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Lu Z, Xing L, Xu R, Hou C, Yang Y. The research of river basin ecological compensation based on water emissions trading mechanism. Water Sci Technol 2024; 89:1665-1681. [PMID: 38619896 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2024.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
By integrating the successful case of the European Union emissions trading system, this study proposes a water emissions trading system, a novel method of reducing water pollution. Assuming that upstream governments allocate initial quotas to upstream businesses as the compensation standard, this approach defines the foundational principles of market trading mechanisms and establishes a robust watershed ecological compensation model to address challenges in water pollution prevention. To be specific, the government establishes a reasonable initial quota for upstream enterprises, which can be used to limit the emissions of upstream pollution. When enterprises exceed their allocated emissions quota, they face financial penalties. Conversely, these emissions rights can be transformed into profitable assets by participating in the trading market as a form of ecological compensation. Numerical simulations demonstrate that various pollutant emissions from upstream businesses will have various effects on the profits of other businesses. Businesses in the upstream region received reimbursement from the assigned emission rights through the market mechanism, demonstrating that ecological compensation for the watershed can be achieved through the market mechanism. This novel market trading system aims at controlling emissions management from the perspectives of individual enterprises and ultimately optimizing the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuliang Lu
- Key Laboratory for Nonlinear Science and System Structure, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing 404000, China; Research Center for Mathematics and Economics, Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, Tianjin 300222, China E-mail:
| | - Lu Xing
- Key Laboratory for Nonlinear Science and System Structure, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing 404000, China
| | - Ruixiang Xu
- Key Laboratory for Nonlinear Science and System Structure, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing 404000, China
| | - Chunjuan Hou
- Department of Data Science, Guangzhou Huashang College, Guangzhou 511300, China
| | - Yin Yang
- School of Mathematics and Computational Science, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105, China
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2
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Jordan MA, Ojeda AS, Larson EA, Rogers SR. Investigating the Relationship between Surface Water Pollution and Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:17042-17050. [PMID: 37878501 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are important nonpoint sources (NPSs) of pollution to consider in watershed management. However, limited OWTS data availability makes it challenging to account for them as an NPS of water pollution. In this study, we succeeded in obtaining OWTS permits and integrated them with environmental data to model the pollution potential from OWTSs at the watershed scale using GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis. Then, in situ water quality parameters─Escherichia coli (E. coli), total nitrogen, total phosphorus, temperature, and pH─were measured along the main tributary at base-flow conditions. Three general linear models were developed to relate E. coli to water quality parameters and OWTS pollution indicators. It was found that the model with the OWTS pollution potential had the lowest corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc) value (35.01) compared to the models that included classified OWTS pollution potential input criteria (AICc = 36.76) and land cover (AICc = 36.74). These results demonstrate that OWTSs are a significant contributor to surface water pollution, and future efforts should be made to improve access to OWTS data (i.e., location and age) to account for these systems as an NPS of water pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory A Jordan
- Department of Geosciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Ann S Ojeda
- Department of Geosciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Eleanore A Larson
- Department of Geosciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Stephanie R Rogers
- Department of Geosciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
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Duan Y, Tang J, Li Z, Yang Y, Dai C, Qu Y, Lv H. Optimal Planning and Management of Land Use in River Source Region: A Case Study of Songhua River Basin, China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:6610. [PMID: 35682195 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Adjusting land use is a practical way to protect the ecosystem, but protecting water resources by optimizing land use is indirect and complex. The vegetation, soil, and rock affected by land use are important components of forming the water cycle and obtaining clean water sources. The focus of this study is to discuss how to optimize the demands and spatial patterns of different land use types to strengthen ecological and water resources protection more effectively. This study can also provide feasible watershed planning and policy suggestions for managers, which is conducive to the integrity of the river ecosystem and the sustainability of water resources. A watershed-scale land use planning framework integrating a hydrological model and a land use model is established. After quantifying the water retention value of land use types through a hydrological model, a multi-objective land use demands optimization model under various development scenarios is constructed. Moreover, a regional study was completed in the source area of the Songhua River in Northeast China to verify the feasibility of the framework. The results show that the method can be used to optimize land use requirements and obtain future land use maps. The water retention capacity of forestland is strong, about 2500–3000 m3/ha, and there are differences among different forest types. Planning with a single objective of economic development will expand the area of cities and cultivated land, and occupy forests, while multi-objective planning considering ecological and water source protection tends to occupy cultivated land. In the management of river headwaters, it is necessary to establish important forest reserves and strengthen the maintenance of restoration forests. Blindly expanding forest area is not an effective way to protect river headwaters. In conclusion, multi-objective land use planning can effectively balance economic development and water resources protection, and find the limits of urban expansion and key areas of ecological barriers.
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D’Amario SC, Wilson HF, Xenopoulos MA. Concentration-discharge relationships derived from a larger regional dataset as a tool for watershed management. Ecol Appl 2021; 31:e02447. [PMID: 34448320 PMCID: PMC9285382 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationships have been widely used to assess the hydrochemical processes that control solute fluxes from streams. Here, using a large regional dataset we assessed long-term C-Q relationships for total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and nitrate (NO3 ) for 63 streams in Ontario, Canada, to better understand seasonal regional behavior of nutrients. We used C-Q plots, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and breakpoint analysis to characterize overall regional nutrient C-Q relationships and assess seasonal effects, anthropogenic impacts, and differences between "rising" and "falling" hydrograph limbs to gain an understanding of the dominant processes controlling overall C-Q relationships. We found that all nutrient concentrations were higher on average in catchments with greater levels of anthropogenic disturbance (agricultural and urban land use). TP, SRP, and TKN showed similar C-Q dynamics, with nearly flat or gently sloping C-Q relationships up to a discharge threshold after which C-Q slopes substantially increased during the rising limb. These thresholds were seasonally variable, with summer and winter thresholds occurring at lower flows compared with autumn and greater variability during snowmelt. These patterns suggest that seasonal strategies to reduce high flows, such as creating riparian wetlands or reservoirs, in conjunction with reducing related nutrient transport during high flows would be the most effective way to mitigate elevated in-stream concentrations and event export. Elevated rising limb concentrations suggest that nutrients accumulate in upland parts of the catchment during drier periods and that these are released during rain events. NO3 C-Q patterns tended to be different from the other nutrients and were further complicated by anthropogenic land use, with greater reductions on the falling limb in more disturbed catchments during certain seasons. There were few significant NO3 hydrograph limb differences, indicating that there was likely to be no dominant hysteretic pattern across our study region due to variability in hysteresis from catchment to catchment. This suggests that this nutrient may be difficult to successfully manage at the regional scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C. D’Amario
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate ProgramTrent University1600 West Bank DrivePeterboroughOntarioK0L 0G2Canada
| | - Henry F. Wilson
- Agriculture and Agri‐Food CanadaAgriculture et Agroalimentaire CanadaBrandon Research and Development Centre2701 Grand Valley RoadBrandonManitobaR7A 5Y3Canada
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Mello KD, Taniwaki RH, Paula FRD, Valente RA, Randhir TO, Macedo DR, Leal CG, Rodrigues CB, Hughes RM. Multiscale land use impacts on water quality: Assessment, planning, and future perspectives in Brazil. J Environ Manage 2020; 270:110879. [PMID: 32721318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Brazil contains the largest volume of freshwater of any nation in the world; however, this essential natural resource is threatened by rapid increases in water consumption and water quality degradation, mainly as a result of anthropogenic pressures. Declining water quality has become an increasingly more significant global concern as economic activities and human populations expand and climate change markedly alters hydrological cycles. Changes in land-use/land-cover (LULC) pattern have been recognized as a major driver of water quality degradation, however different LULC types and intensities affect water quality in different ways. In addition, the relationships between LULC and water quality may differ for different spatial and temporal scales. The increase in deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban sprawl in Brazil highlights the need for water quality protection to ensure immediate human needs and to maintain the quality of water supplies in the long-term. Thus, this manuscript provides an overview of the relationships between LULC and water quality in Brazil, aiming at understanding the effects of different LULC types on water quality, how spatial and temporal scales contribute to these effects, and how such knowledge can improve watershed management and future projections. In general, agriculture and urban areas are the main LULCs responsible for water quality degradation in Brazil. However, although representing a small percentage of the territory, mining has a high impact on water quality. Water quality variables respond differently at different spatial scales, so spatial extent is an important aspect to be considered in studies and management. LULC impacts on water quality also vary seasonally and lag effects mean they take time to occur. Forest restoration can improve water quality and multicriteria evaluation has been applied to identify priority areas for forest restoration and conservation aiming at protecting water quality, but both need further exploration. Watershed modelling has been applied to simulate future impacts of LULC change on water quality, but data availability must be improved to increase the number, locations and duration of studies. Because of the international nature of watersheds and the consistent relationships between land use and water quality in Brazil, we believe our results will also aid water management in other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaline de Mello
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, R. do Matão, 321, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo Hideo Taniwaki
- Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences Center, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.
| | - Felipe Rossetti de Paula
- Department of Forest Sciences, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, R. Padua Dias, 11, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
| | - Roberta Averna Valente
- Department of Environmental Science, Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba Campus, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos (SP-264), km 110, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
| | - Timothy O Randhir
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Way, Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Diego Rodrigues Macedo
- Department of Geography, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31.270-901, Brazil.
| | - Cecília Gontijo Leal
- Department of Forest Sciences, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, R. Padua Dias, 11, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Robert M Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute and Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 7331-3803, USA.
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Fathy I, Abd-Elhamid H, Zelenakova M, Kaposztasova D. Effect of Topographic Data Accuracy on Watershed Management. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:ijerph16214245. [PMID: 31683789 PMCID: PMC6862558 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A digital elevation model (DEM) is a digital model or 3D representation of a terrain's surface. There are many methods to create DEM such as LiDAR, stereo photogrammetry and topographic maps. DEMs are very important for many applications such as extracting terrain parameters for geomorphology and modeling water flow for hydrology or mass movement. A number of websites are available to provide DEM such as SRTM, GTOPO30 and ASTER GDEM but their accuracy differs from one to another and also selecting a small DEM size (high resolution) gives accurate information, but the analysis takes long time. This paper aims to analyze the impact of using different available DEMs on watershed geomorphological properties on order to provide guidelines for users to select the most suitable DEM that obtain an accurate analysis in less time. Three programs; watershed modeling systems: WMS, Global Mapper and Google Earth were used in this study. Three case studies were studied to check the accuracy of these models and select the most accurate one for application. Satellite images downloaded from Google Earth were used as a guide reference for the comparison due to their accuracy and high resolution. The results indicated that the SRTM model was more accurate (95%) for all case studies according to our comparison between its delineation and satellite images. ASTER GDEM is the second most accurate model with an accuracy of 87%, the GTOPO30's accuracy is 80%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Fathy
- Department of Water and Water Structures Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
| | - Hany Abd-Elhamid
- Department of Water and Water Structures Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
- Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Shaqra University, Duwadimi 11911, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Martina Zelenakova
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Košice 04200, Slovakia.
| | - Daniela Kaposztasova
- Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Košice 04200, Slovakia.
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Zhang Z, Huang J, Zhou M, Huang Y, Lu Y. A Coupled Modeling Approach for Water Management in a River-Reservoir System. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:E2949. [PMID: 31426348 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16162949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A coupled model is an effective tool to understand the nutrient fate associated with hydrodynamic and ecosystem processes and thereby developing a water resource management strategy. This paper presents a coupled modeling approach that consists of a watershed model and a hydrodynamic model to evaluate the nutrient fate in a river–reservoir system. The results obtained from the model showed a good agreement with field observations. The results revealed that the Shuikou reservoir (Fuzhou, China)exhibited complicated hydrodynamic characteristics, which may induce the pattern of nutrient export. Reservoirs can greatly lower water quality as a result of decreasing water movement. Three scenarios were analyzed for water management. The NH3-N (Ammonia Nitrogen) decreased sharply in the outlet of Shuikou reservoir after NH3-N level in its tributary was reduced. After removing the farming cages, the water quality of the outlet of Shuikou reservoir was improved significantly. The DO (Dissolved Oxygen) had increased by 3%–10%, NH3-N had reduced by 5%–17%, and TP (Total Phosphorus) had reduced by 6%–21%. This study demonstrates that the proposed coupled modeling approach can effectively characterize waterway risks for water management in such a river–reservoir system.
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Chiang LC, Wang YC, Liao CJ. Spatiotemporal Variation of Sediment Export from Multiple Taiwan Watersheds. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:E1610. [PMID: 31071953 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Soil erosion and landslide triggered by heavy rainfall are serious problems that have threatened water resources in Taiwan watersheds. This study investigated the relationship among streamflow, sediment load, sediment concentration and typhoon characteristics (path and rainfall amount) during 2000–2017 for nine gauging stations in five basins (Tamshui River basin, Zhuoshui River basin, Zengwen River basin, Gaoping River basin, and Hualien River basin) representing the diverse geomorphologic conditions in Taiwan. The results showed that streamflow and sediment load were positively correlated, and the correlation was improved when the sediment load data were grouped by sediment concentration. Among these basins, the Zhuoshui River basin has the highest unit-discharge sediment load and unit-area sediment load. The soil in the upstream was more erodible than the downstream soil during the normal discharge conditions, indicating its unique geological characteristics and how typhoons magnified sediment export. The spatiotemporal variation in sediment loads from different watersheds was further categorized by typhoons of different paths. Although typhoon path types matter, the Zhuoshui and Hualien River basin were usually impacted by typhoons of any path type. The results indicated that sediment concentration, the watershed soil characteristics, and typhoons paths were the key factors for sediment loads. This study can be useful for developing strategies of soil and water conservation implementation for sustainable watershed management.
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Chiang LC, Chuang YT, Han CC. Integrating Landscape Metrics and Hydrologic Modeling to Assess the Impact of Natural Disturbances on Ecohydrological Processes in the Chenyulan Watershed, Taiwan. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:ijerph16020266. [PMID: 30669282 PMCID: PMC6352231 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16020266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Chenyulan watershed, located in the central mountain area of Taiwan, has been suffering from earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy rainfalls in recent decades. These sequential natural disturbances have a cumulative impact on the watershed, leading to more fragile and fragmented land cover and loss of capacity of soil water conservation. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a landscape metrics tool (FRAGSTATS) were used to assess the direct impact (e.g., by annual rainfall) and indirect impact (e.g., by landscape configuration and composition) of natural disturbances on the ecohydrological processes of the Chenyulan watershed. Six SPOT satellite images from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed by using the nearest feature line embedding (NFLE) approach and reclassified into six land cover types: forest, cultivated land, grassland, river, landslide, and built-up. Forest was found to have the largest patch size, indicating that it is more resilient to disturbances, while agricultural land tended to expand from the river side toward the hill. Two land cover change scenarios were compared in the SWAT model. The results showed that there was no significant difference in simulated streamflow during 2004–2015 and sediment loading during 2004–2009; however, the model performed better for sediment loading during 2010–2015 with dynamic land cover change (coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.66, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) = 0.62, percent bias (PBIAS) = 10.5%, root mean square error observation standard deviation ratio (RSR) = 0.62) than with constant land cover (R2 = 0.61, NSE = 0.54, PBIAS = −17.3%, RSR = 0.68), indicating that long-term land cover change should be considered in hydrologic modeling. Changes in landslides during 2008–2013 were found to significantly affect ecohydrological processes, especially after 2011. In general, annual precipitation plays a dominant role, and landscape composition had by far the strongest influence on water yield and sediment yield compared to landscape configuration. The results can be useful for understanding the effects of land cover change on ecohydrological processes in the Chenyulan watershed and the potential impact of ecohydrological changes on the environment and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Chi Chiang
- Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli City 36063, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Ting Chuang
- Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli City 36063, Taiwan.
| | - Chin-Chuan Han
- Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National United University, Miaoli City 36063, Taiwan.
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Ishiyama N, Ryo M, Kataoka T, Nagayama S, Sueyoshi M, Terui A, Mori T, Akasaka T, Nakamura F. Predicting the ecological impacts of large-dam removals on a river network based on habitat-network structure and flow regimes. Conserv Biol 2018; 32:1403-1413. [PMID: 29785835 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Large dams provide vital protection and services to humans. However, an increasing number of large dams worldwide are old and not operating properly. The removal of large dams has excellent potential to restore habitat connectivity and flow regimes; therefore, projecting the related ecological consequences is an emerging need for water resource and ecosystem management. However, no modeling methods are currently available for such projections at the basin scale. We devised a scheme that integrates changes in flow regimes and habitat network structure into a basin-scale impact assessment of removal of large dams and applied it to the Nagara-Ibi Basin, Japan. We used a graph-theoretical approach and a hydrological model, to quantify changes in habitat availability for 11 freshwater fishes at the basin scale under multiple removal scenarios. We compared these results with the change predicted using a conventional scheme that considered only changes to the habitat network due to dam removal. Our proposed scheme revealed that an increase in flow variability associated with dam removal projected both positive and negative effects on basin-scale habitat availability, depending on the focal species, endangered species had a negative response to dam removal. In contrast, the conventional approach projected only positive effects for all species. This difference in the outcomes indicates that large-dam removal can have negative and positive effects on watershed restoration due to changes in flow regimes. Our results also suggest the effect of removal of large dams may depend on the dams and their locations. Our study is the first step in projecting ecological trade-offs associated with the removal of large dams on riverscapes at the basin scale and provides a foundation for future process-based watershed restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuo Ishiyama
- Department of Forest Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, N9 W9 Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ryo
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstrasse 6, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-0033, Japan
| | - Taiga Kataoka
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-0033, Japan
| | - Shigeya Nagayama
- River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Masanao Sueyoshi
- Department of Forest Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, N9 W9 Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan
| | - Akira Terui
- Department of Forest Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, N9 W9 Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, U.S.A
| | - Terutaka Mori
- Department of General Systems Studies, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Takumi Akasaka
- Laboratory of Conservation Ecology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-sen 11, Inadacho, Obihiro, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Futoshi Nakamura
- Department of Forest Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, N9 W9 Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan
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Huang X, Chen H, Xia F, Wang Z, Mei K, Shang X, Liu Y, Dahlgren RA, Zhang M, Huang H. Assessment of Long-Term Watershed Management on Reservoir Phosphorus Concentrations and Export Fluxes. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15:E2169. [PMID: 30279393 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Source water nutrient management to prevent eutrophication requires critical strategies to reduce watershed phosphorus (P) loadings. Shanxi Drinking-Water Source Area (SDWSA) in eastern China experienced severe water quality deterioration before 2010, but showed considerable improvement following application of several watershed management actions to reduce P. This paper assessed the changes in total phosphorus (TP) concentrations and fluxes at the SDWSA outlet relative to watershed anthropogenic P sources during 2005–2016. Overall anthropogenic P inputs decreased by 21.5% over the study period. Domestic sewage, livestock, and fertilizer accounted for (mean ± SD) 18.4 ± 0.6%, 30.1 ± 1.9%, and 51.5 ± 1.5% of total anthropogenic P inputs during 2005–2010, compared to 24.3 ± 2.7%, 8.8 ± 10.7%, and 66.9 ± 8.0% for the 2011–2016 period, respectively. Annual average TP concentrations in SDWSA decreased from 0.041 ± 0.019 mg/L in 2009 to 0.025 ± 0.013 mg/L in 2016, a total decrease of 38.2%. Annual P flux exported from SDWSA decreased from 0.46 ± 0.04 kg P/(ha·a) in 2010 to 0.25 ± 0.02 kg P/(ha·a) in 2016, a decrease of 44.9%. The success in reducing TP concentrations was mainly due to the development of domestic sewage/refuse collection/treatment and improved livestock management. These P management practices have prevented harmful algal blooms, providing for safe drinking water.
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Leal CG, Barlow J, Gardner TA, Hughes RM, Leitão RP, Nally RM, Kaufmann PR, Ferraz SFB, Zuanon J, de Paula FR, Ferreira J, Thomson JR, Lennox GD, Dary EP, Röpke CP, Pompeu PS. Is environmental legislation conserving tropical stream faunas? A large-scale assessment of local, riparian and catchment-scale influences on Amazonian fish. J Appl Ecol 2018; 55:1312-1326. [PMID: 32831394 PMCID: PMC7433846 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Agricultural expansion and intensification are major threats to tropical biodiversity. In addition to the direct removal of native vegetation, agricultural expansion often elicits other human-induced disturbances, many of which are poorly addressed by existing environmental legislation and conservation programmes. This is particularly true for tropical freshwater systems, where there is considerable uncertainty about whether a legislative focus on protecting riparian vegetation is sufficient to conserve stream fauna.To assess the extent to which stream fish are being effectively conserved in agricultural landscapes, we examined the spatial distribution of assemblages in river basins to identify the relative importance of human impacts at instream, riparian and catchment scales, in shaping observed patterns. We used an extensive dataset on the ecological condition of 83 low-order streams distributed in three river basins in the eastern Brazilian Amazon.We collected and identified 24,420 individual fish from 134 species. Multiplicative diversity partitioning revealed high levels of compositional dissimilarity (DS) among stream sites (DS = 0.74 to 0.83) and river basins (DS = 0.82), due mainly to turnover (77.8% to 81.8%) rather than nestedness. The highly heterogeneous fish faunas in small Amazonian streams underscore the vital importance of enacting measures to protect forests on private lands outside of public protected areas.Instream habitat features explained more variability in fish assemblages (15%-19%) than riparian (2%-12%), catchment (4%-13%) or natural covariates (4%-11%). Although grouping species into functional guilds allowed us to explain up to 31% of their abundance (i.e. for nektonic herbivores), individual riparian - and catchment - scale predictor variables that are commonly a focus of environmental legislation explained very little of the observed variation (partial R2 values mostly <5%).Policy implications. Current rates of agricultural intensification and mechanization in tropical landscapes are unprecedented, yet the existing legislative frameworks focusing on protecting riparian vegetation seem insufficient to conserve stream environments and their fish assemblages. To safeguard the species-rich freshwater biota of small Amazonian streams, conservation actions must shift towards managing whole basins and drainage networks, as well as agricultural practices in already-cleared land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecília G. Leal
- Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, PA, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Fish Ecology Laboratory, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - Jos Barlow
- Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, PA, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | | | - Robert M. Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute and Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Rafael P. Leitão
- National Institute for Amazonia Research, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ralph Mac Nally
- Institute for Applied Ecology, The University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Philip R. Kaufmann
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Silvio F. B. Ferraz
- Forest Hydrology Laboratory (LHF), Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Jansen Zuanon
- National Institute for Amazonia Research, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Felipe R. de Paula
- Forest Hydrology Laboratory (LHF), Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | | | - James R. Thomson
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg, Vic., Australia
| | - Gareth D. Lennox
- Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, PA, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Eurizângela P. Dary
- Institute of Natural, Human and Social Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop, MT, Brazil
| | - Cristhiana P. Röpke
- Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and Institute of Biology, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Paulo S. Pompeu
- Fish Ecology Laboratory, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
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Gudino-Elizondo N, Biggs TW, Bingner RL, Yuan Y, Langendoen EJ, Taniguchi KT, Kretzschmar T, Taguas EV, Liden D. Modelling Ephemeral Gully Erosion from Unpaved Urban Roads: Equifinality and Implications for Scenario Analysis. Geosciences (Basel) 2018; 8:137. [PMID: 30147946 PMCID: PMC6104648 DOI: 10.3390/geosciences8040137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Modelling gully erosion in urban areas is challenging due to difficulties with equifinality and parameter identification, which complicates quantification of management impacts on runoff and sediment production. We calibrated a model (AnnAGNPS) of an ephemeral gully network that formed on unpaved roads following a storm event in an urban watershed (0.2 km2) in Tijuana, Mexico. Latin hypercube sampling was used to create 500 parameter ensembles. Modelled sediment load was most sensitive to the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) curve number, tillage depth (Td), and critical shear stress (τc). Twenty-one parameter ensembles gave acceptable error (behavioural models), though changes in parameters governing runoff generation (SCS curve number, Manning's n) were compensated by changes in parameters describing soil properties (TD, τc, resulting in uncertainty in the optimal parameter values. The most suitable parameter combinations or "behavioural models" were used to evaluate uncertainty under management scenarios. Paving the roads increased runoff by 146-227%, increased peak discharge by 178-575%, and decreased sediment load by 90-94% depending on the ensemble. The method can be used in other watersheds to simulate runoff and gully erosion, to quantify the uncertainty of model-estimated impacts of management activities on runoff and erosion, and to suggest critical field measurements to reduce uncertainties in complex urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Napoleon Gudino-Elizondo
- Departamento de Geologia, Centro de Investigaciôn Cientifica y de Educaciôn Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), 22860 Ensenada, Mexico;
- Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA, (T.W.B.), (K.T.T.)
| | - Trent W Biggs
- Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA, (T.W.B.), (K.T.T.)
| | - Ronald L Bingner
- National Sedimentation Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Oxford, MS 38655, USA, (R.L.B.), (E.J.L.)
| | - Yongping Yuan
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA,
| | - Eddy J Langendoen
- National Sedimentation Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Oxford, MS 38655, USA, (R.L.B.), (E.J.L.)
| | - Kristine T Taniguchi
- Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA, (T.W.B.), (K.T.T.)
| | - Thomas Kretzschmar
- Departamento de Geologia, Centro de Investigaciôn Cientifica y de Educaciôn Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), 22860 Ensenada, Mexico;
| | | | - Douglas Liden
- San Diego Border Office, United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), San Diego, CA 92101, USA,
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14
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Li T, Chu C, Zhang Y, Ju M, Wang Y. Contrasting Eutrophication Risks and Countermeasures in Different Water Bodies: Assessments to Support Targeted Watershed Management. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017; 14:E695. [PMID: 28661417 PMCID: PMC5551133 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14070695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Eutrophication is a major problem in China. To combat this issue, the country needs to establish water quality targets, monitoring systems, and intelligent watershed management. This study explores a new watershed management method. Water quality is first assessed using a single factor index method. Then, changes in total nitrogen/total phosphorus (TN/TP) are analyzed to determine the limiting factor. Next, the study compares the eutrophication status of two water function districts, using a comprehensive nutritional state index method and geographic information system (GIS) visualization. Finally, nutrient sources are qualitatively analyzed. Two functional water areas in Tianjin, China were selected and analyzed: Qilihai National Wetland Nature Reserve and Yuqiao Reservoir. The reservoir is a drinking water source. Results indicate that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) pollution are the main factors driving eutrophication in the Qilihai Wetland and Yuqiao Reservoir. Phosphorus was the limiting factor in the Yuqiao Reservoir; nitrogen was the limiting factor in the Qilihai Wetland. Pollution in Qilihai Wetland is more serious than in Yuqiao Reservoir. The study found that external sources are the main source of pollution. These two functional water areas are vital for Tianjin; as such, the study proposes targeted management measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Chunli Chu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Yinan Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Meiting Ju
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Yuqiu Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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15
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Su F, Kaplan D, Li L, Li H, Song F, Liu H. Identifying and Classifying Pollution Hotspots to Guide Watershed Management in a Large Multiuse Watershed. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017; 14:ijerph14030260. [PMID: 28273834 PMCID: PMC5369096 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In many locations around the globe, large reservoir sustainability is threatened by land use change and direct pollution loading from the upstream watershed. However, the size and complexity of upstream basins makes the planning and implementation of watershed-scale pollution management a challenge. In this study, we established an evaluation system based on 17 factors, representing the potential point and non-point source pollutants and the environmental carrying capacity which are likely to affect the water quality in the Dahuofang Reservoir and watershed in northeastern China. We used entropy methods to rank 118 subwatersheds by their potential pollution threat and clustered subwatersheds according to the potential pollution type. Combining ranking and clustering analyses allowed us to suggest specific areas for prioritized watershed management (in particular, two subwatersheds with the greatest pollution potential) and to recommend the conservation of current practices in other less vulnerable locations (91 small watersheds with low pollution potential). Finally, we identified the factors most likely to influence the water quality of each of the 118 subwatersheds and suggested adaptive control measures for each location. These results provide a scientific basis for improving the watershed management and sustainability of the Dahuofang reservoir and a framework for identifying threats and prioritizing the management of watersheds of large reservoirs around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangli Su
- College of Water Conversation, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China.
- Liaoning Shuangtai Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Research Station, Nanjingzi Village, Dongguo Town, Panshan County, Panjin City 124112, Liaoning Province, China.
- Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 6 Phelps Lab, Gainesville, FL 32611-6350, USA.
| | - David Kaplan
- Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 6 Phelps Lab, Gainesville, FL 32611-6350, USA.
| | - Lifeng Li
- College of Water Conversation, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China.
- Liaoning Shuangtai Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Research Station, Nanjingzi Village, Dongguo Town, Panshan County, Panjin City 124112, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Haifu Li
- College of Water Conversation, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China.
- Liaoning Shuangtai Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Research Station, Nanjingzi Village, Dongguo Town, Panshan County, Panjin City 124112, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Fei Song
- College of Water Conversation, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China.
| | - Haisheng Liu
- College of Water Conversation, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110866, China.
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16
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Ponette-González AG, Brauman KA, Marín-Spiotta E, Farley KA, Weathers KC, Young KR, Curran LM. Managing water services in tropical regions: From land cover proxies to hydrologic fluxes. Ambio 2015; 44:367-375. [PMID: 25432319 PMCID: PMC4510328 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-014-0578-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Revised: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Watershed investment programs frequently use land cover as a proxy for water-based ecosystem services, an approach based on assumed relationships between land cover and hydrologic outcomes. Water flows are rarely quantified, and unanticipated results are common, suggesting land cover alone is not a reliable proxy for water services. We argue that managing key hydrologic fluxes at the site of intervention is more effective than promoting particular land-cover types. Moving beyond land cover proxies to a focus on hydrologic fluxes requires that programs (1) identify the specific water service of interest and associated hydrologic flux; (2) account for structural and ecological characteristics of the relevant land cover; and, (3) determine key mediators of the target hydrologic flux. Using examples from the tropics, we illustrate how this conceptual framework can clarify interventions with a higher probability of delivering desired water services than with land cover as a proxy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kate A. Brauman
- />Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, 325 Learning and Environmental Sciences, 1954 Buford Ave, St Paul, MN 55108 USA
| | - Erika Marín-Spiotta
- />Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Kathleen A. Farley
- />Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4493 USA
| | - Kathleen C. Weathers
- />Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Turnpike, PO Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545-0129 USA
| | - Kenneth R. Young
- />Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Texas at Austin, GRG 334, Mailcode A3100, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Lisa M. Curran
- />Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- />Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Main Quad, Building 50, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
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17
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Abstract
New institutions are critically needed to improve the resilience of social-ecological systems globally. Watershed management offers an important model due to its ability to govern mixed-ownership landscapes through common property regimes, translating national goals into local action. Here, I assess the efficacy of state watershed management institutions in the Pacific Northwest, based on their ability to support local watershed groups. I use document analysis to describe and compare state institutions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Results indicate that state institutional efficiency and resilience are the key factors determining watershed group activity and stability. The primary drivers of institutional efficiency and resilience were institutional unification, robust funding portfolios, low agency conflict, and strong support for economic multiplier effects, creative partnerships, and scholarly research. My findings elucidate the critical role of institutional efficiency and resilience in governing dynamic and complex social-ecological systems, enabling the flexibility to address emergent transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Erickson
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2045 - 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada,
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18
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Sánchez-Murillo R, Brooks ES, Elliot WJ, Boll J. Isotope hydrology and baseflow geochemistry in natural and human-altered watersheds in the Inland Pacific Northwest, USA. Isotopes Environ Health Stud 2015; 51:231-254. [PMID: 25692981 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2015.1008468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study presents a stable isotope hydrology and geochemical analysis in the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the USA. Isotope ratios were used to estimate mean transit times (MTTs) in natural and human-altered watersheds using the FLOWPC program. Isotope ratios in precipitation resulted in a regional meteoric water line of δ(2)H = 7.42·δ(18)O + 0.88 (n = 316; r(2) = 0.97). Isotope compositions exhibited a strong temperature-dependent seasonality. Despite this seasonal variation, the stream δ(18)O variation was small. A significant regression (τ = 0.11D(-1.09); r(2) = 0.83) between baseflow MTTs and the damping ratio was found. Baseflow MTTs ranged from 0.4 to 0.6 years (human-altered), 0.7 to 1.7 years (mining-altered), and 0.7 to 3.2 years (forested). Greater MTTs were represented by more homogenous aqueous chemistry whereas smaller MTTs resulted in more dynamic compositions. The isotope and geochemical data presented provide a baseline for future hydrological modelling in the inland PNW.
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Zheng H, Robinson BE, Liang YC, Polasky S, Ma DC, Wang FC, Ruckelshaus M, Ouyang ZY, Daily GC. Benefits, costs, and livelihood implications of a regional payment for ecosystem service program. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:16681-6. [PMID: 24003160 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1312324110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite broad interest in using payment for ecosystem services to promote changes in the use of natural capital, there are few expost assessments of impacts of payment for ecosystem services programs on ecosystem service provision, program cost, and changes in livelihoods resulting from program participation. In this paper, we evaluate the Paddy Land-to-Dry Land (PLDL) program in Beijing, China, and associated changes in service providers' livelihood activities. The PLDL is a land use conversion program that aims to protect water quality and quantity for the only surface water reservoir that serves Beijing, China's capital city with nearly 20 million residents. Our analysis integrates hydrologic data with household survey data and shows that the PLDL generates benefits of improved water quantity and quality that exceed the costs of reduced agricultural output. The PLDL has an overall benefit-cost ratio of 1.5, and both downstream beneficiaries and upstream providers gain from the program. Household data show that changes in livelihood activities may offset some of the desired effects of the program through increased expenditures on agricultural fertilizers. Overall, however, reductions in fertilizer leaching from land use change dominate so that the program still has a positive net impact on water quality. This program is a successful example of water users paying upstream landholders to improve water quantity and quality through land use change. Program evaluation also highlights the importance of considering behavioral changes by program participants.
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20
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Kovacs A, Honti M, Zessner M, Eder A, Clement A, Blöschl G. Identification of phosphorus emission hotspots in agricultural catchments. Sci Total Environ 2012; 433:74-88. [PMID: 22771465 PMCID: PMC3431497 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2012] [Revised: 06/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/07/2012] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
An enhanced transport-based management approach is presented, which is able to support cost-effective water quality management with respect to diffuse phosphorus pollution. Suspended solids and particulate phosphorus emissions and their transport were modeled in two hilly agricultural watersheds (Wulka River in Austria and Zala River in Hungary) with an improved version of the catchment-scale PhosFate model. Source and transmission areas were ranked by an optimization method in order to provide a priority list of the areas of economically efficient (optimal) management alternatives. The model was calibrated and validated at different gauges and for various years. The spatial distribution of the emissions shows that approximately one third of the catchment area is responsible for the majority of the emissions. However, only a few percent of the source areas can transport fluxes to the catchment outlet. These effective source areas, together with the main transmission areas are potential candidates for improved management practices. In accordance with the critical area concept, it was shown that intervention with better management practices on a properly selected small proportion of the total area (1-3%) is sufficient to reach a remarkable improvement in water quality. If soil nutrient management is also considered in addition to water quality, intervention on 4-12% of the catchment areas can fulfill both aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Kovacs
- Research Centers for Water Quality Management and Biology and Chemistry of Water, Institute for Water Quality, Resource and Waste Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/226, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
- The Centre for Water Resource Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/222, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Honti
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Zessner
- Research Centers for Water Quality Management and Biology and Chemistry of Water, Institute for Water Quality, Resource and Waste Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/226, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
- The Centre for Water Resource Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/222, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Eder
- Department of Small Watershed Hydrology and Erosion, Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Austrian Federal Agency for Water Management, Pollnbergstrasse 1, A-3252 Petzenkirchen, Austria
- The Centre for Water Resource Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/222, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Adrienne Clement
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Muegyetem rakpart 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Günter Blöschl
- Research Center of Hydrology and Water Resources Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/222, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
- The Centre for Water Resource Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/222, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
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Preston SD, Alexander RB, Schwarz GE, Crawford CG. Factors Affecting Stream Nutrient Loads: A Synthesis of Regional SPARROW Model Results for the Continental United States. J Am Water Resour Assoc 2011; 47:891-915. [PMID: 22457574 PMCID: PMC3307615 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00577.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2010] [Accepted: 03/17/2011] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
We compared the results of 12 recently calibrated regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models covering most of the continental United States to evaluate the consistency and regional differences in factors affecting stream nutrient loads. The models - 6 for total nitrogen and 6 for total phosphorus - all provide similar levels of prediction accuracy, but those for major river basins in the eastern half of the country were somewhat more accurate. The models simulate long-term mean annual stream nutrient loads as a function of a wide range of known sources and climatic (precipitation, temperature), landscape (e.g., soils, geology), and aquatic factors affecting nutrient fate and transport. The results confirm the dominant effects of urban and agricultural sources on stream nutrient loads nationally and regionally, but reveal considerable spatial variability in the specific types of sources that control water quality. These include regional differences in the relative importance of different types of urban (municipal and industrial point vs. diffuse urban runoff) and agriculture (crop cultivation vs. animal waste) sources, as well as the effects of atmospheric deposition, mining, and background (e.g., soil phosphorus) sources on stream nutrients. Overall, we found that the SPARROW model results provide a consistent set of information for identifying the major sources and environmental factors affecting nutrient fate and transport in United States watersheds at regional and subregional scales.
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22
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Schwarz GE, Alexander RB, Smith RA, Preston SD. The Regionalization of National-Scale SPARROW Models for Stream Nutrients. J Am Water Resour Assoc 2011; 47:1151-1172. [PMID: 22457586 PMCID: PMC3307635 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00581.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
This analysis modifies the parsimonious specification of recently published total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) national-scale SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes models to allow each model coefficient to vary geographically among three major river basins of the conterminous United States. Regionalization of the national models reduces the standard errors in the prediction of TN and TP loads, expressed as a percentage of the predicted load, by about 6 and 7%. We develop and apply a method for combining national-scale and regional-scale information to estimate a hybrid model that imposes cross-region constraints that limit regional variation in model coefficients, effectively reducing the number of free model parameters as compared to a collection of independent regional models. The hybrid TN and TP regional models have improved model fit relative to the respective national models, reducing the standard error in the prediction of loads, expressed as a percentage of load, by about 5 and 4%. Only 19% of the TN hybrid model coefficients and just 2% of the TP hybrid model coefficients show evidence of substantial regional specificity (more than ±100% deviation from the national model estimate). The hybrid models have much greater precision in the estimated coefficients than do the unconstrained regional models, demonstrating the efficacy of pooling information across regions to improve regional models.
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23
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Merem EC, Yerramilli S, Twumasi YA, Wesley JM, Robinson B, Richardson C. The applications of GIS in the analysis of the impacts of human activities on south Texas watersheds. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2011; 8:2418-46. [PMID: 21776238 PMCID: PMC3138033 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph8062418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2010] [Revised: 06/15/2011] [Accepted: 06/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
With water resource planning assuming greater importance in environmental protection efforts, analyzing the health of agricultural watersheds using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) becomes essential for decision-makers in Southern Texas. Within the area, there exist numerous threats from conflicting land uses. These include the conversion of land formerly designated for agricultural purposes to other uses. Despite current efforts, anthropogenic factors are greatly contributing to the degradation of watersheds. Additionally, the activities of waste water facilities located in some of the counties, rising populations, and other socioeconomic variables are negatively impacting the quality of water in the agricultural watersheds. To map the location of these stressors spatially and the extent of their impacts across time, the paper adopts a mix scale method of temporal spatial analysis consisting of simple descriptive statistics. In terms of objectives, this research provides geo-spatial analysis of the effects of human activities on agricultural watersheds in Southern Texas and the factors fuelling the concerns under the purview of watershed management. The results point to growing ecosystem decline across time and a geographic cluster of counties experiencing environmental stress. Accordingly, the emergence of stressors such as rising population, increased use of fertilizer treatments on farm land, discharges of atmospheric pollutants and the large presence of municipal and industrial waste treatment facilities emitting pathogens and pesticides directly into the agricultural watersheds pose a growing threat to the quality of the watershed ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund C. Merem
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jackson State University, 3825, Ridgewood Road, P.O. Box 23, Jackson, MS 39211, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.W.); (B.R); ; (C.R.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-601-432-6856; Fax: +1-601-432-6862
| | - Sudha Yerramilli
- National Center for Bio Defense Communications, Jackson State University, Mississippi e-Center @ JSU, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, MS 39204, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Yaw A. Twumasi
- Department of Advanced Technologies, School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Alcorn State University, 1000 ASU Drive, Jackson, MS 39096, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Joan M. Wesley
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jackson State University, 3825, Ridgewood Road, P.O. Box 23, Jackson, MS 39211, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.W.); (B.R); ; (C.R.)
| | - Bennetta Robinson
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jackson State University, 3825, Ridgewood Road, P.O. Box 23, Jackson, MS 39211, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.W.); (B.R); ; (C.R.)
| | - Chandra Richardson
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jackson State University, 3825, Ridgewood Road, P.O. Box 23, Jackson, MS 39211, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.W.); (B.R); ; (C.R.)
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Johnson HM, Domagalski JL, Saleh DK. Trends in Pesticide Concentrations in Streams of the Western United States, 1993-2005. J Am Water Resour Assoc 2011; 47:265-286. [PMID: 22457570 PMCID: PMC3307620 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00507.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2010] [Accepted: 10/18/2010] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Trends in pesticide concentrations for 15 streams in California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho were determined for the organophosphate insecticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon and the herbicides atrazine, s-ethyl diproplythiocarbamate (EPTC), metolachlor, simazine, and trifluralin. A parametric regression model was used to account for flow, seasonality, and antecedent hydrologic conditions and thereby estimate trends in pesticide concentrations in streams arising from changes in use amount and application method in their associated catchments. Decreasing trends most often were observed for diazinon, and reflect the shift to alternative pesticides by farmers, commercial applicators, and homeowners because of use restrictions and product cancelation. Consistent trends were observed for several herbicides, including upward trends in simazine at urban-influenced sites from 2000 to 2005, and downward trends in atrazine and EPTC at agricultural sites from the mid-1990s to 2005. The model provided additional information about pesticide occurrence and transport in the modeled streams. Two examples are presented and briefly discussed: (1) timing of peak concentrations for individual compounds varied greatly across this geographic gradient because of different application periods and the effects of local rain patterns, irrigation, and soil drainage and (2) reconstructions of continuous diazinon concentrations at sites in California are used to evaluate compliance with total maximum daily load targets.
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Degasperi CL, Berge HB, Whiting KR, Burkey JJ, Cassin JL, Fuerstenberg RR. Linking Hydrologic Alteration to Biological Impairment in Urbanizing Streams of the Puget Lowland, Washington, USA. J Am Water Resour Assoc 2009; 45:512-533. [PMID: 22457566 PMCID: PMC3307621 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00306.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2007] [Accepted: 09/22/2008] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We used a retrospective approach to identify hydrologic metrics with the greatest potential for ecological relevance for use as resource management tools (i.e., hydrologic indicators) in rapidly urbanizing basins of the Puget Lowland. We proposed four criteria for identifying useful hydrologic indicators: (1) sensitive to urbanization consistent with expected hydrologic response, (2) demonstrate statistically significant trends in urbanizing basins (and not in undeveloped basins), (3) be correlated with measures of biological response to urbanization, and (4) be relatively insensitive to potentially confounding variables like basin area. Data utilized in the analysis included gauged flow and benthic macroinvertebrate data collected at 16 locations in 11 King County stream basins. Fifteen hydrologic metrics were calculated from daily average flow data and the Pacific Northwest Benthic Index of Biological Integrity (B-IBI) was used to represent the gradient of response of stream macroinvertebrates to urbanization. Urbanization was represented by percent Total Impervious Area (%TIA) and percent urban land cover (%Urban). We found eight hydrologic metrics that were significantly correlated with B-IBI scores (Low Pulse Count and Duration; High Pulse Count, Duration, and Range; Flow Reversals, T(Qmean), and R-B Index). Although there appeared to be a great deal of redundancy among these metrics with respect to their response to urbanization, only two of the metrics tested - High Pulse Count and High Pulse Range - best met all four criteria we established for selecting hydrologic indicators. The increase in these high pulse metrics with respect to urbanization is the result of an increase in winter high pulses and the occurrence of high pulse events during summer (increasing the frequency and range of high pulses), when practically none would have occurred prior to development. We performed an initial evaluation of the usefulness of our hydrologic indicators by calculating and comparing hydrologic metrics derived from continuous hydrologic simulations of selected basin management alternatives for Miller Creek, one of the most highly urbanized basins used in our study. We found that the preferred basin management alternative appeared to be effective in restoring some flow metrics close to simulated fully forested conditions (e.g., T(Qmean)), but less effective in restoring other metrics such as High Pulse Count and Range. If future research continues to support our hypothesis that the flow regime, particularly High Pulse Count and Range, is an important control of biotic integrity in Puget Lowland streams, it would have significant implications for stormwater management.
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Abstract
We investigated the influence of riparian and whole watershed land use as a function of stream size on surface water chemistry and assessed regional variation in these relationships. Sixty-eight watersheds in four level III U.S. EPA ecoregions in eastern Kansas were selected as study sites. Riparian land cover and watershed land use were quantified for the entire watershed, and by Strahler order. Multiple regression analyses using riparian land cover classifications as independent variables explained among-site variation in water chemistry parameters, particularly total nitrogen (41%), nitrate (61%), and total phosphorus (63%) concentrations. Whole watershed land use explained slightly less variance, but riparian and whole watershed land use were so tightly correlated that it was difficult to separate their effects. Water chemistry parameters sampled in downstream reaches were most closely correlated with riparian land cover adjacent to the smallest (first-order) streams of watersheds or land use in the entire watershed, with riparian zones immediately upstream of sampling sites offering less explanatory power as stream size increased. Interestingly, headwater effects were evident even at times when these small streams were unlikely to be flowing. Relationships were similar among ecoregions, indicating that land use characteristics were most responsible for water quality variation among watersheds. These findings suggest that nonpoint pollution control strategies should consider the influence of small upland streams and protection of downstream riparian zones alone is not sufficient to protect water quality.
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