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Shelton SA, Kaushal SS, Mayer PM, Shatkay RR, Rippy MA, Grant SB, Newcomer-Johnson TA. Salty chemical cocktails as water quality signatures: Longitudinal trends and breakpoints along different U.S. streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172777. [PMID: 38670384 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Along urban streams and rivers, various processes, including road salt application, sewage leaks, and weathering of the built environment, contribute to novel chemical cocktails made up of metals, salts, nutrients, and organic matter. In order to track the impacts of urbanization and management strategies on water quality, we conducted longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring in nine watersheds in five major metropolitan areas of the U.S. During each LSS monitoring survey, 10-53 sites were sampled along the flowpath of streams as they flowed along rural to urban gradients. Results demonstrated that major ions derived from salts (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+) and correlated elements (e.g. Sr2+, N, Cu) formed 'salty chemical cocktails' that increased along rural to urban flowpaths. Salty chemical cocktails explained 46.1% of the overall variability in geochemistry among streams and showed distinct typologies, trends, and transitions along flowpaths through metropolitan regions. Multiple linear regression predicted 62.9% of the variance in the salty chemical cocktails using the six following significant drivers (p < 0.05): percent urban land, wastewater treatment plant discharge, mean annual precipitation, percent silicic residual material, percent volcanic material, and percent carbonate residual material. Mean annual precipitation and percent urban area were the most important in the regression, explaining 29.6% and 13.0% of the variance. Different pollution sources (wastewater, road salt, urban runoff) in streams were tracked downstream based on salty chemical cocktails. Streams flowing through stream-floodplain restoration projects and conservation areas with extensive riparian forest buffers did not show longitudinal increases in salty chemical cocktails, suggesting that there could be attenuation via conservation and restoration. Salinization represents a common urban water quality signature and longitudinal patterns of distinct chemical cocktails and ionic mixtures have the potential to track the sources, fate, and transport of different point and nonpoint pollution sources along streams across different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney A Shelton
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, Geology Building 237, College Park, MD 20742, USA; ORISE Fellow at Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
| | - Sujay S Kaushal
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, Geology Building 237, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - Paul M Mayer
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
| | - Ruth R Shatkay
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, Geology Building 237, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - Megan A Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via Jr Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 9408 Prince William St, Manassas, VA 20110, USA; Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Stanley B Grant
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via Jr Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 9408 Prince William St, Manassas, VA 20110, USA; Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Tammy A Newcomer-Johnson
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Watershed and Ecosystem Characterization Division, 26 Martin Luther King Dr W, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA.
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Malin JT, Kaushal SS, Mayer PM, Maas CM, Hohman SP, Rippy MA. Longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring to evaluate water quality in restored streams. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:437. [PMID: 38592553 PMCID: PMC11069387 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12570-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Impervious surface cover increases peak flows and degrades stream health, contributing to a variety of hydrologic, water quality, and ecological symptoms, collectively known as the urban stream syndrome. Strategies to combat the urban stream syndrome often employ engineering approaches to enhance stream-floodplain reconnection, dissipate erosive forces from urban runoff, and enhance contaminant retention, but it is not always clear how effective such practices are or how to monitor for their effectiveness. In this study, we explore applications of longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring (an approach where multiple samples are collected along stream flowpaths across both space and time) to narrow this knowledge gap. Specifically, we investigate (1) whether LSS monitoring can be used to detect changes in water chemistry along longitudinal flowpaths in response to stream-floodplain reconnection and (2) what is the scale over which restoration efforts improve stream quality. We present results for four different classes of water quality constituents (carbon, nutrients, salt ions, and metals) across five watersheds with varying degrees of stream-floodplain reconnection. Our work suggests that LSS monitoring can be used to evaluate stream restoration strategies when implemented at meter to kilometer scales. As streams flow through restoration features, concentrations of nutrients, salts, and metals significantly decline (p < 0.05) or remain unchanged. This same pattern is not evident in unrestored streams, where salt ion concentrations (e.g., Na+, Ca2+, K+) significantly increase with increasing impervious cover. When used in concert with statistical approaches like principal component analysis, we find that LSS monitoring reveals changes in entire chemical mixtures (e.g., salts, metals, and nutrients), not just individual water quality constituents. These chemical mixtures are locally responsive to restoration projects, but can be obscured at the watershed scale and overwhelmed during storm events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T Malin
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
- Environmental Quality Resources, L.L.C., 2391 Brandermill Blvd., Suite 301, Gambrills, MD, 21054, USA.
| | - Sujay S Kaushal
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Paul M Mayer
- Environmental Protection Agency, 805 SW Broadway #500, Portland, OR, 97205, USA
| | - Carly M Maas
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- United States Geological Survey, 1730 E Parham Road, Richmond, VA, 23228, USA
| | - Steven P Hohman
- Environmental Protection Agency, 1650 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA
| | - Megan A Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 9408 Prince William Street, Manassas, VA, USA
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, 1068A Derring Hall (0420), Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Disaster Resilience and Risk Management (DRRM), 1068A Derring Hall, 405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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Kaushal SS, Maas CM, Mayer PM, Newcomer-Johnson TA, Grant SB, Rippy MA, Shatkay RR, Leathers J, Gold AJ, Smith C, McMullen EC, Haq S, Smith R, Duan S, Malin J, Yaculak A, Reimer JE, Newcomb KD, Raley AS, Collison DC, Galella JG, Grese M, Sivirichi G, Doody TR, Vikesland P, Bhide SV, Krauss L, Daugherty M, Stavrou C, Etheredge M, Ziegler J, Kirschnick A, England W, Belt KT. Longitudinal stream synoptic monitoring tracks chemicals along watershed continuums: a typology of trends. FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2023; 11:1-28. [PMID: 37475839 PMCID: PMC10355011 DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2023.1122485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
There are challenges in monitoring and managing water quality due to spatial and temporal heterogeneity in contaminant sources, transport, and transformations. We demonstrate the importance of longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring, which can track combinations of water quality parameters along flowpaths across space and time. Specifically, we analyze longitudinal patterns of chemical mixtures of carbon, nutrients, greenhouse gasses, salts, and metals concentrations along 10 flowpaths draining 1,765 km2 of the Chesapeake Bay region. These 10 longitudinal stream flowpaths are drained by watersheds experiencing either urban degradation, forest and wetland conservation, or stream and floodplain restoration. Along the 10 longitudinal stream flowpaths, we monitored over 300 total sampling sites along a combined stream length of 337 km. Synoptic monitoring along longitudinal flowpaths revealed: (1) increasing, decreasing, piecewise, or no trends and transitions in water quality with increasing distance downstream, which provide insights into water quality processes along flowpaths; (2) longitudinal trends and transitions in water quality along flowpaths can be quantified and compared using simple linear and non-linear statistical relationships with distance downstream and/or land use/land cover attributes, (3) attenuation and transformation of chemical cocktails along flowpaths depend on: spatial scales, pollution sources, and transitions in land use and management, hydrology, and restoration. We compared our LSS patterns with others from the global literature to synthesize a typology of longitudinal water quality trends and transitions in streams and rivers based on hydrological, biological, and geochemical processes. Applications of LSS monitoring along flowpaths from our results and the literature reveal: (1) if there are shifts in pollution sources, trends, and transitions along flowpaths, (2) which pollution sources can spread further downstream to sensitive receiving waters such as drinking water supplies and coastal zones, and (3) if transitions in land use, conservation, management, or restoration can attenuate downstream transport of pollution sources. Our typology of longitudinal water quality responses along flowpaths combines many observations across suites of chemicals that can follow predictable patterns based on watershed characteristics. Our typology of longitudinal water quality responses also provides a foundation for future studies, watershed assessments, evaluating watershed management and stream restoration, and comparing watershed responses to non-point and point pollution sources along streams and rivers. LSS monitoring, which integrates both spatial and temporal dimensions and considers multiple contaminants together (a chemical cocktail approach), can be a comprehensive strategy for tracking sources, fate, and transport of pollutants along stream flowpaths and making comparisons of water quality patterns across different watersheds and regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujay S. Kaushal
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Carly M. Maas
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Paul M. Mayer
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Tammy A. Newcomer-Johnson
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Watershed and Ecosystem Characterization Division, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Stanley B. Grant
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Megan A. Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Ruth R. Shatkay
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - Arthur J. Gold
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Cassandra Smith
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Evan C. McMullen
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Shahan Haq
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Rose Smith
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Shuiwang Duan
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Joseph Malin
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Alexis Yaculak
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Jenna E. Reimer
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Katie Delaney Newcomb
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Ashley Sides Raley
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Daniel C. Collison
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Joseph G. Galella
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Thomas R. Doody
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Peter Vikesland
- The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Shantanu V. Bhide
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
| | - Lauren Krauss
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kenneth T. Belt
- Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Kaushal SS, Reimer JE, Mayer PM, Shatkay RR, Maas CM, Nguyen WD, Boger WL, Yaculak AM, Doody TR, Pennino MJ, Bailey NW, Galella JG, Weingrad A, Collison DC, Wood KL, Haq S, Johnson TAN, Duan S, Belt KT. Freshwater Salinization Syndrome Alters Retention and Release of 'Chemical Cocktails' along Flowpaths: from Stormwater Management to Urban Streams. FRESHWATER SCIENCE (PRINT) 2022; 41:420-441. [PMID: 36213200 PMCID: PMC9533665 DOI: 10.1086/721469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We investigate impacts of Freshwater Salinization Syndrome (FSS) on mobilization of salts, nutrients, and metals in urban streams and stormwater BMPs by analyzing original data on concentrations and fluxes of salts, nutrients, and metals from 7 urban watersheds in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. and synthesizing literature data. We also explore future critical research needs through a survey of practitioners and scientists. Our original data show: (1) sharp pulses in concentrations of salt ions and metals in urban streams directly following both road salt events and stream restoration construction (e.g., similar to the way concentrations increase during other soil disturbance activities); (2) sharp declines in pH (acidification) in response to road salt applications due to mobilization of H+ from soil exchange sites by Na+; (3) sharp increases in organic matter from microbial and algal sources (based on fluorescence spectroscopy) in response to road salt applications likely due to lysing cells and/or changes in solubility; (4) significant retention (~30-40%) of Na+ in stormwater BMP sediments and floodplains in response to salinization; (5) increased ion exchange and mobilization of diverse salt ions (Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+), nutrients (N, P), and trace metals (Cu, Sr) from stormwater BMPs and restored streams in response to FSS; (6) downstream increasing loads of Cl-, SO4 2-, Br-, F-, and I- along flowpaths through urban streams, and P release from urban stormwater BMPs in response to salinization, and (7) a significant annual reduction (> 50%) in Na+ concentrations in an urban stream when road salt applications were dramatically reduced, which suggests potential for ecosystem recovery. We compared our original results to published metrics of contaminant retention and release across a broad range of stormwater management BMPs from North America and Europe. Overall, urban streams and stormwater management BMPs consistently retain Na+ and Cl- but mobilize multiple contaminants based on salt types and salinity levels. Finally, we present our top 10 research questions regarding FSS impacts on urban streams and stormwater management BMPs. Reducing diverse 'chemical cocktails' of contaminants mobilized by freshwater salinization is now a priority for effectively and holistically restoring urban waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujay S Kaushal
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Jenna E Reimer
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, Oregon, 97333, USA
| | - Paul M Mayer
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Ruth R Shatkay
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Carly M Maas
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - William D Nguyen
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Walter L Boger
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Alexis M Yaculak
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Thomas R Doody
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Michael J Pennino
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Integrate Environmental Assessment Branch, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20460, USA
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Joseph G Galella
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Aaron Weingrad
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Daniel C Collison
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Kelsey L Wood
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Shahan Haq
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Tamara A Newcomer Johnson
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Watershed and Ecosystem Characterization Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, USA
| | - Shuiwang Duan
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
| | - Kenneth T Belt
- Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21250, USA
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Tree trade-offs in stream restoration: impacts on riparian groundwater quality. Urban Ecosyst 2022; 25:773-795. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-021-01182-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Influence of urban river restoration on nitrogen dynamics at the sediment-water interface. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212690. [PMID: 30865649 PMCID: PMC6415882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
River restoration projects focused on altering flow regimes through use of in-channel structures can facilitate ecosystem services, such as promoting nitrogen (N) storage to reduce eutrophication. In this study we use small flux chambers to examine ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) cycling across the sediment-water interface. Paired restored and unrestored study sites in 5 urban tributaries of the River Thames in Greater London were used to examine N dynamics following physical disturbances (0–3 min exposures) and subsequent biogeochemical activity (3–10 min exposures). Average ambient NH4+ concentrations were significantly different amongst all sites and ranged from 28.0 to 731.7 μg L-1, with the highest concentrations measured at restored sites. Average NO3- concentrations ranged from 9.6 to 26.4 mg L-1, but did not significantly differ between restored and unrestored sites. Average NH4+ fluxes at restored sites ranged from -8.9 to 5.0 μg N m-2 sec-1, however restoration did not significantly influence NH4+ uptake or regeneration (i.e., a measure of release to surface water) between 0–3 minutes and 3–10 minutes. Further, average NO3- fluxes amongst sites responded significantly between 0–3 minutes ranging from -33.6 to 97.7 μg N m-2 sec-1. Neither NH4+ nor NO3- fluxes correlated to sediment chlorophyll-a, total organic matter, or grain size. We attributed variations in overall N fluxes to N-specific sediment storage capacity, biogeochemical transformations, potential legacy effects associated with urban pollution, and variations in river-specific restoration actions.
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Kaushal SS, Duan S, Doody TR, Haq S, Smith RM, Newcomer Johnson TA, Newcomb KD, Gorman J, Bowman N, Mayer PM, Wood KL, Belt KT, Stack WP. Human-accelerated weathering increases salinization, major ions, and alkalinization in fresh water across land use. APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY : JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEOCHEMISTRY AND COSMOCHEMISTRY 2017; 83:121-135. [PMID: 30220785 PMCID: PMC6134868 DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Human-dominated land uses can increase transport of major ions in streams due to the combination of human-accelerated weathering and anthropogenic salts. Calcium, magnesium, sodium, alkalinity, and hardness significantly increased in the drinking water supply for Baltimore, Maryland over almost 50 years (p<0.05) coinciding with regional urbanization. Across a nearby land use gradient at the Baltimore Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site, there were significant increases in concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and Si and pH with increasing impervious surfaces in 9 streams monitored bi-weekly over a 3-4 year period (p<0.05). Base cations in urban streams were up to 60 times greater than forest and agricultural streams, and elemental ratios suggested road salt and carbonate weathering from impervious surfaces as potential sources. Laboratory weathering experiments with concrete also indicated that impervious surfaces increased pH and DIC with potential to alkalinize urban waters. Ratios of Na+ and Cl- suggested that there was enhanced ion exchange in the watersheds from road salts, which could mobilize other base cations from soils to streams. There were significant relationships between Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+ concentrations and Cl-, SO42-, NO3- and DIC across land use (p<0.05), which suggested tight coupling of geochemical cycles. Finally, concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and pH significantly increased with distance downstream (p<0.05) along a stream network draining 170 km2 of the Baltimore LTER site contributing to river alkalinization. Our results suggest that urbanization may dramatically increase major ions, ionic strength, and pH over decades from headwaters to coastal zones, which can impact integrity of aquatic life, infrastructure, drinking water, and coastal ocean alkalinization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujay S Kaushal
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Shuiwang Duan
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Thomas R Doody
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Shahan Haq
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Rose M Smith
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Tamara A Newcomer Johnson
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
- US Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Lab, Systems Exposure Division, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Katie Delaney Newcomb
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Julia Gorman
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Noah Bowman
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Paul M Mayer
- US Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab, Western Ecology Division, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Kelsey L Wood
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 21201, USA
| | - Kenneth T Belt
- Baltimore Field Station, USDA Forest Service, Baltimore, Maryland 21228 USA
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Reisinger AJ, Groffman PM, Rosi-Marshall EJ. Nitrogen-cycling process rates across urban ecosystems. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2016; 92:fiw198. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiw198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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9
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Phosphorus Retention in Stormwater Control Structures across Streamflow in Urban and Suburban Watersheds. WATER 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/w8090390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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10
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Butturini A, Guarch A, Romaní AM, Freixa A, Amalfitano S, Fazi S, Ejarque E. Hydrological conditions control in situ DOM retention and release along a Mediterranean river. WATER RESEARCH 2016; 99:33-45. [PMID: 27132197 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2016.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Uncertainties exist regarding the magnitude of in situ dissolved organic matter (DOM) processing in lotic systems. In addition, little is known about the effects of extreme hydrological events on in-stream DOM retention or release during downriver transport. This study quantified the net in-stream retention/release efficiencies (η) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and its humic and protein-like fluorescent fractions along a Mediterranean river during drought, baseflow and flood conditions. High performance size exclusion chromatography was used to describe the apparent size distributions of the humic and protein-like DOM moieties. A snapshot mass balance allowed estimating the η values of DOC and humic and protein-like fractions. Significant DOM net retention (η < 0) was detected during the drought condition and the protein-like fraction was more retained than the humic-like fraction and bulk DOC. In addition, small substances were more efficiently retained than larger substances. DOC retention decreased under baseflow conditions, but it remained significant. The humic and protein-like net efficiencies exhibited high variability, but the net retention were not significant. From a longitudinal perspective, the entire fluvial corridor contributed net retention of DOC and humic and protein-like moieties net retention during drought condition. In contrast, net retention/release efficiencies exhibited spatial variability during baseflow condition. The flood preferentially mobilized large size DOM molecules and the fluvial corridor behaved as a homogeneous passive DOM (η = 0) conduit. This research highlights the relevance of hydrological extreme events on the magnitude of DOM retention/release mass balance and emphasizes the need to perform measurements during these conditions to quantify the impact of fluvial corridors on DOM fate and transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Butturini
- Departament d'Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - A Guarch
- Departament d'Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A M Romaní
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - A Freixa
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - S Amalfitano
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
| | - S Fazi
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
| | - E Ejarque
- WasserCluster Lunz, Biologische Station GmbH, Lunz am See, Austria; Department of Limnology and Bio-Oceanography, University of Vienna, Austria
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Álvarez-Cabria M, Barquín J, Peñas FJ. Modelling the spatial and seasonal variability of water quality for entire river networks: Relationships with natural and anthropogenic factors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 545-546:152-162. [PMID: 26745301 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We model the spatial and seasonal variability of three key water quality variables (water temperature and concentration of nitrates and phosphates) for entire river networks in a large area in northern Spain. Models were developed with the Random Forest technique, using 12 (water temperature and nitrate concentration) and 15 (phosphate concentration) predictor variables as descriptors of several environmental attributes (climate, topography, land-uses, hydrology and anthropogenic pressures). The effect of the different predictors on the response variables was assessed with partial dependence plots and partial correlation analysis. Results indicated that land-uses were important predictors in defining the spatial and seasonal patterns of these three variables. Water temperature was positively related with air temperature and the upstream drainage area, whereas increases in forest cover decreased water temperature. Nitrate concentration was mainly related to the area covered by agricultural land-uses, increasing in winter, probably because of catchment run-off processes. On the other hand, phosphate concentration was highly related to the area covered by urban land-uses in the upstream catchment and to the proximity of the closest upstream effluent. Phosphate concentration increased notably during the low flow period (summer), probably due to the reduction of the dilution capacity. These results provide a large-scale continuous picture of water quality, which could help identify the main sources of change in water quality and assist in the prioritization of river reaches for restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Álvarez-Cabria
- Environmental Hydraulics Institute (IH Cantabria), University of Cantabria, C/Isabel Torres n° 15, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain.
| | - José Barquín
- Environmental Hydraulics Institute (IH Cantabria), University of Cantabria, C/Isabel Torres n° 15, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain.
| | - Francisco J Peñas
- Environmental Hydraulics Institute (IH Cantabria), University of Cantabria, C/Isabel Torres n° 15, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain.
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Pai H, Villamizar SR, Harmon TC. High resolution synoptic salinity mapping to identify groundwater--surface water discharges in lowland rivers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:4842-4850. [PMID: 25837571 DOI: 10.1021/es504483q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying distributed lateral groundwater contributions to surface water (GW-SW discharges) is a key aspect of tracking nonpoint-source pollution (NPSP) within a watershed. In this study, we characterized distributed GW-SW discharges and associated salt loading using elevated GW specific conductance (SC) as a tracer along a 38 km reach of the Lower Merced River in Central California. High resolution longitudinal surveys for multiple flows (1.3-150 m(3) s(-1)) revealed river SC gradients that mainly decreased with increasing flow, suggesting a dilution effect and/or reduced GW-SW discharges due to hydraulic gradient reductions. However, exceptions occurred (gradients increasing with increasing flow), pointing to complex spatiotemporal influences on GW-SW dynamics. The surveys revealed detailed variability in salinity gradients, from which we estimated distributed GW-SW discharge and salt loading using a simple mixing model. Modeled cumulative GW discharges for two surveys unaffected by ungauged SW discharges were comparable in magnitude to differential gauging-based discharge estimates and prior GW-SW studies along the same river reach. Ungauged lateral inlets and sparse GW data limited the study, and argue for enhancing monitoring efforts. Our approach provides a rapid and economical method for characterizing NPSP for gaining rivers in the context of integrated watershed modeling and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Pai
- School of Engineering and Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Sandra R Villamizar
- School of Engineering and Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Thomas C Harmon
- School of Engineering and Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, California 95343, United States
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Hosen JD, McDonough OT, Febria CM, Palmer MA. Dissolved organic matter quality and bioavailability changes across an urbanization gradient in headwater streams. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:7817-24. [PMID: 24919113 DOI: 10.1021/es501422z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Landscape urbanization broadly alters watersheds and stream ecosystems, yet the impact of nonpoint source urban inputs on the quantity, quality, and ultimate fate of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is poorly understood. We assessed DOM quality and microbial bioavailability in eight first-order Coastal Plain headwater streams along a gradient of urbanization (i.e., percent watershed impervious cover); none of the streams had point source discharges. DOM quality was measured using fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Bioavailability was assessed using biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) incubations. Results showed that watershed impervious cover was significantly related to stream DOM composition: increasing impervious cover was associated with decreased amounts of natural humic-like DOM and enriched amounts of anthropogenic fulvic acid-like and protein-like DOM. Microbial bioavailability of DOM was greater in urbanized streams during spring and summer, and was related to decreasing proportions of humic-like DOM and increasing proportions of protein-like DOM. Increased bioavailability was associated with elevated extracellular enzyme activity of the initial microbial community supplied to samples during BDOC incubations. These findings indicate that changes in stream DOM quality due to watershed urbanization may impact stream ecosystem metabolism and ultimately the fate of organic carbon transported through fluvial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Hosen
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science , Solomons, Maryland 20688, United States
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Newcomer TA, Kaushal SS, Mayer PM, Shields AR, Canuel EA, Groffman PM, Gold AJ. Influence of natural and novel organic carbon sources on denitrification in forest, degraded urban, and restored streams. ECOL MONOGR 2012. [DOI: 10.1890/12-0458.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Harrison MD, Groffman PM, Mayer PM, Kaushal SS, Newcomer TA. Denitrification in alluvial wetlands in an urban landscape. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2011; 40:634-646. [PMID: 21520770 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2010.0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Riparian wetlands have been shown to be effective "sinks" for nitrate N (NO3-), minimizing the downstream export of N to streams and coastal water bodies. However, the vast majority of riparian denitrification research has been in agricultural and forested watersheds, with relatively little work on riparian wetland function in urban watersheds. We investigated the variation and magnitude of denitrification in three constructed and two relict oxbow urban wetlands, and in two forested reference wetlands in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Denitrification rates in wetland sediments were measured with a 15N-enriched NO3- "push-pull" groundwater tracer method during the summer and winter of 2008. Mean denitrification rates did not differ among the wetland types and ranged from 147 +/- 29 microg N kg soil(-1) d(-1) in constructed stormwater wetlands to 100 +/- 11 microg N kg soil(-1) d(-1) in relict oxbows to 106 +/- 32 microg N kg soil(-1) d(-1) in forested reference wetlands. High denitrification rates were observed in both summer and winter, suggesting that these wetlands are sinks for NO3- year round. Comparison of denitrification rates with NO3- standing stocks in the wetland water column and stream NO3- loads indicated that mass removal of NO3- in urban wetland sediments by denitrification could be substantial. Our results suggest that urban wetlands have the potential to reduce NO3- in urban landscapes and should be considered as a means to manage N in urban watersheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D Harrison
- Marine Estuarine and Environmental Science Program, Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Cir., Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
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