Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Earth earth	2.1	3.3	2020	21.7 Days	CHF 1200
Hydrology hydrology	3.1	4.9	2014	18.6 Days	CHF 1800
Pollutants pollutants	-	-	2021	28.9 Days	CHF 1000
Water water	3.0	5.8	2009	16.5 Days	CHF 2600
Land land	3.2	4.9	2012	17.8 Days	CHF 2600

17 pages, 8584 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Impact of Land Use Optimization on Non-Point Source Pollution: Evidence from Chinese Reservoir Watershed

by Guanghui Li, Lei Chang, Haoye Li and Yuefen Li

Land 2024, 13(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010018 - 21 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1174

We assessed the effectiveness of land optimization for controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution by combining a multi-objective dynamic planning approach with the application of the Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extents model and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. The [...] Read more.

We assessed the effectiveness of land optimization for controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution by combining a multi-objective dynamic planning approach with the application of the Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extents model and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. The combined modeling approach showed substantial ability to reduce NPS pollution in Shitoukoumen Reservoir, Changchun City, China, reducing the annual total loads of nitrogen and phosphorus in the study area by 8.7 and 10.12%, respectively. The total nitrogen load decreased significantly and stabilized at less than 8 kg/hm² from a peak level of over 15 kg/hm². Higher total phosphorus loads before land use optimization were concentrated in the central parts of the study area, with the highest values exceeding 2.3 kg/hm², and tended to spread outward but resolved at 1.5 kg/hm² after optimization. The results showed that from a macro-perspective, optimization of the spatial distribution and quantitative composition of land use can effectively control NPS pollution. The study also demonstrates the potential effectiveness of the coupled multi-model methodology for mitigating NPS in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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16 pages, 1586 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pollution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Metal Elements in Groundwater in the Ibinur Lake Basin of NW China

by Muyassar Mamat, Mamattursun Eziz, Liling Wang, Xayida Subi, Ning Wang and Yonglong Hu

Water 2023, 15(23), 4071; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15234071 - 23 Nov 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1321

Abstract

Groundwater pollution by metal elements is a serious issue due to its probable risks to the ecosystem and human health. In the present study, 75 groundwater samples were collected from the Ibinur Lake Basin (ILB) of NW China. The contents of As, Se, [...] Read more.

Groundwater pollution by metal elements is a serious issue due to its probable risks to the ecosystem and human health. In the present study, 75 groundwater samples were collected from the Ibinur Lake Basin (ILB) of NW China. The contents of As, Se, Pb, Cu, Cr(Ⅵ), Zn, Mn, and Cd were determined. The levels, pollution degrees, and potential ecological risks of metals in groundwater were systematically analyzed for the first time in this area. The potential sources of metals were also discussed. It was observed that the mean contents of metals in groundwater in the ILB were lower than the Class III thresholds of the Standard for Groundwater Quality of China (GB/T 14848–2017), whereas the maximum contents of As, Se, Pb, Cr(Ⅵ), and Mn exceeded the Class III thresholds values. The pollution index of each metal and the Nemerow comprehensive index (NPI) caused by the overall pollution by all these metals in groundwater showed the pollution-free level. The single and comprehensive potential ecological risk index of analyzed metals in groundwater showed a relatively low level of potential ecological risk. Additionally, spatial distribution patterns of contents, pollution levels, and ecological risks of metals in groundwater in the ILB were found to be substantially heterogeneous. Furthermore, As and Se in groundwater originated from anthropogenic sources such as agriculture and mining, whereas Mn mainly originated from natural factors, and Pb, Cu, Cr(Ⅵ), Zn, and Cd were correlated with both natural and anthropogenic sources. Overall, As was identified as the main pollution factor, while As and Se were identified as the main ecological risk factors in the groundwater in the ILB. These results can provide important information for groundwater management in the ILB and will guide authorities in taking the necessary measures to ensure the safety of groundwater supply in the northwestern arid regions of China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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17 pages, 10228 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Locating Potential Groundwater Pathways in a Fringing Reef Using Continuous Electrical Resistivity Profiling

by Matthew W. Becker, Francine M. Cason and Benjamin Hagedorn

Hydrology 2023, 10(11), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10110206 - 25 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2031

Abstract

Groundwater discharge from high tropical islands can have a significant influence on the biochemistry of reef ecosystems. Recent studies have suggested that a portion of groundwater may underflow the reefs to be discharged, either through the reef flat or toward the periphery of [...] Read more.

Groundwater discharge from high tropical islands can have a significant influence on the biochemistry of reef ecosystems. Recent studies have suggested that a portion of groundwater may underflow the reefs to be discharged, either through the reef flat or toward the periphery of the reef system. Understanding of this potential discharge process is limited by the characterization of subsurface reef structures in these environments. A geophysical method was used in this study to profile the reef surrounding the high volcanic island of Mo’orea, French Polynesia. Boat-towed continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) revealed electrically resistive features at about 10–15 m depth, ranging in width from 30 to 200 m. These features were repeatable in duplicate survey lines, but resolution was limited by current-channeling through the seawater column. Anomalous resistivity could represent the occurrence of freshened porewater confined within the reef, but a change in porosity due to secondary cementation cannot be ruled out. Groundwater-freshened reef porewater has been observed near-shore on Mo’orea and suggested elsewhere using similar geophysical surveys, but synthetic models conducted as part of this study demonstrate that CRP alone is insufficient to draw these conclusions. These CRP surveys suggest reefs surrounding high islands may harbor pathways for terrestrial groundwater flow, but invasive sampling is required to demonstrate the role of groundwater in terrestrial runoff. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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19 pages, 3525 KiB

Open AccessArticle

OCNet-Based Water Body Extraction from Remote Sensing Images

by Yijie Weng, Zongmei Li, Guofeng Tang and Yang Wang

Water 2023, 15(20), 3557; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15203557 - 12 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1814

Abstract

Water body extraction techniques from remotely sensed images are crucial in water resources distribution studies, climate change studies and other work. The traditional remote sensing water body extraction has the problems of low accuracy and being time-consuming and laborious, and the water body [...] Read more.

Water body extraction techniques from remotely sensed images are crucial in water resources distribution studies, climate change studies and other work. The traditional remote sensing water body extraction has the problems of low accuracy and being time-consuming and laborious, and the water body recognition technique based on deep learning is more efficient and accurate than the traditional threshold method; however, there is the problem that the basic model of semantic segmentation is not well-adapted to complex remote sensing images. Based on this, this study adopts an OCNet feature extraction network to modify the base model of semantic segmentation, and the resulting model achieves excellent performance on water body remote sensing images. Compared with the traditional water body extraction method and the base network, the OCNet modified model has obvious improvement, and is applicable to the extraction of water bodies in true-color remote sensing images such as high-score images and unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing images. The results show that the model in this study can realize automatic and fast extraction of water bodies from remote sensing images, and the predicted water body image accuracy (ACC) can reach 85%. This study can realize fast and accurate extraction of water bodies, which is of great significance for water resources acquisition and flood disaster prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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25 pages, 6833 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Nutrient Loadings to Utah Lake from Precipitation-Related Atmospheric Deposition

by Mitchell M. Brown, Justin T. Telfer, Gustavious P. Williams, A. Woodruff Miller, Robert B. Sowby, Riley C. Hales and Kaylee B. Tanner

Hydrology 2023, 10(10), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10100200 - 11 Oct 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2059

Abstract

Atmospheric deposition (AD) is a less understood and quantified source of nutrient loading to waterbodies. AD occurs via settling (large particulates), contact (smaller particulates and gaseous matter), and precipitation (rain, snow) transport pathways. Utah Lake is a shallow eutrophic freshwater lake located in [...] Read more.

Atmospheric deposition (AD) is a less understood and quantified source of nutrient loading to waterbodies. AD occurs via settling (large particulates), contact (smaller particulates and gaseous matter), and precipitation (rain, snow) transport pathways. Utah Lake is a shallow eutrophic freshwater lake located in central Utah, USA, with geophysical characteristics that make it particularly susceptible to AD-related nutrient loading. Studies have shown AD to be a significant contributor to the lake’s nutrient budget. This study analyzes nutrient samples from nine locations around the lake and four precipitation gauges over a 6-year study period using three different methods to estimate AD from the precipitation transport pathway. The methods used are simple averaging, Thiessen polygons, and inverse distance weighting, which we use to spatially interpolate point sample data to estimate nutrient lake loads. We hold that the inverse distance weighting method produces the most accurate results. We quantify, present, and compare nutrient loads and nutrient loading rates for total phosphorus (TP), total inorganic nitrogen (TIN), and ortho phosphate (OP) from precipitation events. We compute loading rates for the calendar year (Mg/yr) from each of the three analysis methods along with monthly loading rates where Mg is 10⁶ g. Our estimated annual precipitation AD loads for TP, OP, and TIN are 120.96 Mg/yr (132.97 tons/yr), 60.87 Mg/yr (67.1 tons/yr), and 435 Mg/yr (479.5 tons/yr), respectively. We compare these results with published data on total AD nutrient loads and show that AD from precipitation is a significant nutrient source for Utah Lake, contributing between 25% and 40% of the total AD nutrient load to the lake. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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10 pages, 572 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Shower System Biofilms: Implications for Emissions and Indoor Human Exposure

by Priyanka Parmar and Hélène Niculita-Hirzel

Pollutants 2023, 3(3), 396-405; https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3030027 - 27 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1463

Abstract

Biofilms play a crucial role in absorbing various metals from water, including copper, lead, iron, chromium, nickel, zinc, cadmium, and barium. While their presence was revealed in shower system biofilms, the factors affecting metal accumulation in shower system biofilms were poorly explored. This [...] Read more.

Biofilms play a crucial role in absorbing various metals from water, including copper, lead, iron, chromium, nickel, zinc, cadmium, and barium. While their presence was revealed in shower system biofilms, the factors affecting metal accumulation in shower system biofilms were poorly explored. This study aimed to investigate the capacity of shower hose biofilms to accumulate heavy metals, in particular in biofilms growing in energy-efficient showerhead systems, and evaluate the potential emission in water and aerosols of metal pollutants during showering. The adsorption efficiency of various metals in biofilms was assessed by ICP/MS and revealed that biofilms accumulate metals as they age and as biofilm biomass increases, indicating a potential influence of heavy metals on biofilm ecology. Furthermore, the study examined the emission of heavy metals during showering and found that it was sporadic and limited primarily to copper and zinc. These findings raise concerns regarding the role of biofilms in both retaining and releasing metal contaminants in water distribution systems, as well as the associated risk of inhalation during showering. By shedding light on the accumulation dynamics of heavy metals in shower hose biofilms and their potential emission patterns, this research highlights the need for further investigation into the impact of biofilms on water quality and human exposure to metal pollutants. The findings underscore the importance of considering biofilm-related processes when addressing the overall management of heavy metal contamination in shower systems and its potential implications for public health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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10 pages, 1370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Underwater Light Availability for Phytoplankton: Mean Light Intensity in the Mixed Layer versus Attenuation Coefficient

by Rita B. Domingues and Ana B. Barbosa

Water 2023, 15(16), 2966; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15162966 - 17 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1645

Abstract

The use of several light-related variables, such as the Secchi disc depth, the euphotic depth, and in particular, the diffuse attenuation coefficient (K_d), is deeply rooted in phytoplankton research, but these are not the most appropriate indicators of the amount of [...] Read more.

The use of several light-related variables, such as the Secchi disc depth, the euphotic depth, and in particular, the diffuse attenuation coefficient (K_d), is deeply rooted in phytoplankton research, but these are not the most appropriate indicators of the amount of light available for photosynthesis. We argue that the variable of interest for phytoplankton is the mean light intensity in the mixed layer (I_m), which represents the mean light to which phytoplankton cells are exposed throughout their life cycle, while being continuously mixed in the mixed layer. We use empirical data collected in different coastal ecosystems in southern Portugal to demonstrate why I_m should be the preferred metric instead of the deeply rooted K_d. We show that, although the relationship between I_m and K_d is inversely proportional, it is not always strong or even significant. Different I_m values can be associated with the same K_d, but distinct I_m have different physiological effects of phytoplankton. Therefore, K_d does not capture the amount of light available for photosynthesis, given that, unlike I_m, K_d calculation does not consider the depth of the mixed layer. Therefore, we urge phytoplankton researchers to consider the measurement and calculation of I_m when evaluating light-related processes in phytoplankton ecology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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18 pages, 5501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Main Flow Migration in the Middle Yangtze River Influenced by Cascade Reservoirs: Characteristics, Controlling Factors, Trends, and Ecological Impact

by Hua Ge and Lingling Zhu

Land 2023, 12(5), 975; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12050975 - 27 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267

Abstract

The main flow migration in the middle Yangtze River occurs in most river sections and is affected by factors such as incoming water and sediment, riverbed boundaries, and channel shapes, leading to a complex riverbed evolution. Revealing the controlling factors and analyzing the [...] Read more.

The main flow migration in the middle Yangtze River occurs in most river sections and is affected by factors such as incoming water and sediment, riverbed boundaries, and channel shapes, leading to a complex riverbed evolution. Revealing the controlling factors and analyzing the developmental trends are important for addressing the adverse ecological impacts caused by these changes. Based on a large amount of observational data since the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir, the characteristics of the main flow migration in the middle Yangtze River under different flow conditions were analyzed, and its correlation with the nodes and bars at the inlet, the plane shape of the river, and riverbed morphology were determined to identify the key controlling factors. The results showed that it is characterized by the displacement of the main flow zone during the middle-flow period. The key factors controlling the main flow migration include the deflecting action of the nodes and sidebars at the inlet, relaxation of the channel plane shape, and resistance difference caused by the riverbed morphology between the branches. The trend analysis suggests that the main flow migration in the middle Yangtze River may become more frequent after the operation of the cascade reservoirs in the future and may threaten the ecological environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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20 pages, 3985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synergetic Integration of SWAT and Multi-Objective Optimization Algorithms for Evaluating Efficiencies of Agricultural Best Management Practices to Improve Water Quality

by Zohreh Hashemi Aslani, Vahid Nasiri, Carmen Maftei and Ashok Vaseashta

Land 2023, 12(2), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020401 - 2 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2416

Abstract

Nitrate is one of the most complicated forms of nitrogen found in aquatic surface systems, which results in the eutrophication of the water. During the last few decades, due to agriculture and animal husbandry activities, as well as urban development, a significant amount [...] Read more.

Nitrate is one of the most complicated forms of nitrogen found in aquatic surface systems, which results in the eutrophication of the water. During the last few decades, due to agriculture and animal husbandry activities, as well as urban development, a significant amount of pollutants have accumulated in the Jajrood river in northern Iran. In this research, we simulated nitrate load in a rural watershed to assess the outlet stream’s qualitative status and evaluate the influence of best management practices (BMPs). To accomplish this, we prepared, processed, and integrated different datasets, including land-use land-cover (LULC) maps, physiographic layers, and hydrological and agricultural datasets. In the modeling section, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate nitrate load over 28 years (1991–2019). Additionally, the multi-objective optimization algorithm (MOPSO) was implemented to reduce the intended objective functions, including the number of best management practices and the nitrate concentration considering different scenarios. The calibration of the basin’s discharge and nitrate indicated that the SWAT model performed well in simulating the catchment’s streamflow (R² = 0.71) and nitrate (R² = 0.69). The recommended BMPs for reducing nutrient discharge from the basin are using vegetated filter strips on river banks and fertilizer reduction in agricultural activities. According to the results from this investigation, the integrated model demonstrates a strong ability to optimally determine the type, size, and location of BMPs in the watershed as long as the reduction criteria change. In a situation of water scarcity, the studies reported here could provide useful information for policymakers and planners to define water conservation policies and strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Monitoring Inland Water Quality and Ecological Status)

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