Water

9 pages, 1099 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Storm Flood Characteristics and Identification of Periodicity for Flood-Causing Rainstorms in the Second Songhua River Basin

by Hongyan Li^1,*, Shanshan Bao¹, Xiaojun Wang²

and Hang Lv¹

¹ Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Jiefang Street No. 2519, Changchun 130021, China

² Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Research Center for Climate Change, Ministry of Water Resources, Guangzhou Street No. 223, Nanjing 210029, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120529 - 1 Dec 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5696

Abstract

Rainstorm weather systems and storm flood characteristics were studied to explore the relationship between the rainstorm weather system, the type of rainstorm, the cause of the flood and the time of occurrence, and some basic characteristics law of storm floods are summarized in [...] Read more.

Rainstorm weather systems and storm flood characteristics were studied to explore the relationship between the rainstorm weather system, the type of rainstorm, the cause of the flood and the time of occurrence, and some basic characteristics law of storm floods are summarized in the Second Songhua River Basin (Northeastern China). Then, the periodicity of catastrophic years was identified using the commensurability method and is shown to have an average of 11 years. Compared with simple flood forecasting, forecasting of flood-causing precipitation has a longer forecast period, which can gain the requisite time to discharge a reservoir and regain storage capacity, lower the limitation level, and manage the occurrence of flooding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forecast of Extreme Events in the Water Cycle—Data, Models and Uncertainties)

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 3421 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Hydrologic Performance of a Tile Drainage Treatment Wetland in Minnesota, USA

by Christian Lenhart^1,*, Brad Gordon², Joshua Gamble³, Dean Current⁴, Nikol Ross⁵, Lydia Herring⁶, John Nieber⁷ and Heidi Peterson⁵

¹ Ecological Engineering Group, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 303 BAE Hall, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN 55108, USA

² Water Resources Science Program, University of Minnesota, 311 BAE Hall, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN 55108, USA

³ USDA-ARS Soil and Water Management Research Unit, 439 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN 55108, USA

⁴ Center for Integrated Natural Resources Management (CINRAM), Department of Forest Resources, 100 Green Hall, St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN 55108, USA

⁵ Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 625 Robert Street North, St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN 55155, USA

⁶ Tetra Tech, Inc., 661 Andersen Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15220, USA

⁷ Ecological Engineering Group, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 203 BAE Hall, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN 55108, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120549 - 25 Nov 2016

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 8525

Abstract

Treatment wetlands are increasingly needed to remove nitrate from agricultural drainage water to protect downstream waters, such as the Gulf of Mexico. This project sought to develop a new edge-of-field treatment wetland, designed to remove nitrate-nitrogen and enhance phosphorus removal by plant harvest [...] Read more.

Treatment wetlands are increasingly needed to remove nitrate from agricultural drainage water to protect downstream waters, such as the Gulf of Mexico. This project sought to develop a new edge-of-field treatment wetland, designed to remove nitrate-nitrogen and enhance phosphorus removal by plant harvest and to monitor its effectiveness. A 0.10 ha wetland was designed and installed to treat subsurface drainage flow from farmland in southwestern Minnesota, USA, in 2013, and monitored for three years by recording flow, nitrate-nitrogen, total phosphorus (TP) and soluble orthophosphorus (OP) input to and output from the wetland. Prior to construction, a level-pool routing, mass balance approach with DRAINMOD flow inputs was used to predict nitrate removal efficiency. Nitrate load removal averaged 68% over three years, nearly matching model predictions. However, most denitrification occurred in the sub-soil of the wetland rather than in surface flow as predicted. Phosphorus removal was approximately 76% over three years, and phosphorus removed by plant uptake exceeded inflow mass in the third year. The edge-of-field design has potential as a cost-effective method to treat field outflows because agricultural landowners can adopt this treatment system with minimal loss of productive farmland. The wet-prairie vegetation and shallow depth also provide the opportunity to remove additional phosphorus via vegetative harvest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructed Wetlands for Water Treatment: New Developments)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 24694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling Modified Linear Spectral Mixture Analysis and Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) Models to Simulate Surface Runoff: Application to the Main Urban Area of Guangzhou, China

by Jianhui Xu^1,2,3

, Yi Zhao^1,4,5, Kaiwen Zhong^1,2,3,*, Huihua Ruan⁶ and Xulong Liu^1,2,3

¹ Guangzhou Institute of Geography, Guangzhou 510070, China

² Key Laboratory of Guangdong for Utilization of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System, Guangzhou 510070, China

³ Guangdong Open Laboratory of Geospatial Information Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510070, China

⁴ Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Guangzhou 510640, China

⁵ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

⁶ Guangdong Meteorological Observation Data Center, Guangzhou 510080, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120550 - 24 Nov 2016

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 8021

Abstract

Land surface characteristics, including soil type, terrain slope, and antecedent soil moisture, have significant impacts on surface runoff during heavy precipitation in highly urbanized areas. In this study, a Linear Spectral Mixture Analysis (LSMA) method is modified to extract high-precision impervious surface, vegetation, [...] Read more.

Land surface characteristics, including soil type, terrain slope, and antecedent soil moisture, have significant impacts on surface runoff during heavy precipitation in highly urbanized areas. In this study, a Linear Spectral Mixture Analysis (LSMA) method is modified to extract high-precision impervious surface, vegetation, and soil fractions. In the modified LSMA method, the representative endmembers are first selected by combining a high-resolution image from Google Earth; the unmixing results of the LSMA are then post-processed to reduce errors of misclassification with Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The modified LSMA is applied to the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image from 18 October 2015 of the main urban area of Guangzhou city. The experimental result indicates that the modified LSMA shows improved extraction performance compared with the conventional LSMA, as it can significantly reduce the bias and root-mean-square error (RMSE). The improved impervious surface, vegetation, and soil fractions are used to calculate the composite curve number (CN) for each pixel according to the Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) model. The composite CN is then adjusted with regional data of the terrain slope and total 5-day antecedent precipitation. Finally, the surface runoff is simulated with the SCS-CN model by combining the adjusted CN and real precipitation data at 1 p.m., 4 May 2015. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Variation of Nutrient Removal in a Full-Scale Artificial Aerated Hybrid Constructed Wetland

by Jun Zhai^*, Jun Xiao, Md. Hasibur Rahaman, Yasinta John and Jingsong Xiao

Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120551 - 24 Nov 2016

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 7086

Abstract

To improve nutrient removal, a full-scale hybrid constructed wetland (CW) consisting of pre-treatment units, vertical-baffled flow wetlands (VBFWs), and horizontal subsurface flow wetlands (HSFWs) was installed in August 2014 to treat sewage wastewater. Artificial aeration (AA) was applied continuously in the VBFW stage [...] Read more.

To improve nutrient removal, a full-scale hybrid constructed wetland (CW) consisting of pre-treatment units, vertical-baffled flow wetlands (VBFWs), and horizontal subsurface flow wetlands (HSFWs) was installed in August 2014 to treat sewage wastewater. Artificial aeration (AA) was applied continuously in the VBFW stage to improve the aerobic condition in the hybrid CW. Water samples were collected and analyzed twice a month between the period of August 2015 and July 2016. The results suggest that this new hybrid CW can achieve a satisfactory reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) with average removal rates of 85% ± 10% (35% ± 19 g/m² per day), 76% ± 18% (7% ± 2 g/m² per day), 65% ± 13% (8% ± 2 g/m² per day), and 65% ± 21% (1 g/m² per day), respectively. AA significantly improved the aerobic condition throughout the experimental period, and the positive influence of AA on nitrogen removal was found to be higher during summer that during winter. A significant positive correlation between water temperature and nutrient removal (p < 0.01) was observed in the system. Overall, this study demonstrates the application of AA in a full-scale hybrid CW with satisfactory nutrient removal rates. The hybrid CW system with artificial aeration can serve as a reference for future applications areas where land availability is limited. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructed Wetlands for Water Treatment: New Developments)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 7854 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geochemical Characteristics of Shallow Groundwater in Jiaoshiba Shale Gas Production Area: Implications for Environmental Concerns

by Yiman Li¹, Tianming Huang^1,*

, Zhonghe Pang^1,*, Yingchun Wang^1,2 and Chao Jin³

¹ Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China

² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

³ Hebei University of Engineering Handan, Handan 056038, Hebei, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120552 - 28 Nov 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5817

Abstract

The geochemical characteristics of shallow groundwater are essential for environmental impact studies in the shale gas production area. Jiaoshiba in the Sichuan basin is the first commercial-scale shale gas production area in China. This paper studied the geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the [...] Read more.

The geochemical characteristics of shallow groundwater are essential for environmental impact studies in the shale gas production area. Jiaoshiba in the Sichuan basin is the first commercial-scale shale gas production area in China. This paper studied the geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the shallow groundwater of the area for future environmental concerns. Results show that the average pH of the shallow groundwater is 7.5 and the total dissolved solids (TDS) vary from 150 mg/L to 350 mg/L. The main water types are HCO₃-Ca and HCO₃-Ca·Mg due to the carbonates dissolution equilibrium in karst aquifers. The concentrations of major ions and typical toxic elements including Mn, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ba, and Pb are below the drinking water standard of China and are safe for use as drinking water. The high nitrate content is inferred to be caused by agricultural pollution. The shallow groundwater is recharged by local precipitation and flows in the vertical circulation zone. Evidences from low TDS, water isotopes, and high ³H and ¹⁴C indicate that the circulation rate of shallow groundwater is rapid, and the lateral groundwater has strong renewability. Once groundwater pollution from deep shale gas production occurs, it will be recovered soon by enough precipitation. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1516 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reservoir Routing on Double-Peak Design Flood

by Andrea Gioia

DICATECh-Politecnico di Bari, E. Orabona St. 4, 70125 Bari, Italy

Water 2016, 8(12), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120553 - 25 Nov 2016

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6477

Abstract

This work investigates the routing effect provided by an artificial reservoir to a double-peak flood of a given return period. The present paper introduces a dimensionless form of the reservoir balance equation that describes the hydrologic-hydraulic processes that may occur and allows for [...] Read more.

This work investigates the routing effect provided by an artificial reservoir to a double-peak flood of a given return period. The present paper introduces a dimensionless form of the reservoir balance equation that describes the hydrologic-hydraulic processes that may occur and allows for the evaluation of the reservoir routing coefficient (RC). Exploiting this equation, an extensive sensitivity analysis based on the use of two simple parametric indices that depend on the storage capacity (SC) of the reservoir, the discharge capacity (DC) of the spillway (with fixed-crest) and the hydrologic behavior of the basin was performed. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 5389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Sensitivity of Paddy Rice to Climate Change in South Korea

by Soojin Kim¹

, Seungjong Bae¹, Sorae Kim², Seung-Hwan Yoo³ and Min-Won Jang^4,*

¹ Institute of Green Bio Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Gangwon 25354, Korea

² Department of Agricultural Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea

³ Department of Rural and Biosystems Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea

⁴ Division of Agro-System Engineering & Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea

Water 2016, 8(12), 554; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120554 - 28 Nov 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6580

Abstract

Paddy rice constitutes a staple crop in Korea. This study conducted sensitivity analysis to evaluate the vulnerability of paddy rice to future climate change, and compared temporal and regional characteristics to classify regions with unfavorable water balances. Rainfall Effectiveness Index for Paddy fields [...] Read more.

Paddy rice constitutes a staple crop in Korea. This study conducted sensitivity analysis to evaluate the vulnerability of paddy rice to future climate change, and compared temporal and regional characteristics to classify regions with unfavorable water balances. Rainfall Effectiveness Index for Paddy fields (REIP), the ratio of effective rainfall and consumptive use, was used as a sensitivity index. Weather data from 1971 to 2010 and future climate change scenarios Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 were used to evaluate the sensitivity. Results showed an overall increase in water requirements and consumptive use. The REIP values were small for every period, except the 2040s, 2060s, and 2080s under scenario RCP 4.5, and the 2040s and 2080s under scenario RCP 8.5. Both climate change scenarios showed high sensitivity in regions Jeollabuk-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongnam-do. However, regions Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and Chungcheongbuk-do had low sensitivity compared to other regions. The REIPs were used to categorize sensitivity into four types: low consumption–water rich, low consumption–water poor, high consumption–water rich, and high consumption–water poor. The Gangwon-do region had the highest number of regions that changed from the low consumption–water rich category to the high consumption-water poor category, making it a priority for measures to improve its adaptive capacity for climate change. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2478 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transport of Silica Colloid through Saturated Porous Media under Different Hydrogeochemical and Hydrodynamic Conditions Considering Managed Aquifer Recharge

by Zhuo Wang^1,2, Wenjing Zhang^1,2,*, Shuo Li^1,2, Jingjing Zhou^1,2 and Dan Liu^1,2

¹ Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China

² College of Environment and Resources, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120555 - 29 Nov 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5922

Abstract

Colloids may have an important role in regulating the structure and function of groundwater ecosystems, and may influence the migration of low solubility contaminants in groundwater. There is, however, a degree of uncertainty about how colloids behave under the variable hydrogeochemical and hydrodynamic [...] Read more.

Colloids may have an important role in regulating the structure and function of groundwater ecosystems, and may influence the migration of low solubility contaminants in groundwater. There is, however, a degree of uncertainty about how colloids behave under the variable hydrogeochemical and hydrodynamic conditions that occur during managed aquifer recharge. We used an online monitoring system to monitor the transport of silica colloid in saturated porous media under different hydrogeochemical conditions, including a range of pH values (5, 7, and 9), ionic strengths (<0.0005, 0.02, and 0.05 M), cation valences (Na⁺, Ca²⁺), flow rates (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mL/min). The results showed that silica colloid was more likely to deposit on the surface of porous media in acidic conditions (pH = 5) than in alkaline conditions (pH = 9), indicating that the risks of pollution from colloidal interactions would be higher when the pH of the recharge water was higher. Colloid deposition occurred when the ionic strength of the colloidal suspension increased, and bivalent cations had a greater effect than monovalent cations. This suggests that bivalent cation-rich recharge water might affect the porosity of the porous medium because of colloid deposition during the managed aquifer recharge process. As the flow rate increased, the migration ability of silica colloid increased. We simulated the migration of silica colloid in porous media with the COMSOL Multiphysics model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Quality Considerations for Managed Aquifer Recharge Systems)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multilayer Substrate Configuration Enhances Removal Efficiency of Pollutants in Constructed Wetlands

by Shaoyuan Bai^1,2, Tao Lv³, Yanli Ding^4,*, Xuefen Li¹, Shaohong You¹, Qinglin Xie² and Hans Brix^3,5,*

¹ Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China

² Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China

³ Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000C Aarhus, Denmark

⁴ College of Earth Sciences, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China

⁵ Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research (SDC), 8000C Aarhus, Denmark

Water 2016, 8(12), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120556 - 29 Nov 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6391

Abstract

This study aimed at optimizing horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (CWs) to improve hydraulic performance and pollutant removal efficiency. A groundwater modeling package (MODFLOW) was used to optimize three design parameters (length-to-width ratio, inlet/outlet-to-length ratio, and substrate size configuration). Using the optimized parameters, [...] Read more.

This study aimed at optimizing horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (CWs) to improve hydraulic performance and pollutant removal efficiency. A groundwater modeling package (MODFLOW) was used to optimize three design parameters (length-to-width ratio, inlet/outlet-to-length ratio, and substrate size configuration). Using the optimized parameters, three pilot-scale CWs were built to treat actual wastewater. For model validation, we used a tracer test to evaluate hydraulic performance, and investigated the pollutant spatial distributions and removal efficiencies. We conclude that MODFLOW is suitable for designing CWs, accurately predicting that increasing hydraulic conductivity from surface to bottom layers could improve performance. However, the effect of vegetation, which decreased the hydraulic conductivity of the surface layer, should be considered to improve simulation results. Multilayer substrate configuration, with increasing hydraulic conductivity from the surface to bottom layers, significantly increased pollutant removal compared with monolayer configuration. The spatial variation in pollutant transport and degradation through the filling substrate showed that the multilayer configuration was able to increase use of the available space and moderately reduced short-circuiting and dead zones. Thus, multilayer CWs had higher experimental retention times, effective volume fractions and hydraulic efficiencies, and lower short-circuiting compared with monolayer CWs operating under similar conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructed Wetlands for Water Treatment: New Developments)

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 1517 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of FAO AquaCrop Model for Simulating Maize Growth and Productivity under Deficit Irrigation in a Tropical Environment

by Geneille E. Greaves¹ and Yu-Min Wang^2,*

¹ Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Shuefu Rd., Neipu, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan

² Department of Civil Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Shuefu Rd., Neipu, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan

Water 2016, 8(12), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120557 - 29 Nov 2016

Cited by 99 | Viewed by 12363

Abstract

Crop simulation models have a pivotal role to play in evaluating irrigation management strategies for improving agricultural water use. The objective of this study was to test and validate the AquaCrop model for maize under deficit irrigation management. Field observations from three experiments [...] Read more.

Crop simulation models have a pivotal role to play in evaluating irrigation management strategies for improving agricultural water use. The objective of this study was to test and validate the AquaCrop model for maize under deficit irrigation management. Field observations from three experiments consisting of four treatments were used to evaluate model performance in simulating canopy cover (CC), biomass (B), yield (Y), crop evapotranspiration (ET_c), and water use efficiency (WUE). Statistics for root mean square error, model efficiency (E), and index of agreement for B and CC suggest that the model prediction is good under non-stressed and moderate stress environments. Prediction of final B and Y under these conditions was acceptable, as indicated by the high coefficient of determination and deviations <10%. In severely stressed conditions, low E and deviations >11% for B and 9% for Y indicate a reduction in the model reliability. Simulated ET_c and WUE deviation from observed values were within the range of 9.5% to 22.2% and 6.0% to 32.2%, respectively, suggesting that AquaCrop prediction of these variables is fair, becoming unsatisfactory as plant water stress intensifies. AquaCrop can be reliably used for evaluating the effectiveness of proposed irrigation management strategies for maize; however, the limitations should be kept in mind when interpreting the results in severely stressed conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Water Management in Agriculture)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 5012 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Seasonal Precipitation Extremes and the Potential Influencing Factors in Dongting Lake Basin, China

by Xiaoyan Zhang¹ and Meixian Liu^2,3,*

¹ School of Education Science, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha 410205, China

² Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China

³ Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120558 - 29 Nov 2016

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4874

Abstract

The Dongting Lake Basin (DTLB) of China is a flood prone area. Knowledge of the spatiotemporal characteristics and risks of precipitation extremes is essential for flood mitigation. Based on the precipitation amount (R), precipitation intensity (Ri), max 1 day precipitation amount (Rx1) and [...] Read more.

The Dongting Lake Basin (DTLB) of China is a flood prone area. Knowledge of the spatiotemporal characteristics and risks of precipitation extremes is essential for flood mitigation. Based on the precipitation amount (R), precipitation intensity (Ri), max 1 day precipitation amount (Rx1) and max 5 day precipitation amount (Rx5), this study analyzed the spatial-temporal patterns, risks and investigated the influences of the precipitation extremes at seasonal scale. The distributed high values of R, Ri, Rx1, Rx5 and their 5-year return levels (R₅, Ri₅, Rx1₅, Rx5₅) indicated high flood risks in the eastern and northern parts of the basin, and the general upward trends of these indices suggested increasing flood risks, except for some areas in southwestern part in spring and autumn. The precipitation extremes were related to the topographic and circulation factors, within which the latter might have greater roles. Furthermore, the trend directions of the 5-year return levels (R₅, Ri₅, Rx1₅, Rx5₅) were not always the same as the initial indices (R, Ri, Rx1, Rx5), suggesting that overall decreasing (increasing) precipitation extremes do not always represent decreasing (increasing) risks of floods. Hence, policy makers should pay more attention to the risks of precipitation extremes rather than their overall tendencies. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2388 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact Assessment of Climate and Land-Use Changes on Flooding Behavior in the Upper Ciliwung River, Jakarta, Indonesia

by Ammar Rafiei Emam^1,*, Binaya Kumar Mishra¹

, Pankaj Kumar¹

, Yoshifumi Masago¹

and Kensuke Fukushi²

¹ Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, United Nations University, Tokyo 150-8925, Japan

² Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan

Water 2016, 8(12), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120559 - 29 Nov 2016

Cited by 50 | Viewed by 12446

Abstract

The hydrological conditions upstream of the Ciliwung watershed are changing due to climate and land-use changes. Any changes in this area may increase the flood frequencies which may have countless consequences downstream of the watershed where the Jakarta city is located. We simulated [...] Read more.

The hydrological conditions upstream of the Ciliwung watershed are changing due to climate and land-use changes. Any changes in this area may increase the flood frequencies which may have countless consequences downstream of the watershed where the Jakarta city is located. We simulated the effects of land-use and climate changes on flooding (e.g., peak flow and river discharge) in the upper Ciliwung River basin in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia. Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS), a rainfall-runoff simulation model, was used to simulate peak river discharge values for current and future conditions. The model was calibrated and validated based on the observed river discharge data from February 2007 and January 1996, respectively. The statistical analysis showed that the performance of the model is satisfactory, with Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency 0.64 and 0.58 for calibration and validation, respectively. The coefficients of determination values are 0.86 and 0.82, respectively. The effect of the projected land-use changes alone in 2030 increased the peak flow by approximately 20%. When considering the land-use changes in conjunction with the future climate scenario, the peak flow based on the precipitation corresponding to a 50-year return period in 2030 increased by 130%. Based on the results of this study, it is urgent that a flood management plan be implemented in the target area to reduce flooding in the near future. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 6861 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Applicability of a Nu-Support Vector Regression Model for the Completion of Missing Data in Hydrological Time Series

by Jakub Langhammer^*

and Julius Česák

Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, Praha 2 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic

Water 2016, 8(12), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120560 - 30 Nov 2016

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6753

Abstract

This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-support vector regression (nu-SVR) model for the reconstruction of missing data of hydrological time series from a sensor network. Sensor networks are currently experiencing rapid growth of applications in experimental research and monitoring and provide an [...] Read more.

This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-support vector regression (nu-SVR) model for the reconstruction of missing data of hydrological time series from a sensor network. Sensor networks are currently experiencing rapid growth of applications in experimental research and monitoring and provide an opportunity to study the dynamics of hydrological processes in previously ungauged or remote areas. Due to physical vulnerability or limited maintenance, networks are prone to data outages, which can devaluate the unique data sources. This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-SVR model to simulate water levels in a network of sensors in four nested experimental catchments in a mid-latitude montane environment. The model was applied to a range of typical runoff situations, including a single event storm, multi-peak flood event, snowmelt, rain on snow and a low flow period. The simulations based on daily values proved the high efficiency of the nu-SVR modeling approach to simulate the hydrological processes in a network of monitoring stations. The model proved its ability to reliably reconstruct and simulate typical runoff situations, including complex events, such as rain on snow or flooding from recurrent regional rain. The worst model performance was observed at low flow periods and for single peak flows, especially in the high-altitude catchments. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

7 pages, 201 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Antibiotic-Resistant Enteric Bacteria in Environmental Waters

by Lisa M. Casanova^1,* and Mark D. Sobsey²

¹ Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3984, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA

² Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, CB #7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120561 - 30 Nov 2016

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6567

Abstract

Sources of antibiotic resistant organisms, including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), may lead to environmental surface and groundwater contamination with resistant enteric bacteria of public health concern. The objective of this research is to determine whether Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica [...] Read more.

Sources of antibiotic resistant organisms, including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), may lead to environmental surface and groundwater contamination with resistant enteric bacteria of public health concern. The objective of this research is to determine whether Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and enterococci resistant to clinically relevant antibiotics are present in surface and groundwater sources in two eastern North Carolina counties, Craven and Wayne. 100 surface and groundwater sites were sampled for Salmonella, E. coli, and enterococci, and the bacteria isolated from these samples were tested for susceptibility to clinically relevant antibiotics. Salmonella were detected at low levels in some surface but not groundwater. E. coli were in surface waters but not ground in both counties. Enterococci were present in surface water and a small number of groundwater sites. Yersinia was not found. Bacterial densities were similar in both counties. For Salmonella in surface water, the most frequent type of resistance was to sulfamethoxazole. There was no ciprofloxacin resistance. There were a few surface water E. coli isolates resistant to chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and ampicillin. Enterococci in surface water had very low levels of resistance to vancomycin, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and streptomycin. E. coli and enterococci are present more frequently and at higher levels in surface water than Salmonella, but groundwater contamination with any of these organisms was rare, and low levels of resistance can be found sporadically. Resistant bacteria are relatively uncommon in these eastern N.C. surface and groundwaters, but they could pose a risk of human exposure via ingestion or primary contact recreation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogens in Water)

15 pages, 4842 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Reducing Convective Acceleration Terms in Modelling Supercritical and Transcritical Flow Conditions

by Yared Abayneh Abebe^1,*

, Solomon D. Seyoum¹, Zoran Vojinovic^1,2,3,4 and Roland K. Price¹

¹ UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft, The Netherlands

² Center for Water Systems, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK

³ Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 73, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

⁴ School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand

Water 2016, 8(12), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120562 - 30 Nov 2016

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5150

Abstract

Modelling floods and flood-related disasters has become priority for many researchers and practitioners. Currently, there are several options that can be used for modelling floods in urban areas and the present work attempts to investigate effectiveness of different model formulations in modelling supercritical [...] Read more.

Modelling floods and flood-related disasters has become priority for many researchers and practitioners. Currently, there are several options that can be used for modelling floods in urban areas and the present work attempts to investigate effectiveness of different model formulations in modelling supercritical and transcritical flow conditions. In our work, we use the following three methods for modelling one-dimensional (1D) flows: the MIKE 11 flow model, Kutija’s method, and the Roe scheme. We use two methods for modelling two-dimensional (2D) flows: the MIKE21 flow model and a non-inertia 2D model. Apart from the MIKE11 and MIKE21 models, the code for all other models was developed and used for the purposes of the present work. The performance of the models was evaluated using hypothetical case studies with the intention of representing some configurations that can be found in urban floodplains. The present work does not go into the assessment of these models in modelling various topographical features that may be found on urban floodplains, but rather focuses on how they perform in simulating supercritical and transcritical flows. The overall findings are that the simplified models which ignore convective acceleration terms (CATs) in the momentum equations may be effectively used to model urban flood plains without a significant loss of accuracy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydroinformatics and Urban Water Systems)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1116 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Vallisneria natans to Increasing Nitrogen Loading Depends on Sediment Nutrient Characteristics

by Jiao Gu^1,2, Zenghong Xu³, Hui Jin⁴, Xiaoyu Ning^1,2, Hu He¹

, Jinlei Yu¹, Erik Jeppesen^2,5

and Kuanyi Li^1,2,6,*

¹ State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China

² Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research (SDC), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

³ Key Laboratory of Genetic Breeding and Aquaculture Biology of Freshwater Fishes, Ministry of Agriculture, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China

⁴ School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China

⁵ Department of Bioscience and Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark

⁶ College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120563 - 30 Nov 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5941

Abstract

High nitrogen (N) loading may contribute to recession of submerged macrophytes in shallow lakes; yet, its influences vary depending on environmental conditions. In August 2013, we conducted a 28-day factorial-designed field mesocosm experiment in Lake Taihu at the Taihu Laboratory for Lake Ecosystem [...] Read more.

High nitrogen (N) loading may contribute to recession of submerged macrophytes in shallow lakes; yet, its influences vary depending on environmental conditions. In August 2013, we conducted a 28-day factorial-designed field mesocosm experiment in Lake Taihu at the Taihu Laboratory for Lake Ecosystem Research (TLLER) to examine the effects of high N loading on the growth of Vallisneria natans in systems with contrasting sediment types. We ran the experiments with two levels of nutrient loading—present-day external nutrient loading (average P: 5 μg·L⁻¹·day⁻¹, N: 130 μg·L⁻¹·day⁻¹) and P: 5 μg·L⁻¹·day⁻¹, and with three times higher N loading (N: 390 μg·L⁻¹·day⁻¹) and used sediment with two contrasting nutrient levels. V. natans growth decreased significantly with increasing N loading, the effect being dependent, however, on the nutrient status of the sediment. In low nutrient sediment, relative growth rates, leaf biomass and root biomass decreased by 11.9%, 18.2% and 23.3%, respectively, at high rather than low N loading, while the decline was larger (44.0%, 32.7% and 41.8%, respectively) when using high nutrient sediment. The larger effect in the nutrient-rich sediment may reflect an observed higher shading of phytoplankton and excess nutrient accumulation in plant tissue, though potential toxic effects of the high-nutrient sediment may also have contributed. Our study confirms the occurrence of a negative effect of increasing N loading on submerged plant growth in shallow nutrient-enriched lakes and further shows that this effect is augmented when the plants grow in nutrient-rich sediment. External N control may, therefore, help to protect or restore submerged macrophytes, especially when the sediment is enriched with nutrients and organic matter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lake Restoration and Management in a Climate Change Perspective)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 17177 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Stream Flow and Their Relationships with Climatic Variations and Anthropogenic Activities in the Poyang Lake Basin, China

by Chaojun Gu¹, Xingmin Mu^1,2, Guangju Zhao^1,2,*, Peng Gao^1,2

, Wenyi Sun^1,2 and Qiang Yu¹

¹ State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Xinong Road 26, Yangling 712100, China

² Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Water Resources, Xinong Road 26, Yangling 712100, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120564 - 1 Dec 2016

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6051

Abstract

The Poyang Lake Basin has been suffering from severe water problems such as floods and droughts. This has led to great adverse impacts on local ecosystems and water resource utilization. It is therefore important to understand stream flow changes and their driving factors. [...] Read more.

The Poyang Lake Basin has been suffering from severe water problems such as floods and droughts. This has led to great adverse impacts on local ecosystems and water resource utilization. It is therefore important to understand stream flow changes and their driving factors. In this paper, the dynamics of stream flow and precipitation in the Poyang Lake Basin between 1961 and 2012 were evaluated with the Mann–Kendall test, Theil–Sen approaches, Pettitt test, and Pearson’s correlation. Stream flow was measured at the outlets of five major tributaries of Poyang Lake, while precipitation was recorded by fourteen meteorological stations located within the Poyang Lake Basin. Results showed that annual stream flow of all tributaries and the precipitation over the study area had insignificant (P > 0.1) temporal trends and change points, while significant trends and shifts were found in monthly scale. Stream flow concentration indices (SCI) at Waizhou, Meigang, and Wanjiabu stations showed significant (P < 0.05) decreasing trends with change points emerging in 1984 at Waizhou and 1978 at Wanjiabu, while there was no significant temporal trend and change point detected for the precipitation concentration indices (PCI). Correlation analysis indicated that area-average stream flow was closely related to area-average precipitation, but area-average SCI was insignificantly correlated with area-average PCI after change point (1984). El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) had greater impacts on stream flow than other climate indices, and La Niña events played a more important role in stream flow changes than EI Niño. Human activities, particularly in terms of reservoir constructions, largely altered the intra-annual distribution of stream flow but its effects on the amount of stream flow were relatively low. Results of this study provided a useful reference to regional water resource management and the prevention of flood and drought disasters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use, Climate, and Water Resources)

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

7 pages, 791 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Use of Multi-Carbon Sources by Zooplankton in an Oligotrophic Lake in the Tibetan Plateau

by En Hu^1,2,3, Hu He¹

, Yaling Su¹, Erik Jeppesen^3,4

and Zhengwen Liu^1,3,5,*

¹ State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China

² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China

³ Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research/Sino-Danish College of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

⁴ Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark

⁵ Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Street, Guangzhou 510632, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120565 - 1 Dec 2016

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4717

Abstract

We applied natural abundance stable isotope δ¹³C and radiocarbon ∆¹⁴C analyses to investigate trophic linkages between zooplankton and their potential food sources (phytoplankton, submersed plants, and allochthonous organic carbon) in Lake Nam Co, one of the largest oligosaline and [...] Read more.

We applied natural abundance stable isotope δ¹³C and radiocarbon ∆¹⁴C analyses to investigate trophic linkages between zooplankton and their potential food sources (phytoplankton, submersed plants, and allochthonous organic carbon) in Lake Nam Co, one of the largest oligosaline and oligotrophic lakes in the Tibetan Plateau, in south-west China. The δ¹³C and ∆¹⁴C levels of the calanoid copepod Arctodiaptomus altissimus pectinatus indicate that it uses different carbon sources. Thus, based on a two-isotope mixing model, our results suggested that recently synthesized but ¹⁴C-depleted primary producers (phytoplankton and submersed plants) were the most important sources of carbon, together contributing 92.2% of the zooplankton biomass. Allochthonous organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon constituted 4.7% and 3.1% of the carbon in the diet of zooplankton, respectively. Our findings from Lake Nam Co suggest that the carbon in the food webs of lakes located in a glaciated environment originates from various sources of different ages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Responses of Lakes to Climate Change)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 7023 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Climate Change on Riverine Ecosystems: Alterations of Ecologically Relevant Flow Dynamics in the Danube River and Its Major Tributaries

by Judith C. Stagl^* and Fred F. Hattermann

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, P.O. Box 60 12 03, 14412 Potsdam, Germany

Water 2016, 8(12), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120566 - 2 Dec 2016

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 20871

Abstract

River flow dynamics play an important role for aquatic and riparian ecosystems. Climate change is projected to significantly alter river flow regimes in Europe and worldwide. In this study, we evaluate future river flow alterations in the entire Danube River basin by means [...] Read more.

River flow dynamics play an important role for aquatic and riparian ecosystems. Climate change is projected to significantly alter river flow regimes in Europe and worldwide. In this study, we evaluate future river flow alterations in the entire Danube River basin by means of ecologically relevant river flow indicators under different climate warming scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5). The process-based watershed model SWIM was applied for 1124 sub-catchments to simulate daily time series of river discharge for the Danube River and its tributaries under future scenario conditions. The derived hydrological data series were then statistically analyzed using eight eco-hydrological indicators to distinguish intra-year variations in the streamflow regime. The results are used to: (a) analyze the possible impacts of climate change on the ecologically relevant flow regime components; and (b) identify regions at the highest risk of climate change-driven flow alterations. Our results indicate that climate change will distinctively alter the recent ecological flow regime of the Danube River and, in particular, the tributaries of the Middle and Lower Danube basin. While for the RCP 2.6 scenario the projected flow alterations might still be considered moderate for many rivers, the impacts might strongly accelerate if global mean temperatures rise more than 2 °C compared to pre-industrial times. Under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 warming scenarios, the recent ecological flow regime might be highly altered, posing a serious threat to river and floodplain ecosystems. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 34184 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Paleohydraulic Reconstruction of Modern Large Floods at Subcritical Speed in a Confined Valley: Proof of Concept

by Patricio Bohorquez

Área de Mecánica de Fluidos, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica y Minera, CEACTierra, Universidad de Jaén, Campus de las Lagunillas, 23071 Jaén, Spain

Water 2016, 8(12), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120567 - 2 Dec 2016

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6409

Abstract

The present study aims to show the accuracy of paleoflood reconstruction techniques based on two-dimensional (2D) hydraulic modelling of a large flood. Using this reconstruction technique, we determined trends in flood stages over time in a regulated river. A stretch of the Guadalquivir [...] Read more.

The present study aims to show the accuracy of paleoflood reconstruction techniques based on two-dimensional (2D) hydraulic modelling of a large flood. Using this reconstruction technique, we determined trends in flood stages over time in a regulated river. A stretch of the Guadalquivir River (Southern Spain) was selected as the study site. High-resolution orthophotos and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) elevations were acquired just after modern floods. They were used for the identification and location of stage indicators. In addition, water gradients were estimated from gauging records, documentary information and paleostage indicators (PSIs) in two situations: (i) pre-vegetation encroachment; and (ii) post-vegetation encroachment due to upstream impoundment. Standard two-dimensional, flow depth-averaged equations over fixed beds were used in the hydraulic modelling. In a first stage, long records of instrumental data at gauging stations and documentary evidence of flood levels served to calibrate the input parameters of the hydraulic model. In a second stage, paleoflood signatures within sedimentary and botanical sequences served to verify the flood stages in the numerical simulations not only at the river reach where instrumental data exist but also in the downstream river reach. Interestingly, the rating curve obtained from the combined use of documentary information and imagery was nearly as accurate as gauging measurements. The thoughtful comparison of 2D modelled hydraulic variables against inferred values from PSIs and instrumental data supports the paleoflood reconstruction method over fixed beds. Vegetation encroachment provoked 10% deeper floods at the water discharge of 2000 m³

\cdot

s⁻¹, which implied an increase of Manning’s roughness coefficient from 0.04 to 0.055 s

\cdot

m^−1/3 in less than 15 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Aspects in Flood Risk Evaluation, Mapping and Communication)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 6204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distribution and Potential Health Risks of Arsenic, Selenium, and Fluorine in Natural Waters in Tibet, China

by Yuan Tian^1,2,3

, Chengqun Yu^1,2,*, Xinjie Zha^2,3,4, Jianshang Wu^1,2

, Xing Gao^2,4, Chujian Feng⁵ and Kunli Luo^2,*

¹ Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

² Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

³ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

⁴ State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

⁵ Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing 100862, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120568 - 3 Dec 2016

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 7860

Abstract

The contents of major and trace elements were analyzed in 204 different types of water samples in 138 villages across 51 counties and cities of Tibet. The average concentrations of arsenic (As), selenium, and fluorine for each water category decreased in the following [...] Read more.

The contents of major and trace elements were analyzed in 204 different types of water samples in 138 villages across 51 counties and cities of Tibet. The average concentrations of arsenic (As), selenium, and fluorine for each water category decreased in the following order: arsenic (in μg/L: hot spring 241.37 > lake 27.46 > stream 22.11 > shallow well 11.57 > deep well 6.22), selenium (in μg/L: deep well 0.85 > shallow well 0.68 > stream 0.62 > hot spring 0.39 > lake 0.36), and fluorine (in mg/L: hot spring 2.10 > lake 1.06 > deep well 0.45 > stream 0.20 > shallow well 0.15). The distribution of arsenic in Tibetan waters ranged between 77.35 μg/L in Ali prefecture and 1.17 μg/L in Chamdo prefecture, with intermediate values of 4.39, 2.52, 2.10, 1.68, and 1.51 μg/L in the prefectures of Shigatse, Nagchu, Lhasa, Lhoka, and Nyingchi, respectively. Carbonatite is a major source of elements in these waters. The non-carcinogenic risk in Tibet caused by heavy metals in drinking water is low overall, except in Ali prefecture’s surface and shallow ground waters, which contain high levels of As. Thus, deep well water in Tibet is safe to drink. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Quality and Health)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 9156 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conversion of Blue Water into Green Water for Improving Utilization Ratio of Water Resources in Degraded Karst Areas

by Ke Chen^1,2

, Shengtian Yang^3,*, Changsen Zhao^1,2, Zongli Li⁴, Ya Luo⁵, Zhiwei Wang^1,2

, Xiaolin Liu^1,2, Yabing Guan^1,2, Juan Bai^1,2, Qiuwen Zhou⁵ and Xinyi Yu^1,2

¹ State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, School of Geography, Beijing Normal University, No.19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China

² Beijing Key Laboratory for Remote Sensing of Environment and Digital Cities, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China

³ College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, No.19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China

⁴ China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute, Xicheng District, Beijing 100120, China

⁵ School of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120569 - 5 Dec 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6943

Abstract

Vegetation deterioration and soil loss are the main causes of more precipitation leakages and surface water shortages in degraded karst areas. In order to improve the utilization of water resources in such regions, water storage engineering has been considered; however, site selection and [...] Read more.

Vegetation deterioration and soil loss are the main causes of more precipitation leakages and surface water shortages in degraded karst areas. In order to improve the utilization of water resources in such regions, water storage engineering has been considered; however, site selection and cost associated with the special karstic geological structure have made this difficult. According to the principle of the Soil Plant Atmosphere Continuum, increasing both vegetation cover and soil thickness would change water cycle process, resulting in a transformation from leaked blue water (liquid form) into green water (gas or saturated water form) for terrestrial plant ecosystems, thereby improving the utilization of water resources. Using the Soil Vegetation Atmosphere Transfer model and the geographical distributed approach, this study simulated the conversion from leaked blue water (leakage) into green water in the environs of Guiyang, a typical degraded karst area. The primary results were as follows: (1) Green water in the area accounted for <50% of precipitation, well below the world average of 65%; (2) Vegetation growth played an important role in converting leakage into green water; however, once it increased to 56%, its contribution to reducing leakage decreased sharply; (3) Increasing soil thickness by 20 cm converted the leakage considerably. The order of leakage reduction under different precipitation scenarios was dry year > normal year > rainy year. Thus, increased soil thickness was shown effective in improving the utilization ratio of water resources and in raising the amount of plant ecological water use; (4) The transformation of blue water into green water, which avoids constructions of hydraulic engineering, could provide an alternative solution for the improvement of the utilization of water resources in degraded karst area. Although there are inevitable uncertainties in simulation process, it has important significance for overcoming similar problems. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 6651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Water Resources Management in a Lake System: A Case Study in Central Italy

by Stefano Casadei^1,*

, Arnaldo Pierleoni² and Michele Bellezza³

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy

² Civil Engineering Section, Niccolò Cusano University, Via Don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Roma, Italy

³ T4E University of Perugia Spin-Off, Via Birago 18, 06124 Perugia, Italy

Water 2016, 8(12), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120570 - 5 Dec 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5988

Abstract

Lake Trasimeno is a closed lake in Central Italy and in historically its water level has been affected by wide fluctuations mostly depending on the climate. The lake has suffered many water crises due to water scarcity and in recent decades, droughts have [...] Read more.

Lake Trasimeno is a closed lake in Central Italy and in historically its water level has been affected by wide fluctuations mostly depending on the climate. The lake has suffered many water crises due to water scarcity and in recent decades, droughts have also severely affected the economic and environmental situation. The aim of this study was to analyze the possibility of limiting these severe level fluctuations by evaluating of feasible water resource management policies that could also reduce the environmental stress of this area. Therefore, a specific decision support system (DSS) has been developed in order to simulate different scenarios for the entire water system of the Trasimeno area. In particular, the hydrological model implemented in the DSS allowed for the simulation and validation of different management policy hypotheses for the water resource in order to mitigate environmental and water crises for the Lake Trasimeno. Results indicated that it is possible to transfer a certain amount of water from nearby reservoirs without affecting the availability of the resource for specific users. In this way, Lake Trasimeno can benefit both from an increase in water levels in the lake, so a possible better situation in quantitatively and qualitatively. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Uncertainties of Water Footprints Using an Ensemble of Crop Growth Models on Winter Wheat

by Kurt Christian Kersebaum^1,*

, Joop Kroes², Anne Gobin³

, Jozef Takáč⁴, Petr Hlavinka^5,6, Miroslav Trnka^5,6, Domenico Ventrella⁷

, Luisa Giglio⁷, Roberto Ferrise⁸, Marco Moriondo⁹, Anna Dalla Marta⁸, Qunying Luo¹⁰, Josef Eitzinger¹¹, Wilfried Mirschel¹, Hans-Joachim Weigel¹², Remy Manderscheid¹², Munir Hoffmann¹³, Pavol Nejedlik¹⁴, Muhammad Anjum Iqbal¹ and Johannes Hösch¹⁵

¹ Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), D-15374 Müncheberg, Germany

² Wageningen University & Research—Environmental Research (Alterra), NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

³ Flemish Institute for Technological Research (Vito NV), B-2400 Mol, Belgium

⁴ National Agricultural and Food Centre, Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute, SK-827 13 Bratislava, Slovakia

⁵ Institute of Agriculture Systems and Bioclimatology, Mendel University, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

⁶ Global Change Research Institute, The Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ-603 00 Brno, Czech Republic

⁷ Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria, Unità di Ricerca per i Sistemi Colturali degli Ambienti Caldo-Aridi, I-70125 Bari, Italy

⁸ Department of Agri-Food Production and Environmental Sciences, DISPAA, University of Florence, I-50144 Firenze, Italy

⁹ Institute of Biometeorology of the National Research Council (CNR-IBIMET), I-50145 Firenze, Italy

¹⁰ Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney 2007, Australia

¹¹ Institute of Meteorology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, A-1180 Vienna, Austria

¹² Thünen Institute of Biodiversity, D-38116 Braunschweig, Germany

¹³ Tropical Plant Production and Agricultural Systems Modelling, Georg-August-University, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany

¹⁴ Earth Science Institute of Slovak Academy of Science, SK-840 05 Bratislava, Slovakia

¹⁵ AGES—Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd., A-1220 Vienna, Austria

Show full affiliation list Hide full affiliation list

Water 2016, 8(12), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120571 - 5 Dec 2016

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 9899

Abstract

Crop productivity and water consumption form the basis to calculate the water footprint (WF) of a specific crop. Under current climate conditions, calculated evapotranspiration is related to observed crop yields to calculate WF. The assessment of WF under future climate conditions requires the [...] Read more.

Crop productivity and water consumption form the basis to calculate the water footprint (WF) of a specific crop. Under current climate conditions, calculated evapotranspiration is related to observed crop yields to calculate WF. The assessment of WF under future climate conditions requires the simulation of crop yields adding further uncertainty. To assess the uncertainty of model based assessments of WF, an ensemble of crop models was applied to data from five field experiments across Europe. Only limited data were provided for a rough calibration, which corresponds to a typical situation for regional assessments, where data availability is limited. Up to eight models were applied for wheat. The coefficient of variation for the simulated actual evapotranspiration between models was in the range of 13%–19%, which was higher than the inter-annual variability. Simulated yields showed a higher variability between models in the range of 17%–39%. Models responded differently to elevated CO₂ in a FACE (Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment) experiment, especially regarding the reduction of water consumption. The variability of calculated WF between models was in the range of 15%–49%. Yield predictions contributed more to this variance than the estimation of water consumption. Transpiration accounts on average for 51%–68% of the total actual evapotranspiration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Footprint Assessment)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Balance and Level Change of Lake Babati, Tanzania: Sensitivity to Hydroclimatic Forcings

by René P. Mbanguka^1,*

, Steve W. Lyon¹, Karin Holmgren^1,2, Marc Girons Lopez³

and Jerker Jarsjö¹

¹ Department of Physical Geography, and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

² Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7012, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

³ Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden

Water 2016, 8(12), 572; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120572 - 5 Dec 2016

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 9684

Abstract

We develop and present a novel integrated water balance model that accounts for lake water—groundwater interactions, and apply it to the semi-closed freshwater Lake Babati system, Northern Tanzania, East Africa. The model was calibrated and used to evaluate the lake level sensitivity to [...] Read more.

We develop and present a novel integrated water balance model that accounts for lake water—groundwater interactions, and apply it to the semi-closed freshwater Lake Babati system, Northern Tanzania, East Africa. The model was calibrated and used to evaluate the lake level sensitivity to changes in key hydro-climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation, humidity and cloudiness. The lake response to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5) output on possible future climate outcomes was evaluated, an essential basis in understanding future water security and flooding risk in the region. Results show high lake level sensitivity to cloudiness. Increased focus on cloud fraction measurement and interpretation could likely improve projections of lake levels and surface water availability. Modelled divergent results on the future (21st century) development of Lake Babati can be explained by the precipitation output variability of CMIP5 models being comparable to the precipitation change needed to drive the water balance model from lake dry-out to overflow; this condition is likely shared with many other East African lake systems. The developed methodology could be useful in investigations on change-driving processes in complex climate—drainage basin—lake systems, which are needed to support sustainable water resource planning in data scarce tropical Africa. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 5817 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cumulative Effects Analysis of the Water Quality Risk of Herbicides Used for Site Preparation in the Central North Island, New Zealand

by Daniel G. Neary^1,2,* and Brenda R. Baillie²

¹ USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA

² SCION Forest Research Institute, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand

Water 2016, 8(12), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120573 - 6 Dec 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5402

Abstract

Herbicide use varies both spatially and temporally within managed forests. While information exists on the effects of herbicide use on water quality at the site and small catchment scale, little is known about the cumulative effects of herbicide use at the landscape scale. [...] Read more.

Herbicide use varies both spatially and temporally within managed forests. While information exists on the effects of herbicide use on water quality at the site and small catchment scale, little is known about the cumulative effects of herbicide use at the landscape scale. A cumulative effects analysis was conducted in the upper Rangitaiki catchment (118,345 ha) in New Zealand, to determine the risk to water quality from two herbicides commonly used for post-plant weed control: terbuthylazine and hexazinone. Data from a 12.5 ha catchment study within the Rangitaiki Basin, where these herbicides were aerially applied in two consecutive years, were used to model herbicide concentrations entering the Rangitaiki River for the remaining treated areas in the catchment for the same two spray seasons. A spreadsheet model routed herbicide residues from their point of entry into the river to a flow gauge on the Rangitaiki River. Modeling of chemical residue loadings and concentrations of terbuthylazine and hexazinone indicated that potential herbicide residues in stream waters would be mainly below analytical detection limits and pose no risk to the aquatic environment or human health and safety. Safety factors for drinking water quality standards, aquatic organisms, and human Acceptable Daily Intake levels were very large. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 1337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Multiple Household Water Sources and Uses with a Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) Survey

by Morgan C. MacDonald^1,*

, Mark Elliott²

, Terence Chan³, Annika Kearton⁴, Katherine F. Shields⁵, Jamie Bartram⁵

and Wade L. Hadwen¹

¹ Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia

² Department of Civil Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA

³ Monash Sustainability Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia

⁴ International Water Centre, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia

⁵ Water Institute, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120574 - 6 Dec 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6940

Abstract

The investigation of multiple sources in household water management is considered overly complicated and time consuming using paper and pen interviewing (PAPI). We assess the advantages of computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). We adapted an existing PAPI survey on [...] Read more.

The investigation of multiple sources in household water management is considered overly complicated and time consuming using paper and pen interviewing (PAPI). We assess the advantages of computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). We adapted an existing PAPI survey on multiple water sources and expanded it to incorporate location of water use and the impacts of extreme weather events using SurveyCTO on Android tablets. We then compared the efficiency and accuracy of data collection using the PAPI version (n = 44) with the CAPI version (n = 291), including interview duration, error rate and trends in interview duration with enumerator experience. CAPI surveys facilitated high-quality data collection and were an average of 15.2 min faster than PAPI. CAPI survey duration decreased by 0.55% per survey delivered (p < 0.0001), whilst embedded skip patterns and answer lists lowered data entry error rates, relative to PAPI (p < 0.0001). Large-scale household surveys commonly used in global monitoring and evaluation do not differentiate multiple water sources and uses. CAPI equips water researchers with a quick and reliable tool to address these knowledge gaps and advance our understanding of development research priorities. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2428 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Methodology for the Optimization of Flow Rate Injection to Looped Water Distribution Networks through Multiple Pumping Stations

by Christian León-Celi¹, Pedro L. Iglesias-Rey^1,*

, F. Javier Martínez-Solano¹

and Daniel Mora-Melia²

¹ Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain

² Departamento de Ingeniería y Gestión de la Construcción, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, 3340000 Curicó, Chile

Water 2016, 8(12), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120575 - 6 Dec 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6009

Abstract

The optimal function of a water distribution network is reached when the consumer demands are satisfied using the lowest quantity of energy, maintaining the minimal pressure required at the same time. One way to achieve this is through optimization of flow rate injection [...] Read more.

The optimal function of a water distribution network is reached when the consumer demands are satisfied using the lowest quantity of energy, maintaining the minimal pressure required at the same time. One way to achieve this is through optimization of flow rate injection based on the use of the setpoint curve concept. In order to obtain that, a methodology is proposed. It allows for the assessment of the flow rate and pressure head that each pumping station has to provide for the proper functioning of the network while the minimum power consumption is kept. The methodology can be addressed in two ways: the discrete method and the continuous method. In the first method, a finite set of combinations is evaluated between pumping stations. In the continuous method, the search for the optimal solution is performed using optimization algorithms. In this paper, Hooke–Jeeves and Nelder–Mead algorithms are used. Both the hydraulics and the objective function used by the optimization are solved through EPANET and its Toolkit. Two case studies are evaluated, and the results of the application of the different methods are discussed. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Climate Change on Drought in the Upstream Yangtze River Region

by Guihua Lu¹, Hongwei Wu^1,2, Heng Xiao^3,*

, Hai He¹ and Zhiyong Wu^1,*

¹ College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

² Department of International Cooperation and Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, Beijing 100035, China

³ Yellow River Institute of Science, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450045, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120576 - 7 Dec 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5286

Abstract

Based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) dataset and a variable infiltration capacity (VIC) hydrological model, this study assesses the possible influence of climate change in the upstream region of the Yangtze River on droughts in the future 30 years. Long-term [...] Read more.

Based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) dataset and a variable infiltration capacity (VIC) hydrological model, this study assesses the possible influence of climate change in the upstream region of the Yangtze River on droughts in the future 30 years. Long-term daily soil moisture content were simulated by VIC model at a 50 km × 50 km resolution from 1951 to 2013. Regional historical drought events were then recognized based on soil moisture anomaly percentage index and validated with field data. Five relatively independent representative global circulation models were selected and the outputs of them were downscaled temporally and spatially as the inputs of VIC model for daily soil moisture content simulations both in the period of 1971–2000 for the present-day climate and in the period of 2021–2050 for the future. The results show that the projected annual mean temperature is likely to increase from 1.4 °C to 1.8 °C. The projected change in mean annual precipitation could be increased slightly by 0.6% to 1.3%, but the trend of precipitation change in summer and autumn might be opposite of that. Comparing the drought characteristics values recognized in 1971–2000, seven to eight additional regional drought events are likely to happen in 2021–2050. Drought duration and drought intensity are also likely to extend for 18 d to 25 d and increase by 1.2% to 6.2%, respectively. But, drought area could decrease slightly by 1.3% to 2.7% on average. These changes in drought characteristics values suggest that regional drought could become more severely prolonged and frequent in future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Soil-Vegetation Dynamic Interactions in Changing Climate)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2462 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Canals vs. Streams: To What Extent Do Water Quality and Proximity Affect Real Estate Values? A Hedonic Approach Analysis

by Federico Bonetti

, Stefano Corsi, Luigi Orsi^*

and Ivan De Noni

Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan, via Conservatorio 7, 20122 Milan, Italy

Water 2016, 8(12), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120577 - 6 Dec 2016

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6512

Abstract

The presence of and proximity to water influences human settlement decisions, because water has been able to characterize the environment and affect human health since prehistoric times. Many scholars have studied the effects of environmental amenities on the real estate market; however, only [...] Read more.

The presence of and proximity to water influences human settlement decisions, because water has been able to characterize the environment and affect human health since prehistoric times. Many scholars have studied the effects of environmental amenities on the real estate market; however, only a few of them have explored the effects of water. This study stresses the role of water with a focus on the dichotomy between artificial and natural waterways (canals vs. streams), which involves managerial and qualitative differences. A hedonic approach, based on a large web scraped and geo-referenced dataset of 10,530 observations, is used to analyze the effect of water proximity and quality on residential housing prices in the province of Milan (Italy). Our main results show a significant but conflicting impact of water proximity on real estate value: reducing the canal distance, we observe an increase in the residential housing sale price, in urban more than peri-urban environments; in contrast, reducing the stream distance, our results show decreases in property value. Moreover, a significant moderating effect of water quality on distance from streams is identifiable. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance and N₂O Formation of the Deammonification Process by Suspended Sludge and Biofilm Systems—A Pilot-Scale Study

by Carmen Leix¹

, Rebecca Hartl¹, Christian Zeh², Franz Beer², Jörg E. Drewes¹ and Konrad Koch^1,*

¹ Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 3, 85748 Garching, Germany

² Abwasserverband Kempten (Allgäu), Griesösch 1, 87493 Lauben, Germany

Water 2016, 8(12), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120578 - 6 Dec 2016

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5511

Abstract

A two-stage deammonification pilot plant with two different second-stage reactors, namely a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with suspended sludge and a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) with biofilm carriers, was investigated over a 1.5-year period to compare reactor performances. Additionally, dissolved nitrous oxide [...] Read more.

A two-stage deammonification pilot plant with two different second-stage reactors, namely a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with suspended sludge and a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) with biofilm carriers, was investigated over a 1.5-year period to compare reactor performances. Additionally, dissolved nitrous oxide (N₂O) was measured to determine the reactors’ N₂O formation potential. Although the nitritation performance was moderate (NO₂-N/NH₄-N effluent ratio of 0.32 ± 0.15 in combination with SBR and 0.25 ± 0.14 with MBBR), nitrogen turnover and degradation rates exceeding 500 g N/(m³∙day) and 80%, respectively, were achieved in both second stages, yet requiring additional aeration. The SBR’s average nitrogen removal was 19% higher than the MBBR’s; however, the SBR’s nitrite influent concentration was comparably elevated. Concerning N₂O formation, the nitritation reactor exhibited the lowest N₂O concentrations, while the buffer tank, interconnecting the first and second stages, exhibited the highest N₂O concentrations of all reactors. Given these high concentrations, a transfer of N₂O into the second stage was observed, where anoxic phases enabled N₂O reduction. Frequent biomass removal and a decreased hydraulic retention time in the buffer tank would likely minimize N₂O formation. For the second stage, enabling anoxic periods in the intermittent aeration cycles right after feeding to support N₂O reduction and thus minimize the stripping effects or the implementation of a complete anoxic ammonium oxidation will mitigate N₂O emissions. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 1287 KiB

Open AccessReview

Assessment of Managed Aquifer Recharge through Modeling—A Review

by Jana Ringleb^*, Jana Sallwey

and Catalin Stefan

Department of Hydrosciences, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany

Water 2016, 8(12), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120579 - 7 Dec 2016

Cited by 106 | Viewed by 18039

Abstract

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is the purposeful recharge of an aquifer for later recovery or environmental benefits and represents a valuable method for sustainable water resources management. Models can be helpful tools for the assessment of MAR systems. This review encompasses a survey [...] Read more.

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is the purposeful recharge of an aquifer for later recovery or environmental benefits and represents a valuable method for sustainable water resources management. Models can be helpful tools for the assessment of MAR systems. This review encompasses a survey and an analysis of case studies which apply flow and transport models to evaluate MAR. The observed modeling objectives include the planning or optimization of MAR schemes as well as the identification and quantification of geochemical processes during injection, storage and recovery. The water recovery efficiency and the impact of the injected water on the ambient groundwater are further objectives investigated in the reviewed studies. These objectives are mainly solved by using groundwater flow models. Unsaturated flow models, solute transport models, reactive geochemical models as well as water balance models are also frequently applied and often coupled. As each planning step to setup a new MAR facility requires cost and time investment, modeling is used to minimize hazard risks and assess possible constraints of the system such as low recovery efficiency, clogging and geochemical processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Quality Considerations for Managed Aquifer Recharge Systems)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2543 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacterial Communities and Antibiotic Resistance Communities in a Full-Scale Hospital Wastewater Treatment Plant by High-Throughput Pyrosequencing

by Youngho Ahn¹ and Jeongdong Choi^2,*

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyungsan 38541, Korea

² Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju 27469, Korea

Water 2016, 8(12), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120580 - 7 Dec 2016

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 8944

Abstract

The community of whole microbes and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) in hospital wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) receiving domestic wastewater (DWW) and hospital wastewater (HWW) was investigated. Samples from an influent of a secondary clarifier, at each treatment train, were characterized for the whole [...] Read more.

The community of whole microbes and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) in hospital wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) receiving domestic wastewater (DWW) and hospital wastewater (HWW) was investigated. Samples from an influent of a secondary clarifier, at each treatment train, were characterized for the whole microbial community and ARB on the antibiotic resistance database, based on high-throughput pyrosequencing. The pyrosequencing analysis revealed that the abundance of Bacteroidetes in the DWW sample was higher (~1.6 times) than in the HWW sample, whereas the abundance of Proteobacteria in the HWW sample was greater than in the DWW sample. At the top twenty of the genus level, distinct genera were observed—Saprospiraceae in the DWW and Zoogloea in the HWW. Apart from the top twenty genera, minor genera showed various antibiotic resistance types based on the antibiotic resistance gene database. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3586 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soft Measurement Modeling Based on Chaos Theory for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

by Junfei Qiao^1,2,*, Zhiqiang Hu^1,2 and Wenjing Li^1,2

¹ Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

² Beijing Key Laboratory of Computational Intelligence and Intelligent System, Beijing 100124, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120581 - 19 Dec 2016

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7550

Abstract

The precision of soft measurement for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is always restricted due to various factors in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). To solve this problem, a new soft measurement modeling method based on chaos theory is proposed and is applied to [...] Read more.

The precision of soft measurement for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is always restricted due to various factors in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). To solve this problem, a new soft measurement modeling method based on chaos theory is proposed and is applied to BOD measurement in this paper. Phase space reconstruction (PSR) based on Takens embedding theorem is used to extract more information from the limited datasets of the chaotic system. The WWTP is first testified as a chaotic system by the correlation dimension (D), the largest Lyapunov exponents (λ₁), the Kolmogorov entropy (K) of the BOD and other water quality parameters time series. Multivariate chaotic time series modeling method with principal component analysis (PCA) and artificial neural network (ANN) is then adopted to estimate the value of the effluent BOD. Simulation results show that the proposed approach has higher accuracy and better prediction ability than the corresponding modeling approaches not based on chaos theory. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4467 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Environmental Factors on the Temporal Stability of Phytoplankton Biomass in a Eutrophic Man-Made Lake

by Wang Tian, Huayong Zhang^*

, Lei Zhao

, Yuanwu Xiong and Hai Huang

Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 582; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120582 - 7 Dec 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5973

Abstract

The stability of phytoplankton biomass is important in maintaining the health of an aquatic ecosystem. In this study, the main environmental factors and phytoplankton biomass were investigated monthly from May 2011 to April 2013 in a eutrophic lake. The influence of both the [...] Read more.

The stability of phytoplankton biomass is important in maintaining the health of an aquatic ecosystem. In this study, the main environmental factors and phytoplankton biomass were investigated monthly from May 2011 to April 2013 in a eutrophic lake. The influence of both the mean values and variability (standard deviation) of environmental factors on the temporal stability index (TSI, measured as coefficient of variation) of phytoplankton was analyzed. Complex relationships were observed between the mean environmental factors and phytoplankton TSI: a positive relationship for dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH, a negative relationship for total nitrogen (TN) and ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), a unimodal relationship for total phosphorus (TP), and no relationship for water temperature (WT). Mean values of DO and pH mainly influenced the stability of phytoplankton through increasing the average total biomass. However, mean TN and NH₄⁺-N concentrations destabilized phytoplankton TSI primarily through increasing the variability of community biomass. There were also complex relationships between the variability of environmental factors and phytoplankton TSI: a negative relationship for TN, a unimodal relationship for NH₄⁺-N and TP, and no relationship for WT, DO, and pH. The variability of nutrient concentrations mainly affected phytoplankton TSI through influencing the variability of community biomass, while their influence on the average total biomass was weak. Results in this research will be helpful in understanding the influence of environmental factors on the temporal stability of phytoplankton. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2613 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficiency Criteria as a Solution to the Uncertainty in the Choice of Population Size in Population-Based Algorithms Applied to Water Network Optimization

by Daniel Mora-Melià^1,*

, Jimmy H. Gutiérrez-Bahamondes¹

, Pedro L. Iglesias-Rey²

and F. Javier Martínez-Solano²

¹ Departamento de Ingeniería y Gestión de la Construcción, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3340000, Chile

² Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Valencia 46022, Spain

Water 2016, 8(12), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120583 - 7 Dec 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4741

Abstract

Different Population-based Algorithms (PbAs) have been used in recent years to solve all types of optimization problems related to water resource issues. However, the performances of these techniques depend heavily on correctly setting some specific parameters that guide the search for solutions. The [...] Read more.

Different Population-based Algorithms (PbAs) have been used in recent years to solve all types of optimization problems related to water resource issues. However, the performances of these techniques depend heavily on correctly setting some specific parameters that guide the search for solutions. The initial random population size P is the only parameter common to all PbAs, but this parameter has received little attention from researchers. This paper explores P behaviour in a pipe-sizing problem considering both quality and speed criteria. To relate both concepts, this study applies a method based on an efficiency ratio E. First, specific parameters in each algorithm are calibrated with a fixed P. Second, specific parameters remain fixed, and the initial population size P is modified. After more than 600,000 simulations, the influence of P on obtaining successful solutions is statistically analysed. The proposed methodology is applied to four well-known benchmark networks and four different algorithms. The main conclusion of this study is that using a small population size is more efficient above a certain minimum size. Moreover, the results ensure optimal parameter calibration in each algorithm, and they can be used to select the most appropriate algorithm depending on the complexity of the problem and the goal of optimization. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 8492 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Potential of UAV Video Image Analysis for Planning Irrigation Needs of Golf Courses

by Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno^1,*

, María-Jesús Aguilera-Ureña¹

, José-Emilio Meroño-De Larriva²

and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro^3,4

¹ Department of Applied Physics, University of Cordoba, CEIA3, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain

² Department of Graphic Engineering and Geomatics, University of Cordoba, CEIA3, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain

³ CIAIMBITAL (Research Center on Agricultural and Food Biotechnology), University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain

⁴ Department of Engineering, University of Almeria, CEIA3, 04120 Almeria, Spain

Water 2016, 8(12), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120584 - 8 Dec 2016

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6708

Abstract

Golf courses can be considered as precision agriculture, as being a playing surface, their appearance is of vital importance. Areas with good weather tend to have low rainfall. Therefore, the water management of golf courses in these climates is a crucial issue due [...] Read more.

Golf courses can be considered as precision agriculture, as being a playing surface, their appearance is of vital importance. Areas with good weather tend to have low rainfall. Therefore, the water management of golf courses in these climates is a crucial issue due to the high water demand of turfgrass. Golf courses are rapidly transitioning to reuse water, e.g., the municipalities in the USA are providing price incentives or mandate the use of reuse water for irrigation purposes; in Europe this is mandatory. So, knowing the turfgrass surfaces of a large area can help plan the treated sewage effluent needs. Recycled water is usually of poor quality, thus it is crucial to check the real turfgrass surface in order to be able to plan the global irrigation needs using this type of water. In this way, the irrigation of golf courses does not detract from the natural water resources of the area. The aim of this paper is to propose a new methodology for analysing geometric patterns of video data acquired from UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) using a new Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HTM) algorithm. A case study concerning maintained turfgrass, especially for golf courses, has been developed. It shows very good results, better than 98% in the confusion matrix. The results obtained in this study represent a first step toward video imagery classification. In summary, technical progress in computing power and software has shown that video imagery is one of the most promising environmental data acquisition techniques available today. This rapid classification of turfgrass can play an important role for planning water management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Remote Sensing/GIS in Water Resources and Flooding Risk Managements)

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 1699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Rainfall Interception Model for Alfalfa Canopy under Simulated Sprinkler Irrigation

by Jian Jiao, Derong Su^*, Liliang Han and Yadong Wang

Research Center for Grassland Ecology and Resources, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120585 - 15 Dec 2016

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6822

Abstract

Estimating canopy interception of water by plants during rainfall or sprinkler irrigation is a critical step for evaluating water-use efficiency. Most existing experimental studies and mathematic models of canopy interception have paid little attention to the interception losses of water by herbaceous plants. [...] Read more.

Estimating canopy interception of water by plants during rainfall or sprinkler irrigation is a critical step for evaluating water-use efficiency. Most existing experimental studies and mathematic models of canopy interception have paid little attention to the interception losses of water by herbaceous plants. To better understand the canopy interception processes of herbaceous plants and to estimate the interception losses, a process-based dynamic interception model for alfalfa canopy was developed and validated by an experiment under conditions of simulated sprinkler irrigation. The parameters of the model included the maximum interception, the rate of interception of the alfalfa canopy, and the duration of sprinkler irrigation. The model demonstrated that the amount of interception increased rapidly with duration in the early stage of sprinkler irrigation, and then gradually leveled off until the maximum retention capacity of the canopy was reached. The maximum interception by the alfalfa canopy, ranging from 0.29 to 1.26 mm, increased nonlinearly with the increase of leaf area index (LAI) and sprinkling intensity. The rate of interception increased with the decrease of LAI and the increase of sprinkling intensities. Meanwhile, a nonlinear equation based on sprinkling intensity and plant height was proposed in order to more practically estimate the maximum interception by alfalfa canopy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Water Management in Agriculture)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 6764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metal–Organic Framework-Functionalized Alumina Membranes for Vacuum Membrane Distillation

by Jian Zuo and Tai-Shung Chung^*

Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585, Singapore

Water 2016, 8(12), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120586 - 8 Dec 2016

Cited by 69 | Viewed by 9667

Abstract

Nature-mimetic hydrophobic membranes with high wetting resistance have been designed for seawater desalination via vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) in this study. This is achieved through molecular engineering of metal–organic framework (MOF)-functionalized alumina surfaces. A two-step synthetic strategy was invented to design the hydrophobic [...] Read more.

Nature-mimetic hydrophobic membranes with high wetting resistance have been designed for seawater desalination via vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) in this study. This is achieved through molecular engineering of metal–organic framework (MOF)-functionalized alumina surfaces. A two-step synthetic strategy was invented to design the hydrophobic membranes: (1) to intergrow MOF crystals on the alumina tube substrate and (2) to introduce perfluoro molecules onto the MOF functionalized membrane surface. With the first step, the surface morphology, especially the hierarchical roughness, can be controlled by tuning the MOF crystal structure. After the second step, the perfluoro molecules function as an ultrathin layer of hydrophobic floss, which lowers the surface energy. Therefore, the resultant membranes do not only possess the intrinsic advantages of alumina supports such as high stability and high water permeability, but also have a hydrophobic surface formed by MOF functionalization. The membrane prepared under an optimum condition achieved a good VMD flux of 32.3 L/m²-h at 60 °C. This study may open up a totally new approach for design of next-generation high performance membrane distillation membranes for seawater desalination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Water Treatment)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 1761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Egg-Shaped Sewer Pipes Flow Performance

by Manuel Regueiro-Picallo^*

, Juan Naves

, Jose Anta

, Jerónimo Puertas and Joaquín Suárez

Universidade da Coruña, Water and Environmental Engineering Group (GEAMA), Elviña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain

Water 2016, 8(12), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120587 - 9 Dec 2016

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 13670

Abstract

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed to analyze the open-channel flow in a new set of egg-shaped pipes for small combined sewer systems. The egg-shaped cross-section was selected after studying several geometries under different flow conditions. Once the egg-shaped cross-section was [...] Read more.

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed to analyze the open-channel flow in a new set of egg-shaped pipes for small combined sewer systems. The egg-shaped cross-section was selected after studying several geometries under different flow conditions. Once the egg-shaped cross-section was defined, a real-scale physical model was built and a series of partial-full flow experiments were performed in order to validate the numerical simulations. Furthermore, the numerical velocity distributions were compared with an experimental formulation for analytic geometries, with comparison results indicating a satisfactory concordance. After the hydraulic performance of the egg-shaped pipe was analyzed, the numerical model was used to compare the average velocity and shear stress against an equivalent area circular pipe under low flow conditions. The proposed egg shape showed a better flow performance up to a filling ratio of h/H = 0.25. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Water Challenges)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3046 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrological Responses to Land Use/Cover Changes in the Olifants Basin, South Africa

by Charles Gyamfi^*, Julius M. Ndambuki and Ramadhan W. Salim

Department of Civil Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

Water 2016, 8(12), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120588 - 9 Dec 2016

Cited by 107 | Viewed by 11965

Abstract

This paper discusses the hydrological impacts of land use changes on the Olifants Basin in South Africa using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). A three-phase land use scenario (2000, 2007 and 2013) employing the “fix-changing” method was used to simulate the [...] Read more.

This paper discusses the hydrological impacts of land use changes on the Olifants Basin in South Africa using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). A three-phase land use scenario (2000, 2007 and 2013) employing the “fix-changing” method was used to simulate the hydrology of the Olifants Basin. Changes in land uses were related to different hydrological responses through a multi-regression analysis to quantify the effects of land use changes. Results reveal that from 2000 to 2013, a 31.6% decrease in rangeland with concomitant increases in agriculture lands (20.1%), urban areas (10.5%) and forest (0.7%) led to a 46.97% increase in surface runoff generation. Further, urbanization was revealed as the strongest contributor to increases in surface runoff generation, water yield and evapotranspiration (ET). ET was found to be a key water availability determinant as it has a high negative impact on surface runoff and water yield. Urbanization and agriculture were the most essential environmental factors influencing water resources of the basin with ET playing a dominant role. The output of the paper provides a simplistic approach of evaluating the impacts of land use changes on water resources. The tools and methods used are relevant for policy directions on water resources planning and adaptation of strategies. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1835 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutrients and Energy Balance Analysis for a Conceptual Model of a Three Loops off Grid, Aquaponics

by Uri Yogev^1,†, Adrian Barnes^1,2,†

and Amit Gross^1,*

¹ Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel

² Pacific Aquaculture & Coastal Resources Center, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USA

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Water 2016, 8(12), 589; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120589 - 10 Dec 2016

Cited by 71 | Viewed by 19302

Abstract

Food security, specifically in water scarce regions, is an increasing local and global challenge. Finding new ways to increase agricultural production in a sustainable manner is required. The current study suggests a conceptual model to integrate established recirculating aquaculture practices into a near-zero [...] Read more.

Food security, specifically in water scarce regions, is an increasing local and global challenge. Finding new ways to increase agricultural production in a sustainable manner is required. The current study suggests a conceptual model to integrate established recirculating aquaculture practices into a near-zero discharge aquaponic system that efficiently utilizes water, excreted nutrients and organic matter for energy. The suggested model allows to significantly extend the planted area and recover energy in the form of biogas to operate the system off-grid. A mass balance model of nitrogen, carbon and energy was established and solved, based on data from the literature. Results demonstrate that a fish standing stock of about 700 kg would produce 3.4 tons of fish annually and enough nutrients to grow about 35 tons of tomatoes per year (chosen as a model plant) and recover sufficient energy (70 kWh/day) to run the system on biogas and use less water. If proven successful, this approach may play a major role in sustainably enhancing food security in rural and water scarce regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquaponics: Toward a Sustainable Water-Based Production System?)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3834 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impact of the Three Gorges Dam on the Hydrology and Ecology of the Yangtze River

by Xiao Zhang¹, Zengchuan Dong^1,*, Hoshin Gupta², Guangdong Wu¹ and Dayong Li¹

¹ Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

² Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 590; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120590 - 13 Dec 2016

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 26783

Abstract

Construction and operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has significantly altered the downstream hydrological regime along the Yangtze River, which has in turn affected the environment, biodiversity and morphological configuration, and human development. The ecological and environmental systems of the middle and [...] Read more.

Construction and operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has significantly altered the downstream hydrological regime along the Yangtze River, which has in turn affected the environment, biodiversity and morphological configuration, and human development. The ecological and environmental systems of the middle and lower Yangtze River have been affected adversely, with the ecosystems of Poyang Lake and its deltas being among the most damaged. Besides posing a potential threat to the survival of migrant birds and aquatic species, operation of the TGD has also affected the human population, particularly with respect to water and food security. Though the above mentioned effects have been studied in previous papers, a comprehensive discussion has never been conducted. This paper provides the first ever summary of the impacts of the TGD on the downstream reaches of the Yangtze River. The costs and benefits identified provide a constructive reference that can be used in decision-making for sustainable development of water resources in other nations, especially those in the developing world. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 3294 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Use of an Orographic Precipitation Model to Assess the Precipitation Spatial Distribution in Lake Kinneret Watershed

by Eylon Shamir^1,*, Alon Rimmer² and Konstantine P. Georgakakos^1,3

¹ Hydrologic Research Center, San Diego, CA 92127, USA

² Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, the Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, Migdal 14950, Israel

³ Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120591 - 13 Dec 2016

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 7924

Abstract

A high-resolution 3-D orographic precipitation model (OPM) forced by Climate Forecast System (CFS) reanalysis fields was developed for the Lake Kinneret watershed (Israel-Syria-Lebanon territories). The OPM was tuned to represent the interaction between the advected and stratiform rainfall, and the local orographic enhancement. [...] Read more.

A high-resolution 3-D orographic precipitation model (OPM) forced by Climate Forecast System (CFS) reanalysis fields was developed for the Lake Kinneret watershed (Israel-Syria-Lebanon territories). The OPM was tuned to represent the interaction between the advected and stratiform rainfall, and the local orographic enhancement. The OPM evaluation was focused on the densely instrumented lower part of the watershed. To evaluate the ungauged upper-elevation, bias-adjusted precipitation estimates from the Global-Hydro-Estimator were used. The OPM simulates higher rainfall amounts in the upper-elevation watershed compared to currently used rainfall estimates from an elevation dependent regression. The larger differences are during rain events with southwesterly wind flow and high moisture flux. These conditions, according to the OPM, are conducive to enhanced orographic lifting in the Hermon Mountain. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the higher wind speeds for southwesterly–northwesterly trajectories generate significant orographic lifting and increase the precipitation differences between the lower and upper elevations. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2265 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Groundwater Modeling in Support of Water Resources Management and Planning under Complex Climate, Regulatory, and Economic Stresses

by Emin C. Dogrul^*, Charles F. Brush

and Tariq N. Kadir

California Department of Water Resources, Bay-Delta Office, Room 252A, 1416 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120592 - 13 Dec 2016

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 13796

Abstract

Groundwater is an important resource that meets part or all of the water demand in many developed basins. Since it is an integral part of the hydrologic cycle, management of groundwater resources must consider not only the management of surface flows but also [...] Read more.

Groundwater is an important resource that meets part or all of the water demand in many developed basins. Since it is an integral part of the hydrologic cycle, management of groundwater resources must consider not only the management of surface flows but also the variability in climate. In addition, agricultural and urban activities both affect the availability of water resources and are affected by it. Arguably, the Central Valley of the State of California, USA, can be considered a basin where all stresses that can possibly affect the management of groundwater resources seem to have come together: a vibrant economy that depends on water, a relatively dry climate, a disparity between water demand and availability both in time and space, heavily managed stream flows that are susceptible to water quality issues and sea level rise, degradation of aquifer conditions due to over-pumping, and degradation of the environment with multiple species becoming endangered. Over the past fifteen years, the California Department of Water Resources has developed and maintained the Integrated Water Flow Model (IWFM) to aid in groundwater management and planning under complex, and often competing, requirements. This paper will describe features of IWFM as a generic modeling tool, and showcase several of its innovative applications within California. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling Subsurface Flow and Heat Transport at Variable Scales in Heterogeneous Media)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2508 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study of Energy Optimisation of Urban Water Distribution Systems Using Potential Elements

by Ioan Sarbu

Department of Building Services Engineering, Polytechnic University of Timisoara, Piata Bisericii 4A, 300233 Timisoara, Romania

Water 2016, 8(12), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120593 - 14 Dec 2016

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 10059

Abstract

Energy use in water supply systems represents a significant portion of the global energy consumption. The electricity consumption due to the water pumping represents the highest proportion of the energy costs in these systems. This paper presents several comparative studies of energy efficiency [...] Read more.

Energy use in water supply systems represents a significant portion of the global energy consumption. The electricity consumption due to the water pumping represents the highest proportion of the energy costs in these systems. This paper presents several comparative studies of energy efficiency in water distribution systems considering distinct configurations of the networks and also considers implementation of the variable-speed pumps. The main objective of this study is the energy optimisation of urban systems using optimal network configurations that reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency. The paper describes in detail four strategies for improving energy efficiency of water pumping: control systems to vary pump speed drive according to water demand, pumped storage tanks, intermediary pumping stations integrated in the network, and elevated storage tanks floating on the system. The improving energy efficiency of water pumping is briefly reviewed providing a representative real case study. In addition, a different approach for the hydraulic analysis of the networks and the determination of the optimal location of a pumped storage tank is provided. Finally, this study compares the results of the application of four water supply strategies to a real case in Romania. The results indicate high potential operating costs savings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Supply and Drainage for Sustainable Built Environment)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2566 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Origin of the Natural Water Chemical Composition in the Permafrost Region of the Eastern Slope of the Polar Urals

by Natalia Guseva

National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenina Avenue 30, Tomsk 634050, Russia

Water 2016, 8(12), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120594 - 14 Dec 2016

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5936

Abstract

This article presents the results of the study of water chemical composition and formation processes in the eastern slope of the Polar Ural where permafrost is widely spread. To date, this region has not been studied in detail. However, it is very important [...] Read more.

This article presents the results of the study of water chemical composition and formation processes in the eastern slope of the Polar Ural where permafrost is widely spread. To date, this region has not been studied in detail. However, it is very important to have information on the natural waters in this region because they play a significant role in all geochemical processes, including climate formation. For this study, 107 water samples were collected from lakes, rivers and active layer waters. The studied waters are ultrafresh; total dissolved solids vary from 14 to 438 mg/L. pH ranges from 3.5 to 9.0. The chemical type of the studied waters is mostly HCO₃–Ca–Mg. The geochemical environment of the studied waters contributes to the accumulation of such trace elements as Fe, Mn, Al, Ni, Au, Co, Li, Sc, Ti, Cr, Sr, Nb, Mo, Cs, La, Eu, Lu, Hg, and Se. The chemical composition peculiarities of active layer waters, rivers, lakes and waters of stone pits and exploration trenches and the description of their chemical composition formation processes are given in the present study. The water–rock interaction is a dominant process of water chemical composition formation in the studied region. The obtained results have both potential theoretical and practical applications. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 371 KiB

Open AccessReview

Assessment of Sustainability of Urban Water Supply and Demand Management Options: A Comprehensive Approach

by Kumudu Rathnayaka^*, Hector Malano

and Meenakshi Arora

Department of Infrastructure Engineering, the University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010, Australia

Water 2016, 8(12), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120595 - 15 Dec 2016

Cited by 54 | Viewed by 13525

Abstract

A comprehensive evaluation framework that can assess a wide range of water supply and demand management policy options in terms of economic, social, environmental, risk-based, and functional performance is crucial to ascertain their level of sustainability. However, such a detailed, generic, and holistic [...] Read more.

A comprehensive evaluation framework that can assess a wide range of water supply and demand management policy options in terms of economic, social, environmental, risk-based, and functional performance is crucial to ascertain their level of sustainability. However, such a detailed, generic, and holistic policy evaluation framework is not found in the literature. This paper reviews studies to evaluate water supply and/or demand management options conducted during 2000–2016. Primarily, the paper reviews the evaluation criteria used by different studies for decision making given their significant difference and the importance of a comprehensive set of criteria to complete a rigorous evaluation. In addition, a comprehensive set of water supply and demand management options are not considered together for a comparative assessment to prioritise best options for a certain area and time. Further, performance of these options needs to be evaluated for a range of uncertainties arising from changes of spatial and temporal variables of the system. While this paper highlights the important aspects that need to be included in a comprehensive policy evaluation framework, available studies collectively present a rich set of information to support it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Supply and Drainage for Sustainable Built Environment)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pricing Unmetered Irrigation Water under Asymmetric Information and Full Cost Recovery

by Alban Lika^1,*

, Francesco Galioto¹

, Alessandra Scardigno², Pandi Zdruli²

and Davide Viaggi¹

¹ Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin, 50, 40127 Bologna, Italy

² International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Land and Water Resources Management Division, Via Ceglie 9, 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy

Water 2016, 8(12), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120596 - 15 Dec 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5785

Abstract

The objective of this study is to define an efficient pricing scheme for irrigation water in conditions of unmetered water use. The study is based on a principal-agent model and identifies a menu of contracts, defined as a set of payments and share [...] Read more.

The objective of this study is to define an efficient pricing scheme for irrigation water in conditions of unmetered water use. The study is based on a principal-agent model and identifies a menu of contracts, defined as a set of payments and share of irrigated area, able to provide incentives for an efficient use of the resource by maximizing social welfare. The model is applied in the case study of the Çukas region (Albania) where irrigation water is not metered. The results demonstrate that using a menu of contracts makes it possible to define a second best solution that may improve the overall social welfare derived from irrigation water use compared with the existing pricing structure, though, in the specific case study, the improvement is small. Furthermore, the results also suggest that irrigation water pricing policy needs to take into account different farm types, and that appropriate contract-type pricing schemes have a potential role in providing incentives to farmers to make irrigation choices to the social optimum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Economics and Policy)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 6470 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Generation of a Design Flood-Event Scenario for a Mountain River with Intense Sediment Transport

by Alessio Radice^*

, Laura Longoni

, Monica Papini, Davide Brambilla

and Vladislav Ivov Ivanov

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy

Water 2016, 8(12), 597; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120597 - 16 Dec 2016

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 6820

Abstract

International directives encourage the incorporation of sediment transport analyses into flood risk assessment, in recognition of the significant role played by sediment in flood hazard. However, examples of risk analysis frameworks incorporating the effect of sediment transport are still not widespread in the [...] Read more.

International directives encourage the incorporation of sediment transport analyses into flood risk assessment, in recognition of the significant role played by sediment in flood hazard. However, examples of risk analysis frameworks incorporating the effect of sediment transport are still not widespread in the literature, resulting in a lack of clear guidelines. This manuscript considers a study site in the Italian Alps and presents a hydro-morphologic model for generation of flood scenarios towards hazard assessment. The analysis is concentrated on a design flood event with 100-year return period, for which an outflowing discharge is computed as a result of the river modeling. However, it is also argued how suitable model input parameter values can be obtained from analyses of river flows in a yearly duration curve. Modeling tools are discussed with respect to their capabilities and limitations. The results of the analysis are site-specific, but the proposed methodology can be exported to other hydro-graphic basins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Stream Channel Stability, Assessment, Modeling, and Mitigation)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

37 pages, 379 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Development of Sustainable Saltwater-Based Food Production Systems: A Review of Established and Novel Concepts

by Daryl Gunning^1,2,*, Julie Maguire¹ and Gavin Burnell²

¹ Daithi O’Murchu Marine Research Station, Bantry, P75 AX07 Co. Cork, Ireland

² School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork City, T23 TK30 Co. Cork, Ireland

Water 2016, 8(12), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120598 - 16 Dec 2016

Cited by 61 | Viewed by 16170

Abstract

The demand for seafood products on the global market is rising, particularly in Asia, as affluence and appreciation of the health benefits of seafood increase. This is coupled with a capture fishery that, at best, is set for stagnation and, at worst, significant [...] Read more.

The demand for seafood products on the global market is rising, particularly in Asia, as affluence and appreciation of the health benefits of seafood increase. This is coupled with a capture fishery that, at best, is set for stagnation and, at worst, significant collapse. Global aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of the food industry and currently accounts for approximately 45.6% of the world’s fish consumption. However, the rapid development of extensive and semi-extensive systems, particularly intensive marine-fed aquaculture, has resulted in worldwide concern about the potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of such systems. In recent years, there has been a significant amount of research conducted on the development of sustainable saltwater-based food production systems through mechanical (e.g., recirculatory aquaculture (RAS) systems) methods and ecosystem-based approaches (e.g., integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA)). This review article will examine the potential negative impacts of monocultural saltwater aquaculture operations and review established (RAS) and novel (IMTA; constructed wetlands; saltwater aquaponics) saltwater-based food production systems and discuss their (potential) contribution to the development of sustainable and environmentally-friendly systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquaponics: Toward a Sustainable Water-Based Production System?)

12 pages, 2514 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of a Classifier Based on Data Mining Techniques in Water Supply Operation

by Yi Ji^1,2, Xiaohui Lei^2,*, Siyu Cai² and Xu Wang²

¹ Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

² State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China

Water 2016, 8(12), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120599 - 16 Dec 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5256

Abstract

Data mining technology is applied to extract the water supply operation rules in this study. Five characteristic attributes—reservoir storage water, operation period number, water demand, runoff, and hydrological year—are chosen as the dataset, and these characteristic attributes are applied to build a mapping [...] Read more.

Data mining technology is applied to extract the water supply operation rules in this study. Five characteristic attributes—reservoir storage water, operation period number, water demand, runoff, and hydrological year—are chosen as the dataset, and these characteristic attributes are applied to build a mapping relation with the optimal operation mode calculated by dynamic programming (DP). A Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) neural network and a classification and regression tree (CART) are chosen as data mining algorithms to build the LM neural network classifier and CART decision tree classifier, respectively. In order to verify the classification effect of the LM and CART, the two classifiers are applied to the operation mode recognition for the Heiquan reservoir, which is located in the Qinghai Province of China. The accuracies of the two classifiers are 73.6% and 86.9% for the training sample, and their accuracies are 65.8% and 83.3%, respectively, for the test sample, which indicates that the classification result of the CART classifier is better than that of the LM neural network classifier. Thus, the CART classifier is chosen to guide the long-series water supply operation. Compared to the operation result with the other operation scheme, the result shows that the water deficit index of the CART is mostly closest to the DP scheme, which indicates that the CART classifier can guide reservoir water supply operation effectively. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 2931 KiB

Open AccessReview

Indicator and Pathogen Removal by Low Impact Development Best Management Practices

by Jian Peng^1,*, Yiping Cao^2,*, Megan A. Rippy³, A. R. M. Nabiul Afrooz⁴ and Stanley B. Grant³

¹ Orange County Environmental Resources, Orange, CA 92865, USA

² Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA

³ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA

⁴ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120600 - 16 Dec 2016

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 10743

Abstract

Microbial contamination in urban stormwater is one of the most widespread and challenging water quality issues in developed countries. Low impact development (LID) best management practices (BMPs) restore pre-urban hydrology by treating and/or harvesting urban runoff and stormwater, and can be designed to [...] Read more.

Microbial contamination in urban stormwater is one of the most widespread and challenging water quality issues in developed countries. Low impact development (LID) best management practices (BMPs) restore pre-urban hydrology by treating and/or harvesting urban runoff and stormwater, and can be designed to remove many contaminants including pathogens. One particular type of LID BMP, stormwater biofilters (i.e., vegetated media filters, also known as bioinfiltration, bioretention, or rain gardens), is becoming increasingly popular in urban environments due to its multiple co-benefits (e.g., improved hydrology, water quality, local climate and aesthetics). However, increased understanding of the factors influencing microbial removal in biofilters is needed to effectively design and implement biofilters for microbial water quality improvement. This paper aims to provide a holistic view of microbial removal in biofilter systems, and reviews the effects of various design choices such as filter media, vegetation, infauna, submerged zones, and hydraulic retention time on microbial removal. Limitations in current knowledge and recommendations for future research are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogens in Water)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3164 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting the Specific Energy Consumption of Reverse Osmosis Desalination

by Ashlynn S. Stillwell^1,*

and Michael E. Webber²

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

² Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 601; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120601 - 16 Dec 2016

Cited by 80 | Viewed by 18176

Abstract

Desalination is often considered an approach for mitigating water stress. Despite the abundance of saline water worldwide, additional energy consumption and increased costs present barriers to widespread deployment of desalination as a municipal water supply. Specific energy consumption (SEC) is a common measure [...] Read more.

Desalination is often considered an approach for mitigating water stress. Despite the abundance of saline water worldwide, additional energy consumption and increased costs present barriers to widespread deployment of desalination as a municipal water supply. Specific energy consumption (SEC) is a common measure of the energy use in desalination processes, and depends on many operational and water quality factors. We completed multiple linear regression and relative importance statistical analyses of factors affecting SEC using both small-scale meta-data and municipal-scale empirical data to predict the energy consumption of desalination. Statistically significant results show water quality and initial year of operations to be significant and important factors in estimating SEC, explaining over 80% of the variation in SEC. More recent initial year of operations, lower salinity raw water, and higher salinity product water accurately predict lower values of SEC. Economic analysis revealed a weak statistical relationship between SEC and cost of water production. Analysis of associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions revealed important considerations of both electricity source and SEC in estimating the GHG-related sustainability of desalination. Results of our statistical analyses can aid decision-makers by predicting the SEC of desalination to a reasonable degree of accuracy with limited data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Water Treatment)

▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 2955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Membrane Material and Surface Pore Size on the Fouling Properties of Submerged Membranes

by Sungil Jeon¹, Saeid Rajabzadeh^1,2, Ryo Okamura¹, Toru Ishigami¹, Susumu Hasegawa¹, Noriaki Kato¹ and Hideto Matsuyama^1,*

¹ Center for Membrane and Film Technology, Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan

² Research Centre for Membrnae Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak 16846-13114, Tehran, Iran

Water 2016, 8(12), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120602 - 20 Dec 2016

Cited by 54 | Viewed by 9600

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the relationship between membrane material and the development of membrane fouling in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) using membranes with different pore sizes and hydrophilicities. Batch filtration tests were performed using submerged single hollow fiber membrane ultrafiltration (UF) modules with [...] Read more.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between membrane material and the development of membrane fouling in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) using membranes with different pore sizes and hydrophilicities. Batch filtration tests were performed using submerged single hollow fiber membrane ultrafiltration (UF) modules with different polymeric membrane materials including cellulose acetate (CA), polyethersulfone (PES), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with activated sludge taken from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The three UF hollow fiber membranes were prepared by a non-solvent-induced phase separation method and had similar water permeabilities and pore sizes. The results revealed that transmembrane pressure (TMP) increased more sharply for the hydrophobic PVDF membrane than for the hydrophilic CA membrane in batch filtration tests, even when membranes with similar permeabilities and pore sizes were used. PVDF hollow fiber membranes with smaller pores had greater fouling propensity than those with larger pores. In contrast, CA hollow fiber membranes showed good mitigation of membrane fouling regardless of pore size. The results obtained in this study suggest that the surface hydrophilicity and pore size of UF membranes clearly affect the fouling properties in MBR operation when using activated sludge. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Water Treatment)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3756 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Potential Future Climate and Climate Extremes in the Brazos Headwaters Basin, Texas

by Ripendra Awal

, Haimanote K. Bayabil

and Ali Fares^*

College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 603; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120603 - 20 Dec 2016

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 7716

Abstract

Texas’ fast-growing economy and population, coupled with cycles of droughts due to climate change, are creating an insatiable demand for water and an increasing need to understand the potential impacts of future climates and climate extremes on the state’s water resources. The objective [...] Read more.

Texas’ fast-growing economy and population, coupled with cycles of droughts due to climate change, are creating an insatiable demand for water and an increasing need to understand the potential impacts of future climates and climate extremes on the state’s water resources. The objective of this study was to determine potential future climates and climate extremes; and to assess spatial and temporal changes in precipitation (Prec), and minimum and maximum temperature (Tmin and Tmax, respectively), in the Brazos Headwaters Basin under three greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (A2, A1B, and B1) for three future periods: 2020s (2011–2030), 2055s (2046–2065), and 2090s (2080–2099). Daily gridded climate data obtained from Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) were used to downscale outputs from 15 General Circulation Models (GCMs) using the Long Ashton Research Station–Weather Generator (LARS-WG) model. Results indicate that basin average Tmin and Tmax will increase; however, annual precipitation will decrease for all periods. Annual precipitation will decrease by up to 5.2% and 6.8% in the 2055s and 2090s, respectively. However, in some locations in the basin, up to a 14% decrease in precipitation is projected in the 2090s under the A2 (high) emissions scenario. Overall, the northwestern and southern part of the Brazos Headwaters Basin will experience greater decreases in precipitation. Moreover, precipitation indices of the number of wet days (prec ≥ 5 mm) and heavy precipitation days (prec ≥ 10 mm) are projected to slightly decrease for all future periods. On the other hand, Tmin and Tmax will increase by 2 and 3 °C on average in the 2055s and 2090s, respectively. Mostly, projected increases in Tmin and Tmax will be in the upper range in the southern and southeastern part of the basin. Temperature indices of frost (Tmin < 0 °C) and ice days (Tmax < 0 °C) are projected to decrease, while tropical nights (Tmin > 20 °C) and summer days (Tmax > 25 °C) are expected to increase. However, while the frequency distribution of metrological drought shows slight shifts towards the dry range, there was no significant difference between the baseline and projected metrological drought frequency and severity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use, Climate, and Water Resources)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3161 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Riverbed Clogging and Sustainability of Riverbank Filtration

by Thomas Grischek^*

and Rico Bartak

Division of Water Sciences, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Architecture, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Water 2016, 8(12), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120604 - 20 Dec 2016

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 9189

Abstract

Clogging refers to a reduction of riverbed hydraulic conductivity. Due to difficulties in determining the thickness of the clogging layer, the leakage coefficient (L) is introduced and used to quantify the recoverable portion of bank filtrate. L was determined at several riverbank filtration [...] Read more.

Clogging refers to a reduction of riverbed hydraulic conductivity. Due to difficulties in determining the thickness of the clogging layer, the leakage coefficient (L) is introduced and used to quantify the recoverable portion of bank filtrate. L was determined at several riverbank filtration (RBF) sites in field tests and using an analytical solution. Results were compared with data from similar experiments in the early 1970s and 1991–1993. In the 1980s, severe river water pollution in conjunction with high water abstraction led to partly unsaturated conditions beneath the riverbed. A leakage coefficient L of 5 × 10⁻⁷ s⁻¹ was determined. After water quality improvement, L increased to 1–1.5 × 10⁻⁶ s⁻¹. An alternative, cost and time efficient method is presented to estimate accurate leakage coefficients. The analytical solution is based on groundwater level monitoring data from observation wells next to the river, which can later feed into numerical models. The analytical approach was able to reflect long-term changes as well as seasonal variations. Recommendations for its application are given based on experience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Quality Considerations for Managed Aquifer Recharge Systems)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Governance Regimes Shape the Implementation of Water Reuse Schemes

by Jos Frijns^1,*

, Heather M. Smith²

, Stijn Brouwer¹

, Kenisha Garnett³, Richard Elelman⁴ and Paul Jeffrey²

¹ KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

² Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK

³ Cranfield Institute for Resilient Futures, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK

⁴ Centre Tecnològic de Manresa, Plaça de la Ciència 2, 08243 Manresa, Spain

Water 2016, 8(12), 605; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120605 - 20 Dec 2016

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 8082

Abstract

The governance dimensions of water reuse scheme development and operation, such as policies and regulatory frameworks, and public involvement and stakeholder collaboration, can serve to both facilitate and constrain wider adoption of water reuse practices. This paper explores the significance and underlying structure [...] Read more.

The governance dimensions of water reuse scheme development and operation, such as policies and regulatory frameworks, and public involvement and stakeholder collaboration, can serve to both facilitate and constrain wider adoption of water reuse practices. This paper explores the significance and underlying structure of the key governance challenges facing the water reuse sector in Europe. It presents empirical evidence from interviews and focus group sessions conducted at four water reuse schemes: an indirect potable reuse scheme at Torreele (Belgium), the urban reuse of treated municipal wastewater at the London Olympic Park (United Kingdom) and at Sabadell (Spain), and the reuse of agro-industrial effluent for irrigation at Capitanata (Italy). The findings underscore the importance of clarity in policy arrangements around water reuse, as well as of the financial competitiveness of reuse projects compared to alternative water supply options. Operators of water reuse schemes expressed a preference for water quality standards, which focus on appropriateness for use rather than over-emphasise the waters’ origin so that unnecessary treatment and costs can be avoided. Positive public support was widely acknowledged as an important factor in the success or failure of water reuse schemes. We conclude that constructive institutional relationships underpin many of the challenges faced by reuse scheme operators and that greater emphasis should be given to building confidence and gaining trust in water service providers through early identification of how governance regimes shape the viability of new schemes. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Assessment of the Physically-Based 2D/1D Model “TRENOE” for Urban Stormwater Quantity and Quality Modelling

by Yi Hong^1,*

, Céline Bonhomme¹ and Ghassan Chebbo^1,2

¹ LEESU, MA 102, École des Ponts, Agro Paris Tech, UPEC, UPE, 77455 Champs-sur-Marne, France

² Faculté de Génie, Université Libanaise, Campus Rafic Hariri, Hadat 6573, Lebanon

Water 2016, 8(12), 606; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120606 - 21 Dec 2016

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5160

Abstract

The widespread use of separate stormwater systems requires better understanding of the interactions between urban landscapes and drainage systems. This paper describes a novel attempt of developing urban 2D-surface and 1D-drainage model “TRENOE” for urban stormwater quantity and quality modelling. The physically-based TREX [...] Read more.

The widespread use of separate stormwater systems requires better understanding of the interactions between urban landscapes and drainage systems. This paper describes a novel attempt of developing urban 2D-surface and 1D-drainage model “TRENOE” for urban stormwater quantity and quality modelling. The physically-based TREX model and the conceptual CANOE model are integrated into the TRENOE platform, highlighting that the roofs of buildings are represented separately from the surface model, but simulated as virtual “sub-basins” in the CANOE model. The modelling approach is applied to a small urban catchment near Paris (Le Perreux sur Marne, 0.12 km²). Simulation scenarios are developed for assessing the influences of different “internal” (model structure, numerical issues) and “external” (parameters, input data) factors on model performance. The adequate numerical precision and the detailed information of land use data are identified as crucial elements of water quantity modelling. Contrarily, the high-resolution topographic data and the common variations of the water flow parameters are not equally significant at the scale of a small urban catchment. Concerning water quality modelling, particle size distribution is revealed to be an important factor, while the empirical USLE equations need to be completed by a raindrop detachment process. Full article

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond the Clean Water Rule: Impacts of a Non-Jurisdictional Ditch on Headwater Stream Discharge and Water Chemistry

by John P. Gannon^1,*

, David A. Kinner^1,2 and Mark L. Lord¹

¹ Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources, Western Carolina University, 331 Stillwell Bldg, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USA

² College of Arts and Sciences, Western Carolina University, 340 Stillwell Bldg, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USA

Water 2016, 8(12), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8120607 - 21 Dec 2016

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5845

Abstract

Ephemeral drainage ditches in upland areas, such as those draining roads, are excluded from the jurisdiction of the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA). While several studies have shown that road drainage and/or development in forested watersheds can impact water quality, the direct physical [...] Read more.

Ephemeral drainage ditches in upland areas, such as those draining roads, are excluded from the jurisdiction of the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA). While several studies have shown that road drainage and/or development in forested watersheds can impact water quality, the direct physical and chemical impacts of a single drainage ditch have not been identified. In this study, we measured water chemistry (silicon, calcium, and sulfate) and magnitude of discharge from one such feature and at the outlet of the catchment it is within. We found that discharge from the drainage ditch was sometimes over 10% of the larger stream into which it drains, despite the small relative size of the ditch catchment (1.1 ha) compared to the main catchment (43 ha). Furthermore, we observed sharp decreases in silicon and calcium and increases in sulfate concentrations downstream from the drainage ditch across longitudinal sampling of the stream network. This illustrates the impacts of a common feature in high relief, forested areas that when aggregated over the landscape are likely responsible for regional water quality impacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use, Climate, and Water Resources)

▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Water, Volume 8, Issue 12 (December 2016) – 61 articles

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI