Search Results (39)

This paper focuses on the social effect assessment of the ecological governance of Poyang Lake wetland in Jiangxi Province. By distributing 1098 valid questionnaires to the surrounding residents and collecting them, this paper deeply explores the feedback on residents’ satisfaction and recognition regarding the effectiveness of wetland governance measures. Through the comprehensive use of the Order Logit model and descriptive statistical methods such as the mean and standard deviation, this paper deeply discusses the impact of the ecological management measures of Poyang Lake wetland on residents’ life quality, environmental protection awareness, and community well-being. The study found that the wetland ecological management project was widely praised, and the overall satisfaction of residents was as high as 87.5%, reflecting a significant social effect. Further analysis revealed that satisfaction was affected by multiple factors, including age, education, quality of life (including increased leisure and recreational space and enhanced regional identity), and improvement in environmental quality (including increased bird species diversity, improved water and air quality, and improved infrastructure). Residents’ cognition of wetland function is multi-dimensional and profound, but they still need to strengthen standard science education in deep-level ecological functions such as species protection. Based on the research conclusion, three policy suggestions are proposed: first, the government should strengthen ecological education and enhance the public awareness of environmental protection; second, the government should pay attention to the win–win of ecology and people’s livelihoods and promote the harmonious coexistence of wetland protection and community development; and third, the government should improve the relevant infrastructure, strengthen environmental protection facilities, scientific research monitoring and legal construction, and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable protection and utilization of wetland resources. Full article

Water plays a critical role in the growth and management of fresh produce, being a vital resource and a potential vector for pathogens. To address these concerns, guidelines for the microbiological quality of treated wastewater, recreational, irrigation, and drinking water have been established worldwide. With multiple outbreaks linked to Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination, monitoring and improving water quality standards have become essential, especially for small-scale and limited-resource farmers. The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA, 2014) in the United States was introduced to regulate microbiological safety of produce, focusing on irrigation water. Approximately 77% of farmers in Kentucky are small farmers, of which, 4.2% supply directly to consumers through various avenues, accounting for approximately USD 24 million a year. This study examined the microbial quality of irrigation water used in Kentucky, focusing on the presence and number of coliform bacteria and E. coli. The report covers findings from a year-long program providing free microbial water quality testing to producers (n = 90), analyzing groundwater and surface water samples (n = 296). Results indicate surface water showing a significantly higher risk of exceeding FSMA thresholds. The findings emphasize the need for continued outreach, education, and accessible testing resources to support compliance with evolving Produce Safety Rule regulations, especially among small-scale producers. Full article

Los Angeles coastal waters are an ecologically important marine habitat and a famed recreational area for tourists. Constant surveillance is essential to ensure compliance with established health standards and to address the persistent water quality challenges in the region. Remotely sensed datasets are increasingly being applied toward improved detection of water quality by augmenting monitoring programs with spatially intensive and accessible data. This study evaluates the potential of satellite remote sensing to augment traditional monitoring by analyzing the relationship between in situ and satellite-derived turbidity data. Field measurements were performed from July 2021 to March 2024 to build synchronous matchup datasets consisting of satellite and field data. Correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship between satellite-derived and field-measured turbidity (R² = 0.451). Machine learning models were assessed for predictive accuracy, with the random forest model achieving the highest performance (R² = 0.632), indicating its robustness in modeling complex turbidity patterns. Seasonal trends revealed higher turbidity during wet months, likely due to stormwater runoff from the Ballona Creek watershed. Despite limitations from cloud cover and spatial resolution, the findings suggest that integrating satellite data with machine learning can enhance large-scale, efficient turbidity monitoring in coastal waters. Full article

Due to their immense economic and recreational value, the monitoring of Great Lakes water quality is of utmost importance to the region. Historically, this has taken place through a combination of ship-based sampling, buoy measurements, and physical models. However, these approaches have spatial and temporal deficiencies which can be improved upon through satellite remote sensing. This study details a new approach for using long time series of satellite remote sensing data to identify historical and near real-time anomalies across a range of data products. Anomalies are traditionally detected as deviations from historical climatologies, typically assuming that there are no long-term trends in the historical data. However, if present, such trends could result in misclassifying ordinary events as anomalous or missing actual anomalies. The new anomaly detection method explicitly accounts for long-term trends and seasonal variability by first decomposing a 10-plus year data record of satellite remote sensing-derived Great Lakes water quality parameters into seasonal, trend, and remainder components. Anomalies were identified as differences between the observed water quality parameter from the model-derived expected value. Normalizing the anomalies to the mean and standard deviation of the full model remainders, the relative anomaly product can be used to compare deviations across parameters and regions. This approach can also be used to forecast the model into the future, allowing for the identification of anomalies in near real time. Multiple case studies are detailed, including examples of a harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie, a sediment plume in Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron), and a phytoplankton bloom in Lake Superior. This new approach would be best suited for use in a water quality dashboard, allowing users (e.g., water quality managers, the research community, and the public) to observe historical and near real-time anomalies. Full article

The possibility of reusing the effluent from Cuena’s wastewater treatment plant WWTP is analyzed through the application of two treatments: conventional physical–chemical (coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation and filtration, and disinfection) and advanced oxidation with a combination of hydrogen peroxide/ozone. The results show that neither treatment method independently resolves all the limitations of the effluent for reuse, especially regarding organic matter, nutrients, and turbidity. Therefore, the compatibility of the quality of the treated water quality is evaluated for three potential reuses such as unrestricted urban use, recreational use with primary contact, and agricultural irrigation, referencing EPA and Ecuadorian TULSMA standards. This study highlights the need to establish a legal and regulatory framework for water reuse in Ecuador to enable decision-makers to implement sustainable water reuse practices and manage scarcity effectively. Full article

The Tocantins–Araguaia basin is one of South America’s largest river systems, across three Brazilian states (Maranhão, Tocantins, and Pará), within the Legal Amazon region. Despite draining extensive Cerrado savanna and rainforest ecosystems, it has suffered significant degradation, notably in the past 40 years. Human activities, including agricultural expansion, deforestation, and the introduction of non-native species, have worsened the environmental damage, which is alarming since many residents and villages along the middle Tocantins River rely on it for water supply, recreation, and fishing. This study assessed the concentration of potentially toxic and essential elements in water samples from four sampling sites distributed along the middle Tocantins River. The monitoring occurred throughout 2023, involving the measurement of parameters both on-site and in the laboratory. Water quality and its health implications were evaluated using the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), the Water Quality Index (WQI), and the health risk assessment index. The levels of aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, and selenium exceeded legal standards. Seasonal fluctuations indicate a complex dynamic influenced by climatic or seasonal factors, with February showing the highest values. Site P1, located in urban areas, exhibited elevated mean concentrations for conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and chlorophyll, indicating the need for continuous monitoring. The nitrogen concentrations at P1 raise concerns regarding drinking water quality, which is a concern for the region’s residents who use untreated river water. Despite seasonal variations in element concentrations, the overall WAWQI categorized all sections as “Excellent,” and the WQI rated as “Good.” Human health risk assessments detected no risks, but continuous monitoring and interventions are crucial for sustained water quality improvement. Full article

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen associated with recreational water facilities and poses risks to public health. However, data on the prevalence of P. aeruginosa in tourist destinations like the Canary Islands, Spain, remain limited. We assessed P. aeruginosa prevalence in 23 tourist facilities from 2016 to 2019. Compliance with water quality standards was evaluated, and 3962 samples were collected and analyzed. We examined different types of recreational water installations, including outer swimming pools, whirlpools, and cold wells. Of the sampled facilities, 31.2% did not comply with the current legislation’s parametric values, mainly due to inadequate disinfectant levels, water temperature, and P. aeruginosa presence. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa was 4.8%, comparable to some European countries but lower than others. Cold wells displayed the highest non-compliance rate (89.2%) and yet exhibited a lower P. aeruginosa prevalence (1.9%) than outer swimming pools and whirlpools. Children’s presence did not significantly impact P. aeruginosa contamination. Chlorine-based disinfectants are more effective than bromine-based ones in controlling P. aeruginosa. Regional variability in contamination was observed, with Fuerteventura showing lower colonization rates. Disinfectant levels play a critical role in P. aeruginosa control, and maintaining adequate levels is essential, particularly in bromine-treated installations. Our findings provide valuable insights into the prevalence and distribution of P. aeruginosa in recreational waters within tourist facilities. Tailored strategies are needed to ensure water safety in different Spanish regions. Continued monitoring and assessment, combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning, will enable the implementation of targeted interventions to protect the health of recreational water users. Full article

Water effluent pollution in the Ecuadorian Amazon occurs mainly due to the lack of sewage infrastructure, wastewater treatment plants in urban and rural areas, and agricultural and livestock activities. Consequently, understanding water quality is crucial because of its dynamic nature, influenced by various activities along its course. We evaluated and compared the water quality status of the El Salvador River with the current standards of the Ministry of the Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition in Ecuador and with Decree No. 115/2003 on water quality and water pollution management. The water quality index was determined through random sampling at seven locations along the river. The results show good water quality, with contamination indices ranging from 84 to 87. When comparing the results with the standards, all water quality parameters met the standards for recreational purposes. However, considering the river’s uses for agricultural activities, we compared the water with additional standards from legislation outlined by the Environment Ministry and found that the nitrate content exceeded permissible limits due to runoff from the surrounding crops, causing a potential risk to human health. Therefore, incorporating helophyte plants is a promising option that would promote the health of this aquatic ecosystem and others. Full article

The water quality of Rudrasagar Lake, the second-largest natural reservoir of Tripura is of great ecological and economic importance as it serves a diverse range of purposes, including fishing, irrigation, aquaculture, domestic use, and recreation activities. This study investigates the water quality of the study area, an esteemed Ramsar site in North Eastern India, using a combined application of multivariable statistical and geospatial techniques. In this study, 24 water samples were designed based on their use and collected along the periphery and the inner areas of the lake employing the Latin Square Matrix. This research also examines the spatial variations of water quality involving quartile-based water quality categorization of parameters, with Pearson’s Correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchy Cluster Analysis (HCA) applied for dimension reduction. The analysis involved quartile-based water quality categorization of parameters, with PCA and HCA applied for dimension reduction. Meanwhile, the Inverse distance weighted (IDW) approach was used to interpolate the spatial distribution of the quartile score using the ArcGIS platform. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was followed for water quality assessment. The results revealed significant spatial variation, providing valuable insights for future water management strategies. PCA indicates 57.26% of the variance in the dataset, whereas samples were classified into three subgroups and two groups in a dendrogram representing the result of the HCA. This study demonstrates the utility of PCA, HCA, and IDW interpolation in water quality assessment, highlighting the effect of human-induced activities in the lake’s vicinity. Full article

The quality of drinking water is a critical factor for public health and the environment. Inland drinking water reservoirs are essential sources of freshwater supply for many communities around the world. However, these reservoirs are susceptible to various forms of contamination, including the presence of muddy water, which can pose significant challenges for water treatment facilities and lead to serious health risks for consumers. In addition, such reservoirs are also used for recreational purposes which supports the local economy. In this work, we show as a proof-of-concept that muddy water mapping can be accomplished with machine learning-based semantic segmentation constituting an extra source of sediment-laden water information. Among others, such an approach can solve issues including (i) the presence/absence, frequency and spatial extent of pollutants (ii) generalization and expansion to unknown reservoirs (assuming a curated global dataset) (iii) indications about the presence of other pollutants since it acts as their proxy. Our train/test approach is based on 13 Sentinel-2 (S-2) scenes from inland/coastal waters around Europe while treating the data as tabular. Atmospheric corrections are applied and compared based on spectral signatures. Muddy water and non-muddy water samples are taken according to expert knowledge, S-2 scene classification layer, and a combination of normalized difference indices (NDTI and MNDWI) and are evaluated based on their spectral signature statistics. Finally, a Random Forest model is trained, fine-tuned and evaluated using standard classification metrics. The experiments have shown that muddy water can be detected with high enough discrimination capacity, opening the door to more advanced image-based machine learning techniques. Full article

The eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems allows the proliferation of cyanobacteria that can produce secondary metabolites such as microcystins. The main aim of this study was to explore the occurrence and concentration of microcystin and the mcyA gene in water bodies located in agricultural, urban, and recreational areas in the karst aquifer of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico (YPM) and to analyze the water quality variables and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) associated with their presence. Water samples were collected from 14 sites, and microcystin concentrations were quantified using antibody-based ELISA test. Total DNA was isolated from filters and used for PCR amplification of a fragment of the mcyA gene. Amplicons were cloned and sequenced to identify toxin-producing cyanobacteria present in water. Results showed that water bodies had different trophic status based on Carlson’s trophic state index. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN: NH₄⁺ + NO₃⁻ + NO₂⁻) and P-PO₄³⁻ concentrations were within a range of 0.077–18.305 mg DIN/L and 0.025–2.5 mg P-PO₄³⁻/L, respectively, per sampled site. All sampled sites presented microcystin concentrations within a range of ≥0.14 µg/L to ≥5.0 µg/L, from which 21.4% (3/14) exceeded the limit established in water quality standards for water consumption (1 µg/L). The mcyA gene fragment was detected in 28.5% (4/14) of the sites. A total of 23 sequences were obtained from which 87% (20/23) shared >95% nucleotide identity (nt) with the genus Microcystis and 13% (3/23) shared >87% nt identity with uncultured cyanobacteria. No correlation with the presence of the mcyA gene and microcystins was found; however, a positive correlation was detected between microcystin concentrations with pH and Chl-a. Full article

A refined assessment of small-scale to medium-scale forest ecosystem services based on the unique geographical conditions of Zhuxi County provides a basis for decision-making to create a regional green development strategy for the county. The specifications for assessing forest ecosystem services (GB/T38582-2020) were followed to calculate the supply of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County using the physical quantity method and the value quantity method, and the demand was calculated using the standard value comparison method. The total supply value of forest ecosystem services in 2020 in Zhuxi County was 35,677,894,500 $\mathrm{yuan}·{\mathrm{a}}^{-1}$. In terms of the value of each service, the value of water containment was the largest, accounting for 41.08%, and the value of forest recreation was the smallest, accounting for only 1.36%. The value per unit area of the local broadleaf–mixed forest in Zhuxi County was the largest, at 140,658.65 $\mathrm{yuan}·{\mathrm{a}}^{-1}$, while the value of the fir forest was the smallest, at 89,181.32 $\mathrm{yuan}·{\mathrm{a}}^{-1}$. The comprehensive supply–demand ratio of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County was 1.54, which means a moderate surplus; the supply–demand ratio of supply services was 1.27, which means a slight surplus; the supply–demand ratio of adjustment services was 1.34, which means a slight surplus; the supply–demand ratio of support services was 1.13, which means a slight surplus; and the supply–demand ratio of cultural services was 6.01, which means a high surplus. The supply–demand ratio of cultural services of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County was the largest and that of the support services was the smallest. From an overall perspective, the supply of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County in 2020 was relatively abundant and sufficient to meet local people’s demand for forest ecosystem services. In the future, some goals may include: (1) improving management capacity of forest resources and the quality of forest resources; (2) increasing the value of forest ecological services per unit area; (3) using mixed-forest planting to transform low-value tree species; (4) developing the supply capacity of forest ecological services; (5) enhancing the reprocessing industry of forest products; and (6) expanding the output of nonforest products. A good ecological defence must be established to achieve the sustainable management of forest resources. Full article

A growing coastal population is leading to increased anthropogenic pollution that greatly affects coastal and inland water bodies, especially in the tropics. The Sustainable Development Goal-14, ‘Life below water’ emphasises the importance of conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources. Pollution management practices often include monitoring of water quality using in situ observations of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) and total suspended matter (TSM). Satellite technology, including the MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) sensor onboard Sentinel-2, enables the continuous monitoring of these variables in inland waters at high spatial and temporal resolutions. To improve the monitoring of water quality in the tropical Vembanad-Kol-Wetland (VKW) system, situated on the southwest coast of India, we present two regionally tuned satellite algorithms developed to estimate chl-a and TSM concentrations. The new algorithms estimate the chl-a and TSM concentrations from the simulated reflectance values as a function of the inherent optical properties using a forward modelling approach. The model was parameterised using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) bio-Optical Marine Algorithm Dataset (NOMAD) and in situ measurements collected in the VKW system. To assess model performance, results were compared with in situ measurements of chl-a and TSM and other existing satellite-based models of chl-a and TSM. For satellite application, two different atmospheric correction methods (ACOLITE and POLYMER) were tested and satellite matchups were used to validate the new chl-a and TSM algorithms following standard validation procedures. The results demonstrated that the new algorithms were in good agreement with in situ observations and outperform existing chl-a and TSM algorithms. The new regional satellite algorithms can be used to monitor water quality within the VKW system to support the sustainable management under natural (cyclones, floods, rainfall, and tsunami) and anthropogenic pressures (industrial effluents, agricultural practices, recreational activities, construction, and demolishing concrete structures) and help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14. Full article

The use of marginal-quality waters, not limited to brackish/saline and treated sewage effluent (TSE), is called reclaimed water. Reclaimed water is a sustainable source in the future for use in agriculture, essentially required to offset the food demand of a rapidly growing population. Moreover, the sustainable recovery of reclaimed water is essential for humanity to satisfy extreme sanitation and water-supply demands. To increase access to water supply, alternate water resources’ use, existing water resources’ degradation, and improved water-use efficiency are imperative. There is a high potential to address these factors by using reclaimed water as an alternative source. The reclaimed water treated at a tertiary level has the potential for use in crop production, especially for forage crops, irrigating urban landscapes, recreational and environmental activities, industry, and aquifer recharge to increase strategic water reserves in water-scarce countries. This way, we can save precious freshwater that can be utilized for other purposes. Eminently, freshwater applications for industrial and agronomic sectors account for 20% and 67%, respectively, depleting freshwater resources. The use of reclaimed water in agriculture can significantly reduce pressure on freshwater. However, if the quality of reclaimed water does not comply with international standards, it may cause serious health risks (diseases) and soil pollution (heavy metals). Full article

Water is an essential part of the urban ecosystem and plays a vital role in alleviating urban heat island (UHI) problems. The contribution toward UHI mitigation made by bodies of water needs to be ascertained to establish waterfront thermal environment construction standards. In this study, the thermal environment of the waterfront space of Tianjin in the cold regions of China was the research object. Through a survey including 141 valid questionnaires and the field measurement of four typical waterfront spaces in Tianjin, the thermal demand characteristics of recreational use for the waterfront environment and the influence of water on microclimate are discussed, supplemented by results from low-altitude infrared remote sensing technology, which was mainly used to obtain a wider range of infrared thermal images with higher accuracy. To improve the urban heat island effect and the quality of the ecological environment, this paper used outdoor thermal environment simulation software to quantitatively analyze the thermal environmental impact of outdoor public activity spaces around the representative urban body of water and proposes the optimization scheme of the waterfront space’s thermal environment. The results show that, based on the factors of water itself, the most economical water width was 70–80 m, and the cooling effect intensity of water had an essential correlation with the distance between the measured site and the water center. In terms of the environmental factors around the water, when the green lawn of the waterfront space was 12 m and the water shore’s geometric form was S-shaped, this could improve the cooling effect of water significantly. Waterfront activity spaces should focus on thermal comfort on the east and south water shores. It is expected that this study could provide practical implications and useful guidance for the planning and design of urban waterfront space in China’s cold regions. Full article