平均粒径和黏土含量随水深增加几乎无变化,在南海中部水深大于2 000 m海域平均粒径为3.39~3.54μm,黏土平均含量为54.91%~55.47%;在南海东部水深大于2 000 m海域平均粒径为3.25~3.37μm,黏土平均含量为53.91%~54.56%。研究表明2 000 m水深具有划分深海沉积物的指示意义。南海中部水深大于2 000 m海域黏土平均含量为55.19%,平均粒径为3.39μm;在南海东部水深大于2 000 m海域黏土平均含量为53.91%,平均粒径为3.37μm;在南海中部、东部水深大于2 000 m海域平均粒径均小于4μm,黏土平均含量均大于50%,表明深海沉积物粒度特征是平均粒径小于4μm和黏土平均含量大于50%。黏土含量是非生物组分的代表和划分深海沉积物类型的一个独立参数,钙质生物和硅质生物组分是另外两个独立参数。南海东部海域表层沉积物中55种元素总含量为47.50%,硅、铝、钛、钠、钾、磷、钙、镁、铁、锰十种主元素含量为47.03%,其他45种元素含量为0.47%,虽然沉积物来源复杂、成因不同,但沉积物化学主成分并不复杂,主要由前10种主元素和氧元素组成。沉积物主元素铝、钙、硅分别富集于黏土、钙质沉积、硅质沉积中。通过建立沉积物生源组分与碳酸钙、三氧化二铝、二氧化硅的量化关系,可把碳酸钙、生物二氧化硅作为钙质生物和硅质生物的两个替代参数。     

THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF SOIL TILLAGE AND OVERLAND FLOW EROSION TO SOIL REDISTRIBUTION ON AGRICULTURAL LAND

This study uses evidence for the long-term (35 years) pattern of soil redistribution within two agricultural fields in the UK to identify the relative importance of tillage and overland flow erosion. Spatially distributed long-term total soil redistribution data for the fields (Dalicott Farm and Rufford Forest Farm) were obtained using the caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) technique. These data were compared with predicted patterns of soil redistribution. Recent studies have demonstrated that the redistribution of soil by tillage may be described as a diffusive process. A two-component model was, therefore, developed which accounts for soil redistribution by both overland flow and diffusive processes. Comparison of the predicted patterns of overland flow erosion alone with the observed (¹³⁷Cs-derived) data indicated a poor agreement (r² = 0.17 and 0.11). In contrast, a good agreement exists between the predicted pattern of diffusive redistribution and the observed data (r² = 0.43 and 0.41). These results give a clear indication that diffusive processes are dominant in soil redistribution within these fields. Possible diffusive processes include splash erosion, soil creep and tillage. However, the magnitude of the diffusion coefficients for the optimum predicted pattern (c. 350–400 kg m⁻¹ a⁻¹) demonstrates that tillage is the only process capable of explaining the very significant soil redistribution which is indicated by the ¹³⁷Cs data. Consideration is given to the implications of these results for both soil erosion prediction and landscape interpretation.     

Determination of background concentrations of hydrochemical parameters and water quality assessment in the Akhuryan River Basin (Armenia)

The determination of background values of hydrochemical parameters, to distinguish between natural concentration and anthropogenically-influenced concentrations, is highly relevant. In presented study, to estimate the background values of hydrochemical parameters in Akhuryan River Basin, log-normal probability functions on the hydrochemical parameters concentrations was applied. The study is carried out on the basis of hydrochemical data of surface water quality monitoring for the period of 2010–2013. This study highlights the usefulness of application of site-specific background concentrations for the evaluation, interpretation of surface water quality and for determination of pollution sources.