Daily variability of river concentrations and fluxes: indicators based on the segmentation of the rating curve

The variability of water chemistry on a daily scale is rarely addressed due to the lack of records. Appropriate tools, such as typologies and dimensionless indicators, which permit comparisons between stations and between river materials, are missing. Such tools are developed here for daily concentrations (C), specific fluxes or yields (Y) and specific river flow (q). The data set includes 128 long‐term daily records, for suspended particulate matter (SPM), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved and total nutrients, totalling 1236 years of records. These 86 river basins (10³–10⁶ km²) cover a wide range of environmental conditions in semi‐arid and temperate regions. The segmentation—truncation of C–q rating curves into two parts at median flows (q₅₀) generates two exponents (b_50inf and b_50sup) that are different for 66% of the analysed rating curves. After segmentation, the analysis of records results in the definition of nine major C–q types combining concentrating, diluting or stable patterns, showing inflexions, chevron and U shapes. SPM and TDS are preferentially distributed among a few types, while dissolved and total nutrients are more widely distributed. Four dimensionless indicators of daily variability combine median (C₅₀, Y₅₀), extreme (C₉₉, Y₉₉) and flow‐weighted (C*, Y*) concentrations and yields (e.g. C₉₉/C₅₀, Y*/Y₅₀). They vary over two to four orders of magnitude in the analysed records, discriminating stations and river material. A second set of four indicators of relative variability [e.g. (Y*/Y₅₀)/(q*/q₅₀)], takes into account the daily flow variability, as expressed by q*/q₅₀ and q₉₉/q₅₀, which also vary over multiple orders of magnitude. The truncated exponent b_50sup is used to describe fluxes at higher flows accounting for 75% (TDS) to 97% (SPM) of interannual fluxes. It ranges from ? 0·61 to + 1·86 in the database. It can be regarded as the key amplificator (positive b_50sup) or reductor (negative b_50sup) of concentrations or yields variability. C₅₀, Y₅₀, b_50sup can also be estimated in discrete surveys, which provides a new perspective for quantifying and mapping water quality variability at daily scale. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Differences in the concentrations of atmospheric trace gases in and above the tropical boundary layer

Weekly air samples were collected at Cape Kumakahi (0 km) and at nearby Mauna Loa Observatory (3.4 km) which is above the boundary layer. EC/GC and GC/FID techniques were used to measure CH₃I, CHCl₃, CO and CH₄, which are largely natural in origin, and C₂Cl₄, CCl₄, CH₃, CCl₃, CCl₃F (F-11), CCl₂F₂ (F-12), CHClF₂ (F-22) and C₂F₃Cl₃ (F-113), which are due to anthropogenic activities. It was found that all these gases are significantly (0.05) more abundant in the boundary layer than above it.     

Empirical and conceptual modelling of the suspended sediment dynamics in a large tropical African river: the Upper Niger river basin

A 7-year sediment transport monitoring on the Upper Niger rivers was used to study the relationship between suspended sediment concentration and river discharge. During annual floods, these relationships show positive hysteresis. This paper presents the results of two models that estimate the time evolution of suspended sediment concentration using water discharge data only. The first model is based on a statistical approach using two relationships, one for the rising stage period of the flood and one for the recession period of the annual flood; the second model is a lumped conceptual one; it supposes that the sediment flux observed in the river comes from two different sources of sediment and that these two sources may be regarded as two different reservoirs. The erosion of the first reservoir represents hillslope erosion observed during the runoff season. Sediment supply from this ‘reservoir’ is limited in time because depletion occurs during the runoff season. The second reservoir is unlimited in time and quantity and its erosion represents contributions coming from bank erosion and mobilisation of deposits in the channel network.

Both of the models are compared with a simple rating curve based model. The model results show that the conceptual model has the highest efficiency to reproduce from weekly discharge only the time evolution of weekly suspended sediment concentrations, the time evolution of weekly sediment fluxes, and the global annual sediment yields.     

Aerosol concentrations and size distribution in the troposphere and lower stratosphere over Thumba

Rocket-borne ultraviolet photometers operating at =0.31 m have been used at Thumba (8°33N, 76°52E) to make measurements of atmospheric scattering at tropospheric and lower stratospheric altitudes. Measurements could be made of the amplitude of the scattered fluxes and the angular distribution up to an altitude of about 24 km on three rocket flights conducted as part of the 16 February 1980 solar eclipse campaign. These measurements have been used to study the size distribution as well as the number densities of aerosols in the troposphere and lower stratosphere over Thumba.     

Sediment budgets for a sediment‐laden river: the lower Wei River in the period 1960–1990

Fluvial sediment delivery is the main form of sediment transfer from the land to the sea, but this process is currently undergoing significant variations due to the alteration of catchment and base level controls related to climate change and human activities, especially the widespread construction of dams. Using the lower Wei River as an example and an integrated approach, this study investigates the variation of fluvial sediment delivery, as well as the connectivity under the effects of both controls. Based on hydrological records and channel cross‐section surveys, sediment budgets were constructed for two periods (1960–1970, 1970–1990) after the dam was closed in 1960. In the period 1960–1969, due to the elevated base level (327.2 ± 1.62 m) caused by the dam, the aggradation rate was 0.451 × 10⁸ t yr^‐1 in the channel and 0.716 × 10⁸ t yr^‐1 on the floodplain, indicating that the positive lateral connectivity between these locations was enhanced. As a consequence, serious sediment storage resulted in a sediment delivery ratio (SDR) that was smaller than that occurring before 1960. In the period 1970–1990, sweeping soil and water conservation (SWC) measures were implemented, resulting in a reduction of the connectivity between the trunk and tributaries, and a decrease of ~31% in the mean sediment input. In addition, together with the base level fluctuation in the range of 327.47 ± 0.49 m, the annual variation in sediment storage was primarily dependent on the water–sediment regime affected by the SWC. The negative lateral connectivity was enhanced between the channel and floodplain via bank erosion. Consequently, the aggradation rate was reduced by 89% on the floodplain and by 96% in the channel. Sediment output continued to decrease primarily due to the SWC practices and climate changes in this period, whereas the SDR increased due to the enhanced longitudinal connectivity between the upstream and downstream. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stable isotopes in the source waters of the Yamuna and its tributaries: seasonal and altitudinal variations and relation to major cations

Water samples from the Yamuna and its tributaries, one of the major river systems draining the Himalaya, have been analysed for their stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes during three seasons (summer, monsoon and post‐monsoon). The data show clear seasonal and altitudinal variations; waters from higher altitudes and those collected during monsoon season are characterized by relatively depleted isotopic composition. Regression analysis of δD–δ¹⁸O data of samples collected during summer and monsoon seasons shows that the slope of the best‐fit lines are nearly identical to those of precipitation at New Delhi for the same period. The similarity in their slopes suggests that the isotopic composition of precipitation contributing water to these rivers are reasonably well preserved in both monsoon and non‐monsoon seasons, however, during the non‐monsoon period both rainfall and river waters carry signatures of evaporation. The ‘deuterium excess’ in river waters during the three seasons though overlap with each other, the values during October are higher. This can be understood in terms of recycled moisture contributions to precipitation. The ‘altitude effect’ for δ¹⁸O in these waters is determined to be 0·11‰ per 100 m, a factor of about two less than that reported for the Ganga source waters from similar altitudinal range. The variability in altitude effects in rivers draining the Himalaya seems to be controlled by the ‘amount effect’ associated with the monsoon. The significant spatial variability in altitude effect in these river basins, which are a few hundred kilometers apart, suggests that reconstruction of palaeoelevation in the Himalaya, based on δ¹⁸O‐altitude gradients, would depend critically on its proper assessment in the region. This study has established a relationship between total cation abundance and δ¹⁸O in waters of the Yamuna mainstream; total cations (corrected for cyclic components) double for a 1·4 km decrease in altitude as the Yamuna flows downstream. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of background concentrations of hydrochemical parameters and water quality assessment in the Akhuryan River Basin (Armenia)

The determination of background values of hydrochemical parameters, to distinguish between natural concentration and anthropogenically-influenced concentrations, is highly relevant. In presented study, to estimate the background values of hydrochemical parameters in Akhuryan River Basin, log-normal probability functions on the hydrochemical parameters concentrations was applied. The study is carried out on the basis of hydrochemical data of surface water quality monitoring for the period of 2010–2013. This study highlights the usefulness of application of site-specific background concentrations for the evaluation, interpretation of surface water quality and for determination of pollution sources.     

Artificial neural network modelling of concentrations of nitrogen,phosphorus and dissolved oxygen in a non‐point source polluted river in Zhejiang Province,southeast China

A back‐propagation algorithm neural network (BPNN) was developed to synchronously simulate concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in response to agricultural non‐point source pollution (AGNPS) for any month and location in the Changle River, southeast China. Monthly river flow, water temperature, flow travel time, rainfall and upstream TN, TP and DO concentrations were selected as initial inputs of the BPNN through coupling correlation analysis and quadratic polynomial stepwise regression analysis for the outputs, i.e. downstream TN, TP and DO concentrations. The input variables and number of hidden nodes of the BPNN were then optimized using a combination of growing and pruning methods. The final structure of the BPNN was determined from simulated data based on experimental data for both the training and validation phases. The predicted values obtained using a BPNN consisting of the seven initial input variables (described above), one hidden layer with four nodes and three output variables matched well with observed values. The model indicated that decreasing upstream input concentrations during the dry season and control of NPS along the reach during average and flood seasons may be an effective way to improve Changle River water quality. If the necessary water quality and hydrology data are available, the methodology developed here can easily be applied to other case studies. The BPNN model is an easy‐to‐use modelling tool for managers to obtain rapid preliminary identification of spatiotemporal water quality variations in response to natural and artificial modifications of an agricultural drainage river. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mineral composition and particle size distribution of river sediment and loess in the middle and lower Yellow River

Hyperconcentrated flows often occur in the middle and lower Yellow River(MLYR)and its tributaries,within which the main sediment source originates from the Loess Plateau of China due to serious water erosion.Little is known about the properties of river sediment that is transported by hyperconcentrated flows,particularly with respect to the mineral composition and size distribution.Samples of sediment and loess were collected in the northern,middle,and southern Loess Plateau and the mainstream and tributaries of the MLYR.A total of 18 loess samples and 24 river sediment samples were analyzed to determine their sediment size distribution and mineral composition.The bottom loess samples reflected the original sedimentary features of the Loess Plateau,and the median particle size reduced,and the clay content increased from the north to the south of the study region.The surface loess has been weathered under the action of wind and rainfall,and the clay particle content in the surface loess samples was higher than that in the undisturbed bottom loess.Erosion of the surface soil due to rainfall and surface runoff means that fine particles(mostly clay)have been washed away.The median diameter of surface loess particles was a little larger than that of the bottom loess particles where water erosion dominates.The particle size became coarser with increasing distance from the estuary in the MLYR,which reflects depositional sorting in the river channel.Significant logarithmic relations were found between the median diameter of the sediment particles and the i)non-clay mineral content and ii)clay mineral content.Thus,clay and non-clay mineral compositions can be conveniently estimated from the particle size distribution.     

山东省东平湖菹草(Potamogeton crispus)腐烂过程中水体温室气体溶存浓度及扩散通量变化

为了解东平湖菹草(Potamogeton crispus)腐烂分解对水体温室气体溶存浓度和界面扩散通量的影响,于2016年5-7月在东平湖菹草腐烂期采集上覆水和沉积物柱样,测定上覆水和孔隙水中温室气体(N_2O、CH_4和CO_2)的溶存浓度,采用Fick第一定律和双层模型计算沉积物-水-气界面扩散通量,同时分析上覆水和沉积物的理化性质,并采用网袋分解法于现场进行菹草腐烂分解试验,以探究东平湖菹草腐烂过程中温室气体溶存和扩散的主要影响因子及其主要来源.结果表明,菹草腐烂符合二次指数模型,分为快速衰减和慢速分解两个阶段;菹草腐烂过程中上覆水pH和亚硝态氮浓度表现为先降低后升高,而溶解氧、氨氮、硝态氮和可溶性正磷酸盐浓度则为先升高后下降,沉积物中铵态氮含量表现为先升高后降低,硝态氮为先降低后显著升高,有机质和p H呈降低-升高-降低的波动变化;上覆水中各温室气体浓度和水气界面扩散通量均表现为CO_2 CH_4 N_2O,其扩散通量分别为5862.9±5441.4、31.15±41.3和0.15±0.57μmol/(m~2·h),整体表现为大气温室气体的"源",并以碳排放为主;上覆水中N_2O浓度和水-气界面扩散通量均先降低后升高,孔隙水中N_2O浓度在快速和慢速分解阶段分别出现极大值(22.7和55.6 nmol/L),而其沉积物-水界面通量前期持续增加至腐烂结束后迅速降低;上覆水和孔隙水中CH_4浓度及其各界面通量均表现为前期略有降低后持续升高;上覆水中CO_2浓度和水-气界面通量表现为持续升高后降低并趋于稳定,而孔隙水中CO_2呈波动变化,在菹草腐烂初期向孔隙水扩散,后期向上覆水扩散.水温是影响上覆水中温室气体浓度和水-气界面通量的主要因素;沉积物是水体N_2O和CH_4的主要来源,孔隙水中浓度是控制其沉积物-水界面扩散的重要因素;而上覆水中CO_2呈现多源性,但以上覆水中有机物质的矿化为主.     

金沙江下游梯级水库泥沙淤积和坝下河道冲刷规律

金沙江下游4个梯级水电站总装机容量相当于两座三峡水库,是“西电东送”中部地区的源头工程,工程效益发挥对经济社会发展意义重大。2012年以来,向家坝、溪洛渡、乌东德和白鹤滩电站等陆续蓄水运行,层层拦截金沙江的泥沙,2013—2020年向家坝出库年输沙量均值下降至152万t,减幅超过99%。大量泥沙淤积在梯级水库内,同时向家坝以下河道发生长距离冲刷。本文以自金沙江下游工程筹建以来的观测资料为基础,针对梯级水库的泥沙淤积和坝下游河道冲刷规律开展研究,结果表明:金沙江下游四个梯级电站自建成运行至2020年底,累计淤积泥沙约5.98亿m³,其中溪洛渡库区淤积量占比达92.5%,2013-2020年溪洛渡和向家坝水库排沙比分别为2.64%和22.2%,其水库泥沙主要淤积在常年回水区的干流河道内,以死库容内淤积为主,侵占有效库容的比例小于1.3%。金沙江下游库区干流河道的峡谷特征明显,淤积多表现为主河槽的平铺式淤高。溪洛渡和向家坝库区淤积的泥沙沿程分选特征明显,越靠近坝前,中数粒径减小、细颗粒泥沙沙量百分数增加,极细颗粒泥沙会在库区一定范围内大量沉积。向家坝下游河床普遍冲刷,但...     

Isotopic signature of nitrate in river waters of the lower Mississippi and its distributary,the Atchafalaya

Periodic summer hypoxia occurring in the Northern Gulf of Mexico has been attributed to large nutrient inputs, especially nitrate‐nitrogen, from the Mississippi–Atchafalaya River system. The 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan calls for river corridor wetland restoration to reduce nitrate loads, but it is largely unknown how effective riverine wetland systems in the lower Mississippi River are for nitrate removal. We carried out an intensive isotope study to address this question by comparing nitrate isotopic signatures of the well‐channelized Mississippi River with those of the Atchafalaya River, which has extensive floodplains and backwater swamps. We investigated changes in δ¹⁵N_NO3 and δ¹⁸O_NO3 for water samples collected biweekly to monthly over a 2‐year period at the Atchafalaya River outlets (Morgan City and Wax Lake) and on the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge. In addition, in situ water quality parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH were recorded for each sampling date. Waters from both rivers showed moderately high nitrate concentration (>1 mg l^?1) and undetectable (< 0.01 mg l^?1) nitrite throughout the study period. The Mississippi River had slightly, but significantly higher (p=0.01) mean nitrate concentrations (1.5 mg l^?1) and higher δ¹⁵N_NO3 (7.7‰) than the Atchafalaya (1.1 mg l^?1, 7.0‰); while no difference in δ¹⁸O_NO3 (4.6‰) was found between the rivers. Flux‐weighted mean isotope values were overall lower than mean values for both the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, with a greater difference between the two rivers (7.4‰ versus 6.5‰, respectively). River flooding and hurricane storm surge also appeared to affect nitrate isotopic values. The lack of large difference in isotopic values between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers suggests that the majority of nitrate is transported through the Atchafalaya River with relatively little processing, and that riverine floodplains and wetlands are not effective sinks for nitrate, as previously assumed, because of insufficient residence time and well‐oxygenated river waters. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

鄱阳湖流域赣江水系溶解态金属元素空间分布特征及污染来源

于2015年1月和7月在赣江干流和主要支流37个采样点共采集74个水样,分析赣江水系15种溶解态金属元素(Be、Al、V、Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、As、Mo、Cd、Sb、Tl、Pb、U)的空间分布特征和污染来源的贡献率.结果表明:多数水样的溶解态金属元素浓度符合水质标准,主要的超标元素是Fe,样品超标率为21.60%,其次为As(8.10%)、Mn(4.05%)、Tl(4.05%)和Al(1.35%).Be、Al、V、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、U浓度在枯水期显著高于丰水期,其他元素差异不显著.依据溶解态金属元素的空间分布特征,赣江流域可分为3个区域:湘水、章水和赣江赣州市段(C1),桃江、袁水和锦江(C2),其他区域(C3);溶解态金属元素水平大小排序为C1C2C3,其中Be、Al、Cu、Mo、Sb、As浓度在C1最高,V、Mn、Fe、Ni、Cd浓度在C2最高.采矿废水、矿渣和农田土壤降雨淋滤、钢铁冶炼废水是赣江溶解金属元素的主要来源;Be、Al、Cu、Pb、U的污染源超过40%来自采矿废水,Cu、As、Mo、Cd的污染源超过35%来自矿渣和农田土壤降雨淋滤,V、Mn、Co、Ni的污染源超过41%来自钢铁冶炼废水.     

A case study of airborne and satellite remote sensing of a spring bloom event in the Gulf of Finland

The concentrations of chlorophyll-a (chl-a), total suspended solids (TSS) and the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved organic matter (a_CDOM(400)) are estimated in Case II waters using medium resolution imaging spectrometer (MERIS) satellite (full resolution [FR] level 1b, 300 m resolution) and AISA airborne spectrometer data acquired during a spring bloom in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea on April 27, 2004. The accuracy of the estimation is analyzed using empirical band-ratio algorithms together with in situ observations that include water samples analyzed in a laboratory (variation ranges: 22–130 μg/l, 2.9–20 mg/l, and 1.29–2.61 m⁻¹ for chl-a, TSS and a_CDOM(400), respectively). Additional in situ estimates (transects) on these characteristics are available through absorption and scattering coefficients measured with an ac-9 absorption and attenuation meter installed in a flow-through system. The retrieval accuracy (R²) of all three water quality characteristics with MERIS data is close to or above 0.9, while the RMSE is 7.8 μg/l (22%), 0.74 mg/l (16%) and 0.08 m⁻¹ (5%), for chl-a, TSS and a_CDOM(400), respectively. The validity of the chl-a algorithm is tested using nine additional data points. The BIAS-error for these points is 5.2 μg/l and the RMSE is 10.6 μg/l. The effects of changes in the atmospheric characteristics on band-ratio algorithms in cases where no concurrent in situ reference data are available are analyzed using the MODerate spectral resolution atmospheric TRANSmittance algorithm and computer model (MODTRAN). The additional error due to these changes is estimated to be below 20% for the applied ratio algorithms. The water quality data available in the level 2 MERIS-product distributed by the European Space Agency did not include valid results for the date investigated here.     

Solute Sources and Processes in the Achankovil River Basin,Western Ghats,Southern India/Sources de Solutés et Processus Associés Dans le Bassin du Fleuve Achankovil,Ghats Occidentaux,Inde du Sud

Abstract

A time series survey was carried out in 2002 to understand the hydrogeochemical processes taking place in the Achankovil River of the Western Ghats Range. The water is neutral with pH and EC ranges from 6.32 to 7.56 and 24–54 µS cm^?1, respectively. Chloride and sodium are the dominant anion and cation in the water respectively. Correlation analysis of the chemical parameters of the water shows that few ions have additional sources. The majority of carbonate is derived from carbonate weathering followed by silicate weathering. Cation concentrations show decreasing trend from upstream to downstream in contrast to the increasing trend in the major world rivers. Dissolved silica in pre-monsoon water is low. The river chemistry is dominated by rock weathering induced by precipitation. Thermodynamic plots show that dolomite, kaolinite, albite and chlorite are in equilibrium with the river water. Chemical weathering is predominant here compared to physical weathering. The overall material transport seems to be lower compared to the other Indian rivers; nevertheless, the solute loads are comparable to certain large rivers such as the River Cauvery in southern India. The solute flux including the nutrient flux is very high among the Western Ghats rivers in relation to its size, which will certainly supplement the productivity of the lake/estuary and the coastal waters. Since this study is restricted to a one-year period, long-term data procurement and analysis along with micro nutrients studies are needed, which are lacking in the present study, to gain insight into the material flux by this river into the Arabian Sea.