Special Issue "Feature Papers"

Managing Editor
Ms. Clara Fiúza
MDPI, Kandererstrasse 25, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland
E-Mail:

Water (ISSN 2073-4441) is an international and cross-disciplinary scholarly journal on water science and technology, including the ecology and management of water resources.

Submission

All papers should be submitted to water@mdpi.org. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special issue website.

Submitted papers should not have been published nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is a new international, peer-reviewed, quarterly open access journal published by Molecular Diversity Preservation International.

Open Access publication is free of charge for manuscripts submitted in 2009 and 2010, and published in the first few issues of Water. English correction fees and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF will be billed in certain cases (250 CHF per paper for those papers that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections).

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Impact of desalination facilities as a part of Israel's water shortage problem
Authors: Nir Becker and Doron Lavee
Affiliation: Department of Economics and Management, Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee, 12210, Israel
Abstract: In recent years there is a massive progress in the technology of sea water desalination. From a cost of more than $1 per Cubic Meter (CM) down to cost of 60 cents per CM and even less. Desalination plants have become more and more attractive to policy makers as a mean to solve water shortage problems via supply side management options such as this. However, desalination has also external costs that should be taken into account. This cost includes capture of scarce shore lands, air pollution and sea water pollution. These costs might shed a new light on the optimal timing for desalination as a solution especially, when compared to alternative means of dealing with water shortage, both from the demand as well as supply side management. This paper deals with the implication of desalination and its external costs in the context of water shortage in Israel. It compares the full cost of desalination and compares it to three alternative solutions: Wastewater reuse, water saving and agricultural water cuts. It is found out that desalination is the least preferred option and thus should not be yet implemented rather it should be delayed.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: In-Situ Arsenic Removal in Groundwater for Rural Communities by Iron Sorption and Arsenic Immobilization
Authors: Solomon W. Leung and Songqiao Chen
Affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering and ISU Biomedical Research Institute, Stop 8060, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, 83209, USA; E-Mail: leunsolo@isu.edu
Abstract: Arsenic exists naturally in groundwater, elevated level of arsenic in groundwater is being recognized as a worldwide problem for people who are relying on the groundwater as drinking water. Chronic exposure to arsenic is linked to cancer of the skin, kidney, lung, bladder, and others. Unfortunately, many of these arsenic laden water sources also located in rural communities that are lacking economic resources. This study proposed an alternative treatment system with experimental results that can effectively remove arsenic from groundwater to level that is suitable for drinking. The treatment system is inexpensive and requires minimum training for operation.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Downstream Variation in River Water Chemistry: An Example From the Northern Adirondack Region
Authors: Jeffrey Chiarenzelli, Adria Bregani, Carol Cady, Benn Whitney, and Robin Lock
Affiliation: Departments of Geology and Mathematics, and Elberty Spatial Analysis Laboratory, Launders Science Library, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, USA, 13617; E-mail: jchiarenzelli@stlawu.edu
Abstract: Changes in river water chemistry corresponding with rock types and physiographic provinces are documented for four tributaries of the St. Lawrence River (St. Regis, Raquette, Grasse, and Oswegatchie rivers) in northern New York. Multi-element ICP-MS analyses were conducted on samples (Summer 2008) from three stations along each river and thirteen tributaries of the Oswegatchie River. Empirical Bayesian interference methods were used to document downstream chemical changes. The pH, TDS, ANC, and most soluble elements increase downstream from the acidic Adirondack Highlands (Precambrian crystalline rocks, low to no buffering capacity) to the St. Lawrence Lowlands (Paleozoic rocks, infinite buffering capacity).

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Environmental Risk Imposed by Diverted Flood Waters on Water and Soils in Emergency Retention Basins
Authors: Lindenschmidt K.-E. and Baborowski M.
Affiliation: Manitoba Water Stewardship, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; E-mail: Karl-Erich.Lindenschmidt@gov.mb.ca
Abstract: Emergency retention basins (ERB) are diked enclosures alongside rivers into which water from the main river channel is diverted during extreme floods. If the basins are operated during extreme flooding, two negative environmental impacts may occur: (i) contamination of the soils due to their transport by suspended sediments to the basin and (ii) depletion of dissolved oxygen in the basin water. A computer-based methodology is presented which was used to assess the environmental risk exhibited by the operation of an ERB system proposed for the Elbe River in Germany. The August 2002 extreme flood event was used as a test case. For such a flood, the results show that there is a 77% risk that dissolved oxygen levels fall below 2 mg/L in the water and a 48% chance of exceeding the inspection value of 500 mg zinc/kg in the soil.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Increasing river flows in the Sahel?
Authors: Amogu, O.; Descroix, L.; Souley-Yéro, K.; Bader, J.-C.
E-Mail: luc.descroix@ird.fr
Abstract: In spite of the severe drought observed since 1968 in most of the West African Sahel, runoff and rivers discharges are increasing in the same area. As it cannot be due to climatic change, it is supposed that it is due to land use changes. The aim of this paper is to attempt to correlate land use data obtained by remote sensing, statistical and demographic studies and field researches on the one hand, with hydrological data in the other hand. This trend is shown using experimental runoff plots, and using discharges data from the local (0.1 km²), to the regional scales (104 and 105 km²).

Type of Paper: Article
Title: A new culture-independent approach for the detection of nitrate-reducing microorganisms using the narG gene as a functional marker: application to sludge samples
Authors: Carmen Fajardo ^1,*, Mar Nande ¹, Raquel Vargas ¹, Alicia Gibello 1, Carlos Garbi ¹, Gerardo Mengs ¹, Carmen Lobo ² and Margarita Martín ¹
Affiliations: ¹ Facultad de Veterinaria. Complutense University, Avenida Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; ² Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario (IMIDRA), Finca "El Encín" Km 38,2 A-II Apdo 127, 28800 Madrid, Spain
E-Mails: cfajardo@vet.ucm.es; mnande@vet.ucm.es; rvargas@vet.ucm.es; gibelloa@vet.ucm.es; cgarbi@vet.ucm.es; gmengs@vet.ucm.es; carmen.lobo@madrid.org; margamar@vet.ucm.es
Abstract: A cultivation-independent approach, based on the in situ detection of the narG gene as a functional marker, was developed to study the composition of nitrate-reducing communities in sludge samples. Nitrate reductase activity limits the availability of nitrate to plants in soils, but the formation of N2O is beneficial in wastewater treatment because it removes nitrate and prevents the eutrophication of receiving water bodies. We designed a specific oligonucleotide probe, NARG3, and an optimised fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) protocol was used to detect narG-type nitrate reducing cells in environmental samples. Fluorescence signals were detected with the NARG3 probe, which is consistent with the binding of the probe to both the narG gene and its encoded mRNA. The natural occurrence of the nitrate-reducing community was confirmed by PCR amplification and quantification of the narG gene. Moreover, the total number of copies of the narG gene per ng of DNA found in the sludge samples was positively correlated to the number of narG-positive cells determined by FISH. The phylogenetic composition of the samples was varied, consisting of different percentages of cells belonging to the domain Archaea and to the β-, γ-, and CFB groups of Bacteria. The method developed in this study could allow the screening of the nitrate reduction capacity of sewage sludge applied in agriculture and the improvement of our understanding of nitrate-reducing communities as functional groups.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Hydrologic restoration in the urban environment using green roofs
Authors: Anna Palla*, Ilaria Gnecco and Luca G. Lanza
Affiliation: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Genoa, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genova, Italy; E-Mails: anna.palla@unige.it; luca.lanza@unige.it; ilaria.gnecco@unige.it
Abstract: Loss of natural soil and vegetation within the urban environment can significantly affect the hydrologic cycle by increasing runoff rates and volumes. In order to mitigate this type of environmental modifications in the urban environment engineered systems, which mimic and replace functions (evapo-transpiration, infiltration, percolation) which have been altered due to the impact of human development, are developed. One example of these systems is the green roof. Green roofs, also known as vegetated roof covers, eco-roofs or nature roofs, are a complex layered structure with specific environmental benefits. They are increasingly being used as a source control measure for urban storm water management as they re-establish the natural water cycle processes and operate a hydrologic control over storm water runoff with a derived peak flow reduction, runoff volume reduction and increased concentration time. Furthermore green roofs exhibit the capacity to reduce storm water pollution; they generally act as a storage device, consequently pollutants are accumulated in the substrate layer and released when intensive rainwater washes them out. In order to investigate the hydrologic response of a green roof, the University of Genoa recently developed a joint laboratory and full-scale monitoring campaign by installing a “controlled” plot with known rainfall input and a companion green roof experimental site in the town of Genoa. In the paper, data collected during the joint monitoring campaign are presented and compared with literature data.
Keywords: green roofs; hydrologic restoration; storm water pollution; water budget

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Detection of dominant runoff generation processes in flood frequency analysis
Authors: V. Iacobellis 1, M. Fiorentino ², A. Gioia ¹, S. Manfreda ²
Affiliation: ¹ Dipartimento di Ingegneria delle Acque e di Chimica, Politecnico di Bari, Italia; E-Mail: v.iacobellis@poliba.it; ² Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Fisica dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Italia
Abstract: Theoretically derived distributions allows to detect dominant runoff generation mechanisms as key signatures of hydrologic similarity. We used two novel distributions of flood peak annual maxima: the first one is the “IF” distribution, which exploits the variable source area concept, coupled with a runoff threshold having scaling properties; the second one is the Two Component-IF (TCIF) distribution, which generalizes the IF distribution, and is based on two different threshold mechanisms, associated respectively to ordinary and extraordinary events. By focusing on the application of both models to river basins in Southern Italy we stressed the role of procedures for estimation of parameters and techniques for model selection, in the case of nested distributions.