scholarly journals Spatial Analysis of a Chesapeake Bay Sub-Watershed: How Land Use and Precipitation Patterns Impact Water Quality in the James River

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1592
Author(s):  
Kristina A. Delia ◽  
Christa R. Haney ◽  
Jamie L. Dyer ◽  
Varun G. Paul
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Chesapeake Bay ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Residential Development ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
James River ◽  
Water Quality Indicators

Changes in land cover throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, accompanied by variability in climate patterns, can impact runoff and water quality. A study was conducted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the James River watershed in Virginia, the southernmost tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, from 1986 to 2018, in order to evaluate factors that affect water quality in the river. This research focuses on statistical analysis of land use, precipitation, and water quality indicators. Land cover changes derived from satellite imagery and geographic information system (GIS) tools were compared with water quality parameters throughout that timeframe. Marked decreases in forest land cover were observed throughout the watershed, as well as increased residential development. Our findings suggest strong links between land cover modification, such as residential development, and degraded water quality indicators such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. In addition, we note direct improvements in water quality when forest land areas are preserved throughout the watershed.

scholarly journals Linking Changes in Land Cover and Land Use of the Lower Mekong Basin to Instream Nitrate and Total Suspended Solids Variations

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kongmeng Ly ◽  
Graciela Metternicht ◽  
Lucy Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Total Suspended Solids ◽  
Mekong River ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Lulc Changes ◽  
Correlation Analyses ◽  
Forest Land Cover

Population growth and economic development are driving changes in land use/land cover (LULC) of the transboundary Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB), posing a serious threat to the integrity of the river system. Using data collected on a monthly basis over 30 years (1985–2015) at 14 stations located along the Lower Mekong river, this study explores whether spatiotemporal relationships exist between LULC changes and instream concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and nitrate—as proxies of water quality. The results show seasonal influences where temporal patterns of instream TSS and nitrate concentrations mirror patterns detected for discharge. Changes in LULC influenced instream TSS and nitrate levels differently over time and space. The seasonal Mann–Kendall (SMK) confirmed significant reduction of instream TSS concentrations at six stations (p < 0.05), while nitrate levels increased at five stations (p < 0.05), predominantly in stations located in the upper section of the basin where forest areas and mountainous topography dominate the landscape. Temporal correlation analyses point to the conversion of grassland (r = −0.61, p < 0.01) to paddy fields (r = 0.63, p < 0.01) and urban areas (r = 0.44, p < 0.05) as the changes in LULC that mostly impact instream nitrate contents. The reduction of TSS appears influenced by increased forest land cover (r = −0.72, p < 0.01) and by the development and operation of hydropower projects in the upper Mekong River. Spatial correlation analyses showed positive associations between forest land cover and instream concentrations of TSS (r = 0.64, p = 0.01) and nitrate (r = 0.54, p < 0.05), indicating that this type of LULC was heavily disturbed and harvested, resulting in soil erosion and runoff of nitrate rich sediment during the Wet season. Our results show that enhanced understanding of how LULC changes influence instream water quality at spatial and temporal scales is vital for assessing potential impacts of future land and water resource development on freshwater resources of the LMB.

scholarly journals Substantially Greater Carbon Emissions Estimated Based on Annual Land-Use Transition Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1126
Author(s):  
Jiaojiao Diao ◽  
Jinxun Liu ◽  
Zhiliang Zhu ◽  
Mingshi Li ◽  
Benjamin M. Sleeter
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Chesapeake Bay ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Carbon Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Ecosystem Carbon

Quantifying land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) effects on carbon sources and sinks has been very challenging because of the availability and quality of LULCC data. As the largest estuary in the United States, Chesapeake Bay is a rapidly changing region and is affected by human activities. A new annual land-use and land-cover (LULC) data product developed by the U.S. Geological Survey Land Change Monitoring and Analysis Program (LCMAP) from 2001 to 2011 was analyzed for transitions between agricultural land, developed land, grassland, forest land and wetland. The Land Use and Carbon Scenario Simulator was used to simulate effects of LULCC and ecosystem disturbance in the south of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (CBW) on carbon storage and fluxes, with carbon parameters derived from the Integrated Biosphere Simulator. We found that during the study period: (1) areas of forest land, disturbed land, agricultural land and wetland decreased by 90, 82, 57, and 65 km2, respectively, but developed lands gained 293 km2 (29 km2 annually); (2) total ecosystem carbon stock in the CBW increased by 13 Tg C from 2001 to 2011, mainly due to carbon sequestration of the forest ecosystem; (3) carbon loss was primarily attributed to urbanization (0.224 Tg C·yr−1) and agricultural expansion (0.046 Tg C·yr−1); and (4) estimated carbon emissions and harvest wood products were greater when estimated with the annual LULC input. We conclude that a dense time series of LULCC, such as that of the LCMAP program, may provide a more accurate accounting of the effects of land use change on ecosystem carbon, which is critical to understanding long-term ecosystem carbon dynamics.

Sensitivity of water quality indicators in a large tropical reservoir to selected climate and land-use changes

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavious P. Williams ◽  
Oliver Obregon ◽  
E. James Nelson ◽  
Woodruff Miller ◽  
M. Brett Borup ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Tropical Reservoir ◽  
Water Quality Indicators

scholarly journals Spatially Varying and Scale-Dependent Relationships of Land Use Types with Stream Water Quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Se-Rin Park ◽  
Sang-Woo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Watershed Scale ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Water Quality Indicators ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Spatially Varying

Understanding the complex relationships between land use and stream water quality is critical for water pollution control and watershed management. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between land use types and water quality indicators at multiple spatial scales, namely, the watershed and riparian scales, using the ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. GWR extended traditional regression models, such as OLS to address the spatial variations among variables. Our results indicated that the water quality indicators were significantly affected by agricultural and forested areas at both scales. We found that extensive agricultural land use had negative effects on water quality indicators, whereas, forested areas had positive effects on these indicators. The results also indicated that the watershed scale is effective for management and regulation of watershed land use, as the predictive power of the models is much greater at the watershed scale. The maps of estimated local parameters and local R2 in GWR models showcased the spatially varying relationships and indicated that the effects of land use on water quality varied over space. The results of this study reinforced the importance of watershed management in the planning, restoration, and management of stream water quality. It is also suggested that planners and managers may need to adopt different strategies, considering watershed characteristics—such as topographic features and meteorological conditions—and the source of pollutants, in managing stream water quality.

Application of a Pilot-Scale Pulsed Electrocoagulation system to OCC-Based Paper Mill Effluent

TAPPI Journal ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUAN-SHING PERNG ◽  
EUGENE I-CHEN WANG ◽  
SHIH-TSUNG YU ◽  
AN-YI CHANG
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Optimal Dosage ◽  
Water Quality Indicators ◽  
Paper Mill Effluent ◽  
Treated Effluent ◽  
True Color

Trends toward closure of white water recirculation loops in papermaking often lead to a need for system modifications. We conducted a pilot-scale study using pulsed electrocoagulation technology to treat the effluent of an old corrugated containerboard (OCC)-based paper mill in order to evaluate its treatment performance. The operating variables were a current density of 0–240 A/m2, a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8–16 min, and a coagulant (anionic polyacrylamide) dosage of 0–22 mg/L. Water quality indicators investigated were electrical con-ductivity, suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and true color. The results were encouraging. Under the operating conditions without coagulant addition, the highest removals for conductivity, SS, COD, and true color were 39.8%, 85.7%, 70.5%, and 97.1%, respectively (with an HRT of 16 min). The use of a coagulant enhanced the removal of both conductivity and COD. With an optimal dosage of 20 mg/L and a shortened HRT of 10 min, the highest removal achieved for the four water quality indicators were 37.7%, 88.7%, 74.2%, and 91.7%, respectively. The water qualities thus attained should be adequate to allow reuse of a substantial portion of the treated effluent as process water makeup in papermaking.

Spatio-temporal Variations in Water Quality Parameter Trends in River Waters

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 2940-2952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Zelenakova ◽  
Pavol Purcz ◽  
Radu Daniel Pintilii ◽  
Peter Blistan ◽  
Petr Hlustik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Chemical Oxygen Demand ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Water Quality Parameter ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Water Quality Indicators ◽  
Nitrite Nitrogen

Evaluating trends in water quality indicators is a crucial issue in integrated water resource management in any country. In this study eight chemical and physical water quality indicators were analysed in seven river profiles in the River Laborec in eastern Slovakia. The analysed water quality parameters were biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), pH, temperature (t), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrite nitrogen (NO2--N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), and total phosphorus (TP). Data from the monitored indicators were provided by the Ko�ice branch of the Slovakian Water Management Company, over a period of 15 years from 1999 to 2013. Mann�Kendall non-parametric statistical test was used for the trend analysis. Biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, ammonium and nitrite nitrogen content exhibit decreasing trends in the River Laborec. Decreasing agricultural activity in the area has had a significant impact on the trends in these parameters. However, NO2--N was the significant parameter of water quality because it mostly exceeds the limit value set in Slovak legislation, Regulation No. 269/2010 Coll. In addition, water temperature revealed an increasing trend which could be caused by global increase in air temperature. These results indicate that human activity significantly impacts the water quality.

scholarly journals Assessment of Automatically Monitored Water Levels and Water Quality Indicators in Rivers with Different Hydromorphological Conditions and Pollution Levels in Greece

Hydrology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Angeliki Mentzafou ◽  
George Varlas ◽  
Anastasios Papadopoulos ◽  
Georgios Poulis ◽  
Elias Dimitriou
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Time Series ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Automatic Monitoring ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
High Temporal Resolution ◽  
Water Quality Indicators ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Riverine Ecosystems

Water resources, especially riverine ecosystems, are globally under qualitative and quantitative degradation due to human-imposed pressures. High-temporal-resolution data obtained from automatic stations can provide insights into the processes that link catchment hydrology and streamwater chemistry. The scope of this paper was to investigate the statistical behavior of high-frequency measurements at sites with known hydromorphological and pollution pressures. For this purpose, hourly time series of water levels and key water quality indicators (temperature, electric conductivity, and dissolved oxygen concentrations) collected from four automatic monitoring stations under different hydromorphological conditions and pollution pressures were statistically elaborated. Based on the results, the hydromorphological conditions and pollution pressures of each station were confirmed to be reflected in the results of the statistical analysis performed. It was proven that the comparative use of the statistics and patterns of the water level and quality high-frequency time series could be used in the interpretation of the current site status as well as allowing the detection of possible changes. This approach can be used as a tool for the definition of thresholds, and will contribute to the design of management and restoration measures for the most impacted areas.

scholarly journals Spatial-Temporal Change of Land Use and Its Impact on Water Quality of East-Liao River Basin from 2000 to 2020

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 1955
Author(s):  
Mingxi Zhang ◽  
Guangzhi Rong ◽  
Aru Han ◽  
Dao Riao ◽  
Xingpeng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Point Source ◽  
Water Body ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Point Source Pollution ◽  
Construction Land ◽  
Unused Land ◽  
Non Point Source Pollution

Land use change is an important driving force factor affecting the river water environment and directly affecting water quality. To analyze the impact of land use change on water quality change, this study first analyzed the land use change index of the study area. Then, the study area was divided into three subzones based on surface runoff. The relationship between the characteristics of land use change and the water quality grade was obtained by grey correlation analysis. The results showed that the land use types changed significantly in the study area since 2000, and water body and forest land were the two land types with the most significant changes. The transfer rate is cultivated field > forest land > construction land > grassland > unused land > water body. The entropy value of land use information is represented as Area I > Area III > Area II. The shift range of gravity center is forest land > grassland > water body > unused land > construction land > cultivated field. There is a strong correlation between land use change index and water quality, which can be improved and managed by changing the land use type. It is necessary to establish ecological protection areas or functional areas in Area I, artificial lawns or plantations shall be built in the river around the water body to intercept pollutants from non-point source pollution in Area II, and scientific and rational farming in the lower reaches of rivers can reduce non-point source pollution caused by farming.

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