Simulating the evolution of non-point source pollutants in a shallow water environment.

PubMed

Yan, Min; Kahawita, Rene

2007-03-01

Non-point source pollution originating from surface applied chemicals in either liquid or solid form as part of agricultural activities, appears in the surface runoff caused by rainfall. The infiltration and transport of these pollutants has a significant impact on subsurface and riverine water quality. The present paper describes the development of a unified 2-D mathematical model incorporating individual models for infiltration, adsorption, solubility rate, advection and diffusion, which significantly improve the current practice on mathematical modeling of pollutant evolution in shallow water. The governing equations have been solved numerically using cubic spline integration. Experiments were conducted at the Hydrodynamics Laboratory of the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal to validate the mathematical model. Good correspondence between the computed results and experimental data has been obtained. The model may be used to predict the ultimate fate of surface applied chemicals by evaluating the proportions that are dissolved, infiltrated into the subsurface or are washed off.

The impact of land use on microbial surface water pollution.

PubMed

Schreiber, Christiane; Rechenburg, Andrea; Rind, Esther; Kistemann, Thomas

2015-03-01

Our knowledge relating to water contamination from point and diffuse sources has increased in recent years and there have been many studies undertaken focusing on effluent from sewage plants or combined sewer overflows. However, there is still only a limited amount of microbial data on non-point sources leading to diffuse pollution of surface waters. In this study, the concentrations of several indicator micro-organisms and pathogens in the upper reaches of a river system were examined over a period of 16 months. In addition to bacteria, diffuse pollution caused by Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium spp. was analysed. A single land use type predestined to cause high concentrations of all microbial parameters could not be identified. The influence of different land use types varies between microbial species. The microbial concentration in river water cannot be explained by stable non-point effluent concentrations from different land use types. There is variation in the ranking of the potential of different land use types resulting in surface water contamination with regard to minimum, median and maximum effects. These differences between median and maximum impact indicate that small-scale events like spreading manure substantially influence the general contamination potential of a land use type and may cause increasing micro-organism concentrations in the river water by mobilisation during the next rainfall event. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Monitoring Guidance for Determining the Effectiveness of Nonpoint Source Controls

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A nonpoint source monitoring and evaluation guide written for use by those who monitor and those who evaluate monitoring proposals. It focuses on monitoring to determine the effectiveness of nonpoint source controls at the watershed and practice levels

Will urban expansion lead to an increase in future water pollution loads?--a preliminary investigation of the Haihe River Basin in northeastern China.

PubMed

Dong, Yang; Liu, Yi; Chen, Jining

2014-01-01

Urban expansion is a major driving force changing regional hydrology and nonpoint source pollution. The Haihe River Basin, the political, economic, and cultural center of northeastern China, has undergone rapid urbanization in recent decades. To investigate the consequences of future urban sprawl on nonpoint source water pollutant emissions in the river basin, the urban sprawl in 2030 was estimated, and the annual runoff and nonpoint source pollution in the Haihe River basin were simulated. The Integrated Model of Non-Point Sources Pollution Processes (IMPULSE) was used to simulate the effects of urban sprawl on nonpoint source pollution emissions. The outcomes indicated that the urban expansion through 2030 increased the nonpoint source total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions by 8.08, 0.14, and 149.57 kg/km(2), respectively. Compared to 2008, the total nonpoint emissions rose by 15.33, 0.57, and 12.39 %, respectively. Twelve percent of the 25 cities in the basin would increase by more than 50 % in nonpoint source TN and COD emissions in 2030. In particular, the nonpoint source TN emissions in Xinxiang, Jiaozuo, and Puyang would rise by 73.31, 67.25, and 58.61 %, and the nonpoint source COD emissions in these cities would rise by 74.02, 51.99, and 53.27 %, respectively. The point source pollution emissions in 2008 and 2030 were also estimated to explore the effects of urban sprawl on total water pollution loads. Urban sprawl through 2030 would bring significant structural changes of total TN, TP, and COD emissions for each city in the area. The results of this study could provide insights into the effects of urbanization in the study area and the methods could help to recognize the role that future urban sprawl plays in the total water pollution loads in the water quality management process.

Hydrogeology and Water Quality of the Pepacton Reservoir Watershed in Southeastern New York. Part 3. Responses of Stream Base-Flow Chemistry to Hydrogeologic Factors and Nonpoint-Sources of Contamination

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heisig, Paul M.; Phillips, Patrick J.

2004-01-01

The implications of this study are that seasonal and more frequent base-flow surveys of water chemistry from small stream basins can help refine the understanding of local hydrogeologic systems and define the effects of nonpointsource contamination on base-flow water quality. The concentration of most nonpoint sources in valley-bottom or lower-hillside areas helped indicate the relative contributions of water from hillside and valley-bottom areas at different times of year. The positive correlations between the intensity of nonpoint-source activities and nonpoint-source constituents in base flow underscores the link between land use (nonpoint sources), ground-water quality, and surface-water quality.

SIMULATION COASTAL PLAIN STREAM FISH COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION USING LINKED HYDROLOGIC-ECOLOGICAL MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

Nonpoint source pollution is the primary stress in many streams. Characteristic declines in stream fish communities are recognized in streams influenced by nonpoint source pollution, but the processes by which these declines occur are not well understood. Here, predicted time s...

Controlling Nonpoint-Source Water Pollution: A Citizen's Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Nancy Richardson; And Others

Citizens can play an important role in helping their states develop pollution control programs and spurring effective efforts to deal with nonpoint-source pollution. This guide takes the reader step-by-step through the process that states must follow to comply with water quality legislation relevant to nonpoint-source pollution. Part I provides…

[Estimation of nonpoint source pollutant loads and optimization of the best management practices (BMPs) in the Zhangweinan River basin].

PubMed

Xu, Hua-Shan; Xu, Zong-Xue; Liu, Pin

2013-03-01

One of the key techniques in establishing and implementing TMDL (total maximum daily load) is to utilize hydrological model to quantify non-point source pollutant loads, establish BMPs scenarios, reduce non-point source pollutant loads. Non-point source pollutant loads under different years (wet, normal and dry year) were estimated by using SWAT model in the Zhangweinan River basin, spatial distribution characteristics of non-point source pollutant loads were analyzed on the basis of the simulation result. During wet years, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) accounted for 0.07% and 27.24% of the total non-point source pollutant loads, respectively. Spatially, agricultural and residential land with steep slope are the regions that contribute more non-point source pollutant loads in the basin. Compared to non-point source pollutant loads with those during the baseline period, 47 BMPs scenarios were set to simulate the reduction efficiency of different BMPs scenarios for 5 kinds of pollutants (organic nitrogen, organic phosphorus, nitrate nitrogen, dissolved phosphorus and mineral phosphorus) in 8 prior controlled subbasins. Constructing vegetation type ditch was optimized as the best measure to reduce TN and TP by comparing cost-effective relationship among different BMPs scenarios, and the costs of unit pollutant reduction are 16.11-151.28 yuan x kg(-1) for TN, and 100-862.77 yuan x kg(-1) for TP, which is the most cost-effective measure among the 47 BMPs scenarios. The results could provide a scientific basis and technical support for environmental protection and sustainable utilization of water resources in the Zhangweinan River basin.

Volume 3a - Area Source Methods - Additional Documents

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nonpoint (area) source emission reference materials from the Emissions Inventory Improvement Program (EIIP). Provides nonpoint source guidance on ammonia emissions from natural landscapes, fertilized soils, and nonagricultural sources.

Volume 3 - Area Sources and Area Source Method Abstracts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nonpoint (area) source emission reference materials from the EIIP. Provides nonpoint source guidance on planning, emissions estimation, data collection, inventory documentation and reporting, and quality assurance/quality control.

Summary of the land-use inventory for the nonpoint-source evaluation monitoring watersheds in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wierl, J.A.; Rappold, K.F.; Amerson, F.U.

1996-01-01

In 1992, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a land-use inventory to identify sources of pollutants and track the land-management changes for eight evaluation monitoring watersheds established as part of the WDNR's Nonpoint Source Program. Each evaluation monitoring watershed is within a WDNR priority watershed. The U.S. Geological Survey is responsible for collection of water-quality data in the evaluation monitoring watersheds. An initial inventory was completed for each of the WDNR priority watersheds before nonpoint-source plans were developed for the control of nonpoint pollution. The land-use inventory described in this report expands upon the initial inventory by including nonpoint pollution sources that were not identified and also by updating changes in landuse and land-management practices. New sources of nonpoint pollution, not identified in the initial inventory, could prove to be important when monitored and modeled data are analyzed. This effort to inventory the evaluation monitoring watersheds will help with the interpretation of future land-use and water-quality data. This report describes landuse inventory methods, presents results of the inventory, and lists proposed future activities.

Nonpoint Source: Forestry

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Sources of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution associated with forestry activities include removal of streamside vegetation, road construction and use, timber harvesting, and mechanical preparation for the planting of trees. Information resources.

40 CFR 35.1605-4 - Nonpoint source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Lakes § 35.1605-4 Nonpoint source. Pollution sources which generally are not controlled by establishing... traceable to a discrete identifiable origin, but generally result from land runoff, precipitation, drainage...

Calculation and analysis of the non-point source pollution in the upstream watershed of the Panjiakou Reservoir, People's Republic of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Tang, L.

2007-05-01

Panjiakou Reservoir is an important drinking water resource in Haihe River Basin, Hebei Province, People's Republic of China. The upstream watershed area is about 35,000 square kilometers. Recently, the water pollution in the reservoir is becoming more serious owing to the non-point pollution as well as point source pollution on the upstream watershed. To effectively manage the reservoir and watershed and develop a plan to reduce pollutant loads, the loading of non-point and point pollution and their distribution on the upstream watershed must be understood fully. The SWAT model is used to simulate the production and transportation of the non-point source pollutants in the upstream watershed of the Panjiakou Reservoir. The loadings of non-point source pollutants are calculated for different hydrologic years and the spatial and temporal characteristics of non-point source pollution are studied. The stream network and topographic characteristics of the stream network and sub-basins are all derived from the DEM by ArcGIS software. The soil and land use data are reclassified and the soil physical properties database file is created for the model. The SWAT model was calibrated with observed data of several hydrologic monitoring stations in the study area. The results of the calibration show that the model performs fairly well. Then the calibrated model was used to calculate the loadings of non-point source pollutants for a wet year, a normal year and a dry year respectively. The time and space distribution of flow, sediment and non-point source pollution were analyzed depending on the simulated results. The comparison of different hydrologic years on calculation results is dramatic. The loading of non-point source pollution in the wet year is relatively larger but smaller in the dry year since the non-point source pollutants are mainly transported through the runoff. The pollution loading within a year is mainly produced in the flood season. Because SWAT is a distributed model, it is possible to view model output as it varies across the basin, so the critical areas and reaches can be found in the study area. According to the simulation results, it is found that different land uses can yield different results and fertilization in rainy season has an important impact on the non- point source pollution. The limitations of the SWAT model are also discussed and the measures of the control and prevention of non- point source pollution for Panjiakou Reservoir are presented according to the analysis of model calculation results.

Nonpoint Source Monitoring

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Water quality monitoring for nonpoint sources of pollution includes the important element of relating the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of receiving waters to land use characteristics.

Nonpoint Source News-Notes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

an occasional bulletin dealing with the condition of the water-related environment, the control of nonpoint sources of water pollution (NPS), and the ecosystem-driven management and restoration of watersheds.

Nonpoint Source: Agriculture

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Agricultural runoff as a nonpoint source category of pollution. Resouces to learn more a bout conservation practices to reduce water quality impacts from storm water run off and ground water infiltration

Atmospheric deposition of selected chemicals and their effect on nonpoint-source pollution in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, R.G.

1984-01-01

The atmospheric contribution to nonpoint-source-runoff pollution of nitrogen, in the form of nitrite-plus-nitrate, and lead was extremely high contributing as much as 84 percent of the runoff load. In contrast, phosphorus and chloride inputs were low averaging of 6 percent of the total runoff load. Future investigations of nonpoint-source pollution in runoff might include collection of data on atmospheric deposition of nitrite-plus-nitrate nitrogen and lead because of the importance of that source of these constituents in runoff.

[Spatial heterogeneity and classified control of agricultural non-point source pollution in Huaihe River Basin].

PubMed

Zhou, Liang; Xu, Jian-Gang; Sun, Dong-Qi; Ni, Tian-Hua

2013-02-01

Agricultural non-point source pollution is of importance in river deterioration. Thus identifying and concentrated controlling the key source-areas are the most effective approaches for non-point source pollution control. This study adopts inventory method to analysis four kinds of pollution sources and their emissions intensity of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in 173 counties (cities, districts) in Huaihe River Basin. The four pollution sources include livestock breeding, rural life, farmland cultivation, aquacultures. The paper mainly addresses identification of non-point polluted sensitivity areas, key pollution sources and its spatial distribution characteristics through cluster, sensitivity evaluation and spatial analysis. A geographic information system (GIS) and SPSS were used to carry out this study. The results show that: the COD, TN and TP emissions of agricultural non-point sources were 206.74 x 10(4) t, 66.49 x 10(4) t, 8.74 x 10(4) t separately in Huaihe River Basin in 2009; the emission intensity were 7.69, 2.47, 0.32 t.hm-2; the proportions of COD, TN, TP emissions were 73%, 24%, 3%. The paper achieves that: the major pollution source of COD, TN and TP was livestock breeding and rural life; the sensitivity areas and priority pollution control areas among the river basin of non-point source pollution are some sub-basins of the upper branches in Huaihe River, such as Shahe River, Yinghe River, Beiru River, Jialu River and Qingyi River; livestock breeding is the key pollution source in the priority pollution control areas. Finally, the paper concludes that pollution type of rural life has the highest pollution contribution rate, while comprehensive pollution is one type which is hard to control.

Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) Section 6217

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program (Section 6217) addresses nonpoint pollution problems in coastal waters.In its program, a state or territory describes how it will implement nonpoint source pollution controls, known as management measures.

Incentive Analysis for Clean Water Act Reauthorization: Point Source/Nonpoint Source Trading for Nutrient Discharge Reductions (1992)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Paper focuses on trading schemes in which regulated point sources are allowed to avoid upgrading their pollution control technology to meet water quality-based effluent limits if they pay for equivalent (or greater) reductions in nonpoint source pollution.

Using CSLD Method to Calculate COD Pollution Load of Wei River Watershed above Huaxian Section, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lei; Song, JinXi; Liu, WanQing

2017-12-01

Huaxian Section is the last hydrological and water quality monitoring section of Weihe River Watershed. Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section is taken as the research objective in this paper and COD is chosen as the water quality parameter. According to the discharge characteristics of point source pollutions and non-point source pollutions, a new method to estimate pollution loads—characteristic section load(CSLD) method is suggested and point source pollution and non-point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section are calculated in the rainy, normal and dry season in the year 2007. The results show that the monthly point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section discharge stably and the monthly non-point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section change greatly and the non-point source pollution load proportions of total pollution load of COD decrease in the normal, rainy and wet period in turn.

Calculating NH3-N pollution load of wei river watershed above Huaxian section using CSLD method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lei; Song, JinXi; Liu, WanQing

2018-02-01

Huaxian Section is the last hydrological and water quality monitoring section of Weihe River Watershed. So it is taken as the research objective in this paper and NH3-N is chosen as the water quality parameter. According to the discharge characteristics of point source pollutions and non-point source pollutions, a new method to estimate pollution loads—characteristic section load (CSLD)method is suggested and point source pollution and non-point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section are calculated in the rainy, normal and dry season in the year 2007. The results show that the monthly point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section discharge stably and the monthly non-point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above Huaxian Section change greatly. The non-point source pollution load proportions of total pollution load of NH3-N decrease in the normal, rainy and wet period in turn.

40 CFR 35.3150 - Intended Use Plan (IUP).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) The IUP must also contain a list of the nonpoint source and national estuary protection activities... projects or programs to be funded as eligible activities for nonpoint sources and estuary protection...

40 CFR 35.3150 - Intended Use Plan (IUP).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) The IUP must also contain a list of the nonpoint source and national estuary protection activities... projects or programs to be funded as eligible activities for nonpoint sources and estuary protection...

40 CFR 35.3150 - Intended Use Plan (IUP).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) The IUP must also contain a list of the nonpoint source and national estuary protection activities... projects or programs to be funded as eligible activities for nonpoint sources and estuary protection...

40 CFR 35.3150 - Intended Use Plan (IUP).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) The IUP must also contain a list of the nonpoint source and national estuary protection activities... projects or programs to be funded as eligible activities for nonpoint sources and estuary protection...

Nonpoint Source Tribal: Award Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Tribal CWA section 319 funding is awarded via base grants and competitive grants. To learn about current nonpoint source funded work in Indian Country, see the project summary descriptions of recent competitive grant awardees.

NONPOINT SOURCES AND WATER QUALITY TRADING

EPA Science Inventory

Management of nonpoint sources (NPS) of nutrients may reduce discharge levels more cost effectively than can additional controls on point sources (PS); water quality trading (WQT), where a PS buys nutrient or sediment reductions from an NPS, may be an alternative means for the PS...

The feasibility of effluent trading in the energy industries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veil, J.A.

1997-05-01

In January 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a policy statement endorsing effluent trading in watersheds, hoping to spur additional interest in the subject. The policy describes five types of effluent trades - point source/point source, point source/nonpoint source, pretreatment, intraplant, and nonpoint source/nonpoint source. This report evaluates the feasibility of effluent trading for facilities in the oil and gas industry (exploration and production, refining, and distribution and marketing segments), electric power industry, and the coal industry (mines and preparation plants). Nonpoint source/nonpoint source trades are not considered since the energy industry facilities evaluated here are all pointmore » sources. EPA has administered emission trading programs in its air quality program for many years. Programs for offsets, bubbles, banking, and netting are supported by federal regulations, and the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) amendments provide a statutory basis for trading programs to control ozone and acid rain. Different programs have had varying degrees of success, but few have come close to meeting their expectations. Few trading programs have been established under the Clean Water Act (CWA). One intraplant trading program was established by EPA in its effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) for the iron and steel industry. The other existing effluent trading programs were established by state or local governments and have had minimal success.« less

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Non-point Sources (BASINS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is a multipurpose environmental analysis system designed to help regional, state, and local agencies perform watershed- and water quality-based studies.

National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Forestry

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report helps forest owners protect lakes and streams from polluted runoff that can result from forestry activities. The report will also help states to implement their nonpoint source control programs.

WATERSHEDSS

EPA Science Inventory

To adequately control nonpoint source pollution of a water resource, water quality managers must focus on minimizing the impacts of individual nonpoint source pollutants. The strategic choice and placement of best management practices (BMPs) in the watershed can successfully redu...

A method to analyze "source-sink" structure of non-point source pollution based on remote sensing technology.

PubMed

Jiang, Mengzhen; Chen, Haiying; Chen, Qinghui

2013-11-01

With the purpose of providing scientific basis for environmental planning about non-point source pollution prevention and control, and improving the pollution regulating efficiency, this paper established the Grid Landscape Contrast Index based on Location-weighted Landscape Contrast Index according to the "source-sink" theory. The spatial distribution of non-point source pollution caused by Jiulongjiang Estuary could be worked out by utilizing high resolution remote sensing images. The results showed that, the area of "source" of nitrogen and phosphorus in Jiulongjiang Estuary was 534.42 km(2) in 2008, and the "sink" was 172.06 km(2). The "source" of non-point source pollution was distributed mainly over Xiamen island, most of Haicang, east of Jiaomei and river bank of Gangwei and Shima; and the "sink" was distributed over southwest of Xiamen island and west of Shima. Generally speaking, the intensity of "source" gets weaker along with the distance from the seas boundary increase, while "sink" gets stronger. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changing Regulations of COD Pollution Load of Weihe River Watershed above TongGuan Section, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lei; Liu, WanQing

2018-02-01

TongGuan Section of Weihe River Watershed is a provincial section between Shaanxi Province and Henan Province, China. Weihe River Watershed above TongGuan Section is taken as the research objective in this paper and COD is chosen as the water quality parameter. According to the discharge characteristics of point source pollutions and non-point source pollutions, a method—characteristic section load (CSLD) method is suggested and point and non-point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above TongGuan Section are calculated in the rainy, normal and dry season in 2013. The results show that the monthly point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above TongGuan Section discharge stably and the monthly non-point source pollution loads of Weihe River Watershed above TongGuan Section change greatly and the non-point source pollution load proportions of total pollution load of COD decrease in the rainy, wet and normal period in turn.

Introducing nonpoint source transferable quotas in nitrogen trading: The effects of transaction costs and uncertainty.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiuru; Ye, Weili; Zhang, Bing

2016-03-01

Transaction costs and uncertainty are considered to be significant obstacles in the emissions trading market, especially for including nonpoint source in water quality trading. This study develops a nonlinear programming model to simulate how uncertainty and transaction costs affect the performance of point/nonpoint source (PS/NPS) water quality trading in the Lake Tai watershed, China. The results demonstrate that PS/NPS water quality trading is a highly cost-effective instrument for emissions abatement in the Lake Tai watershed, which can save 89.33% on pollution abatement costs compared to trading only between nonpoint sources. However, uncertainty can significantly reduce the cost-effectiveness by reducing trading volume. In addition, transaction costs from bargaining and decision making raise total pollution abatement costs directly and cause the offset system to deviate from the optimal state. While proper investment in monitoring and measuring of nonpoint emissions can decrease uncertainty and save on the total abatement costs. Finally, we show that the dispersed ownership of China's farmland will bring high uncertainty and transaction costs into the PS/NPS offset system, even if the pollution abatement cost is lower than for point sources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polluted Runoff: Nonpoint Source Pollution

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground, it picks up and carries natural and human-made pollutants, depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters.

Techniques for Tracking, Evaluating, and Reporting the Implementation of Nonpoint Source Control Measures - Forestry

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidance is intended to assist state, regional, and local environmental professionals in tracking the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) used to control nonpoint source pollution generated by forestry practices.

NATIONAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO CONTROL NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION FROM HYDROMODIFICATION

EPA Science Inventory

Hydromodification What Are the Nonpoint Source-Related Problems Associated with Hydromodification? Hydromodification activities have been separated into the categories of channelization and channel modification, dams, and streambank and shoreline erosion. A frequent result of c...

[Empirical study on non-point sources pollution based on landscape pattern & ecological processes theory: a case of soil water loss on the Loess Plateau in China].

PubMed

Suo, An-ning; Wang, Tian-ming; Wang, Hui; Yu, Bo; Ge, Jian-ping

2006-12-01

Non-point sources pollution is one of main pollution modes which pollutes the earth surface environment. Aimed at soil water loss (a typical non-point sources pollution problem) on the Losses Plateau in China, the paper applied a landscape patternevaluation method to twelve watersheds of Jinghe River Basin on the Loess Plateau by means of location-weighted landscape contrast index(LCI) and landscape slope index(LSI). The result showed that LSI of farm land, low density grass land, forest land and LCI responded significantly to soil erosion modulus and responded to depth of runoff, while the relationship between these landscape index and runoff variation index and erosion variation index were not statistically significant. This tell us LSI and LWLCI are good indicators of soil water loss and thus have big potential in non-point source pollution risk evaluation.

Compliance Groundwater Monitoring of Nonpoint Sources - Emerging Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harter, T.

2008-12-01

Groundwater monitoring networks are typically designed for regulatory compliance of discharges from industrial sites. There, the quality of first encountered (shallow-most) groundwater is of key importance. Network design criteria have been developed for purposes of determining whether an actual or potential, permitted or incidental waste discharge has had or will have a degrading effect on groundwater quality. The fundamental underlying paradigm is that such discharge (if it occurs) will form a distinct contamination plume. Networks that guide (post-contamination) mitigation efforts are designed to capture the shape and dynamics of existing, finite-scale plumes. In general, these networks extend over areas less than one to ten hectare. In recent years, regulatory programs such as the EU Nitrate Directive and the U.S. Clean Water Act have forced regulatory agencies to also control groundwater contamination from non-incidental, recharging, non-point sources, particularly agricultural sources (fertilizer, pesticides, animal waste application, biosolids application). Sources and contamination from these sources can stretch over several tens, hundreds, or even thousands of square kilometers with no distinct plumes. A key question in implementing monitoring programs at the local, regional, and national level is, whether groundwater monitoring can be effectively used as a landowner compliance tool, as is currently done at point-source sites. We compare the efficiency of such traditional site-specific compliance networks in nonpoint source regulation with various designs of regional nonpoint source monitoring networks that could be used for compliance monitoring. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of the site vs. regional monitoring approaches with respect to effectively protecting groundwater resources impacted by nonpoint sources: Site-networks provide a tool to enforce compliance by an individual landowner. But the nonpoint source character of the contamination and its typically large spatial extend requires extensive networks at an individual site to accurately and fairly monitor individual compliance. In contrast, regional networks seemingly fail to hold individual landowners accountable. But regional networks can effectively monitor large-scale impacts and water quality trends; and thus inform regulatory programs that enforce management practices tied to nonpoint source pollution. Regional monitoring networks for compliance purposes can face significant challenges in the implementation due to a regulatory and legal landscape that is exclusively structured to address point sources and individual liability, and due to the non-intensive nature of a regional monitoring program (lack of control of hot spots; lack of accountability of individual landowners).

Tracking nonpoint source nitrogen pollution in human-impacted watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kaushal, Sujay S.; Groffman, Peter M; Band, Lawrence; Elliott, Emily M.; Shields, Catherine A.; Kendall, Carol

2011-01-01

Nonpoint source nitrogen (N) pollution is a leading contributor to U.S. water quality impairments. We combined watershed N mass balances and stable isotopes to investigate fate and transport of nonpoint N in forest, agricultural, and urbanized watersheds at the Baltimore Long-Term Ecological Research site. Annual N retention was 55%, 68%, and 82% for agricultural, suburban, and forest watersheds, respectively. Analysis of δ15N-NO3–, and δ18O-NO3– indicated wastewater was an important nitrate source in urbanized streams during baseflow. Negative correlations between δ15N-NO3– and δ18O-NO3– in urban watersheds indicated mixing between atmospheric deposition and wastewater, and N source contributions changed with storm magnitude (atmospheric sources contributed ∼50% at peak storm N loads). Positive correlations between δ15N-NO3– and δ18O-NO3– in watersheds suggested denitrification was removing septic system and agriculturally derived N, but N from belowground leaking sewers was less susceptible to denitrification. N transformations were also observed in a storm drain (no natural drainage network) potentially due to organic carbon inputs. Overall, nonpoint sources such as atmospheric deposition, wastewater, and fertilizer showed different susceptibility to watershed N export. There were large changes in nitrate sources as a function of runoff, and anticipating source changes in response to climate and storms will be critical for managing nonpoint N pollution.

DISCRIMINATION OF NATURAL AND NON-POINT SOURCE EFFECTS FROM ANTHROGENIC EFFECTS AS REFLECTED IN BENTHIC STATE IN THREE ESTUARIES IN NEW ENGLAND

EPA Science Inventory

In order to protect estuarine resources, managers must be able to discern the effects of natural conditions and non-point source effects, and separate them from multiple anthropogenic point source effects. Our approach was to evaluate benthic community assemblages, riverine nitro...

National Management Measures to Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas for the Abatement of Nonpoint Source Pollution

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Guidance includes technical assistance to state, local, and tribal program managers on means of reducing nonpoint source pollution of surface and ground water through the protection and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas.

UNCERTAINTY IN LEACHING POTENTIAL OF NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTANTS WITH APPLICATION TO GIS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents a stochastic framework for the assessment of groundwater pollution potential of nonpoint source pesticides. A conceptual relationship is presented that relates seasonally averaged groundwater recharge to soil properties and depths to the water table. The analy...

RECOGNIZING FARMERS' ATTITUDES AND IMPLEMENTING NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL POLICIES

EPA Science Inventory

This report examines the role of farmer attitudes and corresponding communication activities in the implementation of nonpoint source water pollution control programs. The report begins with an examination of the basis for and function of attitudes in influencing behavior. The ro...

UNCERTAINTY IN LEACHING POTENTIAL OF NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTANTS WITH APPLICATION TO A GIS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents a stochastic framework for the assessment of groundwater pollution potential of nonpoint source pesticides. A conceptual relationship is presented that relates seasonally averaged groundwater recharge to soil properties and depths to the water table. The analy...

40 CFR 35.630 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... management grants to eligible Tribes and Intertribal Consortia under sections 319(h) and 518(f) of the Clean Water Act. (b) Purpose of program. Nonpoint source management grants may be awarded for the... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518...

40 CFR 35.630 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... management grants to eligible Tribes and Intertribal Consortia under sections 319(h) and 518(f) of the Clean Water Act. (b) Purpose of program. Nonpoint source management grants may be awarded for the... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518...

40 CFR 35.630 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... management grants to eligible Tribes and Intertribal Consortia under sections 319(h) and 518(f) of the Clean Water Act. (b) Purpose of program. Nonpoint source management grants may be awarded for the... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518...

40 CFR 35.630 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... management grants to eligible Tribes and Intertribal Consortia under sections 319(h) and 518(f) of the Clean Water Act. (b) Purpose of program. Nonpoint source management grants may be awarded for the... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518...

40 CFR 35.630 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... management grants to eligible Tribes and Intertribal Consortia under sections 319(h) and 518(f) of the Clean Water Act. (b) Purpose of program. Nonpoint source management grants may be awarded for the... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518...

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources

EPA Science Inventory

Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is not a model per se, but is a multipurpose environmental decision support system for use by regional, state, and local agencies in performing watershed- and water-quality-based studies. BASI...

USE OF WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION IN MONITORING FRAMEWORKS FOR THE WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIS

EPA Science Inventory

In this case study we predicted stream sensitivity to nonpoint source pollution based on the nonlinear responses of hydrologic regimes and associated loadings of nonpoint source pollutants to catchment properties. We assessed two hydrologically-based thresholds of impairment, on...

ALTERNATIVE POLICIES FOR CONTROLLING NONPOINT AGRICULTURAL SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

This study of policies for controlling water pollution from nonpoint agricultural sources includes a survey of existing state and Federal programs, agencies, and laws directed to the control of soil erosion. Six policies representing a variety of approaches to this pollution prob...

Urban nonpoint source pollution buildup and washoff models for simulating storm runoff quality in the Los Angeles County.

PubMed

Wang, Long; Wei, Jiahua; Huang, Yuefei; Wang, Guangqian; Maqsood, Imran

2011-07-01

Many urban nonpoint source pollution models utilize pollutant buildup and washoff functions to simulate storm runoff quality of urban catchments. In this paper, two urban pollutant washoff load models are derived using pollutant buildup and washoff functions. The first model assumes that there is no residual pollutant after a storm event while the second one assumes that there is always residual pollutant after each storm event. The developed models are calibrated and verified with observed data from an urban catchment in the Los Angeles County. The application results show that the developed model with consideration of residual pollutant is more capable of simulating nonpoint source pollution from urban storm runoff than that without consideration of residual pollutant. For the study area, residual pollutant should be considered in pollutant buildup and washoff functions for simulating urban nonpoint source pollution when the total runoff volume is less than 30 mm. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution in Western Washington: Landowner Learning Methods and Motivations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Clare M.

2009-06-01

States, territories, and tribes identify nonpoint source pollution as responsible for more than half of the Nation’s existing and threatened water quality impairments, making it the principal remaining cause of water quality problems across the United States. Combinations of education, technical and financial assistance, and regulatory measures are used to inform landowners about nonpoint source pollution issues, and to stimulate the use of best management practices. A mail survey of non-commercial riparian landowners investigated how they learn about best management practices, the efficacy of different educational techniques, and what motivates them to implement land management activities. Landowners experience a variety of educational techniques, and rank those that include direct personal contact as more effective than brochures, advertisements, radio, internet, or television. The most important motivations for implementing best management practices were linked with elements of a personal stewardship ethic, accountability, personal commitment, and feasibility. Nonpoint source education and social marketing campaigns should include direct interpersonal contacts, and appeal to landowner motivations of caring, responsibility, and personal commitment.

NONPOINT SOURCE MODEL CALIBRATION IN HONEY CREEK WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA Non-Point Source Model has been applied and calibrated to a fairly large (187 sq. mi.) agricultural watershed in the Lake Erie Drainage basin of north central Ohio. Hydrologic and chemical routing algorithms have been developed. The model is evaluated for suitability...

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducing nonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Issues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previously developed urban environments. A diverse assortment of resource management tools, or

HYDROLOGY AND SEDIMENT MODELING USING THE BASINS NON-POINT SOURCE MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

The Non-Point Source Model (Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran, or HSPF) within the EPA Office of Water's BASINS watershed modeling system was used to simulate streamflow and total suspended solids within Contentnea Creek, North Carolina, which is a tributary of the Neuse Rive...

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR THE CONTROL OF NUTRIENTS FROM URBAN NONPOINT SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

While the costs and benefits associated with the point source control of nutrients are relatively well defined, considerable uncertainties remain in the efficiency and long-term costs associated with the best management practices (BMPs) used to redcuce loads from nonpoint and dif...

ASSESSMENT OF RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE PESTICIDE RUNOFF IN ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) runoff may result in significant discharges of pesticides, suspended sediments, and fertilizers into estuarine habitats adjacent to agricultural areas or downstream from agricultural watersheds. Exposure of estuarine fin fish and shellfish to to...

Water Conservation and Nonpoint Source Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell-Poe, Kitt

This book contains science activities that are designed to make learning and demonstrating nonpoint source pollution concepts exciting and fun. These activities can either be used alone or with an existing water resources education curricula. Activities include: Water Tasting, Acting Out the Hydrologic Cycle, Concentration of Chemical Pollutants…

Rio Grande valley Colorado new Mexico and Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, Sherman R.; Levings, Gary W.; Carter, Lisa F.; Richey, Steven F.; Radell, Mary Jo

1993-01-01

Two structural settings are found in the study unit: alluvial basins and bedrock basins. The alluvial basins can have through-flowing surface water or be closed basins. The discussion of streamflow and water quality for the surface-water system is based on four river reaches for the 750 miles of the main stem. the quality of the ground water is affected by both natural process and human activities and by nonpoint and point sources. Nonpoint sources for surface water include agriculture, hydromodification, and mining operations; point sources are mainly discharge from wastewater treatment plants. Nonpoint sources for ground water include agriculture and septic tanks and cesspools; point sources include leaking underground storage tanks, unlined or manure-lined holding ponds used for disposal of dairy wastes, landfills, and mining operations.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS: PROCEEDINGS, CHICAGO, IL, FEBRUARY 9-12, 1998

EPA Science Inventory

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducing nonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Issues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previo...

EVALUATING POINT-NONPOINT SOURCE WATER QUALITY TRADING IN A RARITAN RIVER BASIN SUB-WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

This project addresses water quality issues in the Raritan River Basin of New Jersey. It will build upon an existing study that determined the technical feasibility of implementing a point-nonpoint source water quality trading program in the Basin. Water quality trading is ...

BOOK REVIEW OF "ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL OF NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH"

EPA Science Inventory

This book is geared to environmental specialists and planners, heavy on the technical side. It goes beyond tranditional nonpoint source (NPS) approaches which typically only look at stormwater as athe sole NPS pollution driver. There is some overreaching material beyond the conte...

The economic impact of remote sensing data as the source of nonpoint pollution monitoring and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, W. L.

1974-01-01

Nonpoint pollution of streams with sediment as a result of runoff from alternative uses of land has become a socially unacceptable product of economic activity. This report describes a research approach to economically achieve correction of the nonpoint pollution problem. The research approach integrates the economic model with those data which may be obtainable from remotely sensed sources. The economic problem involves measurement of the direct benefits and costs associated with the changes in land management activities necessary to reduce the level of nonpoint pollution. Remotely sensed data from ERTS-1 may provide some of the information required for the economic model which indicates efficient solutions to the nonpoint pollution problem. Three classes of data (i.e., soil categories, vegetative cover, and water turbidity) have the potential to be measured by ERTS-1 systems. There is substantial research which indicates the ability of ERTS-1 to measure these classes of data under selected conditions.

Nonpoint and Point Sources of Nitrogen in Major Watersheds of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Puckett, Larry J.

1994-01-01

Estimates of nonpoint and point sources of nitrogen were made for 107 watersheds located in the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program study units throughout the conterminous United States. The proportions of nitrogen originating from fertilizer, manure, atmospheric deposition, sewage, and industrial sources were found to vary with climate, hydrologic conditions, land use, population, and physiography. Fertilizer sources of nitrogen are proportionally greater in agricultural areas of the West and the Midwest than in other parts of the Nation. Animal manure contributes large proportions of nitrogen in the South and parts of the Northeast. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen is generally greatest in areas of greatest precipitation, such as the Northeast. Point sources (sewage and industrial) generally are predominant in watersheds near cities, where they may account for large proportions of the nitrogen in streams. The transport of nitrogen in streams increases as amounts of precipitation and runoff increase and is greatest in the Northeastern United States. Because no single nonpoint nitrogen source is dominant everywhere, approaches to control nitrogen must vary throughout the Nation. Watershed-based approaches to understanding nonpoint and point sources of contamination, as used by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, will aid water-quality and environmental managers to devise methods to reduce nitrogen pollution.

Three studies using Ceriodaphnia to detect nonpoint sources of metals from mine drainage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nimmo, Del Wayne R.; Dodson, Max H.; Davies, Patrick H.; Greene, Joseph C.; Kerr, Mark A.

1990-01-01

Since its introduction, Ceriodaphnia dubia, a small planktonic daphnid, has been widely used for biomonitoring point source discharges. This species was also used to determine nonpoint sources of metals and related contaminants in three trout streams in the west where mining activities have been widespread. Along Chalk Creek, Colo., specific tailings (and impacted tributaries) were sources of metals toxic to fish using the water in a hatchery. At stations below extensive mine tailings in the upper Clark Fork River, Mont., drainage was acutely and chronically toxic to daphnids and paralleled reduced or nonexistent populations of trout. In Whitewood Creek, S. Dak., reduced toxicity below a gold mine portended that fish could live in the stream segment previously impaired by the mine. Toxicity downstream revealed a previously unknown nonpoint source of chromium.

Metabolomics for in situ environmental monitoring of surface waters impacted by contaminants from both point and non-point sources

EPA Science Inventory

We investigated the efficacy of metabolomics for field-monitoring of fish exposed to waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and non-point sources of chemical contamination. Lab-reared male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas, FHM) were held in mobile monitoring units and e...

Evaluation of the AnnAGNPS model for predicting runoff and sediment yield in a small Mediterranean agricultural watershed in Navarre (Spain)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

AnnAGNPS (Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model) is a system of computer models developed to predict non-point source pollutant loadings within agricultural watersheds. It contains a daily time step distributed parameter continuous simulation surface runoff model designed to assis...

A Methodology for the Characterization and Management of Nonpoint Source Water Pollution

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

Nonpoint Source water pollution management tool. However, the stormwater runoff sampling program conducted at the Air Force Academy for validation proved...17 Nationwide Urban Runoff Program (NUEP) . 19 Urban Runoff Pollutant Characteristics . 20 Annual Urban Runoff Loads . . . . . . . 22...55 Sampling Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Samples for Baseline Data. ... . . .... 56 Samples for Runoff Data

Source water assessment and nonpoint sources of acutely toxic contaminants: A review of research related to survival and transport of Cryptosporidium parvum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Mark J.; Montemagno, Carlo D.; Jenkins, Michael B.

1998-12-01

Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (PL-930123) in 1996 required that public water supply managers identify potential sources of contamination within contributing areas. Nonpoint sources of acutely toxic microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium parvum, challenge current approaches to source identification and management as a first step toward developing management plans for public water supply protection. Little may be known about survival and transport in the field environment, prescribed practices may not be designed to manage such substances, and infective stages may be present in vast numbers and may resist water treatment and disinfection processes. This review summarizes research related to survival and transport of C. parvum oocysts, as an example of an acutely toxic contaminant with nonpoint sources in animal agriculture. It discusses ∥1) significance of infected domesticated animals as potential sources of C. parvum, (2) laboratory and field studies of survival and transport, and (3) approaches to source control in the context of public health protection.

Nonpoint-Source Pollution Issues. January 1990-November 1994. QB 95-01. Quick Bibliography Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makuch, Joe

Citations in this bibliography are intended to be a substantial resource for recent investigations (January 1990-November 1994) on nonpoint source pollution and were obtained from a search of the National Agriculture Library's AGRICOLA database. The 196 citations are indexed by author and subject. A representation of the search strategy is…

ASSESSING NON-POINT SOURCES OF NITROGEN TO SMALL STREAMS IN THE SOUTH FORK BROAD RIVER WATERSHED (GEORGIA, USA)

EPA Science Inventory

The National Land Cover Data (NLCD) is a land cover classification derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite data collected in the early to mid-1990s. In this work, land use coverages calculated from the NLCD database are used to assess the impact of non-point sources on the...

Urban Runoff Impact on the qPCR Signal of Enterococci and Other Alternative Fecal Indicators in a Tropical Beach

EPA Science Inventory

In order to effectively control inputs of contamination to coastal recreational waters, an improved understanding of the impact of both point and non-point sources of urban runoff is needed. In this study, we focused on the effect of non-point source urban runoff on the enterococ...

MODELING THE DISTRIBUTION OF NONPOINT NITROGEN SOURCES AND SINKS IN THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN OF NORTH CAROLINA, USA

EPA Science Inventory

This study quantified nonpoint nitrogen (N) sources and sinks across the 14,582 km2 Neuse River Basin (NRB) located in North Carolina, to provide a tabular database to initialize in-stream N decay models and graphic overlay products for the development of management approaches to...

Estimation of nutrient discharge from the Yangtze River to the East China Sea and the identification of nutrient sources.

PubMed

Tong, Yindong; Bu, Xiaoge; Chen, Junyue; Zhou, Feng; Chen, Long; Liu, Maodian; Tan, Xin; Yu, Tao; Zhang, Wei; Mi, Zhaorong; Ma, Lekuan; Wang, Xuejun; Ni, Jing

2017-01-05

Based on a time-series dataset and the mass balance method, the contributions of various sources to the nutrient discharges from the Yangtze River to the East China Sea are identified. The results indicate that the nutrient concentrations vary considerably among different sections of the Yangtze River. Non-point sources are an important source of nutrients to the Yangtze River, contributing about 36% and 63% of the nitrogen and phosphorus discharged into the East China Sea, respectively. Nutrient inputs from non-point sources vary among the sections of the Yangtze River, and the contributions of non-point sources increase from upstream to downstream. Considering the rice growing patterns in the Yangtze River Basin, the synchrony of rice tillering and the wet seasons might be an important cause of the high nutrient discharge from the non-point sources. Based on our calculations, a reduction of 0.99Tg per year in total nitrogen discharges from the Yangtze River would be needed to limit the occurrences of harmful algal blooms in the East China Sea to 15 times per year. The extensive construction of sewage treatment plants in urban areas may have only a limited effect on reducing the occurrences of harmful algal blooms in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predicting nonpoint stormwater runoff quality from land use

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Evaluating the impact of urban development on natural ecosystem processes has become an increasingly complex task for planners, environmental scientists, and engineers. As the built environment continues to grow, unregulated nonpoint pollutants from increased human activity and large-scale development severely stress urban streams and lakes resulting in their currently impaired or degraded state. In response, integrated water quality management programs have been adopted to address these unregulated nonpoint pollutants by utilizing best management practices (BMPs) that treat runoff as close to the source as possible. Knowing where to install effective BMPs is no trivial task, considering budget constraints and the spatially extensive nature of nonpoint stormwater runoff. Accordingly, this paper presents an initial, straightforward and cost-effective methodology to identify critical nonpoint pollutant source watersheds through correlation of water quality with land use. Through an illustrative application to metropolitan Denver, Colorado, it is shown how this method can be used to aid stormwater professionals to evaluate and specify retrofit locations in need of water quality treatment features reduce, capture and treat stormwater runoff prior to entering receiving waters. PMID:29742172

Predicting nonpoint stormwater runoff quality from land use.

PubMed

Zivkovich, Brik R; Mays, David C

2018-01-01

Evaluating the impact of urban development on natural ecosystem processes has become an increasingly complex task for planners, environmental scientists, and engineers. As the built environment continues to grow, unregulated nonpoint pollutants from increased human activity and large-scale development severely stress urban streams and lakes resulting in their currently impaired or degraded state. In response, integrated water quality management programs have been adopted to address these unregulated nonpoint pollutants by utilizing best management practices (BMPs) that treat runoff as close to the source as possible. Knowing where to install effective BMPs is no trivial task, considering budget constraints and the spatially extensive nature of nonpoint stormwater runoff. Accordingly, this paper presents an initial, straightforward and cost-effective methodology to identify critical nonpoint pollutant source watersheds through correlation of water quality with land use. Through an illustrative application to metropolitan Denver, Colorado, it is shown how this method can be used to aid stormwater professionals to evaluate and specify retrofit locations in need of water quality treatment features reduce, capture and treat stormwater runoff prior to entering receiving waters.

Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howarth, Robert; Anderson, Donald; Cloern, James; Elfring, Chris; Hopkinson, Charles; Lapointe, Brian; Malone, Tom; Marcus, Nancy; McGlathery, Karen; Sharpley , Andrew; Walker, Dan

2000-01-01

Over the past 40 years, antipollution laws have greatly reduced discharges of toxic substances into our coastal waters. This effort, however, has focused largely on point-source pollution of industrial and municipal effluent. No comparable effort has been made to restrict the input of nitrogen (N) from municipal effluent, nor to control the flows of N and phosphorus (P) that enter waterways from dispersed or nonpoint sources such as agricultural and urban runoff or as airborne pollutants. As a result, inputs of nonpoint pollutants, particularly N, have increased dramatically. Nonpoint pollution from N and P now represents the largest pollution problem facing the vital coastal waters of the United States.

State survey of silviculture nonpoint source programs: a comparison of the 2000 northeastern and national results

Treesearch

Pamela J. Edwards; Gordon W. Stuart

2002-01-01

The National Association of State Foresters conducts surveys of silviculture nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control programs to measure progress and identify needs. The 2000 survey results are summarized here for the nation and for the 20-state northeastern region. Current emphasis of NPS pollution programs is on education, training, and monitoring. Educational...

The feasibility of effluent trading in the oil and gas industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veil, J.A.

1997-09-01

In January 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a policy statement endorsing wastewater effluent trading in watersheds, hoping to promote additional interest in the subject. The policy describes five types of effluent trades - point source/point source, point source/nonpoint source, pretreatment, intraplant, and nonpoint source/nonpoint source. This paper evaluates the feasibility of effluent trading for facilities in the oil and gas industry. The evaluation leads to the conclusion that potential for effluent trading is very low in the exploration and production and distribution and marketing sectors; trading potential is moderate for the refining sector except for intraplant trades,more » for which the potential is high. Good potential also exists for other types of water-related trades that do not directly involve effluents (e.g., wetlands mitigation banking). The potential for effluent trading in the energy industries and in other sectors would be enhanced if Congress amended the Clean Water Act (CWA) to formally authorize such trading.« less

The potential for effluent trading in the energy industries.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veil, J. A.; Environmental Assessment

1998-01-01

In January 1996, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a policy statement endorsing wastewater effluent trading in watersheds, hoping to promote additional interest in the subject. The policy describes five types of effluent trades: point source/point source, point source/nonpoint source, pretreatment, intraplant and nonpoint source/nonpoint source. This paper evaluates the feasibility of implementing these types of effluent trading for facilities in the oil and gas, electric power and coal industries. This paper finds that the potential for effluent trading in these industries is limited because trades would generally need to involve toxic pollutants, which can only be traded undermore » a narrow range of circumstances. However, good potential exists for other types of water-related trades that do not directly involve effluents (e.g. wetlands mitigation banking and voluntary environmental projects). The potential for effluent trading in the energy industries and in other sectors would be enhanced if Congress amended the Clean Water Act (CWA) to formally authorize such trading.« less

Watershed Characteristics and Land Management in the Nonpoint-Source Evaluation Monitoring Watersheds in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rappold, K.F.; Wierl, J.A.; Amerson, F.U.

1997-01-01

In 1992, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, began a land-use inventory to identify sources of contaminants and track the land-management changes for eight evaluation monitoring watersheds in Wisconsin. An important component of the land-use inventory has been developing descriptions and preliminary assessments for the eight watersheds. These descriptions establish a baseline for future data analysis. The watershed descriptions include sections on location, reference watersheds, climate, land use, soils and topography, and surface-water resources. The land-management descriptions include sections on objectives, sources of nonpoint contamination and goals of contaminant reduction, and implementation of best-management practices. This information was compiled primarily from the nonpoint-source control plans, county soil surveys, farm conservation plans, Federal and State agency data reports, and data collected through the land-use inventory.

Honey Creek Watershed Project Tillage Demonstration Results 1981.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

previous levels of water quality. Of these nonpoint sources, nutrient runoff from agricultural watersheds is most significant. This publication reports...return to previous levels of water quality. Of these nonpoint sources, nu- trient runoff from agricultural watersheds is most significent. How, though...was the Corps, experienced as civil engineers, to address nutrient runoff and erosion control in farm areas? Their answer to this question was to ask

Detection of spatial fluctuations of non-point source fecal pollution in coral reef surrounding waters in southwestern Puerto Rico using PCR-based assays.

PubMed

Bonkosky, M; Hernández-Delgado, E A; Sandoz, B; Robledo, I E; Norat-Ramírez, J; Mattei, H

2009-01-01

Human fecal contamination of coral reefs is a major cause of concern. Conventional methods used to monitor microbial water quality cannot be used to discriminate between different fecal pollution sources. Fecal coliforms, enterococci, and human-specific Bacteroides (HF183, HF134), general Bacteroides-Prevotella (GB32), and Clostridium coccoides group (CP) 16S rDNA PCR assays were used to test for the presence of non-point source fecal contamination across the southwestern Puerto Rico shelf. Inshore waters were highly turbid, consistently receiving fecal pollution from variable sources, and showing the highest frequency of positive molecular marker signals. Signals were also detected at offshore waters in compliance with existing microbiological quality regulations. Phylogenetic analysis showed that most isolates were of human fecal origin. The geographic extent of non-point source fecal pollution was large and impacted extensive coral reef systems. This could have deleterious long-term impacts on public health, local fisheries and in tourism potential if not adequately addressed.

Classification and spatial mapping of riparian habitat with applications toward management of streams impacted by nonpoint source pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delong, Michael D.; Brusven, Merlyn A.

1991-07-01

Management of riparian habitats has been recognized for its importance in reducing instream effects of agricultural nonpoint source pollution. By serving as a buffer, well structured riparian habitats can reduce nonpoint source impacts by filtering surface runoff from field to stream. A system has been developed where key characteristics of riparian habitat, vegetation type, height, width, riparian and shoreline bank slope, and land use are classified as discrete categorical units. This classification system recognizes seven riparian vegetation types, which are determined by dominant plant type. Riparian and shoreline bank slope, in addition to riparian width and height, each consist of five categories. Classification by discrete units allows for ready digitizing of information for production of spatial maps using a geographic information system (GIS). The classification system was tested for field efficiency on Tom Beall Creek watershed, an agriculturally impacted third-order stream in the Clearwater River drainage, Nez Perce County, Idaho, USA. The classification system was simple to use during field applications and provided a good inventory of riparian habitat. After successful field tests, spatial maps were produced for each component using the Professional Map Analysis Package (pMAP), a GIS program. With pMAP, a map describing general riparian habitat condition was produced by combining the maps of components of riparian habitat, and the condition map was integrated with a map of soil erosion potential in order to determine areas along the stream that are susceptible to nonpoint source pollution inputs. Integration of spatial maps of riparian classification and watershed characteristics has great potential as a tool for aiding in making management decisions for mitigating off-site impacts of agricultural nonpoint source pollution.

Tile drainage as karst: Conduit flow and diffuse flow in a tile-drained watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, K.E.; Helmers, M.

2008-01-01

The similarity of tiled-drained watersheds to karst drainage basins can be used to improve understanding of watershed-scale nutrient losses from subsurface tile drainage networks. In this study, short-term variations in discharge and chemistry were examined from a tile outlet collecting subsurface tile flow from a 963 ha agricultural watershed. Study objectives were to apply analytical techniques from karst springs to tile discharge to evaluate water sources and estimate the loads of agricultural pollutants discharged from the tile with conduit, intermediate and diffuse flow regimes. A two-member mixing model using nitrate, chloride and specific conductance was used to distinguish rainwater versus groundwater inputs. Results indicated that groundwater comprised 75% of the discharge for a three-day storm period and rainwater was primarily concentrated during the hydrograph peak. A contrasting pattern of solute concentrations and export loads was observed in tile flow. During base flow periods, tile flow consisted of diffuse flow from groundwater sources and contained elevated levels of nitrate, chloride and specific conductance. During storm events, suspended solids and pollutants adhered to soil surfaces (phosphorus, ammonium and organic nitrogen) were concentrated and discharged during the rapid, conduit flow portion of the hydrograph. During a three-day period, conduit flow occurred for 5.6% of the time but accounted for 16.5% of the total flow. Nitrate and chloride were delivered primarily with diffuse flow (more than 70%), whereas 80-94% of total suspended sediment, phosphorus and ammonium were exported with conduit and intermediate flow regimes. Understanding the water sources contributing to tile drainage and the manner by which pollutant discharge occurs from these systems (conduit, intermediate or diffuse flow) may be useful for designing, implementing and evaluating non-point source reduction strategies in tile-drained landscapes. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Landsat change detection can aid in water quality monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, H. C.; Steele, K. F.; Waite, W. P.; Shinn, M. R.

1977-01-01

Comparison between Landsat-1 and -2 imagery of Arkansas provided evidence of significant land use changes during the 1972-75 time period. Analysis of Arkansas historical water quality information has shown conclusively that whereas point source pollution generally can be detected by use of water quality data collected by state and federal agencies, sampling methodologies for nonpoint source contamination attributable to surface runoff are totally inadequate. The expensive undertaking of monitoring all nonpoint sources for numerous watersheds can be lessened by implementing Landsat change detection analyses.

Influence of Diffused Sourcers of Water Pollution In The Basin of Volga River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilchenco, O.

The intensive development of industry and agriculture, great growth of cities in the last decades result in an increase of the nature water consumption and deterioration. Different anthropogenic load change characteristics of water objects regime and de- pletion and qualitative degradation of water resources. Sources of pollution are divided on two classes: controlled and uncontrolled. The first includes industrial and domestic wastewater disposal. Their discharge and concentration of pollutants are quite stable. These sources of pollution are identified as "point". Surface run-off from of cities, industrial platforms, agricultural object, navigation, recreation are not controlled have dispersed nature and are identification as diffuse. Pollution from such sources is es- timates by computation. Quantitative assumption of pollution amounts reaches water objects is complicated and independent problem. The significant amount of full-scale observations and information processes of concerning dissolved and fluidized frag- ments movement are required. According to available guidelines the part of the pollu- tant entering water objects, is about 1-10For estimation of pollution mass and transport are mathematical modeling. Preliminary calculations of contaminants transport for different territories under an- thropogenic impact of river-Volga basin were made either for point sources of pol- lution or for non-point. Received data made it possible to analyze the correlation of contaminant volumes, coming from different sources pollution.

[Runoff Pollution Experiments of Paddy Fields Under Different Irrigation Patterns].

PubMed

Zhou, Jing-wen; Su, Bao-lin; Huang, Ning-bo; Guan, Yu-tang; Zhao, Kun

2016-03-15

To study runoff and non-point source pollution of paddy fields and to provide a scientific basis for agricultural water management of paddy fields, paddy plots in the Jintan City and the Liyang City were chosen for experiments on non-point source pollution, and flood irrigation and intermittent irrigation patterns were adopted in this research. The surface water level and rainfall were observed during the growing season of paddies, and the runoff amount from paddy plots and loads of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were calculated by different methods. The results showed that only five rain events of totally 27 rainfalls and one artificially drainage formed non-point source pollution from flood irrigated paddy plot, which resulted in a TN export coefficient of 49.4 kg · hm⁻² and a TP export coefficient of 1.0 kg · hm⁻². No any runoff event occurred from the paddy plot with intermittent irrigation even in the case of maximum rainfall of 95.1 mm. Runoff from paddy fields was affected by water demands of paddies and irrigation or drainage management, which was directly correlated to surface water level, rainfall amount and the lowest ridge height of outlets. Compared with the flood irrigation, intermittent irrigation could significantly reduce non-point source pollution caused by rainfall or artificial drainage.

Spreadsheet WATERSHED modeling for nonpoint-source pollution management in a Wisconsin basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, J.F.; Pickard, S.A.; Sonzogni, W.C.

1989-01-01

Although several sophisticated nonpoint pollution models exist, few are available that are easy to use, cover a variety of conditions, and integrate a wide range of information to allow managers and planners to assess different control strategies. Here, a straightforward pollutant input accounting approach is presented in the form of an existing model (WATERSHED) that has been adapted to run on modern electronic spreadsheets. As an application, WATERSHED is used to assess options to improve the quality of highly eutrophic Delavan Lake in Wisconsin. WATERSHED is flexible in that several techniques, such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation or unit-area loadings, can be used to estimate nonpoint-source inputs. Once the model parameters are determined (and calibrated, if possible), the spreadsheet features can be used to conduct a sensitivity analysis of management options. In the case of Delavan Lake, it was concluded that, although some nonpoint controls were cost-effective, the overall reduction in phosphorus would be insufficient to measurably improve water quality.A straightforward pollutant input accounting approach is presented in the form of an existing model (WATERSHED) that has been adapted to run on modern electronic spreadsheets. As an application, WATERSHED is used to assess options to improve the quality of highly eutrophic Delavan Lake in Wisconsin. WATERSHED is flexible in that several techniques, such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation or unit-area loadings, can be used to estimate nonpoint-source inputs. Once the model parameters are determined (and calibrated, if possible), the spreadsheet features can be used to conduct a sensitivity analysis of management options. In the case of Delavan Lake, it was concluded that, although some nonpoint controls were cost-effective, the overall reduction in phosphorus would be insufficient to measurably improve water quality.

Dutch approach to abating agricultural non-point pollution: farmers' behaviour and their motivation.

PubMed

Sloots, K; Spierenburg, P; van der Vlies, A W

2004-01-01

In The Netherlands, agricultural activities are one of the major diffuse sources of nutrients and crop protection chemicals. A national legal and regulatory framework has been developed to combat the environmental burden from the agricultural industry. This resulted in the implementation of a government decree (AMvB) in the year 2000. Under pressure from NGOs, the Hollandse Eilanden en Waarden Water Board worked on a regional regulation in advance of this national legislation. ZHEW followed an approach of research, communication and partnering prior to implementing the national decree. The most important result of the chosen approach is that compliance with one of the most important measures, the crop-free zone, is close to 100%. There has been little improvement in the amount of pesticides in the open waters. Both water board and farmers are positive about the approach followed. Monitoring and evaluation proved to be essential when communicating with the agricultural sector. The results of attempts to influence behaviour must be recorded in order maintain the motivation to change behaviour. Information on the effects of the approach adopted to combating diffuse agricultural sources is gathered from a number of sources.

Study on the quantitative relationship between Agricultural water and fertilization process and non-point source pollution based on field experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Chen, K.; Wu, Z.; Guan, X.

2017-12-01

In recent years, with the prominent of water environment problem and the relative increase of point source pollution governance, especially the agricultural non-point source pollution problem caused by the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides has become increasingly aroused people's concern and attention. In order to reveal the quantitative relationship between agriculture water and fertilizer and non-point source pollution, on the basis of elm field experiment and combined with agricultural drainage irrigation model, the agricultural irrigation water and the relationship between fertilizer and fertilization scheme and non-point source pollution were analyzed and calculated by field emission intensity index. The results show that the variation of displacement varies greatly under different irrigation conditions. When the irrigation water increased from 22cm to 42cm, the irrigation water increased by 20 cm while the field displacement increased by 11.92 cm, about 66.22% of the added value of irrigation water. Then the irrigation water increased from 42 to 68, irrigation water increased 26 cm, and the field displacement increased by 22.48 cm, accounting for 86.46% of irrigation water. So there is an "inflection point" between the irrigation water amount and field displacement amount. The load intensity increases with the increase of irrigation water and shows a significant power correlation. Under the different irrigation condition, the increase amplitude of load intensity with the increase of irrigation water is different. When the irrigation water is smaller, the load intensity increase relatively less, and when the irrigation water increased to about 42 cm, the load intensity will increase considerably. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the fertilization and load intensity. The load intensity had obvious difference in different fertilization modes even with same fertilization level, in which the fertilizer field unit load intensity increased the most in July. The results provide some basis for the field control and management of agricultural non-point source pollution.

A West Virginia case study: does erosion differ between streambanks clustered by the bank assessment of nonpoint source consequences of sediment (BANCS) model parameters?

Treesearch

Abby L. McQueen; Nicolas P. Zegre; Danny L. Welsch

2013-01-01

The integration of factors and processes responsible for streambank erosion is complex. To explore the influence of physical variables on streambank erosion, parameters for the bank assessment of nonpoint source consequences of sediment (BANCS) model were collected on a 1-km reach of Horseshoe Run in Tucker County, West Virginia. Cluster analysis was used to establish...

Impact of nitrogen reduction measures on nitrogen surplus, income and production of German agriculture.

PubMed

Gömann, H; Kreins, P; Møller, C

2004-01-01

Among the numerous non-point sources of diffuse water pollution with nitrogen, agriculture is counted one of the main sources. The agricultural policies of the Agenda 2000 and a decoupling of direct payments for farmers from their production decisions are exemplarily evaluated as nitrogen reduction measures using the Regional Agricultural and Environmental Information System RAUMIS. The results show that until the target year 2010 the risk of diffuse pollution of water bodies with nitrogen is a regional problem in Germany. These problems are neither mitigated by the policies of Agenda 2000 nor by a decoupling of direct payments from production decisions of farmers. While total nitrogen surplus reduces considerably after a decoupling of direct payments due to decreases of land-use the nitrogen surplus on the remaining cultivated area increases resulting from structural changes. Granting the same amount of direct payments to farmers in both policy alternatives the agricultural sector income would be higher after a decoupling of direct payments opposed to the Agenda 2000 resulting from a more efficient allocation of inputs.

[Multiple time scales analysis of spatial differentiation characteristics of non-point source nitrogen loss within watershed].

PubMed

Liu, Mei-bing; Chen, Xing-wei; Chen, Ying

2015-07-01

Identification of the critical source areas of non-point source pollution is an important means to control the non-point source pollution within the watershed. In order to further reveal the impact of multiple time scales on the spatial differentiation characteristics of non-point source nitrogen loss, a SWAT model of Shanmei Reservoir watershed was developed. Based on the simulation of total nitrogen (TN) loss intensity of all 38 subbasins, spatial distribution characteristics of nitrogen loss and critical source areas were analyzed at three time scales of yearly average, monthly average and rainstorms flood process, respectively. Furthermore, multiple linear correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the contribution of natural environment and anthropogenic disturbance on nitrogen loss. The results showed that there were significant spatial differences of TN loss in Shanmei Reservoir watershed at different time scales, and the spatial differentiation degree of nitrogen loss was in the order of monthly average > yearly average > rainstorms flood process. TN loss load mainly came from upland Taoxi subbasin, which was identified as the critical source area. At different time scales, land use types (such as farmland and forest) were always the dominant factor affecting the spatial distribution of nitrogen loss, while the effect of precipitation and runoff on the nitrogen loss was only taken in no fertilization month and several processes of storm flood at no fertilization date. This was mainly due to the significant spatial variation of land use and fertilization, as well as the low spatial variability of precipitation and runoff.

Effectiveness of barnyard best management practices in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuntebeck, Todd D.; Bannerman, Roger T.

1998-01-01

In 1978, the Wisconsin Legislature committed to protecting water quality by enacting the Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program. Through this program, cost-share money is provided within priority watersheds to control sources of nonpoint pollution. Most of the cost-share dollars for rural watersheds have been used to implement barnyard Best Management Practices (BMPs) because barnyards are believed to be a major source of pollutants, most notably phosphorus. Reductions in phosphorus loads of as much as 95 percent have been predicted for the barnyard BMPs recommended for priority watersheds.

AN APPROACH TO WATER RESOURCES EVALUATION OF NON-POINT SILVICULTURAL SOURCES (A PROCEDURAL HANDBOOK)

EPA Science Inventory

This handbook provides an analysis methodology that can be used to describe and evaluate changes to the water resource resulting from non-point silvicultural activities. This state-of-the-art approach for analysis and prediction of pollution from non point silvicultural activitie...

Multi-angle Indicators System of Non-point Pollution Source Assessment in Rural Areas: A Case Study Near Taihu Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lei; Ban, Jie; Han, Yu Ting; Yang, Jie; Bi, Jun

2013-04-01

This study aims to identify key environmental risk sources contributing to water eutrophication and to suggest certain risk management strategies for rural areas. The multi-angle indicators included in the risk source assessment system were non-point source pollution, deficient waste treatment, and public awareness of environmental risk, which combined psychometric paradigm methods, the contingent valuation method, and personal interviews to describe the environmental sensitivity of local residents. Total risk values of different villages near Taihu Lake were calculated in the case study, which resulted in a geographic risk map showing which village was the critical risk source of Taihu eutrophication. The increased application of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), loss vulnerability of pollutant, and a lack of environmental risk awareness led to more serious non-point pollution, especially in rural China. Interesting results revealed by the quotient between the scores of objective risk sources and subjective risk sources showed what should be improved for each study village. More environmental investments, control of agricultural activities, and promotion of environmental education are critical considerations for rural environmental management. These findings are helpful for developing targeted and effective risk management strategies in rural areas.

Simulation on Change Law of Runoff, Sediment and Non-point Source Nitrogen and Phosphorus Discharge under Different Land uses Based on SWAT Model: A Case Study of Er hai Lake Small Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Xiao Xia; Lai Cui, Yuan; Chen, Man Yu; Hu, Bo; Xu, Wen Sheng

2018-05-01

The Er yuan watershed of Er hai district is chosen as the research area, the law of runoff and sediment and non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus discharges under different land uses during 2001 to 2014 are simulated based on SWAT model. Results of simulation indicate that the order of total runoff yield of different land use type from high to low is grassland, paddy fields, dry land. Specifically, the order of surface runoff yield from high to low is paddy fields, dry land, grassland, the order of lateral runoff yield from high to low is paddy fields, dry land, grassland, the order of groundwater runoff yield from high to low is grassland, paddy fields, dry land. The orders of sediment and nitrogen and phosphorus yield per unit area of different land use type are the same, grassland> paddy fields> dry land. It can be seen, nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from paddy fields and dry land are the main sources of agricultural non-point pollution of the irrigated area. Therefore, reasonable field management measures which can decrease the discharge of nitrogen and phosphorus of paddy fields and dry land are the key to agricultural non-point source pollution prevention and control.

Baseline requirements can hinder trades in water quality trading programs: Evidence from the Conestoga watershed.

PubMed

Ghosh, Gaurav; Ribaudo, Marc; Shortle, James

2011-08-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are promoting point/nonpoint trading as a way of reducing the costs of meeting water quality goals. Farms can create offsets by implementing management practices such as conservation tillage, nutrient management and buffer strips. To be eligible to sell offsets or credits, farmers must first comply with baseline requirements. USEPA guidance recommends that the baseline for nonpoint sources be management practices that are consistent with the water quality goal. A farmer would not be able to create offsets until the minimum practice standards are met. An alternative baseline is those practices being implemented at the time the trading program starts, or when the farmer enters the program. The selection of the baseline affects the efficiency and equity of the trading program. It has major implications for which farmers benefit from trading, the cost of nonpoint source offsets, and ultimately the number of offsets that nonpoint sources can sell to regulated point sources. We use a simple model of the average profit-maximizing dairy farmer operating in the Conestoga watershed in Pennsylvania to evaluate the implications of baseline requirements on the cost and quantity of offsets that can be produced for sale in a water quality trading market, and which farmers benefit most from trading. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Tracking Nitrogen Sources, Transformation, and Transport at a Basin Scale with Complex Plain River Networks.

PubMed

Yi, Qitao; Chen, Qiuwen; Hu, Liuming; Shi, Wenqing

2017-05-16

This research developed an innovative approach to reveal nitrogen sources, transformation, and transport in large and complex river networks in the Taihu Lake basin using measurement of dual stable isotopes of nitrate. The spatial patterns of δ 15 N corresponded to the urbanization level, and the nitrogen cycle was associated with the hydrological regime at the basin level. During the high flow season of summer, nonpoint sources from fertilizer/soils and atmospheric deposition constituted the highest proportion of the total nitrogen load. The point sources from sewage/manure, with high ammonium concentrations and high δ 15 N and δ 18 O contents in the form of nitrate, accounted for the largest inputs among all sources during the low flow season of winter. Hot spot areas with heavy point source pollution were identified, and the pollutant transport routes were revealed. Nitrification occurred widely during the warm seasons, with decreased δ 18 O values; whereas great potential for denitrification existed during the low flow seasons of autumn and spring. The study showed that point source reduction could have effects over the short-term; however, long-term efforts to substantially control agriculture nonpoint sources are essential to eutrophication alleviation for the receiving lake, which clarifies the relationship between point and nonpoint source control.

Study on road surface source pollution controlled by permeable pavement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Chaocheng

2018-06-01

The increase of impermeable pavement in urban construction not only increases the runoff of the pavement, but also produces a large number of Non-Point Source Pollution. In the process of controlling road surface runoff by permeable pavement, a large number of particulate matter will be withheld when rainwater is being infiltrated, so as to control the source pollution at the source. In this experiment, we determined the effect of permeable road surface to remove heavy pollutants in the laboratory and discussed the related factors that affect the non-point pollution of permeable pavement, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the application of permeable pavement.

Evaluating sources and processing of nonpoint source nitrate in a small suburban watershed in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Li; Huang, Minsheng; Ma, Minghai; Wei, Jinbao; Hu, Wei; Chouhan, Seema

2018-04-01

Identifying nonpoint sources of nitrate has been a long-term challenge in mixed land-use watershed. In the present study, we combine dual nitrate isotope, runoff and stream water monitoring to elucidate the nonpoint nitrate sources across land use, and determine the relative importance of biogeochemical processes for nitrate export in a small suburban watershed, Longhongjian watershed, China. Our study suggested that NH4+ fertilizer, soil NH4+, litter fall and groundwater were the main nitrate sources in Longhongjian Stream. There were large changes in nitrate sources in response to season and land use. Runoff analysis illustrated that the tea plantation and forest areas contributed to a dominated proportion of the TN export. Spatial analysis illustrated that NO3- concentration was high in the tea plantation and forest areas, and δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 were enriched in the step ponds. Temporal analysis showed high NO3- level in spring, and nitrate isotopes were enriched in summer. Study as well showed that the step ponds played an important role in mitigating nitrate pollution. Nitrification and plant uptake were the significant biogeochemical processes contributing to the nitrogen transformation, and denitrification hardly occurred in the stream.

Occurrence of Surface Water Contaminations: An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahabudin, M. M.; Musa, S.

2018-04-01

Water is a part of our life and needed by all organisms. As time goes by, the needs by human increased transforming water quality into bad conditions. Surface water contaminated in various ways which is pointed sources and non-pointed sources. Pointed sources means the source are distinguished from the source such from drains or factory but the non-pointed always occurred in mixed of elements of pollutants. This paper is reviewing the occurrence of the contaminations with effects that occurred around us. Pollutant factors from natural or anthropology factors such nutrients, pathogens, and chemical elements contributed to contaminations. Most of the effects from contaminated surface water contributed to the public health effects also to the environments.

Analysis of Nonpoint-Source Ground-Water Contamination in Relation to Land Use: Assessment of Nonpoint-Source Contamination in Central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

German, Edward R.

1996-01-01

In central Florida, activities that might affect the quality of ground water include disposal of stormwater through drainage wells, citrus cultivation, and mining and processing of phosphate ore. Possible effects of these and other land-use activities include high concentrations of nitrogen compounds and the pesticide bromacil in the citrus area, and high concentrations of most of the major-dissolved constituents and some organic compounds in the mining area.

An interdisciplinary assessment of regional-scale nonpoint source ground-water vulnerability; theory and application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, Richard L.; Dinitz, Laura B.; Loague, Keith

2001-01-01

An integrated earth science-economics model, developed within a geographic information system (GIS), combines a regional-scale nonpoint source vulnerability assessment with a specific remediation measure to avoid unnecessary agricultural production costs associated with the use of agrochemicals in the Pearl Harbor basin on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. This approach forms the core of a risk-based regulation for the application of agrochemicals and estimates the benefits of an information-based approach to decisionmaking.

An application of Landsat and computer technology to potential water pollution from soil erosion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, W. J.

1981-01-01

Agricultural activity has been recognized as the primary source of nonpoint source water pollution. Water quality planners have needed information that is timely, accurate, easily reproducible, and relatively inexpensive to utilize to implement 'Best Management Practices' for water quality. In this paper, a case study shows how the combination of satellite data, which can give accurate land-cover/land-use information, and a computerized geographic information system, can assess nonpoint pollution at a regional scale and be cost effective.

Land use change detection with LANDSAT-2 data for monitoring and predicting regional water quality degradation. [Arkansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, H.; Steele, K. (Principal Investigator); Waite, W.; Rice, R.; Shinn, M.; Dillard, T.; Petersen, C.

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Comparison between LANDSAT 1 and 2 imagery of Arkansas provided evidence of significant land use changes during the 1972-75 time period. Analysis of Arkansas historical water quality information has shown conclusively that whereas point source pollution generally can be detected by use of water quality data collected by state and federal agencies, sampling methodologies for nonpoint source contamination attributable to surface runoff are totally inadequate. The expensive undertaking of monitoring all nonpoint sources for numerous watersheds can be lessened by implementing LANDSAT change detection analyses.

Comparison of Measured to Predicted Estimations of Nonpoint Source Contaminants Using Conservation Practices in an Agriculturally-Dominated Watershed in Northeast Arkansas, USA.

PubMed

Frasher, Sarah K; Woodruff, Tracy M; Bouldin, Jennifer L

2016-06-01

In efforts to reduce nonpoint source runoff and improve water quality, Best Management Practices (BMPs) were implemented in the Outlet Larkin Creek Watershed. Farmers need to make scientifically informed decisions concerning BMPs addressing contaminants from agricultural fields. The BMP Tool was developed from previous studies to estimate BMP effectiveness at reducing nonpoint source contaminants. The purpose of this study was to compare the measured percent reduction of dissolved phosphorus (DP) and total suspended solids to the reported percent reductions from the BMP Tool for validation. Similarities were measured between the BMP Tool and the measured water quality parameters. Construction of a sedimentation pond resulted in 74 %-76 % reduction in DP as compared to 80 % as predicted with the BMP Tool. However, further research is needed to validate the tool for additional water quality parameters. The BMP Tool is recommended for future BMP implementation as a useful predictor for farmers.

Development of a multiobjective optimization tool for the selection and placement of best management practices for nonpoint source pollution control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maringanti, Chetan; Chaubey, Indrajeet; Popp, Jennie

2009-06-01

Best management practices (BMPs) are effective in reducing the transport of agricultural nonpoint source pollutants to receiving water bodies. However, selection of BMPs for placement in a watershed requires optimization of the available resources to obtain maximum possible pollution reduction. In this study, an optimization methodology is developed to select and place BMPs in a watershed to provide solutions that are both economically and ecologically effective. This novel approach develops and utilizes a BMP tool, a database that stores the pollution reduction and cost information of different BMPs under consideration. The BMP tool replaces the dynamic linkage of the distributed parameter watershed model during optimization and therefore reduces the computation time considerably. Total pollutant load from the watershed, and net cost increase from the baseline, were the two objective functions minimized during the optimization process. The optimization model, consisting of a multiobjective genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) in combination with a watershed simulation tool (Soil Water and Assessment Tool (SWAT)), was developed and tested for nonpoint source pollution control in the L'Anguille River watershed located in eastern Arkansas. The optimized solutions provided a trade-off between the two objective functions for sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen reduction. The results indicated that buffer strips were very effective in controlling the nonpoint source pollutants from leaving the croplands. The optimized BMP plans resulted in potential reductions of 33%, 32%, and 13% in sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen loads, respectively, from the watershed.

3D transient electromagnetic simulation using a modified correspondence principle for wave and diffusion fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Y.; Ji, Y.; Egbert, G. D.

2015-12-01

The fictitious time domain method (FTD), based on the correspondence principle for wave and diffusion fields, has been developed and used over the past few years primarily for marine electromagnetic (EM) modeling. Here we present results of our efforts to apply the FTD approach to land and airborne TEM problems which can reduce the computer time several orders of magnitude and preserve high accuracy. In contrast to the marine case, where sources are in the conductive sea water, we must model the EM fields in the air; to allow for topography air layers must be explicitly included in the computational domain. Furthermore, because sources for most TEM applications generally must be modeled as finite loops, it is useful to solve directly for the impulse response appropriate to the problem geometry, instead of the point-source Green functions typically used for marine problems. Our approach can be summarized as follows: (1) The EM diffusion equation is transformed to a fictitious wave equation. (2) The FTD wave equation is solved with an explicit finite difference time-stepping scheme, with CPML (Convolutional PML) boundary conditions for the whole computational domain including the air and earth , with FTD domain source corresponding to the actual transmitter geometry. Resistivity of the air layers is kept as low as possible, to compromise between efficiency (longer fictitious time step) and accuracy. We have generally found a host/air resistivity contrast of 10-3 is sufficient. (3)A "Modified" Fourier Transform (MFT) allow us recover system's impulse response from the fictitious time domain to the diffusion (frequency) domain. (4) The result is multiplied by the Fourier transformation （FT） of the real source current avoiding time consuming convolutions in the time domain. (5) The inverse FT is employed to get the final full waveform and full time response of the system in the time domain. In general, this method can be used to efficiently solve most time-domain EM simulation problems for non-point sources.

EPA Office of Water (OW): Nonpoint Source Projects NHDPlus Indexed Dataset

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

GRTS locational data for nonpoint source projects. GRTS locations are coded onto NHDPlus v2.1 flowline features to create point and line events or coded onto NHDPlus v2.1 waterbody features to create area events. In addition to NHDPlus reach indexed data there may also be custom events (point, line or area) that are not associated with NHD and are in an EPA standard format that is compatible with EPA's Reach Address Database. Custom events are used to represent GRTS locations that are not represented well in NHDPlus.

Sources of endocrine-disrupting compounds in North Carolina waterways: a geographic information systems approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sackett, Dana K.; Pow, Crystal Lee; Rubino, Matthew J.; Aday, D.D.; Cope, W. Gregory; Kullman, Seth W.; Rice, J.A.; Kwak, Thomas J.; Law, L.M.

2015-01-01

The presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), particularly estrogenic compounds, in the environment has drawn public attention across the globe, yet a clear understanding of the extent and distribution of estrogenic EDCs in surface waters and their relationship to potential sources is lacking. The objective of the present study was to identify and examine the potential input of estrogenic EDC sources in North Carolina water bodies using a geographic information system (GIS) mapping and analysis approach. Existing data from state and federal agencies were used to create point and nonpoint source maps depicting the cumulative contribution of potential sources of estrogenic EDCs to North Carolina surface waters. Water was collected from 33 sites (12 associated with potential point sources, 12 associated with potential nonpoint sources, and 9 reference), to validate the predictive results of the GIS analysis. Estrogenicity (measured as 17β-estradiol equivalence) ranged from 0.06 ng/L to 56.9 ng/L. However, the majority of sites (88%) had water 17β-estradiol concentrations below 1 ng/L. Sites associated with point and nonpoint sources had significantly higher 17β-estradiol levels than reference sites. The results suggested that water 17β-estradiol was reflective of GIS predictions, confirming the relevance of landscape-level influences on water quality and validating the GIS approach to characterize such relationships.

Sources of endocrine-disrupting compounds in North Carolina waterways: a geographic information systems approach.

PubMed

Sackett, Dana K; Pow, Crystal Lee; Rubino, Matthew J; Aday, D Derek; Cope, W Gregory; Kullman, Seth; Rice, James A; Kwak, Thomas J; Law, Mac

2015-02-01

The presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), particularly estrogenic compounds, in the environment has drawn public attention across the globe, yet a clear understanding of the extent and distribution of estrogenic EDCs in surface waters and their relationship to potential sources is lacking. The objective of the present study was to identify and examine the potential input of estrogenic EDC sources in North Carolina water bodies using a geographic information system (GIS) mapping and analysis approach. Existing data from state and federal agencies were used to create point and nonpoint source maps depicting the cumulative contribution of potential sources of estrogenic EDCs to North Carolina surface waters. Water was collected from 33 sites (12 associated with potential point sources, 12 associated with potential nonpoint sources, and 9 reference), to validate the predictive results of the GIS analysis. Estrogenicity (measured as 17β-estradiol equivalence) ranged from 0.06 ng/L to 56.9 ng/L. However, the majority of sites (88%) had water 17β-estradiol concentrations below 1 ng/L. Sites associated with point and nonpoint sources had significantly higher 17β-estradiol levels than reference sites. The results suggested that water 17β-estradiol was reflective of GIS predictions, confirming the relevance of landscape-level influences on water quality and validating the GIS approach to characterize such relationships. © 2014 SETAC.

Response of non-point source pollutant loads to climate change in the Shitoukoumen reservoir catchment.

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Lu, Wenxi; An, Yonglei; Li, Di; Gong, Lei

2012-01-01

The impacts of climate change on streamflow and non-point source pollutant loads in the Shitoukoumen reservoir catchment are predicted by combining a general circulation model (HadCM3) with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model. A statistical downscaling model was used to generate future local scenarios of meteorological variables such as temperature and precipitation. Then, the downscaled meteorological variables were used as input to the SWAT hydrological model calibrated and validated with observations, and the corresponding changes of future streamflow and non-point source pollutant loads in Shitoukoumen reservoir catchment were simulated and analyzed. Results show that daily temperature increases in three future periods (2010-2039, 2040-2069, and 2070-2099) relative to a baseline of 1961-1990, and the rate of increase is 0.63°C per decade. Annual precipitation also shows an apparent increase of 11 mm per decade. The calibration and validation results showed that the SWAT model was able to simulate well the streamflow and non-point source pollutant loads, with a coefficient of determination of 0.7 and a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of about 0.7 for both the calibration and validation periods. The future climate change has a significant impact on streamflow and non-point source pollutant loads. The annual streamflow shows a fluctuating upward trend from 2010 to 2099, with an increase rate of 1.1 m(3) s(-1) per decade, and a significant upward trend in summer, with an increase rate of 1.32 m(3) s(-1) per decade. The increase in summer contributes the most to the increase of annual load compared with other seasons. The annual NH (4) (+) -N load into Shitoukoumen reservoir shows a significant downward trend with a decrease rate of 40.6 t per decade. The annual TP load shows an insignificant increasing trend, and its change rate is 3.77 t per decade. The results of this analysis provide a scientific basis for effective support of decision makers and strategies of adaptation to climate change.

Preliminary preview for a geographic and monitoring program project; a review of point source-nonpoint source effluent trading/offset systems in watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Alexander Warren; Bernknopf, Richard L.

2003-01-01

Watershed-based trading and offset systems are being developed to improve policy-maker?s and regulator?s ability to assess nonpoint source impacts in watersheds and to evaluate the efficacy of using market-incentive programs for preserving environmental quality. An overview of the history of successful and failed trading programs throughout the United States suggests that certain political, economic, and scientific conditions within a temporal and spatial setting help meet water quality standards. The current lack of spontaneous trading among dischargers does not mean that a marketable permit trading system is an inherently inefficient regulatory approach. Rather, its infrequent use is the result of institutional and informational barriers. Improving and refining the earth science information and technologies may help determine whether trading is a suitable policy for improving water quality. However, it is debatable whether or not environmental information is the limiting factor. This paper reviews additional factors affecting the potential for instituting a trading policy. The motivation for investigating and reviewing the history of offsets and trading was inspired by a project in the preliminary stages being developed by U.S. Geological Survey Western Geographic Science Center and the Environmental Protection Agency Region IX. An offset feasibility study will be an integrated, map-based approach that incorporates environmental, economic, and statistical information to investigate the potential for using offsets to meet mercury Total Maximum Daily Loads in the Sacramento River watershed. A regional water-quality offset program is being studied that may help known point sources reduce mercury loading more cost effectively by the remediation of abandoned mines or other diffuse sources as opposed to more costly treatment at their own sites. An efficient offset program requires both a scientific basis and methods to translate that science into a regulatory decision framework.

Analysis of Nitrogen Loads From Long Island Sound Watersheds, 1988-98

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullaney, J. R.; Trench, E. C.

2001-05-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently estimated annual nonpoint-source nitrogen loads from watersheds that drain to Long Island Sound. The study, was conducted in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to assist these agencies with the issue of low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in Long Island Sound caused by nitrogen enrichment. A regression model was used to determine annual nitrogen loads at 27 streams monitored by the USGS during 1988-98. Estimates of nitrogen loads from municipal wastewater-treatment plants (where applicable) were subtracted from the total nitrogen loads to determine the nonpoint-source nitrogen load for each water-quality monitoring station. The nonpoint-source load information was applied to unmonitored areas by comparing the land-use and land-cover characteristics of monitored areas with unmonitored areas, and selecting basins that were most similar. In extrapolating load estimates to unmonitored areas, regional differences in mean annual runoff between monitored and unmonitored areas also were considered, using flow information from nearby USGS gaging stations. Estimates of nonpoint nitrogen loads from monitored areas with point sources of nitrogen discharge and estimates from unmonitored areas are subject to uncertainty. These estimates could be improved with additional data collection in coastal basins and in basins with a large percentage of urbanized land, measurements of instream transformation or losses of nitrogen, improved reporting of total nitrogen concentrations from municipal wastewater treatment facilities, and tracking of intrabasin and (or) interbasin diversion of water.

Non-Point Source Pollutant Load Variation in Rapid Urbanization Areas by Remote Sensing, Gis and the L-THIA Model: A Case in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China.

PubMed

Li, Tianhong; Bai, Fengjiao; Han, Peng; Zhang, Yuanyan

2016-11-01

Urban sprawl is a major driving force that alters local and regional hydrology and increases non-point source pollution. Using the Bao'an District in Shenzhen, China, a typical rapid urbanization area, as the study area and land-use change maps from 1988 to 2014 that were obtained by remote sensing, the contributions of different land-use types to NPS pollutant production were assessed with a localized long-term hydrologic impact assessment (L-THIA) model. The results show that the non-point source pollution load changed significantly both in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution. The loads of chemical oxygen demand, total suspended substances, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were affected by the interactions between event mean concentration and the magnitude of changes in land-use acreages and the spatial distribution. From 1988 to 2014, the loads of chemical oxygen demand, suspended substances and total phosphorus showed clearly increasing trends with rates of 132.48 %, 32.52 % and 38.76 %, respectively, while the load of total nitrogen decreased by 71.52 %. The immigrant population ratio was selected as an indicator to represent the level of rapid urbanization and industrialization in the study area, and a comparison analysis of the indicator with the four non-point source loads demonstrated that the chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus and total nitrogen loads are linearly related to the immigrant population ratio. The results provide useful information for environmental improvement and city management in the study area.

Non-Point Source Pollutant Load Variation in Rapid Urbanization Areas by Remote Sensing, Gis and the L-THIA Model: A Case in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianhong; Bai, Fengjiao; Han, Peng; Zhang, Yuanyan

2016-11-01

Urban sprawl is a major driving force that alters local and regional hydrology and increases non-point source pollution. Using the Bao'an District in Shenzhen, China, a typical rapid urbanization area, as the study area and land-use change maps from 1988 to 2014 that were obtained by remote sensing, the contributions of different land-use types to NPS pollutant production were assessed with a localized long-term hydrologic impact assessment (L-THIA) model. The results show that the non-point source pollution load changed significantly both in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution. The loads of chemical oxygen demand, total suspended substances, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were affected by the interactions between event mean concentration and the magnitude of changes in land-use acreages and the spatial distribution. From 1988 to 2014, the loads of chemical oxygen demand, suspended substances and total phosphorus showed clearly increasing trends with rates of 132.48 %, 32.52 % and 38.76 %, respectively, while the load of total nitrogen decreased by 71.52 %. The immigrant population ratio was selected as an indicator to represent the level of rapid urbanization and industrialization in the study area, and a comparison analysis of the indicator with the four non-point source loads demonstrated that the chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus and total nitrogen loads are linearly related to the immigrant population ratio. The results provide useful information for environmental improvement and city management in the study area.

Relative importance of wastewater treatment plants and non-point sources of perfluorinated compounds to Washington State rivers.

PubMed

Furl, Chad V; Meredith, Callie A; Strynar, Mark J; Nakayama, Shoji F

2011-07-01

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were measured in 10 Washington State rivers and 4 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) under periods of low and high flows to investigate the relative importance of point and non-point sources to rivers. PFCs were detected in all samples with summed values ranging from 1.11 to 74.9 ng/L in surface waters and 62.3-418 ng/L in WWTP effluent. Concentrations in 6 of the 10 rivers exhibited a positive relationship with flow, indicating runoff as a contributing source, with PFC loads greatest at all 10 waterbodies during high flows. Perfluoroheptanoic acid:perfluorooctanoic acid homologue ratios suggest atmospheric contributions to the waterbodies are important throughout the year. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated distinct homologue profiles for high flow, low flow, and effluent samples. The PCA demonstrates that during the spring when flows and loads are at their greatest; WWTP discharges are not the primary sources of PFCs to the river systems. Taken together, the evidence provided signifies non-point inputs are a major pathway for PFCs to surface waters in Washington State. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A conceptual ground-water-quality monitoring network for San Fernando Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Setmire, J.G.

1985-01-01

A conceptual groundwater-quality monitoring network was developed for San Fernando Valley to provide the California State Water Resources Control Board with an integrated, basinwide control system to monitor the quality of groundwater. The geology, occurrence and movement of groundwater, land use, background water quality, and potential sources of pollution were described and then considered in designing the conceptual monitoring network. The network was designed to monitor major known and potential point and nonpoint sources of groundwater contamination over time. The network is composed of 291 sites where wells are needed to define the groundwater quality. The ideal network includes four specific-purpose networks to monitor (1) ambient water quality, (2) nonpoint sources of pollution, (3) point sources of pollution, and (4) line sources of pollution. (USGS)

Nonpoint source pollution of urban stormwater runoff: a methodology for source analysis.

PubMed

Petrucci, Guido; Gromaire, Marie-Christine; Shorshani, Masoud Fallah; Chebbo, Ghassan

2014-09-01

The characterization and control of runoff pollution from nonpoint sources in urban areas are a major issue for the protection of aquatic environments. We propose a methodology to quantify the sources of pollutants in an urban catchment and to analyze the associated uncertainties. After describing the methodology, we illustrate it through an application to the sources of Cu, Pb, Zn, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from a residential catchment (228 ha) in the Paris region. In this application, we suggest several procedures that can be applied for the analysis of other pollutants in different catchments, including an estimation of the total extent of roof accessories (gutters and downspouts, watertight joints and valleys) in a catchment. These accessories result as the major source of Pb and as an important source of Zn in the example catchment, while activity-related sources (traffic, heating) are dominant for Cu (brake pad wear) and PAH (tire wear, atmospheric deposition).

[Regulation framework of watershed landscape pattern for non-point source pollution control based on 'source-sink' theory: A case study in the watershed of Maluan Bay, Xiamen City, China].

PubMed

Huang, Ning; Wang, Hong Ying; Lin, Tao; Liu, Qi Ming; Huang, Yun Feng; Li, Jian Xiong

2016-10-01

Watershed landscape pattern regulation and optimization based on 'source-sink' theory for non-point source pollution control is a cost-effective measure and still in the exploratory stage. Taking whole watershed as the research object, on the basis of landscape ecology, related theories and existing research results, a regulation framework of watershed landscape pattern for non-point source pollution control was developed at two levels based on 'source-sink' theory in this study: 1) at watershed level: reasonable basic combination and spatial pattern of 'source-sink' landscape was analyzed, and then holistic regulation and optimization method of landscape pattern was constructed; 2) at landscape patch level: key 'source' landscape was taken as the focus of regulation and optimization. Firstly, four identification criteria of key 'source' landscape including landscape pollutant loading per unit area, landscape slope, long and narrow transfer 'source' landscape, pollutant loading per unit length of 'source' landscape along the riverbank were developed. Secondly, nine types of regulation and optimization methods for different key 'source' landscape in rural and urban areas were established, according to three regulation and optimization rules including 'sink' landscape inlay, banding 'sink' landscape supplement, pollutants capacity of original 'sink' landscape enhancement. Finally, the regulation framework was applied for the watershed of Maluan Bay in Xiamen City. Holistic regulation and optimization mode of watershed landscape pattern of Maluan Bay and key 'source' landscape regulation and optimization measures for the three zones were made, based on GIS technology, remote sensing images and DEM model.

Nutrient loading and selected water-quality and biological characteristics of Dickinson Bayou near Houston, Texas, 1995-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

East, Jeffery W.; Paul, Edna M.; Porter, Stephen D.

1998-01-01

Algal samples were collected at seven stations and were analyzed for periphyton identification and enumeration, and chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b concentrations. The large relative abundance of soil algae at stations in the middle of the watershed likely indicates the cumulative effects on water quality of agricultural nonpoint sources. Farther downstream near the State Highway 3 bridge, and downstream of three major tributary inflows, the increase in abundance of soil algae to a larger-than-expected level might reflect water-quality influences from predominantly urban nonpoint sources in the drainage basins of the three major tributary inflows. Nutrient concentrations do not appear to limit algal production in the upper (non-tidal) reach of Dickinson Bayou; but nutrient concentrations could have been limiting benthicalgal production in the lower (tidal) reach of the bayou during the time of the synoptic survey. If nitrogen is the limiting resource for algal productivity in the tidal reach of Dickinson Bayou, eutrophication of the system could be (at least partially) mitigated if nonpoint-source nutrient loads into the Bayou were reduced. 

Water quality modeling using geographic information system (GIS) data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engel, Bernard A

1992-01-01

Protection of the environment and natural resources at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is of great concern. The potential for surface and ground water quality problems resulting from non-point sources of pollution was examined using models. Since spatial variation of parameters required was important, geographic information systems (GIS) and their data were used. The potential for groundwater contamination was examined using the SEEPAGE (System for Early Evaluation of the Pollution Potential of Agricultural Groundwater Environments) model. A watershed near the VAB was selected to examine potential for surface water pollution and erosion using the AGNPS (Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution) model.

Magnitudes, nature, and effects of point and nonpoint discharges in the Chattahoochee River basin, Atlanta to West Point Dam, Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamer, J.K.; Cherry, R.N.; Faye, R.E.; Kleckner, R.L.

1978-01-01

On an average annual basis and during the storm period of March 12-15, 1976, nonpoint-source loads for most constituents were larger than point-source loads at the Whitesburg station, located on the Chattahoochee River about 40 miles downstream from Atlanta, GA. Most of the nonpoint-source constituent loads in the Atlanta to Whitesburg reach were from urban areas. Average annual point-source discharges accounted for about 50 percent of the dissolved nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus loads and about 70 percent of the dissolved phosphorus loads at Whitesburg. During a low-flow period, June 1-2, 1977, five municipal point-sources contributed 63 percent of the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand, and 97 percent of the ammonium nitrogen loads at the Franklin station, at the upstream end of West Point Lake. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations of 4.1 to 5.0 milligrams per liter occurred in a 22-mile reach of the river downstream from Atlanta due about equally to nitrogenous and carbonaceous oxygen demands. The heat load from two thermoelectric powerplants caused a decrease in dissolved-oxygen concentration of about 0.2 milligrams per liter. Phytoplankton concentrations in West Point Lake, about 70 miles downstream from Atlanta, could exceed three million cells per millimeter during extended low-flow periods in the summer with present point-source phosphorus loads. (Woodard-USGS)

Estimating the susceptibility of surface water in Texas to nonpoint-source contamination by use of logistic regression modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, William A.; Ulery, Randy L.; Winterstein, Thomas; Welborn, Toby

2003-01-01

In the State of Texas, surface water (streams, canals, and reservoirs) and ground water are used as sources of public water supply. Surface-water sources of public water supply are susceptible to contamination from point and nonpoint sources. To help protect sources of drinking water and to aid water managers in designing protective yet cost-effective and risk-mitigated monitoring strategies, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Geological Survey developed procedures to assess the susceptibility of public water-supply source waters in Texas to the occurrence of 227 contaminants. One component of the assessments is the determination of susceptibility of surface-water sources to nonpoint-source contamination. To accomplish this, water-quality data at 323 monitoring sites were matched with geographic information system-derived watershed- characteristic data for the watersheds upstream from the sites. Logistic regression models then were developed to estimate the probability that a particular contaminant will exceed a threshold concentration specified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Logistic regression models were developed for 63 of the 227 contaminants. Of the remaining contaminants, 106 were not modeled because monitoring data were available at less than 10 percent of the monitoring sites; 29 were not modeled because there were less than 15 percent detections of the contaminant in the monitoring data; 27 were not modeled because of the lack of any monitoring data; and 2 were not modeled because threshold values were not specified.

Evaluating changes in water quality with respect to nonpoint source nutrient management strategies in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keisman, J.; Sekellick, A.; Blomquist, J.; Devereux, O. H.; Hively, W. D.; Johnston, M.; Moyer, D.; Sweeney, J.

2014-12-01

Chesapeake Bay is a eutrophic ecosystem with periodic hypoxia and anoxia, algal blooms, diminished submerged aquatic vegetation, and degraded stocks of marine life. Knowledge of the effectiveness of actions taken across the watershed to reduce nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads to the bay (i.e. "best management practices" or BMPs) is essential to its restoration. While nutrient inputs from point sources (e.g. wastewater treatment plants and other industrial and municipal operations) are tracked, inputs from nonpoint sources, including atmospheric deposition, farms, lawns, septic systems, and stormwater, are difficult to measure. Estimating reductions in nonpoint source inputs attributable to BMPs requires compilation and comparison of data on water quality, climate, land use, point source discharges, and BMP implementation. To explore the relation of changes in nonpoint source inputs and BMP implementation to changes in water quality, a subset of small watersheds (those containing at least 10 years of water quality monitoring data) within the Chesapeake Watershed were selected for study. For these watersheds, data were compiled on geomorphology, demographics, land use, point source discharges, atmospheric deposition, and agricultural practices such as livestock populations, crop acres, and manure and fertilizer application. In addition, data on BMP implementation for 1985-2012 were provided by the Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A spatially referenced nonlinear regression model (SPARROW) provided estimates attributing N and P loads associated with receiving waters to different nutrient sources. A recently developed multiple regression technique ("Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge and Season" or WRTDS) provided an enhanced understanding of long-term trends in N and P loads and concentrations. A suite of deterministic models developed by the CBPO was used to estimate expected nutrient load reductions attributable to BMPs. Further quantification of the relation of land-based nutrient sources and BMPs to water quality in the bay and its tributaries must account for inconsistency in BMP data over time and uncertainty regarding BMP locations and effectiveness.

A spatial model to aggregate point-source and nonpoint-source water-quality data for large areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, D.A.; Smith, R.A.; Price, C.V.; Alexander, R.B.; Robinson, K.W.

1992-01-01

More objective and consistent methods are needed to assess water quality for large areas. A spatial model, one that capitalizes on the topologic relationships among spatial entities, to aggregate pollution sources from upstream drainage areas is described that can be implemented on land surfaces having heterogeneous water-pollution effects. An infrastructure of stream networks and drainage basins, derived from 1:250,000-scale digital-elevation models, define the hydrologic system in this spatial model. The spatial relationships between point- and nonpoint pollution sources and measurement locations are referenced to the hydrologic infrastructure with the aid of a geographic information system. A maximum-branching algorithm has been developed to simulate the effects of distance from a pollutant source to an arbitrary downstream location, a function traditionally employed in deterministic water quality models. ?? 1992.

Assessment of Groundwater Susceptibility to Non-Point Source Contaminants Using Three-Dimensional Transient Indexes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Weissmann, Gary S; Fogg, Graham E; Lu, Bingqing; Sun, HongGuang; Zheng, Chunmiao

2018-06-05

Groundwater susceptibility to non-point source contamination is typically quantified by stable indexes, while groundwater quality evolution (or deterioration globally) can be a long-term process that may last for decades and exhibit strong temporal variations. This study proposes a three-dimensional (3- d ), transient index map built upon physical models to characterize the complete temporal evolution of deep aquifer susceptibility. For illustration purposes, the previous travel time probability density (BTTPD) approach is extended to assess the 3- d deep groundwater susceptibility to non-point source contamination within a sequence stratigraphic framework observed in the Kings River fluvial fan (KRFF) aquifer. The BTTPD, which represents complete age distributions underlying a single groundwater sample in a regional-scale aquifer, is used as a quantitative, transient measure of aquifer susceptibility. The resultant 3- d imaging of susceptibility using the simulated BTTPDs in KRFF reveals the strong influence of regional-scale heterogeneity on susceptibility. The regional-scale incised-valley fill deposits increase the susceptibility of aquifers by enhancing rapid downward solute movement and displaying relatively narrow and young age distributions. In contrast, the regional-scale sequence-boundary paleosols within the open-fan deposits "protect" deep aquifers by slowing downward solute movement and displaying a relatively broad and old age distribution. Further comparison of the simulated susceptibility index maps to known contaminant distributions shows that these maps are generally consistent with the high concentration and quick evolution of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) in groundwater around the incised-valley fill since the 1970s'. This application demonstrates that the BTTPDs can be used as quantitative and transient measures of deep aquifer susceptibility to non-point source contamination.

[Estimation of urban non-point source pollution loading and its factor analysis in the Pearl River Delta].

PubMed

Liao, Yi-Shan; Zhuo, Mu-Ning; Li, Ding-Qiang; Guo, Tai-Long

2013-08-01

In the Pearl Delta region, urban rivers have been seriously polluted, and the input of non-point source pollution materials, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), into rivers cannot be neglected. During 2009-2010, the water qualities at eight different catchments in the Fenjiang River of Foshan city were monitored, and the COD loads for eight rivulet sewages were calculated in respect of different rainfall conditions. Interesting results were concluded in our paper. The rainfall and landuse type played important roles in the COD loading, with greater influence of rainfall than landuse type. Consequently, a COD loading formula was constructed that was defined as a function of runoff and landuse type that were derived SCS model and land use map. Loading of COD could be evaluated and predicted with the constructed formula. The mean simulation accuracy for single rainfall event was 75.51%. Long-term simulation accuracy was better than that of single rainfall. In 2009, the estimated COD loading and its loading intensity were 8 053 t and 339 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1), and the industrial land was regarded as the main source of COD pollution area. The severe non-point source pollution such as COD in Fenjiang River must be paid more attention in the future.

Monitor-based evaluation of pollutant load from urban stormwater runoff in Beijing.

PubMed

Liu, Y; Che, W; Li, J

2005-01-01

As a major pollutant source to urban receiving waters, the non-point source pollution from urban runoff needs to be well studied and effectively controlled. Based on monitoring data from urban runoff pollutant sources, this article describes a systematic estimation of total pollutant loads from the urban areas of Beijing. A numerical model was developed to quantify main pollutant loads of urban runoff in Beijing. A sub-procedure is involved in this method, in which the flush process influences both the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff. A statistics-based method was applied in computing the annual pollutant load as an output of the runoff. The proportions of pollutant from point-source and non-point sources were compared. This provides a scientific basis for proper environmental input assessment of urban stormwater pollution to receiving waters, improvement of infrastructure performance, implementation of urban stormwater management, and utilization of stormwater.

Estimation of Enterococci Input from Bathers and Animals on A Recreational Beach Using Camera Images

PubMed Central

D, Wang John; M, Solo-Gabriele Helena; M, Abdelzaher Amir; E, Fleming Lora

2010-01-01

Enterococci, are used nationwide as a water quality indicator of marine recreational beaches. Prior research has demonstrated that enterococci inputs to the study beach site (located in Miami, FL) are dominated by non-point sources (including humans and animals). We have estimated their respective source functions by developing a counting methodology for individuals to better understand their non-point source load impacts. The method utilizes camera images of the beach taken at regular time intervals to determine the number of people and animal visitors. The developed method translates raw image counts for weekdays and weekend days into daily and monthly visitation rates. Enterococci source functions were computed from the observed number of unique individuals for average days of each month of the year, and from average load contributions for humans and for animals. Results indicate that dogs represent the larger source of enterococci relative to humans and birds. PMID:20381094

Evaluation of agricultural nonpoint source pollution potential risk over China with a Transformed-Agricultural Nonpoint Pollution Potential Index method.

PubMed

Yang, Fei; Xu, Zhencheng; Zhu, Yunqiang; He, Chansheng; Wu, Genyi; Qiu, Jin Rong; Fu, Qiang; Liu, Qingsong

2013-01-01

Agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution has been the most important threat to water environment quality. Understanding the spatial distribution of NPS pollution potential risk is important for taking effective measures to control and reduce NPS pollution. A Transformed-Agricultural Nonpoint Pollution Potential Index (T-APPI) model was constructed for evaluating the national NPS pollution potential risk in this study; it was also combined with remote sensing and geographic information system techniques for evaluation on the large scale and at 1 km2 spatial resolution. This model considers many factors contributing to the NPS pollution as the original APPI model, summarized as four indicators of the runoff, sediment production, chemical use and the people and animal load. These four indicators were analysed in detail at 1 km2 spatial resolution throughout China. The T-APPI model distinguished the four indicators into pollution source factors and transport process factors; it also took their relationship into consideration. The studied results showed that T-APPI is a credible and convenient method for NPS pollution potential risk evaluation. The results also indicated that the highest NPS pollution potential risk is distributed in the middle-southern Jiangsu province. Several other regions, including the North China Plain, Chengdu Basin Plain, Jianghan Plain, cultivated lands in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, also showed serious NPS pollution potential. This study can provide a scientific reference for predicting the future NPS pollution risk throughout China and may be helpful for taking reasonable and effective measures for preventing and controlling NPS pollution.

Seasonal variation of nitrogen-concentration in the surface water and its relationship with land use in a catchment of northern China.

PubMed

Chen, Li-ding; Peng, Hong-jia; Fu, Bo-Jie; Qiu, Jun; Zhang, Shu-rong

2005-01-01

Surface waters can be contaminated by human activities in two ways: (1) by point sources, such as sewage treatment discharge and storm-water runoff; and (2) by non-point sources, such as runoff from urban and agricultural areas. With point-source pollution effectively controlled, non-point source pollution has become the most important environmental concern in the world. The formation of non-point source pollution is related to both the sources such as soil nutrient, the amount of fertilizer and pesticide applied, the amount of refuse, and the spatial complex combination of land uses within a heterogeneous landscape. Land-use change, dominated by human activities, has a significant impact on water resources and quality. In this study, fifteen surface water monitoring points in the Yuqiao Reservoir Basin, Zunhua, Hebei Province, northern China, were chosen to study the seasonal variation of nitrogen concentration in the surface water. Water samples were collected in low-flow period (June), high-flow period (July) and mean-flow period (October) from 1999 to 2000. The results indicated that the seasonal variation of nitrogen concentration in the surface water among the fifteen monitoring points in the rainfall-rich year is more complex than that in the rainfall-deficit year. It was found that the land use, the characteristics of the surface river system, rainfall, and human activities play an important role in the seasonal variation of N-concentration in surface water.

EPA Office of Water (OW): 2002 SPARROW Total NP (Catchments)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) is a watershed modeling tool with output that allows the user to interpret water quality monitoring data at the regional and sub-regional scale. The model relates in-stream water-quality measurements to spatially referenced characteristics of watersheds, including pollutant sources and environmental factors that affect rates of pollutant delivery to streams from the land and aquatic, in-stream processing . The core of the model consists of a nonlinear regression equation describing the non-conservative transport of contaminants from point and non-point (or ??diffuse??) sources on land to rivers and through the stream and river network. SPARROW estimates contaminant concentrations, loads (or ??mass,?? which is the product of concentration and streamflow), and yields in streams (mass of nitrogen and of phosphorus entering a stream per acre of land). It empirically estimates the origin and fate of contaminants in streams and receiving bodies, and quantifies uncertainties in model predictions. The model predictions are illustrated through detailed maps that provide information about contaminant loadings and source contributions at multiple scales for specific stream reaches, basins, or other geographic areas.

Microbial Source Module (MSM): Documenting the Science and Software for Discovery, Evaluation, and Integration

EPA Science Inventory

The Microbial Source Module (MSM) estimates microbial loading rates to land surfaces from non-point sources, and to streams from point sources for each subwatershed within a watershed. A subwatershed, the smallest modeling unit, represents the common basis for information consume...

Area Source Emission Measurements Using EPA OTM 10

EPA Science Inventory

Measurement of air pollutant emissions from area and non-point sources is an emerging environmental concern. Due to the spatial extent and non-homogenous nature of these sources, assessment of fugitive emissions using point sampling techniques can be difficult. To help address th...

BACTERIA SOURCE TRACKING AND HOST SPECIES SPECIFICITY ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Point and non-point pollution sources of fecal pollution on a watershed adversely impact the quality of drinking source waters and recreational waters. States are required to develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and devise best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the pollu...

Nitrogen and phosphorus in streams of the Great Miami River Basin, Ohio, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reutter, David C.

2003-01-01

Sources and loads of nitrogen and phosphorus in streams of the Great Miami River Basin were evaluated as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Water samples were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from October 1998 through September 2000 (water years 1999 and 2000) at five locations in Ohio on a routine schedule and additionally during selected high streamflows. Stillwater River near Union, Great Miami River near Vandalia, and Mad River near Eagle City were selected to represent predominantly agricultural areas upstream from the Dayton metropolitan area. Holes Creek near Kettering is in the Dayton metropolitan area and was selected to represent an urban area in the Great Miami River Basin. Great Miami River at Hamilton is downstream from the Dayton and Hamilton-Middletown metropolitan areas and was selected to represent mixed agricultural and urban land uses of the Great Miami River Basin. Inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to streams from point and nonpoint sources were estimated for the three agricultural basins and for the Great Miami River Basin as a whole. Nutrient inputs from point sources were computed from the facilities that discharge one-half million gallons or more per day into streams of the Great Miami River Basin. Nonpoint-source inputs estimated in this report are atmospheric deposition and commercial-fertilizer and manure applications. Loads of ammonia, nitrate, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus from the five sites were computed with the ESTIMATOR program. The computations show nitrate to be the primary component of instream nitrogen loads, and particulate phosphorus to be the primary component of instream phosphorus loads. The Mad River contributed the smallest loads of total nitrogen and total phosphorus to the study area upstream from Dayton, whereas the Upper Great Miami River (upstream from Vandalia) contributed the largest loads of total nitrogen and total phosphorus to the Great Miami River Basin upstream from Dayton. An evaluation of monthly mean loads shows that nutrient loads were highest during winter 1999 and lowest during the drought of summer and autumn 1999. During the 1999 drought, point sources were the primary contributors of nitrogen and phosphorus loads to most of the study area. Nonpoint sources, however, were the primary contributors of nitrogen and phosphorus loads during months of high streamflow. Nonpoint sources were also the primary contributors of nitrogen loads to the Mad River during the 1999 drought, owing to unusually large amounts of ground-water discharge to the stream. The Stillwater River Basin had the highest nutrient yields in the study area during months of high streamflow; however, the Mad River Basin had the highest yields of all nutrients except ammonia during the months of the 1999 drought. The high wet-weather yields in the Stillwater River Basin were caused by agricultural runoff, whereas high yields in the Mad River Basin during drought resulted from the large, sustained contribution of ground water to streamflow throughout the year. In the basins upstream from Dayton, an estimated 19 to 25 percent of the nonpoint source of nitrogen and 4 to 5 percent of the nonpoint source of phosphorus that was deposited or applied to the land was transported into streams.

DNA BASED MOLECULAR METHODS FOR BACTERIAL SOURCE TRACKING IN WATERSHEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Point and non-point pollution sources of fecal pollution on a watershed adversely impact the quality of drinking source waters and recreational waters. States are required to develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and devise best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the po...

Assessment of future climate change impacts on nonpoint source pollution in snowmelt period for a cold area using SWAT.

PubMed

Wang, Yu; Bian, Jianmin; Zhao, Yongsheng; Tang, Jie; Jia, Zhuo

2018-02-05

The source area of Liao River is a typical cold region in northeastern China, which experiences serious problems with agricultural nonpoint source pollution (NPS), it is important to understand future climate change impacts on NPS in the watershed. This issue has been investigated by coupling semi distributed hydrological model (SWAT), statistical downscaling model (SDSM) and global circulation model (GCMs). The results show that annual average temperature would rise by 2.1 °C (1.3 °C) in the 2080 s under scenario RCP8.5 (RCP4.5), and annual precipitation would increase by 67 mm (33 mm). The change in winter temperature and precipitation is most significant with an increase by 0.23 °C/10a (0.17 °C/10a) and 1.94 mm/10a (2.78 mm/10a). The future streamflow, TN and TP loads would decrease by 19.05% (10.59%), 12.27% (8.81%) and 10.63% (6.11%), respectively. Monthly average streamflow, TN and TP loads would decrease from March to November, and increase from December to February. This is because the increased precipitation and temperature in winter, which made the spring snowpack melting earlier. These study indicate the trends of nonpoint source pollution during the snowmelt period under climate change conditions, accordingly adaptation measures will be necessary.

Fiscal year 1988 program report: Pennsylvania Center for Water Resources Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonnell, A.J.

1989-08-01

Three projects and a program of technology transfer were conducted under the Pennsylvania Fiscal Year 1988 State Water Resources Research Grants Program (PL 98-242, Sect. 104). In a completed study focused on the protection of water supplies, mature slow sand filters were found to remove 100 percent of Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts. A site specific study examined the behavior of sedimentary iron and manganese in an acid mine drainage wetland system. A study was initiated to link a comprehensive non-point source model, AGNPS with current GIS technology to enhance the models' utility for evaluating regional water quality problems related tomore » non-point source agricultural pollution.« less

URBAN/SUBURBAN WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The ability to characterize the land surface and related pollutant source loadings is critical for reliable watershed modeling. Urban/suburban land uses are the most rapidly growing land use class, generating non-point source pollutant loadings likely to seriously impair streams...

Evaluation of a method for comparing phosphorus loads from barnyards and croplands in Otter Creek Watershed, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wierl, Judy A.; Giddings, Elise M.P.; Bannerman, Roger T.

1998-01-01

Control of phosphorus from rural nonpoint sources is a major focus of current efforts to improve and protect water resources in Wisconsin and is recommended in almost every priority watershed plan prepared for the State's Nonpoint Source (NFS) Program. Barnyards and crop- lands usually are identified as the primary rural sources of phosphorus. Numerous questions have arisen about which of these two sources to control and about the method currently being used by the NFS program to compare phosphorus loads from barnyards and croplands. To evaluate the method, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, used phosphorus-load and sediment-load data from streams and phosphorus concentrations in soils from the Otter Creek Watershed (located in the Sheboygan River Basin: fig. 1) in conjunction with two computer-based models. 

The estimation of the load of non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus based on observation experiments and export coefficient method in Three Gorges Reservoir Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, X. X.; Hu, B.; Xu, W. S.; Liu, J. G.; Zhang, P. C.

2017-12-01

In this paper, Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) was chosen to be the study area, the export coefficients of different land-use type were calculated through the observation experiments and literature consultation, and then the load of non-point source (NPS) nitrogen and phosphorus of different pollution sources such as farmland pollution sources, decentralized livestock and poultry breeding pollution sources and domestic pollution sources were estimated. The results show as follows: the pollution load of dry land is the main source of farmland pollution. The order of total nitrogen load of different pollution sources from high to low is livestock breeding pollution, domestic pollution, land use pollution, while the order of phosphorus load of different pollution sources from high to low is land use pollution, livestock breeding pollution, domestic pollution, Therefore, reasonable farmland management, effective control methods of dry land fertilization and sewage discharge of livestock breeding are the keys to the prevention and control of NPS nitrogen and phosphorus in TGRA.

[Urban non-point source pollution control by runoff retention and filtration pilot system].

PubMed

Bai, Yao; Zuo, Jian-E; Gan, Li-Li; Low, Thong Soon; Miao, Heng-Feng; Ruan, Wen-Quan; Huang, Xia

2011-09-01

A runoff retention and filtration pilot system was designed and the long-term purification effect of the runoff was monitored. Runoff pollution characters in 2 typical events and treatment effect of the pilot system were analyzed. The results showed that the runoff was severely polluted. Event mean concentrations (EMCs) of SS, COD, TN and TP in the runoff were 361, 135, 7.88 and 0.62 mg/L respectively. The runoff formed by long rain presented an obvious first flush effect. The first 25% flow contributed more than 50% of the total pollutants loading of SS, TP, DTP and PO4(3-). The pilot system could reduce 100% of the non-point source pollution if the volume of the runoff was less than the retention tank. Otherwise the overflow will be purification by the filtration pilot system and the removal rates of SS, COD, TN, TP, DTP and PO4(3-) reached 97.4% , 61.8%, 22.6%, 85.1%, 72.1%, and 85.2% respectively. The system was stable and the removal rate of SS, COD, TN, and TP were 98.6%, 65.4%, 55.1% and 92.6%. The whole system could effectively remove the non-point source pollution caused by runoff.

[Research on land use structure optimization based on nonpoint source dissolved nitrogen load estimation in Shuaishui watershed].

PubMed

Lu, Yu-Chao; Bi, Meng-Fei; Li, Ze-Li; Sha, Jian; Wang, Yu-Qiu; Qian, Li-Ping

2014-06-01

Regional Nutrient Management (ReNuMa) was applied to estimate dissolved nitrogen (DN) load and perform source apportionment in Shuaishui watershed during 2000-2010. Satisfactory performance of ReNuMa was revealed by the E(ns) and R2 of greater than 0.9 in calibrating and validating streamflow and DN. The average nonpoint DN load in this watershed was 1.11 x 10(3) t x a(-1), with the load intensity of (0.75 +/- 0.22) t x km(-2). Among all the land uses, paddy field had the largest DN load intensity [28.60 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1)], while forest had the least [2.71 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1)]. Agricultural land (including paddy, grain, cash crop, tea plant and orchard) contributed most to DN load in Shuaishui watershed, indicating that the human dominated agricultural activities was the major contributor of nonpoint source pollution. Land use structure optimization for Shuaishui watershed in 2015 was conducted under the rule of reducing pollutants loads and maximizing the agricultural output value. The results demonstrated that agricultural monetary growth was accompanied with the increasing DN load at the optimal level, although output increment was higher than that of DN load.

FECAL BACTERIA SOURCE TRACKING AND BACTEROIDES SPP. HOST SPECIES SPECIFICITY ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Point and non-point pollution sources of fecal pollution on a watershed adversely impact the quality of drinking source waters and recreational waters. States are required to develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and devise best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the po...

Woodchip bioreactors effectively treat aquaculture effluent

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nutrients, in particular nitrogen and phosphorus, can create eutrophication problems in any watershed. Preventing water quality impairment requires controlling nutrients from both point-source and non-point source discharges. Woodchip bioreactors are one relatively new approach that can be utilized ...

Character and Trends of Water Quality in the Blue River Basin, Kansas City Metropolitan Area, Missouri and Kansas, 1998 through 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkison, Donald H.; Armstrong, Daniel J.; Hampton, Sarah A.

2009-01-01

Water-quality and ecological character and trends in the metropolitan Blue River Basin were evaluated from 1998 through 2007 to provide spatial and temporal resolution to factors that affect the quality of water and biota in the basin and provide a basis for assessing the efficacy of long-term combined sewer control and basin management plans. Assessments included measurements of stream discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, turbidity, nutrients (dissolved and total nitrogen and phosphorus species), fecal-indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and fecal coliform), suspended sediment, organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds, and sources of these compounds as well as the quality of stream biota in the basin. Because of the nature and myriad of factors that affect basin water quality, multiple strategies are needed to decrease constituent loads in streams. Strategies designed to decrease or eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs) would substantially reduce the annual loads of nutrients and fecal-indicator bacteria in Brush Creek, but have little effect on Blue River loadings. Nonpoint source reductions to Brush Creek could potentially have an equivalent, if not greater, effect on water quality than would CSO reductions. Nonpoint source reductions could also substantially decrease annual nutrient and bacteria loadings to the Blue River and Indian Creek. Methods designed to decrease nutrient loads originating from Blue River and Indian Creek wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could substantially reduce the overall nutrient load in these streams. For the main stem of the Blue River and Indian Creek, primary sources of nutrients were nonpoint source runoff and WWTPs discharges; however, the relative contribution of each source varied depending on how wet or dry the year was and the number of upstream WWTPs. On Brush Creek, approximately two-thirds of the nutrients originated from nonpoint sources and the remainder from CSOs. Nutrient assimilation processes, which reduced total nitrogen loads by approximately 13 percent and total phosphorus loads by double that amount in a 20-kilometer reach of the Blue River during three synoptic base-flow sampling events between August through September 2004 and September 2005, likely are limited to selected periods during any given year and may not substantially reduce annual nutrient loads. Bacteria densities typically increased with increasing urbanization, and bacteria loadings to the Blue River and Indian Creek were almost entirely the result of nonpoint source runoff. WWTPs contributed, on average, less than 1 percent of the bacteria to these reaches, and in areas of the Blue River that had combined sewers, CSOs contributed only minor amounts (less than 2 percent) of the total annual load in 2005. The bulk of the fecal-indicator bacteria load in Brush Creek also originated from nonpoint sources with the remainder from CSOs. From October 2002 through September 2007, estimated daily mean Escherichia coli bacteria density in upper reaches of the Blue River met the State of Missouri secondary contact criterion standard approximately 85 percent of the time. However, in lower Blue River reaches, the same threshold was exceeded approximately 45 percent of the time. The tributary with the greatest number of CSO discharge points, Brush Creek, contributed approximately 10 percent of the bacteria loads to downstream reaches. The tributary Town Fork Creek had median base-flow Escherichia coli densities that were double that of other basin sites and stormflow densities 10 times greater than those in other parts of the basin largely because approximately one-fourth of the runoff in the Town Fork Creek Basin is believed to originate in combined sewers. Genotypic source typing of bacteria indicated that more than half of the bacteria in this tributary originated from human sources with two storms contributing the bulk of all bacteria sourced as human. However, areas outsid

Water Quality Assessment and Management

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Overview of Clean Water Act (CWA) restoration framework including; water quality standards, monitoring/assessment, reporting water quality status, TMDL development, TMDL implementation (point & nonpoint source control)

LIBRARY-DEPENDENT MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING OF ENTEROCOCCUS SP. USING AFLP AND BOX-PCR

EPA Science Inventory

Library-dependent microbial source tracking (LD MST) methods are one of the approaches used to identify nonpoint sources of fecal contamination in support of total maximum daily load implementation. However, LD MST methods have been questioned due to the high temporal and spatial...

Revisiting forest road retirement

Treesearch

Randy Kolka; Mathew Smidt

2001-01-01

Determining the sources of nonpoint source pollution in a watershed is difficult, although the largest source of sediment in forested systems is from skld trails, haul roads, and landings associated with forest harvest- ing (Ketcheson et al., 1999; Swft, 1988) The transport of sediment to streams and subsequent sedimentation leads to the loss of...

Evaluation of Land Use, Land Management and Soil Conservation Strategies to Reduce Non-Point Source Pollution Loads in the Three Gorges Region, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strehmel, Alexander; Schmalz, Britta; Fohrer, Nicola

2016-11-01

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China and the subsequent impoundment of the Yangtze River have induced a major land use change in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, which fosters increased inputs of sediment and nutrients from diffuse sources into the water bodies. Several government programs have been implemented to mitigate high sediment and nutrient loads to the reservoir. However, institutional weaknesses and a focus on economic development have so far widely counteracted the effectiveness of these programs. In this study, the eco-hydrological model soil and water assessment tool is used to assess the effects of changes in fertilizer amounts and the conditions of bench terraces in the Xiangxi catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region on diffuse matter releases. With this, the study aims at identifying efficient management measures, which should have priority. The results show that a reduction of fertilizer amounts cannot reduce phosphorus loads considerably without inhibiting crop productivity. The condition of terraces in the catchment has a strong impact on soil erosion and phosphorus releases from agricultural areas. Hence, if economically feasible, programmes focusing on the construction and maintenance of terraces in the region should be implemented. Additionally, intercropping on corn fields as well as more efficient fertilization schemes for agricultural land were identified as potential instruments to reduce diffuse matter loads further. While the study was carried out in the Three Gorges Region, its findings may also beneficial for the reduction of water pollution in other mountainous areas with strong agricultural use.

Evaluation of Land Use, Land Management and Soil Conservation Strategies to Reduce Non-Point Source Pollution Loads in the Three Gorges Region, China.

PubMed

Strehmel, Alexander; Schmalz, Britta; Fohrer, Nicola

2016-11-01

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China and the subsequent impoundment of the Yangtze River have induced a major land use change in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, which fosters increased inputs of sediment and nutrients from diffuse sources into the water bodies. Several government programs have been implemented to mitigate high sediment and nutrient loads to the reservoir. However, institutional weaknesses and a focus on economic development have so far widely counteracted the effectiveness of these programs. In this study, the eco-hydrological model soil and water assessment tool is used to assess the effects of changes in fertilizer amounts and the conditions of bench terraces in the Xiangxi catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region on diffuse matter releases. With this, the study aims at identifying efficient management measures, which should have priority. The results show that a reduction of fertilizer amounts cannot reduce phosphorus loads considerably without inhibiting crop productivity. The condition of terraces in the catchment has a strong impact on soil erosion and phosphorus releases from agricultural areas. Hence, if economically feasible, programmes focusing on the construction and maintenance of terraces in the region should be implemented. Additionally, intercropping on corn fields as well as more efficient fertilization schemes for agricultural land were identified as potential instruments to reduce diffuse matter loads further. While the study was carried out in the Three Gorges Region, its findings may also beneficial for the reduction of water pollution in other mountainous areas with strong agricultural use.

Volatile organic compounds in storm water from a parking lot

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lopes, T.J.; Fallon, J.D.; Rutherford, D.W.; Hiatt, M.H.

2000-01-01

A mass balance approach was used to determine the most important nonpoint source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in storm water from an asphalt parking lot without obvious point sources (e.g., gasoline stations). The parking lot surface and atmosphere are important nonpoint sources of VOCs, with each being important for different VOCs. The atmosphere is an important source of soluble, oxygenated VOCs (e.g., acetone), and the parking lot surface is an important source for the more hydrophobic VOCs (e.g., benzene). VOCs on the parking lot surface appear to be concentrated in oil and grease and organic material in urban particles (e.g., vehicle soot). Except in the case of spills, asphalt does not appear to be an important source of VOCs. The uptake isotherm of gaseous methyl tert-butyl ether on urban particles indicates a mechanism for dry deposition of VOCs from the atmosphere. This study demonstrated that a mass balance approach is a useful means of understanding non-point-source pollution, even for compounds such as VOCs, which are difficult to sample.

Fabrication and In Situ Testing of Scalable Nitrate-Selective Electrodes for Distributed Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmon, T. C.; Rat'ko, A.; Dietrich, H.; Park, Y.; Wijsboom, Y. H.; Bendikov, M.

2008-12-01

Inorganic nitrogen (nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH+)) from chemical fertilizer and livestock waste is a major source of pollution in groundwater, surface water and the air. While some sources of these chemicals, such as waste lagoons, are well-defined, their application as fertilizer has the potential to create distributed or non-point source pollution problems. Scalable nitrate sensors (small and inexpensive) would enable us to better assess non-point source pollution processes in agronomic soils, groundwater and rivers subject to non-point source inputs. This work describes the fabrication and testing of inexpensive PVC-membrane- based ion selective electrodes (ISEs) for monitoring nitrate levels in soil water environments. ISE-based sensors have the advantages of being easy to fabricate and use, but suffer several shortcomings, including limited sensitivity, poor precision, and calibration drift. However, modern materials have begun to yield more robust ISE types in laboratory settings. This work emphasizes the in situ behavior of commercial and fabricated sensors in soils subject to irrigation with dairy manure water. Results are presented in the context of deployment techniques (in situ versus soil lysimeters), temperature compensation, and uncertainty analysis. Observed temporal responses of the nitrate sensors exhibited diurnal cycling with elevated nitrate levels at night and depressed levels during the day. Conventional samples collected via lysimeters validated this response. It is concluded that while modern ISEs are not yet ready for long-term, unattended deployment, short-term installations (on the order of 2 to 4 days) are viable and may provide valuable insights into nitrogen dynamics in complex soil systems.

THE ASSOCIATION OF LAND USE/LAND COVER AND NUTRIENT LEVELS IN MARYLAND STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Anthropogenic nonpoint sources of nutrients are known to cause accelerated eutrophication of estuaries. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the world's largest estuaries exhibiting the eutrophication problem caused by pollution from various land use activities. The sources contributing ...

WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION AS A TOOL FOR MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Most sources of stream impairment are related to nonpoint source pollution. To more efficiently deal with TMDL-related issues, an integrated approach to small watershed assessment, diagnosis, and restoration planning is needed that is based on differences in sensitivity and prob...

The Other Water Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Kathy

1978-01-01

Nonpoint source pollution, water pollution not released at one specific identifiable point, now accounts for 50 percent of the nation's water pollution problem. Runoff is the primary culprit and includes the following sources: agriculture, mining, hydrologic modifications, and urban runoff. Economics, legislation, practices, and management of this…

Simulation of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal in Ecological Ditch Based on EFDC Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S. M.; Wang, X. L.; Zhou, Q. Y.; Han, N. N.

2018-03-01

Agricultural non-point source pollution threatens water quality and ecological system recently. To control it, the first and most important task is to control the migration and transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the agricultural ditches. An ecological ditch was designed, and according to the design a pilot device was built, the mechanism of N and P removal in ditches under the collaboration of aquatic organisms-hydraulic power was studied through the dynamic and static experiments, in order to find out the specific influences of different environmental factors such as influent concentration, influent flow and water level. The transport and diffusion of N and P in the ditch was simulated by a three dimensional water quality model EFDC, the simulation results and the experimental data were compared. The average relative errors of EFDC model simulated results were all less than 15%, which verified the reliability of the model.

New challenges for the management of plant nutrients and pathogens in the Waikato River, New Zealand.

PubMed

Vant, W N

2001-01-01

The water quality of the Waikato River is currently much better than it was in the 1950s. Major improvements in the treatment of the sewage and industrial wastewaters which are discharged to the river mean that levels of indicator bacteria in the lower reaches of the river are now many times lower than in the past. Eve so, conditions are still not suitable for swimming, and blue-green algal blooms occur at times. Non-point or diffuse sources of contaminants now dominate the nutrient and pathogens budgets. Progressively-intensifying farming, particularly in lowland areas, is thought to contribute the majority of the contaminants found in the river. Future improvements in water quality will therefore depend more on activities like changes to farming practice--such as retiring the riparian margins of lowland tributaries of the river--than on further advances in wastewater treatment.

A prototype for understanding the effects of TMDL standards: Tying property values to sediment loads in the Lake Tahoe Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tracy, J.C.; Bernknopf, R.; Forney, W.; Hill, K.

2004-01-01

The Federal Clean Water Act (Section 303(d)) mandates that states develop Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plans for water bodies that are on the Section 303(d) list. To be placed on the 303(d) list, a water body must be found to have water quality conditions that limit its ability to meet its designated beneficial uses. The TMDL for a water body is defined in 40 CFR 130 as the sum of waste load allocations from identified points sources and non-point sources within the water body's watershed. The TMDL plan for a listed water body should identify the current waste loads to the water body, the waste load capacity of the water body and then allocate the waste load capacity to the known point and non-point sources of pollution within the water body's watershed. Copyright 2004 ASCE.

Runoff characteristics and non-point source pollution analysis in the Taihu Lake Basin: a case study of the town of Xueyan, China.

PubMed

Zhu, Q D; Sun, J H; Hua, G F; Wang, J H; Wang, H

2015-10-01

Non-point source pollution is a significant environmental issue in small watersheds in China. To study the effects of rainfall on pollutants transported by runoff, rainfall was monitored in Xueyan town in the Taihu Lake Basin (TLB) for over 12 consecutive months. The concentrations of different forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and chemical oxygen demand, were monitored in runoff and river water across different land use types. The results indicated that pollutant loads were highly variable. Most N losses due to runoff were found around industrial areas (printing factories), while residential areas exhibited the lowest nitrogen losses through runoff. Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) were the dominant forms of soluble N around printing factories and hotels, respectively. The levels of N in river water were stable prior to the generation of runoff from a rainfall event, after which they were positively correlated to rainfall intensity. In addition, three sites with different areas were selected for a case study to analyze trends in pollutant levels during two rainfall events, using the AnnAGNPS model. The modeled results generally agreed with the observed data, which suggests that AnnAGNPS can be used successfully for modeling runoff nutrient loading in this region. The conclusions of this study provide important information on controlling non-point source pollution in TLB.

Applying the Manning equation to determine the critical distance in non-point source pollution using remotely sensed data and cartographic modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira, Lília M.; Santos, Nádia A. P.; Maillard, Philippe

2013-10-01

Non-point source pollution (NPSP) is perhaps the leading cause of water quality problems and one of the most challenging environmental issues given the difficulty of modeling and controlling it. In this article, we applied the Manning equation, a hydraulic concept, to improve models of non-point source pollution and determine its influence as a function of slope - land cover roughness for runoff to reach the stream. In our study the equation is somewhat taken out of its usual context to be applies to the flow of an entire watershed. Here a digital elevation model (DEM) from the SRTM satellite was used to compute the slope and data from the RapidEye satellite constellation was used to produce a land cover map later transformed into a roughness surface. The methodology is applied to a 1433 km2 watershed in Southeast Brazil mostly covered by forest, pasture, urban and wetlands. The model was used to create slope buffer of varying width in which the proportions of land cover and roughness coefficient were obtained. Next we correlated these data, through regression, with four water quality parameters measured in situ: nitrate, phosphorous, faecal coliform and turbidity. We compare our results with the ones obtained by fixed buffer. It was found that slope buffer outperformed fixed buffer with higher coefficients of determination up to 15%.

Diffractive micro-optical element with nonpoint response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soifer, Victor A.; Golub, Michael A.

1993-01-01

Common-use diffractive lenses have microrelief zones in the form of simple rings that provide only an optical power but do not contain any image information. They have a point-image response under point-source illumination. We must use a more complicated non-point response to focus a light beam into different light marks, letter-type images as well as for optical pattern recognition. The current presentation describes computer generation of diffractive micro- optical elements with complicated curvilinear zones of a regular piecewise-smooth structure and grey-level or staircase phase microrelief. The manufacture of non-point response elements uses the steps of phase-transfer calculation and orthogonal-scan masks generation or lithographic glass etching. Ray-tracing method is shown to be applicable in this task. Several working samples of focusing optical elements generated by computer and photolithography are presented. Using the experimental results we discuss here such applications as laser branding.

7 CFR 634.12 - Eligible project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... agricultural portion of a 208 water quality management plan, or revised portions thereof, and have identified agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems are eligible for authorization under RCWP. Those critical areas or sources of pollutants significantly contributing to the water quality problems are eligible for...

Nonstationary time series analysis of surface water microbial pathogen population dynamics using cointegration methods

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Question/Methods Bacterial pathogens in surface water present disease risks to aquatic communities and for human recreational activities. Sources of these pathogens include runoff from urban, suburban, and agricultural point and non-point sources, but hazardous micr...

Opening the black box: evaluation of nutrient nonpoint source management for estuarine watersheds

EPA Science Inventory

Over the last 40 years, there have been significant improvements in water quality and ecosystem condition in estuaries stressed by nutrient enrichment. However, documented improvements have been largely attributed to reductions in point sources. In contrast, improvement of coasta...

A CASE STUDY OF NONPOINT SOURCES BACTERIAL CONTRIBUTION TO RURAL SURFACE WATER

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation will address several bacterial issues affecting the Turkey Creek (TC) watershed, in north central Ok. Our results from seasonal stream Escherichia coli (E. coli) analysis, bacterial source tracking, and antibiotic resistance will be shared and discussed in relat...

Study of landscape patterns of variation and optimization based on non-point source pollution control in an estuary.

PubMed

Jiang, Mengzhen; Chen, Haiying; Chen, Qinghui; Wu, Haiyan

2014-10-15

Appropriate increases in the "sink" of a landscape can reduce the risk of non-point source pollution (NPSP) to the sea at relatively lower costs and at a higher efficiency. Based on high-resolution remote sensing image data taken between 2003 and 2008, we analyzed the "source" and "sink" landscape pattern variations of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants in the Jiulongjiang estuary region. The contribution to the sea and distribution of each pollutant in the region was calculated using the LCI and mGLCI models. The results indicated that an increased amount of pollutants was contributed to the sea, and the "source" area of the nitrogen NPSP in the study area increased by 32.75 km(2). We also propose a landscape pattern optimization to reduce pollution in the Jiulongjiang estuary in 2008 through the conversion of cultivated land with slopes greater than 15° and paddy fields near rivers, and an increase in mangrove areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategies were developed by the seven watershed jurisdictions and outlined the river basin-specific implementation activities to reduce nutrient and sediment pollutant loads from point and nonpoint sources.

Modeling the contribution of point sources and non-point sources to Thachin River water pollution.

PubMed

Schaffner, Monika; Bader, Hans-Peter; Scheidegger, Ruth

2009-08-15

Major rivers in developing and emerging countries suffer increasingly of severe degradation of water quality. The current study uses a mathematical Material Flow Analysis (MMFA) as a complementary approach to address the degradation of river water quality due to nutrient pollution in the Thachin River Basin in Central Thailand. This paper gives an overview of the origins and flow paths of the various point- and non-point pollution sources in the Thachin River Basin (in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus) and quantifies their relative importance within the system. The key parameters influencing the main nutrient flows are determined and possible mitigation measures discussed. The results show that aquaculture (as a point source) and rice farming (as a non-point source) are the key nutrient sources in the Thachin River Basin. Other point sources such as pig farms, households and industries, which were previously cited as the most relevant pollution sources in terms of organic pollution, play less significant roles in comparison. This order of importance shifts when considering the model results for the provincial level. Crosschecks with secondary data and field studies confirm the plausibility of our simulations. Specific nutrient loads for the pollution sources are derived; these can be used for a first broad quantification of nutrient pollution in comparable river basins. Based on an identification of the sensitive model parameters, possible mitigation scenarios are determined and their potential to reduce the nutrient load evaluated. A comparison of simulated nutrient loads with measured nutrient concentrations shows that nutrient retention in the river system may be significant. Sedimentation in the slow flowing surface water network as well as nitrogen emission to the air from the warm oxygen deficient waters are certainly partly responsible, but also wetlands along the river banks could play an important role as nutrient sinks.

Applications of remote sensing to hydrologic planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loats, H., Jr.; Fowler, T.; Castruccio, P.

1978-01-01

The transfer of LANDSAT remote sensing technology from the research sector to user operational applications requires demonstration of the utility and accuracy of LANDSAT data in solving real problems. This report describes such a demonstration project in the area of water resources, specifically the estimation of non-point source pollutant loads. Non-point source pollutants were estimated from land cover data from LANDSAT images. Classification accuracies for three small watersheds were above 95%. Land cover was converted to pollutant loads for a fourth watershed through the use of coefficients relating significant pollutants to land use and storm runoff volume. These data were input into a simulator model which simulated runoff from average rainfall. The result was the estimation of monthly expected pollutant loads for the 17 subbasins comprising the Magothy watershed.

Emerging technologies to remove nonpoint phosphorus sources from surface water and groundwater

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

New innovative remediation practices are currently being developed that address phosphorus transfers from soils and applied sources to surface and ground waters. These practices include reactive barriers placed along field ditches and drainage ways, retention filters at the end of tile drains, mater...

Integrating watershed– and farm–scale models to target critical source areas while maintaining farm economic viability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture and the impacts of mitigating best management practices are commonly evaluated based on hydrologic boundaries using watershed models. However, management practice effectiveness is impacted by which of the feasible practices are actually selected, implemente...

EFFECTIVENESS OF RESTORED WETLANDS FOR THE TREATMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF

EPA Science Inventory

The integration of the tax ditches into a drainage management system provides obvious benefits, but can also present a source of significant nonpoint source pollution from agricultural runoff. Many of Delaware's tax ditches have been listed on Delaware's Clean
Water Act 303(d)...

Monitoring Fecal Indicators and Pathogens in Watersheds: Implementing a Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Approach

EPA Science Inventory

- Many of the nation's rivers, lakes, and estuaries are impaired with fecal indicator bacteria. - Fecal contamination from point and non-point sources is responsible for the presence of fecal pathogens in source and recreational waters - Effective compliance with TMDL regulatio...

The urban atmosphere as a non-point source for the transport of MTBE and other volatile organic compounds (VOCS) to shallow groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pankow, J.F.; Thomson, N.R.; Johnson, Richard L.; Baehr, A.L.; Zogorski, J.S.

1997-01-01

Infiltration and dispersion (including molecular diffusion) can transport volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urban air into shallow groundwater. The gasoline additive methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is of special interest because of its (1) current levels in some urban air, (2) strong partitioning from air into water, (3) resistance to degradation, (4) use as an octane-booster since the 1970s, (5) rapidly increasing use in the 1990s to reduce CO and O3 in urban air, and (6) its frequent detection at low microgram per liter levels in shallow urban groundwater in Denver, New England, and elsewhere. Numerical simulations were conducted using a 1-D model domain set in medium sand (depth to water table = 5 m) to provide a test of whether MTBE and other atmospheric VOCs could move to shallow groundwater within the 10−15 y time frame over which MTBE has now been used in large amounts. Degradation and sorption were assumed negligible. In case 1 (no infiltration, steady atmospheric source), 10 y was not long enough to permit significant VOC movement by diffusion into shallow groundwater. Case 2 considered a steady atmospheric source plus 36 cm/y of net infiltration; groundwater at 2 m below the water table became nearly saturated with atmospheric levels of VOC within 5 y. Case 3 was similar to case 2, but considered the source to be seasonal, being “on” for only 5 of 12 months each year, as with the use of MTBE during the winter fuel-oxygenate season; groundwater at 2 m below the water table became equilibrated with 5/12 of the “source-on” concentration within 5 y. Cases 4 and 5 added an evapotranspiration (ET) loss of 36 cm/y, resulting in no net recharge. Case 4 took the ET from the surface, and case 5 took the ET from the capillary fringe at a depth of 3.5 m. Net VOC mass transfer to shallow groundwater after 5 y was less for both cases 4 and 5 than for case 3. However, it was significantly greater for cases 4 and 5 than for case 1, even though cases 1, 4, and 5 were all no-net recharge cases. The mechanism responsible for this effect was the dispersion acting on each downward infiltration event, and also on the ET-induced flow. The ability of MTBE to reach groundwater in cases 2−5 is taken as evidence of the potential importance of urban air as a non-point source for VOCs in shallow urban groundwater. Two subcases were run for both case 4 and case 5:  subcase a (water and VOCs move with ET) and subcase b (water only moves with ET).

Nonpoint Source: National Water Quality Initiative

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) is a collaborative between EPA and Natural Resource Conservation Service ( NRCS) that began in 2012. NWQI provides a means to accelerate voluntary, private lands conservation practices

40 CFR 35.3140 - Environmental review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3140 Environmental... nonpoint source pollution control (section 319) and estuary protection (section 320) projects that are also...

40 CFR 35.3140 - Environmental review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3140 Environmental... nonpoint source pollution control (section 319) and estuary protection (section 320) projects that are also...

40 CFR 35.3140 - Environmental review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3140 Environmental... nonpoint source pollution control (section 319) and estuary protection (section 320) projects that are also...

40 CFR 35.3140 - Environmental review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3140 Environmental... nonpoint source pollution control (section 319) and estuary protection (section 320) projects that are also...

40 CFR 35.3140 - Environmental review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3140 Environmental... nonpoint source pollution control (section 319) and estuary protection (section 320) projects that are also...

Hydrology and water quality of forested lands in eastern North Carolina

Treesearch

G.M. Chescheir; M.E. Lebo; D.M. Amatya; J. Hughes; J.W. Gilliam; R.W. Skaggs; R.B. Herrmann

2003-01-01

Nonpoint sources of nutrients (NPS) are a widespread source of surface water pollution throu&out the United States. Characterizing the sources of this NPS nutrient loading is challenging due to variation in land management practices, physioyaphic setting, site conditions such as soil type, and climatic variation. For nutrients, there is the added challenge of...

Analysis of the environmental behavior of farmers for non-point source pollution control and management in a water source protection area in China.

PubMed

Wang, Yandong; Yang, Jun; Liang, Jiping; Qiang, Yanfang; Fang, Shanqi; Gao, Minxue; Fan, Xiaoyu; Yang, Gaihe; Zhang, Baowen; Feng, Yongzhong

2018-08-15

The environmental behavior of farmers plays an important role in exploring the causes of non-point source pollution and taking scientific control and management measures. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the present study investigated the environmental behavior of farmers in the Water Source Area of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China. Results showed that TPB could explain farmers' environmental behavior (SMC=0.26) and intention (SMC=0.36) well. Furthermore, the farmers' attitude towards behavior (AB), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) positively and significantly influenced their environmental intention; their environmental intention further impacted their behavior. SN was proved to be the main key factor indirectly influencing the farmers' environmental behavior, while PBC had no significant and direct effect. Moreover, environmental knowledge following as a moderator, gender and age was used as control variables to conduct the environmental knowledge on TPB construct moderated mediation analysis. It demonstrated that gender had a significant controlling effect on environmental behavior; that is, males engage in more environmentally friendly behaviors. However, age showed a significant negative controlling effect on pro-environmental intention and an opposite effect on pro-environmental behavior. In addition, environmental knowledge could negatively moderate the relationship between PBC and environmental intention. PBC had a greater impact on the environmental intention of farmers with poor environmental knowledge, compared to those with plenty environmental knowledge. Altogether, the present study could provide a theoretical basis for non-point source pollution control and management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presence of Pathogens and Indicator Microbes at a Non-Point Source Subtropical Recreational Marine Beach ▿ †

PubMed Central

Abdelzaher, Amir M.; Wright, Mary E.; Ortega, Cristina; Solo-Gabriele, Helena M.; Miller, Gary; Elmir, Samir; Newman, Xihui; Shih, Peter; Bonilla, J. Alfredo; Bonilla, Tonya D.; Palmer, Carol J.; Scott, Troy; Lukasik, Jerzy; Harwood, Valerie J.; McQuaig, Shannon; Sinigalliano, Chris; Gidley, Maribeth; Plano, Lisa R. W.; Zhu, Xiaofang; Wang, John D.; Fleming, Lora E.

2010-01-01

Swimming in ocean water, including ocean water at beaches not impacted by known point sources of pollution, is an increasing health concern. This study was an initial evaluation of the presence of indicator microbes and pathogens and the association among the indicator microbes, pathogens, and environmental conditions at a subtropical, recreational marine beach in south Florida impacted by non-point sources of pollution. Twelve water and eight sand samples were collected during four sampling events at high or low tide under elevated or reduced solar insolation conditions. The analyses performed included analyses of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens), human-associated microbial source tracking (MST) markers (human polyomaviruses [HPyVs] and Enterococcus faecium esp gene), and pathogens (Vibrio vulnificus, Staphylococcus aureus, enterovirus, norovirus, hepatitis A virus, Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia spp.). The enterococcus concentrations in water and sand determined by quantitative PCR were greater than the concentrations determined by membrane filtration measurement. The FIB concentrations in water were below the recreational water quality standards for three of the four sampling events, when pathogens and MST markers were also generally undetectable. The FIB levels exceeded regulatory guidelines during one event, and this was accompanied by detection of HPyVs and pathogens, including detection of the autochthonous bacterium V. vulnificus in sand and water, detection of the allochthonous protozoans Giardia spp. in water, and detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in sand samples. The elevated microbial levels were detected at high tide and under low-solar-insolation conditions. Additional sampling should be conducted to further explore the relationships between tidal and solar insolation conditions and between indicator microbes and pathogens in subtropical recreational marine waters impacted by non-point source pollution. PMID:19966020

Indicator microbes correlate with pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and helminthes in sand at a subtropical recreational beach site.

PubMed

Shah, A H; Abdelzaher, A M; Phillips, M; Hernandez, R; Solo-Gabriele, H M; Kish, J; Scorzetti, G; Fell, J W; Diaz, M R; Scott, T M; Lukasik, J; Harwood, V J; McQuaig, S; Sinigalliano, C D; Gidley, M L; Wanless, D; Ager, A; Lui, J; Stewart, J R; Plano, L R W; Fleming, L E

2011-06-01

Research into the relationship between pathogens, faecal indicator microbes and environmental factors in beach sand has been limited, yet vital to the understanding of the microbial relationship between sand and the water column and to the improvement of criteria for better human health protection at beaches. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the presence and distribution of pathogens in various zones of beach sand (subtidal, intertidal and supratidal) and to assess their relationship with environmental parameters and indicator microbes at a non-point source subtropical marine beach. In this exploratory study in subtropical Miami (Florida, USA), beach sand samples were collected and analysed over the course of 6 days for several pathogens, microbial source tracking markers and indicator microbes. An inverse correlation between moisture content and most indicator microbes was found. Significant associations were identified between some indicator microbes and pathogens (such as nematode larvae and yeasts in the genus Candida), which are from classes of microbes that are rarely evaluated in the context of recreational beach use. Results indicate that indicator microbes may predict the presence of some of the pathogens, in particular helminthes, yeasts and the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin-resistant forms. Indicator microbes may thus be useful for monitoring beach sand and water quality at non-point source beaches. The presence of both indicator microbes and pathogens in beach sand provides one possible explanation for human health effects reported at non-point sources beaches. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water...

Developing Effective Nonpoint Source TMDLs: An Evaluation of the TMDL Process

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The report explores whether various characteristics of data availability, funding resources, guidance materials, stakeholder involvement, scale of TMDLs and implementation planning positively influence development of effective TMDLs.

Export Mechanisms of Persistent Toxic Substances (PTSs) in Urban Land Uses during Rainfall-Runoff Events: Experimental and Modeling Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y.; Luo, X.; Lin, Z.

2016-12-01

The urban environment has a variety of Persistent Toxic Substances (PTS), such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mercury. Soil in pervious lands and dust deposited on impervious surfaces are two major sinks of PTSs in urbanized areas, which could contribute significant nonpoint source loadings of PTSs to adjacent waterbodies during rainfall-runoff events and therefore jeopardize aquatic ecosystems. However, PTSs have been much less understood regarding their export mechanisms in urban land uses, and efforts to model nonpoint source pollution processes of PTSs have been rare. We designed and performed in-lab rainfall-runoff simulation experiments to investigate transport of PAHs and mercury by runoff from urban soils. Organic petrology analysis (OPA) techniques were introduced to analyze the soil and sediment compositions. Our study revealed the limitation of the classic enrichment theory which attributes enrichment of pollutants in eroded sediment solely to the sediment's particle size distribution and adopts simple relationships between enrichment ratio and sediment flux. We found that carbonaceous materials (CMs) in soil are the direct and major sorbents for PAHs and mercury, and highly different in content, mobility and adsorption capacity for the PTSs. Anthropogenic CMs like black carbon components largely control the transport of soil PAHs, while humic substances have a dominant influence on the transport of soil mercury. A model was further developed to estimate the enrichment ratio of PAHs, which innovatively applies the fugacity concept.We also conducted field studies on export of PAHs by runoff from urban roads. A variable time-step model was developed to simulate the continuous cycles of PAH buildup and washoff on urban roads. The dependence of the pollution level on antecedent weather conditions was investigated and embodied in the model. The applicability of this approach and its value to environmental management was demonstrated by a case study in Beijing, China. Overall, our studies advanced the understanding of nonpoint source pollution of PTSs in the urban environment. The quantitative approaches developed can help improve existing nonpoint source pollution models. The study results also have important implications to watershed water quality management.

US EPA bioeffects monitoring under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Overview of efforts to assess the biological impacts of CECs

EPA Science Inventory

Product Description:Concern exists regarding the potential biological effects of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the Great Lakes. CECs arise from multiple sources, including agriculture, wastewater effluents, and urban nonpoint sources. The Great Lakes Restoration Init...

MODELING MINERAL NITROGEN EXPORT FROM A FOREST TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM TO STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Terrestrial ecosystems are major sources of N pollution to aquatic ecosystems. Predicting N export to streams is a critical goal of non-point source modeling. This study was conducted to assess the effect of terrestrial N cycling on stream N export using long-term monitoring da...

CD ROM: NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS: PROCEEDINGS, CHICAGO, IL, FEBRUARY 9-12, 1998

EPA Science Inventory

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducingnonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Isssues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previou...

Integrating watershed- and farm-scale modeling framework for targeting critical source areas while maintaining farm economic viability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative risk assessments of pollution and data related to the effectiveness of mitigating best management practices (BMPs) are important aspects of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control efforts, particularly those driven by specific water quality objectives and by measurable improvement goals...

Water Quality Field Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soil Conservation Service (USDA), Washington, DC.

Nonpoint source pollution is both a relatively recent concern and a complex phenomenon with many unknowns. Knowing the extent to which agricultural sources contribute to the total pollutant load, the extent to which various control practices decrease this load, and the effect of reducing the pollutants delivered to a water body are basic to the…

Delineating Contaminants and Transport Pathways Within a Coastal Watershed in Southeast Puerto Rico

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Coastal water quality decline due to point and non-point source pollution from terrestrial sources is a serious concern throughout the Caribbean basin and worldwide. Toxic and noxious algal blooms, declines in mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, depletion of fishery stocks, coral reef die-off, pu...

Web-based Communication of Water Quality Issues and Potential Solution Exploration

EPA Science Inventory

Many United States water bodies are impaired, i.e., do not meet applicable water quality standards. Pollutants enter water bodies from point sources (PS) and non-point sources (NPS). Loadings from PS are regulated by the Clean Water Act and permits limit them. Loadings from NPS a...

Evaluating the suitability of the Soil Vulnerability Index (SVI) classification scheme using the SWAT model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Conservation practices are effective ways to mitigate non-point source pollution, especially when implemented on critical source areas (CSAs) known to be the areas contributing disproportionately to high pollution loads. Although hydrologic models are promising tools to identify CSAs within agricul...

Reducing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico – an alternative approach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico is a high-priority national issue. Agricultural nonpoint source pollution is the greatest source of water pollution today and its consequences are particularly evident in the Gulf of Mexico. For example, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana together contribute nearly 30% of the p...

Nonpoint Source Monitoring and Evaluation Guide: Final ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

... il!!~~!i!I~~~~I~~ tIC Leachate first ... per hour), maximum intensity (inches per hour), time since the previous storm (hours), antecedent rainfall (inches ...

Constructed wetlands for nonpoint source pollution control.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

Wetland mitigation and stormwater management provisions in the 1987 Clean Water Act (CWA) significantly impact transportation agencies. CWA Section 404 stipulates that when highway construction results in the displacement of natural wetlands, the hig...

Urban Runoff: National Management Measures

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This helps citizens and municipalities in urban areas protect bodies of water from polluted runoff . These scientifically sound techniques are the best practices known today. The guidance helps states to implement their nonpoint source control program.

40 CFR 35.3115 - Eligible activities of the SRF.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3115 Eligible... a nonpoint source pollution control management program under section 319 of the Act; and (c) For...

40 CFR 35.3115 - Eligible activities of the SRF.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3115 Eligible... a nonpoint source pollution control management program under section 319 of the Act; and (c) For...

40 CFR 35.3115 - Eligible activities of the SRF.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3115 Eligible... a nonpoint source pollution control management program under section 319 of the Act; and (c) For...

40 CFR 35.3115 - Eligible activities of the SRF.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3115 Eligible... a nonpoint source pollution control management program under section 319 of the Act; and (c) For...

Nonpoint Source: Urban Areas

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Urbanization increases the variety and amount of pollutants carried into our nation's waters. Pavement and compacted landscapes do not allow rain and snow melt to soak into the ground. List of typical pollutants from Urban runoff.

40 CFR 35.3115 - Eligible activities of the SRF.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE State Water Pollution Control Revolving Funds § 35.3115 Eligible... a nonpoint source pollution control management program under section 319 of the Act; and (c) For...

The voluntary-threat approach to control nonpoint source pollution under uncertainty.

PubMed

Li, Youping

2013-11-15

This paper extends the voluntary-threat approach of Segerson and Wu (2006) to the case that the ambient level of nonpoint source pollution is stochastic. It is shown that when the random component is bounded from the above, fine-tuning the cutoff value of the tax payments avoids the actual imposition of the tax while the threat of such payments retains necessary incentive for the polluters to engage in abatements at the optimal level. If the random component is not bounded, the imposition of the tax cannot be completely avoided but the probability can be reduced by setting a higher cutoff value. It is also noted that the regulator has additional flexibility in randomizing the tax imposition but the randomization process has to be credible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of agricultural non-point source pollution in Xichuan by using SWAT model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Linan; Zuo, Jiane; Liu, Fenglin; Zhang, Xiaohui; Cao, Qiguang

2018-02-01

This paper evaluated the applicability of using SWAT to access agricultural non-point source pollution in Xichuan area. In order to build the model, DEM, soil sort and land use map, climate monitoring data were collected as basic database. The SWAT model was calibrated and validated for the SWAT was carried out using streamflow, suspended solids, total phosphorus and total nitrogen records from 2009 to 2011. Errors, coefficient of determination and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient were considered to evaluate the applicability. The coefficient of determination were 0.96, 0.66, 0.55 and 0.66 for streamflow, SS, TN, and TP, respectively. Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient were 0.93, 0.5, 0.52 and 0.63, respectively. The results all meet the requirements. It suggested that the SWAT model can simulate the study area.

Purification and reuse of non-point source wastewater via Myriophyllum-based integrative biotechnology: A review.

PubMed

Liu, Feng; Zhang, Shunan; Luo, Pei; Zhuang, Xuliang; Chen, Xiang; Wu, Jinshui

2018-01-01

In this review, the applications of Myriophyllum-based integrative biotechnology to remove common non-point source (NPS) pollutants, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and organic pollutants (e.g., pesticides and antibiotics) are summarized. The removal of these pollutants via various mechanisms, including uptake by plant and microbial communities in macrophyte-based treatment systems are discussed. This review highlights the potential use of Myriophyllum biomass to produce animal feed, fertilizer, and other valuable by-products, which can yield cost-effective returns and attract more attention to the regulation and recycling of NPS pollutants. In addition, it demonstrates that utilization of Myriophyllum species is a promising and reliable strategy for wastewater treatment. The future development of sustainable Myriophyllum-based treatment systems is discussed from various perspectives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitigation of nonpoint source pollution in rural areas: From control to synergies of multi ecosystem services.

PubMed

Wu, Yonghong; Liu, Junzhuo; Shen, Renfang; Fu, Bojie

2017-12-31

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution produced by human activities in rural areas has induced excessive nutrient input into surface waters and the decline of water quality. The essence of NPS pollution is the transport of nutrients between soil and water. Traditional NPS pollution control strategies, however, are mainly based on the solid and liquid phases, with little focus on the bio-phase between water and soil. The pollutants produced from NPS can be regarded as a resource if recycled or reused in an appropriate way in the agricultural ecosystem. This mini review proposes novel strategies for NPS pollution control based on three phases (liquid, solid and bio-phase) and highlights the regulating services of an agricultural ecosystem by optimizing land use/cover types. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emerging technologies for removing nonpoint phosphorus from surface water and groundwater: introduction.

PubMed

Buda, Anthony R; Koopmans, Gerwin F; Bryant, Ray B; Chardon, Wim J

2012-01-01

Coastal and freshwater eutrophication continues to accelerate at sites around the world despite intense efforts to control agricultural P loss using traditional conservation and nutrient management strategies. To achieve required reductions in nonpoint P over the next decade, new tools will be needed to address P transfers from soils and applied P sources. Innovative remediation practices are being developed to remove nonpoint P sources from surface water and groundwater using P sorbing materials (PSMs) derived from natural, synthetic, and industrial sources. A wide array of technologies has been conceived, ranging from amendments that immobilize P in soils and manures to filters that remove P from agricultural drainage waters. This collection of papers summarizes theoretical modeling, laboratory, field, and economic assessments of P removal technologies. Modeling and laboratory studies demonstrate the importance of evaluating P removal technologies under controlled conditions before field deployment, and field studies highlight several challenges to P removal that may be unanticipated in the laboratory, including limited P retention by filters during storms, as well as clogging of filters due to sedimentation. Despite the potential of P removal technologies to improve water quality, gaps in our knowledge remain, and additional studies are needed to characterize the long-term performance of these technologies, as well as to more fully understand their costs and benefits in the context of whole-farm- and watershed-scale P management. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

GIS-based spatial regression and prediction of water quality in river networks: A case study in Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, X.; Jin, W.

2010-01-01

Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of the U.S.'s water quality problems. One important component of nonpoint source pollution control is an understanding of what and how watershed-scale conditions influence ambient water quality. This paper investigated the use of spatial regression to evaluate the impacts of watershed characteristics on stream NO3NO2-N concentration in the Cedar River Watershed, Iowa. An Arc Hydro geodatabase was constructed to organize various datasets on the watershed. Spatial regression models were developed to evaluate the impacts of watershed characteristics on stream NO3NO2-N concentration and predict NO3NO2-N concentration at unmonitored locations. Unlike the traditional ordinary least square (OLS) method, the spatial regression method incorporates the potential spatial correlation among the observations in its coefficient estimation. Study results show that NO3NO2-N observations in the Cedar River Watershed are spatially correlated, and by ignoring the spatial correlation, the OLS method tends to over-estimate the impacts of watershed characteristics on stream NO3NO2-N concentration. In conjunction with kriging, the spatial regression method not only makes better stream NO3NO2-N concentration predictions than the OLS method, but also gives estimates of the uncertainty of the predictions, which provides useful information for optimizing the design of stream monitoring network. It is a promising tool for better managing and controlling nonpoint source pollution. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Distribution of agrochemicals in the lower Mississippi River and its tributaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Rostad, C.E.; Leiker, T.J.

1990-01-01

The Mississippi River and its tributaries drain extensive agricultural regions of the Mid-Continental United States. Millions of pounds of herbicides are applied annually in these areas to improve crop yields. Many of these compounds are transported into the river from point and nonpoint sources, and eventually are discharged into the Gulf of Mexico. Studies being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey along the lower Mississippi River and its major tributaries, representing a 2000 km river reach, have confirmed that several triazine and acetanilide herbicides and their degradation products are ubiquitous in this riverine system. These compounds include atrazine and its degradation products desethyl and desisopropylatrazine, cyanazine, simazine, metolachlor, and alachlor and its degradation products 2-chloro-2',6'-diethylacetanilide, 2-hydroxy-2',6-diethylacetanilide and 2,6-diethylaniline. Loads of these compounds were determined at 16 different sampling stations. Stream-load calculations provided information concerning (a) conservative or nonconservative behavior of herbicides; (b) point sources or nonpoint sources; (c) validation of sampling techniques; and (d) transport past each sampling station.

Long-term variations in sediment heavy metals of a reservoir with changing trophic states: Implications for the impact of climate change.

PubMed

Wu, Qiong; Qi, Jun; Xia, Xinghui

2017-12-31

Two dated sediment cores from the Miyun Reservoir of Beijing in China were analyzed to reconstruct the pollution history of heavy metals including cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) as well as phosphorus (P). Enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (I geo ) were applied to assess the enrichment status of heavy metals. Average EF and I geo values indicated that the studied heavy metals in the sediments mainly originated from non-point source pollution and soil-water erosion, showing low ecological risks. In addition, correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) identified that Cd, Zn, and P were mainly from agricultural diffusion pollution caused by utilization of the phosphate fertilizer; Zn, Ni, and Cr originated from soil erosion. PCA analysis was further conducted to investigate the relationships among meteorological factors, algae-dominant total organic carbon (TOC), and heavy metals. Results showed that algae-dominant TOC had strong positive correlation with temperature, which can be explained by that increased temperature accelerated the growth of algae. Meanwhile the opposite loadings between algae-dominant TOC and heavy metal suggested that primary production played an important role in migration and transformation of metals. Moreover, stepwise multiple regression models showed that Fe was sensitive to temperature, which accounted for approximately 39.0% and 40.1% of the variations in Fe of two sediment cores, respectively. Fe showed significant decreasing trends during the past 50years. Reductive environment of water-sediment interface caused by increasing temperature probably contributed to the restoration of ferric iron, resulting in the release of soluble Fe to overlying waters. Future climate change with elevated temperature and extreme weather events will aggravate the ecological risk of heavy metals in water environment due to the enhanced leaching effect and non-point source pollution as well as the release of heavy metals from sediments to water environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

AN APPROACH TO IDENTIFY AND SELECT APPROPRIATE BMPS FOR SOURCE WATER PROTECTION: A CASE STUDY IN COLUMBUS, OH

EPA Science Inventory

Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of impairment to our nations water resources. Both drinking and wastewater utilities are challenged to comply with existing and proposed federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) regulations. Federal and state ...

Chemical compositions of dissolved organic matter from various sources as characterized by solid-state NMR

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface waters plays an important role in biogeochemical and ecological processes. This study used solid-state NMR techniques to explore the molecular signatures of riverine DOM in relation to its point and nonpoint sources. DOM samples were isolated from (1) two st...

Evaluation of the TBET model for improving P-indices in southern states

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Management of agricultural nonpoint source phosphorus (P) requires identification of fields susceptible to P loss. P-Indices are the most common tools used to identify critical source areas of P loss. However, the success of the P-index approach is impeded by insufficient measured P loss data. Simul...

Preliminary study on using rare earth elements to trace non-point source phosphorous loss

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The environmental fate of phosphorus (P) is of concern as P is a primary cause of freshwater eutrophication. Rare earth elements (REEs) have been successfully used in the analysis of soil erosion and pollutant sources, as well as in the analysis of mineral genesis. To better understand the potential...

INCORPORATION OF DNA BARCODES INTO ASSESSMENTS OF THE BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS: PRECISION, ACCURACY AND COST

EPA Science Inventory

Historically, water quality assessments in the United States primarily focused on water chemistry assays at or near discharge sources. As it has become clear that waters also can be highly impaired from dispersed (i.e., non-point source) chemicals and non-chemical impacts, direc...

Setting priorities for research on pollution reduction functions of agricultural buffers

Treesearch

Michael G. Dosskey

2002-01-01

The success of buffer installation initiatives and programs to reduce nonpoint source pollution of streams on agricultural lands will depend the ability of local planners to locate and design buffers for specific circumstances with substantial and predictable results. Current predictive capabilities are inadequate, and major sources of uncertainty remain. An...

Examining trends in general fecal indicator bacteria and microbial source tracking genetic markers at non-point source impacted Chicago beaches

EPA Science Inventory

In the Chicago area, treated wastewater and storm water flow through the engineered Chicago River system to the Mississippi River, with the goal to protect Lake Michigan from urban discharges. Therefore, under dry weather conditions, nearby Lake Michigan recreational beaches shou...

Refining models for quantifying the water quality benefits of improved animal management for use in water quality trading

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water quality trading (WQT) is a market-based approach that allows point sources of water pollution to meet their water quality obligations by purchasing credits from the reduced discharges from other point or nonpoint sources. Non-permitted animal operations and fields of permitted animal operatio...

Differentiation of fecal Escherichia coli from poultry and free-living birds by (GTG)5-PCR genomic fingerprinting.

PubMed

Mohapatra, Bidyut R; Broersma, Klaas; Mazumder, Asit

2008-04-01

Determination of the non-point sources of fecal pollution is essential for the assessment of potential public health risk and development of appropriate management practices for prevention of further contamination. Repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR coupled with (GTG)(5) primer [(GTG)(5)-PCR] was performed on 573 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from the feces of poultry (chicken, duck and turkey) and free-living (Canada goose, hawk, magpie, seagull and songbird) birds to evaluate the efficacy of (GTG)(5)-PCR genomic fingerprinting in the prediction of the correct source of fecal pollution. A discriminant analysis with the jack-knife algorithm of (GTG)(5)-PCR DNA fingerprints revealed that 95%, 94.1%, 93.2%, 84.6%, 79.7%, 76.7%, 75.3% and 70.7% of magpie, hawk, turkey, seagull, Canada goose, chicken, duck and songbird fecal E. coli isolates classified into the correct host source, respectively. The results of this study indicate that (GTG)(5)-PCR can be considered to be a complementary molecular tool for the rapid determination of E. coli isolates identity and tracking the non-point sources of fecal pollution.

Nonpoint Source: Marinas and Boating

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Because marinas are located right at the water's edge, there is a strong potential for marina waters to become contaminated with pollutants generated from the various activities that occur at marinas—such as boat cleaning and fueling operations.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IN URBAN AREAS

EPA Science Inventory

Uncaptured stormwater runoff from urban and urbanizing areas has negative impacts on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Alters hydrologic regimes through conversion of precipitation to runoff, lowers extent of infiltration. Aggravates nonpoint source pollution issues.

Probabilistic Analysis of Earthquake-Led Water Contamination: A Case of Sichuan, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yan; Li, Lin; Benjamin Zhan, F.; Zhuang, Yanhua

2016-06-01

The objective of this paper is to evaluate seismic-led point source and non-point source water pollution, under the seismic hazard of 10 % probability of exceedance in 50 years, and with the minimum value of the water quality standard in Sichuan, China. The soil conservation service curve number method of calculating the runoff depth in the single rainfall event combined with the seismic damage index were applied to estimate the potential degree of non-point source water pollution. To estimate the potential impact of point source water pollution, a comprehensive water pollution evaluation framework is constructed using a combination of Water Quality Index and Seismic Damage Index methods. The four key findings of this paper are: (1) The water catchment that has the highest factory concentration does not have the highest risk of non-point source water contamination induced by the outbreak of potential earthquake. (2) The water catchment that has the highest numbers of cumulative water pollutants types are typically located in the south western parts of Sichuan where the main river basins in the regions flow through. (3) The most common pollutants in sample factories studied is COD and NH3-N which are found in all catchments. The least common pollutant is pathogen—found present in W1 catchment which has the best rating in the water quality index. (4) Using water quality index as a standardization parameter, parallel comparisons is made among the 16 water catchments. Only catchment W1 reaches level II water quality status which has the rating of moderately polluted in events of earthquake induced water contamination. All other areas suffer from severe water contamination with multiple pollution sources. The results from the data model are significant to urban planning commissions and businesses to strategically choose their factory locations in order to minimize potential hazardous impact during the outbreak of earthquake.

Monitoring coastal marine waters for spore-forming bacteria of faecal and soil origin to determine point from non-point source pollution.

PubMed

Fujioka, R S

2001-01-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have established recreational water quality standards limiting the concentrations of faecal indicator bacteria (faecal coliform, E. coli, enterococci) to ensure that these waters are safe for swimming. In the application of these hygienic water quality standards, it is assumed that there are no significant environmental sources of these faecal indicator bacteria which are unrelated to direct faecal contamination. However, we previously reported that these faecal indicator bacteria are able to grow in the soil environment of humid tropical island environments such as Hawaii and Guam and are transported at high concentrations into streams and storm drains by rain. Thus, streams and storm drains in Hawaii contain consistently high concentrations of faecal indicator bacteria which routinely exceed the EPA and WHO recreational water quality standards. Since, streams and storm drains eventually flow out to coastal marine waters, we hypothesize that all the coastal beaches which receive run-off from streams and storm drains will contain elevated concentrations of faecal indicator bacteria. To test this hypothesis, we monitored the coastal waters at four beaches known to receive water from stream or storm drains for salinity, turbidity, and used the two faecal indicator bacteria (E. coli, enterococci) to establish recreational water quality standards. To determine if these coastal waters are contaminated with non-point source pollution (streams) or with point source pollution (sewage effluent), these same water samples were also assayed for spore-forming bacteria of faecal origin (Cl. perfringens) and of soil origin (Bacillus species). Using this monitoring strategy it was possible to determine when coastal marine waters were contaminated with non-point source pollution and when coastal waters were contaminated with point source pollution. The results of this study are most likely applicable to all countries in the warm and humid region of the world.

Tracking Nonpoint Source Nitrogen and Carbon in Watersheds of Chesapeake Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaushal, S.; Pennino, M. J.; Duan, S.; Blomquist, J.

2012-12-01

Humans have altered nitrogen and carbon cycles in rivers regionally with important impacts on coastal ecosystems. Nonpoint source nitrogen pollution is a leading contributor to coastal eutrophication and hypoxia. Shifts in sources of carbon impact downstream ecosystem metabolism and fate and transport of contaminants in coastal zones. We used a combination of stable isotopes and optical tracers to investigate fate and transport of nitrogen and carbon sources in tributaries of the largest estuary in the U.S., the Chesapeake Bay. We analyzed isotopic composition of water samples from major tributaries including the Potomac River, Susquehanna River, Patuxent River, and Choptank River during routine and storm event sampling over multiple years. A positive correlation between δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3- in the Potomac River above Washington D.C. suggested denitrification or biological uptake in the watershed was removing agriculturally-derived N during summer months. In contrast, the Patuxent River in Maryland showed elevated δ15N-NO3- (5 - 12 per mil) with no relationship to δ18O-NO3- suggesting the importance of wastewater sources. From the perspective of carbon sources, there were distinct isotopic values of the δ13C-POM of particulate organic matter and fluorescence excitation emission matrices (EEMS) for rivers influenced by their dominant watershed land use. EEMS showed that there were increases in the humic and fulvic fractions of dissolved organic matter during spring floods, particularly in the Potomac River. Stable isotopic values of δ13C-POM also showed rapid depletion suggesting terrestrial carbon "pulses" in the Potomac River each spring. The δ15N-POM peaked to 10 - 15 per mil each spring suggested a potential manure source or result of biological processing within the watershed. Overall, there were considerable changes in sources and transformations of nitrogen and carbon that varied across rivers and that contribute to nitrogen and carbon loads. Anticipating changes in sources and transformations will be critical for effectively managing nonpoint pollution and ecosystem services such as drinking water quality and coastal habitat.

Regional Scale Simulations of Nitrate Leaching through Agricultural Soils of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diamantopoulos, E.; Walkinshaw, M.; O'Geen, A. T.; Harter, T.

2016-12-01

Nitrate is recognized as one of California's most widespread groundwater contaminants. As opposed to point sources, which are relative easily identifiable sources of contamination, non-point sources of nitrate are diffuse and linked with widespread use of fertilizers in agricultural soils. California's agricultural regions have an incredible diversity of soils that encompass a huge range of properties. This complicates studies dealing with nitrate risk assessment, since important biological and physicochemical processes appear at the first meters of the vadose zone. The objective of this study is to evaluate all agricultural soils in California according to their potentiality for nitrate leaching based on numerical simulations using the Richards equation. We conducted simulations for 6000 unique soil profiles (over 22000 soil horizons) taking into account the effect of climate, crop type, irrigation and fertilization management scenarios. The final goal of this study is to evaluate simple management methods in terms of reduced nitrate leaching. We estimated drainage rates of water under the root zone and nitrate concentrations in the drain water at the regional scale. We present maps for all agricultural soils in California which can be used for risk assessment studies. Finally, our results indicate that adoption of simple irrigation and fertilization methods may significantly reduce nitrate leaching in vulnerable regions.

A smart market for nutrient credit trading to incentivize wetland construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raffensperger, John F.; Prabodanie, R. A. Ranga; Kostel, Jill A.

2017-03-01

Nutrient trading and constructed wetlands are widely discussed solutions to reduce nutrient pollution. Nutrient markets usually include agricultural nonpoint sources and municipal and industrial point sources, but these markets rarely include investors who construct wetlands to sell nutrient reduction credits. We propose a new market design for trading nutrient credits, with both point source and non-point source traders, explicitly incorporating the option of landowners to build nutrient removal wetlands. The proposed trading program is designed as a smart market with centralized clearing, done with an optimization. The market design addresses the varying impacts of runoff over space and time, and the lumpiness of wetland investments. We simulated the market for the Big Bureau Creek watershed in north-central Illinois. We found that the proposed smart market would incentivize wetland construction by assuring reasonable payments for the ecosystem services provided. The proposed market mechanism selects wetland locations strategically taking into account both the cost and nutrient removal efficiencies. The centralized market produces locational prices that would incentivize farmers to reduce nutrients, which is voluntary. As we illustrate, wetland builders' participation in nutrient trading would enable the point sources and environmental organizations to buy low cost nutrient credits.

Finding and Using Wasted Water to Restore Baldcypress - Water Tupelo Swamps and Freshwater Marshes and Protect Against Salt Water Intrusion: A Case Study of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaffer, G. P.; Lane, R.; Day, J. W.; Barrett, S.

2017-12-01

We developed a geographic information system (GIS) containing substantial point and non-point freshwater sources along the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, from Lake Maurepas to the Pearl River, which potentially could be directed at degraded wetlands. Thus far, we have concentrated on municipal wastewater treatment facilities, subdivisions treating their own sewage, non-point source drainage features, and potential Mississippi River diversion sites. Most analysis, processing, and mapping were conducted in Arc GIS v9.2. Five classes of source water ranging from <25,000 to >100,000 gallons per day were mapped. These were color and size coded and the level of detail in the GIS varies according to aerial coverage. That is, the overall image is in broad brush and increasing detail is automatically provided as the user increases magnification The sources were then prioritized by size and distance from a marsh or swamp. Because assimilation wetlands into marshes in coastal Louisiana attract the introduced rodent nutria (Myocaster coypus) swamps were weighted higher than marshes. The top five sources were all wastewater facilities located near swamps.

Identification and apportionment of hazardous elements in the sediments in the Yangtze River estuary.

PubMed

Wang, Jiawei; Liu, Ruimin; Wang, Haotian; Yu, Wenwen; Xu, Fei; Shen, Zhenyao

2015-12-01

In this study, positive matrix factorization (PMF) and principal components analysis (PCA) were combined to identify and apportion pollution-based sources of hazardous elements in the surface sediments in the Yangtze River estuary (YRE). Source identification analysis indicated that PC1, including Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, As, Cu, and Zn, can be defined as a sewage component; PC2, including Pb and Sb, can be considered as an atmospheric deposition component; and PC3, containing Cd and Hg, can be considered as an agricultural nonpoint component. To better identify the sources and quantitatively apportion the concentrations to their sources, eight sources were identified with PMF: agricultural/industrial sewage mixed (18.6 %), mining wastewater (15.9 %), agricultural fertilizer (14.5 %), atmospheric deposition (12.8 %), agricultural nonpoint (10.6 %), industrial wastewater (9.8 %), marine activity (9.0 %), and nickel plating industry (8.8 %). Overall, the hazardous element content seems to be more connected to anthropogenic activity instead of natural sources. The PCA results laid the foundation for the PMF analysis by providing a general classification of sources. PMF resolves more factors with a higher explained variance than PCA; PMF provided both the internal analysis and the quantitative analysis. The combination of the two methods can provide more reasonable and reliable results.

Occurrence and source apportionment of Per- and poly-fluorinated compounds (PFCs) in North Canal Basin, Beijing

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yi-Zhe; Wang, Bin; Wang, Wei; Li, Wen-Chao; Huang, Jun; Deng, Shu-Bo; Wang, Yu-Jue; Yu, Gang

2016-01-01

Various per- and poly-fluorinated compounds (PFCs) were first systematically investigated in North Canal Basin, Beijing, China. A total of 68 surface water samples were collected from North Canal Basin, Beijing, at high spatial resolution. The seasonal disparity was compared and associated with source variation. PFCs concentrations in low-water period ranged from 26 to 207 ng/L, and significantly declined levels were found in high-water period. The individual component proportions among different sites varied less in high-water period, when runoff played a role in mixing and diluting PFCs. A methodology combined with principal component analysis (PCA), heat map-hierarchical cluster analysis (HM-HCA), and correlation analysis were introduced to discriminate sources of PFCs in surface water. The statistical results agreed with each other, and daily domestic consumption, fire-fighting products and related industries were identified as sources of PFCs in this region. In addition, two composition ratios were proposed through the methodology to distinguish the impact of nonpoint source, and the outcome demonstrates that great disparities exist in compositional profiles between nonpoint source and others. Overall, the results showed that this comprehensive analysis method has great potential for source apportionment in surface water and other environmental compartments. PMID:27845351

Sum of the Parts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Activities, 1995

1995-01-01

Presents a Project WET water education activity. Students demonstrate how everyone contributes to the pollution of a river as it flows through a watershed and recognize that everyone's "contribution" can be reduced. Student distinguish between point- and nonpoint-source pollution. (LZ)

Nonpoint Source Highlights Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A glimpse of NPS activities underway across the United States supported by §319. It provides a snapshot of strategies that state agencies, territories and tribes are using to tackle the spectrum of water quality issues related to NPS pollution

TMDL MODEL EVALUATION AND RESEARCH NEEDS

EPA Science Inventory

This review examines the modeling research needs to support environmental decision-making for the 303(d) requirements for development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and related programs such as 319 Nonpoint Source Program activities, watershed management, stormwater permits...

Niagara River Toxics Management Plan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This 2007 Progress Report of the Niagara River Toxics Management Plan (NRTMP) summarizes progress made by the four parties in dealing with the 18 “Priority Toxics” through reductions in point and non-point sources to the Niagara River.

Environmentally sensitive maintenance for dirt and gravel roads

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-10-01

This is a nonpoint source pollution project that identifies, documents, and encourages the use of environmentally sensitive maintenance of dirt and gravel roads. Specifically, this project involved the development of a reference manual and related te...

Environmental Education: Non-point Source Pollution

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This activity is designed to demonstrate to students what an average storm drain collects during a rainfall event and how the water from storm drains can impact the water quality and aquatic environments of local streams, rivers, and bays.

Nonpoint Source Pollution: Darby Duck, the Aquatic Crusader

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Understanding the characteristics of water, that precious resource we are trying to protect. And understanding how it interacts with other elements in the environment, some of which pollute it and cause problems for people and animals.

The Invisible Menace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cramer, Jerome

1994-01-01

This article examines the detrimental effects of polluted run-off from agricultural production on salmonids and aquatic ecosystems, alternative farming methods used to reduce water pollution and soil erosion, and current state and federal policies to control nonpoint source pollution. (LZ)

Clinton River Sediment Transport Modeling Study

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. ACE develops sediment transport models for tributaries to the Great Lakes that discharge to AOCs. The models developed help State and local agencies to evaluate better ways for soil conservation and non-point source pollution prevention.

The Use of LiDAR Elevation Data and Satellite Imagery to Locate Critical Source Areas to Diffuse Pollution in Agricultural Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drouin, Ariane; Michaud, Aubert; Thériault, Georges; Beaudin, Isabelle; Rodrigue, Jean-François; Denault, Jean-Thomas; Desjardins, Jacques; Côté, Noémi

2013-04-01

In Quebec / Canada, water quality improvement in rural areas greatly depends on the reduction of diffuse pollution. Indeed, point source pollution has been reduced significantly in Canada in recent years by creating circumscribed pits for manure and removing animals from stream. Diffuse pollution differs from point source pollution because it is spread over large areas. In agricultural areas, sediment loss by soil and riverbank erosion along with loss of nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, etc.) and pesticides from fields represent the main source of non-point source pollution. The factor mainly responsible for diffuse pollution in agricultural areas is surface runoff occurring in poorly drained areas in fields. The presence of these poorly drained areas is also one of the most limiting factors in crop productivity. Thus, a reconciliation of objectives at the farm (financial concern for farmers) and off-farm concerns (environmental concern) is possible. In short, drainage, runoff, erosion, water quality and crop production are all interconnected issues that need to be tackled together. Two complementary data sources are mainly used in the diagnosis of drainage, surface runoff and erosion : elevation data and multispectral satellite images. In this study of two watersheds located in Québec (Canada), LiDAR elevation data and satellite imagery (QuickBird, Spot and Landsat) were acquired. The studied territories have been partitioned in hydrologic response units (HRUs) according to sub-basins, soils, elevation (topographic index) and land use. These HRUs are afterwards used in a P index software (P-Edit) that calculates the quantities of sediments and phosphorus exported from each HRUs. These exports of sediments and phosphorus are validated with hydrometric and water quality data obtain in two sub-basins and are also compared to soil brightness index derived from multispectral images. This index is sensitive to soil moisture and thus highlights areas where the soil is more humid. A variety of other indices are used to explain the sediments yields. These indices, such as the average percentage of slope, the distance to the stream, the relative position in landscape, the position to the water table, etc. are mainly derived from high precision elevation data. All these data are used to locate critical source areas that generally correspond to a restraint part of the territory but account for the principal amount of sediments exports. Once the critical source areas are identified, best management practices (BMPs) (per example : contaminant source control practices, conservation cropping practices and surface runoff control structures) can be planned. This way, money and energy are used where it really counts. In this presentation, the complete methodology including LiDAR data processing will be explained. The results and the possibility to reproduce the developed method will be discussed.

Environmental Kuznets Curve Analysis of the Economic Development and Nonpoint Source Pollution in the Ningxia Yellow River Irrigation Districts in China

PubMed Central

Mao, Chunlan; Zhai, Ningning; Yang, Jingchao; Feng, Yongzhong; Cao, Yanchun; Han, Xinhui; Ren, Guangxin; Yang, Gaihe; Meng, Qing-xiang

2013-01-01

This study applies the environmental Kuznets curve to test the relationship between the regional economic growth and the different types of agricultural nonpoint source pollution loads in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area by using the Johnes export coefficient method. Results show that the pollution load generated by crop cultivation and livestock-breeding industries in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area shows an inverted U-shaped feature; however, this feature is absent in living-sewage pollution load. Crop pollution has shown a decreasing trend since 1997 because of the increased per capita income of farmers. Livestock-breeding pollution load reached its turning point when the per capita income of farmers reached 8386.74 RMB. Therefore, an increase in the per capita income of farmers corresponds to an increase in the livestock-breeding pollution load in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area. PMID:24171160

Environmental Kuznets curve analysis of the economic development and nonpoint source pollution in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation districts in China.

PubMed

Mao, Chunlan; Zhai, Ningning; Yang, Jingchao; Feng, Yongzhong; Cao, Yanchun; Han, Xinhui; Ren, Guangxin; Yang, Gaihe; Meng, Qing-xiang

2013-01-01

This study applies the environmental Kuznets curve to test the relationship between the regional economic growth and the different types of agricultural nonpoint source pollution loads in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area by using the Johnes export coefficient method. Results show that the pollution load generated by crop cultivation and livestock-breeding industries in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area shows an inverted U-shaped feature; however, this feature is absent in living-sewage pollution load. Crop pollution has shown a decreasing trend since 1997 because of the increased per capita income of farmers. Livestock-breeding pollution load reached its turning point when the per capita income of farmers reached 8386.74 RMB. Therefore, an increase in the per capita income of farmers corresponds to an increase in the livestock-breeding pollution load in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area.

Improving Voluntary Environmental Management Programs: Facilitating Learning and Adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genskow, Kenneth D.; Wood, Danielle M.

2011-05-01

Environmental planners and managers face unique challenges understanding and documenting the effectiveness of programs that rely on voluntary actions by private landowners. Programs, such as those aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution or improving habitat, intend to reach those goals by persuading landowners to adopt behaviors and management practices consistent with environmental restoration and protection. Our purpose with this paper is to identify barriers for improving voluntary environmental management programs and ways to overcome them. We first draw upon insights regarding data, learning, and adaptation from the adaptive management and performance management literatures, describing three key issues: overcoming information constraints, structural limitations, and organizational culture. Although these lessons are applicable to a variety of voluntary environmental management programs, we then present the issues in the context of on-going research for nonpoint source water quality pollution. We end the discussion by highlighting important elements for advancing voluntary program efforts.

[L-THIA-based management design for controlling urban non-point source pollution].

PubMed

Guo, Qing-Hai; Yang, Liu; Ke-Ming, Ma

2007-11-01

L-THIA Model was used to simulate the amounts of NPS pollutants in 2 catchments of Sanjiao watershed (Sj1, Sj2) in Hanyang district, and the total simulated amount of NPS loads in Sj1 and Sj2 were 1.82 x 10(4) kg, 1.38 x 10(5) kg, respectively. Based on the theory of resource-sink" and interaction of pattern with process, a series of BMPs, including green roof, grassland, porous pavement, infiltration trench, vegetative filter strip and wet pond, were optimized, and effects of BMPs were simulated along the surface runoff pathway. The results show that total pollutants outputs entering Sj1 and Sj2 account for 14.65% and 6.57%, respectively. Combining L-THIA model and BMPs in series is a proper measure for non-point source pollution control and urban development planning at watershed or region scale.

Mortality rates of pathogen indicator microorganisms discharged from point and non-point sources in an urban area.

PubMed

Kim, Geonha; Hur, Jin

2010-01-01

This research measured the mortality rates of pathogen indicator microorganisms discharged from various point and non-point sources in an urban area. Water samples were collected from a domestic sewer, a combined sewer overflow, the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant, and an urban river. Mortality rates of indicator microorganisms in sediment of an urban river were also measured. Mortality rates of indicator microorganisms in domestic sewage, estimated by assuming first order kinetics at 20 degrees C were 0.197 day(-1), 0.234 day(-1), 0.258 day(-1) and 0.276 day(-1) for total coliform, fecal coliform, Escherichia coli, and fecal streptococci, respectively. Effects of temperature, sunlight irradiation and settlement on the mortality rate were measured. Results of this research can be used as input data for water quality modeling or can be used as design factors for treatment facilities.

Isotopic Tracers for Delineating Non-Point Source Pollutants in Surface Water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davisson, M L

2001-03-01

This study tested whether isotope measurements of surface water and dissolved constituents in surface water could be used as tracers of non-point source pollution. Oxygen-18 was used as a water tracer, while carbon-14, carbon-13, and deuterium were tested as tracers of DOC. Carbon-14 and carbon-13 were also used as tracers of dissolved inorganic carbon, and chlorine-36 and uranium isotopes were tested as tracers of other dissolved salts. In addition, large databases of water quality measurements were assembled for the Missouri River at St. Louis and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in California to enhance interpretive results of the isotope measurements. Muchmore » of the water quality data has been under-interpreted and provides a valuable resource to investigative research, for which this report exploits and integrates with the isotope measurements.« less

Characterization of sources and loadings of fecal pollutants using microbial source tracking assays in urban and rural areas of the Grand River Watershed, Southwestern Ontario.

PubMed

Lee, Dae-Young; Lee, Hung; Trevors, Jack T; Weir, Susan C; Thomas, Janis L; Habash, Marc

2014-04-15

Sources of fecal water pollution were assessed in the Grand River and two of its tributaries (Ontario, Canada) using total and host-specific (human and bovine) Bacteroidales genetic markers in conjunction with reference information, such as land use and weather. In-stream levels of the markers and culturable Escherichia coli were also monitored during multiple rain events to gain information on fecal loadings to catchment from diffuse sources. Elevated human-specific marker levels were accurately identified in river water impacted by a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent and at a downstream site in the Grand River. In contrast, the bovine-specific marker showed high levels of cattle fecal pollution in two tributaries, both of which are characterized as intensely farmed areas. The bovine-specific Bacteroidales marker increased with rainfall in the agricultural tributaries, indicating enhanced loading of cattle-derived fecal pollutants to river from non-point sources following rain events. However, rain-triggered fecal loading was not substantiated in urban settings, indicating continuous inputs of human-originated fecal pollutants from point sources, such as WWTP effluent. This study demonstrated that the Bacteroidales source tracking assays, in combination with land use information and hydrological data, may provide additional insight into the spatial and temporal distribution of source-specific fecal contamination in streams impacted by varying land uses. Using the approach described in this study may help to characterize impacted water sources and to design targeted land use management plans in other watersheds in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 2452 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Delaware; Reasonable Further...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-15

... Lightering Operations. Since there will be no new VOC controls for point sources, non-point source sector... equivalent to 1.52 x 1.74 = 2.64 tpd NO X reduction shortfall. Delaware has implemented numerous controls... achieved ``as expeditious as practicable.'' Control measures under RACT constitute a major group of RACM...

Nuclear Warfare Water Contamination.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

obscured the important relationship between radionuclide ground concentrations and fallout dose rate contours by focusing too much attention on the...19 ) Radiological water contamination by nonpoint sources has received little, if any, attention in the current literature on the environmental... attention . Nevertheless, the environmental contamination of water supplies by fallout has been noted as a source of background radiation (20 ) and a possible

Spatial Variations In The Fate And Transport Of Metals In A Mining-Influenced Stream, North Fork Clear Creek, Colorado

EPA Science Inventory

North Fork Clear Creek (NFCC) receives acid-mine drainage (AMD) from multiple abandoned mines in the Clear Creek Watershed. Point sources of AMD originate In the Black Hawk/Central City region of the stream. Water chemistry also is influenced by several non-point sources of AMD,...

User's Guide for the Agricultural Non-Point Source (AGNPS) Pollution Model Data Generator

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Michael P.; Scheidt, Douglas J.; Jaromack, Gregory M.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND Throughout this user guide, we refer to datasets that we used in conjunction with developing of this software for supporting cartographic research and producing the datasets to conduct research. However, this software can be used with these datasets or with more 'generic' versions of data of the appropriate type. For example, throughout the guide, we refer to national land cover data (NLCD) and digital elevation model (DEM) data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at a 30-m resolution, but any digital terrain model or land cover data at any appropriate resolution will produce results. Another key point to keep in mind is to use a consistent data resolution for all the datasets per model run. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the Agricultural Nonpoint Source (AGNPS) pollution model of watershed hydrology in response to the complex problem of managing nonpoint sources of pollution. AGNPS simulates the behavior of runoff, sediment, and nutrient transport from watersheds that have agriculture as their prime use. The model operates on a cell basis and is a distributed parameter, event-based model. The model requires 22 input parameters. Output parameters are grouped primarily by hydrology, sediment, and chemical output (Young and others, 1995.) Elevation, land cover, and soil are the base data from which to extract the 22 input parameters required by the AGNPS. For automatic parameter extraction, follow the general process described in this guide of extraction from the geospatial data through the AGNPS Data Generator to generate input parameters required by the pollution model (Finn and others, 2002.)

[Analysis on nitrogen and phosphorus loading of non-point sources in Shiqiao river watershed based on L-THIA model].

PubMed

Li, Kai; Zeng, Fan-Tang; Fang, Huai-Yang; Lin, Shu

2013-11-01

Based on the Long-term Hydrological Impact Assessment (L-THIA) model, the effect of land use and rainfall change on nitrogen and phosphorus loading of non-point sources in Shiqiao river watershed was analyzed. The parameters in L-THIA model were revised according to the data recorded in the scene of runoff plots, which were set up in the watershed. The results showed that the distribution of areas with high pollution load was mainly concentrated in agricultural land and urban land. Agricultural land was the biggest contributor to nitrogen and phosphorus load. From 1995 to 2010, the load of major pollutants, namely TN and TP, showed an obviously increasing trend with increase rates of 17.91% and 25.30%, respectively. With the urbanization in the watershed, urban land increased rapidly and its area proportion reached 43.94%. The contribution of urban land to nitrogen and phosphorus load was over 40% in 2010. This was the main reason why pollution load still increased obviously while the agricultural land decreased greatly in the past 15 years. The rainfall occurred in the watershed was mainly concentrated in the flood season, so the nitrogen and phosphorus load of the flood season was far higher than that of the non-flood season and the proportion accounting for the whole year was over 85%. Pearson regression analysis between pollution load and the frequency of different patterns of rainfall demonstrated that rainfall exceeding 20 mm in a day was the main rainfall type causing non-point source pollution.

Soil and nutrient retention in winter-flooded ricefields with implications for watershed management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manley, S.W.; Kaminski, R.M.; Rodrigue, P.B.; Dewey, J.C.; Schoenholtz, S.H.; Gerard, P.D.; Reinecke, K.J.

2009-01-01

The ability of water resources to support aquatic life and human needs depends, in part, on reducing nonpoint source pollution amid contemporary agricultural practices. Winter retention of shallow water on rice and other agricultural fields is an accepted management practice for wildlife conservation; however, soil and water conservation benefits are not well documented. We evaluated the ability of four post-harvest ricefield treatment combinations (stubble-flooded, stubble-open, disked-flooded and disked-open) to abate nonpoint source exports into watersheds of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Total suspended solid exports were 1,121 kg ha-1 (1,000 lb ac-1) from disked-open fields where rice stubble was disked after harvest and fields were allowed to drain, compared with 35 kg ha-1 (31 lb ac-1) from stubble-flooded fields where stubble was left standing after harvest and fields captured rainfall from November 1 to March 1. Estimates of total suspended solid exports from ricefields based on Landsat imagery and USDA crop data are 0.43 and 0.40 Mg km-2 day-1 in the Big Sunflower and L'Anguille watersheds, respectively. Estimated reductions in total suspended solid exports from ricefields into the Big Sunflower and L'Anguille water-sheds range from 26% to 64% under hypothetical scenarios in which 65% to 100% of the rice production area is managed to capture winter rainfall. Winter ricefield management reduced nonpoint source export by decreasing concentrations of solids and nutrients in, and reducing runoff volume from, ricefields in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

NASA-Modified Precipitation Products to Improve EPA Nonpoint Source Water Quality Modeling for the Chesapeake Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nigro, Joseph; Toll, David; Partington, Ed; Ni-Meister, Wenge; Lee, Shihyan; Gutierrez-Magness, Angelica; Engman, Ted; Arsenault, Kristi

2010-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that over 20,000 water bodies within the United States do not meet water quality standards. Ninety percent of the impairments are typically caused by nonpoint sources. One of the regulations in the Clean Water Act of 1972 requires States to monitor the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), or the amount of pollution that can be carried by a water body before it is determined to be "polluted", for any watershed in the U.S.. In response to this mandate, the EPA developed Better Assessment Science Integrating Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) as a Decision Support Tool (DST) for assessing pollution and to guide the decision making process for improving water quality. One of the models in BASINS, the Hydrological Simulation Program -- Fortran (HSPF), computes daily stream flow rates and pollutant concentration at each basin outlet. By design, precipitation and other meteorological data from weather stations serve as standard model input. In practice, these stations may be unable to capture the spatial heterogeneity of precipitation events especially if they are few and far between. An attempt was made to resolve this issue by substituting station data with NASA modified/NOAA precipitation data. Using these data within HSPF, stream flow was calculated for seven watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay Basin during low flow periods, convective storm periods, and annual flows. In almost every case, the modeling performance of HSPF increased when using the NASA-modified precipitation data, resulting in better stream flow statistics and, ultimately, in improved water quality assessment.

Impacts of drought on the quality of surface water of the basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, B. B.; Yan, D. H.; Wang, H.; Cheng, B. F.; Cui, X. H.

2013-11-01

Under the background of climate change and human's activities, there has been presenting an increase both in the frequency of droughts and the range of their impacts. Droughts may give rise to a series of resources, environmental and ecological effects, i.e. water shortage, water quality deterioration as well as the decrease in the diversity of aquatic organisms. This paper, above all, identifies the impact mechanism of drought on the surface water quality of the basin, and then systematically studies the laws of generation, transfer, transformation and degradation of pollutants during the drought, finding out that the alternating droughts and floods stage is the critical period during which the surface water quality is affected. Secondly, through employing indoor orthogonality experiments, serving drought degree, rainfall intensity and rainfall duration as the main elements and designing various scenario models, the study inspects the effects of various factors on the nitrogen loss in soil as well as the loss of non-point sources pollution and the leaching rate of nitrogen under the different alternating scenarios of drought and flood. It comes to the conclusion that the various factors and the loss of non-point source pollution are positively correlated, and under the alternating scenarios of drought and flood, there is an exacerbation in the loss of ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen in soil, which generates the transfer and transformation mechanisms of non-point source pollution from a micro level. Finally, by employing the data of Nenjiang river basin, the paper assesses the impacts of drought on the surface water quality from a macro level.

Monitoring and Evaluating Nonpoint Source Watershed Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guide is written primarily for those who develop and implement monitoring plans for watershed management projects. it can also be used evaluate the technical merits of monitoring proposals they might sponsor. It is an update to the 1997 Guide.

Agricultural Wastes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewell, W. J.; Switzenbaum, M. S.

1978-01-01

Presents a literature review of agricultural wastes, covering publications of 1976-77. Some of the areas covered are: (1) water characteristics and impacts; (2) waste treatment; (3) reuse of agricultural wastes; and (4) nonpoint pollution sources. A list of 150 references is also presented. (HM)

Watershed Deposition Tool for air quality impacts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The WDT is a software tool for mapping deposition estimates from the CMAQ model to watersheds. It provides users with the linkage of air and water needed for the total maximum daily load (TMDL) and related nonpoint-source watershed analyses.

MODELING THE RESPONSE OF FISH POPULATIONS TO EUTROPHICATION

EPA Science Inventory

Eutrophication resulting from nonpoint source pollution is one of the largest environmental problems in lakes and reservoirs around the world. Two characteristics of eutrophication, decreased dissolved oxygen and increased concentration of ammonia, are known to affect fishes, yet...

FRAMEWORK DESIGN FOR BMP PLACEMENT IN URBAN WATERSHEDS

EPA Science Inventory

A number of stormwater control strategies, commonly known as best management practices (BMPs), are used to mitigate runoff volumes and associated nonpoint source pollution due to wet-weather flows (WWFs). BMP types include ponds, bioretention facilities, infiltration trenches, g...

Establishing strategies for a transportation MS4 : [technology transfer summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) was established by the U.S. : Environmental Protection Agency as a means of addressing surface pollution from both known : (point) and non-specific (non-point) sources. The program impacts i...

FRAMEWORK FOR PLACEMENT OF BMPS IN URBAN WATERSHEDS

EPA Science Inventory

A number of stormwater control strategies, commonly known as best management practices (BMPs), are used to mitigate runoff volumes and associated nonpoint source pollution due to wet-weather flows (WWFs). BMP types include ponds, bioretention facilities, infiltration trenches, g...

IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RESEARCH IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

EPA Science Inventory

Anthropogenic impervious surfaces have an important relationship with non-point source pollution (NPS) in urban watersheds. These human-created surfaces include such features as roads, parking lots, rooftops, sidewalks, and driveways. The amount of impervious surface area in a ...

Physical and biological factors influencing environmental sources of fecal indicator bacteria in surface water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitman, Richard L.; Nevers, Meredith B.; Przybyla-Kelly, Katarzyna; Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara N.; Sadowsky, Michael J.; Whitman, Richard L.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the environmental populations of faecal indicator bacteria, and the processes by which these populations become nonpoint sources and influence nearshore water quality. The different possible sources of these indicator bacteria are presented. These include groundwater, springs and seeps, aquatic sediments, beach sand, birds, Cladophora and plant wrack. Also discussed are the environmental factors (moisture, sunlight, temperature and salinity) influencing their survival.

Microbial Source Module (MSM): Documenting the Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Microbial Source Module (MSM) estimates microbial loading rates to land surfaces from non-point sources, and to streams from point sources for each subwatershed within a watershed. A subwatershed, the smallest modeling unit, represents the common basis for information consumed and produced by the MSM which is based on the HSPF (Bicknell et al., 1997) Bacterial Indicator Tool (EPA, 2013b, 2013c). Non-point sources include numbers, locations, and shedding rates of domestic agricultural animals (dairy and beef cows, swine, poultry, etc.) and wildlife (deer, duck, raccoon, etc.). Monthly maximum microbial storage and accumulation rates on the land surface, adjusted for die-off, are computed over an entire season for four land-use types (cropland, pasture, forest, and urbanized/mixed-use) for each subwatershed. Monthly point source microbial loadings to instream locations (i.e., stream segments that drain individual sub-watersheds) are combined and determined for septic systems, direct instream shedding by cattle, and POTWs/WWTPs (Publicly Owned Treatment Works/Wastewater Treatment Plants). The MSM functions within a larger modeling system that characterizes human-health risk resulting from ingestion of water contaminated with pathogens. The loading estimates produced by the MSM are input to the HSPF model that simulates flow and microbial fate/transport within a watershed. Microbial counts within recreational waters are then input to the MRA-IT model (Soller et

Incorporation of Complex Hydrological and Socio-economic Factors for Non-point Source Pollution Control: A Case Study at the Yincungang Canal, the Lake Tai Basin of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, X.; Luo, X.; Zheng, Z.

2012-04-01

It is increasingly realized that non-point pollution sources contribute significantly to water environment deterioration in China. Compared to developed countries, non-point source pollution in China has the unique characteristics of strong intensity and composition complexity due to its special socioeconomic conditions. First, more than 50% of its 1.3 billion people are rural. Sewage from the majority of the rural households is discharged either without or only with minimal treatment. The large amount of erratic rural sewage discharge is a significant source of water pollution. Second, China is plagued with serious agricultural pollution due to widespread improper application of fertilizers and pesticides. Finally, there lack sufficient disposal and recycling of rural wastes such as livestock manure and crop straws. Pollutant loads from various sources have far exceeded environmental assimilation capacity in many parts of China. The Lake Tai basin is one typical example. Lake Tai is the third largest freshwater lake in China. The basin is located in the highly developed and densely populated Yangtze River Delta. While accounting for 0.4% of its land area and 2.9% of its population, the Lake Tai basin generates more than 14% of China's Gross Domestic Production (GDP), and the basin's GDP per capita is 3.5 times as much as the state average. Lake Tai is vital to the basin's socio-economic development, providing multiple services including water supply for municipal, industrial, and agricultural needs, navigation, flood control, fishery, and tourism. Unfortunately, accompanied with the fast economic development is serious water environment deterioration in the Lake Tai basin. The lake is becoming increasingly eutrophied and has frequently suffered from cyanobacterial blooms in recent decades. Chinese government has made tremendous investment in order to mitigate water pollution conditions in the basin. Nevertheless, the trend of deteriorating water quality has yet to be reversed. At least two factors contribute to the dichotomy between huge investment and limited results. First, the majority of the efforts have been limited to engineering approaches to water pollution control, ignoring the important roles of non-engineering approaches and stakeholder participation. Second, the complex hydrological regime of the basin may aggravate the impacts of various pollutant sources. Using the Yincungang canal, one major tributary to the Lake Tai, as an example, we discuss our work on both hydrological and socio-economic factors affecting the water quality of the canal, as well as the grand challenges of coupling hydrological systems and socio-economic systems in the region. Keywords non-point source pollution, rural sewage, agricultural pollution, spatio-temporal pattern, stakeholder participation

GENERATING HIGH QUALITY IMPERVIOUS COVER DATA

EPA Science Inventory

Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) from urban/ suburban areas is rapidly increasing as the population increases in the United States. Research in recent years has consistently shown a strong relationship between the percentage of impervious cover in a drainage basin and the health...

BMP MODELING CONCEPTS AND SIMULATION

EPA Science Inventory

In order to minimize impacts of urban nonpoint source pollution and associated costs of control (storage and treatment) associated with wet-weather flows (WWFs), stormwater runoff volumes and pollutant loads must be reduced. A number of control strategies and so-called “best man...

REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SECURITY

EPA Science Inventory

The integration of IKONOS satellite data, airborne color infrared remote sensing, visualization, and decision support tools is discussed, within the contexts of management techniques for minimizing non-point source pollution in inland waterways, such s riparian buffer restoration...

Sea Grant Extension Crucial Link to Coastal Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stumbos, John

1997-01-01

University of California Sea Grant Extension Program provides training and technical assistance to fishers, farmers, planners, and conservationists on projects such as coastal ecosystem health, marine environmental protection, fisheries management, aquaculture, salmon habitat restoration, and controlling nonpoint-source pollution; supports…

Temporal dynamics of periphyton exposed to tetracycline in stream mesocosms

EPA Science Inventory

Significant amounts of antibiotics enter the environment via point and non-point sources. We examined the temporal dynamics of tetracycline exposure to stream periphyton and associated organisms across a logarithmically dosed series of experimental mesocosms, designed to mimic na...

7 CFR 634.12 - Eligible project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Eligible project areas. 634.12 Section 634.12 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE... related to agricultural nonpoint source pollutants, including sediment animal waste, irrigation return...

7 CFR 634.12 - Eligible project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Eligible project areas. 634.12 Section 634.12 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE... related to agricultural nonpoint source pollutants, including sediment animal waste, irrigation return...

7 CFR 634.12 - Eligible project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Eligible project areas. 634.12 Section 634.12 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE... related to agricultural nonpoint source pollutants, including sediment animal waste, irrigation return...

7 CFR 634.12 - Eligible project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Eligible project areas. 634.12 Section 634.12 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE... related to agricultural nonpoint source pollutants, including sediment animal waste, irrigation return...

USEPA EPIC IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RESEARCH IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

EPA Science Inventory

Anthropogenic impervious surfaces have an important relationship with non-point source pollution (NPS) in urban watersheds. These human-created surfaces include such features as roads, parking lots, rooftops, sidewalks, and driveways. The amount of impervious surface area in a ...

A COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION OF NPS MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS: ROLE OF PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY

EPA Science Inventory

Utility of complex distributed-parameter watershed models for evaluation of the effectiveness of non-point source sediment and nutrient abatement scenarios such as Best Management Practices (BMPs) often follows the traditional {calibrate ---> validate ---> predict} procedure. Des...

FRAMEWORK FOR PLACEMENT OF BMP/LID IN URBAN WATERSHEDS

EPA Science Inventory

A number of stormwater control strategies, commonly known as best management practices (BMPs), are used to mitigate runoff volumes and associated nonpoint source pollution due to wet-weather flows (WWFs). BMP types include ponds, bioretention facilities, infiltration trenches, gr...

INTEGRATING PROBABILISTIC AND FIXED-SITE MONITORING FOR ROBUST WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Determining the extent of water-quality degradation, controlling nonpoint sources, and defining allowable amounts of contaminants are important water-quality issues defined in the Clean Water Act that require new monitoring data. Probabilistic, randomized stream water-quality mon...

FRAMEWORK FOR PLACEMENT OF BMP/LID IN URBAN WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

A number of stormwater control strategies, commonly known as best management practices (BMPs), are used to mitigate runoff volumes and associated nonpoint source pollution due to wet-weather flows (WWFs). BMP types include ponds, bioretention facilities, infiltration trenches, g...

LOUISIANA ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING SYSTEM FOR HYPOXIA RELATED ISSUES

EPA Science Inventory

An environmental assessment tool to evaluate the impacts of nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants discharged from Mississippi River basins into the Gulf of Mexico and to assess their effects on receiving water quality will be described. This system (Louisiana Environmental Modeling S...

Lagoonal stormwater detention ponds as promoters of harmful algal blooms and eutrophication along the South Carolina coast

Treesearch

Alan J. Lewitus; Larissa M. Brock; Krista A. DeMattio; Susan B. Wilde

2008-01-01

In the rapidly urbanizing coastal zone of South Carolina, intensive landscape maintenance and turf management are significant sources of nonpoint source pollutant loadings. The best management practice of choice for stormwater in this region is wet detention ponds, the majority of which are brackish lagoons. Typically, stormwater is piped directly into the ponds, but...

Developement of watershed and reference loads for a TMDL in Charleston Harbor System, SC.

Treesearch

Silong Lu; Devenra Amatya; Jamie Miller

2005-01-01

It is essential to determine point and non-point source loads and their distribution for development of a dissolved oxygen (DO) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). A series of models were developed to assess sources of oxygen-demand loadings in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. These oxygen-demand loadings included nutrients and BOD. Stream flow and nutrient...

NutrientNet: An Internet-Based Approach to Teaching Market-Based Policy for Environmental Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, To N.; Woodward, Richard T.

2009-01-01

NutrientNet is an Internet-based environment in which a class can simulate a market-based approach for improving water quality. In NutrientNet, each student receives a role as either a point source or a nonpoint source polluter, and then the participants are allowed to trade water quality credits to cost-effectively reduce pollution in a…

Tidal river sediments in the Washington, D.C. area. 11. Distribution and sources of organic containmants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wade, T.L.; Velinsky, D.J.; Reinharz, E.

1994-06-01

Concentrations of aliphatic, aromatic, and chlorinated hydrocarbons were determined from 33 surface-sediment samples taken from the Tidal Basin, Washington Ship Channel, and the Anacostia and Potomac rivers in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with these samples, selected storm sewers and outfalls also were sampled to help elucidate general sources of contamination to the area. All of the sediments contained detectable concentrations of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, DDT (total dichlorodiphenytrichloroethande), DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene), DDD (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane), PCBx (total polychlorinated biphenyls) and total chlordanes (oxy-, {alpha}-, and {gamma}-chlordane and cis + trans-nonachlor). Sediment concentrations of most contaminants were highest in the Anacostia River just downstreammore » of the Washington Navy Yard, except for total chlordane, which appeared to have upstream sources in addition to storm and combined sewer runoff. This area has the highest number of storm and combined sewer outfalls in the river. Potomac River stations had lower concentrations than other stations. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, saturated hydrocarbons, and the unresolved complex mixture (UCM) distributions reflect mixtures of combustion products and direct discharges of petroleum products. Sources of PCBs appear to be related to specific outfalls, while hydrocarbon inputs, especially PAHs, are diffuse, and may be related to street runoff. This study indicates that in large urban areas, nonpoint sources deliver substantial amounts of contaminants to ecosystems through storm and combined sewer systems, and control of these inputs must be addressed. 33 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Spatial and temporal changes of water quality, and SWAT modeling of Vosvozis river basin, North Greece.

PubMed

Boskidis, Ioannis; Gikas, Georgios D; Pisinaras, Vassilios; Tsihrintzis, Vassilios A

2010-09-01

The results of an investigation of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Vosvozis river in Northern Greece is presented. For the purposes of this study, three gaging stations were installed along Vosvozis river, where water quantity and quality measurements were conducted for the period August 2005 to November 2006. Water discharge, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured in situ using appropriate equipment. The collected water samples were analyzed in the laboratory for the determination of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium nitrogen, total Kjeldalh nitrogen (TKN), orthophosphate (OP), total phosphorus (TP), COD, and BOD. Agricultural diffuse sources provided the major source of nitrate nitrogen loads during the wet period. During the dry period (from June to October), the major nutrient (N, P) and COD, BOD sources were point sources. The trophic status of Vosvozis river during the monitoring period was determined as eutrophic, based on Dodds classification scheme. Moreover, the SWAT model was used to simulate hydrographs and nutrient loads. SWAT was validated with the measured data. Predicted hydrographs and pollutographs were plotted against observed values and showed good agreement. The validated model was used to test eight alternative scenarios concerning different cropping management approaches. The results of these scenarios indicate that nonpoint source pollution is the prevailing type of pollution in the study area. The SWAT model was found to satisfactorily simulate processes in ephemeral river basins and is an effective tool in water resources management.

Evaluating barnyard Best Management Practices in Wisconsin using upstream-downstream monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuntebeck, Todd D.

1995-01-01

The Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program was created in 1978 by the Wisconsin Legislature. The goal of the program is to improve and protect the water quality of lakes, streams, wetlands, and ground water within selected priority watersheds by controlling sources of nonpoint pollution. For each selected watershed, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources drafts a management plan that guides the implementation of pollution-control strategies known as Best Management Practices (BMP's). This plan summarizes resource and land-use inventories, describes the results of pollution-source modeling, and suggests pollution reduction goals. The U.S. Geological Survey, through a cooperative effort with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is monitoring water-quality improvements that result from the implementation of BMP's. The data collected are then compared to the watershed plans to assess progress and determine whether goals are being realized. This fact sheet describes the data-collection efforts, preliminary results, and planned data-analysis techniques of monitoring projects for pre-BMP conditions at two barnyards, one each on Otter Creek and Halfway Prairie Creek.

United States‐Mexican border watershed assessment: Modeling nonpoint source pollution in Ambos Nogales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norman, Laura M.

2007-01-01

Ecological considerations need to be interwoven with economic policy and planning along the United States‐Mexican border. Non‐point source pollution can have significant implications for the availability of potable water and the continued health of borderland ecosystems in arid lands. However, environmental assessments in this region present a host of unique issues and problems. A common obstacle to the solution of these problems is the integration of data with different resolutions, naming conventions, and quality to create a consistent database across the binational study area. This report presents a simple modeling approach to predict nonpoint source pollution that can be used for border watersheds. The modeling approach links a hillslopescale erosion‐prediction model and a spatially derived sediment‐delivery model within a geographic information system to estimate erosion, sediment yield, and sediment deposition across the Ambos Nogales watershed in Sonora, Mexico, and Arizona. This paper discusses the procedures used for creating a watershed database to apply the models and presents an example of the modeling approach applied to a conservation‐planning problem.

Evaluating agricultural nonpoint-source pollution programs in two Lake Erie tributaries.

PubMed

Forster, D Lynn; Rausch, Jonathan N

2002-01-01

During the past three decades, numerous government programs have encouraged Lake Erie basin farmers to adopt practices that reduce water pollution. The first section of this paper summarizes these state and federal government agricultural pollution abatement programs in watersheds of two prominent Lake Erie tributaries, the Maumee River and Sandusky River. Expenditures are summarized for each program, total expenditures in each county are estimated, and cost effectiveness of program expenditures (i.e., cost per metric ton of soil saved) are analyzed. Farmers received nearly $143 million as incentive payments to implement agricultural nonpoint source pollution abatement programs in the Maumee and Sandusky River watersheds from 1987 to 1997. About 95% of these funds was from federal sources. On average, these payments totaled about $7000 per farm or about $30 per farm acre (annualized equivalent of $2 per acre) within the watersheds. Our analysis raises questions about how efficiently these incentive payments were allocated. The majority of Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP) funds appear to have been spent on less cost-effective practices. Also, geographic areas with relatively low (high) soil erosion rates received relatively large (small) funding.

Water quality in organic systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Non-point source contamination is a major water quality concern in the upper Midwestern USA, where plant nutrients, especially NO3-N, are susceptible to leaching due to extensive subsurface draining of the highly productive, but poorly drained, soils found in this region. Environmental impacts assoc...

Simulation of conservation practices using the APEX model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Information on agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and their effectiveness in controlling agricultural non-point source pollution is crucial in developing Clean Water Act programs such as the Total Maximum Daily Loads for impaired watersheds. A modeling study was conducted to evaluate var...

SWMM IMPROVEMENT FOR ANALYZING BMP/LTD PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Pollution and treatment costs associated with wet weather flows (WWFs) have caused a need for reducing stormwater runoff volumes as well as loads. A number of strategies and best management practices (BMPs) are being used to mitigate runoff volumes and associated nonpoint source...

STREAM CORRIDOR RESTORATION AND ITS POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed stream corridors are being degraded by anthropogenic impacts of increased flow from runoff, sediment loading from erosion and contaminants such as nitrate from non-point sources. One solution is to restore stream corridors with bank stabilization and energy dissipation ...

CONTROLLING STORMWATER RUNOFF WITH TRADABLE CREDITS FOR IMPERVIOUS SURFACES

EPA Science Inventory

Stormwater flow from an impervious surface can lead to stream degradation, habitat alteration, low base flows and increased toxic loadings from nonpoint sources, a problem that has resisted traditional command and control regulatory approaches. We explore the thesis that a well ...

Bayesian Modeling of the Assimilative Capacity Component of Stream Nutrient Export

EPA Science Inventory

Implementing stream restoration techniques and best management practices to reduce nonpoint source nutrients implies enhancement of the assimilative capacity for the stream system. In this paper, a Bayesian method for evaluating this component of a TMDL load capacity is developed...

Multi-scale trends analysis of landscape stressors in an urbanizing coastal watershed

EPA Science Inventory

Anthropogenic land based stressors within a watershed can deliver major impacts to downstream and adjacent coastal waterways affecting water quality and estuarine habitats. Our research focused on a subset of non-point sources of watershed stressors specifically, human population...

Mercury Contaminated Sediment Sites: A Review Of Remedial Solutions

EPA Science Inventory

Mercury (Hg) can accumulate in sediment from point and non-point sources, depending on a number of physical, chemical, biological, geological and anthropogenic environmental processes. It is believed that the associated Hg contamination in aquatic systems can be decreased by imp...

AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR WATERSHED ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed approaches to water quality management have become popular, because they can address multiple point and non-point sources and the influences of land use. Developing technically-sound watershed management strategies can be challenging due to the need to 1) account for mu...

METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING URBAN WET-WEATHER CONTROL SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

To minimize impacts of urban nonpoint source pollution and associated costs of control (storage and treatment) associated with wet-weather flows (WWFs), stormwater runoff volumes and pollutant loads must be reduced. A number of control strategies, so-called “best management pract...

Brook Trout Back in Aaron Run

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Following a series of acid mine drainage (AMD) projects funded largely by EPA’s Clean Water Act Section 319 non-point source program, the pH level in Aaron Run is meeting Maryland’s water quality standard – and the brook trout are back.

40 CFR 131.35 - Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...-effective and reasonable best management practices for nonpoint source control. (iii) Where high quality... within areas designated as unique water quality management areas and waters otherwise of exceptional... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.35 Colville...

Sustainable Urban Waters: Opportunities to Integrate Environmental Protection in Multi-objective Projects

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Nonpoint source pollution is an ongoing challenge for environmental agencies who seek to protect waters of the U.S. Urban stream and waterfront redevelopment projects present opportunities to achieve integrated environmental, economic, and social benefits in urban water...

PROBABILISTIC ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER VULNERABILITY TO NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION IN AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents a probabilistic framework for the assessment of groundwater pollution potential by pesticides in two adjacent agricultural watersheds in the Mid-Altantic Coastal Plain. Indices for estimating streams vulnerability to pollutants' load from the surficial aquifer...

MODEL OF ADDITIVE EFFECTS OF MIXTURES OF NARCOTIC CHEMICALS

EPA Science Inventory

Biological effects data with single chemicals are far more abundant than with mixtures. et, environmental exposures to chemical mixtures, for example near hazardous waste sites or nonpoint sources, are very common and using test data from single chemicals to approximate effects o...

SIMULATION MODEL FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANNING. VOLUME 2. MODEL USER MANUAL

EPA Science Inventory

This report provides a user manual for the hydrologic, nonpoint source pollution simulation of the generalized planning model for evaluating forest and farming management alternatives. The manual contains an explanation of application of specific code and indicates changes that s...

Watershed Management Tool for Selection and Spacial Allocation of Non-Point Source Pollution Control Practices

EPA Science Inventory

Distributed-parameter watershed models are often utilized for evaluating the effectiveness of sediment and nutrient abatement strategies through the traditional {calibrate→ validate→ predict} approach. The applicability of the method is limited due to modeling approximations. In ...

INTENSIVE WATERSHED STUDY: THE PATUXENT RIVER BASIN

EPA Science Inventory

This study was one of five intensive watershed studies designed by the Chesapeake Bay Program's Eutrophication Work Group to provide detailed nonpoint source loading rates and ambient water quality data within the Chesapeake Bay drainage area. The study was conducted within the P...

Apportioning riverine DIN load to export coefficients of land uses in an urbanized watershed.

PubMed

Shih, Yu-Ting; Lee, Tsung-Yu; Huang, Jr-Chuan; Kao, Shuh-Ji; Chang

2016-08-01

The apportionment of riverine dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) load to individual land use on a watershed scale demands the support of accurate DIN load estimation and differentiation of point and non-point sources, but both of them are rarely quantitatively determined in small montane watersheds. We introduced the Danshui River watershed of Taiwan, a mountainous urbanized watershed, to determine the export coefficients via a reverse Monte Carlo approach from riverine DIN load. The results showed that the dynamics of N fluctuation determines the load estimation method and sampling frequency. On a monthly sampling frequency basis, the average load estimation of the methods (GM, FW, and LI) outperformed that of individual method. Export coefficient analysis showed that the forest DIN yield of 521.5kg-Nkm(-2)yr(-1) was ~2.7-fold higher than the global riverine DIN yield (mainly from temperate large rivers with various land use compositions). Such a high yield was attributable to high rainfall and atmospheric N deposition. The export coefficient of agriculture was disproportionately larger than forest suggesting that a small replacement of forest to agriculture could lead to considerable change of DIN load. The analysis of differentiation between point and non-point sources showed that the untreated wastewater (non-point source), accounting for ~93% of the total human-associated wastewater, resulted in a high export coefficient of urban. The inclusion of the treated and untreated wastewater completes the N budget of wastewater. The export coefficient approach serves well to assess the riverine DIN load and to improve the understanding of N cascade. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calibration and Validation of Nonpoint Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool,N- SPECT, for Tropical Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fares, A.; Cheng, C. L.; Dogan, A.

2006-12-01

Impaired water quality caused by agriculture, urbanization, and spread of invasive species has been identified as a major factor in the degradation of coastal ecosystems in the tropics. Watershed-scale nonpoint source pollution models facilitate in evaluating effective management practices to alleviate the negative impacts of different land-use changes. The Non-Point Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (N-SPECT) is a newly released watershed model that was not previously tested under tropical conditions. The two objectives of this study were to: i) calibrate and validate N-SPECT for the Hanalei Watershed of the Hawai`ian island of Kaua`i; ii) evaluate the performance of N-SPECT under tropical conditions using the sensitivity analysis approach. Hanalei watershed has one of the wettest points on earth, Mt. Waialeale with an average annual rainfall of 11,000 mm. This rainfall decreases to 2,000 mm at the outlet of the watershed near the coast. Number of rain days is one of the major input parameters that influences N-SPECT's simulation results. This parameter was used to account for plant canopy interception losses. The watershed was divided into sub- basins to accurately distribute the number of rain days throughout the watershed. Total runoff volume predicted by the model compared well with measured data. The model underestimated measured runoff by 1% for calibration period and 5% for validation period due to higher intensity precipitation in the validation period. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the model was most sensitive to the number of rain days, followed by canopy interception, and least sensitive to the number of sub-basins. The sediment and water quality portion of the model is currently being evaluated.

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Tables

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... phone number ✓ ✓ (6) FIPS code ✓ ✓ (7) Facility ID codes ✓ ✓ (8) Unit ID code ✓ ✓ (9) Process ID code... for Reporting on Emissions From Nonpoint Sources and Nonroad Mobile Sources, Where Required by 40 CFR... start date ✓ ✓ (3) Inventory end date ✓ ✓ (4) Contact name ✓ ✓ (5) Contact phone number ✓ ✓ (6) FIPS...

Potential contribution of ecosystem services associated with altered management activities in the Wabash River watershed to sustainable water management in the Ohio River Basin

EPA Science Inventory

The Ohio River (OR) is an important river in North America. It has many different functions for use by humans and wildlife. Water quality of the OR main stem is 50% impaired. The impairment originates from point sources located on the shores of the OR, from non-point sources and ...

LONG TERM HYDROLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (LTHIA)

EPA Science Inventory

LTHIA is a universal Urban Sprawl analysis tool that is available to all at no charge through the Internet. It estimates impacts on runoff, recharge and nonpoint source pollution resulting from past or proposed land use changes. It gives long-term average annual runoff for a lan...

METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

The Upper Big Walnut Creek watershed encompasses 190 square miles of predominantly agricultural cropland (65%) in Central Ohio (USA) where agronomic fertilizers and herbicides are used in row crop production. Runoff from the watershed drain to Hoover Reservoir which is Central Oh...

Evaluation of fertility practices during roadside establishment in Mississippi to minimize nonpoint source pollutants.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

Runoff during the revegetation of roadsides can transport sediment and nutrients offsite, leading surface water quality reductions. Two field experiments were conducted near Starkville, MS in 2011 and 2012 to evaluate the influence of various N and P...

COST-EFFECTIVE ALLOCATION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES USING A GENETIC ALGORITHM

EPA Science Inventory

Implementation of conservation programs are perceived as being crucial for restoring and protecting waters and watersheds from non-point source pollution. Success of these programs depends to a great extent on planning tools that can assist the watershed management process. Here-...

Optimization Tool For Allocation Of Watershed Management Practices For Sediment And Nutrient Control

EPA Science Inventory

Implementation of conservation programs are perceived as being crucial for restoring and protecting waters and watersheds from nonpoint source pollution. Success of these programs depends to a great extent on planning tools that can assist the watershed management process. Herein...

40 CFR 35.638 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... amount authorized under the Clean Water Act section 319 and 518(f) for making grants to Tribes or... the Act; (2) Approved Tribe or Intertribal Consortium management program. EPA has approved the Tribes... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants...

40 CFR 35.638 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... amount authorized under the Clean Water Act section 319 and 518(f) for making grants to Tribes or... the Act; (2) Approved Tribe or Intertribal Consortium management program. EPA has approved the Tribes... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants...

40 CFR 35.633 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... State under section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 CFR 130.6(d)). ... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518(f)) § 35.633 Eligibility requirements. A Tribe or Intertribal Consortium...

40 CFR 35.638 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... amount authorized under the Clean Water Act section 319 and 518(f) for making grants to Tribes or... the Act; (2) Approved Tribe or Intertribal Consortium management program. EPA has approved the Tribes... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants...

40 CFR 35.633 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... State under section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 CFR 130.6(d)). ... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518(f)) § 35.633 Eligibility requirements. A Tribe or Intertribal Consortium...

40 CFR 35.633 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... State under section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 CFR 130.6(d)). ... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518(f)) § 35.633 Eligibility requirements. A Tribe or Intertribal Consortium...

40 CFR 35.638 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... amount authorized under the Clean Water Act section 319 and 518(f) for making grants to Tribes or... the Act; (2) Approved Tribe or Intertribal Consortium management program. EPA has approved the Tribes... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants...

40 CFR 35.633 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... State under section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 CFR 130.6(d)). ... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518(f)) § 35.633 Eligibility requirements. A Tribe or Intertribal Consortium...

40 CFR 35.633 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... State under section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 CFR 130.6(d)). ... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants (sections 319(h) and 518(f)) § 35.633 Eligibility requirements. A Tribe or Intertribal Consortium...

40 CFR 35.638 - Award limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... amount authorized under the Clean Water Act section 319 and 518(f) for making grants to Tribes or... the Act; (2) Approved Tribe or Intertribal Consortium management program. EPA has approved the Tribes... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Nonpoint Source Management Grants...

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Adoption of Best Management Practices: A Review and Synthesis

EPA Science Inventory

Best management practices (BMPs) for reducing agricultural non-point source pollution are widely available. However, agriculture remains a major global contributor to degradation of waters because farmers often do not adopt BMPs. To improve water quality, it is necessary to under...

Nitrogen component in nonpoint source pollution models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pollutants entering a water body can be very destructive to the health of that system. Best Management Practices (BMPs) and/or conservation practices are used to reduce these pollutants, but understanding the most effective practices is very difficult. Watershed models are an effective tool to aid...

Field-deployed Metabolomics for Assessing Waters Impacted by Point and Non-Point Sources of Contamination

EPA Science Inventory

Metabolomics is becoming well-established for studying chemical contaminant-induced alterations to normal biological function. For example, the literature contains a wealth of laboratory-based studies involving analysis of samples from organisms exposed to individual chemical tox...

REMOTE SENSING, VISUALIZATION AND DECISION SUPPORT FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

EPA Science Inventory

The integration of satellite and airborne remote sensing, scientific visualization and decision support tools is discussed within the context of management techniques for minimizing the non-point source pollution load of inland waterways and the sustainability of food crop produc...

Ecological consequences of antibiotic exposure to periphyton in naturally colonizing stream mesocosms

EPA Science Inventory

Tetracycline and its derivatives are extensively used human and animal antibiotics, and enter stream ecosystems via point and non-point sources. Laboratory studies indicate that microbial organisms are more sensitive to antibiotics than invertebrates or fish, and may indicate t...

SEDIMENT ANALYSIS - LANDSCAPE INDICATORS FOR PESTICIDES STUDY FOR MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL STREAMS (LIPS-MACS)

EPA Science Inventory

Nonpoint-source pollution, including pesticides and toxics, is the largest threat facing aquatic resources today. Understanding how pesticides applied to agricultural fields and suburban lawns reach and influence stream water quality is the focus of the Landscape Indicators for ...

AN EXPERIMENTAL TEST OF AMBIENT-BASED MECHANISMS FOR NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL. (R830989)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Prepared by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Regulations and Standards Office of Wetlands Protection June 1990

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information and guidance on the coordination of State and Federal Non-Point Source (CWA, Section 319) control and wetland programs (CWA, Section 404)and the implementation of activities that can benefit both programs

Impact of sampling techniques on measured stormwater quality data for small streams

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Science-based sampling methodologies are needed to enhance water quality characterization for developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), setting appropriate water quality standards, and managing nonpoint source pollution. Storm event sampling, which is vital for adequate assessment of water qual...

CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND NATIONAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS)

EPA Science Inventory

Resource Purpose:Data collected annually from EPA Regional Offices and States on the 51 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs. The data provides the Agency with information on sources and uses of CWSRF funds to finance wastewater management projects, nonpoint ...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION: DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOCOL FOR TESTING COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED STORMWATER TREATMENT DEVICES

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past decade, there has been an increasing array of commercially available products for the treatment of nonpoint source pollution from urban stormwater. These products incorporate various approaches to stormwater treatment such as: in-line subsurface treatment chambers...

DEVELOPING SEASONAL AMMONIA EMISSION ESTIMATES WITH AN INVERSE MODELING TECHNIQUE

EPA Science Inventory

Significant uncertainty exists in magnitude and variability of ammonia (NH3) emissions, which are needed for air quality modeling of aerosols and deposition of nitrogen compounds. Approximately 85% of NH3 emissions are estimated to come from agricultural non-point sources. We sus...

Field-deployed Metabolomics for Assessing Surface Waters Impacted by Point and Non-Point Sources of Contamination

EPA Science Inventory

Metabolomics has become well-established for studying chemical contaminant-induced alterations to normal biological function. For example, the literature contains a wealth of laboratory-based studies involving analysis of samples from organisms exposed to individual chemical toxi...

Consequences of tetracycline exposure to stream periphyton in an experimental mesocosm study

EPA Science Inventory

A significant amount of ingested, injected, and applied antibiotics are not metabolized but are excreted; entering the environment via point and non-point sources. Tetracycline and its derivatives are among the most extensively used human and animal antibiotics. We examined the ...

A stepwise, multi-objective, multi-variable parameter optimization method for the APEX model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proper parameterization enables hydrological models to make reliable estimates of non-point source pollution for effective control measures. The automatic calibration of hydrologic models requires significant computational power limiting its application. The study objective was to develop and eval...

Precipitation, atmospheric deposition, streamflow, and water-quality data from selected sites in the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1997–98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sarver, Kathleen M.; Hazell, W.F.; Robinson, J.B.

1999-01-01

Precipitation data were collected at 46 precipitation sites and 3 atmospheric deposition sites, and hydrologic data were collected at 6 stream sites in the vicinity of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, from July 1997 through September 1998. Data were collected to identify the type, concentration, and amount of nonpoint-source stormwater runoff in the study area. The data collected include measurements of precipitation; streamflow; physical characteristics, such as water temperature, pH, specific conductance, biochemical oxygen demand, oil and grease, and suspended-sediment concentrations; and concentrations of nutrients, metals and minor constituents, and organic compounds. These data will provide information needed for (1) planned watershed simulation models, (2) estimates of nonpoint-source constituent loadings to the Catawba River, and (3) characterization of water quality in relation to basin conditions. Streamflow and rainfall data have been used to provide early warnings of possible flooding.

Reduction of nonpoint source contamination of surface water and groundwater by starch encapsulation of herbicides

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mills, M.S.; Thurman, E.M.

1994-01-01

The loss of the preemergent herbicide atrazine in surface runoff from experimental field plots growing corn (Zea mays L.) was significantly reduced using a starchencapsulated formulation versus a conventional powdered formulation. Field edge losses of starch-encapsulated atrazine were described as following a Rayleigh distribution totaling 1.8% of applied herbicide compared to exponential powdered atrazine losses of 2.9% applied - a 40% decrease. This has important implications for the reduction of nonpoint source contamination of surface water by agricultural chemicals. Unsaturated zone release of starchencapsulated atrazine was gradual, but comparable weed control was maintained. Deethylatrazine was a major dealkylated metabolite from each formulation, and deisopropylatrazine was a minor metabolite. The determination of soil partition coefficients for deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine (0.4 and 0.3, respectively), aqueous solubilities (3200 and 670 mg/L, respectively), and melting points (133 and 177 ??C, respectively) confirmed that the dealkylated metabolites should move more rapidly through the soil profile to groundwater than atrazine.

An auto-adaptive optimization approach for targeting nonpoint source pollution control practices.

PubMed

Chen, Lei; Wei, Guoyuan; Shen, Zhenyao

2015-10-21

To solve computationally intensive and technically complex control of nonpoint source pollution, the traditional genetic algorithm was modified into an auto-adaptive pattern, and a new framework was proposed by integrating this new algorithm with a watershed model and an economic module. Although conceptually simple and comprehensive, the proposed algorithm would search automatically for those Pareto-optimality solutions without a complex calibration of optimization parameters. The model was applied in a case study in a typical watershed of the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. The results indicated that the evolutionary process of optimization was improved due to the incorporation of auto-adaptive parameters. In addition, the proposed algorithm outperformed the state-of-the-art existing algorithms in terms of convergence ability and computational efficiency. At the same cost level, solutions with greater pollutant reductions could be identified. From a scientific viewpoint, the proposed algorithm could be extended to other watersheds to provide cost-effective configurations of BMPs.

Genetic Diversity of Escherichia coli Isolated from Urban Rivers and Beach Water

PubMed Central

McLellan, Sandra L.

2004-01-01

Repetitive element anchored PCR was used to evaluate the genetic profiles of Escherichia coli isolated from surface water contaminated with urban stormwater, sanitary sewage, and gull feces to determine if strains found in environmental samples reflect the strain composition of E. coli obtained from host sources. Overall, there was less diversity in isolates collected from river and beach sites than with isolates obtained from human and nonhuman sources. Unique strain types comprised 28.8, 29.2, and 15.0% of the isolate data sets recovered from stormwater, river water, and beach water, respectively. In contrast, 50.4% of gull isolates and 41.2% of sewage isolates were unique strain types. River water, which is expected to contain E. coli strains from many diffuse sources of nonpoint source pollution, contained strains most closely associated with other river water isolates that were collected at different sites or on different days. However, river sites impacted by sewage discharge had approximately 20% more strains similar to sewage isolates than did sites impacted by stormwater alone. Beach sites with known gull fecal contamination contained E. coli most similar to other beach isolates rather than gull isolates collected at these same sites, indicating underrepresentation of possible gull strains. These results suggest large numbers of strains are needed to represent contributing host sources within a geographical location. Additionally, environmental survival may influence the composition of strains that can be recovered from contaminated waters. Understanding the ecology of indicator bacteria is important when interpreting fecal pollution assessments and developing source detection methodology. PMID:15294799

Analysis of non-point and point source pollution in China: case study in Shima Watershed in Guangdong Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Huaiyang; Lu, Qingshui; Gao, Zhiqiang; Shi, Runhe; Gao, Wei

2013-09-01

China economy has been rapidly increased since 1978. Rapid economic growth led to fast growth of fertilizer and pesticide consumption. A significant portion of fertilizers and pesticides entered the water and caused water quality degradation. At the same time, rapid economic growth also caused more and more point source pollution discharge into the water. Eutrophication has become a major threat to the water bodies. Worsening environment problems forced governments to take measures to control water pollution. We extracted land cover from Landsat TM images; calculated point source pollution with export coefficient method; then SWAT model was run to simulate non-point source pollution. We found that the annual TP loads from industry pollution into rivers are 115.0 t in the entire watershed. Average annual TP loads from each sub-basin ranged from 0 to 189.4 ton. Higher TP loads of each basin from livestock and human living mainly occurs in the areas where they are far from large towns or cities and the TP loads from industry are relatively low. Mean annual TP loads that delivered to the streams was 246.4 tons and the highest TP loads occurred in north part of this area, and the lowest TP loads is mainly distributed in middle part. Therefore, point source pollution has much high proportion in this area and governments should take measures to control point source pollution.

Total Nitrogen Sources of the Three Gorges Reservoir — A Spatio-Temporal Approach

PubMed Central

Ren, Chunping; Wang, Lijing; Zheng, Binghui; Holbach, Andreas

2015-01-01

Understanding the spatial and temporal variation of nutrient concentrations, loads, and their distribution from upstream tributaries is important for the management of large lakes and reservoirs. The Three Gorges Dam was built on the Yangtze River in China, the world’s third longest river, and impounded the famous Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). In this study, we analyzed total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and inflow data from 2003 till 2010 for the main upstream tributaries of the TGR that contribute about 82% of the TGR’s total inflow. We used time series analysis for seasonal decomposition of TN concentrations and used non-parametric statistical tests (Kruskal-Walli H, Mann-Whitney U) as well as base flow segmentation to analyze significant spatial and temporal patterns of TN pollution input into the TGR. Our results show that TN concentrations had significant spatial heterogeneity across the study area (Tuo River> Yangtze River> Wu River> Min River> Jialing River>Jinsha River). Furthermore, we derived apparent seasonal changes in three out of five upstream tributaries of the TGR rivers (Kruskal-Walli H ρ = 0.009, 0.030 and 0.029 for Tuo River, Jinsha River and Min River in sequence). TN pollution from non-point sources in the upstream tributaries accounted for 68.9% of the total TN input into the TGR. Non-point source pollution of TN revealed increasing trends for 4 out of five upstream tributaries of the TGR. Land use/cover and soil type were identified as the dominant driving factors for the spatial distribution of TN. Intensifying agriculture and increasing urbanization in the upstream catchments of the TGR were the main driving factors for non-point source pollution of TN increase from 2003 till 2010. Land use and land cover management as well as chemical fertilizer use restriction were needed to overcome the threats of increasing TN pollution. PMID:26510158

Factors affecting low summer dissolved oxygen concentrations in Mississippi Delta bayous

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Streams in watersheds supporting intensive row-crop agriculture are vulnerable to ecological degradation due to non-point source pollutants such as nutrients. Low gradient streams such as bayous are especially susceptible to pollutants due to increased water residence time, and they often exhibit po...

MARKET INCENTIVES AND NONPOINT SOURCES: AN APPLICATION OF TRADABLE CREDITS TO URBAN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Excess stormwater runoff can cause serious pollution, habitat degradation and flooding in cities where growth in impervious surface area (such as pavement, buildings, etc.) has created a situation where stormwater runoff routinely exceeds the normal capacity of natural and constr...

A Framework to Assess the Impacts of Climate Change on Stream Health Indicators in Michigan Watersheds

EPA Science Inventory

Climate change is projected to alter watershed hydrology and potentially amplify nonpoint source pollution transport. These changes have implications for fish and macroinvertebrates, which are often used as measures of aquatic ecosystem health. By quantifying the risk of adverse ...

Initiation Decision Report: Nonpoint Source Discharge

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

1. Suspended and mixed media growth 2. Anaerobic and aerobic digestion 3. Enzyme treatment 4. In-situ assimilation 5. Composting 6. Land treatment...either anoxic (metabolic reduction) or an aerobic (metabolic oxidation) environment (Ref. 4.2, 4.4, 4.5). Aerobic digestion is one of the most widely used

ANALYTICAL MODELING OF THE INFLUENCE OF DENITRIFYING SEDIMENTS ON NITRATE TRANSPORT IN AQUIFERS WITH SLOPING BEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Denitrification is a significant process for the removal of nitrate transported in groundwater drainage from agricultural watersheds. In this paper analytical solutions are developed for advective-reactive and nonpoint-source contaminant transport in a two-layer unconfined aquife...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... affect areas of NRCS expertise, such as prime farmlands, soils, erosion control, and agricultural sources of nonpoint pollution. NRCS, as a cooperating agency, is to comply with the requirements of 40 CFR... appointed to insure that soil, water, related resources, and environmental qualities in the district are...

SIMULATION MODEL FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANNING. VOLUME 1. MODEL THEORY AND FORMULATION

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluation of nonpoint source pollution problems requires an understanding of the behavioral response to an ecosystem to the impacts of land use activities on individual components of that ecosystem. By analyzing basic ecosystem processes and impacts of land use activities on spe...

Assessing the impact of manure application method on runoff phosphorus using controlled and natural rainfall

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land application of manure is a cost-effective method for recycling nutrients from livestock operations. Increasingly, there has been interest in promoting alternative methods of manure application that minimize nonpoint source phosphorus pollution. Watershed and nutrient trading programs rely upon ...

Evaluation of a stepwise, multi-objective, multi-variable parameter optimization method for the APEX model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hydrologic models are essential tools for environmental assessment of agricultural non-point source pollution. The automatic calibration of hydrologic models, though efficient, demands significant computational power, which can limit its application. The study objective was to investigate a cost e...

Nonpoint source contamination of the Mississippi river and its tributaries by herbicides

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Hostettler, F.D.

1993-01-01

A study of the Mississippi River and its tributaries during July-August 1991, October-November 1991, and April-May 1992 has indicated that the entire navigable reach of the river is contaminated with a complex mixture of agrochemicals and their transformation products derived from nonpoint sources. Twenty-three compounds were identified, including triazine, chloroacetanilide, thiocarbamate, phenylurea, pyridazine, and organophosphorus pesticides. The upper and middle Mississippi River Basin farm lands are major sources of herbicides applied to corn, soybeans, and sorghum. Farm lands in the lower Mississippi River Basin are a major source of rice and cotton herbicides. Inputs of the five major herbicides atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, alachlor, and simazine to the Mississippi River are mainly from the Minnesota, Des Moines, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers. Ratios of desethylatrazine/atrazine potentially are useful indicators of groundwater and surface water interactions in the Mississippi River. These ratios suggested that during baseflow conditions, there is a significant groundwater contribution to the river. The Mississippi River thus serves as a drainage channel for pesticide-contaminated surface and groundwater from the midwestern United States. Conservative estimates of annual mass transport indicated that about 160 t of atrazine, 71 t of cyanazine, 56 t of metolachlor, and 18 t of alachlor were discharged into the Gulf of Mexico in 1991.

Mercury Export from Mainland China to Adjacent Seas and Its Influence on the Marine Mercury Balance.

PubMed

Liu, Maodian; Chen, Long; Wang, Xuejun; Zhang, Wei; Tong, Yindong; Ou, Langbo; Xie, Han; Shen, Huizhong; Ye, Xuejie; Deng, Chunyan; Wang, Huanhuan

2016-06-21

Exports from mainland China are a significant source of mercury (Hg) in the adjacent seas (Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea) near China. A total of 240 ± 23 Mg was contributed in 2012 (30% from natural sources and 70% from anthropogenic sources), including Hg from rivers, industrial wastewater, domestic sewage, groundwater, nonpoint sources, and coastal erosion. Among the various sources, the Hg from rivers amounts to 160 ± 21 Mg and plays a dominant role. The Hg that is exported from mainland China increased from 1984 to 2013; the contributions from rivers, industrial wastewater, domestic sewage and groundwater increased, and the contributions from nonpoint sources and coastal erosion remained stable. A box model is constructed to simulate the mass balance of Hg in these seas and quantify the sources, sinks and Hg biogeochemical cycle in the seas. In total, 160 Mg of Hg was transported to the Pacific Ocean and other oceans from these seas through oceanic currents in 2012, which could have negative impacts on the marine ecosystem. A prediction of the changes in Hg exportation through 2030 shows that the impacts of terrestrial export might worsen without effective pollution reduction measures and that the Hg load in these seas will increase, especially in the seawater of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea and in the sea margin sediments of the Bohai Sea and East China Sea.

Investigating the effects of point source and nonpoint source pollution on the water quality of the East River (Dongjiang) in South China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, Yiping; Chen, Ji

2013-01-01

Understanding the physical processes of point source (PS) and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is critical to evaluate river water quality and identify major pollutant sources in a watershed. In this study, we used the physically-based hydrological/water quality model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool, to investigate the influence of PS and NPS pollution on the water quality of the East River (Dongjiang in Chinese) in southern China. Our results indicate that NPS pollution was the dominant contribution (>94%) to nutrient loads except for mineral phosphorus (50%). A comprehensive Water Quality Index (WQI) computed using eight key water quality variables demonstrates that water quality is better upstream than downstream despite the higher level of ammonium nitrogen found in upstream waters. Also, the temporal (seasonal) and spatial distributions of nutrient loads clearly indicate the critical time period (from late dry season to early wet season) and pollution source areas within the basin (middle and downstream agricultural lands), which resource managers can use to accomplish substantial reduction of NPS pollutant loadings. Overall, this study helps our understanding of the relationship between human activities and pollutant loads and further contributes to decision support for local watershed managers to protect water quality in this region. In particular, the methods presented such as integrating WQI with watershed modeling and identifying the critical time period and pollutions source areas can be valuable for other researchers worldwide.

Proceedings from the Workshop on Research Needs for Assessment and Management of Non-Point Air Emissions from Department of Defense Activities held in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina on 19-21 February 2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

Chow, J.C. (2006). Feasibility of soil dust source apportionment by the pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method. J. Air Waste Manage...receptor-oriented source apportionment models. • Develop monitoring methods to determine source and fence line amounts of fugitive dust emissions for...offsite impact, including evaluation with receptor- oriented source apportionment models 76 8.8.1 Background 76 8.8.2 Significance 77 8.8.3

Factors affecting low summer dissolved oxygen concentrations in Mississippi Delta bayous

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Streams in watersheds supporting intensive row-crop agriculture are vulnerable to ecological degradation due to non-point source discharge of pollutants such as nutrients. Low gradient streams such as bayous are especially susceptible due to increased water residence time, and often result in poor w...

The Watershed Deposition Tool: A Tool for Incorporating Atmospheric Deposition in Watershed Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

The tool for providing the linkage between air and water quality modeling needed for determining the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and for analyzing related nonpoint-source impacts on watersheds has been developed. The Watershed Deposition Tool (WDT) takes gridded output of at...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water quality plan is eligible to enter into an RCWP contract. (b) This program will be conducted in compliance..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21...

MODEL SIMULATION STUDIES OF SCALE-DEPENDENT GAIN IN STREAM NUTRIENT ASSIMILATIVE CAPACITY RESULTING FROM IMPROVING NUTRIENT RETENTION METRICS

EPA Science Inventory

Considering the difficulty in measuring restoration success for nonpoint source pollutants, nutrient assimilative capacity (NAS) offers an attractive systems-based metric. Here NAS was defined using an impulse-response model of nitrate fate and transport. Eleven parameters were e...

HSPF Toolkit: a New Tool for Stormwater Management at the Watershed Scale

EPA Science Inventory

The Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF) is a comprehensive watershed model endorsed by US EPA for simulating point and nonpoint source pollutants. The model is used for developing total maximum daily load (TMDL) plans for impaired water bodies; as such, HSPF is the c...

Land use and climate variability amplify carbon, nutrient, and contaminant pulses: a review with management implications

EPA Science Inventory

Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture and urbanization is increasing globally at the same time that climate extremes have increased in frequency and intensity. We review over 160 studies and show how the interaction between land use and climate variability alters the magnit...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water quality plan is eligible to enter into an RCWP contract. (b) This program will be conducted in compliance..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21...

Reducing Phosphorus Runoff from Biosolids with Water Treatment Residuals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A large fraction of the biosolids produced in the U.S. are placed in landfills or incinerated to avoid potential water quality problems associated with non-point source phosphorus (P) runoff. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of various chemical amendments on P runoff from bi...

Utilizing water treatment residuals to reduce phosphorus runoff from biosolids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Approximately 40% of biosolids (sewage sludge) produced in the U.S. are incinerated or landfilled rather than land applied due to concern over non-point source phosphorus (P) runoff. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of chemical amendments on water-extractable P (WEP) in appli...

EFFECTS OF WHOLE SEDIMENTS FROM CORPUS CHRISTI BAY ON SURVIVAL, GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE MYSID, MYSIDOPSIS BAHIA

EPA Science Inventory

Estuarine and marine coastlines are receiving waters for many anthropogenic substances. Concentrations of many of these contaminants have been diminished by regulatory control of effluents, but there is concern that continuing inputs (non-point sources) and contaminants contained...

The Potential Importance of Conservation, Restoration, and Altered Management Practices for Water Quality in the Wabash River Watershed

EPA Science Inventory

Non-point source (NPS) pollution is one of the leading causes of water quality impairment within the United States. Conservation, restoration and altered management (CRAM) practices may effectively reduce NPS pollutants discharge into receiving water bodies and enhance local and ...

Management practices used in agricultural drainage ditches to reduce Gulf of Mexico hypoxia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural non-point sources of nutrients and sediments have caused eutrophication and other water quality issues in aquatic and marine ecosystems, such as the annual occurrence of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Management practices have been implemented adjacent to and in agricultural drainage di...

The Utilization of Edge-of-Field Monitoring of Agricultural Runoff in Addressing Nonpoint Source Pollution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While basin-scale studies and modeling are important tools in relating land uses to water quality concerns, edge-of-field monitoring (EOFM) provides the necessary resolution to spatially target, design, and evaluate in-field conservation practices for reducing nutrient and sediment loading from agri...

CHARACTERIZING SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS: DEVELOPMENT OF A GRID-BASED WATERSHED MERCURY LOADING MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

A distributed grid-based watershed mercury loading model has been developed to characterize spatial and temporal dynamics of mercury from both point and non-point sources. The model simulates flow, sediment transport, and mercury dynamics on a daily time step across a diverse lan...

Adopt-A-Stream Teacher's Guide for Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia State Dept. of Natural Resources, Atlanta.

This guide comprises materials largely drawn from existing environmental education materials. The four major subject areas discussed mirror the Adopt-A Stream activities and include watersheds, nonpoint source pollution, and biological and chemical monitoring of stream conditions. The activities in this guide are grouped according to grade levels.…

REGIONAL-SCALE FISH ECOLOGY IN NORTHEASTERN USA LAKES USING A PROBABILITY-BASED SURVEY DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

Historically, most fish ecology has been done at local scales. As these data accumulate, the need to set this knowledge into landscape, regional, and historical context grows. There are important broad-scale issues (e.g., non-point source pollution, biodiversity loss, alien spe...

Wastewater Treatment and Reuse by Land Application, Volume I - Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pound, Charles E.; Crites, Ronald W.

This report is included in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) environmental protection technology series which describes research performed to develop and demonstrate instrumentation, equipment and methodology to repair or prevent environmental degradation from point and non-point sources of pollution. This document is a summary of a…

SHEPHERD CREEK, CINCINNATI, OH: USING TRADABLE CREDITS TO CONTROL EXCESS STORMWATER RUNOFF

EPA Science Inventory

The problem of managing stormwater runoff grows apace with continued urbanization, yet the management tools for this growing non-point source problem have not fully kept up. The rapid growth of stormwater utilities around the nation is an important step toward providing an ef...

Spatial optimization of watershed management practices for nitrogen load reduction using a modeling-optimization framework

EPA Science Inventory

Best management practices (BMPs) are perceived as being effective in reducing nutrient loads transported from non-point sources (NPS) to receiving water bodies. The objective of this study was to develop a modeling-optimization framework that can be used by watershed management p...

AN ACCURACY ASSESSMENT OF MULTIPLE MID-ATLANTIC SUB-PIXEL IMPERVIOUS SURFACE MAPS

EPA Science Inventory

Anthropogenic impervious surfaces have an important relationship with non-point source pollution (NPS) in urban watersheds. The amount of impervious surface area in a watershed is a key indicator of landscape change. As a single variable, it serves to integrate a number of conc...

Health burden of gastrointestinal symptoms resulting from swimming in fecally-contaminated recreational waters.

EPA Science Inventory

Millions of people swim and recreate in oceans and lakes every year. Fecal contamination of these waters can occur from sewage discharges, runoff, and other point and non-point sources. Measures of fecal indicator contamination (e.g., the fecal indicator bacteria E. coli and Ent...

Data related uncertainty in near-surface vulnerability assessments for agrochemicals in the San Joaquin Valley

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Precious groundwater resources across the USA have been contaminated due to decades-long nonpoint-source applications of agricultural chemicals. Assessing the impact of past, ongoing, and future chemical applications for large-scale agriculture operations is timely for designing best-management prac...

SWAT: Agricultural water and nonpoint source pollution management at a watershed scale - Part II

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global change and demographic changes increasingly cause water, food, and health problems in many areas of the world. In addition, the growth in bioenergy production leads to land-use change and associated environmental impacts. The lack of integration in resource assessments and policy-making leads...

SWAT: Agricultural water and nonpoint source pollution management at a watershed scale

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global change and demographic changes increasingly cause water, food, and health problems in many areas of the world. In addition, the growth in bioenergy production leads to land-use change and associated environmental impacts. The lack of integration in resource assessments and policy-making leads...

EXPLORING THE PERFORMANCE OF AMBIENT-BASED POLICY INSTRUMENTS WHEN NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTERS CAN COOPERATE. (R830989)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

PREDICTING VIRUS LOADING TO STREAMS FROM GROUNDWATER: NONPOINT SOURCE APPLICATIONS FOR TMDL EVALUATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Density of septic systems in watersheds has been identified as a contributor to pathogen loading in streams. At present, little work has been done to provide simple models to assist in evaluating groundwater loading for pathogen TMDLs. A compartmental model is being developed for...

Comparison of enterococci and cow-specific qPAR markers in streams impacted by farms under different management practices

EPA Science Inventory

Nonpoint Sources (NPS) of pollution (e.g., agriculture, wildlife, urban runoff) are major contributors of microbial contaminants to surface waters. However, little is known about the behavior and the effect of environmental determinants on molecular markers of fecal contamination...

USING LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND PARTIAL LEAST SQUARES PREDICTIONS TO MAP WATERSHEDS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development have mapped and interpreted landscape-scale (i.e., broad scale) ecological metrics among watersheds in the upper White River watershed, producing the first geospatial models of water quality vulnerabili...

Decreasing phosphorus loss in tile-drained landscapes using flue gas desulfurization gypsum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elevated phosphorus (P) loading from agricultural non-point source pollution continues to impair inland waterbodies throughout the world. The application of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum to agricultural fields has been suggested to decrease P loading because of its high calcium content and P...

Ecological Engineering Practices for the Reduction of Excess Nitrogen in Human-Influenced Landscapes: A Guide for Watershed Managers

EPA Science Inventory

Excess nitrogen (N) in freshwater systems, estuaries, and coastal areas has well-documented deleterious effects on ecosystems. Ecological engineering practices (EEPs) may be effective at decreasing nonpoint source N leaching to surface and groundwater. However, few studies have s...

THE ROLE OF STORMWATER BMPS IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF NUTRIENT OVERENRICHMENT IN THE URBAN WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

Nutrient overenrichment from agricultural and urban point and nonpoint sources, including urban stormwter, is a leading cause of impairment to our nation's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. For waters that do not currently meet existing water quality standards, The USEPA's TMDL ...

75 FR 27552 - Guidance for Federal Land Management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-17

... effective tools and practices available to reduce water pollution from a variety of nonpoint sources... describe ``proven cost-effective tools and practices that reduce water pollution'' that are appropriate to...: Katie Flahive, USEPA, Office of Water, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 122 - Rainfall Zones of the United States

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Appendix E to Part 122 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Pt. 122, App. E... Protection Agency, Office of Water, Nonpoint Source Division, Washington, DC, 1986. [55 FR 48073, Nov. 16...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 122 - Rainfall Zones of the United States

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Appendix E to Part 122 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Pt. 122, App. E... Protection Agency, Office of Water, Nonpoint Source Division, Washington, DC, 1986. [55 FR 48073, Nov. 16...

Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Riparian Forest Buffers, Warm-Season and Cool-Season Grass Filters, and Crop Fields

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing denitrification rates in riparian buffers may be trading the problem of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of surface waters for atmospheric deterioration and increased global warming potential because denitrification produces nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas also involved in stratosphe...

[Nitrogen non-point source pollution identification based on ArcSWAT in Changle River].

PubMed

Deng, Ou-Ping; Sun, Si-Yang; Lü, Jun

2013-04-01

The ArcSWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was adopted for Non-point source (NPS) nitrogen pollution modeling and nitrogen source apportionment for the Changle River watershed, a typical agricultural watershed in Southeast China. Water quality and hydrological parameters were monitored, and the watershed natural conditions (including soil, climate, land use, etc) and pollution sources information were also investigated and collected for SWAT database. The ArcSWAT model was established in the Changle River after the calibrating and validating procedures of the model parameters. Based on the validated SWAT model, the contributions of different nitrogen sources to river TN loading were quantified, and spatial-temporal distributions of NPS nitrogen export to rivers were addressed. The results showed that in the Changle River watershed, Nitrogen fertilizer, nitrogen air deposition and nitrogen soil pool were the prominent pollution sources, which contributed 35%, 32% and 25% to the river TN loading, respectively. There were spatial-temporal variations in the critical sources for NPS TN export to the river. Natural sources, such as soil nitrogen pool and atmospheric nitrogen deposition, should be targeted as the critical sources for river TN pollution during the rainy seasons. Chemical nitrogen fertilizer application should be targeted as the critical sources for river TN pollution during the crop growing season. Chemical nitrogen fertilizer application, soil nitrogen pool and atmospheric nitrogen deposition were the main sources for TN exported from the garden plot, forest and residential land, respectively. However, they were the main sources for TN exported both from the upland and paddy field. These results revealed that NPS pollution controlling rules should focus on the spatio-temporal distribution of NPS pollution sources.

Stochastic sensitivity analysis of nitrogen pollution to climate change in a river basin with complex pollution sources.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoying; Tan, Lit; He, Ruimin; Fu, Guangtao; Ye, Jinyin; Liu, Qun; Wang, Guoqing

2017-12-01

It is increasingly recognized that climate change could impose both direct and indirect impacts on the quality of the water environment. Previous studies have mostly concentrated on evaluating the impacts of climate change on non-point source pollution in agricultural watersheds. Few studies have assessed the impacts of climate change on the water quality of river basins with complex point and non-point pollution sources. In view of the gap, this paper aims to establish a framework for stochastic assessment of the sensitivity of water quality to future climate change in a river basin with complex pollution sources. A sub-daily soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was developed to simulate the discharge, transport, and transformation of nitrogen from multiple point and non-point pollution sources in the upper Huai River basin of China. A weather generator was used to produce 50 years of synthetic daily weather data series for all 25 combinations of precipitation (changes by - 10, 0, 10, 20, and 30%) and temperature change (increases by 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 °C) scenarios. The generated daily rainfall series was disaggregated into the hourly scale and then used to drive the sub-daily SWAT model to simulate the nitrogen cycle under different climate change scenarios. Our results in the study region have indicated that (1) both total nitrogen (TN) loads and concentrations are insensitive to temperature change; (2) TN loads are highly sensitive to precipitation change, while TN concentrations are moderately sensitive; (3) the impacts of climate change on TN concentrations are more spatiotemporally variable than its impacts on TN loads; and (4) wide distributions of TN loads and TN concentrations under individual climate change scenario illustrate the important role of climatic variability in affecting water quality conditions. In summary, the large variability in SWAT simulation results within and between each climate change scenario highlights the uncertainty of the impacts of climate change and the need to incorporate extreme conditions in managing water environment and developing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

[Characteristics and Transport Patterns of Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and Inorganic Nitrogen Flux at Epikarst Springs and a Subterranean Stream in Nanshan, Chongqing].

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan-zhu; He, Qiu-fang; Jiang, Yong-jun; Li, Yong

2016-04-15

In a karst groundwater system, it develops complex multiple flows because of its special geological structure and unique physical patterns of aquifers. In order to investigate the characteristics and transport patterns of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in epikarst water and subterranean stream, the water samples were collected monthly in a fast-urbanizing karst region. The results showed distinctive characteristics of three forms of inorganic nitrogen. The concentration of inorganic nitrogen was stable in the epikarst water while it was fluctuant in the subterranean stream. Epikarst water was less affected by rainfall and sewage compared with subterranean stream. In epikarst water, the nitrate concentration was much higher than the ammonia concentration. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen, mainly from non-point source pollution related to agricultural activities, passed in and out of the epikarst water based on a series of physical; chemical and biological processes in the epikarst zone, such as ammonification, adsorption and nitrification. On the contrary, subterranean stream showed a result of NH₄⁺-N > NO₃⁻-N in dry seasons and NO₃⁻-N > NH₄⁺-N in rainy seasons. This can be due to the fact that sanitary and industrial sewage flowed into subterranean river through sinkholes, fissures and grikes in dry season. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen in subterranean river was mainly from the non-point source pollution in wet season. Non-point source pollutants entered into subterranean water by two transport ways, one by penetration along with vadose flow through fissures and grikes, and the other by conduit flow through sinkholes from the surface runoff, soil water flow and epikarst flow. The export flux of DIN was 56.05 kg · (hm² · a)⁻¹, and NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N accounted for 46.03% and 52.51%, respectively. The contributions of point-source pollution and non point-source pollution to the export flux of DIN were 25.08% and 74.92%, respectively, based on run-off division method.

Scenario Tools For Efficient Eutrophication Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arheimer, B.; Vastra SP3 Team

Several possible measures are available to reduce diffuse (non-point source) nutri- ent load to surface water and thereby reduce eutrophication. Such measures include changed arable practices and constructions of wetlands and buffer zones in the land- scape, as well as managing lake ecosystems. In some cases, such as for wetlands, there is an intense debate regarding the efficiency of their nutrient reducing capability. In ad- dition, the combined effect of several measures in a catchment is not necessarily equal to their sum. It is therefore important to apply a holistic and integrated catchment approach when applying and evaluating different management strategies. To facili- tate such catchment analyses, the Swedish water management research programme (VASTRA) develop modelling tools addressing both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in catchments. During the last three years decision support tools for N man- agement in rivers and lakes have been developed (e.g., HBV-N, BIOLA) and applied in scenarios to demonstrate the effect of various reducing measures. At present, similar tools for P are under development. This presentation will demonstrate the VASTRA tool-box and its applications for efficient eutrophication management.

Major and Trace Element Fluxes to the Ganges River: Significance of Small Flood Plain Tributary as Non-Point Pollution Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshmi, V.; Sen, I. S.; Mishra, G.

2017-12-01

There has been much discussion amongst biologists, ecologists, chemists, geologists, environmental firms, and science policy makers about the impact of human activities on river health. As a result, multiple river restoration projects are on going on many large river basins around the world. In the Indian subcontinent, the Ganges River is the focal point of all restoration actions as it provides food and water security to half a billion people. Serious concerns have been raised about the quality of Ganga water as toxic chemicals and many more enters the river system through point-sources such as direct wastewater discharge to rivers, or non-point-sources. Point source pollution can be easily identified and remedial actions can be taken; however, non-point pollution sources are harder to quantify and mitigate. A large non-point pollution source in the Indo-Gangetic floodplain is the network of small floodplain rivers. However, these rivers are rarely studied since they are small in catchment area ( 1000-10,000 km2) and discharge (<100 m3/s). As a result, the impact of these small floodplain rivers on the dissolved chemical load of large river systems is not constrained. To fill this knowledge gap we have monitored the Pandu River for one year between February 2015 and April 2016. Pandu river is 242 km long and is a right bank tributary of Ganges with a total catchment area of 1495 km2. Water samples were collected every month for dissolved major and trace elements. Here we show that the concentration of heavy metals in river Pandu is in higher range as compared to the world river average, and all the dissolved elements shows a large spatial-temporal variation. We show that the Pandu river exports 192170, 168517, 57802, 32769, 29663, 1043, 279, 241, 225, 162, 97, 28, 25, 22, 20, 8, 4 Kg/yr of Ca, Na, Mg, K, Si, Sr, Zn, B, Ba, Mn, Al, Li, Rb, Mo, U, Cu, and Sb, respectively, to the Ganga river, and the exported chemical flux effects the water chemistry of the Ganga river downstream of its confluence point. We further speculate that small floodplain rivers is an important source that contributes to the dissolved chemical budget of large river systems, and they must be better monitored to address future challenges in river basin management.

Integrated water system simulation by considering hydrological and biogeochemical processes: model development, with parameter sensitivity and autocalibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. Y.; Shao, Q. X.; Ye, A. Z.; Xing, H. T.; Xia, J.

2016-02-01

Integrated water system modeling is a feasible approach to understanding severe water crises in the world and promoting the implementation of integrated river basin management. In this study, a classic hydrological model (the time variant gain model: TVGM) was extended to an integrated water system model by coupling multiple water-related processes in hydrology, biogeochemistry, water quality, and ecology, and considering the interference of human activities. A parameter analysis tool, which included sensitivity analysis, autocalibration and model performance evaluation, was developed to improve modeling efficiency. To demonstrate the model performances, the Shaying River catchment, which is the largest highly regulated and heavily polluted tributary of the Huai River basin in China, was selected as the case study area. The model performances were evaluated on the key water-related components including runoff, water quality, diffuse pollution load (or nonpoint sources) and crop yield. Results showed that our proposed model simulated most components reasonably well. The simulated daily runoff at most regulated and less-regulated stations matched well with the observations. The average correlation coefficient and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency were 0.85 and 0.70, respectively. Both the simulated low and high flows at most stations were improved when the dam regulation was considered. The daily ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) concentration was also well captured with the average correlation coefficient of 0.67. Furthermore, the diffuse source load of NH4-N and the corn yield were reasonably simulated at the administrative region scale. This integrated water system model is expected to improve the simulation performances with extension to more model functionalities, and to provide a scientific basis for the implementation in integrated river basin managements.

Developing Oxidized Nitrogen Atmospheric Deposition Source Attribution from CMAQ for Air-Water Trading for Chesapeake Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, R. L.; Napelenok, S. L.; Linker, L. C.; Dudek, M.

2012-12-01

Estuaries are adversely impacted by excess reactive nitrogen, Nr, from many point and nonpoint sources, including atmospheric deposition to the watershed and the estuary itself as a nonpoint source. For effective mitigation, trading among sources of Nr is being considered. The Chesapeake Bay Program is working to bring air into its trading scheme, which requires some special air computations. Airsheds are much larger than watersheds; thus, wide-spread or national emissions controls are put in place to achieve major reductions in atmospheric Nr deposition. The tributary nitrogen load reductions allocated to the states to meet the TMDL target for Chesapeake Bay are large and not easy to attain via controls on water point and nonpoint sources. It would help the TMDL process to take advantage of air emissions reductions that would occur with State Implementation Plans that go beyond the national air rules put in place to help meet national ambient air quality standards. There are still incremental benefits from these local or state-level controls on atmospheric emissions. The additional air deposition reductions could then be used to offset water quality controls (air-water trading). What is needed is a source to receptor transfer function that connects air emissions from a state to deposition to a tributary. There is a special source attribution version of the Community Multiscale Air Quality model, CMAQ, (termed DDM-3D) that can estimate the fraction of deposition contributed by labeled emissions (labeled by source or region) to the total deposition across space. We use the CMAQ DDM-3D to estimate simplified state-level delta-emissions to delta-atmospheric-deposition transfer coefficients for each major emission source sector within a state, since local air regulations are promulgated at the state level. The CMAQ 4.7.1 calculations are performed at a 12 km grid size over the airshed domain covering Chesapeake Bay for 2020 CAIR emissions. For results, we first present the fractional contributions of Bay state NOx emissions to the oxidized nitrogen deposition to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the Bay. We then present example tables of the fractional contributions of Bay state NOx emissions from mobile, off road, power plant and industrial emissions to key tributaries: the Potomac, Susquehanna and James Rivers. Finally, we go through an example for a mobile source NOx reductions in Pennsylvania to show how the tributary load offset would be calculated using the factors generated by CMAQ DDM-3D.

Aquatic Nitrate Retention at River Network Scales Across Flow Conditions Determined Using Nested In Situ Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollheim, W. M.; Mulukutla, G. K.; Cook, C.; Carey, R. O.

2017-11-01

Nonpoint pollution sources are strongly influenced by hydrology and are therefore sensitive to climate variability. Some pollutants entering aquatic ecosystems, e.g., nitrate, can be mitigated by in-stream processes during transport through river networks. Whole river network nitrate retention is difficult to quantify with observations. High frequency, in situ nitrate sensors, deployed in nested locations within a single watershed, can improve estimates of both nonpoint inputs and aquatic retention at river network scales. We deployed a nested sensor network and associated sampling in the urbanizing Oyster River watershed in coastal New Hampshire, USA, to quantify storm event-scale loading and retention at network scales. An end member analysis used the relative behavior of reactive nitrate and conservative chloride to infer river network fate of nitrate. In the headwater catchments, nitrate and chloride concentrations are both increasingly diluted with increasing storm size. At the mouth of the watershed, chloride is also diluted, but nitrate tended to increase. The end member analysis suggests that this pattern is the result of high retention during small storms (51-78%) that declines to zero during large storms. Although high frequency nitrate sensors did not alter estimates of fluxes over seasonal time periods compared to less frequent grab sampling, they provide the ability to estimate nitrate flux versus storm size at event scales that is critical for such analyses. Nested sensor networks can improve understanding of the controls of both loading and network scale retention, and therefore also improve management of nonpoint source pollution.

Stream Nitrate Concentrations Diverge at Baseflow and Converge During Storms in Watersheds with Contrasting Urbanization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, R. O.; Wollheim, W. M.; Mulukutla, G. K.; Cook, C. S.

2013-12-01

Management of non-point sources is challenging because it requires adequate quantification of non-point fluxes that are highly dynamic over time. Most fluxes occur during storms and are difficult to characterize with grab samples alone in flashy, urban watersheds. Accurate and relatively precise measurements using in situ sensor technology can quantify fluxes continuously, avoiding the uncertainties in extrapolation of infrequently collected grab samples. In situ nitrate (NO3-N) sensors were deployed simultaneously from April to December 2013 in two streams with contrasting urban land uses in an urbanizing New Hampshire watershed (80 km2). Nitrogen non-point fluxes and temporal patterns were evaluated in Beards Creek (forested: 50%; residential: 24%; commercial/institutional/transportation: 7%; agricultural: 6%) and College Brook (forested: 35%; residential: 11%; commercial/institutional/transportation: 20%; agricultural: 17%). Preliminary data indicated NO3-N concentrations in Beards Creek (mean: 0.37 mg/L) were lower than College Brook (mean: 0.60 mg/L), but both streams exhibited rapid increases in NO3-N during the beginning of storms followed by overall dilution. While baseflow NO3-N was greater in College Brook than Beards Creek, NO3-N at the two sites consistently converged during storms. This suggests that standard grab sampling may overestimate fluxes in urban streams, since short-term dilution occurred during periods of highest flow. Analyzing NO3-N flux patterns in smaller urban streams that are directly impacted by watershed activities could help to inform management decisions regarding N source controls, ultimately allowing an assessment of the interactions of climate variability and management actions.

Suspended sediment impact on chlorophyll a, nitrogen and phosphorus relationships in Moon Lake, MS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Moon Lake, MS is a 947 ha. oxbow lake of the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain also known as the Mississippi Delta. Water was sampled from five sites, bi-weekly from 1982 to 1985. Analysis of surface water quality reviled loading of nutrients from nonpoint source pollution associated with agricultu...

Idaho forestry best management practices: Compilation of research on their effectiveness

Treesearch

Kathleen A. Seyedbagheri

1996-01-01

A search was conducted for quantitative Idaho research results on the effectiveness of the Idaho Forest Practices Act rules and regulations pertaining to timber harvest and forest road construction and maintenance. These rules and regulations are designated as the "best management practices" for the prevention of nonpoint source pollution from silviculture...

Managing grazing of riparian areas in the Intermountain Region

Treesearch

Warren P. Clary; Bert F. Webster

1989-01-01

Concern about livestock grazing in riparian habitats and its effect upon riparian-dependent resources has resulted in numerous controversies about the appropriate management approach. This document provides guidance for grazing of riparian areas in a manner that should reduce both nonpoint source pollution and potential grazing impacts on other riparian-dependent...

REPORT TO STATES, REGIONS, AND PROGRAM OFFICES DEMONSTRATING THE USE OF TIME SERIES ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY NON-POINT SOURCE IMPACTS.

EPA Science Inventory

Land use change, and the implementation of best management practices to remedy the adverse effects of land use change, alter hydrologic patterns, contaminant loading and water quality in freshwater ecosystems. These changes are not constant over time, but vary in response to di...

Mitigation measures to reduce losses of phosphorus during the non-cropping period - a northern European perspective

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Degradation of natural waters by phosphorus (P) due to agricultural activities has been a problem in several countries for many years. Accordingly, mitigation measures to minimize this issue have been developed and used with varying success. Non-point source P from agricultural fields is one of the ...

40 CFR 35.101 - Environmental programs covered by the subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (section 205(g) of the Clean Water Act). (19) Water quality management planning (section 205(j)(2) of the... Drinking Water Act). (6) Hazardous waste management (section 3011(a) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act). (7... Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act). (10) Nonpoint source management (sections 205(j)(5) and 319(h...

Evaluation of Water Quality Trends in Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed, Missouri: Implications for Monitoring Strategies and Objective Setting

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Continued public support for U.S. tax-payer funded programs aimed at reducing agricultural non-point source pollutants depends on clear demonstrations of water quality improvements. Effectiveness of structural BMPs, as well as watershed monitoring networks is an important information need to make f...

Processes, Procedures, and Methods to Control Pollution Resulting from Silvicultural Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Water Programs.

This report presents brief documentation of silvicultural practices, both those now in use and those in stages of research and development. A majority of the text is concerned with the specific aspects of silvicultural activities which relate to nonpoint source pollution control methods. Analyzed are existing and near future pollution control…

Hydrologic processes of forested headwater watersheds across a physiographaic gradient in the southeastern United States

Treesearch

Ge Sun; Johnny Boggs; Steven G. McNulty; Devendra M. Amatya; Carl C. Trettin; Zhaohua Dai; James M. Vose; Ileana B. La Torre Torres; Timothy Callahan

2008-01-01

Understanding the hydrologic processes is the first step in making sound watershed management decisions including designing Best Management Practices for nonpoint source pollution control. Over the past fifty years, various forest experimental watersheds have been instrumented across the Carolinas through collaborative studies among federal, state, and private...

Fact sheets and slides summarizing Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Integrated Farm Systems Model (IFSM)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water quality models address nonpoint source pollution from agricultural land at a range of scales and complexities and involve a variety of input parameters. It is often difficult for conservationists and stakeholders to understand and reconcile water quality results from different models. However,...

STORAGE DURATION AND TEMPERATURE AND THE ACUTE TOXICITIES OF ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS TO MYSIDOPSIS BAHIA AND LEPTOCHEIRUS PLUMULOSUS.

EPA Science Inventory

Many statutory needs for sediment quality assessment exist (U.S. EPA 1996). A variety of sediment toxicity tests have been used to support the development of sediment quality guidelines and to determine the benthic impacts of dredging activities and point and non-point source tox...

Managing Water Quality in Wetlands with Foresty BMP's

Treesearch

Bob Rummer

2004-01-01

Forested wetlands are uniquely critical areas in forest operations that present special challenges to protect water quality. These locations are a direct interface between the impacts of forest operations and water. BMP's are designed to minimize nonpoint source pollution, but much of the science behind current guidelines is based on an understanding of erosion...

Potential water yield reduction due to forestation across China

Treesearch

Ge Sun; Guoyi Zhou; Zhiqiang Zhang; Xiaohua Wei; Steven G. McNulty; James M. Vose

2006-01-01

It is widely recognized that vegetation restoration will have positive effects on watershed health by reducing soil erosion and non-point source pollution, enhancing terrestrial and aquatic habitat, and increasing ecosystem carbon sequestration. However, the hydrologic consequences of forestation on degraded lands are not well studied in the forest hydrology community...

77 FR 39949 - Effective Date for the Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-06

... Florida may be interested in this rulemaking. Entities discharging nitrogen or phosphorus to lakes and..., such as nonpoint source contributors to nitrogen/phosphorus pollution in Florida's waters may be... numeric nutrient criteria in the form of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrate+nitrite, and...

DEVELOPMENT OF LANDSCAPE INDICATORS FOR USE IN REGIONAL ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

There is a growing need for cost effective ways to assess conditions of and risks to ecological resources at a variety of scales over broad regions. Indicators, models and assessment tools are needed to evaluate water bodies at risk to non-point source pollution and to be able t...

Determining volume sensitive waters in Beaufort County, SC tidal creeks

Treesearch

Andrew Tweel; Denise Sanger; Anne Blair; John Leffler

2016-01-01

Non-point source pollution from stormwater runoff associated with large-scale land use changes threatens the integrity of ecologically and economically valuable estuarine ecosystems. Beaufort County, SC implemented volume-based stormwater regulations on the rationale that if volume discharge is controlled, contaminant loading will also be controlled.

Use of modified pine bark for removal of pesticides from stormwater runoff

Treesearch

Mandla A. Tshabalala

2003-01-01

Pesticide entrainment in stormwater runoff can contribute to non-point source pollution of surface waters. Granular activated carbon has been successfully used for removing pesticides from wastewater. However, implementation of granular activated carbon sorption media in stormwater filtration systems comes with high initial capital investment and operating costs....

Differentiating impacts of land use changes from pasture management in a CEAP watershed using the SWAT model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Due to intensive farm practices, nonpoint-source (NPS) pollution has become one of the most challenging environmental problems in agricultural and mixed land use watersheds. Usually, various conservation practices are implemented in the watershed to control the NPS pollution problem. However, land u...

THE USE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY AND STREAM STABILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK OF STREAM IMPAIRMENT FROM SEDIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The evaluation of the current condition is critical to the management of streams impaired by sediment and other non-point source stressors, which adversely affect both physical habitat and water quality. Several rating and classification systems based on geomorphic data exist for...

40 CFR 125.64 - Effect of the discharge on other point and nonpoint sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Effect of the discharge on other point... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Criteria for Modifying the Secondary Treatment Requirements Under Section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act...

40 CFR 125.64 - Effect of the discharge on other point and nonpoint sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Effect of the discharge on other point... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Criteria for Modifying the Secondary Treatment Requirements Under Section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act...

40 CFR 125.64 - Effect of the discharge on other point and nonpoint sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Effect of the discharge on other point... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Criteria for Modifying the Secondary Treatment Requirements Under Section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act...

40 CFR 125.64 - Effect of the discharge on other point and nonpoint sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Effect of the discharge on other point... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Criteria for Modifying the Secondary Treatment Requirements Under Section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act...

40 CFR 125.64 - Effect of the discharge on other point and nonpoint sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Effect of the discharge on other point... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Criteria for Modifying the Secondary Treatment Requirements Under Section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act...

a long, long time ago...

Treesearch

Elliot West; Greg Ruark

2004-01-01

Riparian areas - lang adjacent to a streambank or other water body - filtering nonpoint source pollution. Unfortunately the riparian areas of today, include only narrow bands of forests, or no woody vegetation. This greatly minimizes their ecological function. In deciding how to manage these areas, knowing the natural riparian makeup before humans settled in the area...

A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF A COMBINED SPECTRAL AND GIS RULE-BASED LAND-COVER CLASSIFICATION IN THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN OF NORTH CAROLINA

EPA Science Inventory

The 14,582 km2 Neuse River Basin in North Carolina was characterized based on a user defined land-cover (LC) classification system developed specifically to support spatially explicit, non-point source nitrogen allocation modeling studies. Data processing incorporated both spect...

A COMPREHENSIVE NONPOINT SOURCE FIELD STUDY FOR SEDIMENT, NUTRIENTS, AND PATHOGENS IN THE SOUTH FORK BROAD RIVER WATERSHED IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

EPA Science Inventory

This technical report provides a description of the field project design, quality control, the sampling protocols and analysis methodology used, and standard operating procedures for the South Fork Broad River Watershed (SFBR) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project. This watersh...

STORAGE DURATION AND TEMPERATURE AND THE ACUTE TOXICITIES OF ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS TO MYSIDOPSIS BAHIA AND LEPTOCHEIRUS PLUMULOSUS

EPA Science Inventory

Many statutory needs for sediment quality assessment exist (U.S. EPA 1996). A variety of sediment toxicity tests have been used to support the development of sediment quality guidelines and to determine the benthic impacts of dredging activities and point and non-point source tox...

Quantitative Assessment of Temperature Sensitivity of the South Fork Nooksack River under Future Climates using QUAL2Kw

EPA Science Inventory

The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program, established by the Clean Water Act, is used to establish limits on loading of pollutants from point and nonpoint sources necessary to achieve water quality standards. One important use of a temperature TMDL is to allocate thermal loads...

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO COLLECT BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND GEOLOGICAL DATA TO QUANTIFY THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS WHICH INFLUENCE STREAM IMPAIRMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The evaluation of the current condition is critical to the management of streams impaired by sediment and other non-point source stressors, which adversely affect both physical habitat and water quality. Impairment is generally assigned based on biological criteria, which are der...

ASSESSING THE RELATIVE AND COMBINED IMPACTS OF FUTURE LAND-USE AND CLIMATE CHANGES ON NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

In this paper, we discuss the potential water quality impacts of future land-use and climate changes. The Little Miami River Basin was used as a case study. It is a predominantly agricultural watershed in southwestern Ohio (U.S.A.) that has experienced land-use modifications. ...

76 FR 33753 - Modification of the Expiration Date for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-09

... Stormwater and Nonpoint Source Section, Water Protection Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4.../region4/water/permits/stormwater.html . C. How and to whom do I submit comments? You may submit comments... earlier. II. Background of Permit A. Statutory and Regulatory History The Clean Water Act (CWA...

Analysis of microbial populations, denitrification, and nitrous oxide production in riparian buffers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Riparian buffers are used extensively to protect water bodies from nonpoint source nitrogen pollution. However there is relatively little information on the impact of these buffers on production of nitrous oxide (N2O). In this study, we assessed nitrous oxide production in riparian buffers of the so...

The Art and Science of Rain Barrels: A Service Learning Approach to Youth Watershed Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rector, Patricia; Lyons, Rachel; Yost, Theresa

2013-01-01

Using an interdisciplinary approach to water resource education, 4-H Youth Development and Environmental Extension agents enlisted 4-H teens to connect local watershed education with social action. Teens participated in a dynamic service learning project that included learning about nonpoint source pollution; constructing, decorating, and teaching…

A repeated-measures study of recreational water exposure, non-point source pollution, and risk of illness

EPA Science Inventory

Discharge of stormwater runoff onto beaches is a major cause of beach closings and advisories in the United States. Prospective studies of recreational water quality and health have often been limited to two time points (baseline and follow-up). Little is known about the risk of ...

USING LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND PARTIAL LEAST SQUARES PREDICITIONS TO MAP WATERSHEDS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency¿s Office of Research and Development have mapped and interpreted landscape-scale (i.e., broad scale) ecological metrics among watersheds in the upper White River watershed, producing the first geospatial models of water quality vulnerabili...

Water quality and shellfish sanitation. [Patuxent and Choptank River watersheds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eisenberg, M.

1978-01-01

The use of remote sensing techniques for collecting bacteriological, physical, and chemical water quality data, locating point and nonpoint sources of pollution, and developing hydrological data was found to be valuable to the Maryland program if it could be produced effectively and rapidly with a minimum amount of ground corroboration.

A comprehensive evaluation of input data-induced uncertainty in nonpoint source pollution modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, L.; Gong, Y.; Shen, Z.

2015-11-01

Watershed models have been used extensively for quantifying nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, but few studies have been conducted on the error-transitivity from different input data sets to NPS modeling. In this paper, the effects of four input data, including rainfall, digital elevation models (DEMs), land use maps, and the amount of fertilizer, on NPS simulation were quantified and compared. A systematic input-induced uncertainty was investigated using watershed model for phosphorus load prediction. Based on the results, the rain gauge density resulted in the largest model uncertainty, followed by DEMs, whereas land use and fertilizer amount exhibited limited impacts. The mean coefficient of variation for errors in single rain gauges-, multiple gauges-, ASTER GDEM-, NFGIS DEM-, land use-, and fertilizer amount information was 0.390, 0.274, 0.186, 0.073, 0.033 and 0.005, respectively. The use of specific input information, such as key gauges, is also highlighted to achieve the required model accuracy. In this sense, these results provide valuable information to other model-based studies for the control of prediction uncertainty.

Application of Water Quality Model of Jordan River to Evaluate Climate Change Effects on Eutrophication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Grouw, B.

2016-12-01

The Jordan River is a 51 mile long freshwater stream in Utah that provides drinking water to more than 50% of Utah's population. The various point and nonpoint sources introduce an excess of nutrients into the river. This excess induces eutrophication that results in an inhabitable environment for aquatic life is expected to be exacerbated due to climate change. Adaptive measures must be evaluated based on predictions of climate variation impacts on eutrophication and ecosystem processes in the Jordan River. A Water Quality Assessment Simulation Program (WASP) model was created to analyze the data results acquired from a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study conducted on the Jordan River. Eutrophication is modeled based on levels of phosphates and nitrates from point and nonpoint sources, temperature, and solar radiation. It will simulate the growth of phytoplankton and periphyton in the river. This model will be applied to assess how water quality in the Jordan River is affected by variations in timing and intensity of spring snowmelt and runoff during drought in the valley and the resulting effects on eutrophication in the river.

Impacts of urbanization on regional nonpoint source pollution: case study for Beijing, China.

PubMed

Zhi, Xiaosha; Chen, Lei; Shen, Zhenyao

2018-04-01

Due to limits on available data, the effects of urban sprawl on regional nonpoint source pollution (NPS) have not been investigated over long time periods. In this paper, the characteristics of urban sprawl from 1999 to 2014 in Beijing were explored by analyzing historical land-use data. The Event Mean Concentration data have been collected from all available references, which were used to estimate the variation in urban NPSs. Moreover, the impacts of variation in urban sprawl on regional NPSs were qualified. The results indicated that the urbanization process showed different influences on pollutants, while COD and TN were identified as key NPS pollutants. Residential areas contributed more NPS pollutants than did roads, which played a tremendous role in the control of urban NPS. The results also suggested in part that the impact of urban sprawl on the variation of COD decreased while TN increased in Beijing during the study period. These results would provide insight into the impacts of urban sprawl on NPS variation over a long period, as well as the reference for reasonable urban planning directives.

Landscape Based Modeling of Nonpoint Source Nitrogen Loading in the Neuse River Basin, North Carolina

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garten, C.T.

2001-01-11

The objective of this research was to arrive at a quantitative and qualitative assessment of nonpoint sources of potential excess N under different land use/land cover (LULC) categories in the Neuse River Basin on a seasonal time scale. This assessment is being supplied to EPA's Landscape Characterization Branch, National Exposure Research Laboratory, in Research Triangle Park, NC, for inclusion in a hydrologic model to predict seasonal fluxes of N from the terrestrial landscape to surface receiving waters and groundwater in the Neuse River Basin. The analysis was performed in the following five steps: (1) development of a conceptual model tomore » predict potential excess N on land, (2) a literature review to parameterize N fluxes under LULC categories found in the Neuse River Basin, (3) acquisition of high resolution (15-m pixel) LULC data from EPA's Landscape Characterization Branch, National Exposure Research Laboratory, in Research Triangle Park, NC, (4) acquisition of a soil N inventory map for the Neuse River Basin, (5) calculations of potential excess N on a seasonal basis for the entire Neuse River Basin.« less

Severe situation of rural nonpoint source pollution and efficient utilization of agricultural wastes in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.

PubMed

Zhang, Tong; Ni, Jiupai; Xie, Deti

2015-11-01

Rural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution caused by agricultural wastes has become increasingly serious in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), significantly affecting the reservoir water quality. The grim situation of rural NPS pollution in the TGRA indicated that agrochemicals (chemical fertilizer and pesticide) were currently the highest contributor of rural NPS pollution (50.38%). The harmless disposal rates of livestock excrement, crop straws, rural domestic refuse, and sewage also cause severe water pollution. More importantly, the backward agricultural economy and the poor environmental awareness of farmers in the hinterland of the TGRA contribute to high levels of rural NPS pollution. Over the past decade, researchers and the local people have carried out various successful studies and practices to realize the effective control of rural NPS pollution by efficiently utilizing agricultural wastes in the TGRA, including agricultural waste biogas-oriented utilization, crop straw gasification, decentralized land treatment of livestock excrement technology, and crop straw modification. These technologies have greatly increased the renewable resource utilization of agricultural wastes and improved water quality and ecological environment in the TGRA.

Impact of changes in labor resources and transfers of land use rights on agricultural non-point source pollution in Jiangsu Province, China.

PubMed

Lu, Hua; Xie, Hualin

2018-02-01

This study systematically explores the likely mechanisms driving the effect of the transfer of agricultural land use rights (ALURs) on agricultural non-point source pollution (ANSP) in the context of changing agricultural labor resources. It quantitatively estimates the direction and degree of this influence from a microeconomic perspective using data from rural households. The results reveal that economies of scale caused by ALURs transfers contribute to reducing both the ANSP and marginal costs of inputs. Changes in agricultural labor resources lead to reductions in agricultural labor supply and negatively impact on ANSP. Encouraging farmers to participate in ALURs transfers, therefore, helps to reduce ANSP. The government and related departments should implement policies that support farmers who decide to rent an entire village's land or the adjacent land to achieve economies of scale. Accelerating the development of small farm machinery that is suitable for smaller farm plots and the elderly can serve to reduce the use of chemical fertilizer and promote green production and sustainable agricultural development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agricultural non-point source pollution management in a reservoir watershed based on ecological network analysis of soil nitrogen cycling.

PubMed

Xu, Wen; Cai, Yanpeng; Rong, Qiangqiang; Yang, Zhifeng; Li, Chunhui; Wang, Xuan

2018-03-01

The Miyun Reservoir plays a pivotal role in providing drinking water for the city of Beijing. In this research, ecological network analysis and scenario analysis were integrated to explore soil nitrogen cycling of chestnut and Chinese pine forests in the upper basin of the Miyun Reservoir, as well as to seek favorable fertilization modes to reduce agricultural non-point source pollution. Ecological network analysis results showed that (1) the turnover time was 0.04 to 0.37 year in the NH 4 + compartment and were 15.78 to 138.36 years in the organic N compartment; (2) the Finn cycling index and the ratio of indirect to direct flow were 0.73 and 11.92 for the chestnut forest model, respectively. Those of the Chinese pine forest model were 0.88 and 29.23, respectively; and (3) in the chestnut forest model, NO 3 - accounted for 96% of the total soil nitrogen loss, followed by plant N (2%), NH 4 + (1%), and organic N (1%). In the Chinese pine forest, NH 4 + accounted for 56% of the total soil nitrogen loss, followed by organic N (34%) and NO 3 - (10%). Fertilization mode was identified as the main factor affecting soil N export. To minimize NH 4 + and NO 3 - outputs while maintaining the current plant yield (i.e., 7.85e0 kg N/year), a fertilization mode of 162.50 kg N/year offered by manure should be adopted. Whereas, to achieve a maximum plant yield (i.e., 3.35e1 kg N/year) while reducing NH 4 + and NO 3 - outputs, a fertilization mode of 325.00 kg N/year offered by manure should be utilized. This research is of wide suitability to support agricultural non-point source pollution management at the watershed scale.

Application of genetic algorithm to land use optimization for non-point source pollution control based on CLUE-S and SWAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qingrui; Liu, Ruimin; Men, Cong; Guo, Lijia

2018-05-01

The genetic algorithm (GA) was combined with the Conversion of Land Use and its Effect at Small regional extent (CLUE-S) model to obtain an optimized land use pattern for controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution. The performance of the combination was evaluated. The effect of the optimized land use pattern on the NPS pollution control was estimated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and an assistant map was drawn to support the land use plan for the future. The Xiangxi River watershed was selected as the study area. Two scenarios were used to simulate the land use change. Under the historical trend scenario (Markov chain prediction), the forest area decreased by 2035.06 ha, and was mainly converted into paddy and dryland area. In contrast, under the optimized scenario (genetic algorithm (GA) prediction), up to 3370 ha of dryland area was converted into forest area. Spatially, the conversion of paddy and dryland into forest occurred mainly in the northwest and southeast of the watershed, where the slope land occupied a large proportion. The organic and inorganic phosphorus loads decreased by 3.6% and 3.7%, respectively, in the optimized scenario compared to those in the historical trend scenario. GA showed a better performance in optimized land use prediction. A comparison of the land use patterns in 2010 under the real situation and in 2020 under the optimized situation showed that Shennongjia and Shuiyuesi should convert 1201.76 ha and 1115.33 ha of dryland into forest areas, respectively, which represented the greatest changes in all regions in the watershed. The results of this study indicated that GA and the CLUE-S model can be used to optimize the land use patterns in the future and that SWAT can be used to evaluate the effect of land use optimization on non-point source pollution control. These methods may provide support for land use plan of an area.

Water quality changes and their relation to fishery resources in the upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holland Bartels, L. E.; Becker, C.D.; Neitzel, D.A.

1992-01-01

Despite a long history of human manipulation, the most dramatic changes in the upper Mississippi River occurred in the 1930s with construction of a lock and dam system to facilitate the commercial transport of commodities. In 1988, barge traffic through the system ranged from 7,500 tows per year at Lock and Dam 26 (near Alton, Illinois) to 1, 118 at Lock and Dam 1 (in Minneapolis/St. Paul). The tow-teed dam system created a diversity of lentic habitats, but it also changed the stage and sediment transport characteristics of the river. The principal fishery-related water quality issues of this modified system concern the effects of sediments and toxic contaminants from nonpoint sources. Between 42 and 99% of the streams in the five states of the Mississippi River basin fail to fully support their designated uses because of pollution. primarily from nonpoint sources (e.g., 73% in Minnesota, 98% in Wisconsin, 75% in Illinois). Annual sediment inputs into the upper Mississippi River basin range from minimal in the upper reaches to about 210.000 kg/hectare in the lower reaches. This sediment results in significant losses of fishery habitat. Although bnly 5 to 9% of the total open water area of many pools had been lost by 1975, those losses were in highly productive side channel and backwater areas. Under existing conditions, a loss of an additional 22 to 49% of existing lentic habitats is predicted within 50 years. In addition, toxic contaminants transported along with fine sediments have become more available to stream biota. Although significant interagency efforts have been made to evaluate the impacts on biotic communities of the river. present data are inadequate to determine how changes in water quality affect the fisheries. This lack of data undermines our ability to judge the success of programs initiated to control pollution from point and nonpoint sources.

Monitoring and Analysis of Nonpoint Source Pollution - Case study on terraced paddy fields in an agricultural watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shih-Kai; Jang, Cheng-Shin; Yeh, Chun-Lin

2013-04-01

The intensive use of chemical fertilizer has negatively impacted environments in recent decades, mainly through water pollution by nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) originating from agricultural activities. As a main crop with the largest cultivation area about 0.25 million ha per year in Taiwan, rice paddies account for a significant share of fertilizer consumption among agriculture crops. This study evaluated the fertilization of paddy fields impacting return flow water quality in an agricultural watershed located at Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan. Water quality monitoring continued for two crop-periods in 2012, around subject to different water bodies, including the irrigation water, drainage water, and shallow groundwater. The results indicated that obviously increasing of ammonium-N, nitrate-N and TP concentrations in the surface drainage water were observed immediately following three times of fertilizer applications (including basal, tillering, and panicle fertilizer application), but reduced to relatively low concentrations after 7-10 days after each fertilizer application. Groundwater quality monitoring showed that the observation wells with the more shallow water depth, the more significant variation of concentrations of ammonium-N, nitrate-N and TP could be observed, which means that the contamination potential of nutrient of groundwater is related not only to the impermeable plow sole layer but also to the length of percolation route in this area. The study also showed that the potential pollution load of nutrient could be further reduced by well drainage water control and rational fertilizer management, such as deep-water irrigation, reuse of return flow, the rational application of fertilizers, and the SRI (The System of Rice Intensification) method. The results of this study can provide as an evaluation basis to formulate effective measures for agricultural non-point source pollution control and the reuse of agricultural return flow. Keywords:Chemical fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Paddy field, Non-point source pollution.

[Effect of terracing project on temporal-spatial variation of non-point source pollution load in Hujiashan watershed, China].

PubMed

Han, Qiang; Yu, Xing Xiu; Wang, Wei; Xu, Miao Miao; Ren, Rui; Zhang, Jia Peng

2017-04-18

Taking Hujiashan small watershed as the study area, based on the classified result of Landsat TM/ETM images of 2005, 2010 and 2015, combined with long-term field observation data, and used the export coefficient model, our study explored the effect of small watershed management project on temporal and spatial variation of total nitrogen (TN) load of non-point source pollution under the support of GIS technology. The results indicated that, due to the implementation of slope modification project, the area of cultivated land was significantly increased, while forest and bareland were decreased. The load of non-point source TN increased from 63208 kg in 2005 to 72778 kg in 2010, but reduced to 46876 kg in 2015. The contribution rate from residential areas was higher, the average contribution rate of the three periods was 53.5%, but it showed a decreasing trend year by year. The contribution rate of land use types was 45%, which showed an increasing trend year by year. The contribution rate of livestock was always low. From the spatial distribution, TN loading intensity was changed obviously after the terracing project. High load intensity zone was mainly concentrated on the slope of 5°-15° before terracing project. Nevertheless, high load intensity zone was concentrated on the slope of 15°-35° after terracing project, and 5°-8° had become a low load strength area. The TN load intensity changed little with time on the slope of 0°-8°, and it increased first and then decreased on the slope above 8°. With the treatment of sewage, garbage and livestock manure in rural areas, the output of nitrogen in the living and livestock breeding were significantly reduced. Due to the implementation of the project, the cultivated land area increased by 31%.

Evaluation of Nonpoint-Source Contamination, Wisconsin: Selected Topics for Water Year 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owens, D.W.; Corsi, Steven R.; Rappold, K.F.

1997-01-01

The objective of the watershed-management evaluation monitoring program in Wisconsin is to evaluate the effectiveness of best-management practices (BMP's) for controlling nonpoint-source contamination in eight rural and four urban watersheds. This report, the fourth in an annual series of reports, presents a summary of the data collected for the program by the U.S. Geological Survey and the results of several detailed analyses of the data. To complement assessments of water quality, a land-use and BMP inventory is ongoing for 12 evaluation monitoring projects to track nonpoint sources of contamination in each watershed and to document implementation of BMP's that were designed to cause changes in the water quality of streams. Each year, updated information is gathered, mapped, and stored in a geographic-information-system data base. Summaries of land-use, BMP implementation, and water-quality data collected during water years 1989-95 are presented. Storm loads, snowmelt-period loads, and annual loads of suspended sediment and total phosphorus are summarized for eight rural sites. Storm-load data for suspended solids, total phosphorus, total recoverable lead, copper, zinc, and cadmium are summarized for four urban sites. Quality-assurance and quality-control (QA/QC) samples were collected at the eight rural sites to evaluate inorganic sample contamination and at one urban site to evaluate sample-collection and filtration techniques for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAR's). Some suspended solids and fecal coliform contamination was detected at the rural sites. Corrective actions will be taken to address this contamination. Evaluation of PAR sample-collection techniques did not uncover any deficiencies, but the small amount of data collected was not sufficient to draw any definite conclusions. Evaluation of PAR filtration techniques indicate that water-sample filtration with O.7-um glass-fiber filters in an aluminum filter unit does not result in significant loss of PAR.

Information technology and innovative drainage management practices for selenium load reduction from irrigated agriculture to provide stakeholder assurances and meet contaminant mass loading policy objectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, N.W.T.

2009-10-15

Many perceive the implementation of environmental regulatory policy, especially concerning non-point source pollution from irrigated agriculture, as being less efficient in the United States than in many other countries. This is partly a result of the stakeholder involvement process but is also a reflection of the inability to make effective use of Environmental Decision Support Systems (EDSS) to facilitate technical information exchange with stakeholders and to provide a forum for innovative ideas for controlling non-point source pollutant loading. This paper describes one of the success stories where a standardized Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methodology was modified to better suit regulationmore » of a trace element in agricultural subsurface drainage and information technology was developed to help guide stakeholders, provide assurances to the public and encourage innovation while improving compliance with State water quality objectives. The geographic focus of the paper is the western San Joaquin Valley where, in 1985, evapoconcentration of selenium in agricultural subsurface drainage water, diverted into large ponds within a federal wildlife refuge, caused teratogenecity in waterfowl embryos and in other sensitive wildlife species. The fallout from this environmental disaster was a concerted attempt by State and Federal water agencies to regulate non-point source loads of the trace element selenium. The complexity of selenium hydrogeochemistry, the difficulty and expense of selenium concentration monitoring and political discord between agricultural and environmental interests created challenges to the regulation process. Innovative policy and institutional constructs, supported by environmental monitoring and the web-based data management and dissemination systems, provided essential decision support, created opportunities for adaptive management and ultimately contributed to project success. The paper provides a retrospective on the contentious planning process and offers suggestions as to how the technical and institutional issues could have been resolved faster through early adoption of some of the core principles of sound EDSS design.« less

Pathway Ranking for In-place Sediment Management (CU1209). Executive Summary and Site 1 Report -- Paleta Creek

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

to any specific commercial product , process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or...conditions observed at P17 and Southeast Loch are interesting from the standpoint that these areas are generally closer to industrial and non-point...metals that commonly co-occur in both industrial sources and non-point source. An examination of all fluxes suggests that the surface mixed layer may

Appraisal of data for ground-water quality in Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engberg, R.A.

1984-01-01

This report summarizes existing data for groundwater quality in Nebraska and indicates their adequacy as a data base. Analyses have been made of water from nearly 10,000 wells by 8 agencies. Those analyses that meet reliability criteria have been aggregated by geologic source of water into four principal aquifer groupings--Holocene-Pleistocene aquifers, Tertiary aquifers, Mesozoic aquifers, and Paleozoic aquifers. For each aquifer grouping, data for specific conductance and 24 constituents in the water are summarized statistically. Also, diagrams are presented showing differences in statistical parameters, or in chemical composition, of water from the different aquifer groupings. Additionally, for each grouping except Paleozoic aquifers, maps show ranges in concentration of dissolved solids, calcium, alkalinity, and sulfate. In areas where data are insufficient to delimit, ranges in concentration also are shown on the maps. Point-source contamination has been identified at 41 locations and nonpoint-source contamination in 3 areas, namely, the central Platte Valley, Holt County, and Boyd County. Potential for nonpoint-source contamination exists in 10 major areas, which together comprise more than one-third of the State. Existing data are mostly from specific projects having limited areas and objectives. Consequently, a lack of data exists for other areas and for certain geologic units, particularly the Mesozoic and Paleozoic aquifers. Specific data needs for each of the four principal aquifer groupings are indicated in a matrix table.

In-time source tracking of watershed loads of Taihu Lake Basin, China based on spatial relationship modeling.

PubMed

Wang, Ce; Bi, Jun; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Fang, Qiang; Qi, Yi

2018-05-25

Influent river carrying cumulative watershed load plays a significant role in promoting nuisance algal bloom in river-fed lake. It is most relevant to discern in-stream water quality exceedance and evaluate the spatial relationship between risk location and potential pollution sources. However, no comprehensive studies of source tracking in watershed based on management grid have been conducted for refined water quality management, particularly for plain terrain with complex river network. In this study, field investigations were implemented during 2014 in Taige Canal watershed of Taihu Lake Basin. A Geographical Information System (GIS)-based spatial relationship model was established to characterize the spatial relationships of "point (point-source location and monitoring site)-line (river segment)-plane (catchment)." As a practical exemplification, in-time source tracking was triggered on April 15, 2015 at Huangnianqiao station, where TN and TP concentration violated the water quality standard (TN 4.0 mg/L, TP 0.15 mg/L). Of the target grid cells, 53 and 46 were identified as crucial areas having high pollution intensity for TN and TP pollution, respectively. The estimated non-point source load in each grid cell could be apportioned into different source types based on spatial pollution-related entity objects. We found that the non-point source load derived from rural sewage and livestock and poultry breeding accounted for more than 80% of total TN or TP load than another source type of crop farming. The approach in this study would be of great benefit to local authorities for identifying the serious polluted regions and efficiently making environmental policies to reduce watershed load.

Assessment of runoff and sediment yields using the AnnAGNPS model in a Three-Gorge watershed of China.

PubMed

Hua, Lizhong; He, Xiubin; Yuan, Yongping; Nan, Hongwei

2012-05-01

Soil erosion has been recognized as one of the major threats to our environment and water quality worldwide, especially in China. To mitigate nonpoint source water quality problems caused by soil erosion, best management practices (BMPs) and/or conservation programs have been adopted. Watershed models, such as the Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollutant Loading model (AnnAGNPS), have been developed to aid in the evaluation of watershed response to watershed management practices. The model has been applied worldwide and proven to be a very effective tool in identifying the critical areas which had serious erosion, and in aiding in decision-making processes for adopting BMPs and/or conservation programs so that cost/benefit can be maximized and non-point source pollution control can be achieved in the most efficient way. The main goal of this study was to assess the characteristics of soil erosion, sediment and sediment delivery of a watershed so that effective conservation measures can be implemented. To achieve the overall objective of this study, all necessary data for the 4,184 km(2) Daning River watershed in the Three-Gorge region of the Yangtze River of China were assembled. The model was calibrated using observed monthly runoff from 1998 to 1999 (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency of 0.94 and R(2) of 0.94) and validated using the observed monthly runoff from 2003 to 2005 (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency of 0.93 and R(2) of 0.93). Additionally, the model was validated using annual average sediment of 2000-2002 (relative error of -0.34) and 2003-2004 (relative error of 0.18) at Wuxi station. Post validation simulation showed that approximately 48% of the watershed was under the soil loss tolerance released by the Ministry of Water Resources of China (500 t·km(-2)·y(-1)). However, 8% of the watershed had soil erosion of exceeding 5,000 t·km(-2)·y(-1). Sloping areas and low coverage areas are the main source of soil loss in the watershed.

Assessment of Runoff and Sediment Yields Using the AnnAGNPS Model in a Three-Gorge Watershed of China

PubMed Central

Hua, Lizhong; He, Xiubin; Yuan, Yongping; Nan, Hongwei

2012-01-01

Soil erosion has been recognized as one of the major threats to our environment and water quality worldwide, especially in China. To mitigate nonpoint source water quality problems caused by soil erosion, best management practices (BMPs) and/or conservation programs have been adopted. Watershed models, such as the Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollutant Loading model (AnnAGNPS), have been developed to aid in the evaluation of watershed response to watershed management practices. The model has been applied worldwide and proven to be a very effective tool in identifying the critical areas which had serious erosion, and in aiding in decision-making processes for adopting BMPs and/or conservation programs so that cost/benefit can be maximized and non-point source pollution control can be achieved in the most efficient way. The main goal of this study was to assess the characteristics of soil erosion, sediment and sediment delivery of a watershed so that effective conservation measures can be implemented. To achieve the overall objective of this study, all necessary data for the 4,184 km2 Daning River watershed in the Three-Gorge region of the Yangtze River of China were assembled. The model was calibrated using observed monthly runoff from 1998 to 1999 (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency of 0.94 and R2 of 0.94) and validated using the observed monthly runoff from 2003 to 2005 (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency of 0.93 and R2 of 0.93). Additionally, the model was validated using annual average sediment of 2000–2002 (relative error of −0.34) and 2003–2004 (relative error of 0.18) at Wuxi station. Post validation simulation showed that approximately 48% of the watershed was under the soil loss tolerance released by the Ministry of Water Resources of China (500 t·km−2·y−1). However, 8% of the watershed had soil erosion of exceeding 5,000 t·km−2·y−1. Sloping areas and low coverage areas are the main source of soil loss in the watershed. PMID:22754480

Uncertainty analysis for an effluent trading system in a typical nonpoint-sources-polluted watershed

PubMed Central

Chen, Lei; Han, Zhaoxing; Wang, Guobo; Shen, Zhenyao

2016-01-01

Conventional effluent trading systems (ETSs) between point sources (PSs) and nonpoint sources (NPSs) are often unreliable because of the uncertain characteristics of NPSs. In this study, a new framework was established for PS-NPS ETSs, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted by quantifying the impacts of the uncertainties associated with the water assimilative capacity (WAC), NPS emissions, and measurement effectiveness. On the basis of these results, the uncertain characteristics of NPSs would result in a less cost-effective PS-NPS ETS during most hydrological periods, and there exists a clear transition occurs from the WAC constraint to the water quality constraint if these stochastic factors are considered. Specifically, the emission uncertainty had a greater impact on PSs, but an increase in the emission or abatement uncertainty caused the abatement efforts to shift from NPSs toward PSs. Moreover, the error transitivity from the WAC to conventional ETS approaches is more obvious than that to the WEFZ-based ETS. When NPSs emissions are relatively high, structural BMPs should be considered for trading, and vice versa. These results are critical to understand the impacts of uncertainty on the functionality of PS-NPS ETSs and to provide a trade-off between the confidence level and abatement efforts. PMID:27406070

Water quality functions of riparian forest buffers in Chesapeake bay watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowrance, R.; Altier, L.S.; Newbold, J.D.; Schnabel, R.R.; Groffman, P.M.; Denver, J.M.; Correll, D.L.; Gilliam, J.W.; Robinson, J.L.; Brinsfield, R.B.; Staver, K.W.; Lucas, W.; Todd, A.H.

1997-01-01

Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, USA, have agreed to reduce nutrient loadings to Chesapeake Bay by 40% by the year 2000. This requires control of nonpoint sources of nutrients much of which comes from agriculture. Riparian forest buffer systems (RFBS) provide effective control of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in some types of agricultural watersheds. Control of NPS pollution is dependent on the type of pollutant and the hydrologic connection between pollution sources, the RFBS, and the stream. Water quality improvements are most likely in areas of where most of the excess precipitation moves across, in, or near the root zone of the RFBS. In areas such as the Inner Coastal Plain and Piedmont watersheds with thin soils RFBS should retain 50%-90% of the total loading of nitrate in shallow groundwater sediment in surface runoff and total N in born surface runoff and groundwater. Retention of phosphorus is generally much less. In regions with deeper soils and/or greater regional groundwater recharge (such as parts of the Piedmont and the Valley and Ridge), RFBS water quality improvements are probably much less. The expected levels of pollutant control by RFBS are identified for each of nine physiographic provinces of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Issues related to of establishment sustainability, and management are also discussed.

Comparison between snowmelt-runoff and rainfall-runoff nonpoint source pollution in a typical urban catchment in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Chen, Lei; Zhi, Xiaosha; Shen, Zhenyao; Dai, Ying; Aini, Guzhanuer

2018-01-01

As a climate-driven event, nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is caused by rainfall- or snowmelt-runoff processes; however, few studies have compared the characteristics and mechanisms of these two kinds of NPS processes. In this study, three factors relating to urban NPS, including surface dust, snowmelt, and rainfall-runoff processes, were analyzed comprehensively by both field sampling and laboratory experiments. The seasonal variation and leaching characteristics of pollutants in surface dust were explored, and the runoff quality of snowmelt NPS and rainfall NPS were compared. The results indicated that dusts are the main sources of urban NPS and more pollutants are deposited in dust samples during winter and spring. However, pollutants in surface dust showed a low leaching ratio, which indicated most NPS pollutants would be carried as particulate forms. Compared to surface layer, underlying snow contained higher chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids (TSS), Cu, Fe, Mn, and Pb concentrations, while the event mean concentration of most pollutants in snowmelt tended to be higher in roads. Moreover, the TSS and heavy metal content of snowmelt NPS was always higher than those of rainfall NPS, which indicated the importance of controlling snowmelt pollution for effective water quality management.

Nutrients in the Nation?s streams and groundwater: National Findings and Implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Hamilton, Pixie A.

2010-01-01

A comprehensive national analysis of the distribution and trends of nutrient concentrations in streams and groundwater from 1992 through 2004 is provided by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Findings describe the distribution and causes of varying nutrient concentrations in streams and groundwater throughout the Nation and examine the primary sources that contribute to elevated concentrations. Results show that excessive nutrient enrichment is a widespread cause of ecological degradation in streams and that nitrate contamination of groundwater used for drinking water, particularly shallow domestic wells in agricultural areas, is a continuing human-health concern. Finally, despite major Federal, State and local nonpoint-source nutrient control efforts for streams and watersheds across the Nation, USGS trend analyses for 1993?2003 suggest limited national progress to reduce the impacts of nonpoint sources of nutrients during this period. Instead, concentrations have remained the same or increased in many streams and aquifers across the Nation, and continue to pose risks to aquatic life and human health. This Fact Sheet highlights selected national findings and their implications, and serves as a companion product to the complete analysis reported in the USGS Circular titled ?The Quality of Our Nation?s Waters?Nutrients in the Nation?s Streams and Groundwater, 1992?2004.?

Past leaded gasoline emissions as a nonpoint source tracer in riparian systems: A study of river inputs to San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunlap, C.E.; Bouse, R.; Flegal, A.R.

2000-01-01

Variations in the isotopic composition of lead in 1995-1998 river waters flowing into San Francisco Bay trace the washout of lead deposited in the drainage basin from leaded gasoline combustion. At the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers where they enter the Bay, the isotopic compositions of lead in the waters define a linear trend away from the measured historical compositions of leaded gas in California. The river waters are shifted away from leaded gasoline values and toward an isotopic composition similar to Sierra Nevadan inputs which became the predominant source of sedimentation in San Francisco Bay following the onset of hydraulic gold mining in 1853. Using lead isotopic compositions of hydraulic mine sediments and average leaded gasoline as mixing end members, we calculate that more than 50% of the lead in the present river water originated from leaded gasoline combustion. The strong adsorption of lead (log K(d) > 7.4) to particulates appears to limit the flushing of gasoline lead from the drainage basin, and the removal of that lead from the system may have reached an asymptotic limit. Consequently, gasoline lead isotopes should prove to be a useful nonpoint source tracer of the environmental distribution of particle- reactive anthropogenic metals in freshwater systems.

Modeling of land use and reservoir effects on nonpoint source pollution in a highly agricultural basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, Yiping; Liu, Shu-Guang

2012-01-01

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is tightly linked to land use activities that determine the sources and magnitudes of pollutant loadings to stream water. The pollutant loads may also be alleviated within reservoirs because of the physical interception resulting from changed hydrological regimes and other biochemical processes. It is important but challenging to assess the NPS pollution processes with human effects due to the measurement limitations. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of human activities such as land uses and reservoir operation on the hydrological and NPS pollution processes in a highly agricultural area-the Iowa River Basin-using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The evaluation of model performance at multiple sites reveals that SWAT can consistently simulate the daily streamflow, and monthly/annual sediment and nutrient loads (nitrate nitrogen and mineral phosphorus) in the basin. We also used the calibrated model to estimate the trap efficiencies of sediment (~78%) and nutrients (~30%) in the Coralville Reservoir within the basin. These non-negligible effects emphasize the significance of incorporating the sediment and nutrient removal mechanisms into watershed system studies. The spatial quantification of the critical NPS pollution loads can help identify hot-spot areas that are likely locations for the best management practices.

Uncertainty analysis for an effluent trading system in a typical nonpoint-sources-polluted watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lei; Han, Zhaoxing; Wang, Guobo; Shen, Zhenyao

2016-07-01

Conventional effluent trading systems (ETSs) between point sources (PSs) and nonpoint sources (NPSs) are often unreliable because of the uncertain characteristics of NPSs. In this study, a new framework was established for PS-NPS ETSs, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted by quantifying the impacts of the uncertainties associated with the water assimilative capacity (WAC), NPS emissions, and measurement effectiveness. On the basis of these results, the uncertain characteristics of NPSs would result in a less cost-effective PS-NPS ETS during most hydrological periods, and there exists a clear transition occurs from the WAC constraint to the water quality constraint if these stochastic factors are considered. Specifically, the emission uncertainty had a greater impact on PSs, but an increase in the emission or abatement uncertainty caused the abatement efforts to shift from NPSs toward PSs. Moreover, the error transitivity from the WAC to conventional ETS approaches is more obvious than that to the WEFZ-based ETS. When NPSs emissions are relatively high, structural BMPs should be considered for trading, and vice versa. These results are critical to understand the impacts of uncertainty on the functionality of PS-NPS ETSs and to provide a trade-off between the confidence level and abatement efforts.