Assessing Water Quality Status of Rivers, Estuaries and Coastal Waters

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2020) | Viewed by 15554

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Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Interests: water resources management; modelling fate and transport in environmental media; environmental monitoring; ecological risk assessment
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rivers, estuaries and marine environment are experiencing increased preassure from anthropogenic acitivities and rising human population, resulting in deteriorating water quality of rivers, estuaries and coastal waters. A decline in the microbiological water quality of highly productive marine environement can have significant social and economic consequences, where recreational bathing and shellfish harvesting waters present a strong economic activity.

Pathogens are often responsible for the spread of waterborne diseases and they enter estuaries and coastal waters either through rivers as point sources, treated or un-treated effluent outfalls, combined sewer overflows, or from direct overland runoff. Besides microbiological water quality decline, nutrient enrichment on inland and coastal waters also presents a major threat to marine ecosystem by increasing the productivity of primary producers such as phytoplankton, microphytobentos, seagrass, and algae, resulting in harmful or toxic algal blooms and eutrophication episodes in coastal waters.

Coastal land use and development has a direct effect on water quality by creating more impermeable surfaces of urbanized areas and consequently increasing the run-off and transport of pollutants into rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. The complex dynamics of coastal areas and marine ecosystem are challanging managers and decision makers to acquire evidence of ecological responses to declining water quality. Collecting data and information at relevant spatial and temporal scales under natural environmental variability and diversity of ecosystems is essential for decision making and monitoring large coastal areas. Remote sensing technologies can provide useful tools for the characterization of the marine ecosystem via enhanced spatial and temporal resolutions from a variety of remote sensors.

This Special Issue will focus on all of the above-mentioned aspects affecting rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters from land-based anthropogenic activities with the intention to provide a conceptual background and documented experiences that may be useful to those involved in scientific, management, or political issues related to the utilization and protection of coastal ecosystems.

Prof. Roko Andricevic
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Marine ecosystem health;
  • Environmental status of coastal waters;
  • Climate change impacts on water quality;
  • Remote sensing for water quality monitoring;
  • Modeling fate and transport in estuarine and coastal waters;
  • Human health risk assessment in coastal waters;
  • Estuarine circulation.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3435 KiB  
Article
Improved Principal Component-Fuzzy Comprehensive Assessment Coupling Model for Urban River Water Quality: A Case Study in Chongqing, China
by Siyuan Zhao, Jing Chen, Qiu Jin, Huazu Liu, Wei Yang, Wei Li, Jiao Jiang, Yue Sha, Zhenyu Tian, Yixin Wang and Xiaoting Li
Water 2020, 12(5), 1375; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12051375 - 13 May 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2205
Abstract
An improved principal component-fuzzy comprehensive assessment coupling model for urban river water quality is proposed, which fully considers the influence of water quality and quantity. This model can not only choose the key indexes, but also specify the spatial variation and class of [...] Read more.
An improved principal component-fuzzy comprehensive assessment coupling model for urban river water quality is proposed, which fully considers the influence of water quality and quantity. This model can not only choose the key indexes, but also specify the spatial variation and class of water quality. This proposed model was used to assess the water quality of the Qingshui and Fenghuang streams in Chongqing, China. Data of twelve indexes used in the assessment were collected from 17 monitoring points. The assessment results show that the key indexes include TN, TP, NH3-N, CODcr, pH, DO and velocity. Water quality of 14 monitoring points is classified as class Bad V, and that of the remaining points is class V. Mainly affected by the deposition of garbage and discharge of domestic sewage, water quality of the midstream is the worst. The upstream is mainly influenced by farmland non-point source pollution and rural domestic sewage pollution. The downstream is close to the scenic area, and environmental control measures such as river dredging and artificial aeration are regularly carried out. The water quality of it is the best. The results provide valuable information that allow local environmental departments to discover the source of pollutant and formulate water resource management strategies. Full article
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18 pages, 1549 KiB  
Article
Multiannual Trend of Micro-Pollutants in Sediments and Benthic Community Response in a Mediterranean Lagoon (Sacca di Goro, Italy)
by Valentina Pitacco, Michele Mistri, Carla Rita Ferrari, Adriano Sfriso, Andrea Augusto Sfriso and Cristina Munari
Water 2020, 12(4), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12041074 - 09 Apr 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2633
Abstract
Long-term variations of ecological status in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Sacca di Goro, Northern Adriatic) were investigated, combining data on the concentration of surface sediment contaminants and on the structure of the macrobenthic community. The aim was to assess any amount of chemical [...] Read more.
Long-term variations of ecological status in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Sacca di Goro, Northern Adriatic) were investigated, combining data on the concentration of surface sediment contaminants and on the structure of the macrobenthic community. The aim was to assess any amount of chemical contamination and check the response of the macrobenthic community to sediment contamination. Over the studied period, the sediments of the lagoon showed contamination by trace metals and organochlorine pesticides, with most of them exceeding the thresholds indicated by the Italian legislation in many samples. Contamination by polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) instead never exceeded the threshold. The ecological status based on the macrobenthic community, evaluated through biotic indices (AMBI and M-AMBI), fell below the Good/Moderate threshold in most samples. The results indicate a possible influence of toxic compounds in sediment on benthic organisms, but most of the variability shown by the macrobenthic community is probably due to other factors. The difficulty in establishing a cause/effect relationship was due to the co-occurrence and variability of various stressors (both natural and anthropogenic) and their interactions. The methods currently used for monitoring transitional waters thus seem insufficient to disentangle the effect of pollutants and other environmental variables on the benthos. Integrated approaches (e.g., bioaccumulation and toxicity tests) are thus needed for a more precise identification of the risk posed by a high concentration of pollutants in such environments. Full article
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11 pages, 3462 KiB  
Article
Hydrochemical Characteristics, Controlling Factors, and Solute Sources of Streamflow and Groundwater in the Hei River Catchment, China
by Yongchao Kou, Zhou Li, Kun Hua and Zhi Li
Water 2019, 11(11), 2293; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11112293 - 01 Nov 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3044
Abstract
Water scarcity in arid regions is exacerbated by water quality degradation from anthropogenic contamination. In water-scarce regions, it is crucial to identify hydrochemical characteristics and pollution sources for effective water resource management. In this study, the Hei River—located in the Loess Plateau of [...] Read more.
Water scarcity in arid regions is exacerbated by water quality degradation from anthropogenic contamination. In water-scarce regions, it is crucial to identify hydrochemical characteristics and pollution sources for effective water resource management. In this study, the Hei River—located in the Loess Plateau of China, which is an arid region with substantial anthropogenic-induced environmental changes—was selected as the study area to investigate these issues. The major ions of 242 streamflow and groundwater samples were measured during the 2014 and 2015 dry and flood seasons. Using a Piper diagram, a fuzzy membership function, a Gibbs diagram, and a forward model, the hydrochemical facies and water quality of streamflow and groundwater were investigated, and the main river solute sources and relative contributions were determined using quantitative and qualitative methods. The total dissolved solids were 279.6 ± 127.8 mg·L−1 for streamflow and 354.0 ± 157.4 mg·L−1 for groundwater, indicating low salinity water. However, the hydrochemical characteristics varied with season and location. Qualitatively, the atmospheric inputs, human activities, and rock weathering all contributed solutes to the waters but with varying contributions. The following are the mean contributions of analyzed solute source: silicate weathering (45.1 ± 1.1%) > carbonate weathering (34.1 ± 1.6%) > evaporite dissolution (13.7 ± 2.4%) > atmospheric input (5.4 ± 0.1%) > anthropogenic input (1.7 ± 0.1%). In general, water quality was satisfactory, as the majority of samples conformed to drinking water standards. The samples had good water quality because the river solutes were not heavily affected by anthropogenic activities and were primarily controlled by rock weathering. However, localized areas of high anthropogenic impact were identified. Such locations should be prioritized for pollution control and water resource management. Full article
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24 pages, 5691 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Variations in Water Quality and Land Use in a Semi-Arid Catchment in Bolivia
by Benjamin Gossweiler, Ingrid Wesström, Ingmar Messing, Ana Maria Romero and Abraham Joel
Water 2019, 11(11), 2227; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11112227 - 25 Oct 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3582
Abstract
Increasing pressures caused by human activities pose a major threat to water availability and quality worldwide. Water resources have been declining in many catchments during recent decades. This study investigated patterns of river water quality status in a peri-urban/rural catchment in Bolivia in [...] Read more.
Increasing pressures caused by human activities pose a major threat to water availability and quality worldwide. Water resources have been declining in many catchments during recent decades. This study investigated patterns of river water quality status in a peri-urban/rural catchment in Bolivia in relation to land use during a 26 year period. Satellite images were used to determine changes in land use. To assess water quality, data in the dry season from former studies (1991–2014), complemented with newly collected data (2017), were analysed using the National Sanitation Foundation-Water Quality Index method and the Implicit Pollution Index method. The highest rates of relative increase in land use area were observed for forest, urban, and peri-urban areas, whereas relative decreases were observed for water infiltration zones, bare soil, shrubland, and grassland areas. The water quality indices revealed clear water quality deterioration over time, and from catchment headwaters to outlet. Statistical analyses revealed a significant relationship between decreasing water quality and urban expansion. These results demonstrate the need for an effective control programme, preferably based on water quality index approaches as in the present study and including continuous monitoring of runoff water, mitigation of pollution, and water quality restoration, in order to achieve proper water management and quality. Full article
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23 pages, 3520 KiB  
Article
Water Quality and Macroinvertebrate Community in Dryland Streams: The Case of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (México) Facing Climate Change
by Eugenia López-López, Jacinto Elías Sedeño-Díaz, Erick Mendoza-Martínez, Andrea Gómez-Ruiz and Emilio Martínez Ramírez
Water 2019, 11(7), 1376; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071376 - 04 Jul 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3382
Abstract
The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (TCBR), the southernmost semi-arid zone of North America, includes two dryland streams, the Río Salado (RS) and Río Grande (RG); it is surrounded by high vegetation diversity, a cacti diversification center, and the densest columnar cacti forest worldwide. However, [...] Read more.
The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (TCBR), the southernmost semi-arid zone of North America, includes two dryland streams, the Río Salado (RS) and Río Grande (RG); it is surrounded by high vegetation diversity, a cacti diversification center, and the densest columnar cacti forest worldwide. However, no scientific knowledge is currently available on these dryland streams. We evaluated water quality, its relationship with the local geological characteristics, land uses, and the composition of aquatic macroinvertebrates (AM), analyzing their bioindicator potential. These results were discussed in relation to climate change predictions. The RS showed higher mineralization, salinity, hardness, water and air temperature, and low water quality index (WQI), relative to the RG. A discriminant analysis showed spatial (mineralization, salinity, and hardness in the RS) and temporal patterns (higher nitrogen compounds and temperature in the rainy season). The RS showed a lower AM diversity (40 taxa) compared to the RG (73 taxa); Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera reached higher values in the RG. A co-inertia analysis identified five groups of sites with different AM assemblages and water quality characteristics. Climate change predictions for the TCBR suggest increased aridity, higher temperature, and lower rainfall, leading to reduced river flow and increased salinity and mineralization. These could alter habitat features and connectivity, with loss of AM diversity, highlighting the vulnerability of these unique ecosystems to climate change. Full article
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