scholarly journals Impact of calculation method, sampling frequency and hysteresis on suspended solids and total phosphorus load estimations in cold climate

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1594-1610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasi Valkama ◽  
Olli Ruth
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Sampling Frequency ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Load Calculation ◽  
Daily Sampling ◽  
Continuous Measuring ◽  
Total Phosphorus Load

Abstract Load calculations of nutrients and suspended solids (SS) transported by rivers are usually based on discrete water samples. Water quality changes in cold climate regions often occur very rapidly and therefore discrete samples are unrepresentative of the range of water quality occurring. This leads to errors of varying magnitude in load calculation. High-resolution turbidity data were used to determine the SS and total phosphorus (TP), and paired with discharge to determine loads from two small catchments in southern Finland. The effect of sampling frequency was investigated by artificially sub-sampling the high frequency concentrations. Regardless of the sampling frequency, the TP load was more likely underestimated while using discrete samples. To achieve ±20% accuracy compared with the reference load, daily sampling should be performed. Hysteresis was detected to have an impact on TP load. Hysteresis analysis also revealed the main source of the TP to be in the fields of the catchment. Continuous measuring proved to be a valuable method for defining loads and short-term fluctuations in water quality in small clayey watercourses in a boreal cold climate, where the climate change will increase the frequency of winter floods.

Assessment of Freshwater Inflow and Water Quality for an Urbanized, Subtropical Estuary (Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, USA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-31
Author(s):  
Christopher Buzzelli ◽  
Zhiqiang Chen ◽  
Peter Doering ◽  
Amanda Kahn
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Total Suspended Solids ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Freshwater Inflow ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Palm Beach County

Abstract Coastal water bodies are impacted by watershed alterations, increased population density, modifications to inlets and shorelines, climatic periodicity, and increases in external material loads. Estuaries such as Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL) in south Florida possess all these attributes. The LWL watershed extends from the southeastern portion of Lake Okeechobee through Palm Beach County, where it meets the lagoon. Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management recognizes the social and ecological importance of the ~36 km lagoon and aims to maintain suitable water and habitat quality for all stakeholders. Recent declines and shifts of seagrass distribution along the lagoon prompted a step toward better understanding the water quality patterns of the system. In support of these efforts, this study assessed bathymetry, inflow, flushing, and water quality attributes (chlorophyll a, salinity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total suspended solids, turbidity) using data collected along a series of 14 midlagoon stations from 2007 to 2015. Salinity in the North Segment was higher and less variable because of proximity to Palm Beach Inlet. Although concentrations of chlorophyll a, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus correlated with freshwater inflow, turbidity and total suspended solids were not. Fast flushing of the lagoon on a scale of days likely precludes water quality issues common to many estuaries with higher resident times. However, the combination of landscape-scale water management, a shoreline that is almost 70% modified by hard structures, and changes in essential nearshore habitats, introduces new levels of uncertainty to both the understanding and management of LWL. From this study, increased knowledge of relationships among water quality parameters and their spatial and temporal variability in LWL provides points of reference from which targeted studies can be developed to explore links between environmental parameters and responses of key organisms in this unique system.

scholarly journals Water Quality Assessment of Tributaries of Batang Baleh in Sarawak Using Cluster Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Teck-Yee Ling ◽  
Chen-Lin Soo ◽  
Teresa-Lee-Eng Heng ◽  
Lee Nyanti ◽  
Siong-Fong Sim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Organic Nitrogen ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Water Quality Assessment ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Nitrite Nitrate

Assessment of river water quality is essential as it provides the knowledge required to make informed decisions. Therefore, water quality was determined at 15 tributary stations located along the Batang Baleh, Sarawak. Results of the study indicate that all tributaries were well-aerated (≈ 7.7 mg/L) with pH (≈ 7.3) and conductivity (≈ 37.3 μS/cm) values falling within acceptable ranges. However, there were tributaries that showed very high turbidity (> 1000 NTU) and suspended solids (> 800 mg/L) which were contributed by the soil erosion from logging activities in the watershed. Tributary stations associated with logging activities also showed significantly higher total phosphorus and organic nitrogen. Cluster analysis demonstrated that water quality at tributary stations along the Batang Baleh exhibited a longitudinal variation from upstream to downstream regions, particularly, dissolved oxygen, five-day biochemical oxygen demand, and nitrite-nitrate nitrogen, which were found higher in upstream region and steadily decreased towards the downstream region. Two stations located at Sg. Serani and Sg. Melatai were distinct from the other stations with the highest concentrations of turbidity, total suspended solids, organic nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Thus, there is an urgent need to reduce the pollutants in the tributaries of Batang Baleh for the health of the sensitive aquatic organisms.

Effects of sampling frequency on estimation accuracies of annual loadings for water quality parameters in different sized watersheds

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-277
Author(s):  
Lin Gao ◽  
Junyu Qi ◽  
Sheng Li ◽  
Glenn Benoy ◽  
Zisheng Xing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Sampling Frequency ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Water Quality Parameters ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Estimation Errors ◽  
Water Quality Data ◽  
Novel Approach

Abstract Potential errors or uncertainties of annual loading estimations for water quality parameters such as suspended solids (SS), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), ortho-phosphorus (Ortho-P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) can be greatly affected by sampling frequencies. In this study, annual loading estimation errors were assessed in terms of the coefficient of variation, relative bias, and probability of potential errors that were estimated with statistical samples taken at a series of sampling frequencies for a watershed in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada, and one of its sub-watersheds. Results indicate that annual loading estimation errors increased with decreasing sampling frequency for all water quality parameters. At the same sampling frequencies, the estimation errors were several times greater for the smaller watershed than those for the larger watershed, possibly due to the flushing nature of streamflows in the smaller watershed. We also found that low sampling frequency tended to underestimate the annual loadings of water quality parameters dominated by stormflow events (SS and K) and overestimate water quality parameters dominated by baseflow (Mg and Ca). These results can be used by hydrologists and water quality managers to determine sampling frequencies that minimize costs while providing acceptable estimation errors. This study also demonstrates a novel approach to assess potential errors when analyzing existing water quality data.

Short-term effects of a wildfire on the water quality and macroinvertebrate community of a saline stream

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy A. Corbin
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Dissolved Oxygen ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Community ◽  
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Reactive Phosphorus ◽  
Kjeldahl Nitrogen ◽  
Fire Conditions

The effects of a wildfire on the water quality and macroinvertebrate community of a saline stream in a semiarid, predominantly cleared catchment were investigated. Samples collected for 12 months following the fire were compared with pre-fire conditions. Small increases in filterable reactive phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, colour and turbidity and decreases in dissolved oxygen were recorded the day after the fire; however, most concentrations returned to pre-fire conditions within 2–3 months. Increases in nutrients were likely due to the deposition of ash, smoke and debris. Total phosphorus and total Kjeldahl nitrogen in the lower part of the catchment remained significantly higher for the year after the fire. No fire-related changes in the macroinvertebrate community structure were apparent. Reduced rainfall following the fire, the predominantly cleared catchment and the presence of a saline-tolerant macroinvertebrate assemblage all contributed to the reduced effects from the fire.

Influence of Sampling Frequency on Estimation of Annual Total Phosphorus and Total Suspended Solids Loads1

2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1258-1275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amber Spackman Jones ◽  
Jeffery S. Horsburgh ◽  
Nancy O. Mesner ◽  
Ronald J. Ryel ◽  
David K. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Total Suspended Solids ◽  
Sampling Frequency ◽  
Annual Total

Phosphorus and Metal Contaminant Transport in Two Southern Ontario Rivers: the Grand River and its Tributary, the Nith River

1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Mayer ◽  
E. Delos Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Suspended Sediments ◽  
Southern Ontario ◽  
High Flows ◽  
Grand River

Abstract Water samples and suspended sediments from two southern Ontario rivers, the Grand River and its tributary, the Nith River, were analyzed to investigate the role of suspended sediments in the transport of phosphorus and metals from tributaries. Water samples were analyzed for total suspended solids, total phosphorus, total dissolved phosphorus, chloride and heavy metal concentrations. Suspended sediments were analyzed for forms of phosphorus, total and organic carbon, and heavy metals. Concentrations of total phosphorus and heavy metals in water were elevated during high flows (spring snowmelt and episodes of intensive rain events), which are characterized by high concentrations of suspended solids. On average, about half of the total phosphorus in the water (60 and 54% in the Grand and Nith rivers, respectively) was transported in the particulate form, of which about 20% is in a form that would be potentially available for biological utilization upon depletion of soluble P. Biologically inert apatite-P accounted for 25 and 19% of the total particulate P in suspended sediments from the Grand and Nith rivers, respectively, indicating that between one-fifth and one-quarter of the tributary particulate P flux is of little environmental significance. This form of particulate P showed positive correlation with discharge, indicating increased contribution of this form of P during high flows due to the channel scouring and bank erosion. This finding has important implications for the refinement of P load calculations, since it is during the wet years that P loads to the Great Lakes exceed target loads stipulated by the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, mainly because of increased tributary P contributions. Except for apatite-P in suspended sediments from the Grand River, no statistically significant intersite differences were found in water and sediment chemistry, suggesting that there are no important sources or sinks of available phosphorus and metals between the monitored sites. River inputs from sewage treatment plants and urban runoff appear to have little effect on water quality. The lack of significant site differentiation in suspended sediments chemistry also reflects the absence of any significant chemical and/or biological processing of particles in transit and the similarity of sediment sources.

Artificial Marshes to Maintain Water Quality: The Beach of Ile Notre-Dame, Montréal

1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-340
Author(s):  
Gilles Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Water Purification ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Soluble Reactive Phosphorus ◽  
Faecal Coliforms ◽  
Artificial Lake ◽  
Artificial Wetlands ◽  
Saint Lawrence River

Abstract In June 1990, the City of Montréal opened a beach on an artificial lake in the southern sector of Ile Notre-Dame in the Saint Lawrence River, a man-made island built for Expo ’67. This lake is fed from the Saint Lawrence River and the beach stretches some 600m with a swimming area of approximately 15 000 m2. Since the desired environmental character was that of a natural lake, it was decided to avoid the use of conventional methods of water purification such as treatment with chlorine. Instead, a series of techniques more compatible with natural systems were chosen in order to maintain water quality. The major component of these techniques is a “filter-lake” complex. Occupying an area of 20 000 m2, the “filter-lake” complex consists of four ponds of varying depth where more than 100 000 aquatic plants of different native species were introduced. Intake pipes draw 28 litres/second of water into the first pond and then, water circulates by gravity through the three remaining ponds. During the last two seasons, several parameters were monitored in order to evaluate the efficiency of the system. The parameters considered were: soluble reactive phosphorous, total phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, nitrates, ammonium, suspended solids and faecal coliforms. Preliminary results indicate that the system of artificial wetlands used at the beach of Ile Notre-Dame is efficient in water purification. The ponds are very good traps for soluble reactive phosphorus and nitrates. A good interception is also observed in the second pond for total phosphorus and suspended solids. Faecal coliforms removal however seems uncertain and long-term effectiveness is questionnable.

Establishing an empirical equation for the relationship between total suspended solids and total phosphorus concentrations in the downstream Red river water

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-332
Author(s):  
Le Nhu Da ◽  
Le Thi Phuong Quynh ◽  
Phung Thi Xuan Binh ◽  
Duong Thi Thuy ◽  
Trinh Hoai Thu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Total Suspended Solids ◽  
River System ◽  
Red River ◽  
Reservoir Impoundment ◽  
Downstream Section ◽  
Reasonable Prediction

Recently, the Asian rivers have faced the strong reduction of riverine total suspended solids (TSS) flux due to numerous dam/reservoir impoundment. The Red river system is a typical example of the Southeast Asian rivers that has been strongly impacted by reservoir impoundment in both China and Vietnam, especially in the recent period. It is known that the reduction in total suspended solids may lead to the decrease of some associated elements, including nutrients (N, P, Si) which may affect coastal ecosystems. In this paper, we establish the empirical relationship between total suspended solids and total phosphorus concentrations in water environment of the Red river in its downstream section from Hanoi city to the Ba Lat estuary based on the sampling campaigns conducted in the dry and wet seasons in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The results show a clear relationship with significant coefficient between total suspended solids and total phosphorus in the downstream Red river. It is expressed by a simple equation y = 0.0226x0.3867 where x and y stand for total suspended solids and total phosphorus concentrations (mg/l) respectively with the r2 value of 0.757. This equation enables a reasonable prediction of total phosphorus concentrations of the downstream Red river when the observed data of total suspended solids concentrations are available. Thus, this work opens up the way for further studies on the calculation of the total phosphorus over longer timescales using daily available total suspended solids values.

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