GIS-based methodologies for assessing nitrate, nitrite and ammonium distributions across a major UK basin, the Humber

Abstract. The distributions of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium at various monitoring sites across the Humber basin (area 24 000 km2) were examined within a Geographical Information System (GIS) framework. This basin contains diverse characteristics, from areas of high population and industry to rural and arable regions. The Humber River is a major provider of and nutrient fluxes to the North Sea from the UK. Within the GIS analysis, the distributions of mean and mean flow weighted concentrations, flux and flux per unit area, were investigated. Empirical relationships between land characteristics and water quality for the whole catchment draining to each water quality monitoring site were established. Thirty-eight catchments were chosen for this analysis, with areas ranging from 46 km2 to 8225 km2. These catchments are distributed across the Humber, encompassing the different conditions across the basin, thus allowing relationships between water quality and catchment characteristics to be used to estimate the nitrogen concentrations and flux throughout the basin river network. The main water quality data source was the Land Ocean Interaction Study (LOIS) dataset. The Environment Agency of England and Wales water quality datasets were used to infill areas of sparse LOIS monitoring network density within the Humber. The work shows the feasibility of estimating nitrate and, to a lesser extent, nitrite and ammonium concentrations and fluxes across the river network based on land characteristics, using a GIS methodology. The estimations work particularly well for the main river channels. However, there are local anomalies which are more difficult to predict. Maps showing concentration variations at 500 m intervals along the Humber basin river networks are presented; these are of particular value for environmental managers and socio-economists. Keywords: GIS, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, catchment characteristics

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Anthropogenic and catchment characteristic signatures in the water quality of Swiss rivers: a quantitative assessment

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ◽

10.5194/hess-23-1885-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 1885-1904 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Martina Botter ◽

Paolo Burlando ◽

Simone Fatichi

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Anthropogenic Impacts ◽

Stream Water ◽

Temporal Variations ◽

Quality Data ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Water Quality Data ◽

Catchment Characteristics

Abstract. The hydrological and biogeochemical response of rivers carries information about solute sources, pathways, and transformations in the catchment. We investigate long-term water quality data of 11 Swiss catchments with the objective to discern the influence of major catchment characteristics and anthropic activities on delivery of solutes in stream water. Magnitude, trends, and seasonality of water quality samplings of different solutes are evaluated and compared across catchments. Subsequently, the empirical dependence between concentration and discharge is used to classify the solute behaviors. While the anthropogenic impacts are clearly detectable in the concentration of certain solutes (i.e., Na+, Cl−, NO3, DRP), the influence of single catchment characteristics such as geology (e.g., on Ca2+ and H4SiO4), topography (e.g., on DOC, TOC, and TP), and size (e.g., on DOC and TOC) is only sometimes visible, which is also because of the limited sample size and the spatial heterogeneity within catchments. Solute variability in time is generally smaller than discharge variability and the most significant trends in time are due to temporal variations of anthropogenic rather than natural forcing. The majority of solutes show dilution with increasing discharge, especially geogenic species, while sediment-bonded solutes (e.g., total phosphorous and organic carbon species) show higher concentrations with increasing discharge. Both natural and anthropogenic factors affect the biogeochemical response of streams, and, while the majority of solutes show identifiable behaviors in individual catchments, only a minority of behaviors can be generalized across the 11 catchments that exhibit different natural, climatic, and anthropogenic features.

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WaterScope: an innovative water quality information management system

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2004.0132 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 4 (5-6) ◽

pp. 409-414

Author(s):

J.R. Howard ◽

J. Lucas ◽

J. Maitland ◽

P. Tarrant ◽

T. Watson

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Management System ◽

Information Management System ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Direct Access ◽

Quality Data ◽

Incident Management ◽

Quality Information ◽

Management Support ◽

Water Quality Data

SA Water is a State owned organisation that owns and manages South Australia's water supplies, providing reliable drinking water to nearly 1.4 million South Australians. A major issue affecting SA Water's ability to manage water quality effectively has been the difficulty accessing water quality information which has been stored in separate, generally inaccessible databases with poor reporting and decision support capability. To improve SA Water's ability to make timely and effective decisions regarding water quality, an integrated business system has been developed which provides water managers with direct access to comprehensive water quality information. The system includes improved field data collection units which incorporate a barcode system; sample point images and workflow support tools; an integrated water quality data warehouse with automated standard and ad hoc reporting capabilities; a geographical information system containing comprehensive coverages of natural resources and system infrastructure information; and water incident exception reporting and incident management support through a corporate incident management system. Major benefits of the system will include improved management of public health risk through quicker and more accurate reporting of incidents; improved customer confidence in SA Water; improved knowledge capture and visibility of water quality information; increased efficiency of capital utilisation and better understanding of system performance through spatial representation of data and trending of results. WaterScope can also be used and shared by data partners and regulators, making optimal use of the State's limited water quality data sets. It can also be made available commercially to other water management organisations. Future challenges include the integration of wastewater and recycled water data, linking of continuous (on-line) water quality data and links to water demand management systems.

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Use of Ambient Water Quality Data to Refine Emission Estimates in the Danube Basin

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1999.0499 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 40 (10) ◽

pp. 35-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Clement ◽

K. Buzás

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Nutrient Balance ◽

Estimation Method ◽

Quality Data ◽

Flow Data ◽

Mean Flow ◽

Danube Basin ◽

Balance Study ◽

Water Quality Data

In the frame of an EU/Phare project nutrient balances of the Danube countries were studied. As an element of the procedure, N and P emissions to surface waters were estimated on various scales. The “immission” loads computed from water quality and flow data were used to refine these estimates. The evaluation indicated the significant role of uncertainties related to scarce observations typical for many countries in the Danube Basin. To obtain the error of annual nutrient load estimates statistical analyses of a number of Hungarian rivers (in the 2 m3/s - 2000 m3/s mean flow range) were performed. Both, analytical expressions of sampling theory and Monte Carlo simulations were used. The ratio estimate and an analysis of the relation of errors of the annual mean flow and the load, resp. were used to take advantage of the additional information of flow data in comparison to water quality. An empirical error function for the range of rivers considered was derived. The effort led to useful results in relation to the selection of the estimation method, the role of sampling frequency and size of the catchment. Conclusions were also drawn on estimation errors of loads of first order tributaries of the Danube and their use in the frame of a nutrient balance study.

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Decentralization and Transboundary Pollution: Evidence from the Change of Water Pollution Levels in China

10.20944/preprints201703.0164.v1 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Yongliang Yang ◽

Manhong Shen

Keyword(s):

Water Pollution ◽

Water Quality ◽

Pollution Control ◽

Water Environment ◽

Pollution Reduction ◽

Quality Data ◽

Monitoring Site ◽

Water Quality Data ◽

Pollution Levels ◽

Difference Test

Pollution spillover is an important issue to improve the water environment of transboundary rivers, which has been aggravated by the decentralization of China's pollution control and promotion system.This paper analyzes the evolution of the pollution reduction mandates and the possible change of water environment in China which are tested with the water quality data of state key monitoring sections in 2004-2014 .In terms of research methods, this paper mainly uses Propensity Score Matching reference with group difference test and OLS. Empirical findings support the association between decentralization and pollution levels. The pollution levels of the monitoring points located at the boundary are significantly higher than that of interior counties. The pollution of tributary is more serious than trunk stream，which quickly reversed after the system changed. Water pollution levels rapidly changes when we compare the monitoring site in front of jurisdictional boundaries with that after the jurisdictional boundaries. We draw the following conclusions that local goverments may manipulate pollution within their jurisdictions and total pollutant control system will exacerbate border pollution, while water quality inspection can reduce marginal pollution.

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