Meso-scale testing and development of test procedures to maintain mass balance

The Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (Texas A&M University––Corpus Christi) has conducted numerous petroleum experiments at the Shoreline Environmental Research Facility (Corpus Christi, Texas, USA). The meso-scale facility has multiple wave tanks, permitting some control in experimental design of the investigations, but allowing for real-world conditions. This paper outlines the evolution of a materials balance approach in conducting petroleum experiments at the facility. The first attempt at a materials balance was during a 1998 study on the fate/effects of dispersant use on crude oil. Both water column and beach sediment samples were collected. For the materials balance, the defined environmental compartments for oil accumulation were sediments, water column, and the water surface, while the discharge from the tanks was presumed to be the primary sink. The “lessons learned” included a need to quantify oil adhesion to the tank surfaces. This was resolved by adhering strips of the polymer tank lining to the tank sides that could be later removed and extracted for oil. Also, a protocol was needed to quantify any floating oil on the water surface. A water surface (oil slick) quantification protocol was developed, involving the use of solid-phase extraction disks. This protocol was first tested during a shoreline cleaner experiment, and later refined in subsequent dispersant effectiveness studies. The effectiveness tests were designed to simulate shallow embayments which created the need for additional adjustments in the tanks. Since dispersant efficacy is largely affected by hydrodynamics, it was necessary to scale the hydrodynamic conditions of the tanks to those expected in our prototype system (Corpus Christi Bay, Texas). The use of a scaled model permits the experiment to be reproduced and/or evaluated under different conditions. To minimize wave reflection in the tank, a parabolic wave dissipater was built. In terms of materials balance, this design reduced available surface area as a sink for oil adsorption.     

Ecohydrological change mechanism of a rainfed revegetation ecosystem at southeastern edge of Tengger desert,Northwest China

Study is made on a 45 km-long artificial ecosystem without irrigation in Tengger desert on the basis of long-term ecological monitoring and ecohydrological fundamentals.Changes in water allocation, utilization, cycle and balance patterns in more than 40-year evolution of the soil-plant system are analyzed. The formation of a drought horizon in shrub rhizosphere and its effect, ecohydrological function of the crust and its effect on the soil-plant system change are discussed. Driven by water self-regulation and water stress, the soil-plant system is going to develop towards the steppe desert to ensure more effective use and optimum collocation of water resource.     

Deducing the spatial variability of exchange within a longitudinal channel water balance

Developing an appropriate data collection scheme to infer stream–subsurface interactions is not trivial due to the spatial and temporal variability of exchange flowpaths. Within the context of a case study, this paper presents the results from a number of common data collection techniques ranging from point to reach scales used in combination to better understand the spatial complexity of subsurface exchanges, infer the hydrologic conditions where individual influences of hyporheic and groundwater exchange components on stream water can be characterized, and determine where gaps in information arise. We start with a tracer‐based, longitudinal channel water balance to quantify hydrologic gains and losses at a sub‐reach scale nested within two consecutive reaches. Next, we look at groundwater and stream water surface levels, shallow streambed vertical head gradients, streambed and aquifer hydraulic conductivities, water chemistry, and vertical flux rates estimated from streambed temperatures to provide more spatially explicit information. As a result, a clearer spatial understanding of gains and losses was provided, but some limitations in interpreting results were identified even when combining information collected over various scales. Due to spatial variability of exchanges and areas of mixing, each technique frequently captured a combination of groundwater and hyporheic exchange components. Ultimately, this study provides information regarding technique selection, emphasizes that care must be taken when interpreting results, and identifies the need to apply or develop more advanced methods for understanding subsurface exchanges. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The groundwater recharge regime of some slightly metamorphosed neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks: an application of natural environmental tracers

Isotope data of precipitation and groundwater in parts of the Voltaian Basin in Northern Ghana were used to explain the groundwater recharge regime in the area. Groundwater recharge is an important parameter in the development of a decision support system for the management and efficient utilization of groundwater resources in the area. It is therefore important to establish the processes and sources of groundwater recharge. δ¹⁸O and δ²H data for local precipitation suggest enrichment relative to the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) and indicate that precipitation takes place at a relative humidity less than 100%. The groundwater data plot on an evaporation line with a slope of 5, suggesting a high degree of evaporative enrichment of the precipitation in the process of vertical infiltration and percolation through the unsaturated zone into the saturated zone. This finding is consistent with the observation of high evapotranspiration rates in the area and ties in with the fact that significant clay fraction in the unsaturated zone limits vertical percolation and thus exposes the percolating rainwater to the effects of high temperatures and low humidities resulting in high evapotranspiration rates. Groundwater recharge estimates from the chloride mass balance, CMB, method suggest recharge in the range of 1.8–32% of the annual average precipitation in the form of rainfall. The highest rates are associated with areas where open wells encourage significant amount of groundwater recharge from precipitation in the area. In the northern parts of the study area, groundwater recharge is lower than 12%. The recharge so computed through the application of the CMB methodology takes on a spatial distribution akin to the converse of the spatial pattern of both δ¹⁸O and δ²H in the area. As such, the locations of the highest recharge are associated with the most depleted values of the two isotopes. This observation is consistent with the assertion that low vertical hydraulic conductivities slow down vertical percolation of precipitation down to the groundwater water. The percolating precipitation water thus gets enriched in the heavier isotopes through high evapotranspiration rates. At the same time, the amount of water that finally reaches the water table is considerably reduced. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring hydroclimatic change disparity via the Budyko framework

The Budyko framework characterizes landscape water cycles as a function of climate. We used this framework to identify regions with contrasting hydroclimatic change during the past 50 years in Sweden. This analysis revealed three distinct regions: the mountains, the forests, and the areas with agriculture. Each region responded markedly different to recent climate and anthropogenic changes, and within each region, we identified the most sensitive subregions. These results highlight the need for regional differentiation in climate change adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems and freshwater resources. Further, the Budyko curve moved systematically towards its water and energy limits, indicating augmentation of the water cycle driven by changing vegetation, climate and human interactions. This finding challenges the steady state assumption of the Budyko curve and therefore its ability to predict future water cycles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

呼伦湖水位、盐度变化(1961-2002年)

为重建水文资料缺乏的呼伦湖流域的水文、水质序列,本研究基于长期的气象观测记录,采用彭曼公式估计了湖泊的水面蒸发,并建立一个两参数月水量平衡模型模拟湖周的入流,通过水量平衡计算．建立了42年(1961-2002)的呼伦湖区水量变化序列,并模拟了湖泊月水量、水位、含盐度的变化．模拟的水位、含盐度变化趋势与实际比较接近,模拟精度较好,其误差在可以接受范围内.所重建的42年呼伦湖区水文、含盐度序列,可为该区域的水资源评价管理、开发利用提供科学依据.     

The Effect of Stage on Flow and Components of the Local Force Balance

Flow fields and water and bed surface topography were measured at two different stages as flow shoals over a submerged mid-channel bar in a straight reach downstream of a bend in Solfatara Creek, Wyoming. The data allow calculation and comparison of the magnitude of the component terms in the downstream and cross-stream force balance at the different stages. At the lower stage, corresponding to a discharge that is 30 per cent of the bankfull discharge, the convective acceleration terms in the equations describing the force balance are important, particularly the terms associated with the cross-stream transport of momentum. These terms are large because of the large accelerations and cross-stream flow forced by the shallow flow over the bar. At the higher stage, corresponding to a discharge that is 45 per cent of the bankfull discharge, flow is more directly downstream and cross-stream velocity is generally less in most of the channel. Downstream flow velocities at the higher stage are larger, but the acceleration is more gradual. Consequently, the convective accelerations at the higher stage tend to be less important than at the lower stage. Results from the two different stages suggest that some of the difference in conclusions reached by various workers on the significance of the various terms in the governing equations may be associated with the relative depth of flow. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of anthropogenic seawater acidification on acid-base balance in the sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris

The purple-tipped sea urchin, Psammechinus miliaris, was exposed to artificially acidified seawater treatments (pH(w) 6.16, 6.63 or 7.44) over a period of 8 days. Urchin mortality of 100% was observed at pH(w) 6.16 after 7 days and coincided with a pronounced hypercapnia in the coelomic fluid producing an irrecoverable acidosis. Coelomic fluid acid-base measures showed that an accumulation of CO(2) and a significant reduction in pH occurred in all treatments compared with controls. Bicarbonate buffering was employed in each case, reducing the resultant acidosis, but compensation was incomplete even under moderate environmental hypercapnia. Significant test dissolution was inferred from observable increases in the Mg(2+) concentration of the coelomic fluid under all pH treatments. We show that a chronic reduction of surface water pH to below 7.5 would be severely detrimental to the acid-base balance of this predominantly intertidal species; despite its ability to tolerate fluctuations in pCO(2) and pH in the rock pool environment. The absence of respiratory pigment (or any substantial protein in the coelomic fluid), a poor capacity for ionic regulation and dependency on a magnesium calcite test, make echinoids particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic acidification. Geological sequestration leaks may result in dramatic localised pH reductions, e.g. pH 5.8. P. miliaris is intolerant of pH 6.16 seawater and significant mortality is seen at pH 6.63.     

Ancient dams,settlement archaeology and Buddhist propagation in central India: the hydrological background

Abstract

A group of ancient dams (c. second—first century BC) was located during an archaeological study of the Sanchi area in central India. Comparison of reservoir volumes with estimated inflows suggests that their design was based on hydrological understanding.