Does upward seepage of river water and storm water runoff determine water quality of urban drainage systems in lowland areas? A case study for the Rhine–Meuse delta |
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Authors: | Kim Vermonden Marion A A Hermus Marije van Weperen Rob S E W Leuven Gerard van der Velde Alfons J P Smolders Jan G M Roelofs A Jan Hendriks |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands;2. Freshwater Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Helsing?rsgade 51, DK‐3400 Hiller?d, Denmark;3. Department of Animal Ecology and Ecophysiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands;4. B‐WARE Research Centre, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands;5. Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | The water quality of urban drainage ditches in lowlands in the Rhine‐Meuse delta was analysed with principal component analysis (PCA) during a dry period and a rain storm, and related to the seepage of polluted river water and effective impervious area (EIA). This was done in order to test the hypothesis that seepage of river water and storm water runoff from impervious areas strongly determine the water quality of urban drainage systems along large lowland rivers. Our analysis revealed that upward seepage of groundwater originating from rivers Rhine and Meuse was positively correlated with nitrate, potassium, sodium and chloride and negatively correlated with alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and iron. EIA was correlated with very few environmental variables (i.e. phosphate, pH and iron in the dry period and iron during the rain storm). Nickel and zinc concentrations generally exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations (MAC), while lead and phosphorus concentrations were just above the nutrient standards and MAC in a few locations during the rain storm. To optimize water quality in urban water systems, attention should be paid to all sources of pollution and not only to EIA. The impact of local groundwater seepage originating from large rivers in lowlands on the chemistry of urban water systems is often underestimated and should be taken into account when assessing water quality and improving water quality status. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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Keywords: | urban water systems surface water quality groundwater upward seepage impervious area Rhine– Meuse river delta |
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